When she was a child, Dr. Shula Mola and her family fled Ethiopia for Israel. As they and other members of the Beta Israel Ethiopian Jewish community embarked on this harrowing journey through Sudan, they dreamed of one goal – a return to Jerusalem, and reuniting in community with other Jews at the Beit HaMikdash (holy temple). In this two-part series, we will explore the long history of the Jewish community in Ethiopia, and the stories of their dramatic migration to Israel. Dr. Mola will share what happened when her community’s self-perception and identity encountered the realities of Israeli society, the ongoing struggle of Ethiopian Jews in Israel for “normality”, and the variety of ways they deal with exclusion and racism.
Israel at 75: Untold Stories is generously supported by the Friends of Jewish Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund, Jewish Federation of Cleveland.