Told with captivating images, an evocative text, and haunting music on a CD, here is the remarkable story of a courageous group of rural African people who converted to Judaism eighty years ago and, despite ensuing hardships, have stuck by their faith.
The six hundred members of the Abayudaya (Children of Judah) community living in a remote area of eastern Uganda lead a life devoted to traditional Jewish practices. They observe the Sabbath and holidays, attend services, follow dietary laws, and cling tightly to traditions in their small mud and brick synagogues. Surrounded by Muslims and Christians, facing poverty and isolation, these people have maintained their Jewish way of life for four generations since the initial conversion of their tribal chief Semei Kukungulu in 1917. Even during Idi Amin's reign of terror, when synagogues were closed and prayers had to be held in secret, the Abayudaya did not abandon their beliefs.
Richard Sobol is the first photojournalist to document this newly discovered Jewish community's way of life and to relate their heroic story. His sensitive portraits and moving landscapes depict everyday life, from caring for children to struggling to grow food. He shows their day of rest on the Jewish Sabbath, as well as their religious celebrations and rituals. His intriguing text, including extensive interviews, chronicles the story of this community from its conception to the present. Supplementing Sobol's images and text is a CD filled with powerful music and songs from services recorded by ethnomusicologist Jeffrey A. Summit, who has also provided an essay examining this unique mix of African and Jewish sounds.
Other details: 100 full-color illustrations
Author Biography: Richard Sobol has contributed photoessays to such leading publications as National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, and the New York Times Magazine. He is the author of five books for children and young adults and lives in Lexington, Massachusettts. Jeffrey A. Summit teaches music and Judaic Studies at Tufts University and is the author of The Lord's Song in a Strange Land.
Categories:
- History
- Africa
- Central Africa
- Africa
Publisher : Abbeville Press
Author : Sobol, Richard,Summit, Jeffrey A.
Language : English
Edition : Har/Com
Published :2002-08-15
Number Of Pages : 168
Binding : hardcover
ISBN-10 : 0789207761
ISBN-13 : 9780789207760
Item weight : 2.76 lb
Dimensions : 1 in x 10.18 in x 10.38 in
Returns Policy
You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the 'Complete Orders' link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
Shipping
We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.