Yerusalem: The Incredible Story of Ethiopian Jewry

YERUSALEM: THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF ETHIOPIAN JEWRY
Directed by Levi Zini

Documentary Feature | Israel | 2021 | 92 min | Hebrew with English subtitles

Philadelphia Premiere
YERUSALEM, THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF ETHIOPIAN JEWRY deftly weaves together stories from first and second-generation immigrants, rabbis, activists, Mossad personnel, ship commanders, pilots, and other key decision-makers who risked their lives to bring Ethiopian Jews to their ancestral land. Having endured a hostile Christian environment for centuries, the faithful Jewish Ethiopian community, otherwise known as “Beta-Israel,” have passed down their ancient Jewish traditions from generation to generation. Yet even after surviving their tumultuous exodus from Ethiopia and making aliyah in Israel, the Beta-Israel can’t shake their outsider status. Having to prove their Jewishness to earn a legitimate place in Israeli society, the powerfully devout group continues to fight for their livelihood in the homeland.

Featuring an in-person interview with Peter Decherney and Sosena Solomon, the directors of DREAMING OF JERUSALEM. Moderated by Mira Wasserman, Director of Center for Jewish Ethics and Assistant Professor of Rabbinic Litearture, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

Official Selection:

• Jerusalem Film Festival
• Washington Jewish Film Festival

This film is sponsored by Penn Cinema & Media Studies.

DREAMING OF JERUSALEM
Directed by Peter Decherney and Sosena Solomon
Screening with YERUSALEM: THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF ETHIOPIAN JEWRY

Documentary Short | 2020 | 25 min | Amharic with English subtitles

Philadelphia Premiere
The origin of the 2000-year-old Jewish community in Ethiopia is still a matter of speculation and dispute. Despite being cut off from world Jewry until the mid-19th century, over the last 40 years, more than 100,000 Ethiopian Jews have emigrated to Israel. One group, however, has been left behind. Although this group has returned to practicing Jewish religion and customs, they are kept from emigrating to Israel because their families were converted to Christianity by missionaries in the late 19th century. Today, approximately 12,000 members of this community remain in Gondar and Addis Ababa, awaiting the chance to complete their journey to the Promised Land.

Watch Trailer Here

PLEASE NOTE: Bruce Montgomery Theatre requires Covid-19 vaccination cards (or a picture of them) to be permitted entry. Masks are also required inside the theater, which will be limited in capacity.

If you don’t have your card, you won’t be admitted into the theater.