It’s interesting to note that Judaism was the official religion of the Ethiopian royal family until the 3rd century CE when the Romans pressured them to convert to Christianity. They still identified as Jewish until the king was dethroned in 1974.
This shouldn’t come as a major surprise. There were several ancient Kingdoms or city states of which the ruling class practiced Judaism, comprised of either local Jewish tribes or converts.
Ethiopia is an interesting case because they were isolated yet simultaneously already known by other Jewish communities. It is also very probable that Jewish men settled there and married local women. That last scenario is a more compelling case to validate their status as Jews. That practice was not uncommon in ancient Jewish communities, and even in not so ancient times. Just look around you today. How many people are able to get away with converting their goyish girlfriends? Except that now, it’s done בחשאי. It used to be almost acceptable.
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