52 | SEPTEMBER 17 • 2020
C
ommunities in Ethiopia’
s North
Shewa region and in Kechene,
on the outskirts of Addis Ababa,
received humanitarian aid for the first time
from the Israeli government to help sustain
them during the coronavirus pandemic as
well as a locust infestation that wiped out
much-needed crops.
Although some community members
identify openly as Jewish, Israel does not
officially recognize them as Jews.
Aid recipients are part of the Beta Israel
of North Shewa, an ancient Jewish commu-
nity of around 150,000 dating back more
than 2,000 years who have, for the most
part, remained hidden because of perse-
cution. For centuries, these self-described
Hidden Jews were not allowed to practice
Judaism, so they lived publicly as Christians
and observed Jewish customs secretly.
About 15 years ago, young Jews in Kechene
— now known as the Lovers of Zion
Association (LOZA) — decided to practice
Judaism openly and hope to
attract others to their ranks of
200-plus.
On Aug. 14, with 150
people in attendance, Israeli
Ambassador to Ethiopia
Raphael Morav delivered 100
aid packages and also cut a
ribbon to inaugurate the LOZA synagogue/
community center in Kechene. Another
100 families received packages in late July
in Debre Berhan in North Shewa, northeast
of Addis Ababa. The essential aid included
food, sanitizer and face masks.
“This is a dream come true, a huge
thing for us that has given us hope,
” LOZA
leader Michael Moges told the JN. He says
community members, many who produce
crafts, have had little or no income during
the pandemic.
The aid was distributed by Israel’
s foreign
ministry through MASHAV
, an agency for
international development cooperation
that offers help to vulnerable communities
regardless of race or religious affiliation.
Israel does not formally recognize the
Beta Israel of North Shewa as Jewish, owing
to a longstanding political quagmire involv-
ing nearly 7,000 Beta Israel (referred to by
some as Felas Mora) of the Gondar region
awaiting permission to make aliyah from
displaced person camps in Ethiopia. Some
have been waiting for more than 20 years.
Still, the moment was a historic bond.
“The recent MASHAV aid was the first
time the communities of North Shewa
received help from the Israeli government,
”
Ambassador Morav told the JN. The rib-
bon-cutting ceremony and aid distribution
drew coverage from Ethiopian media.
Locally, the community is helped by the
Friends of the Beta Israel of North Shewa,
founded by Suzi Colman of Commerce
Township after a chance meeting with
LOZA leaders two years ago in Addis
Ababa. Rabbi Joshua Bennett of Temple
Israel in West Bloomfield and Jewish leader
David Goldberg of Cleveland join Colman
as leaders of the Friends group. The JN pre-
viously covered this community (June 25,
2020). A nonprofit Ethiopian fund is set up
through Temple Israel.
AMBASSADOR’
S SUPPORT
Connections to Morav were first made by
Israeli applied anthropologist Dr. Malka
Shabtay, who does work with the Beta Israel
of North Shewa, and then by Tomer Malchi,
founder of the Israeli NGO CultivAid, who
also works with the Friends group.
Last November, Morav accompanied
LOZA leaders to the Jambaria gedam, one
of 15 remote Jewish religious centers hidden
in North Shewa.
“
Ambassador Morav was very moved by
the support from the Americans,
” Moges
Eretz
ethiopian aid update
Hope
Emerges
Ethiopia’
s ‘
Hidden Jews’
begin to receive aid from
Israel and abroad.
KERI GUTEN COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
ABERE TESHOME
ISRAELI EMBASSY IN ETHIOPIA
Raphael
Morav
LEFT: Israeli aid packages
are delivered to Ethiopians
in Debre Berhan; 100 more
were delivered in Kechene,
outside Addis Ababa. Lovers
of Zion Association leaders
Michael Moges (white tallit
katan) and Belayneh Tazebku
(brown jacket) helped with the
distribution.
BELOW: Raphael Morav, Israeli
ambassador to Ethiopia, helps
distribute 100 aid packages
from the Israeli government at
the Lovers of Zion Association
community center in Kechene.