Ancient Scriptures and Ethiopian Women
From within ancient Hebraic scriptures, Ethiopia aka The Land of Cush, continues to be an important component of the Land of Israel’s history.
It begins with the Book of Genesis 2.13, and runs throughout the Books of Esther, Zephaniah, Numbers, 1 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, the prophets Habakkuk, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and King David’s Psalms.
Long before King Solomon, Moses was the first Hebrew to fall in love with an Ethiopian woman.
From the Tribe of Cush, her name is Zipporah. Exodus 2:21 Moses and Zipporah
She was the daughter of the Biblical Midian Priest, Jethro.
Jethro would become the central figure and divine prophet for the Druze, one of several Middle Eastern born Abrahamic religions.
Jethro’s Tomb and the Druze
Located near the village of Hittin in the Lower Galilee, Jethro’s Tomb also known as Nabi Shu’ayb is the most sacred religious shrine for all Druze.
According to Druze tradition, there’s an imprint of Jethro’s left foot visible on the grave. Pilgrims pour oil into the imprint, then rub the oil on their bodies to receive blessings of good fortune.
First mentioned in 12th Century writings, the Tomb has been and continues to be the number one site for religious festivals, celebrations and annual pilgrimages.
After the establishment of the State of Israel, the Druze were granted full custodianship over Jethro’s Tomb along with 100 dunams of land that surround it.
At the request of Druze elders, in 1957 the Israeli government designated Israeli-Druze as a distinct ethnic community.
Before that, during the four centuries of Islamic Ottoman rule between 1517 – 1917, the Druze were not recognized as a religious community.
Often intimidated and faced with discrimination, and persecution, the Druze do not associate themselves with Islam or Islamic law. Israel’s Druze Honor Jethro
Queen of Sheba and Hebraic Monotheism
Generations after the passing of Moses comes the most adored Biblical love story.
Filled with passion, proverbs, magic and mysteries, this intriguing Old Testament tale is the meeting of Ethiopia’s Queen of Sheba with King Solomon in his Jerusalem Holy Temple.
King Solomon is traditionally acknowledged as the author of the erotic love poem, Song of Songs.
There are Biblical and Hebraic scholars who believe the Song of Songs describes the love between Solomon and Sheba. Others believe it describes the love between any man and woman.
The most recognized and popular belief is, it’s a poem that illuminates the love of God and the Hebrews. Song of Songs
With only a few sentences in the Old Testament concerning Solomon and Sheba, it’s the Ethiopian tradition that delves further into their historic and religious importance.
In the 14th Century the epic book, Kebra Negast, (The Glory of the Kings) was written in the Ethiopian classical language of ‘Ge’ez.’
Considered by the Ethiopian Eastern Orthodox community to be historically accurate, it contains the genealogy of the Solomonic Dynasty beginning with the birth of Menelik, the son of Solomon and Sheba.
Kebra Negast includes the story of how the powerful and sacred Ark of the Covenant was stolen from Solomon’s Temple by Menelik and brought to Ethiopia.
Kebra Negast emphasizes how the entire region, when ruled by the Queen of Sheba embraced the Hebraic monotheistic ‘Lord God of Israel.’
The full text of the Kebra Negast is available online in English: Kebra Nagast E.A. Wallis Budge (1932)
Rastafarian Monotheism, Lion of Judah
One additional Ethiopian based Abrahamic inspired religion developed in Jamaica in the 1930s.
Rastafari, aka Rastafarian, is considered both a new religion and a social movement.
The late Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia (1930 and 1974) is the central figure in Rastafarian belief. He is considered the Second Coming of Jesus, the Manifestation of God in human form.
It’s the Rastafari belief that Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie was a direct descendant from the King David’s Dynasty through the union of Solomon and Sheba and their son, Menelik. Emperor Haile Selassie & Rastafarians
Singer, musician and songwriter Bob Marley is a Rastafarian and Reggae icon. He was born in Jamaica to a British Jewish father and Jamaican mother.
Bob brought his Rasta beliefs to the world.
Often photographed wearing a gold chain with the Hebrew letters for the word ‘life,’ much of Bob’s music has Jewish and ancient Old Testament roots that mirror many Rasta beliefs.
Who Are The ‘Beta Israel’?
Most Ethiopian Jews are known as the Beta Israel which translated from Hebrew to English means the ‘House of Israel.‘
Most Beta Israeli Ethiopian Jews traditionally consider themselves descendants of King Solomon and Queen of Sheba. And that they are from the lost Tribe of Dan, one of the initial Twelve Tribes of the Hebrew.
Living in 500 villages located primarily in vast areas of northern and northwestern Ethiopia, the Beta Israel survived generations of political, religious and social turmoil.
In the 18th and 19th Century many were forced into converting to Christianity and Islam.
Isolated from all other Jewish communities – especially from the great Mediterranean and European rabbinical writers, thinkers and teachers – Beta Israel faith, folklore, traditions and rituals are embedded within the Five Books of Moses, Book of Enoch, Book of Jubilees, Book of Judith, Lamentations, Joshua, Judges and the Book of Ruth.
Here are a few facts about Beta Israel:
- Liturgical language is Ge’ez (a Semitic language) not Hebrew (also a Semitic language)
- Dietary laws are mainly based upon the Books of Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Jubilees
- Their Calendar differs from the Jewish Calendar. The year 2023 is 7094 according to Beta Israel.
- Religious Holidays are very similar to the standard Jewish holidays
- Monthly holidays are memorial
The first mention of Ethiopian Jews in Rabbinical literature is from the writings of 9th Century Jewish traveler, Eldad Ha-Dani. He claimed to be from the lost Tribe of Dan.
Since then there have been other writings and letters that confirmed the existence of dark skinned Jews living in Ethiopia and countries south of Egypt.
Jump to 1903 when chief rabbis of 45 countries declared the Beta Israel as the true lost tribe of Dan.
Finally in 1973, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Iraqi born, Ovadia Yosef ruled the Beta Israel are Jewish. He campaigned for the return of Ethiopian Jews to Israel.
Beta Israeli Ethiopians arrive, Bibi slams the door
Between 1980 and 2009 approximately 85,000 Ethiopian Jews officially immigrated to Israel.
In order to reach the airplanes that would fly the Beta Israelis to their Dream of Jerusalem and Return to Zion they literally walked from Ethiopia into the Sudan.
For years during their slow journey on foot Beta Israeli children, mothers, fathers, grandparents and the elderly often went for days without food or water.
Careful not to be detected, they walked at night.
They tied themselves together with rope so that no one was lost.
They moved silently to avoid being captured, imprisoned, raped or murdered.
Infants, toddlers, in fact all children learned not to cry.
In 2009 Prime Minister Benjamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu came into power.
Since 2010 the number of Ethiopian Jews receiving permission to enter Israel dropped off drastically.
Year after year up until 2023 ‘Bibi’ Coalition promises were broken, lies exposed.
Far-right, blatantly racist, secular and orthodox coalition partners turned their backs.
Jewish Ethiopians, many waited and continue to wait even after 15 years to receive permission to enter the Land of Israel.
to be continued….
Part Two….some highlights
1. Avera Mengistu, Ethiopian Israeli civilian, a prisoner in the hands of Hamas since 2014
2. Bezalel Smotrich, Finance Minister does not allot even one shekel for Ethiopian ‘Aliyah,’ to return to Israel
3. Jewish Agency that brings Jewish immigrants to Israel refuses to bring any more Ethiopian Jews
4. in 2015, police cleared of killing two young Ethiopian Israeli men
(FYI – In my last blog dated June 2nd, ‘Jerusalem’s Gay Pride & Netanyahu’s Homophobic Coalition,’ I did not properly clarify that the Municipality of Jerusalem financially supports the Jerusalem Open House to the tune of (almost) 1 million shekels. Thank you to Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum for this information! Shabbat Shalom)
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