There are few topics as interesting or puzzling as ancient human history as those concerning the lost tribes of Israel and the mysteries of the Diaspora.
Who Are the Ethiopian Jews Waiting for Emigration to Israel?
The Jewish Ethiopians, or Bete Israelis as they are commonly known, have lived in the mountains in the northern part of Ethiopia for at least two thousand years, in an area called Gonder. They were farmers, blacksmiths, potters, and weavers, selling their products to their neighbors and people in the surrounding areas.
As has been the history of Jews all over the world, the Bete Israel experienced prejudice and unjust persecution from the people around them. They were not allowed to own land nor were their trades looked upon favorably, despite the obvious necessity of their products to those who purchased them. Derogatory terms and false accusations abounded for them not only because of their trades but also because of their devotion to their Biblical traditions that separated them from those around them.
In the 1860’s, some of these Jews migrated to the Addis Ababa area (capital city of Ethiopia). Others migrated to Addis Ababa more recently and some still remain today in the Gonder area.
So today, there are two distinct groups living in the capital city of Ethiopia that trace their lineage to Gonder area Ethiopian Jews: