Paper short abstract:

This paper looks at the different identities of Ugandan Judaism, by way of examining how the different communities relate to each other, to the wider Jewish world, and to the areas they settled in.

Paper long abstract:

The establishment of Judaism in Uganda was a result of the historical trajectory of Uganda since early 1900s. British colonialism, Buganda's regional position and personal aspirations played a key role in the creation of the Bayudaya community in the Eastern region. A distinctively African Jewish community, the Bayudaya settled in a few villages close to Mbale, and its history presents an interesting case to study both in its local and international dimension. Another important element in the study of Judaism in Uganda is the existence of at least one other community: the "expat" Jewish community in Kampala. While different in many ways (more recent and less studied than the Bayudaya) the community in Kampala and its Bayudaya counterpart are both shaping Uganda's new religious landscape. This paper looks at the different identities of Ugandan Judaism, by way of examining how they relate to each other, to the wider Jewish world, and to the areas they settled in. The goal of this paper is to contribute to the debate of African Judaism, looking at its local and international dimension.