The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) is deeply concerned about the situation of the Quara Jews and Falash Mura in Ethiopia, particularly those who have left their villages and are now living in difficult conditions in Gondar City and Addis Ababa. Some 3,000 members of the Quara Jewish community, who were left behind during Operation Solomon in 1991, and approximately 15,000 members of the Falash Mura community are seeking to immigrate to Israel. Last November the Israeli Government pledged to expedite the relocation of the Quara Jews to Israel. The Falash Mura are Ethiopians who claim Jewish ancestry but are not recognized as Jews by the State of Israel. A portion of the Falash Mura, however, may be eligible to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return as the children or grandchildren of Jews. Some of the recent arrivals in Addis Ababa reportedly fled their homes because of attacks by non-Jewish neighbors.

Both the Quara Jews and the Falash Mura are in need of food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. As a result of disease and the general living conditions in the Ethiopian cities, there is a high death rate among these populations, including children. Between 1991 and 1998, critical assistance to those Addis Ababa had been provided by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry (NACOEJ). Furthermore, educational opportunities provided by NACOEJ in Addis during those years, it is believed, have contributed to the successful absorption of the immigrant families that recently arrived in Israel. NACOEJ has resumed financial support; JDC is implementing a plan to provide limited medical and humanitarian assistance.In light of the above, the JCPA urges its member agencies to:

1. Encourage the Israeli Government to fulfill its commitment to expedite the relocation of Quara Jews to Israel, including by assigning the necessary personnel to accomplish this task both in Israel and Ethiopia.
2. Seek regular assessments by Israeli officials and others with regard to the economic and health conditions of the Quara Jews until they all have left Ethiopia.
3. Encourage the Israeli Government to fully and fairly process -- on a case by case basis and in a timely manner -- requests by members of the Falash Mura community to immigrate to Israel, and to permit such applications to be initiated in Ethiopia.
4. Support efforts of the Joint Distribution Committee and the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry to provide increased medical, educational, and nutritional assistance to the Falash Mura and Quara Jews.

-end-

Return to top of this page