Rabbi Sjimon den Hollander lived in the Netherlands until he moved to New York City in 2000. He holds an MA in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Rijksuniversiteit Leiden and a BA in Education from Ichthus Hogeschool Rotterdam. Sjimon received rabbinical ordination both from Yeshiva University and from Rabbi Eliyahu Ben-Haim (Yeshiva Badatz – Mekor Hayyim). Sjimon teaches Jewish literature at Hunter College and medieval Jewish philosophy at Congregation Shearith Israel, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in Manhattan.
Rabbi den Hollander has been involved with the Abayudaya community since 2003. He hopes to see the Sephardi Jewish communities in Uganda grow into strong, proud, and beautiful congregations, secure in their identity, offering support, comfort, and a home to those who share its path, while able and willing to lend support to others around them.
I was born in Philadelphia, PA and received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Drexel University.
For forty-two years I helped manage a manufacturing company which produced compressors and Portable Land Based Drilling Rigs which are sold world wide to drill for water, mineral, geothermal, oil exploration, and mine rescue operations.
In 2013 while on vacation in the Caribbean, Ros Eisen detailed the plight of the Jewish Community in Uganda and I volunteered to become the Treasurer of this charitable organization.
My wife and I currently reside in Key West, Florida and volunteer in several local charities.
Fred Slack
Treasurer
I was born in London UK, and still live in UK. My passion has always been for traveling. About 17 or so years ago, I planned a safari to Uganda, whilst there, I came across a very impoverished Jewish Community. My heart sank when I saw how desperately poor they were and how they dreamt of one day becoming an independent successful Jewish Community. Their commitment to Judaism was amazing.
When I returned to the UK I put my thinking cap on, rolled up my sleeves, and decided to do something about that. Little did I know that I’d still be doing it all these years later.
It’s been a pleasure working side by side with my Chairman Rabbi Sjimon den Holland, who calls me the ‘Engine’ of our committee. He is a true inspiration. Our Treasurer is a friend of mine that I met sailing in the Caribbean years before. Year by year our SJUA team is growing. All the members are wonderful people who have taught me so much, particularly about Sephardi Judaism.
I’m not an orthodox Jewess but working so closely with SJUA and the KKSY community reminds me regularly about my Jewish roots.
I hope that the work I’m doing will go a long way to making the lives of the KKSY Community much better and give them the opportunity to entirely support themselves, in the fullness of time.
Ros Eisen
Secretary, London-based
Hindy Schachter, a professor of management at New Jersey Institute of Technology and faculty affiliate of the Leir Institute for Research in Business, Technology and Society has had a 10 year affiliation with Sephardic Jews of Uganda helping to administer medical issues and writing articles for the organization’s website.
Why would an Ashkenazic born Jew based in North America become involved in helping a Jewish community in Uganda? The impetus comes from a strong belief that Judaism flourishes best when it is open to admitting new people and new customs that accord with Torah and halacha. Biblical era Judaism flourished with the addition of a Moabite, Ruth, and her descendent King David. Judaism in the era of the Mishneh and Gemara flourished with the addition of scholarly converts such as Shemayah and Avtalyon, president and chief judge of the Sanhedrin, Judaism’s highest court at the time. Modern Judaism too will flourish best when Jews from many backgrounds join hands and work to help each other grow. It is a pleasure to see the current physical and spiritual growth in the Ugandan Jewish community.
Hindy Schachter
Community Health Liason
Joel Beattie is a general contractor located in the Seattle, WA area. He first visited the village in August of 2012. On that visit, he fell in love with the community and was also able to help fund a re-roof project for the “prayer house / library”. Since that visit, there has been a second visit in October of 2018. He was able to connect with new and old members, along with partaking in meetings at the new location. Joel’s team back in the States has been able to help with website, social media and other sundries.
Joel Beattie
Board Member
My name is Moshe Kase Kamba, I was born and raised among the Abayudaya in Uganda. I moved to the USA in 2015, settled in New Jersey, where I live with my family to date. I was a very active member of Abayudaya community and still happy to be active away from home with the SJUA.
Moshe Kamba
Team Member
Maor Ohana professionally is a Food Importer born and raised in raised in New York, Maor first joined the SJUA team in December of 2022 to expand and teach Torah according to the Sephardic Tradition.
Maor currently teaches classes to the KKSY community on a weekly basis online via Zoom as well as recorded classes, currently they are studying the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah which is a code of Rabbinic Jewish religious law consisting of fourteen books subdivided into sections, chapters & paragraphs.
Through the studying Maor is encouraging younger members of KKSY to join on a weekly basis.
Maor Ohana
Team Member
One of the newer members of the SJUA team, Meir has been gradually increasing his knowledge of and involvement with the Abayudayan community since first learning of its existence in 2021. A native and current resident of New York, Meir has always been exposed to and enjoyed interacting with Jews of all sorts of backgrounds. Now, Meir is looking forward to contributing to SJUA and the KKSY community, whether it be through writing articles for the website, managing the organization’s LinkedIn account, or just spreading awareness in general.
