Generally Encouraging Picture of Falashas in Ethiopia Presented

A generally encouraging picture of the life of the Falashas in Ethiopia’s Gundar province, where Ethiopian Jews are mainly concentrated, and especially in Ambover, where there is a large community, was presented to the media here today by two Israeli “professional social workers” recently returned from Ethiopia.

Their report, at a press conference organized by the World Jewish Congress-Israel Bureau which was instrumental in arranging their visit to Ethiopia, was sharply contrary to most reports received hitherto which presented the plight of the Falashas as dire and indicated they were in danger of extinction.

The press conference was attended by Yehuda Dominitz, director of the Jewish Agency’s aliya department and a key figure in efforts to promote the immigration of Falashas to Israel, He appeared to agree with the description of the situation presented by the social workers who were not identified by name.

Asked why their account differed so widely from many recent depictions of the Falashas’ plight, a spokes person for the group of four Israelis who had gone to Ethiopia, replied that perhaps the situation had been worse in the past. Two members of the group were absent from the press conference. Dr. Israel Lerner, WJC director in Israel, identified the spokesperson as “Ora.”

CONDITIONS OUTLINED

According to the report presented to the media today, the Falashas are living under conditions entirely comparable to those of their non-Falasha Ethiopian neighbors. They are not being persecuted because of their religion; they are not starving or living in fear of murder or mayhem; they have been allocated lands to cultivate under the agrarian revolution, along with other sections of the rural population; all-in-all, their condition is a far cry from the description of torture and tribulation that have emanated from Falashas abroad and from some Jewish organizations recently, according to the social workers.

Although there was no famine or large-scale persecution, many Falashas express a longing to live in Israel and/or be reunited with members of their families who have left Ethiopia–most of them for Israel, the social workers reported. Like all Ethiopians, they may not leave the country.

The social workers said restrictions on religious observances which were in force until a year ago have been eased. Synagogues have been reopened and services are conducted freely. The ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation Through Training) schools and other ORT institutions were closed down about 18 months ago, however, and this created a lapse in Jewish education for the Falashas, the social workers reported.

The spokesperson added that Falashas now living abroad were naturally exercised about the question of family reunion and that perhaps was why they tended to paint a picture of conditions at home in somber hues. But, she said, her group lectured and showed pictures to groups of Falashas in Israel yesterday and their leaders acknowledged that theirs was a correct description of the situation.”

Lerner said the WJC had moved to arrange the group’s visit in the light of a recent Reuters report filed from Nairobi in which the correspondent cited Ethiopian officials as inviting Israelis to visit the Falasha communities and see for themselves the true situation there.