The Quest for Equality of the Beta-Israel: Zegeye's Impossible Return

In The Impossible Return: Struggles of the Ethiopian Jews, the Beta Israel, Abebe Zegeye sets out to write the social and anthropological history of the Ethiopian Jews, whom he refers to as the 'Beta Israel'. This multi-disciplinary book, which is organized in seven chapters, is an exemplary reference for writers and researchers interested in the origin, struggle and present-day status of the Ethiopian Jews.

Since the Jews (Beta Israel) were/are religious communities, religion therefore is among the inevitable themes of the book, and the primary subject of this review. The relationship between Judaism (Bete Israel in particular) and Christianity in Ethiopia is characterized by two antagonistic edges: A high degree of intimacy on the one hand and the extreme marginalization of the former by the later on the other hand. Not only the religious practices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity but also the cultural practices of its followers are highly influenced by the Judo-Hebraic elements. Age old practices in the Ethiopian church such as circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath, strict dietary laws, the construction of churches with the threefold division, the presence of the Arch covenant, which is the most sacred object in the temple of Ethiopian churches, the musical instruments used in the Ethiopian church, etc are all said to have originated from the Jewish tradition. As Zegeye explains "every aspect of the Ethiopian life has thus been influenced by the biblical Hebraic tradition" (10).

Zegeye's opening chapter introduces the reader to the ancient history and the origin of the Bete Israel in Ethiopia. He gives a detailed analysis of different accounts of the coming of the Jewish community to Ethiopia. Among the events credited is the visit of Menelik I to his father, king Solomon of Israel and the coming of the original Arch of the Covenant to Ethiopia. When Menilek returned to Axum, he brought the Ark of the Covenant, accompanied by Azarias, the son of Sadok and other high Jewish priests, from whom the Beta Israel are purported to be descended. As the author emphasizes, the coming of the Ark of the Covenant and those high priests is a breakthrough in the religious history of Ethiopia. Thus, from the very beginning the relationship between the Jews and Ethiopians had a religious aspect.

Moreover, the chapter deals with the story of the visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, which later resulted in the establishment of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia, the religious basis of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. In doing so the author mentions that all Ethiopian emperors from then until Haile Selassie I claim descent from king Solomon of Israel. That is why they prefer to call themselves "Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God, King of Kings of Ethiopia and Successor to the House of David".

In the next two chapters, the book elaborates on the Judaic origins of Ethiopian Christianity. It explains in detail the Judo-Hebraic elements in the Ethiopian Orthodox church which are believed to be the influences of the Bete Israel. Zegeye considers the tabot (Ark of the Covenant), the Sabbath and dietary laws to be the three main Judaic elements of Ethiopian Christianity. Zegeye tells us the original tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments that Moses had received on Mount Sinai today remain at the St Mary of Zion church (Maryam Tsion). In chapter two he further asserts that the tabots (arks) in other churches are replicas of this original Ark of the Covenant. In Ethiopian Orthodox Church the tabot is the most important sacred object, so much so that, "without it, no liturgical service can take place". The second distinctive feature of the Ethiopian church is that many of its members celebrate the "two Sabbaths" (i.e., both the Old Testament Sabbath on Saturday and what the Ethiopian Christians call Sanbata Christian, the Sabbath of the Christians on Sunday...