The Falashas: The Forgotten Jews of Ethiopia, by David Kessler
Today's date is: 5/12/2025
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The Falashas: The Forgotten Jews of Ethiopia, by David Kessler
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| By the end of 1979 the project was back on course and early in the following year ORT were able to report that they had charge of nineteen village schools with 1,663 pupils in 56 primary and 2 secondary classes. However, when this is compared with Levy's census figures showing 490 villages with a population of 14,000 Falasha children under eighteen years of age it will be seen that only the fringe of the problem had so far been tackled. ORT decided to concentrate their efforts where they could be most effective without attempting to spread their resources too far afield. Moreover, they had been constrained by the continuing lack of security in parts of the country, which had prevented them from reopening six of the former F.W.A. schools, including one in Tigrai. Funds were made available to provide scholarships which were awarded to 187 pupils to enable them to attend other schools, including secondary and higher institutions. The Revolving Credit Fund, up to mid-1980, assisted 384 heads of families, both Falashas and others. It has enabled 223 farmers to buy seeds and oxen and 161 artisans to purchase tools and materials. This scheme has been carried far into the Semien mountains and it is hoped to penetrate to remote villages in the Lasta district of Wollo province, where up to two thousand Falashas are living. Since their arrival in Ethiopia ORT have been able to improve greatly the medical and health programme. The old, and quite inadequate, clinic at Ambober has been rebuilt on a different site. At Tedda, by a stroke of irony, ORT have taken over the clinic which had been built by the Church Mission to the Jews and which had been such a thorn in the flesh to the Falasha leadership until it was vacated when the mission was closed, in 1978.(1) No distinction is made at the clinics between Jewish and gentile patients who number on average 80 per day at Ambober and 120 at Tedda. Considerable attention has been paid to the religious needs of the Falashas. ORT have put 26 kohanim, or priests, on their pay-roll who are expected to undertake religious instruction as well as synagogal duties and, if possible, to teach Hebrew. Fifteen synagogues, some newly built and others repaired, come under ORT's care. Hebrew night classes have been started at Ambober by the light of camping-gas lanterns. An expatriate teacher has been recruited to bring a modern interpretation of Jewish culture to the Falasha villagers. This is a delicate subject and needs to be (1) In June 1980 the C.M.J. reported that there were no longer any Anglican missionaries in Ethiopia. |
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