The Falas Mura
The Falas Mura
is a subgroup of the Ethiopians Jews, who were forced or influenced to convert to Christianity in the recent past. They are not being admitted into Israel under the Law of Return, as the law does not apply to those who are not currently Jewish. Under the applied definition of the law, those who have converted to another religion are not considered Jews.Notwithstanding the definition of the Law of Return, some Rabbis consider the Falas Muras to be Jewish. In any event, Israel has acknowledged the complexity of their connection to Israel and decided to allow them to immigrate under a different law - the Law of Entry - which is primarily applied for family reunification.
Many Falas Mura left their villages in hopes of making Aliyah and now live in terrible conditions in compounds in Addis Ababa and Gondar. The American Jewish community has urged the Israeli government to process these applications in a timely manner and is concerned that the slow rate of processing (approximately 300 a month) is having a dangerous effect on humanitarian conditions in Ethiopia.
