MK Danny Danon, who heads the Knesset Absorption Committee, opened Tuesday’s meeting (4 Cheshvan) with a personal letter he received from Chief Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar Shlita, in which the Rishon L’Tzion expresses his sorrow over the reduction in the number of immigrants arriving in Israel from Ethiopia. “I am asking with all my heart to increase the pace of aliyah, a matter of saving the lives of our brothers in galus”, the rav is quoted as writing.
MK Danon was pleased with the chief rabbi’s request, adding “The aliyah from Ethiopia is a national mission and I stand behind the rav’s request and thank Rav Amar for his effort to advance the issue at hand”.
Danon stated the reduction in the number of Ethiopians permitted to come to Israel is worrisome and the current situation must not be permitted to continue. He remains determined to increase aliyah numbers and to work to improve the absorption of the new immigrants in Israel towards their complete integration into Israeli society.
Today’s marks the 20th anniversary of Operation Shlomo, bringing 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Eretz Yisrael.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
When it was first suggested that Israel should bring in the falasha from Ethiopia, there was some doubt as to whether they were really Jewish. Therefore most poskim recommended that they should have giyur to be on the safe side. This became rabbanut policy. Subsequently, DNA testing proves conclusively that they are not genetically part of the Jewish people.