jayapura rising

Jayapura is the capital of West Papua, Indonesia. In the past five years, some Papuan descendants of Peruvian or Indian Jews, and other simply curious Christians or Muslims-- have come to Judaism, finding out about the religion in their careful study and questioning of the text in church. For example, Diane and Harun, the leaders of the Jayapura Jewish community, wondered, "why do we celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday when the Old Testament instructs us to take our rest on Saturday?" Questions such as these led them to internet research, and to find out about Judaism. Now they are in touch with the larger community on other Indonesian islands, and run services from their home synagogue. A large part of the congregation is extended family. As they continue to become more Orthodox, they lose some people, but gain others. Diane knows this is simply part of their path.

Harun holds the Challah to be blessed on Friday night Shabbat services in his home synagogue. He and Diane are not only leaders of the community, but also teachers, bringing prayer and song into the lives of the community members.

Diane and Harun's niece plays in the house on Friday morning before Shabbat begins. How to educate children in Jewish tradition, ritual, and Hebrew language is a big question for many of the communities in Asia.

Diane Hokouoku sits outside her home which also serves as the main synagogue for the Jewish community in Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia. She visited Israel once and remembers "I tried to get up every day to see the sunshine. I wanted to know what it looked like in Israel. It was beautiful, so many colors. We live in the Far East, here, but in Israel is in the middle. I would look east and see, far away, there is Jayapura."

A young member waits for Friday night Shabbat services to begin. The grape juice set on the table is homemade by Harun or Diane every week, and the children get especially excited for a sweet treat.

Men pray in the home synagogue in Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia, on Saturday morning Shabbat services. They read from books that have Hebrew, a transliteration of the Hebrew, and a Bahasa Indonesia translation.

Men greet each other after Saturday morning services finish in Jayapura. The Jews in Papua have African, Peruvian, and Indian roots

Harun explains that after the Jewish community left behind the Messianic church (a church designed to look and feel like Judaism while still believing in Jesus), all the new Jews ripped out the New Testament from their Bibles so they could continue to use the Old Testament in Jewish services.

Annis, Charlie Kecil (little Charlie), and Hosea wait for Friday night Shabbat services to begin. The community wears their best clothes for Shabbat, including the children.

The Jayapuran community is proud of their many children and works hard to educate them in both Papuan and Jewish traditions. The children grow up together as a big family.

Jewish learning is an all-hands-on-deck exercise in the Hokouoku household, especially because there is no official Jewish education in Indonesia. Here, Diane's eldest daugther Venezuella reminds the youngest, Shulamith, to say the correct Bracha (prayer) before eating her Hello Kitty cupcake.

Shulamith, the youngest child of Diane and Harun, the leaders of the Papuan Jewish community, listens for her family's activities through the wall, standing on the table that Diane is to use to make Challah for the night's Shabbat dinner.

Children play outside the synagogue after having grown tired of services.