Summary: On March 4, 2025, Ono Academic College, together with the UJA New York Federation, the Forum Yerusalem, and Friends of Ethiopian Jewry sponsored a conference on Unity and Uniformity in the Ethiopian-Israeli Community. Moderated by Shmuel Yilma, the event highlighted unity through diversity, as noted by Dr. Nevo Shimon Vaknin and Adv. Zeev Kaso, who showcased Ono’s success in advancing Ethiopian-Israeli students. Israeli President Herzog, in recorded remarks, praised the community’s sacrifices for unity. Keisim Avihu Azaria and Semai Elias, alongside Rabbis Adiel Eliyahu, Gavriel Tedesse, and Sharon Shalom, led a joint prayer for the hostages. Students presented initiatives to reduce communal conflicts, supported by the UJA Federation. MK Rabbi Moshe Solomon and Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom emphasized unity as a model for Israeli society.
Reception with Traditional Bete Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) Cuisine and Music – As conference participants arrived, they were treated to a piano and saxophone performance by world renowned Bete Israel artist Abatte Barihun. They also enjoyed a traditional Ethiopian Jewish meal of injera, dabo, alicha and mizroot, among other delicacies, served by Ono graduate and Tel Aviv restauranteur, Fanta Fareda.
The event was moderated by Shmuel Yilma, Director of the Forum Yerusalem, a coalition of nonprofit organizations dedicated to integrating the narrative and heritage of Ethiopian Jewry into the broader Israeli-Zionist story, aiming to promote equality, combat racism, and celebrate the community’s contributions. He noted that the diversity of Israel and the Ethiopian-Israeli community, in particular, represents our strength.
Dr. Nevo Shimon Vaknin, the Director of Ono’s MA Program in Judaic Studies, noted that Ono stands for multiculturalism and is distinctly proud of the work of its Ethiopian Center. He announced that the MA program is working to open a specialization in Ethiopian-Jewish studies next year. Regarding the conference’s subject, Vaknin said that on 7.10, our enemies thought only in terms of uniformity and wanted to destroy anything that was different. Our society recognizes that unity comes from respecting the differences among us.
Adv. Zeev Kaso, Director of Ono’s Program for the Advancement and Integration of Ethiopian-Israeli Students, described how, over 24 years, the program has produced 1300 graduates, 80 who have gone on to MA programs and 8 who have continued to the Ph.D. He listed some of our many Bete Israel graduates serving as Ministers in the government, Members of Knesset, industry leaders, etc. noting that Ono’s commitment not just to academic excellence but also to social leadership, propelled them to success.
President of Israel, Isaac “Bougie” Herzog, presented a recorded greeting in which he blessed the conference’s mission of rehabilitating the unity of Israel, stating that this is his number one priority, especially after 7.10. He noted that Israel’s Ethiopian community has sacrificed so much during the Iron Swords war and is teaching the whole country a lesson in unity. He thanked the conference’s organizers and its sponsor, UJA Federation of New York, and concluded saying that the conference’s message inspires all of Israel.
Keeping with the program’s theme of reducing conflict within the Ethiopian Jewish community, two Keisim (traditional Bete Israel religious leaders) and three Rabbis rose to the stage to offer a prayer for the hostages, Keis Aviyu Azaria of Ashkelon and Keis Semai Elias of Rishon Letzion chanted a musical Geez-language prayer. They were followed by Rabbi Adiel Eliyu, an ultra-Orthodox Rabbi from Petach Tikva, Rabbi Gavriel Tedesse, a religious Zionist Rabbi from Jerusalem, and Center Director, Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom of Kiryat Gat who offered a moving Hebrew prayer for the hostages.
Dr. Samuel Schwartz, Ono’s Director of International Programs and Resource Development, opened the next segment summarizing the year-long program sponsored by UJA Federation New York, in which 8 Ono students, representing the diversity of the Ethiopian-Israeli population, received leadership training and enrichment in intervention techniques. They went out into their communities and led programs aimed to reduce conflicts such as those between Rabbis and Keisim, Bete Israel and Zera Bete Israel, first generation and second-generation immigrants, and more.
The first student presenter was Keis Aviyu Azaria, a prominent Bete Israel spiritual leader. He shared his work in helping Ethiopian Jews immigrate and integrate in Israel and discussed the conflicts between traditional Keisim and Bete Israel who became Orthodox Rabbis.
The second presenter was Rabbi Adiel Eliyu, who comes from a long line of Keisim in Ethiopia. In Israel, he received Rabbinic ordination as a Sefardi utra-Orthodox Rabbi, passed the demanding religious judge examinations and now pastors a Bete Israel community in Petach Tikva. He discussed his work finding common ground with traditional Keisim. He shared the moving story of how he worked with Keisim to allow a Bete Israel family to have a dignified funeral for a deceased loved one, despite the religious conflicts that stemmed from their different halachic approaches.
The third speaker was Ilana Kaso, an early child education supervisor from Kiryat Shmuel, near Haifa. She described her intervention with Kindergarten teachers of Bete Israel children to promote summer camp enrollment, which is critical to maintaining the educational goals achieved during the school year. She noted the cultural impediments and communication obstacles that prevented important messages from getting to the Ethiopian-Israeli community and discussed ways in which she sought to overcome them.
The next segment of the conference featured an interview of Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, MK Rabbi Moshe Solomon by moderator Shmuel Yilma. Previously, Solomon founded and managed the “Hineni” association for of Ethiopian immigrants and the cadet program for young leaders in local government. He has been a member of many Knesset Committees including: Finance, Education, Culture and Sports, Combatting Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Solomon was asked how is it that for thousands of years in Ethiopia, Bete Israel were able to maintain unity but after arriving in Israel, cracks began to appear? MK Rabbi Solomon responded that communal divisions existed in Ethiopia as well. However, the current situation is actually a blessing and a sign that we are living in an age that proceeds the redemption. It is only when things are going well that a community can allow itself to express different opinions. There are things that need repair, and we will do so, but we are blessed to be living in this exemplary time and place. He congratulated the work of Ono’s Ethiopian Center, together with the UJA, in clarifying the differences within the Beta Israel community and working to bring unity. An audience member asked, “If we strive for unity, why do we want a separate Ethiopian Chief Rabbi?” Solomon said this is a great question without a great answer. He noted that technically, there is no Bete Israel Chief Rabbi, rather a department head in the Ministry of Religion. However, in principle, Ethiopian Jewish halacha is different from that of the Sefardim and the Ashkenazim and needs to have official representation. Shoshana Ben Dor, one of Israel’s leading researchers on Bete Israel, asked if there is discussion between Keisim, Bete Israel Rabbis and non-Ethiopian Rabbis about bridging the gaps between the Bete Israel and Rabbinic traditions? MK Rabbi Solomon responded saying that this is an issue regarding which Ono’s Ethiopian Center can certainly contribute. He is personally committed to bridging these divides and is dedicating time and resources to clarify how to develop institutions and roles to unify these important Jewish traditions moving in the future.
Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom, Founder and Director of Ono’s International Center for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry offered concluding remarks noting how the UJA-sponsored program of interventions to reduce tensions in the Bete Israel communities, were conducted for and by members of Bete Israel, themselves. He believes that this lesson of Bete Israel unity can inspire all of Israel and world Jewry, promoting mutual trust and healing through shared light and hope.
The conference concluded with an emotional singing of the national anthem, Hatikva (“The Hope”). Afterwards, members of the UJA program including managers, Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom, Adv. Zeev Kaso, Dr. Samuel Schwartz, Dereve Fikadie (program coordinator) and participants Efrat Zamaro, Ilana Kaso, Rabbi Adiel Eliyahu, Avraham Tsegaye, and Rabbi Gavriel Tedesse got together for group picture holding copies of the program intervention document handed out to all the conference participants. Keis Aviyu Azaria, Keis Shimon Elias and Bat El Falaka had to leave earlier.
Dr. Samuel Schwartz, Director of International Programs, Samuel.Sc@ono.ac.il, +972 54 249 5052
