Menashe Zemro

Last updated

Menashe Zemro (born 1905 or 1906; died 7 October 1998 at age 92) was the last Kes of the Ethiopian Jews.

Menashe Zemro
Title Kes
Personal
Born1905-1906
Died(1998-10-07)7 October 1998 (92 years old)
Religion Judaism
Nationality Beta Israel
Denomination Beta Israel

Biography

Zemro was born in Gondar, Ethiopia around the year 1906. [1] [2]

Through Operation Solomon, Zemro, a kes, would migrate with most of the Beta Israel community in 1991 to Israel. [1] After making aliyah, he would continue to serve as a spiritual leader in Israel for the Beta Israel community. [3]

Zemro would go on to settle in Kiryat Gat, where he would later die, on 7 October 1998. [4] [5] [6] Adisu Massala, a Knesset member who had migrated from Ethiopia, would describe the deceased spiritual leader as the greatest of the generation. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Jews in Africa</span> Ethnic and religious groups history

African Jewish communities include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beta Israel</span> Jewish community associated with modern-day Ethiopia

The Beta Israel, also known as Ethiopian Jews, are a Jewish community that lived for centuries in the area of the Kingdom of Aksum and the Ethiopian Empire, which is currently divided between the modern-day Amhara and Tigray regions of Ethiopia. Most of the Beta Israel community immigrated to Israel in the late 20th century.

Jewish ethnic divisions refer to many distinctive communities within the world's ethnically Jewish population. Although considered a self-identifying ethnicity, there are distinct ethnic subdivisions among Jews, most of which are primarily the result of geographic branching from an originating Israelite population, mixing with local communities, and subsequent independent evolutions.

The history of the Jews in India dates back to antiquity. Judaism was one of the first foreign religions to arrive in India in recorded history. Indian Jews are a small religious minority who have lived in India since ancient times. The 2,000-year history of Indian Jews was marked by a total absence of antisemitism from the Hindu majority and a visible assimilation in the local languages and cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falash Mura</span> A group of Ethiopian Jews who converted to Christianity

Falash Mura is the name given to descendants of the Beta Israel community in Ethiopia who converted to Christianity, primarily as a consequence of Western proselytization during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This term also includes Beta Israel who did not adhere to any Ethiopian Jewish practices, as well as the aforementioned historical converts to Christianity. While most voluntarily converted, some were also forcibly converted against their will, or felt compelled to convert due to economic hardship and social exclusion in a majority Christian population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bnei Menashe</span> Group of Jews from northeast India

The Bnei Menashe is a community of Indian Jews from various Tibeto-Burmese ethnic groups from the border of India and Burma who claim descent from one of the Lost Tribes of Israel; some of them have adopted Judaism. The community has around 10,000 members.

Several groups claim they descend from the ancient Israelites. The issue has been especially relevant since the establishment of the State of Israel and an individual or a group's request to immigrate to Israel under its Law of Return. In that context, claims of affiliation with the Israelites give rise to questions of "who is a Jew?" Some of these claims have been recognized, while other claims are still under review and other claims have been rejected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ten Lost Tribes</span> Tribes exiled from the Kingdom of Israel after its Neo-Assyrian conquest

The Ten Lost Tribes were the ten of the Twelve Tribes of Israel that were said to have been exiled from the Kingdom of Israel after its conquest by the Neo-Assyrian Empire c. 722 BCE. These are the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Manasseh, and Ephraim; all but Judah and Benjamin. However, since the tribe of Simeon lived well within the territory of Judah, it is not clear why this tribe was never included in this list. Also, the tribes of Asher and Reuben were never mentioned as participating in anything after the conquest, living in either Phoenician (Asher) or Moabite (Reuben) controlled territory. By the middle 9th century BCE the territory of Gad was also (re)taken by the Moabites, so the Assyrians could at most have removed the other six tribes. Thus, the "10 tribes" appears to be a misnomer, meaning all of the Israelites that were living outside the Kingdom of Judah. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that "there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers".

Shavei Israel is an Israel-based Jewish organization that encourages people of Jewish descent to strengthen their connection with Israel and the Jewish people. Founded by Michael Freund in 2002, Shavei Israel locates lost Jews and hidden Jewish communities and assists them with returning to their roots and, sometimes, with aliyah. The organization's team is composed of academics, educators and rabbis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Jews in Eritrea</span> Aspect of history

The history of the Jews in Eritrea stretches back many centuries. Eritrea once had a substantial Jewish community, fueled by immigrants arriving for economic reasons and to escape persecution. The community thrived for several decades before mass emigration began during the Eritrean War of Independence with Ethiopia.

Lalchhanhima Sailo was the founder of Chhinlung Israel People Convention (CIPC) and a leader in the Bnei Menashe community in Mizoram, India. His widow, Lalthlamuani, contested in the Lok Sabha Election 2019 from the Mizoram as an Independent, but lost to C. Lalrosanga of the Mizo National Front.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aliyah from Ethiopia</span>

Aliyah from Ethiopia is the immigration of the Beta Israel people to Israel. Early forms of Zionism have existed in Ethiopia since the mid 19th-century, as shown in the 1848 letters from the Beta Israel to Jews in Europe praying for the unification of Jews. A year after the first letter was sent, Daniel Ben Hananiah and his son were sent by the Kahen to Jerusalem and made contact with the Jewish leaders there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Jews in Ethiopia</span>

The history of the Jews in Ethiopia refers to people in Ethiopia who practice Judaism or have Jewish ancestry. This history goes back millennia. The largest Jewish group in Ethiopia is the Beta Israel, also known as Ethiopian Jews. Offshoots of the Beta Israel include the Beta Abraham and the Falash Mura, Ethiopian Jews who were converted to Christianity, some of whom have reverted to Judaism. Addis Ababa is home to a small community of Adeni Jews. Chabad also maintains a presence in Addis Ababa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raphael Hadane</span> Israeli high priest (1923–2020)

Raphael Hadane, also known as Hadana Takoya, was the Liqa Kahenat of Beta Israel in Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Igbo Jews</span> Ethnic group

Igbo Jews are members of the Igbo people of Nigeria who practice Judaism. Jewish life has been documented in parts of Nigeria since the precolonial period, but it is not known for the Igbo to have claimed Israelite descent or practiced Judaism in precolonial times. During and after the Biafran war (1967-1970), more widespread Igbo identification with Jews concretized.

Ethiopian Jews in Israel are immigrants and descendants of the immigrants from the Beta Israel communities in Ethiopia who now reside in Israel. To a lesser, but notable, extent, the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel is also composed of Falash Mura, a community of Beta Israel which had converted to Christianity over the course of the past two centuries, but were permitted to immigrate to Israel upon returning to Israelite religion—this time largely to Rabbinic Judaism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uri Ben Baruch</span>

Uri Ben Baruch was a Liqa Kahnet and the main leader of the Ethiopian Jewish community for nearly 50 years, from the Italian occupation of Ethiopia and until his death.

Shalva Weil is a Senior Researcher at The Seymour Fox School of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. In 2017, she was GIAN Distinguished Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, in New Delhi. She has researched Indian Jews, Ethiopian Jews, and the Ten Lost Tribes and specializes in femicide, qualitative methods, violence, ethnicity, education, religion, and migration.

Ethiopian Jewish cuisine is the cuisine of the Beta Israel. The cuisine of the Ethiopian Jews is similar to the cuisine of other Ethiopians, with some variations.

References

  1. 1 2 Israel Yearbook and Almanac. IBRT Translation/Documentation Limited. 1999.
  2. "Web: Lucas County, Ohio, U.S., Blade Obituary Index, 1842-2014". www.ancestry.com. 2012. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  3. lachkar, Michel (2019-05-26). "Des communautés juives enracinées en Afrique noire depuis plus de 2000 ans". Franceinfo (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  4. Kaufman, Michael T. (1998-10-09). "Menashe Zemro, 92, Dies; Led Ethiopian Jews". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  5. The Northern Star: Irish Political Review ; Labour Comment. Northern Star. 1997.
  6. "DEATHS ELSEWHERE". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  7. "News Brief". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1998-10-09. Retrieved 2021-09-14.