The Falashas: The Forgotten Jews of Ethiopia, by David Kessler

Today's date is: 5/12/2025
HOME | Cover Page | Contents | Introduction 1| Strangers in the Midst 9 | Legend and History 24| Judaism, Christianity and Islam 58 | The Middle Ages 74 | Resistance and Defeat 94 | Missions and Missionaries 106 | Jacques Faitlovitch 130 | The Struggle for Recognition 147| Postscript 170 | Select Bibliography | Images | Index |


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May the Lord God of Israel be praised. Letter sent from Abyssinia by Israelites called Falashas in order that it may reach our brethren in Jewish communities, to the great doctors in Jerusalem as well as in the land of the Franks, and in countries where there are Jewish communities. Peace! Peace! How are you? We are in a state of profound misery. Have pity on us. In the time of the Kings Theodore and John attempts were made forcibly to convert us. We gave our hearts, and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has saved us. Thanks to your prayers, a small number of us still remain. Formerly we were very numerous; formerly there were 200 synagogues, now only 30 remain. In the time of the Dervishes a frightful number of people died from famine. Thanks to your prayers, we have today a good King. Menelik has said to us: 'Remain like your fathers.' May God grant him long life! Nevertheless, the disciples of Flad are travelling all over Abyssinia, and are urging us to be baptised. They say that whoever is not baptised will be condemned to perdition. He who is baptised will be saved. But we are fighting for the laws of Moses. In the name of the Lord of Israel help us by your prayers. The present letter has been written by Abba Areien, Abba Theim, High Priests and by the Scribe Debtera Teka, in order that it may reach Israelite communities and the great doctors, through the hand of Jacob, son of Moses, who has come to see us. This has given us great pleasure. When an Israelite comes to us we are pleased. Peace! Peace! Much peace to you sons oflsrael, our brothers who are in the law of Moses. Oh! our brethren do not forget us. We are in great misery. Our books have been destroyed; the Dervishes burnt them by fire. We have no longer any schools; they are destroyed. Pray to God for us. Written at Gouraba-Sekelt on the 18th day of the month in the 12 month.

Of the two youths who entered the Alliance teachers' training college, Tamrat Emanuel was by far the more gifted. Both withstood the shock of the sudden leap virtually from the Iron Age into the sophistication of Western civilisation, to say nothing of the rigours of a northern climate, and returned to Ethiopia to serve their people. Jeremias was twenty-three when he came to Europe and, after studying in Paris and Jerusalem, returned to his village near Gondar where he resumed his life as a farmer by day and a teacher of Hebrew and religion at night. He died in 1946.

Tamrat Emanuel became a leader and a scholar. He was five years younger than his companion and more adaptable. He came originally from Jenda, where his parents had fallen under the


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