NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya's small Jewish community is living each day as it comes as their country descends into political turmoil following a closely contested election marred by charges that the party of President Mwai Kibaki tampered with votes.
Kenya’s Jewish Community Stays Put as Violence Rages
NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s small Jewish community is living each day as it comes as their country descends into political turmoil following a closely contested election marred by charges that the party of President Mwai Kibaki tampered with votes.
“Things are very volatile there,” reported Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, director of Chabad of Central Africa, by telephone Thursday. “Everyone is afraid of the unknown.”
According to the 17-year veteran of Jewish outreach in the continent’s midsection, the some 400 Jewish residents of Kenya – mostly made up of expatriate Americans, Canadians and Israelis, although several are the native-born descendants of European immigrants ñ have tried to maintain normalcy in the Nairobi neighborhood where most of them live.
It’s been tough, however, as riots in the surrounding countryside – between 500 and 1,000 people have been killed from the violence resulting from a breakdown in negotiations between Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga ñ constantly threaten to spill into the more urban parts of the capital city.
shehaw
go chanania! u look really happy w the family in the front row!
shehaw
simcha
Chanania Rogalsky ROCKS, hes amazing!!!!