Ethiopian Jewry

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May 19, 2025, 7:42 AM

Israel’s Airlifted Africans Shatter Apartheid Lie

Photo Credits:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Operation_Solomon_IDF_Archives_XVII.jpg

Israel, Diversity, and the Story of the Beta Israel: A Refutation of the Apartheid Lie When critics label Israel as an “apartheid state,” they often ignore a fundamental truth: Israel is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse democracies...

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

Apr 15, 2025, 8:40 AM

Diaspora Jews, the Mother: Israel, the Baby

Understanding the ombilical interdependency between Diaspora Jews and Israel - by Frederic Eger - The Jewish Diaspora has played an indispensable role in the existence and development of the State of Israel since its creation until today. This relationship is...

Mar 2, 2025, 4:51 PM

Israel beyond the Headlines with TILC 2025

TILC 2025. Photo (c) Tuvia Book, 2025

Last week I finished guiding the “Teen Israel Leadership Council” (TILC) Israel mission. A rare Israel teen tour in these times. This is an Israel trip, sponsored by the MetroWest Jewish Federation of New Jersey, unlike any other Israel...

Feb 3, 2025, 4:50 PM

Courtroom600: Stop Radical Extremism Now!

"Meeting the Urgent Need amidst the staggering global rise in antisemitism, white supremacy, and radical extremism", this is the motto of the project founded and led by Laurie Pasler, Courtroom 600, an initiative aimed at educating the public...

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...

Dec 3, 2024, 5:19 PM

On Ethiopian integration, there’s much to celebrate but also more work ahead

Most Israelis can’t say that they spent more than a year of their youth trekking under the hot sun while their family members spent months on the verge of dying from disease. Yet that’s what I did, along with...

Raymond M. Berger

Nov 18, 2024, 11:39 PM

How to be an Anti-Semite

Jewish contributions to society are so pervasive and foundational that anti-Semites are hard put to accept them. In his 1959 novel, Soviet writer and journalist Vasily Grossman penned the line: “Tell me what you accuse Jews of---- I’ll tell you what...

Sep 23, 2024, 11:25 PM

When Hip-Hop meets the Middle-East: r(E)volution!

Jewish rappers have significantly influenced hip-hop culture over the past five decades, with notable artists like Drake, Doja Cat, Mac Miller, and Nissim Black. Religiously-observant artists like Y-Love and Matisyahu created a niche for rap infused with Jewish wisdom...

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