The rooftop of a house in the suburbs of Abidjan is a most unlikely place to find the Jewish symbol of a menorah. The seven-branch candlestick with electric light bulbs on each stalk illuminates the sky around one Christian family's home in this West African nation of Ivory Coast. The homeowner, Avi (short for Abraham), has even changed his name to adopt a Jewish, Old Testament identity.

A strange, religious cult?

No, it's merely a growing movement among Africans to discover the Jewish roots of their deeply-held Christian faith.

CBN WorldReach director for Ivory Coast, Jean-Claude Dogo, visited Jerusalem last year to represent his nation at the Christian celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, along with thousands of delegates from around the world.

"We knew Jesus was Jewish," explained Jean-Claude, " but few of us appreciated the great debt we owe to the Jewish people for giving us and preserving for us the Holy Scriptures which are the basis of our Christian understanding of God."

In Abidjan, Christians from a number of church denominations have organized what they call a 'Jewish-Christian Alliance' to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and to study the Old and New Testaments from a Jewish perspective.

Practicing the shofar

"This is opening up for us a much deeper understanding of our Bible as we see it through the heritage of the Jewish people," added Jean-Claude. A few already lively church services are punctuated by a blast from shofars (ram's horns) imported from Israel.

There are even occasional Hebrew words appearing in casual conversation between Christians in Abidjan. It's not uncommon to hear a "Shalom!" greeting. And some are donning a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) despite Abidjan's fierce tropical heat.

Weekly broadcasts of The 700 Club in French, as well as the CBN Old Testament animation series Superbook are helping Ivory Coast viewers become more familiar with what for many is a new revelation about Christianity.

"The Bible teaches us that those who bless Israel will be blessed, so we fervently pray for them to see a great blessing in our nation of Ivory Coast," added Jean-Claude Dogo.

For more on Francophone West Africa, click here.