Rabbi Gershom Sizomu
Spring 2011 Speaking Tour

Rabbi Gershom Sizomu is a Be'chol Lashon Rabbinic Fellow at the Institute for Jewish & Community Research and the spiritual leader of the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda. In 2003 he was awarded a Be'chol Lashon Fellowship to attend the 5-year program at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University and live in Los Angeles with his wife Tziporah and their two children, Igaal and Dafna. During that time, Rabbi Sizomu served as a rabbinic intern at Shomrei Torah Synagogue. He spent the 2005-06 academic year with his family at the Schechter Rabbinic Seminary in Jerusalem where his third child, Navaah, was born.

After Rabbi Sizomu's ordination in May, 2008, he returned to Uganda and opened a Yeshiva to train African teachers and rabbis to serve their ancient and emerging Jewish communities. He continues to help his community remain healthy and strong, both physically and spiritually. With the support of Be'chol Lashon, the Abayudaya are engaged in a comprehensive Health and Development Project that includes building a Health Center, preventing disease, and developing economy.

Rabbi Gershom Sizomu is the grandson of community elder "Rabbi" Samson. He lives near the Moses Synagogue in the village of Nabugoye which he and others from the community's early 1980s "Kibbutz movement" built with their own hands. He was youth leader of the Abayudaya community from 1988 to 1998. Their goal was to gather what was left of the Abayudaya community back together after the devastating reign of Idi Amin Dada ended in 1979.

Rabbi Sizomu is also an ambassador for the Abayudaya. As a member of the Be'chol Lashon Speakers Bureau, Rabbi Sizomu will be traveling to the United States in May and early June of 2011.

For more information, please take a moment to fill out Rabbi Sizomu's brief tour booking form.

You can also e-mail speakers@bechollashon.org, or call us at 415.386.2604.

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