"Sigd" - not short....

NirNir Registered Users Posts: 1,400 Major grins
edited December 8, 2005 in People
The Ethiopian Jewish community, named “Beita Israel”, lived in seclusion for over 1,000 years. Only reconnected to the Jewish world in the last century. According to Ethiopian tradition, their roots go back 3,000 years to the era of King Solomon. Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon in Jerusalem and together they had a son – Prince Menlik. When the prince reached adulthood he undertook an expedition to Jerusalem to visit his father. King Solomon, who foresaw the destruction of Jerusalem, entrusted the Prince with the Ark of the Covenant for safekeeping in Ethiopia. A group of Jerusalem nobility accompanied the ark. According to the Ethiopian tradition, these Jerusalem noblemen were their ancestors. Prince Menlik himself bore the dynasty of Ethiopian kings.


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Researchers theorize that Ethiopian Jewry origins go back 2,000 years and that they arrived to Ethiopia from either Egypt or Yemen.

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The Ethiopian Jewish community, living for so long in complete seclusion, were convinced they were the last Jews left on the face of the Earth. They practiced all the religious rituals with which they were familiar including male circumcision on the eight day from birth, Kashrut (Kosher) rules dealing with food, the holiness of the Sabbath and they prayed, three times a day, facing the holy city of Jerusalem, yearning to return. Their family structure was very patriarchal – the extended family living together with the elders, the fathers, at the top of the pyramid.


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Like their brethren in many parts of the world Ethiopian Jews suffered persecution for their beliefs and refusal to adopt Christianity. In the Middle Ages their lands were confiscated, villages plundered and many murdered. They were nicknamed “Falash” - intruders, homeless and without property. Despite the hardships, this community preserved their traditions with great devotion and generations were educated on the value of yearning for a return to Jerusalem, the Holy City, home of the Temple, pure and holy.


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In 1975 Israel formally recognized “Beita Israel” as a part of the Jewish nation. In 1977 Israeli PM Menachem Begin instructed the government to bring them home. The Ethiopian government refused to release them and millions of dollars were transferred to the government of Sudan for them to be allowed refugee status in its territory. The rumor spread quickly to villages all over Ethiopia – a route to Jerusalem via Sudan. Thousands left their homes overnight and set out on a long and dangerous journey to Sudan through unbearable desert heat, thirst and hunger, avoiding bandits and the Ethiopian military. They left everything they had behind. They were walking towards fulfillment of a thousands of years old dream – reuniting with Jerusalem.


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Refugee camps in Sudan were of horrible conditions - hunger, illness, epidemics and death. Four thousand men, women and children, one fifth of the community perished on their way to fulfilling the dream.


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In1984 Israel activated “Operation Moshe”. Four thousand Ethiopian Jews were brought to Israel in a lightning fast attempt to save them. Families came apart. Children were quickly loaded on airlifts sometimes without their parents. The operation was abruptly aborted when leaks to the press hit the headlines all over the world. US intervention brought an additional six U.S. Hercules airplanes with refugees to Israel.


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In1991 political changes in Ethiopia caused great worry for the destiny of the remaining Ethiopian Jews. “Operation Shlomo” began. Tens of millions of dollars changed hands as bribery and air lifts to Israel began again. In less than 48 hours 14,000 were saved and flown to the Israel.


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The reality of Jerusalem, not literally of gold, a modern city far from purity and holiness was a shock to many. Integration into the Israeli society was not easy for Ethiopian Jews. Culture shock, lack of education, lack of work skills, the undermining of the traditional family structure, all caused alienation and detachment. Separated Ethiopian neighborhoods evolved as a result of government policy mistakes and Ethiopian aspiration to stay together.


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Once a year the community of Beita Israel celebrate the Sigd Holiday, commemorating their yearning for Jerusalem. It is a day of fasting in which they reconstruct the occasion of receiving the holy Torah on Mount Sinai and renew their strong connection to God.


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__________________

Nir Alon

images of my thoughts

Comments

  • wholenewlightwholenewlight Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    Thanks, Nir,

    For the posting of unique and interesting shots. But your narrative is what makes your post special. The story of the Ethiopian Jew is sad and yet heartening as you commemorate their lasting faith with images and words.

    Very educationsl.
    john w

    I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
    Edward Steichen


  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    Nir, these are such good shots. I always look forward to your posts.

    I'd really like to read the story, but yellow is practically invisible against the white background I use for dgrin. Please consider removing the font color tag so it's easy for everybody to read.
    If not now, when?
  • NirNir Registered Users Posts: 1,400 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    John and John,

    Thanks guys for your comments!

    Yellow!! Please help me get rid of it! I copied the text in from Word. It was black on my default grey background. Difficult to read. So I colored it yellow. I'd be happy to get rid of the color, make it default so it looks good on all backgrounds. How do I do it?
    __________________

    Nir Alon

    images of my thoughts
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    Nir wrote:
    John and John,

    Thanks guys for your comments!

    Yellow!! Please help me get rid of it! I copied the text in from Word. It was black on my default grey background. Difficult to read. So I colored it yellow. I'd be happy to get rid of the color, make it default so it looks good on all backgrounds. How do I do it?

    When you edit, are you using "Guided Mode" or "Enhanced Mode"? It will say on top of the box. Switch to Enhanced mode if not already there and you should see some color tags. Remove them and their end tags.
    If not now, when?
  • NirNir Registered Users Posts: 1,400 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    John, ok now?

    Thanks for the help!
    __________________

    Nir Alon

    images of my thoughts
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    Nir wrote:
    John, ok now?

    Thanks for the help!

    Great, thanks. Glad it worked for you. Now I can't wait to read the story.
    If not now, when?
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    Great shots and interesting story. I knew less about this than I thought I did.

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    Extra specially good,. The composition with the mother's face sharp and in that upper right sweet spot and then the surprise baby's face made me look and then look again and then held my interest.

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    Wonderful. It's not easy to hold this kind of shadow detail and in this shot its vital that you do.

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    So much context here. If I have one real criticism of this little piece of PJ, it's that the shots are portraits and don't show the people in a context relavant to the words. This one does.

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    This one, too. I went to give it a negative critique because of the deep shadow on the woman's face and then saw the sharp focus and perfect exposure on the man to the left. Now I think it's perfect. I love it when a second look changes my opinion.
    If not now, when?
  • ThusieThusie Registered Users Posts: 1,818 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    What an incredable story/pictures. Thank you Nir.
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    wave.gif Hi Nir - great so see you post again. Super shots - great story - thanks man for sharing with us.
  • NirNir Registered Users Posts: 1,400 Major grins
    edited December 4, 2005
    Rutt, thank you for your very detailed reply!

    Thusie, Andy, thank YOU!
    __________________

    Nir Alon

    images of my thoughts
  • johnojohno Registered Users Posts: 617 Major grins
    edited December 6, 2005
    Wonderful story.

    peace.
    johno~
    If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
    ~Mother Teresa



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  • NirNir Registered Users Posts: 1,400 Major grins
    edited December 8, 2005
    johno wrote:
    Wonderful story.
    peace.
    johno~
    Thank you Johno!
    __________________

    Nir Alon

    images of my thoughts
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