From Uganda…

As for the Jewish implications of my trip to Uganda, I've recognized three insights. First, Uganda, itself. As many of you remember, Entebbe Airport was the scene of the incredible rescue of Jews in 1976, whose plane had been hijacked by terrorists. That airport has now been rebuilt with the help of Israel. In fact, Israel maintains a strong presence in extending aid to Uganda. Moreover, there is a small group of people in the country who consider themselves Jews, called the Abayudaya. I was never able to see them, to my regret. But these 600 inhabitants of eastern Uganda, claim to have embraced Judaism 80 years ago. They observe a Biblical brand of Kashrut and Shabbat, hope to make aliyah to Israel, and many of them took part in a Conservative Jewish sponsored conversion last year. But in the eyes of the Orthodox in Israel, they remain non-Jews. Still, this is yet another connection between Uganda and the Jewish world.

Another Jewish implication of my trip to Africa was in it's sense of Jewish isolation for me. Again, I was the only Jew in my group. And I was acutely aware of it, only eight months after 9/11. I was told to be low-key in my identity as a Rabbi, especially since Al Quada is very active in nearby Kenya, as we know, and probably in Uganda, as well. But I'm proud of the fact that I did not allow the fear of terrorism to prevent me from this experience. You can apply that to Israel, too. I simply will not allow terrorism to control my life. I will not give terrorists that victory. And I discovered something else about my Judaism in that state of isolation. Being 10,000 miles away from home, in a remote part of the world, I again discovered an appreciation for the power of prayer. Whether it was saying she'he'chee yanu in a state of absolute joy, or reciting the Shma and the Amidah when I felt vulnerable and lonely, that act served to calm me and give me a special perspective on the experience. I am grateful that I had that resource that enabled me to offer thanks to God for creating a beautiful place called Africa, a wonderful creature high in the Virunga Mountains, and a special identity for me to embrace.

And one final Jewish implication: Could there be a more apt metaphor for Jewish survival than the gorillas, themselves? After all, just as gorillas are threatened with extinction, so are we. In our case, through assimilation, and anti-Semitism. But, clearly, there is a moral case to be made for survival. I think that the most fundamental reason to save gorillas and other wildlife, is that animals have a basic right to exist. Especially creatures such as dolphins, whales and primates because of their higher intelligence. We would be so diminished if gorillas became extinct. And similarly, the human race would be incredibly compromised without the contributions the Jewish people have made to civilization. we Jews, and those gorillas, are both fragile. We should consider it a mitzvah to help preserve all of God's creatures. We should recognize that it's a privilege to share our planet with God's extraordinary creations. And we should celebrate the gift of life that God has given, not only to us, but to life in far-off places, as well.