January 15, 2025 • 30 mins
Judah Epstein takes us his trip to Uganda with a team led by Dr Isador Lieberman delivering the torah into the foothils of Mount Elgon, a towering dormant volcano in easter Uganda.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Summer is waiting up, same, Epstein. I'm okay, let's on Monday, Dama,
I mean Sunday j summers. I'm okay. Nothing Sunday summer
looking sudaking, salmon.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
King.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
It is no Lana some da Atlanta camp.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
My name is Juda Epstein, an adventurer from Texas, and
I am on the journey with Neville Dangelo.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
It is.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Lana. That's a Lamasa.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You are on the journey today. We are taking you
to the Putty Village in Uganda. I'm your host, Neville d'angelou.
(01:45):
On the journey, we take you to intriguing places to
meet fascinating people with novel solutions to life's tricky problems.
We play a few games too, as we track the
remarkable heroes and unforgettable careers of three classic books, A
sound Bite Life, Flight of Affused Monkeys, and in Set
(02:08):
A Time to Begin Again, all of which you, of
course can find for your digital smart devices, your Kindle,
your look and your iPad. Today, our guest is Judah Epstein,
(03:09):
an adventurer and the former SMU student athlete. For those
of you who have been following us from the Jaguar
Pup Show, would recall our weekly game where in the
world is Judah. Well, Judah is still on as many
adventures around our globe. Last time you remember, he took
us into the Amazon jungle, and of course he will
(03:31):
continue to esport us to a few unique places in
the weeks to come. Today this trip is very special.
He is taking us to the Putty people in Uganda.
(04:03):
You may be wondering why we're here amongst the grass
huts at the foothills of Mount Elgon, a towering dormant
volcano in eastern Uganda. Well, as a writer and storyteller,
I can tell you that this spot is intriguing on
a number of different levels. Here is where the lives
of the world renowned spinal surgeon from Plano, Texas, doctor
(04:28):
Isidore Liebermann, an elephant hunter named Simi Kakungulu, and doctor
Kayanja intersect with the nefurious dealings of Hitler Idiamin, a
few missionaries and some European colonialists. The resulting spiritual drama
(04:51):
is being resolved with a mission to deliver a dirt proof, waterproof,
insects proof acrylic cylinder containing the most cred document in
judaism a Torah scroll and our guest Judah Epstein, is
on that mission to deliver the Torah to the putty
(05:14):
people in Uganda. This mission is called the Uganda Torah Project.
You can find much more on the Journey's blog. The
Journey's blog is at Matchboxmistery dot work press dot com.
(05:38):
Again it's match box mystery. That's one word. Matchboxmistery dot
work press dot com. You'll find videos and music and
more details on the Torah Project. You could also find
information on the Uganda Torah Project by going to w
(06:00):
w W dot Uganda Toura dot org or w w
W Putty Village dot org or to our guest website,
Judah Epstein's website, Jungle Judah dot com. Okay, can you
(06:33):
tell us about your Uganda tour project? Right?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
You've got the tour project basically promise that it was
there's a remote Jewish and to bring them a Jewish
safer tours birl say to not have. And how it
got started is there's a spine surgeon that lives in
Texas and he goes to u Gandhi next year for
(07:01):
a medical spawn surgery mission. And he went about a
year and a half ago and he heard.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
About this.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Jewish village out out in the outskirts in in Uganda,
and he went and visited him, and and he saw
how dedicated they were to Judaism, but they that they
did not have a tour scroll. So so he told
him he was gonna he was gonna work on trying
to bring a tour stcrow to him when he came
back next year. And then I happened to meet the
(07:30):
doctor and we were having dinner at one at a
rabbi's house. We wanted Jewish holidays, and heard about.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
About his his his goal. What's the name of this doctor,
doctor is Lieberman, okay, And and heard about his goal
and told him I.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Be interested that to help him out. So so so
the doctor and myself and the rabbi, and then we
recruited another rabbi who's a who's a soul fair that's
that's a rabbi that that writes tour scrow and repair
of the horse post. So the four of us worked,
we started up to work on work on the project.
(08:07):
We got a tour scroll and even the tours for
have a lot of history behind us. So it was
pre World War two and big confiscated and locked up
and then we were able to get get it back
and then get it and the rabbi, the shofa rabbi
was able to have to fix up the tour and
at the end when we went over to then we
went by by the time of the trip, we went up,
(08:29):
went went to Uganda and brought brought brought the tour
to to to the community. They were very, very very astatic.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
To have have the tour.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
A big we had a big fix celebration. It was
basically we were just I mean, if you just picture
a typical rural African village and you know the straw
and bud huts. I mean, went went to a village
like that. But the difference was this was Jewish village
where where in there people are wearing yamakas and and
(09:03):
as celebration was there first for for the Sabbath or
Sabat and presented the tour to them, and and then
and then the doctor and a couple of we actually
hit the mother people from his medical team. There's a
group of group of us. They went to deliver the
tour and then they went back to the capitol to
(09:23):
do the spine surgery. Mission, and then I stayed in
the village, lived lived in the village which went into
Rabbi's home for for a couple of weeks, and and
talk and and and taught him about about that about computers.
That that was one of the things that before I went,
we communicated with them and asked and I talked about
(09:45):
maybe stayed for a couple of weeks and and and
maybe what what what what could I do? What else
can I do teach him? And they said they were
interested to learn about chicken farming and about about computers.
Two extreme and I wanted to learn chicken farming. I
want to get some chickens. I don't really know anything yet,
So I wrote a book about chicken farming, gave them
(10:06):
the book, and then I was took about computers. I'm
very nod going that. And and they were interested to
learn computers because especially the the youth or the people
about when they're about twenty years older. So we're very
interested because they don't say they said they don't teach
them computers in school, but if they want to get
a job in the city or any job other than
(10:27):
in at the farm areas, and they have to know
how to use a computer.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
So they were very interested in me.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Teach them how to use computer.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Man.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Many of them had had never used computers. Some of
them had used computer a little bit. Maybe they they
might even have a Facebook account, but I don't really
know what they're how to use it. So taught them
is as much as I could about the computer when
I was there.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Well, what's the name of this village? Two tea? You
know the spellers and p u t t I.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
It's actually part there's there's there's the the Jews have become.
They're actually more well known than than the Puti village.
They're called the the Jews of Ada, and and there's
actually been been been there's been a quite a bit
of traditional other support to this community of Jewish people
(11:19):
in in in that area. But but I mean kind
of how in in in Man religions, there's different there's
different groups of the one religion in Judaism. The main
groups is Reformed, Conservative and Orthodox. It's all it's all
the same that that they're Jewish, but it's just different
different ways of just a little bit different ways of
(11:40):
practicing Judaism. Right, So the main group was conservative Jewish
group and then the Puti. They they wanted to tovolve
more orthodox, so they split off and formed their own community.
So there was the larger community already there and they
have more built out. They have a school, and and
they have and and sin and gogue and they have everything.
(12:02):
But the pooti was is a is that that they
don't they don't have as as as much. So so
that's the community that that we went to go to
go help. But out was was the pot community.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Now what what what is interesting to me at this
point is how does a Jewish community, uh, how do.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
They become Jewish?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
And then yeah, you know exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
And that's another part that's actually a very interesting component
to the story. That the story has actually been written
up quite a bit that's gone to tour project because
there's so many different, interesting, interesting components of the story.
It was that and that from taking the hospital. There
was many other publications also. But about about a hundred
years ago or so, the leader that the African leader
(12:47):
of of that area, he was an elephant hunter and
just that the leader that that area, he he just
started learning about Judaism on his own and and and
to start practice of Judaism. And because he was I
think he might have been the king, but he was
the leader of the community. So the people, the people
under him, they they started to practice Judaism muscle. So
(13:11):
so basically they were they were they were Africans, the
same same same background as all the other you've gone
into the area. But these these are Africans were practicing
Judaism and they did so for for for for for
for for for several several decades.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
And then.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
When when when Idiom came into power and and Judaism
was not allowed to be practice, I think you might
even that be put to death if you practice Judaism.
So a lot of people stopped practicing Judaism, but but
they're still maintained some some some people that continue to
practice Judaism in hiding. And then after Idiom less less
(13:54):
power then that so that some people were passed on
the Judaism, and then Judaism threw again. Community started. I
became involved in in in the Jewish edition. So basically
it was founded upon that that that the Elephant Hunter
king and continued on in a small amount towards that
I mean, and it has since since he left, it's
(14:15):
been growing back again.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Now you mentioned about the restoration of the torah that
you guys took to the Pretty Village. Talk to me
a little bit about that. Uh uh, you know where
was this torah before? How was it found and restored
and why that particular one was taken to the Pretty Village.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
I don't remember exactly that that that specifics, but it
was I I don't remember it was a pre World
War two tour. I think it was was was recovered
from World War Two because.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
A lot of.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
This one something somehow saved. And then in.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
America, I think the he got misplaced, stolen, and then
it was in I think a police warehouse where it
wasn't being used at all, and then somehow I think
he got got out or maybe we bought but that
the sofa that we had working on on whether it's
on the team, he was able to define this tour
(15:20):
and we were able to purchase it, and I think
because of where we were able to get it from
from we were able to get a pretty good price
on it. And it also needed send some repairs also,
so that the Rabbi was because he's a sofa he writes,
he's a would write tours and was able to make
the repairs a h say for tourists bro with the
(15:41):
hand written it's pretty much written perfectly, no errors, and
it's written on parchments. It's pretty much one hundred handmade.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Now, Now, for those people who are not familiar with
Jewish practices, what is a torah?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
So ah Torah is the Old Testament, the Five Books
of Moses. So if you're Christian and you'd study the
New Testament, but Judaism studies that that the Old Testament.
That's one of the major differences is Christianity New Testament
Judaism Old Testament, And so that the tour is the
(16:17):
Five Books of Moses from the Old Testament.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Right now, have you been in touch with the putty
people since you've been back?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah, yeah, Actually I've been in touch with them. There's
actually a couple of the other people that I was,
you know that that I was. I spent a lot
of time with in in in the in the community.
They actually recently went to Israel to study in Israel.
They were able to receive a scholarship and funding to
study in Israel and then they'll come back to the
(16:46):
foody community to share their knowledge. But one of the
things I've been trying to work on as I was
teaching them computers, is is they have one laptop and
and solar panels, so they can use them one laptop
sometimes that I was using to teach some computer so
so that was one of the other things that interested
is if they could get more laptops. So I've been
(17:06):
trying to see if I could get laptops and if
I go back or when the doctor goes back, we
can possibly bring them some laptops. And I have I am,
so I've been asking honestly if I can get any
you know, if somebody has has they got a new
laptop and they put their old laptops in the closet
and have no use for it, see if I can
bring that over to them. And I have another guys
(17:29):
are thirteen years old working on his bar Mitzvah Eason
when that his bar Mitsva project is trying to get
some laptops. And then the doctor. He's also keeping in
contact with the Musha. They've been working on building a
synagogue that a new synagogue of community. So it's for
additional fundraising efforts for the community.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
So if any of the listeners want to get a
laptop to you how do they what's the process for
doing that?
Speaker 2 (17:53):
As I can send me an email, my emails Judah
at your Ganda tour dot.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Organ okay, and you will you will make arrangements to
pick it.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Up front, arrangements to get laptop and and and we'll
get and we'll get it over to you.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Gotten this somehow good?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Whether whether it's through me, maybe I'll go like to
stop there or adopt or doctor leader then will you'll
get it?
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Great? Great? Now you kind of answered one of the
questions I was going to ask, how are they able
to use laptop in h in the village in the
in such a remote village, But you mentioned the words
solar panels, So they they they that's how they get
their energy from.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Yeah, and and then and that's actually another issue that
that I said that the Rabbi has periodic access to email,
So I sent him an email asked him about about
about their solar panels, as if we were able to
bring several laptops, the solar panel what they have right
now might not be able to handle the capacity of
(18:52):
several laptops, So that might be another need is if
bring several autops, maybe I have to get another another
solar panel.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Solar panel to point how far away is the putty
people from the main city and what is the nearest
main city.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
The the nearest city is in Ballet, Okay, and that's
several miles away. You take if you take a motorbike
in twenty minutes, very minutes by by by vehicle, and
then from the capital from Kampala, I'd say it's about
(19:27):
four four hours, four or five hours to drive, Okay.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
So what was your what do you think of your
experience with the putting people? Obviously there's some attachment there
because they are there are Jewish folks, but what was
your experience like?
Speaker 2 (19:42):
It was a very very very unique experience. This is
a lot of I've done done a lot of a
lot of different different adventures.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
About the world.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
There's a lot of places, but this this one is
it's it's a lot different in any way. It's very very,
very very unique. And one of the that's probably one
of the things that was most interesting or unique about
it was was was was doing the the Jewish Jewish
traditions and prayers with the villages. We were in the
(20:12):
in the synagogue basically a mud hut with a that
troop synagogue and with with with local Africans that are Jewish,
singing halfway across the world from out home in Dallas. Yes,
singing the same songs and prayers as I do a
synagogue back home in Dallas.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
So it was very, very very I guess it's special
that or that that that that it was so different
yet so the same.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
That's that's cool, that's school.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Ms right, I don't know you're lacking. I don't know
you're you about any don't about a fat.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Well? Do you know you make several chips to Israel?
What do you do when you go there?
Speaker 5 (21:59):
I actually I'm in the Israel four times. The first
time I went was actually when I was quite a
bit younger, so I was just a t uh a
tour trip to see of out of the country. Then
I went several years later and I went to uh To,
uh To to volunteer MM with UH with hats Law
and MDA margin David d. Dam M. Those are the
(22:20):
UH Ambulances Ambulance service, and I saw the motor scooter
first respond service that responds often responds to to emergencies
before the ambulance to provide the critical care in the
first minutes and then hand over to the ambulance m SO.
I went in and and and helped out with that.
That was in in the in in in Jerusalem. So
I was there for for three four weeks and in
(22:42):
volunteer at that. We also did a little bit of
work with the UH which the Fire Department went out
with UH and then with with UH with the private
scur which is with is Security on the West Bank.
Spent alone the time with MUSSO, but with most of
the work with the ambulance and UH and the and
the and UH, the the the medical responder units. And
that was actually during the time of the guys that
(23:02):
pulled out. But I was, I was in in Jerusalem
when I was I'm working and then I've been a
couple other times also with with the group Israel Outdoors.
They they lead ten day trips for you for young
adults just to to to see the entire pretty m
most of the pretty much all the country of Israel,
to travel around through ten days.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
See see these are American, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
They're young young American adults that have never been to
Israel before. Young American and Jewish adults they have never
been to Israel. So it's a Jewish organization, So I
mean it's a Jewish focus. You know, we're we're you
know that there are some trips that are Christian focused,
you see more of the Christian sides, but this one
was was you seeing focused more of the Jewish sides,
having the Jewish insight into where you're visiting, and and
and the and the history, and the and the and
(23:48):
and and the and the biblical biblical information also. So
so I went as one of the leaders they had
when when when they when this group organized the trips,
they have two women American leaders and one Israeli guide.
So the Israeli guide is more knowledgeable about the land
of Israel. And then the two American guides are are knowledgeable,
(24:09):
but not as knowledgeable necessarily as an American guys. I
mean they could be, but it's kind of us or
to kind of help out because I mean, you can
relate more with the with the America, with the local
Americans or maybe a few years just a few years
older than them, had maybe similar upbringing and and and
you can relate to the your Jewish experience and your
Israel experience. They want people with the leaders that have
(24:30):
Jewish background and Israel is Israel background. So I went
and I was one of the leaders for from one
of those trips, and then I went again more recently
and was later again for a trip. And then after
I did that, then I stayed afterwards because that's when
I was working on my my my degree in in
in geosciences and I and I did a little bit
(24:54):
of I guess cross study work at the Teton they
have a water water filtration group and just spend a
little a couple of weeks with them at at the
Teton School.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
MM.
Speaker 5 (25:08):
That's where a lot of the the cause I Israel
is is it is it even though it's a very
small country, it has a lot a lot of very
high tech innovations and in in electronics and and in
solar solar power and and and and water filtration m
mostly added out of necessity differ any solar panel and
water because the the the the the smaller side of
(25:29):
the country and the and the resources that they have,
so they need to make best use of the resources.
So it's kind of like the Mit of Israel in
a way. And actually my my my family, my uh
my great grandfather was was was one of the was
it was one of the the the the founders of
of of of the uh of of of the college
(25:50):
back when when around the time when when Israel was
was founded. So it was kind of kind of made
it more neat that I that I was able to
go and do a little couple of weeks of study
over at the at the university.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
How did it feel like being in uh institution that
was founded by your great grandfather? Was there a sense
of legacy or h.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Or was what was that like?
Speaker 5 (26:18):
I think I expected there to be more than there was,
because I think because my father he's always told me
about that the isn't a Goldberg Electronics Center, which is
a bigger component of the school that that was was
named after him, and and and the land where that
that he helped purchase. But when I got there, the
(26:41):
cause you know, our schools are always renaming. We know
they have one donor and then and then twenty years
later they get another big donor they rename it. Really
so that I think it has been renamed. And in
the land that it was on, I think they had
moved it to a bigger land, bigger land.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
So it wasn't the same landa it's that skilled but
that history is there.
Speaker 5 (27:05):
Yeah, but the history is there good.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
When do you plan to go back to Israel or
do you have any there playing? Uh?
Speaker 5 (27:13):
I don't have any any exact trips lined up right now.
I did have an opportunity to go maybe in a
couple of weeks, and I was gonna possibly go, But
I think I've been going to Siberia right then, so
I think I'm not this time. But then I'm even
gonna see there's because I'm working in the petroial industry
and and UH natural gas in Israel, it's they're they're
(27:35):
making a lot of discoveries and they're doing a lot
more drilling in Israel, So there could be potential for
me to get involved in that possibly.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Wa. Why is it that you have chosen as an
engineer to get involved with the UH petroleum industry? Is
that just opportunity or were you did you targets going there? Uh?
Speaker 5 (27:54):
When?
Speaker 3 (27:54):
I I when?
Speaker 5 (27:55):
When when I first worked in the patoire industry about
five years ago, that wasn't specifically targeting the patroyer industry.
I I I found this opportunity because because I because
I was with my engineering degree, a lot of my
peers were going to work in maybe like Lockeed Martin
Rath the army, good good jobs, but more more office
(28:16):
office based and design based. I wanted to do more
field work, more go work in the outdoors. And that's
where I found the most opportunity for for basically a
field engineer. Was was was in was in the in
the petroleum industry, in the oil field. So so I
found an opportunity and to work in as a field
engineer and so that so that worked out well. And
(28:39):
then when I finished my Jology degree, I was I
wasn't I was maybe thinking go back work in petroleum,
maybe working water filtration. That's been a big interest in mine,
is is is because that seems like the next marijor challenge,
because uh, energy is a it's some it's it's pretty
much necessity. But while there is more of a necessity
(29:01):
and you can live without energy, but you can't live
without water, right, Yeah, So I've been interested to get
involved in water, and I'm still interested in working with water.
And I was looking in the into a in additional
opportunities and in water filtration and and and and and
development of of powable water resources. But but with how
the patroleum market is right now. It kind of seem like,
(29:24):
I guess I'm kind of too good to pass up
this opportunity right now, because I mean, the job market
overall is in the economy is not not very good.
But in patrolling industry it's booming. It's it's it's an
employees market. The companies can't find enough people. So it
seems like a great time to get back in and
with the opportunity to have a work in Siberia, I
can even have, I can have, I can have. It's
(29:45):
a I can have an additional I'm finding additional time
to work on all my other opportunities and adventures and
explorations in additions.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Good. I love it. I love it, from adventure to
adventures adventure. Well, thank you, Judah. Next time we meet
up for Judah, we will be going to Mars. In
the meantime, I encourage you to grab a copy of
Illicet A Time to Begin Again, and you can find
that at Barnes and Nobles, Amazon or for your Nuke
(30:15):
and Kindle. See you next week.
Summer is waiting up, same, Epstein. I'm okay, let's on Monday, Dama,
I mean Sunday j summers. I'm okay. Nothing Sunday summer
looking sudaking, salmon.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
King.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
It is no Lana some da Atlanta camp.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
My name is Juda Epstein, an adventurer from Texas, and
I am on the journey with Neville Dangelo.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
It is.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Lana. That's a Lamasa.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You are on the journey today. We are taking you
to the Putty Village in Uganda. I'm your host, Neville d'angelou.
(01:45):
On the journey, we take you to intriguing places to
meet fascinating people with novel solutions to life's tricky problems.
We play a few games too, as we track the
remarkable heroes and unforgettable careers of three classic books, A
sound Bite Life, Flight of Affused Monkeys, and in Set
(02:08):
A Time to Begin Again, all of which you, of
course can find for your digital smart devices, your Kindle,
your look and your iPad. Today, our guest is Judah Epstein,
(03:09):
an adventurer and the former SMU student athlete. For those
of you who have been following us from the Jaguar
Pup Show, would recall our weekly game where in the
world is Judah. Well, Judah is still on as many
adventures around our globe. Last time you remember, he took
us into the Amazon jungle, and of course he will
(03:31):
continue to esport us to a few unique places in
the weeks to come. Today this trip is very special.
He is taking us to the Putty people in Uganda.
(04:03):
You may be wondering why we're here amongst the grass
huts at the foothills of Mount Elgon, a towering dormant
volcano in eastern Uganda. Well, as a writer and storyteller,
I can tell you that this spot is intriguing on
a number of different levels. Here is where the lives
of the world renowned spinal surgeon from Plano, Texas, doctor
(04:28):
Isidore Liebermann, an elephant hunter named Simi Kakungulu, and doctor
Kayanja intersect with the nefurious dealings of Hitler Idiamin, a
few missionaries and some European colonialists. The resulting spiritual drama
(04:51):
is being resolved with a mission to deliver a dirt proof, waterproof,
insects proof acrylic cylinder containing the most cred document in
judaism a Torah scroll and our guest Judah Epstein, is
on that mission to deliver the Torah to the putty
(05:14):
people in Uganda. This mission is called the Uganda Torah Project.
You can find much more on the Journey's blog. The
Journey's blog is at Matchboxmistery dot work press dot com.
(05:38):
Again it's match box mystery. That's one word. Matchboxmistery dot
work press dot com. You'll find videos and music and
more details on the Torah Project. You could also find
information on the Uganda Torah Project by going to w
(06:00):
w W dot Uganda Toura dot org or w w
W Putty Village dot org or to our guest website,
Judah Epstein's website, Jungle Judah dot com. Okay, can you
(06:33):
tell us about your Uganda tour project? Right?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
You've got the tour project basically promise that it was
there's a remote Jewish and to bring them a Jewish
safer tours birl say to not have. And how it
got started is there's a spine surgeon that lives in
Texas and he goes to u Gandhi next year for
(07:01):
a medical spawn surgery mission. And he went about a
year and a half ago and he heard.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
About this.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Jewish village out out in the outskirts in in Uganda,
and he went and visited him, and and he saw
how dedicated they were to Judaism, but they that they
did not have a tour scroll. So so he told
him he was gonna he was gonna work on trying
to bring a tour stcrow to him when he came
back next year. And then I happened to meet the
(07:30):
doctor and we were having dinner at one at a
rabbi's house. We wanted Jewish holidays, and heard about.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
About his his his goal. What's the name of this doctor,
doctor is Lieberman, okay, And and heard about his goal
and told him I.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Be interested that to help him out. So so so
the doctor and myself and the rabbi, and then we
recruited another rabbi who's a who's a soul fair that's
that's a rabbi that that writes tour scrow and repair
of the horse post. So the four of us worked,
we started up to work on work on the project.
(08:07):
We got a tour scroll and even the tours for
have a lot of history behind us. So it was
pre World War two and big confiscated and locked up
and then we were able to get get it back
and then get it and the rabbi, the shofa rabbi
was able to have to fix up the tour and
at the end when we went over to then we
went by by the time of the trip, we went up,
(08:29):
went went to Uganda and brought brought brought the tour
to to to the community. They were very, very very astatic.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
To have have the tour.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
A big we had a big fix celebration. It was
basically we were just I mean, if you just picture
a typical rural African village and you know the straw
and bud huts. I mean, went went to a village
like that. But the difference was this was Jewish village
where where in there people are wearing yamakas and and
(09:03):
as celebration was there first for for the Sabbath or
Sabat and presented the tour to them, and and then
and then the doctor and a couple of we actually
hit the mother people from his medical team. There's a
group of group of us. They went to deliver the
tour and then they went back to the capitol to
(09:23):
do the spine surgery. Mission, and then I stayed in
the village, lived lived in the village which went into
Rabbi's home for for a couple of weeks, and and
talk and and and taught him about about that about computers.
That that was one of the things that before I went,
we communicated with them and asked and I talked about
(09:45):
maybe stayed for a couple of weeks and and and
maybe what what what what could I do? What else
can I do teach him? And they said they were
interested to learn about chicken farming and about about computers.
Two extreme and I wanted to learn chicken farming. I
want to get some chickens. I don't really know anything yet,
So I wrote a book about chicken farming, gave them
(10:06):
the book, and then I was took about computers. I'm
very nod going that. And and they were interested to
learn computers because especially the the youth or the people
about when they're about twenty years older. So we're very
interested because they don't say they said they don't teach
them computers in school, but if they want to get
a job in the city or any job other than
(10:27):
in at the farm areas, and they have to know
how to use a computer.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
So they were very interested in me.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Teach them how to use computer.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Man.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Many of them had had never used computers. Some of
them had used computer a little bit. Maybe they they
might even have a Facebook account, but I don't really
know what they're how to use it. So taught them
is as much as I could about the computer when
I was there.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Well, what's the name of this village? Two tea? You
know the spellers and p u t t I.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
It's actually part there's there's there's the the Jews have become.
They're actually more well known than than the Puti village.
They're called the the Jews of Ada, and and there's
actually been been been there's been a quite a bit
of traditional other support to this community of Jewish people
(11:19):
in in in that area. But but I mean kind
of how in in in Man religions, there's different there's
different groups of the one religion in Judaism. The main
groups is Reformed, Conservative and Orthodox. It's all it's all
the same that that they're Jewish, but it's just different
different ways of just a little bit different ways of
(11:40):
practicing Judaism. Right, So the main group was conservative Jewish
group and then the Puti. They they wanted to tovolve
more orthodox, so they split off and formed their own community.
So there was the larger community already there and they
have more built out. They have a school, and and
they have and and sin and gogue and they have everything.
(12:02):
But the pooti was is a is that that they
don't they don't have as as as much. So so
that's the community that that we went to go to
go help. But out was was the pot community.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Now what what what is interesting to me at this
point is how does a Jewish community, uh, how do.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
They become Jewish?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
And then yeah, you know exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
And that's another part that's actually a very interesting component
to the story. That the story has actually been written
up quite a bit that's gone to tour project because
there's so many different, interesting, interesting components of the story.
It was that and that from taking the hospital. There
was many other publications also. But about about a hundred
years ago or so, the leader that the African leader
(12:47):
of of that area, he was an elephant hunter and
just that the leader that that area, he he just
started learning about Judaism on his own and and and
to start practice of Judaism. And because he was I
think he might have been the king, but he was
the leader of the community. So the people, the people
under him, they they started to practice Judaism muscle. So
(13:11):
so basically they were they were they were Africans, the
same same same background as all the other you've gone
into the area. But these these are Africans were practicing
Judaism and they did so for for for for for
for for for several several decades.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
And then.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
When when when Idiom came into power and and Judaism
was not allowed to be practice, I think you might
even that be put to death if you practice Judaism.
So a lot of people stopped practicing Judaism, but but
they're still maintained some some some people that continue to
practice Judaism in hiding. And then after Idiom less less
(13:54):
power then that so that some people were passed on
the Judaism, and then Judaism threw again. Community started. I
became involved in in in the Jewish edition. So basically
it was founded upon that that that the Elephant Hunter
king and continued on in a small amount towards that
I mean, and it has since since he left, it's
(14:15):
been growing back again.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Now you mentioned about the restoration of the torah that
you guys took to the Pretty Village. Talk to me
a little bit about that. Uh uh, you know where
was this torah before? How was it found and restored
and why that particular one was taken to the Pretty Village.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
I don't remember exactly that that that specifics, but it
was I I don't remember it was a pre World
War two tour. I think it was was was recovered
from World War Two because.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
A lot of.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
This one something somehow saved. And then in.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
America, I think the he got misplaced, stolen, and then
it was in I think a police warehouse where it
wasn't being used at all, and then somehow I think
he got got out or maybe we bought but that
the sofa that we had working on on whether it's
on the team, he was able to define this tour
(15:20):
and we were able to purchase it, and I think
because of where we were able to get it from
from we were able to get a pretty good price
on it. And it also needed send some repairs also,
so that the Rabbi was because he's a sofa he writes,
he's a would write tours and was able to make
the repairs a h say for tourists bro with the
(15:41):
hand written it's pretty much written perfectly, no errors, and
it's written on parchments. It's pretty much one hundred handmade.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Now, Now, for those people who are not familiar with
Jewish practices, what is a torah?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
So ah Torah is the Old Testament, the Five Books
of Moses. So if you're Christian and you'd study the
New Testament, but Judaism studies that that the Old Testament.
That's one of the major differences is Christianity New Testament
Judaism Old Testament, And so that the tour is the
(16:17):
Five Books of Moses from the Old Testament.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Right now, have you been in touch with the putty
people since you've been back?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah, yeah, Actually I've been in touch with them. There's
actually a couple of the other people that I was,
you know that that I was. I spent a lot
of time with in in in the in the community.
They actually recently went to Israel to study in Israel.
They were able to receive a scholarship and funding to
study in Israel and then they'll come back to the
(16:46):
foody community to share their knowledge. But one of the
things I've been trying to work on as I was
teaching them computers, is is they have one laptop and
and solar panels, so they can use them one laptop
sometimes that I was using to teach some computer so
so that was one of the other things that interested
is if they could get more laptops. So I've been
(17:06):
trying to see if I could get laptops and if
I go back or when the doctor goes back, we
can possibly bring them some laptops. And I have I am,
so I've been asking honestly if I can get any
you know, if somebody has has they got a new
laptop and they put their old laptops in the closet
and have no use for it, see if I can
bring that over to them. And I have another guys
(17:29):
are thirteen years old working on his bar Mitzvah Eason
when that his bar Mitsva project is trying to get
some laptops. And then the doctor. He's also keeping in
contact with the Musha. They've been working on building a
synagogue that a new synagogue of community. So it's for
additional fundraising efforts for the community.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
So if any of the listeners want to get a
laptop to you how do they what's the process for
doing that?
Speaker 2 (17:53):
As I can send me an email, my emails Judah
at your Ganda tour dot.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Organ okay, and you will you will make arrangements to
pick it.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Up front, arrangements to get laptop and and and we'll
get and we'll get it over to you.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Gotten this somehow good?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Whether whether it's through me, maybe I'll go like to
stop there or adopt or doctor leader then will you'll
get it?
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Great? Great? Now you kind of answered one of the
questions I was going to ask, how are they able
to use laptop in h in the village in the
in such a remote village, But you mentioned the words
solar panels, So they they they that's how they get
their energy from.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Yeah, and and then and that's actually another issue that
that I said that the Rabbi has periodic access to email,
So I sent him an email asked him about about
about their solar panels, as if we were able to
bring several laptops, the solar panel what they have right
now might not be able to handle the capacity of
(18:52):
several laptops, So that might be another need is if
bring several autops, maybe I have to get another another
solar panel.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Solar panel to point how far away is the putty
people from the main city and what is the nearest
main city.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
The the nearest city is in Ballet, Okay, and that's
several miles away. You take if you take a motorbike
in twenty minutes, very minutes by by by vehicle, and
then from the capital from Kampala, I'd say it's about
(19:27):
four four hours, four or five hours to drive, Okay.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
So what was your what do you think of your
experience with the putting people? Obviously there's some attachment there
because they are there are Jewish folks, but what was
your experience like?
Speaker 2 (19:42):
It was a very very very unique experience. This is
a lot of I've done done a lot of a
lot of different different adventures.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
About the world.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
There's a lot of places, but this this one is
it's it's a lot different in any way. It's very very,
very very unique. And one of the that's probably one
of the things that was most interesting or unique about
it was was was was doing the the Jewish Jewish
traditions and prayers with the villages. We were in the
(20:12):
in the synagogue basically a mud hut with a that
troop synagogue and with with with local Africans that are Jewish,
singing halfway across the world from out home in Dallas. Yes,
singing the same songs and prayers as I do a
synagogue back home in Dallas.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
So it was very, very very I guess it's special
that or that that that that it was so different
yet so the same.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
That's that's cool, that's school.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Ms right, I don't know you're lacking. I don't know
you're you about any don't about a fat.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Well? Do you know you make several chips to Israel?
What do you do when you go there?
Speaker 5 (21:59):
I actually I'm in the Israel four times. The first
time I went was actually when I was quite a
bit younger, so I was just a t uh a
tour trip to see of out of the country. Then
I went several years later and I went to uh To,
uh To to volunteer MM with UH with hats Law
and MDA margin David d. Dam M. Those are the
(22:20):
UH Ambulances Ambulance service, and I saw the motor scooter
first respond service that responds often responds to to emergencies
before the ambulance to provide the critical care in the
first minutes and then hand over to the ambulance m SO.
I went in and and and helped out with that.
That was in in the in in in Jerusalem. So
I was there for for three four weeks and in
(22:42):
volunteer at that. We also did a little bit of
work with the UH which the Fire Department went out
with UH and then with with UH with the private
scur which is with is Security on the West Bank.
Spent alone the time with MUSSO, but with most of
the work with the ambulance and UH and the and
the and UH, the the the medical responder units. And
that was actually during the time of the guys that
(23:02):
pulled out. But I was, I was in in Jerusalem
when I was I'm working and then I've been a
couple other times also with with the group Israel Outdoors.
They they lead ten day trips for you for young
adults just to to to see the entire pretty m
most of the pretty much all the country of Israel,
to travel around through ten days.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
See see these are American, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
They're young young American adults that have never been to
Israel before. Young American and Jewish adults they have never
been to Israel. So it's a Jewish organization, So I
mean it's a Jewish focus. You know, we're we're you
know that there are some trips that are Christian focused,
you see more of the Christian sides, but this one
was was you seeing focused more of the Jewish sides,
having the Jewish insight into where you're visiting, and and
and the and the history, and the and the and
(23:48):
and and the and the biblical biblical information also. So
so I went as one of the leaders they had
when when when they when this group organized the trips,
they have two women American leaders and one Israeli guide.
So the Israeli guide is more knowledgeable about the land
of Israel. And then the two American guides are are knowledgeable,
(24:09):
but not as knowledgeable necessarily as an American guys. I
mean they could be, but it's kind of us or
to kind of help out because I mean, you can
relate more with the with the America, with the local
Americans or maybe a few years just a few years
older than them, had maybe similar upbringing and and and
you can relate to the your Jewish experience and your
Israel experience. They want people with the leaders that have
(24:30):
Jewish background and Israel is Israel background. So I went
and I was one of the leaders for from one
of those trips, and then I went again more recently
and was later again for a trip. And then after
I did that, then I stayed afterwards because that's when
I was working on my my my degree in in
in geosciences and I and I did a little bit
(24:54):
of I guess cross study work at the Teton they
have a water water filtration group and just spend a
little a couple of weeks with them at at the
Teton School.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
MM.
Speaker 5 (25:08):
That's where a lot of the the cause I Israel
is is it is it even though it's a very
small country, it has a lot a lot of very
high tech innovations and in in electronics and and in
solar solar power and and and and water filtration m
mostly added out of necessity differ any solar panel and
water because the the the the the smaller side of
(25:29):
the country and the and the resources that they have,
so they need to make best use of the resources.
So it's kind of like the Mit of Israel in
a way. And actually my my my family, my uh
my great grandfather was was was one of the was
it was one of the the the the founders of
of of of the uh of of of the college
(25:50):
back when when around the time when when Israel was
was founded. So it was kind of kind of made
it more neat that I that I was able to
go and do a little couple of weeks of study
over at the at the university.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
How did it feel like being in uh institution that
was founded by your great grandfather? Was there a sense
of legacy or h.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Or was what was that like?
Speaker 5 (26:18):
I think I expected there to be more than there was,
because I think because my father he's always told me
about that the isn't a Goldberg Electronics Center, which is
a bigger component of the school that that was was
named after him, and and and the land where that
that he helped purchase. But when I got there, the
(26:41):
cause you know, our schools are always renaming. We know
they have one donor and then and then twenty years
later they get another big donor they rename it. Really
so that I think it has been renamed. And in
the land that it was on, I think they had
moved it to a bigger land, bigger land.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
So it wasn't the same landa it's that skilled but
that history is there.
Speaker 5 (27:05):
Yeah, but the history is there good.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
When do you plan to go back to Israel or
do you have any there playing? Uh?
Speaker 5 (27:13):
I don't have any any exact trips lined up right now.
I did have an opportunity to go maybe in a
couple of weeks, and I was gonna possibly go, But
I think I've been going to Siberia right then, so
I think I'm not this time. But then I'm even
gonna see there's because I'm working in the petroial industry
and and UH natural gas in Israel, it's they're they're
(27:35):
making a lot of discoveries and they're doing a lot
more drilling in Israel, So there could be potential for
me to get involved in that possibly.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Wa. Why is it that you have chosen as an
engineer to get involved with the UH petroleum industry? Is
that just opportunity or were you did you targets going there? Uh?
Speaker 5 (27:54):
When?
Speaker 3 (27:54):
I I when?
Speaker 5 (27:55):
When when I first worked in the patoire industry about
five years ago, that wasn't specifically targeting the patroyer industry.
I I I found this opportunity because because I because
I was with my engineering degree, a lot of my
peers were going to work in maybe like Lockeed Martin
Rath the army, good good jobs, but more more office
(28:16):
office based and design based. I wanted to do more
field work, more go work in the outdoors. And that's
where I found the most opportunity for for basically a
field engineer. Was was was in was in the in
the petroleum industry, in the oil field. So so I
found an opportunity and to work in as a field
engineer and so that so that worked out well. And
(28:39):
then when I finished my Jology degree, I was I
wasn't I was maybe thinking go back work in petroleum,
maybe working water filtration. That's been a big interest in mine,
is is is because that seems like the next marijor challenge,
because uh, energy is a it's some it's it's pretty
much necessity. But while there is more of a necessity
(29:01):
and you can live without energy, but you can't live
without water, right, Yeah, So I've been interested to get
involved in water, and I'm still interested in working with water.
And I was looking in the into a in additional
opportunities and in water filtration and and and and and
development of of powable water resources. But but with how
the patroleum market is right now. It kind of seem like,
(29:24):
I guess I'm kind of too good to pass up
this opportunity right now, because I mean, the job market
overall is in the economy is not not very good.
But in patrolling industry it's booming. It's it's it's an
employees market. The companies can't find enough people. So it
seems like a great time to get back in and
with the opportunity to have a work in Siberia, I
can even have, I can have, I can have. It's
(29:45):
a I can have an additional I'm finding additional time
to work on all my other opportunities and adventures and
explorations in additions.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Good. I love it. I love it, from adventure to
adventures adventure. Well, thank you, Judah. Next time we meet
up for Judah, we will be going to Mars. In
the meantime, I encourage you to grab a copy of
Illicet A Time to Begin Again, and you can find
that at Barnes and Nobles, Amazon or for your Nuke
(30:15):
and Kindle. See you next week.
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