List of Israeli Ethiopian Jews
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable Israeli Ethiopian Jews
, including both original immigrants who obtained Israeli citizenship and their Israeli descendants.
It should be noted that although traditionally the term "Ethiopian Jews" was used as an all encompassing term referring to the Jews descended from the Jewish communities of Ethiopia
, due to the melting pot affect of the Israeli society, the term "Ethiopian Jews" gradually becomes more vague as many of the Israeli descendants of the Beta Israel immigrants gradually adopt the characteristics of the Israeli culture and as more decedents intermarry with descendants of other Jewish communities.
The list is ordered by category of human endeavor. Persons with significant contributions in two fields are listed in both of the pertinent categories, to facilitate easy lookup.
Ethiopian Jews in Israel
The Ethiopian Jews in Israel refers to the immigrants and descends of the Beta Israel Jewish communities of Ethiopia who live in Israel. Often they are placed under the Mizrahim communities....
, including both original immigrants who obtained Israeli citizenship and their Israeli descendants.
It should be noted that although traditionally the term "Ethiopian Jews" was used as an all encompassing term referring to the Jews descended from the Jewish communities of Ethiopia
Beta Israel
Beta Israel Israel, Ge'ez: ቤተ እስራኤል - Bēta 'Isrā'ēl, modern Bēte 'Isrā'ēl, EAE: "Betä Ǝsraʾel", "Community of Israel" also known as Ethiopian Jews , are the names of Jewish communities which lived in the area of Aksumite and Ethiopian Empires , nowadays divided between Amhara and Tigray...
, due to the melting pot affect of the Israeli society, the term "Ethiopian Jews" gradually becomes more vague as many of the Israeli descendants of the Beta Israel immigrants gradually adopt the characteristics of the Israeli culture and as more decedents intermarry with descendants of other Jewish communities.
The list is ordered by category of human endeavor. Persons with significant contributions in two fields are listed in both of the pertinent categories, to facilitate easy lookup.
Kessim
- KesKes (Judaism)Kahen or in the popular name Qss is the spiritual leader of Beta Israel , similar to a Kohen or Rabbi. Their duty is to maintain and preserve the traditions and customs of the people...
Raphael HadaneRaphael HadaneTakuyo Hadane is the Liqa Kahnet for the communities of Beta Israel in Israel. Hadane has argued for the acceptance of the Falasha Mura as Jews...
- the Liqa Kahnat (High priest) of Beta Israel. Born in Seqelt and studied with the Qessim as a child. During the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, he had moved to Ambober where he worked as a farmer. He studied Hebrew briefly in 1955 when an Israeli rabbi taught in Asmara. In 1985 Qes Adana immigrated to Israel along with his wife and eleven children. - Kes Menashe Zemro (1905-1998).
Rabbis
- RabbiRabbiIn Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Yosef Hadane - the Ethiopian Chief Rabbi. - Rabbi Sharon Shalom - a lecturer in Jewish ritual and tradition at Bar Ilan University in Israel. Is the rabbi of Ashkenazi synagogue in the town of Kiryat Gat.
- Rabbi Yefet Alemu (b. 1961) - In 1980, he left his small village in Ethiopia to go to Israel. He was arrested in Addis Ababa and escaped from prison. He arrived in the Gondar region and then set out walking to Sudan. There he met a Jewish Red Cross director who arranged for him to fly on one of the Israeli-organized secret flights to Israel. In Israel he studied and became a nurse. While continuing to be a believing Jew, Yefet became disillusioned with organized Judaism and the Israeli religious establishment's insistence on a conversion ceremony for all Ethiopian Jews. Yefet helped organize an Ethiopian protest vigil opposite the Chief Rabbinate building in Jerusalem. At the vigil, he met students from the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies who were studying to be Conservative rabbis. He was confused and surprised to see that they were without beards and without long black coats. The students replied that there was more than one type of rabbi, more than one way of being Jewish. Yefet excitedly embraced this pluralistic approach to Judaism. He was accepted by the Schechter Institute and after 6 years of hard work, he received a BA, MA, and his rabbinical ordination.
Athletes
- Seteng AyeleSeteng AyeleSeteng Ayele is an Israeli long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon.-Personal life:He is Jewish. He was an Ethiopian citizen until 1991 when he emigrated to Israel. He is also known as Haile Satayin, a variant of "Ayele Seteng"...
(born April 11, 1955) - marathon runner. - Asaf BimroAsaf BimroAsaf Bimro is a retired Israeli long-distance runner who specialized in the marathon.He was an Ethiopian citizen until 1984 when he emigrated to Israel. His best finishes at the European or World Championships has been a 20th place at the 2002 European Championships, an 18th place at the 2001...
(born January 1, 1969) - marathon runner. - Asher Iyasu - golferGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. - Zohar ZemiroZohar ZemiroZohar Zemiro is an Israeli marathon runner. He was born in Ethiopia. His personal best time is 2:14:28. He will represent Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics.-Running career:...
(born 1977) - marathon runner - Wodage ZvadyaWodage ZvadyaWodage Zvadya is an Israeli long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon.He was an Ethiopian citizen until 1991 when he emigrated to Israel. He won the silver medal at the 2001 Summer Universiade. His best finish at the European or World Championships was a 22nd place at the 2002 European...
- (born September 7, 1973) - marathon runner.
Association Football
- Shai BirukShai BirukShai Biruk is an Israeli football player of Ethiopian Jewish descent. He moved to Israel at the age of six with his family. While playing for the Israeli youth academy, Beitar Nes Tubruk his footballing talent was noticed by scouts from the Dutch football club Ajax.-Career:Biruk accepted an...
(born February 15, 1984) - soccer player. - Ziv CavedaZiv CavedaZiv Caveda is an Israeli professional football player. After not seeing much time at Hapoel Tel Aviv, Caveda transferred to Tzafririm Holon where he was an instant starter. His morale was dealt a lethal blow when he was taunted by Maccabi Netanya's Itzik Zohar in a league match.-External links:*...
(born December 10, 1978) - soccer player. - The brothers BaruchBaruch DegoBaruch Dego is an Israeli-Ethiopian football player. He currently plays for Ironi Ramat HaSharon.Dego, who grew up in Maccabi Ironi Ashdod F.C., was transferred to Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in 2000/01, and won a championship and three national trophies. In 2004/05, he was the only player to score for...
(born March 26, 1981) and Messay DegoMessay DegoMessay Dego is an Israeli-Ethiopian football player. He currently plays for Maccabi Herzliya.-External links:* at ONE...
(born February 15, 1986) - both are Israeli soccer player. - Amiya Taga (born February 1, 1985) - soccer player.
- Yehiel TzagaiYehiel Tzagai-Biography:Tzagai was born in the Beta Israel community in Ethiopia and his family immigrated to Israel in 1991 during the Operation Solomon.Tzagai grew up through the ranks at Beitar Avraham Be'er Sheva but as the club has collapsed in 2002, he signed at another club in Beersheba - Hapoel Be'er...
(born January 27, 1983) - soccer player. - Kfir ZokolKfir ZokolKfir Zokol is an Ethiopian-Israeli footballer currently playing in Ironi Sport Hadera.-External links:* at One* at IFA...
(born July 31, 1982) - soccer player.
Knesset Members
- Adisu MassalaAdisu Massala-Background:Masala was born in Ethiopia in 1961, and made aliyah in 1980 after crossing the Ethiopia-Sudan border to take a plane bound for Israel. Once in the country, he studied social work and mechanical engineering at Bar-Ilan University, gaining a BA and went on to work as a social worker...
(born 16 June 1961) – an Israeli politician of the Labour partyLabor (Israel)The Israeli Labor Party , commonly known as HaAvoda , is a social-democratic and labour Zionist political party in Israel. The party is an observer member of both Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists. The Israeli Labor Party was established in 1968 by a merger of Mapai,...
and later One Nation. Massala was the first Ethiopian-Israeli to serve in the KnessetKnessetThe Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
. - Shlomo MollaShlomo MollaShlomo Molla is an Israeli politician who has served as a member of the Knesset for Kadima since February 2008.-Biography:Molla was born in a small Jewish village of 40 families in Gondar Province in Ethiopia in 1965 into a family of 9 brothers and 2 sisters. Molla attempted to immigrate to Israel...
(born 21 November 1965) – an Israeli politician of the Kadima partyKadimaKadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
. - Mazor BahainaMazor BahainaMazor Mahoy Bahaina is an Israeli kes, rabbi and former politician, who served as a member of the Knesset for Shas between 2008 and 2009.-Biography:...
(born 12 September 1973) – rabbi from BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
and member of the ShasShasShas is an ultra-orthodox religious political party in Israel, primarily representing Sephardic and Mizrahi Haredi Judaism.Shas was founded in 1984 by dissident members of the Ashkenazi dominated Agudat Israel, to represent the interests of religiously observant Sephardic and Mizrahi ...
party, studied at Yeshivat Porat Yosef, one of the most prestigious Sephardi yeshivot in Israel. He did not win a seat in the Knesset, yet entered when a colleague resigned.
Activists
- Taamrat Emmanuel (1888-1963) - intellectual.
- Yona BogaleYona BogaleYona Bogale was the first leader of the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel.- Biography :In the 1920s, Yona Bogale was sponsored by Jacques Faitlovitch to study abroad. He spent two years in British Mandate Palestine, four in Germany, one in Switzerland, and one in France. After returning to...
(1908–1987) - on of the leaders of the Beta Israel community in Israel. In the 1920s, Yona BogaleYona BogaleYona Bogale was the first leader of the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel.- Biography :In the 1920s, Yona Bogale was sponsored by Jacques Faitlovitch to study abroad. He spent two years in British Mandate Palestine, four in Germany, one in Switzerland, and one in France. After returning to...
was sponsored by Jacques FaitlovitchJacques FaitlovitchJacques Faitlovitch , an Ashkenazi Jew born in Łódź, Congress Poland, studied Ethiopian languages at the Sorbonne under Joseph Halévy. He traveled to Ethiopia for the first time in 1904, with support from the French banker Baron Edmond de Rothschild. He traveled and lived among the Ethiopian Jews,...
to study abroad. He spent two years in British Mandate Palestine, four in Germany, one in Switzerland, and one in France. After returning to Addis Ababa around 1930, he taught in the Faitlovitch school there. During the Italian occupation, he went into hiding and worked as a farmer in Wolleka. After the war Yona Bogale worked for the Ethiopian Ministry of Education for twelve years and then for the Jewish Agency. Yona Bogale was fluent in HebrewHebrew languageHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, as well as AmharicAmharic languageAmharic is a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia. It is the second most-spoken Semitic language in the world, after Arabic, and the official working language of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Thus, it has official status and is used nationwide. Amharic is also the official or working...
. He was author of an early Hebrew-Amharic dictionary. He left Ethiopia in late 1979 and immigrated to Israel. Yona was an early proponent of Ethiopian Jews' praying in Hebrew instead of Ge'ez. He believed the latter language was no longer appropriate for those seeking to be part of the modern Jewish world. He felt that Ethiopian Jews should set Hebrew prayers to the traditional Jewish melodies. - Fareda Aklum (1949-2009) - an AliyahAliyahAliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
activist. - Baruch TegegneBaruch TegegneBaruch Tegegne , was a prominent leader of Ethiopian Jews in Israel and advocate of their immigration in the 1980s and 1990s. He lived in Israel.-Early years:...
- a prodigy of Bogale, was a leader in protests on behalf of Ethiopian Jewry in the 1980s and 1990s. - Avraham NegussieAvraham NegussieDr. Avraham Negussie, , one of Israel's most prominent Beta Israel activists. Negussie has been engaged in promoting Jewish immigration from Ethiopia and improving the integration of the Beta Israel immigrants in Israel since the early 1990s.- Background :...
- one of Israel's most prominent Ethiopian Activists and a member of the South Wing to Zion. His struggle, with the support of many other Ethiopian-Israelis has resulted in the Israeli government continuing to bring the last 23,000 Ethiopian Jews from Ethiopia; though the Israeli government has set a quota of 300 Jews per month, half of what they agreed to under pressure from Negussie, NACOEJ and the United Jewish Communities. - Gadi Yavarkan - an activist, publicist and political figure in the LikudLikudLikud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
party. - Daniel Uria - a political figure in the KadimaKadimaKadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
party and activist.
Military officers
- Issachar Makonnen - became the first Ethiopian-Israeli officer in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel .
- Tzion Shenkor - Ethiopian-Israeli officer in the Israel Defence Forces in 2009 when he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and became the first IDF battalionBattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
commander of Ethiopian descent. - Avraham Yitzhak - the first Isresli-Ethiopian physician and a Major in the IDF.
- Hadas Malada-Mitzri - First Lieutenant in the IDF. The first woman from the Ethiopian community to serve as a physician.
Actors
- Meskie Shibru-SivanMeskie Shibru-SivanMeskie Shibru-Sivan is an Israeli actress and vocalist.Meskie was born in Ethiopia. She came to Israel without her family in 1985, when she was 16 years old. Supposedly she came to study Computer Science, but instead she studied acting at the Nissan Nativ School of Acting in Tel Aviv. Her family...
(born September 29, 1967) - an Israeli actress and vocalist, well known in Israel and beyond for acting on theater stages, in television programs, movies as well as being an accomplished singer. - Tehila Yeshayahu-Adgeh - a theatre actress and playwright.
- Shmuel Beru (born October 15, 1975) - Israeli actor, comedian and film director.
- Shai Fredo (July 22, 1975) - Israeli actor.
- Yossi Wasa - Israeli actor, comedian and playwright.
- Esther Rada (born 1984) - Israeli actress and singer.
- Sirak M. SabahatSirak M. SabahatSirak M. Sabahat is an Israeli actor. He is known for his role in the film Va, vis et deviens.-Biography:Sabahat was born in the village of Walita, in Southern Ethiopia, the first-born of four brothers. He is an Ethiopian Jew. In 1991, he and his family left Awassa for Israel...
(born December 5, 1981) - actor.
Musicians
- Abatte BarihunAbatte BarihunAbatte Barihun is an Israeli jazz saxophonist and composer. His sound is reminiscent of John Coltrane's, who has highly influenced Barihun.- Early life and career :...
(born 1967) - an Israeli jazz saxophonist and composer. - Kabra KasaiKabra KasaiKabra Kasai is an Israeli singer, best known for her work alongside Idan Raichel in the Idan Raichel Project . She is also known for her participation in the first season of the Israeli version of American Idol, Kochav Nolad, where she reached the top 8...
(born August 3, 1982) - Israeli singer. - The sisters AyalaAyala IngedashetAyala Ingedashet , born in Ethiopia and lived in Israel from the age of 2. At the age of 14 she joined a youth band in Ashdod and in the military she was part of a Navy band. Her musical influences included Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill. She was signed by Israeli record label Hed Arzi, becoming the...
(born August 21, 1978) and Malka Ingedashet (born 1984) - both are Israeli singers. - Hagit YasoHagit YasoHagit Yaso is an Israeli singer. She won the ninth season of Kokhav Nolad, an Israeli television show, similar to Pop Idol.-Early life:...
(born 1990) Israeli singer, winner of Kochav Nolad 9Kokhav Nolad 9Kokhav Nolad 9 is the 9th season of the popular reality TV show Kokhav Nolad, which focused on finding the next Israeli pop star. It is hosted by Tzvika Hadar with judges Margalit Tzan'ani, Tsedi Tzarfati and the Newest Miri Messika and Yair Nitzani... - Teddy Aklilu (1977-2005) - an Israeli Amharic language singer.
Authors and writers
- Omri Teg'Amlak Avera (born 1977) - Israeli Writer. Named "the first Ethiopian Writer" for is book "אסתרי" ("Asterai").
- Abraham Adgeh - Israeli Writer. His books "המסע אל החלום" ("The journey to the dream"), "עם הפנים קדימה" ("Facing forward") and the futuring novel "אלמז" ("Almaz" - Amharic for "Diamond").
- Asefu Baro - Israeli female writer, poetess and academic.
Journalism
- Zaga Malko - a radio personality, Amharic language newscaster on Channel 33Channel 33 (Israel)Channel 33 is an Israeli public terrestrial channel, operated by the Israel Broadcasting Authority , which is primarily designated for Arabic-speaking viewers.-Establishment – 1994:...
and the director of Reshet Aleph radio station. - Fasil legesse - one of the founders of the Amharic-language broadcast at Israel Radio and the director of Israeli-Ethiopian television channel (IETV).
- Berhanu Tegegne - a news reporter in israeli News CompanyIsraeli News CompanyIsraeli News Company is an Israeli company producing the Prime time news program on the Israeli commercial Channel 2, and most of its current affairs and news programs and items for that commercial channel....
. - Ayanawo Fareda Senbatu - a journalist in Channel 1Channel 1 (Israel)Channel 1 is one of the oldest television channels in Israel and one of five terrestrial channels in the country...
. - Pnina Tamano Sahta - a lawyer, journalist in Channel 1Channel 1 (Israel)Channel 1 is one of the oldest television channels in Israel and one of five terrestrial channels in the country...
and the first Ethiopian-Israeli presenter. - Abraham Yerday - activist and Tigrinya language newscaster in Rekha radioIsrael Radio InternationalIsrael Radio International is the official international broadcasting station of Israel.Operating since 1955, the Voice of Israel's shortwave transmissions on Reshet hey broadcasts to the entire world. They are also the main link between Israel and the Jewish diaspora...
. - Danny Adino Ababa (born 1976) - an Israeli journalist and publicist.
- Germaw Mengistu - a journalist and the editor of Yedioth Nagt newspaperNewspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
.
Fashion models
- Esti MamoEsti MamoEsti Mamo is an Israeli fashion model[] and actress.-Childhood:Of Ethiopian Jewish descent, Esti Mamo was born in 1983 in Chilga, in northwestern Ethiopia...
(born January 29, 1983) - an Israeli model. She is one of the first Ethiopian-Israelis to make it into the entertainment industry and is a budding actress - Mazal Pikado - Ethiopian-Israeli model.
- Israela Abtau - Ethiopian-Israeli model.
- Shani Mashsha - Ethiopian-Israeli model.
- Esti Elias - Ethiopian-Israeli model.
- Mimi Taddesse - Ethiopian-Israeli model.
- Fanta Prada - Ethiopian-Israeli model.
Other notables
- David Mihret - the Director of the Steering Center For Ethiopian Immigrants in the Education SystemMinistry of Education (Israel)The Israeli Ministry of Education is the branch of government charged with overseeing public education institutions in Israel. The political head of the department is the Minster of Education, currently Gideon Sa'ar....
. - Shalom Domrani (born in 1975) - born to Yemeni JewishYemenite JewsYemenite Jews are those Jews who live, or whose recent ancestors lived, in Yemen . Between June 1949 and September 1950, the overwhelming majority of Yemen's Jewish population was transported to Israel in Operation Magic Carpet...
father and Ethiopian Jewish mother. He is well known Israeli felon and head of a criminal organizationOrganized crimeOrganized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
. - Avi Yitzhak - fashion designer.