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May 31, 1991 - Image 27

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1991-05-31

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

OPERATION

SOLOMON

Detroiter Greets
Ethiopian Olim

411R,
alOOS •

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

Assistant Editor

I

cerned about the potential
for a blood bath, stepped up
their efforts to convince the
Ethiopians to let the Jews
go. On Tuesday, Mengistu
fled the country, and his
designated successor, Presi-
dent Tesfaye Gebre-Kidan,
indicated a greater willing-
ness to make a last-minute
deal to free the Jews.
"The departure of
Mengistu opened a narrow
window of opportunity," said
Mr. Recant. "The ad-
ministration recognized
that, and moved quickly to
take advantage of it. And

Ex-Sen. Rudy
Boschwitz played a
key role as Bush's
emissary.

administration. Before his
November election defeat,
Mr. Boschwitz had been a co-
chair of the Ethiopian Jewry
caucus, not to mention a
staunch conservative and
Republican loyalist who en-
joyed the complete con-
fidence of President Bush.
Mr. Boschwitz was initial-
ly contacted by Presidents'
Conference officials while
skiing in Colorado. He im-
mediately agreed to take on
the difficult assignment.
"His role was absolutely
critical," said Mr. Hoenlein.
"He was the right person at
the right time who re-
sponded without a moment's
hesitation."
Mr. Boschwitz visited E-
thiopia in late April, and,
according to several leading

Jewish activists, helped edge
Mengistu closer to a set-
tlement on the Ethiopian
Jewry question, while con-
vincing the rebels that
Washington was serious
about linking the fate of the
Jews to broader peace talks.
"It was the fact that Sen.
Boschwitz was making a
humanitarian request at the
direction of the president —
and the fact that he present-
ed things in an eloquent and
passionate way to the Ethio-
pians — that helped turn the
key," said Mr. Recant.
The next stage in the
operation came two weeks
ago, when it became ap-
parent that the Mengistu
government could not sur-
vive much longer.
Israeli negotiators, con-

the Israelis had prepared a
comprehensive set of plans
that enabled them to move
very fast, when the oppor-
tunity arose."
In addition to the $35 mill-
ion demanded by the new E-
thiopian government as the
price for releasing the Jews,
President Tesfaye demanded
a letter from President Bush
formally requesting their
release.
Mr. Bush responded with
the necessary letter — the
final key in unlocking the
door confining the Ethiopian
Jews. The president was
asked to write the letter by
both the Israeli government
and Jewish activists in this
country.
No U.S. equipment or
money was involved in the
actual airlift, and the State
Department publicly warned
Israel against settling any of
the new arrivals in the oc-
cupied territories.
Despite that, Israel's
friends in Congress have
already begun a campaign to
boost Israel's aid amount to
help Jerusalem cope with the
latest influx. ❑

t was the best news Seifu
Lessanework had • heard
in a long time.
When he discovered late
last week that more than
14,000 Ethiopian Jews had
been airlifted to Israel, Mr.
Lessanework was "thrilled.
Ecstatic. Extremely happy.
And I thank God."
Mr. Lessanework, owner of
the Blue Nile Restaurant in
Detroit, is himself an Ethio-
pian Jew who left Ethiopia
in 1976. He said he knows
exactly what the new immi-
grants are feeling as they
arrive in Israel, and it has
nothing to do with typical
newcomer fears about fin-
ding a job or a home, he said.
"They are very grateful,
very grateful to be there," he
said. "Their only dream was
to be in Israel. It has been
their dream ever since they
were born."
The 14,000 Ethiopian Jews
were flown out of Addis
Ababa to Israel on May 24.
Operation Solomon, a 36-
hour undertaking and the
largest of its kind, was
prompted by civil unrest in
Ethiopia. The new o/im,
immigrants, most of whom
came with no more than the
clothes on their back, al-
ready have been settled into
absorption centers
throughout Israel.
Among those who watched
firsthand as the Ethiopian
Jews arrived was Joel
Tauber of Detroit. Mr.
Tauber, a vice chairman of
the United Jewish Appeal, .
flew in to Israel late last
week especially to greet the
new immigrants as they
arrived at Ben-Gurion Air-
port in Tel Aviv.
"It was a remarkable ex-
perience," Mr. Tauber said.
The airport was filled with
dignitaries; Ethiopian Jews
waited patiently on the
plane until told to disem-
bark.
At one point, Mr. Tauber
said, a stretcher was brought
to take an elderly woman
from the plane to the ter-
minal, but she wasn't inter-
ested. First, she wanted to
actually touch the Israeli
ground.
When they entered the
airport, the ohm were
greeted by family, many of
whom they hadn't seen in

Seifu Lessanework:
"Their only dream was to be in
Israel."

years. "It was a calm,
touching of the cheeks back
and forth with little, soft
kisses," Mr. Tauber said.
"A lot of people, including
some tough soldiers, were
crying. We were all touched
by the beauty of the scene."
The last to enter was the
group's religious leader, who
wore a heavy white robe
despite the intense heat, and
who "walked with great
dignity," Mr. Tauber recall-
ed. "It was as though he had
brought his biblical tribe
home after 2,000 years."
The new immigrants were
taken immediately to near-
by camps where they rested
and washed. Israeli soldiers
served cool drinks and
helped bathe babies, Mr.
Tauber said.
The next day, Mr. Tauber
visited the Ethiopian Jews
at absorption centers. He
said he was impressed by the
numerous Israelis who came
by, bringing clothes, shoes
and games for children.
"The Israelis didn't stop
coming with clothes and
gifts," agreed Mira
Eisenberg, president of the
Michigan Association for E-
thiopian Jewry. She said
Israelis have donated space
and hotel owners have open-
ed rooms for the new immi-
grants.
It was the chance for
families to reunite that most
pleased- Mrs. Eisenberg.
"I can't imagine the hap-
piness of the families,"
many of whom have endured
long separations from

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

27

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