Ethiopia to Israel: Secret Journeys

For centuries, Israel has been isolated from much of Judaism and is now a target of discrimination. The secret, politically contentious smuggling operations that brought them from Sudan to Israel in the 1980s are the subject of this tale. They are known as the Falasha Jews, who were primarily from Ethiopia. In the late 20th century, the Falasha Jews (also known as Beta Israel) faced persecution and famine, prompting significant emigration to Israel.

However, many Arab and African states did not recognize Israel, so countries like Ethiopia and Sudan were unable to publicly acknowledge their support for its growing population. In order to transport thousands of Ethiopian Jews from refugee camps in the Sudanese desert, the Mossad and the CIA conducted the covert Operation Moses. When these missions were discovered, they caused huge political fallout in Sudan. Additionally, the Falasha Jews who did enter Israel have found themselves underminaged and still have trouble integrating into contemporary Israeli society.