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.

