Nor has ORT neglected its usual role of providing technical education adapted to the needs of the country in which it operates. Carpentry, metalwork, pottery, sewing and weaving - trades with which the Falashas are familiar - are being taught in the villages near Gondar. Standards will-be raised in conformity with today's requirements by methods which are reminiscent of Schumacher's intermediate technology, based on the philosophy of 'small is beautiful'. Here, too, a study is required of traditional arts and crafts - such as the pottery figurines made by the Falasha women at Waleka - before all is changed.

Under the new regime the Ethiopian people are being taught not to despise the craftsman and his product. Clearly, any improvement in the quality of locally made goods for sale in the country markets will benefit the whole region. Other projects undertaken by ORT which are no less beneficial to all the inhabitants include the supply of clean drinking water and the provision of a flour mill at Ambober to which farmers in the region can bring their grain for milling instead of trekking all the way to Gondar. A factory has been erected to manufacture hollow-block bricks which may eventually be handed over to a co-operative society as part of the revolving credit funds, and ORT have built a road into the mountains which is capable of taking lorry traffic where previously only a track, just suitable for a Land-Rover or for mules, existed. This runs for twelve kilometres from Tedda, past Ambober, to Wuzaba where, twenty-two years ago, the Falasha school was burnt by ill disposed neighbours. The new road will enormously improve communications with Gondar.

In view of the criticisms which have been voiced in some quarters it may be asked whether this programme will help or harm the Falasha cause. It certainly conforms with the ideas of earlier champions of Ethiopian Jewry - Halevy, Faitlovitch and Bentwich. None of them saw a conflict between aid brought to the Falashas and the age-old call of the Holy Land. On humanitarian grounds alone it behoves world Jewry to come to their assistance, and it is obvious that unless the political climate changes there is