Putti, Uganda
Encyclopedia
Putti is a village in the Pallisa District
of Uganda
. Putti is inhabited entirely by the Abayudaya
people. The villagers of Putti are currently seeking an Orthodox Jewish conversion to Judaism
.
on baby boys at eight days old, keep kosher, observe the Shabbat
, holy days and Taharat haMishpacha.
One of the ways the community supports itself is through coffee farming. The coffee farm in Putti village is in its infancy, and documentation is being sought from the government and lawyers in Uganda to make the selling of coffee abroad legal.
, a ban was placed on Judaism in Uganda. Many practitioners of Judaism converted to other religions due to the ban. As a result, the community calls itself 'Remnant of Israel' because they are the remaining practitioners of Judaism in their area.
Pallisa District
Pallisa District is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its chief town, Pallisa, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
of Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. Putti is inhabited entirely by the Abayudaya
Abayudaya
The Abayudaya are a Baganda community in eastern Uganda near the town of Mbale who practice Judaism. Although they are not genetically or historically related to other ethnic Jews, they are devout in their practice of the religion, keeping their version of kashrut, and observing Shabbat...
people. The villagers of Putti are currently seeking an Orthodox Jewish conversion to Judaism
Conversion to Judaism
Conversion to Judaism is a formal act undertaken by a non-Jewish person who wishes to be recognised as a full member of the Jewish community. A Jewish conversion is both a religious act and an expression of association with the Jewish people...
.
Community life
Putti is an agrarian village. The community centers around the Beit Knesset She'erit Yisrael, the Orthodox synagogue, which has about 130 members. The congregation is collectively known as the Kahal Kadosh She'erti Yisrael (Holy Community Remnant of Israel). Putti villagers currently practice Judaism according to Orthodox halacha, as candidates for Orthodox conversion. Villagers perform brit milahBrit milah
The brit milah is a Jewish religious circumcision ceremony performed on 8-day old male infants by a mohel. The brit milah is followed by a celebratory meal .-Biblical references:...
on baby boys at eight days old, keep kosher, observe the Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
, holy days and Taharat haMishpacha.
One of the ways the community supports itself is through coffee farming. The coffee farm in Putti village is in its infancy, and documentation is being sought from the government and lawyers in Uganda to make the selling of coffee abroad legal.
Persecution
During the reign of Idi AminIdi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
, a ban was placed on Judaism in Uganda. Many practitioners of Judaism converted to other religions due to the ban. As a result, the community calls itself 'Remnant of Israel' because they are the remaining practitioners of Judaism in their area.