ISSAJ 2025 International Conference -Uganda
6th International Conference of /ISSAJ/ October 2025, Kampala, Uganda
**
At a time when anti-Zionist views and anti-Semitism are on the upsurge in Europe and elsewhere, tens of thousands of individuals have chosen to embrace Judaism in geographical areas where it had not traditionally been present. This growth in new expressions of Jewish identity and new geographical regions marks an astonishing transition
**
At a time when anti-Zionist views and anti-Semitism are on the upsurge in Europe and elsewhere, tens of thousands of individuals have chosen to embrace Judaism in geographical areas where it had not traditionally been present. This growth in new expressions of Jewish identity and new geographical regions marks an astonishing transition in the history of religions in Africa and in the history of the Jewish people. The aim of this conference is to continue the academic study of the emergence of African Jewry.
African Communities Negotiating Jewish Identities
The 2025 ISSAJ conference will convene in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, “the pearl of Africa.” Being close to – and even making an excursion to – Jinja, claimed to be the source of the Nile, the motto of the conference is found in the Book of Zephaniah 3:10, “From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, my dispersed ones, will bring
The 2025 ISSAJ conference will convene in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, “the pearl of Africa.” Being close to – and even making an excursion to – Jinja, claimed to be the source of the Nile, the motto of the conference is found in the Book of Zephaniah 3:10, “From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, my dispersed ones, will bring my offerings.” Once again, we invite ISSAJ members and others interested in our research field to come together and share insights, experiences, and concerns.
Paper proposals – with a title and an abstract of approximately 250 words – on the subtopics of the conference (see below) are welcome. Each accepted paper will be given 20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for discussion.
THEMES AND SUB-THEMES: "FROM BEYOND THE RIVERS OF CUSH"
THEMES AND SUB-THEMES: "FROM BEYOND THE RIVERS OF CUSH"
Theme 1: Uganda as the context of the conference
- The Abayudaya community: A history of Jewish practice in Uganda.
- The intersection of Jewish identity and African culture in Uganda.
- The Uganda Scheme – in its colonial context.
- The impact of the Uganda Scheme on Jewish communities in Africa.
Theme 2: Open session, papers on African Jewry
- The
Theme 1: Uganda as the context of the conference
- The Abayudaya community: A history of Jewish practice in Uganda.
- The intersection of Jewish identity and African culture in Uganda.
- The Uganda Scheme – in its colonial context.
- The impact of the Uganda Scheme on Jewish communities in Africa.
Theme 2: Open session, papers on African Jewry
- The Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Cush texts and Egypt texts as examples of interaction between ancient Israel/Judah and Africa.
- Various ways of drawing links from Hebrew Bible/Old Testament texts into contemporary Africa.
- Research concerns of the comparative paradigm.
Theme 3: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament studies as a neighboring discipline to that of ISSAJ
- The impact of colonialism on the development of Jewish communities in Africa.
- Relations within Africa between the different African Jewish communities
- The extent to which Jewish support or resistance in Israel and the United States feeds into the evolution of Black Jewish communities.
- Genetic population research and its impact on identity issues
- Internet and the formation of ethnic and religious identities.
- Antisemitism in the context of Black Jewish communities.
Theme 4: Judaism as a resource of African identity
- Aspects and examples of Jewish presence in Africa, historically or today.