Haggadot Contributors

Ilona is Igbo by ethnicity. The Igbos, who some say number forty to forty five million, are based in southern Nigeria, but are scattered all over the world, like Jews. The Igbos are the Jewish people of West Africa. Born in Ozubulu, Igboland, Ilona presently lives in nearby Abuja with his wife and son - but still spends a lot of time in Ozubulu! In addition to his legal practice and freelance writing, Ilona works as a community organizer. From Abuja and Ozubulu, Ilona works for the Igbo Israel Union, a group that he founded, and for Kulanu, an American Jewish intercultural group, as its Nigerian liaison. Ilona also serves as a field correspondent for the International Society for the Study of African Jewry (I.S.S.A.J). Besides the numerous essays and articles which he has published in traditional media, such as the National Times newspaper, and online media sources, Ilona has written two other works on Igbo-Jewish studies, as well as a short story which he hopes to republish soon as Uri's Travels. Ilona is also currently working on a project tentatively titled, "A Brief Study of the Foundations of Ancient Israel: From the Igbo Experience."