(By Enosh K.Mainah Ben Abraham - History student IUIU).

Please note that the entirety of this article was written by Enosh and other members of the Ugandan Jewish Community. It has been edited for grammar by a native English speaker, but no content was changed.

Reb Samson Mugombe and the Abayudaya Community.

After Kakungulu's death Reb Samsom Mugombe would take over in part, as would Kawake. It is high time we realize the efforts done by Reb Samson of holding this community for over 50 years. One great thing that Reb Samson did in the history of the Abyudaya community was the introduction of in-marriage. This was done by giving out his own daughters to Jewish Men i.e Deborah was given out to Jonadab Keki, Rachel given to Chanania Siriri, Naomi given to Jonathan Kalyesubula and Tamar (mother to Uri and Moshe some of the She'erit Yisrael Jewish members in Uganda) was given to Ezecheri Walyombe. As a result of the above, Samson's daughters gave birth to a number of children who contribute almost half of the current community's population. It is therefore right for me to assert that had Samson not introduced the above marriage system, the Abayudaya community would have perished.

On the side of the general observance, Samson trained teachers who could carry out duties in other synagogues in the country, a phenomenon that led to the continuation of Judaism in Uganda.

If that is not enough to indicate the leadership of Reb Samson, around 1960 Reb Samson opened up contact between the Abayudaya community and the Israeli Embassy in Kampala. Thus began the great hope among members of the community that some members would be sent to Eretz Yisrael for the study of Torah. Historical sources indicate that during the time of Reb Samson's leadership there were great ambitions among the Abayudaya to gain more and more halachik information. Unfortunately at the time that these wishes and steps were taking place and maturing the dictator Idi Amin captured Uganda through a coup d'etat. This would put a stop to all of Reb Samson's programs. We observe that the Regime of Amin, owing to the history of the Abayudaya community, was a ruin to its growth and development that aimed at burying its people and all their properties.