Abayudaya:
The Jews of Uganda
February 13 - March 23, 2003
The Tisch Gallery this winter showcases photographs of a remote
African community and its musical traditions. Abayudaya:
The Jews of Uganda, features more than 80 color photographs
by Richard Sobol, combined with recordings of traditional music
made by Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, director of the Hillel Foundation.
Longtime friends, Summit and Sobol, a 1976 graduate of the joint
Tufts/School of the Museum of Fine Arts program, traveled to Uganda
to document the community and develop not only an exhibition but
a book as well. Abayudaya: The Jews of Uganda, includes a CD of
field recordings and liner notes by Summit that capture the rich
cross-cultural mix of African and Jewish sound. The book was published
in the fall of 2002 by Abbeville Press.
“I love the way that the Abayudaya Jewish community challenges
so many stereotypes about what it means to be Jewish,” said
Summit, an ethnomusicologist. “Here we have a deeply committed
group of Bantu people leading deeply committed Jewish lives, observing
Shabbat, keeping kosher, observing all the holidays. They are drawn
to Jewish practice through their love of Torah and their commitment
to the unity of the Jewish people. While the Abayudaya survived
persecution and repression during the brutal rule of Idi Amin, they
now have strong, productive relationships with their Muslim and
Christian neighbors. This is a story of hope, of faith and commitment.”
For photojournalist Richard Sobol, whose
assignments have included photographing the mountain gorillas of
Uganda and the great gray whales off the east coast of Mexico, the
exhibition grew out of a singular experience three years ago. A
friend happened to play a recording of the Hebrew prayer “Lecha
Dodi” (“Welcoming the Sabbath”) sung by the East
African singers.
“I couldn’t believe it was for real,” he recalled.
“There was no African context to imagine a group of orthodox
practicing Jews that were virtually unknown. From there, my interest
grew deeper and deeper.”
To recapture that experience in the gallery, Abayudaya music of
worship and celebration will be integrated into the exhibit. Listening
stations at strategic locations will provide visitors an unusual
opportunity to simultaneously experience cultural context for the
music and the photographs.
“The instrumental music and the community’s singing
in Hebrew and Luganda join with the photographs to add depth and
vibrancy to the portrayal of this unique community,” said
Summit.
The project, funded by philanthropist Dr. Bob Shillman and Tufts,
is expected to travel to other institutions, including Plymouth
State College and Choate Rosemary Hall. —
Tufts Magazine, Winter 2003 issue
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