The Secret History of Ethiopian Jews | Unpacked

The story of the Beta Israel’s return to the Land of Israel is one of broken promises, secret agreements, and the tenacity of an ancient community in the face of unimaginable danger. While the origin story of Ethiopian Jews remains unclear, their courage, faith, and love for the Jewish homeland, along with the daring of the Mossad and the activism of North American Jews, resulted in the return of thousands of Jews to Israel.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:48 Origin stories of the Ethiopian Jews
01:34 Ethiopian Jewish beliefs and rituals
01:49 Christian persecution of Beta Israel
03:09 Ethiopian Jewish delegation walks to Israel
04:27 Joseph Halevy visits Ethiopia
06:06 Ben Gurion and diplomacy with Ethiopia
06:17 Ethiopian Jews begin escaping to Israel
07:36 Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's declaration
08:04 Persecution of Ethiopian Jews
08:51 Activist Ferede Aklum and Mossad hatch a plan
09:46 The Beta Israel trek to Sudan
10:16 Mossad's abandoned resort operation
11:43 8,000 Ethiopian Jews arrive in Israel by air
12:12 Ethiopian Israelis successfully pressure government
12:42 Beta Israel's contribution to the story
13:36 Reflections on Israeli society

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Recommended video— The Mossad: Inside the Missions of Israel's Elite Spy Agency

Let’s connect:
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Image and footage credits:
Kan Archive
AAEJ Archives Online
The Faitlovitch Collection, Sourasky Central Library, Tel Aviv University, Israel
David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries
Tianjin24
A Davey
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Executive Producer:
— Barry Skolnick
Co-Executive Producer:
— Shmuel Katz
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#culture #history #ethiopia

[blacknight]

I am an Ethiopian Jew from Israel myself and I noticed in the video my grandfather in 3:05 he was a leader of Ethiopian Jews in Simien he is the one in the center.
thanks for including him

[nissanahgiorgi-gatlin]

I was in Jerusalem when 5, 000 Ethiopian Jews made Aliyah also in 1991. Their eyes sparkled! There definitely His People.

[meeeka]

As my father used to say, " we weren't lost. We knew where we were."
During the time of the (mostly Ashkenazi) destruction after Shabtai Ze'vi, they sent letters to Jewish communities asking for prayers for redemption, some of those letters arrived in Gondar, Ethiopia!

[shirazadgach]

I as a Jewish Ethiopian want to tell you that everything you said is truer
I was already born in Israel but my parents were born in Ethiopia and they always tell me and my brothers only parts of this terrible journey. I remember that at my school I wanted to do my final thesis in history about the journey from Ethiopia to Israel and that when I finally heard the whole story I just couldn't help but cry even now that I'm writing this letter I can't help but cry. What they went through sounds like it was taken from a book. Both of my parents immigrated to Israel at a very young age. My mother was nine years old and my father was twelve years old and they just lost so much. because they simply had nothing to eat or drink by themselves. They almost died there in Sudan.
It's just amazing how you did it so well.

[MichaelPeternakedde]

The more I learn the more iam amazed..inexpressible!Thank you for sharing.

[TsigeAsteraye]

As an Ethiopian I strongly oppose the fact that you claimed Jew descendants had been persecuted here! That is false! Ethiopia had been under monarchy rule for 2 millennia! And those monarchs strongly believe that they are also descendants of the Jew origin and much respect for Jerusalem and Jew culture. Even the cultures of the Jews are still incorporated all over the country: Sons of Ethiopia are circumcised, Saturday is still holy, no one eats those forbidden things listed on the old testament ... Moreover we feel bad for the way Israeli treat Ethiopian Jews as strangers. And still more we think of them more Ethiopian than Israeli. And we still think they left Ethiopia to Israeli not because they hate Ethiopia but searching for Economic freedom that Ethiopia is poor and everyone of us need to leave the country!

[amrafel]

The conflict between the Ethiopian Christian monarchs and the Jewish monarchs can be understood as a disagreement rooted in religious beliefs. It is important to note that both groups share a common ancestry, as the first Christians were themselves Jews. Therefore, it is not a matter of racial division, but rather differences in belief systems.

[etagegnaddissu]

Thank you a millon for telling our story simply short and sweet. To watch this after long time, my body practically shake . it gave a mix emotional feeling cause i felt all the pain as a jew back home being called bouda( evil eye) and all the lost of family members in Sudan and 40 years later to see it this free at last, of coures life is not easy but free and happy❤. So It gaves me a shivering feeling.

[wawagobie]

I never thought the Jews in Ethiopia felt that way. No country is heaven or is always peaceful, specially Ethiopia. I thought we all shared all the peaces, chances, and loves that our country provided us. My best wishes to all of you! Let love and peace dominate the hate and war.

[lindahaftner]

Loved this video and the courage of our Ethiopians Jewish brothers and sisters and that they made it back home to eretz Israel

[jordaneriksson]

Wonderfully told, thank you! We often forget the effort and hard work the Ethio-jews have put on their own. We only dipict how Isreal and their fellow Jewish "brothers" have airlifted them to the promissed land. This is the second time I watch video showing the hardship and ordeal the Ethio-jews went through to get to Israel. Thank you for educating of all the work behind scenes. Amazing people working hard. I used to love the word "felasha" - because of how beautiful it sounds, but I´ll be careful using the word in the future. It doesn't really sound good anymore. I hope our sister- and brother-Ethiopian jews are being treated better today. I know they went through another ordeal once they reached Israel.🙏🙏🙏

[mspaint]

Oh man that makes your eyes water. To think for so long they were the only ones left, then to fight so hard to return home. They are Jewish and I hope all who wish to can return home one day 🕊️

[Scriptorsilentum]

archaeologists have uncovered numerous synagogues up the Nile River that have been there for thousands of years. the Jewish diaspora has been going on for a long, long time.

My Grandmother innoculated me against anti-semitism at a very young age. I'm grateful to her forever.

[marcroth]

I knew a lot about the Ethiopian exodus back in the late 1980’s but I learned a lot more from this YouTube. This is another prophetic example of the in gathering of the Jewish exiles from the 4 corners of the earth

[edwinhargrave]

There are some jews in Israel that are afraid of the truth concerning the Ethiopian jews, but remember the truth is just and will set you free.

[jingai]

You impressed me with this one, bro! Great job, and I respect you. It's great to hear part of my history well narrated!

[shelleyoxenhorn]

This is great. Thank you for this information. We are much more of a community than we know.

[adew]

They are not called "invaders" as you said. But they are called "felashas". Felasha means displaced.

[Jorge-mgor]

And a big thank you to the Creator for His blessing that made this beautiful story (with tears of joy) possible. Baruch HaShem.

[RichardLanders-ol]

I don’t know why your YouTube channel doesn’t have millions of subscribers ! Again, great video and yes I am a subscriber!