Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel): History, Traditions, and Aliyah

Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel): History, Traditions, and Aliyah

The Beta Israel (House of Israel) are a Jewish community from northern Ethiopia, tracing roots to the ancient Kingdom of Aksum. They have practiced a pre-Talmudic form of Judaism for over 2,000 years.

Distinctive Practices

• Scripture: The Orit (Torah in Ge'ez), not the Hebrew Talmud.
• Language: Liturgical Ge'ez; daily Amharic/Tigrinya.
• Customs: Unique Sabbath observance, dietary laws, festivals (Sigd), and monastic traditions.

Aliyah to Israel

Mass airlifts (Operations Moses, 1984; Joshua, 1985; Solomon, 1991) brought ~90,000 to Israel. Motivated by famine, war, and religious yearning. Integration challenges persist, but the community thrives, enriching Israeli society.