Ethiopia is "Land of Origins"

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Sorry it’s been a while but I am back now and excited to continue! Before I go on about Ambover Village here’s a little more about Ethiopia:
 
The nickname of Ethiopia is “Land of Origins” and has been used as Ethiopia’s official tourism motto since 2016. The name comes from “Lucy”, whose earliest remains of our human ancestors were found in the Awash Valley. I wrote about her in an earlier blog. But now the Israelis have found remains of an older humanoid so it looks like Lucy will lose her status. Sorry old girl! 

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Ethiopia is the birthplace of the wild coffee plant known as Arabica. I am enjoying the Ethiopian coffee I brought home, so sweet and smooth, and wish I had bought more! The Blue Nile, earth’s longest river begins in Ethiopia. There are astonishing varied landscapes in Ethiopia as well as ancient churches, monasteries, ruins of palatial structures and medieval forts. Nine sites have been registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the largest number for any African country. The Semien National Park is one of these which I visited. But more about that later…. Much to learn about Ethiopia. 


I found this great website with the complete timeline of Ethiopian Jews.
Check it out by clicking on the timeline below.

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Belaynesh Zevadia accompanied us to Ambover, her original home. She left the village at age 13 and immigrated to Israel with Operation Moses. She is a graduate of Hebrew University and was the first ambassador of Ethiopian descent. She was assigned to Addis Ababa in 2012. Her father was the Kes (Rabbi) in the village. We entered the synagogue and were spellbound by her emotional story of her brother’s imprisonment. Her father remained in the synagogue for 3 years praying for his son’s release. Eating and sleeping on the floor till his prayers were answered, the Kes was an extraordinary example of the power of prayer and belief in God.

On the way to Belaynesh's childhood home

We followed Belaynesh up a steep mountain path to what was once her one room, childhood home. I had to stop several times to catch my breath as the elevation was quite high. Imagine her trekking up and down the mountain to attend school and to fetch water several times a day.

 

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David pointing to his childhood classroom

Also with us was David Ermiase, now a social worker with Ethiopians in Ramat Eliyahu. David grew up outside Ambover in another village and walked here to attend school every day. He showed us where he sat in his former classroom and told us about his escape from here to Sudan at age 18 with friends through the Semien Mountains. Bandits preyed upon them demanding bribe money. By the time he arrived to the Sudan border, his mouth was so dry from not having water that he completely lost his voice. This was his first visit to Ethiopia since he left. He declared this “the best day of my life” and cried tears of joy and sadness. We all cried with him. 

 

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Micha wanted us to experience walking in the footsteps of those who escaped through the Semien Mountains to Sudan. Our 90 minute walk in daylight was no comparison to hiking the narrow mountain paths at night with no flashlights or maps to guide them. We had security guards with us and wore reasonable shoes. Children and elders journeyed with their families carefully avoiding loose stones on the trails. Some died along the way and proper burial was impossible. Babies were born in this rugged but stunning mountain range. Determination to reach Jerusalem was their guiding light and inspiration. There is no other way to explain their brave Exodus through such treacherous terrain. 

We stopped at a magnificent lookout point to hear Orly Malessa’s story. Now a graduate of Beersheva University and a successful filmmaker in Tel Aviv, Orly was only 2 years old when her family fled Ethiopia on foot. Describing the suffering of her parents when they thought her younger sibling had died during the escape, Orly broke down while telling her story. The baby did survive and they finally arrived in Israel after some years in the refugee camp. Orly’s great sensitivity, perseverance and strength are the results of the hardships she experienced.