Beta Israel

The Beta Israel, or Ethiopian Jews, are a Jewish group originating in the Amhara and Tigray regions of northern Ethiopia, where they were historically spread out across more than 500 small villages. The majority were concentrated in what is today North Gondar Zone, Shire Inda Selassie, Wolqayit, Tselemti, Dembia, Segelt, Quara, and Belesa. A large wave of Aliyah from Ethiopia starting in the 1980s brought most Beta Israel to Israel, and several Israeli government initiatives have facilitated their emigration. The majority of Beta Israel now live in Israel.

As of the end of 2023, approximately 171,600 Jews of Ethiopian descent were living in Israel, including around 93,600 born in Ethiopia and 78,000 born in Israel to Ethiopian-born parents. The Beta Israel community was classed under the 1950 Law of Return in by Yitzhak Rabin, following halakhic and legal debates over their status. Thus, the Israeli government, with support from the United States, began a large-scale secret mission to conduct transport operations and bring the Beta Israel to Israel in multiple waves This decision led to a series of major airlift operations to bring them to Israel, including Operation Moses (1984), Operation Joshua (1985), and Operation Solomon (1991).

The community suffered extensive destruction in the 19th century due to the Mahdist War, as well as persecution by the Ethiopian Empire. In response to these pressures, and influenced by the efforts of Protestant and Messianic Jewish missionaries, a portion of the community converted to Christianity. These converts became known as the Falash Mura. The larger Christian Beta Abraham community is considered a crypto-Judaic branch of the Beta Israel community.

The Beta Israel community, (literally, 'house of Israel' in Ge'ez), has been known by several names throughout its history.

The local populace referred them to Esraelawi (Israelites), Yehudi or Ayhud, the latter being projective.

The name Ayhud (lit. "Jewish people") however, is rarely used in the community, as Ethiopian Christians had used it as a derogatory term. The term has increased in usage in the 20th century as the Beta Israel strengthened its ties with other Jewish communities.

Within the community, the term Ibrawi (lit. "Hebrew") was used to refer to the chawa (lit. "free man," see Chewa regiments) in the community, in contrast to the barya (lit. "slave").

The colloquial Ethiopian/Eritrean term Falasha or Felasha, which means "landless", "wanderers", or "exiles", was given to the community in the 15th century by the Emperor Yeshaq I; after they were conquered by the Ethiopian Empire, its use is now considered offensive. Though initially it may have not been considered derogatory. The term appears in Jewish texts in the 15th century (Hebrew: פֶלַאשַה).