Customer Reviews

Falashas

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After reading about the Khazars and thinking very little information existed about them and their past, I am amazed at how little is known about 'Ethiopian' Judaism. Mr. Kessler, one of the best sources on the subject, describes to the best of current information the history of the Beta Israel, definitely taking the view that these people are anciently related to Judaism.

His views are controversial -- many have claimed that the source of the Beta Israel was from the Arabian Peninsula, or a break-off from Ethiopian Christianity, although I find the latter hard to believe. I am currently reading other works about them written by Steven Kaplan and other.

Very little is known about the Beta Israel, hopefully much more research will be devoted to understanding them, their past, their history, their customs and their beliefs. I firmly believe that these people are Jews descended, as they believe, from Solomon. Luckily these people are still alive while other groups have unfortunately been relegated to history.

I highly recommend this work and I'm pretty sure most will enjoy it! Thank you David Kessler for all your study and devotion to this topic and to the Beta Israel.

Being of Ethiopian "Falasha" descent, and learning through research of our ancient heritage and culture has led me to so many different burdening truths but at the same time much positive wonder as well. It is my layman opinion that the author gave his best effort in dissecting Falasha's modern history but there is still a strong influence of european agenda based on the millennial racial advantages of our caucasian brethren of east and western origin. Clearly institutionalized programmed influences of european ego for the concept of being the "center of civilization" is at play here. I don't believe it was with intent, it's just the way we've all been educated and subliminally directed to only see white with a narrow view especially concerning Judaism and its additional book of hebraic ecclesial law extensions, the "Talmud". I also found the book "The Hyena People", author Hagar Salamon's expression's to be very similar. They call us jews on paper in an attempt to link us but in reality we are very few and don't exist in their modern Jewish world. Ms Salamon's book was somewhat more patronizing and exploitive but very informative at the same time. I give thanks and honor to the few righteous Ashkenazi and Sephardic brethren, past and present, whom dedicated their life to a hands-on research of our people and their sincere efforts to record and inform of our history and plight, though from a european perspective.

Why is it such a mystery to scholars of european diaspora as to how and when we got to be what we are? It is very obvious to me based on the misinformation put out by all the so called authorities of the judaic faiths, that if you clear your mental programming and really look at the physical environment of Africa with an unbiased approach in logical chronologic history with relation to archaeology and evolutionary root keys of certain passages and scripture that branch throughout the Torah, Bible, and Qur'an, also with access to a good dictionary, one would begin to observe who the real converts are. There is no mention for a race of people within the first five books of the Torah. Why? Because during that period there was obviously only one race. Darwin's theory of evolution reluctantly opened European minds to this fact on a more scientific note and alternately had to be a real problem for the Papal Order as with all ancient archaeological findings and new scientific discoveries. Environment is the key to what race the people were and that particular environment is not conducive for long term survival of a so called pure caucasian people because of their lack of melanin which is needed for long term survival in such extremely heated conditions. Once you can see it and accept it, everything that is presumed to be a mystery about us and yourselves fall into place. Not just learning about the Falasha but the origin of mankind and future endeavors to be foretold based on present analogies of the simple natural chaotic order of humanity, and in our individual ability to seek clearer knowledge and understanding in how we all are connected like an electrical current guided by the astral cycles of the universe. Maybe then, with respect, one will be able to discover even more wonder in the deeply rich heritage of all people, their gifts, unique abilities, and how we are all linked.

Some may feel this credible alternate perception is very much a threat to individuals who feel that they have some kind of special privilege in the world claiming to be something they're not, which has been more than likely passed down orally by family and community who never practiced or studied hebrew or any other religion and filtered by clerics through text that has been manipulated, misinterpreted, plagiarized, altered, and intentionally cultured by the agenda of the political elite and exaggerated with eurocentric art and images throughout the Mediterranean and european community to further exercise their tailored history for continued influence of power and social control. This purposeful artful deception has been in practice for over a thousand years up until today with the further assistance of Hollywood films and a biased media machine. This machine leave many jews and hebrews themselves to ponder this question "are we a race by blood, religious faith, or both?" These are some of the many deceptions that poke holes and make contradictory doctrine of all the abrahamic faiths, further diluting their true purpose and relegate its messages to a somewhat fairy-tale like comprehension which requires unquestionable faith to fill in the gaps. These guides should be approached with an open mind and ingested with common intellectual logic of practical details in study to which doesn't confine questions that stifle learning and good common sense.

In Ethiopia we where not called "Jews" we were called Hebrews. Jew is a european terminology. So I do not proclaim to be as such. Even the term Beta (Bet) Israel is somewhat ambiguous. Isn't Alpha before Beta? To coin the term Beta before Israel in description of us sublimes the notion we came by conversion from one of the twelve european tribes who I guess assume they all should be the Alpha. I prefer the term Falasha, it is of my heritage, not my religion. Our form of Hebrew worship is the most ancient. The original followers of the hebrew religion, converts, and their slaves began in Ethiopia. Even though the concept our religious faith rubber-banded back and forth it still succeeded in spreading south, east, and north. Leaving seeds in South Africa, West Africa, the Sahara, the Mediterranean, Persia, and as far east as China. Sometimes surviving within small pockets amidst other faiths and beliefs. In an era when the key to last hope survival was to diversify, assimilate, or wander. From those points on they thinned and became further separated by war, environment, economic sustainability, and yes, separated as well by a majority/minority based on racial status, class, certain physical features, and the rituals practiced within their faith. A faith sporadically perverted over time and scattered throughout with wandering groups of diaspora and their converted populations, and for sure there was interracial breeding. Considering the severity of certain threatening situations, such as local none acceptance of our ancestral faith, which relegates the strict balance of influence and economic sustenance of our people in all matters, as they wandered, one could surely assume a natural cyclic propagation of master becoming slave and slave becoming master, as witnessed throughout ancient and modern history.

To the reviewer, who has the audacity to call himself "a great guy", with such harsh words for Falashas: It is the collective attitude of people like yourself that instigate the negative factors of race in your fantasized idea of being superior. Basking in the greed of your ill perceived social advantage in systems of institutionalized bias and pre-programmed hate. As a Falasha, I have no desire to relocate to Israel. Being of African descent and living the experience of the racist American Anglo-Protestant south of the 50s and 60s, I would be a fool to believe that any person, country, or creed of European culture or colonies, would except me for being a Jew. Why should they, because I'm not. Even though I have documented proof of my hebrew lineage, it only matters to me. Some of these same "Jim Crow" mentalities, like yourself, were easily accepted as jew without questions and are certain to be living and stirring malicious commotions in Israel today. So I choose not to keep the company of thieves.

So, Mr "a great guy", don't worry, there are not many of us around. We are not special to no one but our friends and family just like any other people. We respect the heritage of our ancestors though some of their methods and rituals seem antiquated due partly to being isolated in the mountains from the plains of middle Africa for such a long period of time. Falashas mean no harm to no one and there are not enough of us left to be a threat. We may not all agree on certain issues but one thing for sure is that we share strong spiritual energy that link our hearts no matter where we are or where we go. Some Falashas, such as myself, do not want to live in Israel or claim to be "Jew". Israel will never know peace and security in my or my grandchildren's lifetime. It's certainly not a land flourishing with a booming economy. The only opportunities for Falashas in Israel are as a soldier, servant, entertainer, and some sports. Falashas have to agree to be re-programmed to the rituals and dogma of the Orthodox Talmud. In addition, based on an understanding of the current political conditions my long term analysis forecast war, war, and rumors of war. Speak with some of our brothers now living in Dimona, and with some of those who have returned to Ethiopia to hear of their experiences of poor living conditions and systemic isolation from their european brethren. In addition, personally, I do not want land or anything else that does not belong to me, especially based on having to agree and accept such a contradictory and fabled authority of lineage that was one of the catalyst utilized to justify its bloody claim.

The majority of the people who migrated and currently occupy Israel since the 1948 UN mandate are descendants of Western European ancestral colonizers of the Americas, European WWII refugees and their descendants, and later Eastern European political asylum seekers of the former Warsaw Pact community. Some were even welcomed from as far as the apartheid regime of South Africa (Dutch Afrikaners) to exercise their "right to return" and excluded The Lemba Tribe. As documented, the hierarchy of the Ashkenazi/Sephardic Knesset knew we Falashas existed well before 1948 but never invited us to exercise that right. Racism? It's a fair assessment. Maybe Falashas are living proof to the continued archaeological research and evidential findings that gives further prominence in illuminating greater attention to probability of the European (Jew) conversion, which is somewhat of a factual headache for those whom feel authority to say who is a jew and who's not.

Mr "a great guy" please read the book. If you had, maybe you would not have made such a blatantly racist outcry. As with many others of your opinion , it appears to be a personal inability to separate truth from fiction based on illusional foundations of reality and becoming intellectually stifled to comprehend anything deeper than what you see on your TV screen, and those very entertaining whitewashed big production holy glory films of Cecil B. DeMille.

I am a Falasha. I didn't purchase this book to learn where we came from. I purchased this book to get a better understanding and idea of where we're going.

Jeremias L. Yohannes (Nepkins)

Other books of reference on Falashas that are worth a gander:

African Presence in Early Europe, edited by Ivan Van Sertima

The African Origin of Civilization (Myth or Reality) by Cheikh Anta Diop, edited and translated by Mercer Cook

We the black Jews, Volumes I & II, by Yosef A. A. ben-Jochannan

Operation Solomon (The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews), by Stephen Spector

And any works of A. J. Rogers

What on earth is the point of inventing Jewish roots concerning these deceptive Ethiopians when everybody knows too well why they became Jews: only because it was the only possibility for them to immigrate to Israel only for economic reasons (to flee their undescribable poverty).

Were these Ethiopians Jews in Ethiopia? NO! NEVER EVER!! They were Christians! A significant number of them in Israel returned to their Christian faith even though most of them decided to keep being Jew because they felt it was safer for them to do so in Israel (despite the fact that there is freedom of faith for Christians and Muslims)!!

In the history of the Jewish people, there has never ever been members of the Jewish people who were black. Never! Blacks can become Jews today through conversion if they convert without inventing false stories but there is not a group of Jews in the history of the Jewish people who were black Jews! NEVER!
I already hear some people reading my comments who might be tempted to say that I am racist but I am telling these people that I am fine accepting blacks who convert to Judaism without inventing false stories in order to convert. To invent false stories in order to convert renders the conversion process completely invalid!!

To have converted Jewish Orthodox these Ethiopians do not make them Jews in any way simply because they used deception to convert to Judaism with the goal of immigrating to Israel ONLY FOR ECONOMIC REASONS. They converted only to flee their awful poverty that they were suffering in Ethiopia where they were living in mud huts and nearly all of them, except their leaders, were completely illiterate (they could not read nor write and they did not have access to the simplest books or writing items!!). Later on, these American Jews who have pushed them to convert gave them books, taught them how to read, and more.

Why did they become Jews? American Jews who did not want to move to Israel felt guilty by their lack of willingness to move to Israel. They were working on outreach projects in Ethiopia and saw that these people were potentially ready to convert in order to move to Israel with the only goal of fleeing their poverty. They made them Jews by teaching them Judaism, giving their leaders Old Testament books to read and so on. Worse, they invented for them Jewish roots, telling the Jewish world that these Ethiopians were Jews!!! What a shame!!
Then, they showed movies of them with Jewish items and praying and they told the viewers of these movies that they have kept Jewish traditions for centuries!! What an awful deception!

All these books on the so-called Ethiopian Jews and the movies about them, they are all completely invented stories where these Ethiopian are given completely invented Jewish roots!

This book deserves a zero because it is based on pure lies!! That is as simple as that!!