When Ethiopians Jews Were Brought to Live in Our town of Safed

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                                                                           

They were flown to Israel in Operation Moses.  Operation Moses (Hebrew: מִבְצָע מֹשֶׁה, Mivtza Moshe) was the covert evacuation of Ethiopian Jews (known as the "Beta Israel" community or the derogatory "Falashas") from Sudan during a civil war that caused a famine in 1984. Originally called Gur Aryeh Yehuda ("Cub of the Lion of Judah") by Israelis, the United Jewish Appeal changed the name to "Operation Moses."

Operation Moses was also a mission that had to be done in secret. The Sudanese government did not want their neighbors or allies to know that they were working with the Israeli government to assist in rescuing these Jews. 

The mission was one of joy, coming home as well as to a vibrant society, unlike the atmosphere of a long-lasting civil war. Though, on the way to Israel, it is estimated that as many as 4,000 Ethiopian Jews passed away.  On Friday, January 5, 1985, President Shimon Peres held a press conference where he confirmed that the State of Israel had been airlifting Ethiopian Jews from Sudan and bringing them home to the Land of Israel. Once the news had reached the Arab states, Sudan immediately canceled cooperation on the airlift. 

In 1991, the State of Israel attempted to bring in more Ethiopian Jews, . The Israeli government as well as the Israel Defense Forces, brought over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews in less than 36 hours. The mission was given the name “Operation Solomon.”

The operation, named after the biblical figure Moses, was a cooperative effort between the Israel Defense Forces, the Central Intelligence Agency, the United States embassy in Khartoum, mercenaries, and Sudanese state security forces. Years after the operation completed, it was revealed that Sudanese Muslims and the secret police of Sudan also played a role in facilitating the mass migration of Ethiopian Jews out of Sudan.Operation Moses was the brainchild of then Associate U.S. Coordinator for Refugee Affairs, Richard Krieger. After receiving accounts of the persecution of Ethiopian Jews in the refugee camps, Krieger came up with the idea of an airlift and met with Mossad and Sudanese representatives to facilitate the Operation.  

                              Safed, Israel, built on a mountain

I was living there in Safed, when they were brought to live in our town.  Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel) were first moved to the city of Safed (Tzfat) in late 1984 and early 1985. During the covert military operation known as Operation Moses. The Ethiopian Jews who settled in Safed (Tzfat) were brought over to Israel during Operation Moses in 1984, that really impressed me.  I lived right across the street from their apartments that had been standing empty.   Hundreds of apartments in the southern part of the city—specifically in the Ganai Hadar and Tzahal neighborhoods—served as some of the first Ethiopian Absorption Centers in the country. The Israeli government set up some of the country’s first dedicated absorption centers there to welcome the new immigrants.

The community was integrated into the city via several key phases:

• Arrival: As I remember, many were taken to the hospital first to help them as some came in pretty bad  physical condition.  They needed medical assistance.  
• Education & Integration: The city set up Hebrew language and cultural classes (ulpanim) for adults and enrolled the children into the local Safed school system. 
• Community Aid: The rapid transition was heavily aided by non-profit groups and local citizens who rallied together to offer housing support and social integration assistance.  A room or rooms were set up in an apartment building holding used donated clothing.  Racks were set up to make it look like a store.  The people could pick out clothing, as they came as they were, without any.  Before you knew it, they were in the supermarkets, shopping just like the rest of the people. 
• Why had these Jews been objects of hatred?  Religious Persecution & The "Christ-Killer" Trope: Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity's foundational national epic, the Kebra Nagast, asserted that Ethiopia was the true Zion because the Jews were deemed "unworthy" and "enemies of God". This theological prejudice laid the groundwork for centuries of marginalization.   
• The "Buda" Myth: Christians historically viewed Jews as practitioners of buda, an occult, satanic power. Jews were frequently scapegoated for misfortunes, diseases, and crop failures. 
• Land Dispossession: In the 15th century, Emperor Yeshaq stripped the Beta Israel of their land rights, forcing them to convert or lose their property. Because they were barred from farming, they were forced into mobile and artisanal professions like blacksmithing and pottery, which were viewed with suspicion and superstition. 
These historic conditions led to systemic persecution, forcing the vast majority of the community to emigrate to Israel in late 20th-century airlifts like Operation Moses and Operation Solomon. You can explore more on the community's history and challenges through resources provided by organizations.



Operation Moses utilized a covert fleet of Boeing 707 aircraft operated by the Belgian charter carrier Trans European Airways (TEA).
These specific Boeing 707s were used to maintain strict secrecy during the 1984–1985 mission. Because TEA was widely contracted to fly Sudanese pilgrims to Mecca, the aircraft easily blended in at Khartoum Airport without arousing the suspicion of Sudanese authorities or other Arab nations. 
To see photos of the aircraft used during the operation, browse the historical aviation photographs available in the ⁠Alamy Operation Moses Collection or explore the historical records housed in the National Library of Israel.
(For context, when Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel decades later in 1991 during Operation Solomon, the Israeli Air Force and airlines simply stripped the planes of seats to fit as many passengers as possible on the floor, but cooking fires were not the primary concern on those flights which happened with airlift of (Yemenite Jews in 1949-1950 In Operation Magic Carpet.)


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