Falash Mura

Rock of Israel: Ethiopians fly home to the Jewish state

Surviving war, famine and the pandemic, Ethiopians make aliyah and come to Israel.

 Azanu Girmay Melese and her extended family kiss the ground at Ben-Gurion Airport on July 4.
 Children of Falash Mura children help hand the washing outside their home in Gondar, Ethiopia, May 29, 2022.

Israel’s Falash Mura aliyah from Ethiopia: A painful 30-year saga

Members of the Falash Mura community from Ethiopia land in Israel as part of the second flight of the Rock of Israel operation.

NIS 150 million secured for Aliyah and absorption budget

The fifth flight of Operation Rock of Israel lands at Ben-Gurion Airport.

Fifth Operation Rock of Israel flight lands in Israel


Second flight of 'Rock of Israel' immigrants lands in Israel (photos)

On the flight were 120 members of the Falash Mura community from Ethiopia who made Aliyah as part of the operation.

Members of the Falash Mura community from Ethiopia land in Israel as part of the second flight of the Rock of Israel operation.

First immigrants from Ethiopia in Operation Rock of Israel land

Approximately 100 more members of the Falash Mura community are expected to arrive on Friday, reaching a total of 2,000 by the end of January 2021.

In the opening flight of Operation Rock of Israel, 316 members of the Falash Mura community from Ethiopia arrived in Israel and were greeted by officials including Benjamin Netanyahu.

500 members of the Falash Mura community set to come to Israel

The Interior Ministry and Jewish Agency officials are processing the Falash Mura immigration requests.

Members of the Falash Mura community in Ethiopia

Aliyah Minister to fly to Ethiopia to prepare new Falash Mura immigration

The immigration of 2,000 members of the Falash Mura community was approved by the government in September.

MEMBERS OF the Falash Mura community attend morning prayer services in the synagogue in Gondar, Ethiopia, in 2016.

Ethiopian-Israeli activists denounce PM for failure to fulfill aliyah vow

Activists are now also concerned that a military operation by the Ethiopian government in the northern province of Tigray could endanger the Falash Mura community in the northern city of Gondar.

Ethiopian-Israeli activists are seen protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ethiopian-Israelis worry that airlift of loved ones won’t get off ground

Many call Netanyahu plan ‘campaign promise’ that highlights lack of serious immigration policy

Youth awaiting immigration to Israel practice social distancing outside the Hatikvah Synagogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Gov't to vote on bringing 2,000 of Ethiopia's Falash Mura to Israel

Netanyahu first proposed the initiative of actively helping members of the Falash Mura community reach Israel in 1997.

Members of the Falash Mura community attend a prayer service at the Hatikva Synagogue in Gondar, northern Ethiopia, in 2016

2,000 Jewish Ethiopians approved to make aliyah, who will be left behind?

Will their child/sibling/parent be included in the “coveted list” of 2,000 immigrants or will yet another year go by of unbearable longing?

MEMBERS OF the Falash Mura community attend morning prayer services in the synagogue in Gondar, Ethiopia, in 2016.

Gov't okays immigration of 2,000 Falash Mura from Ethiopia by end of 2020

According to the original plan, 4,500 of those waiting in Addis Ababa and Gondar would be brought by the end of 2020, and the remainder by 2023.

The author (front right) with 8,000 Falash Mura in 1998 ignored at the time by the State of Israel; although all of them made aliyah, about 9,000 remain in Gondar today

Will a new plan to complete Falash Mura aliyah face obstacles? – analysis

So many plans and promises have been made on this issue that have not been fulfilled that the minister’s announcement has been met instead with skepticism that this could yet be another false dawn.

Members of the Falash Mura Jewish Ethiopian community attend a prayer service at the HaTikvah Synagogue in Gondar, northern Ethiopia, September 30, 2016

Aliyah minister plans to bring remaining Falash Mura community to Israel

The Falash Mura are descendants of the Ethiopian Jewish community.

Members of the Falash Mura Jewish Ethiopian community attend a prayer service at the HaTikvah Synagogue in Gondar, northern Ethiopia, September 30, 2016