Falash Mura

Falash Mura is the name given to those of the Beta Israel community in Ethiopia, Eritrea who converted to Christianity under pressure from the mission during the 19th century and the 20th century. This term consists of Jews who did not adhere to Jewish law, as well as Jewish converts to Christianity, who did so either voluntarily or who were forced to do so.

Missionary Henry Aaron Stern preaches Christianity to Beta Israel.
Falash Mura woman making Injera in Gondar in 1996.
Falash Mura child, 2005

Terminology

The original term that given to the converts by the Beta Israel was "Faras Muqra" ("horse of the raven") which the word "horse" refers to the converts and the word "raven" to the missionary Martin Flad who used to wear black clothes.[1] This term derived the additional names Falas Muqra, Faras Mura and Falas Mura. In Hebrew the term "Falash Mura" (or "Falashmura") is probably a result of confusion with the term "Faras Muqra" and its derivatives and which on the basis of false cognate it was given the Hebrew meaning of Falashim Mumarim ("Converted Falashas").

History

In 1860 Henry Aaron Stern, a Jewish convert to Christianity, traveled to Ethiopia and Eritrea in an attempt to convert the Beta Israel community to Christianity. The Christian missionaries had more success with the population of Eritrea, while Eritrea is also known for a Solomon Jewish dynasty. Henry Aaron Stern could convert easily the people of Eritrea because the communication and infrastructure of colonial settlers where easier there as in Ethiopia. In the Achefer woreda of the Mirab Gojjam Zone, roughly 1,000-2,000 families of Beta Israel were found. There may be other such regions in Ethiopia with significant Jewish enclaves, which would raise the total Jewish population to more than 50,000 people.

Groups

Aliyah

On February 16, 2003, the Israeli government applied Resolution 2958 to the Falash Mura, which grants maternal descendants of Jews the right to immigrate to Israel under the Israeli Law of Return and to obtain citizenship if they convert to Judaism.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gerrit Jan Abbink, The Falashas In Ethiopia And Israel - The Problem of Ethnic Assimilation, Nijmegen, Institute for Cultural and Social Anthropology, 1984, p. 81-82
  2. ↑ The issue of Falashmura aliyah - follow-up report, Israeli Association for Ethiopian Jews, (Hebrew)

Further reading

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