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Ogwashiuku, located in the Aniocha local government area in Delta State, is home to a large community of the Igbo people in Delta State. It is an ancient Igbo town settlement of Igbo migrants who grew into a huge community of Igbo-speaking settlers. And just like it is typical in the eastern region, there are more concentrations of Shabbat keepers generally compared to other parts of the country. This was truly because not all of the Igbos accepted the religion enforced by the colonialists who introduced Christianity in the region. Upon understanding and learning how to read the Bible, many Igbos could clearly figure out a resemblance of some Igbo traditions inside the Torah, which the Christians call the Old Testament. This led up to the rise of Sabbatarian mission in the early 1960s.

With the dawn of independence and the rise of Christianity after the civil war, many continue to practice a form of Judaism, following the Torah as best they can while still believing in the new Christian testament. However, through interactions with some Israeli Jews and foreign Jewish visitors, and with the rise of the internet as a source of information, many Igbos are returning to mainstream Rabbinical Judaism.

The New Y’rushalahim Synagogue in Ogbeubu of Ogwashi-uku, just like many communities in Nigeria, used to be a messianic Jewish congregation but is now fully adhering to rabbinical Judaism. But they have been isolated for a long time and are therefore unknown to the rest of the Jews in Nigeria, except for those in Ughelli, Warri, and Asaba, which are located in other parts of the state.

New Y’rushalahim Synagogue

However, things changed when the periodic youth Shabbat, which was hosted once in Ughelli, brought the Jews of Ogwash Uku to the spotlight. That weekend, youth stormed from all over the country to keep Shabbat together, interact with each other, study the Torah, and keep the bond of Jewish unity stronger.

Jewish youth from across the country

This gathering happened in 2023, beginning on August 25, which was a Friday, when people arrived in large numbers, and ending on Sunday. It was a memorable Shabbat in the community, the first of its kind, to host Jews from different parts of Nigeria. Firstly, for the majority of the Ogwashiuku members who haven’t had the privilege of having a sefer Torah, there was one brought from Anambra State. The peak of the service was the Torah service, as the youth danced energetically as the Torah was brought out and taken to the bimah. There was screaming of joy from the elderly woman who appeared excited about the presence of the Torah in the service. The distribution of the Aliyot to several representatives from different states was another unique aspect. The excitement and joy of Shabbat continued till after the havdallah service, as the youth kept singing and playing the local musical drums into the late hours of the night. Earlier in the day, the leader of the synagogue, Onyishi Emmanuel, had an interactive session with many of the visitors, telling them about the history of the community.

Youth group photo on Sunday after Shabbat

Since this national Jewish gathering, Ogwashiuku has become popular among one of the active Jewish communities in the country. It has also led to an increase in the number of individuals from outside the state who are stepping up to support the idea of developing a typical Jewish settlement community in Ogwashiuku. As the new and improved interaction with the rest of the Nigerian Jewry strengthens, it serves as a bridge connecting others to Ogwashiuku and Ogwash to the rest of the Jewish world. Once a messianic stronghold, Ogwash has transformed into a hub of Rabbinical Judaism, characterized by a high enthusiasm for living a Jewish lifestyle.

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