US Jewish seek cash to bring Ethiopian Jews to Israel

Feb 6, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — A delegation from a leading US-based Jewish organization arrived here Monday on a two-day visit as part of a fund-raising drive to help send thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, officials said.

The 100-strong delegation from the United Jewish Communities (UJC) will visit Jewish communities in the Horn of Africa nation, and photos, videos and written accounts of the trip will be used in the campaign to raise 100 million dollars (83 million euros) for the cause, they said.

“This visit will help them to raise 100 million dollars on their return to the United States to assist the emigration of Falashmoras to Israel,” said Yarden Vatikai of the Jewish Agency for Israel which oversees the repatriation.

Ethiopia is home to some 20,000 Falashmoras, Ethiopians of Jewish descent who converted to Christianity in the 19th century.

Unlike the 65,000 Ethiopian Jews who were evacuated to Israel in the 1980s, the Falashmora do not have an automatic right of return to Israel as proving their descent is more complicated.

Last year, hundreds of Falashmora staged a hunger strike to pressure the Jewish state to speed up plans to relocate them to Israel.

Since 1998, a little more than 2,500 Falashmora have been brought to Israel under a family reconciliation scheme.

The UJC hopes to raise 23 million dollars (19 million euros) to assist the Falashmora in Ethiopia with preparations, including Hebrew language training, for their eventual move to Israel, 40 million dollars (33 million euros) for asistance as they arrive in Israel and 37 million dollars (31 million euros) for education projects for all Ethiopians, the group said.

(ST)