Ethiopian Jews (Falash Mura)
WHEREAS in 2003 the government of Israel made a commitment to bring the remaining Ethiopian Jews (Falash Mura) from Ethiopia to Israel; and
WHEREAS the government of Israel has now indicated it will only process 3,000 of the 8,700 Falash Mura in Gondar; and
WHEREAS those Falash Mura remaining in Ethiopia who can trace their connection to the community through their maternal lines have been declared to be Jews by successive chief rabbis of Israel; and
WHEREAS those Falash Mura who can trace their descent through their maternal lines are considered to be Jews by leaders of the three main streams of North American Jewry (Conservative, Reform and Orthodox), and will hereafter be referred to as Jews in this document; and
WHEREAS these Jews are demonstrating their ardent desire to live observant Jewish lives by attending local synagogue services; observing kashrut, Shabbat, and holidays; availing themselves of the limited facilities, ritual objects and opportunities available in their isolated rural area (including an unheated mikvah and shared tefillin); and attending classes, as available, to increase their knowledge and ability to observe Jewish religious customs; and
WHEREAS these Jews are openly and proudly Zionist despite the real possibility of local anti-Zionist violence, which is not approved by the national government but has taken place in the region in the past; and
WHEREAS United Jewish Communities has been funding food distribution and other necessities for the Jews waiting to be processed for aliyah; and
WHEREAS it is not the UJC’s mission to provide for Jews in foreign countries who are not in the process of making aliyah; and
WHEREAS, the Israeli government’s decision to not process all the Ethiopian Jews for aliyah has resulted in the UJC halting the funding of food distribution, with children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and others starving, 8,700 would-be olim living in hovels with no opportunity for providing for themselves and being prevented from reuniting with their families in Israel; and
WHEREAS the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and its member congregations have been working tirelessly and diligently to help these stranded Jews to fulfill their dream of making aliyah;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that United Synagogue commends the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency for Israel for reviving the process of bringing the Falash Mura from Ethiopia to Israel; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that United Synagogue hereby calls upon the government of Israel to adhere to its commitment to process all 8,700 remaining Ethiopian Jews (Falash Mura immediately) in order for the UJC to resume funding for food and education until the approved Ethiopians Jews are brought to Israel; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that United Synagogue calls upon the federations and Jews throughout North America to work with the Israeli government to ensure that these 8,700 Ethiopian Jews have adequate food, schools, and medical supplies and treatment until they are brought to Israel; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that United Synagogue calls upon its brother and sister North American organizations and communities to mobilize resources so that adequate funding for the humanitarian needs of the 8,700 is made available; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that United Synagogue calls upon its leadership on the international, regional, and synagogue levels to publicize this resolution and to communicate with the Israeli government via United Synagogue’s Israel Commission and any other available channels of communicationto make clear its support of the need to address the situation of the people left in Gondar.
