Chanukah Heroes
The Aliyah of Ethiopian Jewry
Ethiopians suffered from a devastating famine in the 1970's. Following the principle kol Israel arevim ze la'zeh (all of Israel is responsible for one another), Israel evacuated around 7,000 Ethiopian Jews in a daring airlift from Sudan to Israel in 1985. Subsequent operations (codenamed Moses, Sheba and Joshua) brought an additional 10,000 olim chadashim (new immigrants).
Ethiopian Jews faced major challenges in becoming integrated into Israeli society. Coming from a subsistence society, they had to make major technological and cultural adjustments to their new lives in Israel.
Activity: Family Discussion
Who in your family was an immigrant from a different country to the United States? What challenges did they face in coming to begin life in a new land? If you had to move to a new country, how would you feel and what would be most difficult?
