Being black and jewish in Côte d'Ivoire and Kenya:histories, communities, and life stories

Contemporary African history has been marked by a notable increase in the number of individuals and groups identifying as Jewish. These people have constructed their narratives through a variety of means, drawing upon biblical references, personal experiences, and intellectual engagement. This thesis examines the trajectories of the actors engaged in the process of Judaization on the continent, with a particular focus on two countries: Côte d'Ivoire and Kenya. The movement of people and ideas through globalization, coupled with an overall Judeophile socio-political atmosphere that has been partly facilitated by cordial relations between Israel and African states, are among the factors that have contributed to this growing infatuation with Jewishness. Based on a synthesis of comparative and complementary analysis, conducted through field research, interpersonal interviews, secondary literature exploration, archival sources, and the consultation of a diversity of information outlets, this research has concluded that the emerging Jewish communities in both countries are primarily characterized by agency, resilience, and adaptation. Their multifaceted interactions with other emerging communities at national and continental levels, as well as with the mainstream Jewish community primarily established in the Global North, illustrate an intricate network of connections and processes that have been influencing conventional understanding of what it means to be African and what it means to be Jewish. This research also concludes that questions of historical as well as spiritual identity, in addition to faith and intellectual pursuits, are the primary motivators behind the turn to Judaism and the assertion of Jewish identity in the communities studied.