Re-Emerging: the Jews of Nigeria

Like many in Nigeria, Shmuel consistently heard that the Igbo people were once Jews. When an Internet cafe opens in his town, he begins to research this further and starts a journey that eventually leads him to a community of thousands of Jews. With few resources, the Igbo Jews maintain a vibrant and passionate commitment to Judaism, with unique expressions of the faith. Yet their practice often leads to outside scorn, family rejection and violence - eerie reminders harkening back to the days when hundreds of thousands of Igbo were enslaved and shipped to the Americas, and the more recent Biafran War which killed over one million Igbo. Nevertheless, Shmuel's journey is a joyous discovery of community, ancestry and identity - furthered with the love of an American rabbi who has been working with both him and the larger community to see their dreams become a reality.