A vanished Community Reappears in the 20th century
The Story of the Beta Israel of Ethiopia
Some years back, in the 1980's, in my congregation , Beth Shalom of Whittier, CA, a new member joined us, Habtnesh Ezra. She was one of the first members of the ancient Jewish community of Ethiopia to settle in Los Angeles, and she was soon joined by her father, who had been one of the first teachers of modern Hebrew.
Here is the unusual account of a community that has deep Judaic roots, yet was cut off for a millennia or more from the rest of world Jewry.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/who-are-the-ethiopian-jews
That community was finally repatriated for the most part to Israel. One of the pilots in the historic airlift is a family friend. This was a journey fraught with the dangers of trekking by foot through desert and flying over enemy territory undetected.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/operation-solomon
The members are gradually being absorbed into Israeli society, which is a major achievement, moving from pre-industrial Ethiopian villages into the heart of Start-Up Nation.
Here is a visual account
https://youtu.be/gJjxBDFqYBc?si=tlvuFL50OBk8xGfA
NW
Lost AND FOUND: New Jewish communities around the world
Meet the Jews of Sub-Saharan Africa
Jews have had a presence in sub-Saharan Africa well before modern times.
Josephus, who wrote the first comprehensive history of the Jews nearly 2000 years ago, records Moses conquering Ethiopia, and the Bible itself recounts Moses taking an Ethiopian wife. Centuries later, the ancient Israelites, in coordination with their neighbors, the Phoenicians, sailed down the Red Sea to and through the Horn of Africa, and some 2500 years ago there was a Jewish military outpost on the Nile at the edge of modern day Sudan. In the Middle Ages, a wandering preacher, by the name of Eldad Hadani brought tales of Israelite tribes in Africa, living a protected life behind a sacred river , Sambatyon.
Here is the account of Kulanu.org and the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda:
http://www.rabbinorbert.com/2025/03/the-jews-of-sub-saharan-africa-focus-on.html
The diversity of the israelites
The Real Good Samaritans
Israeli Israelites without Jerusalem nor the Prophets
I had relatives in Holon, who I would visit from time to time. One Shabbat, I decided to walk across Holon to the Samaritan community. One half had lived there among Jews, had been absorbed as citizens of Israel, and were, essentially, Israelis.
Benyamim (Benny) Tsedaka, a scholar, historian and ambassador-at-large for the Israelite Samaritans, explained that “There were two ancient kingdoms: Judea (Jews) from the south, and we were the tribes from the north. We eventually separated, but our origins are identical.” . . . They’re one of the world’s oldest and smallest religious groups and their songs are among the most ancient in the world.
http://www.rabbinorbert.com/2021/05/the-real-good-samaritans.html
The Karaites- Our Historic Jewish Protestants
Jews without Rabbis
Somewhat over a millennia ago, there arose a dispute among Jews as to what authority would be given to the traditions carried on form the Pharisees to the Rabbis of the Mishna and Talmud. Those who wanted to revert to the more literal understanding of the Bible became known as "Kara'im", those of the Text.
http://www.rabbinorbert.com/2021/05/the-karaites-our-historic-jewish.html
China, Japan, and the Jews: Reflections on my visit - 2019
A significant and important Jewish connection with China goes back to the early Middle Ages, along the fabled “ Silk Route”. As major members of the trade group labelled “Radhanites”, they brought European goods to China, and Chinese secrets to the West.
Modern era Jews had settled in China at the end of 19th and early 20th Century from Tsarist Russia. The Tsar was supportive of this, as it moved Jews away from Russia proper, a long-standing Tsarist goal. With rise of Nazism, larger numbers came to Shanghai, which had been a foreign enclave of French and English in China.
A leader of the Jewish community of Japan, Anatole Ponve, was active in bringing the Shanghai Ghetto Jews to the US. He himself became a president of Hollywood Temple Beth El.
http://www.rabbinorbert.com/2019/11/china-japan-and-jews-reflections-on-my.html