Aliyot to Israel

• The Beginning
• Operation Moses
• Operation Solomon to the Present

In 1973, the Israeli Chief Sephardi Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef issued a religious ruling recognizing the Beta Israel as Jews, descendants of the lost tribe of Dan. In 1975, the Chief Ashkenazi rabbi, Shlomo Goren, also said that the Beta Israel were Jews. The Beta Israel could now make Aliyah under the Law of Return. In 1977, Prime Minister Begin proclaimed, "Bring me the Ethiopian Jews."

Throughout this period, and in the years since, North American organizations have advocated very strongly for Israel to bring the Beta Israel to Israel. North American organizations have also contributed significant financial resources to bring the Beta Israel to Israel. In 1974 in Ethiopia, a Marxist regime had been established by Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam. This began a wave of violent acts throughout the country, and some 2500 Beta Israel were killed. In the early 1980s, the government forbade the practice of Judaism and the teaching of Hebrew, and Jewish schools and synagogues were closed. The Beta Israel had always dreamed of returning to Jerusalem. They were not allowed by the Ethiopian government to emigrate, so they had to attempt to do so without their government knowing.

Starting in the late 1970s, small groups of Beta Israel would secretly leave their villages in the middle of the night, and travel by foot in the pitch black of nights for weeks to get to Sudan. Many had their food stolen by robbers or even their paid guides. Many Beta Israel died from hunger, and others were killed by robbers. Thousands of Beta Israel made this journey to Sudan. In Sudan, Beta Israel living in towns and refugee camps were at first brought in small covert operations to Israel. Some of them had to wait two or three years in refugee camps. By 1984, there were thousands of Beta Israel living in refugee camps, and the conditions were very bad – many people were dying. The situation in the camps was so dire in 1984 that the Israeli government decided on a large scale effort. In Operation Moses, November 15, 1984 – January 5, 1985, 8000 Beta Israel were airlifted to Israel.