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.