P'nai Or of Portland hosted Shoshanna Nambi from Uganda and Lorne Mallin from Vancouver, B.C. for an Abayudaya Shabbaton this past weekend. Shoshanna read from torah, shared in her lovely voice many Abayudaya melodies, Lorne shared his chanting expertise. Shoshanna spoke about the role of women in the Abayudaya "People of Judah" Jewish community in Uganda at two talks in Portland, one at PSU and the second at P'nai Or of Portland, Oregon. She spoke of her own life, of the wo...men she most admires in her community and about how women's roles are changing as they receive more education and take on different leadership roles in daily life as well as in the life of the synagogue. She also spoke in Corvallis, Eugene and Seattle. The P'nai Or community was welcoming and supportive, giving her gifts to take home both for herself and others in her community. Two years ago P'nai Or welcomed the Headmaster of Hadassah Primary School, Aaron Kintu Moses. They are sending an invitation to Moses Synagogue to become a Sister Synagogue with P'nai Or and individual members are providing financial support for students from primary school to University. Such positive connections enrich the lives of both community members and those so far away and bring us closer together as a Jewish people who live all over the globe.