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Sharon Shalom

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Apr 15, 2026, 1:31 PM

Reflections Following the Ceasefire with Iran As Seen By Ethiopian Jewry

With the announcement of a ceasefire with Iran, many commentators—especially public figures who see themselves as potential alternatives to the current government—rushed to offer sharp criticism of the move and of the government’s conduct. They argue that the war’s...

Mar 29, 2026, 11:01 AM

The Red Heifer, Purity and Impurity: Jewish Traditions and the War with Iran

What connection could there be between the commandment of the red heifer—one of the most mysterious commandments in the Torah, about which we read on Shabbat—and the moral and political challenges of our own time, especially the war with...

Nov 16, 2025, 4:11 PM

Sigd: Why Ethiopians build rivers, not bridges

Sigd celebration in Jerusalem (Source: The Jerusalem Municipality)

The ancient holiday invites us to renew our sense of shared destiny and to rise from pain with the belief that things can be different

Apr 23, 2025, 12:42 PM

Before Independence Day: ‘Shabbat Peliah’ (Sabbath of Wonder)

Preschool children from the southern city of Ashkelon, celebrating Israel Independence Day with the flag, on April 18, 2010. (Israel marked the 62nd Independence Day on April 19). (Edi Israel/ FLASH90)

The remarkable encounters between Jews across the Diaspora and in the modern State of Israel warrant a special Shabbat to honor the wonder of our connectedness

Jan 5, 2025, 7:46 AM

Chabad and the Recognition of the Jewishness of Bete Israel

The Aliyah of Bete Israel, or Ethiopian Jewry, is a remarkable chapter in Israel's history. Their return to their ancestral homeland is a testament to the enduring power of Jewish identity. However, the question of their Jewishness, according to...

Dec 26, 2024, 3:23 PM

Hanukkah Thinking: Why Bete Israel Could Never Imagine Sitting in a Study Hall During Time of War

Hanukkah is a post-biblical holiday, and as such, Ethiopian Jews (Bete Israel) were not supposed to be familiar with it. How did they come to learn about it? Another question arises. How can we explain that the Greeks, who...

Nov 21, 2024, 2:05 PM

From encounter to fusion

Holiness & growth in Kook's ideas and Hartman's feminism

May 7, 2024, 5:07 PM

Ethiopian Jewish Chaotic Thinking Leads to ‘Hatikva/the Hope’

I have an old friend who was once a pilot in the air force and later a Mossad agent who served as one of the commanders of the “Red Sea Diving Resort” operation in Sudan (made famous in a...

Nov 29, 2023, 10:29 AM

The Question of a Kiss: An Ethiopian Keis Would be Surprised If Jacob DIDN’T Kiss Rachel

In the jazz standard, "As Time Goes By,” the great Louis Armstrong asserts that "A Kiss Is Just A Kiss." The same question is addressed by the Torah in the weekly portion of “Vayetze” and in our days by...

Nov 21, 2023, 12:25 AM

Baseless Hatred? The Ethiopian Jewish Experience

Since Hamas’ barbaric attacks of October 7th, my son has asked me several times: "Why do they hate us? What did we do to these people who are murdering our babies? All in all, we just took our own...

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About Me

Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom is the founding director of Ono Academic College's International Center for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry. He is also the author of Dialogues of Love and Fear (Koren, 2021) and From Sinai to Ethiopia (Gefen, 2016).