Second Wave of Conversion Hits Nigerian Jewish Communities

My Journey to Conversion

Many people, across many congregations and communities, have fiercely contested the topic of conversion. Not only in Nigeria but also in other parts of Africa, brothers and sisters have had their own share of experiences, with some transitioning from a period of chaos and disagreement to a phase of collective mutual acceptance. Some argue that their claims of ancestral linkage to Israel qualify them, thereby eliminating the need for conversion.

Examining the entire scenario, multifaceted like the sides of a square, reveals that, despite the differences in belief patterns held by each group, we as Jewish people share many core principles that keep us as one. While Israel strictly considers and recognizes some conversions, it does not acknowledge others unless they take place in the country. It was just recently that the Israeli Supreme Court, after years of court proceedings, made a historic ruling that acknowledged nonorthodox conversion to Judaism in Israel. The decision ignited a worldwide celebration, and in due course, additional decisions would follow, giving the majority of Jews living in Africa a chance. In most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where there is no resident beit din, the most common procedure involves rabbis travelling from abroad to form a beit din for conversion. My family, along with some members of my synagogue, recently fell into this category and underwent conversion.

My journey in the search for truth began in my youth. At the age of 19, after completing my West Africa Examination Certificate (WAEC), a friend of mine who is not a Christian noticed my fervor for Christianity and asked, “What if you were born into a Muslim or Hindu family?” Would you still believe in Jesus? His question led me to become a seeker. I started attending different religious seminars and read books from various religions, but I was still unsatisfied.

In 2015, with God’s help, I met someone who introduced me to Judaism and helped me see the truth in the Torah. He revealed the Bible writers’ misinterpretation of the Tanakh to fit their narrative, leaving me in a state of shock. I became desperate to delve deeper into the Torah and discover the truth it holds. He told me that God does not accept human blood as atonement, citing the book of Jonah, where God forgave the sins of Nineveh without them using blood as atonement. He said, “The God of the Jews is not a vampire.” This statement changed me. This person also encouraged me to join a local synagogue in our community, where I learned about the laws of kashrut, the observance of Shabbat, the festivals, and how to use Siddur. Although these practices felt strange at first, I grew to love them, and they strengthened my belief that I have a Jewish soul.

Fortunately, my wife also embraced these teachings, although she initially worried about the kashrut aspect, which meant forgoing some typical African delicacies that included crayfish in almost every dish, as well as pork and dog meat, which are common in our state. I recall the day she asked me, “How would we be cooking now without crayfish in the soup?” But she later overcame this and recognized the truth in the Torah, as explained by the Rabbis. In fact, she learned how to bake challah and separate the dairy utensils in the kitchen.

By 2019, through my studies, I discovered that Jewish law (Halacha) requires conversion to Judaism. We discussed this with our community and agreed to continue practicing Judaism until we could have a Beit Din to facilitate our conversion, as Nigeria lacked Rabbis to form one. In 2021, the first Conservative conversion took place in Abuja, Nigeria. Regrettably, the distance and the ongoing debates about Orthodox versus Conservative conversion prevented me from attending. One occasion solidified my resolve to pursue the Conservative conversion. At my in-laws’ house, I was asked by my wife’s uncle, “I have heard that you are now a Jew.” “Is it this Nigerian Jewry that is not recognized outside of Nigeria, or are you converted to being a Jew?” He went on to inquire, “Do you possess a Jewish certificate?” I was embarrassed by this question from a non-Jew, and I vowed to join the next Jewish conversion I came across. Also, as a student of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, I have learned that a Jew is a Jew, irrespective of the sect, since there were no Orthodox, Conservative, or other distinctions in earlier times.

The next Conservative conversion opportunity in Nigeria came in 2024, and I was determined not to miss it. On August 5, 2024, my family and I, along with 80% of our synagogue members, travelled to the Ozuboko Jewish community in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with the singular goal of conversion. Our journey from Akwa Ibom State was filled with excitement, with Mrs. Jack Rabin playing a leading role for the women, Elder Aron Ben Avraham acting in a fatherly capacity, and I serving as the coordinator. Our two Moreh, Emmanuel Azaria and Emmanuel Ozni, enriched our trip with fascinating Jewish stories.

Upon arrival, we met brothers and sisters who had travelled from various parts of the country for the conversion. Abah Yerimyahu Eyong, the Rosh, was exceptionally accommodating and ensured everyone’s well-being. He gathered us and said, “Rishon, this is the best Jewish decision that you and your community have made. This is not just an ordinary conversion, but a Masorti conversion—a traditional Jewish conversion in line with Jewish standards.” His words reassured us of the right path we had taken. My children were thrilled to meet Rabbi Moshe Saks in person, having previously followed his teachings online. Rabbi Moshe Saks was the head of the Beit Din for our conversion. He is well known for his expertise in kashrut for the Conservative movement, having served as the Rav Ba-Machshir (Director of Kosher Certification) for the Rabbinical Assembly’s Philadelphia region. The Rabbi took time to explain the three aspects of conversion for men and the two aspects for women. The Beit Din interviewed us on the first day, and with God’s help, we all from Akwa Ibom successfully made it through.

Rabbi Saks instructed the women to remove their wigs for the mikveh, while the men underwent the most daunting part of the conversion process, the hatafat dam brit. Rabbi Saks enquired if any uncircumcised males were present, as they would require a different procedure. Rabbi Saks then called each man individually into the room to perform the hatafat dam brit. I was scared at first, but Rabbi Gershom Sizomu, who was in charge of the hatafat dam brit, assured me it would not be painful. I thank Hashem; it was over before I knew it. On the third day, the women first went for the mikveh at a nearby sea, and the men followed afterward.

One of the most memorable moments was the question and-answer session with Rabbi Gershom Sizomu. Rabbi Gershom, a member of the Beit Din for our conversion, is the first native-born Black Rabbi in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is the chief rabbi of Uganda and spiritual leader at the Stern Synagogue, the headquarters of the Abayudaya community in Mbale, Eastern Uganda. The Abayudaya (which means people of Judah in the Luganda language) recently celebrated 100 years of practicing Judaism. Originally found in the Mbale area, the Abayudaya, numbering over 3,000, have now spread and established synagogues in the north and central regions of Uganda.

During the interactive session, Rabbi Gershom provided valuable insights into many halachic matters in Judaism. Emmanuel Azaria, a member of my community, then asked Rabbi Gershom if it was permissible for other “Jews” in Nigeria who had not undergone conversion under any Jewish authority to daven as cantors for us who had converted, to which he replied in the negative. He further explained that, in Halacha, they are not Jews but merely practicing Judaism. He also pointed out that they are not eligible for Aliyah. This prompted me to ask the Rabbi about the various divisions in Judaism, including Conservative, Orthodox, and Reform. He responded by saying it was primarily political. He explained that in the Talmud, there are diverse opinions on certain subjects, which may seem contradictory to a layman but are all correct. This reminded me of the opinions of Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai on whether to stand or sit during the Shema, both of which are correct. Rabbi Gershom enlightened us that these differences arise from interpretations of the law. The women were particularly pleased when he addressed the issue of marrying one or more wives. He advocated for the custom of marrying a single wife, a practice that has been a takana (law) for more than a millennium. We were all filled with joy, realizing that a Black Rabbi could possess such profound knowledge and a deep interpretation of the Jewish code of laws, drawn from many references.

On the fourth day, over 100 of us, including about 21 from Akwa Ibom, received our Jewish conversion certificates amid celebrations and singing led by Rabbi Moshe Saks. Over the course of six months, we have diligently followed online lessons and studies to prepare for the practical conversion process. He said to us, “Today, you have joined the holy nation of Israel.” Keep kosher and be observant in your mitzvot.” He also guaranteed the authenticity of our certificates and confirmed their global recognition.

Sar Habakkuk, the spiritual leader and founder of Tikvat Yisrael Synagogue in Abuja, where the first Conservative conversion in Nigeria took place, delivered our farewell message. Sar Habakkuk urged us to unite and assured us of our Masorti conversion, which came from a recognized authority. During that first mass conversion, approximately 96 individuals underwent conversion, and ten Jewish weddings took place. However, the majority of these were non-Jewish married couples who had only recently returned to Judaism.

One of the new converts, Eben Cohen, a popular Hebrew and Torah teacher in Nigeria, lamented how he kept waiting for an orthodox movement from abroad to organize a conversion for some of the Nigerian Jews, who had been clamoring for one.

‘’It is disheartening to wait endlessly for a brother who has not acknowledged your current Jewish status as part of the lost tribes- and the difficulties we face in this part of the world- and who may never show up even as time swiftly passes. Nine years ago, I made the decision to convert through the Masorti Movement, choosing a globally recognized certification as a Jewish adherent over having none and enduring an unending wait.‘’

Our journey back to Akwa Ibom was exciting as Mrs. Jack Rabin sang us a song with the lyrics, “We travelled to Port Harcourt as Jewish claimants but returned as members of Am Yisrael.” We also discussed how to respectfully educate our brothers about the importance of conversion and the reasons they could not be considered as a minyan.

Back home in Akwa Ibom State, we began an enlightenment campaign to help our brothers understand why conversion is essential to being Jewish. Rabbi Moshe Saks had also given us the book Embracing Judaism, which explained that someone could be practicing Judaism but is not a Jew. This inspired one of the Elders in our community, Ozni Ben Yehoshua, to donate land for building a synagogue in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, for those who convert and are certified. One of the elders, Gaddi Azaria, after reading Embracing Judaism, said, “Now I understand why conversion is necessary. It is wrong to recite certain berakhot with Hashem’s name (e.g., Baruch Atah Hashem, King of the Universe, for not making me a Gentile) if it’s not truthful.” Many of our people who did not join the conversion are now eager and looking forward to the next opportunity in Nigeria. All of us are grateful to the Conservative movement for giving us this opportunity.

Today, as Jews, we have accepted the yoke of the Torah and understand that we are linked with our forefathers— Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov—and with all of Am Yisrael to reveal to the world that God is One.

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