The African Bishop Who Admires Judaism to Rabbi Arush: "Your Book Changed My Life"

Until 2011, the African bishop Samuel Gordon knew nothing but Christianity. For 30 years, Gordon served as a bishop in various communities in Nigeria until he moved to South Africa about 12 years ago, where he still resides today.

In an interview on 'Orot', Gordon talks about the transformation in his life, which began following a dramatic dream he had. "I dreamt that I was in a battle all night. A man was fighting with me, and I am talking about a real battle, a real war. I remember we started fighting because he told me: 'It's time for Israel. Choose Israel,'" Gordon recalls.

Bishop Samuel Gordon with Rabbi Shalom Arush

According to him, the first association that came to him after the dream was the biblical story of Jacob wrestling with the angel. "So I tried to find materials and books like those by R' Shalom Arush," he says. "I obtained the book 'In the Garden of Wisdom', and it amazed me. I started learning more and more, and I thought to myself: 'What is this?'. It seemed like we were in a pit, and all this knowledge was hidden from us".

"Only acknowledgment of Judaism can restore Africa's stolen soul"

Since then, in a clear-headed process that continues to this day, Gordon has become an enthusiastic admirer of Judaism and its treasures, unable to understand why none of his peers bothered to tell him that there is such a thing as Judaism, and that it brings a new and completely different message to the world.

"We are trained to think we Christians are the 'chosen people'. But Israel is the land of Hashem, and the Jews are the people of the covenant," Gordon lays his cards on the table, not hiding his deep feelings upon this discovery. "My family and I have a very strong desire to be Jewish. But the Torah says the idea is not to convert everyone to Judaism, and it's a personal decision. But to create a backbone, because you can't stand outside and judge people who are worshiping the wrong god".

Bishop Samuel Gordon

Nevertheless, his 'scholarly jealousy' to spread the truth of Judaism in the world knows no bounds, and he certainly uses his influential position to 'bring closer' as many Africans as possible under its umbrella. He claims, "Africa's soul was stolen many years ago" by the churches, and only acknowledgment of Judaism is the key to its salvation and redemption. "If Africa connects to Hashem, to the right way – a great light will come upon it," he explains.

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