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Rabbi Gorin Captures Nigerian Experiences on Video.........posted Mar 24, 2008

Rabbi Howard Gorin has returned from his latest rabbinic journey to West Africa -- an 18-day affair in Nigeria that allowed him to visit with Jewish communities in seven areas of the country.

The rabbi's travels, which concluded just before Purim, touched on the five Igbo states (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo), Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territories around Abuja.

The primary purposes of this trip -- his third to Nigeria -- were these, according to the rabbi:

 to raise the spirits of those Nigerians who practice Judaism and who look to the rabbi for moral and material support (books, etc.);

 to identify the needs of Nigerian Jewish communities with the hope of addressing those needs;

 to raise the awareness of Nigerian political leaders that there are Jews in Nigeria - by appearing on TV, being interviewed for the press, by presenting books to various universities; and

 to advocate among those leaders on behalf of Nigerian Jews - for opportunities to travel to Israel, which is afforded their Christian neighbors (these are government-sponsored pilgrimages - the Muslims are sent to Mecca for Hajj).

Rabbi Gorin said some of the communities he visited were his second or even third trips to those destinations.

Because TI congregants have been telling the rabbi since his return that they would like to hear about his most recent journey, he intends to share with the congregation some of his experiences there.

In the meantime, he has compiled video vignettes at the following link: http://www.motionbox.com/folders/show/5481382