It cannot be said that the appeal created much more than a ripple of interest on either side of the English Channel. Apart from a single letter of support in the Jewish Chronicle from 'A British Jew', little stirred until, over two years later, it was announced that the Alliance Israelite Universelle of Paris was prepared to send a mission to Abyssinia. It was only when the damage caused by the missionaries was eventually recognised that any positive action was contemplated. Even this did not become a matter for real concern until the imprisonment of Stern and his companions generated popular excitement and Britain found herself drifting into a state of war to vindicate national pride and honour.

The Falasha problem was brought to the attention of the Alliance Israelite, then under the presidency of Adolphe Cremieux, who was later to become French Minister of Justice, by the delegate from Adrianople. Joseph Halevy had been born in Galicia (southern Poland) in 1827 and had moved to Turkey when he was young. Two years older than Filosseno Luzzatto, he too had studied Hebrew and Semitic languages. At the meeting of the central committee on 9 January 1867 he announced that, after profound investigation of the subject, he was prepared to undertake a mission to the Falashas and invited the support of the Alliance. Two months later the central committee accepted the proposal, allocated the sum of 5,000 francs for the project and agreed to seek the co-operation of English Jews.

In London, a committee was formed under the chairmanship of the Chief Rabbi, Dr Nathan Adler, which, by May 1867, had raised 10,000 francs on condition that half the sum should be earmarked for a similar expedition to go to Kaifeng-Fu in China after the return of the Abyssinian mission. The Alliance gladly accepted the London committee's offer with the proviso that it reserved its position in regard to the proposed visit to China until the result of the Abyssinian venture could be assessed. Halevy lost little time in making his preparations and, by the first week of October, after the rainy season, he reached Massawa just a few weeks before the advance party of General Napier's forces landed at Zula, some forty miles further south and near the site of ancient Adulis. With the country in a state of acute unrest and preparing to be invaded, it was not the most propitious moment for Halevy's visit but he intended to strike while the iron was hot and before the Alliance's enthusiasm cooled off