Monday is Yom Kippur - the holiest day of the year for Jews. Theholiday will be marked in Jewish communities around the world,including Western Ghana.
Asmall group of people from the Sefwi tribe in western Ghana convertedto Judaism in the 1970's. While many Sefwi people observed some Jewishlaws for centuries, including refraining from work on Saturdays, thisgroup declared themselves ancestors of ancient Israelites and startingcalling themselves Jews.
Every year during the high holidaysJews visit a river and throw in bits of bread and cookies, to symbolizegetting rid of their sins. Joshua Armah, 13, belongs tothe Jewish community in Sefwi Wiawso about seven hours from theGhanaian capital Accra.
"I was thinking that even, the fisheswould not get the biscuit to eat," he said. "I was thinking that maybethe biscuit would just mix with the water. But when the fishes are inthe water they just see that the biscuit is coming and immediately itgets into the water and they too will come and take it off."
Theholidays mark the beginning of a new year for Jews. Like many othermembers of the religion, the Ghanaian Jews will fast on Yom Kippur, theday of atonement. It is a 25-hour fast from food and water that startsSunday night. Armah says he's figured out how to get through the hardday.
"The best thing for you to do is to go and sleep, and you'll not feel very hungry," he said.
Butthe Ghanaian Jewish community did not always celebrate these festivals.Until the early 1990's they only observed the weekly Sabbath and thespring holiday of Passover. They first learned about the other Jewishholidays from foreigners who came to visit their community.
"Christians,they celebrate Christmas, Easter, Good Friday, Pentecostal Day, andmany occasions," said Joshua Armah's older brother, Patrick, who isalso an active member of the community.
"But at first when theysaw us celebrating only Passover and they were saying, 'Oh, this is nota good type of religion for you to belong.' So when we got to knowabout Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, maybe lighting the candlesand the Feast of Esther, which is Purim, and the fasting day, we werereally happy," he said.
Despite its small size, the community isstrong in its convictions. And they have received a lot of attentionfrom outside Ghana. Members work with a group in the United Statescalled Kulanu, which seeks to support Jewish communities around theworld. The leaders of the community expect to incorporate new holidaysinto their routine as time goes on. They are looking forward tocelebrating even more Jewish holidays this New Year.