The Beta Israel community, believed to be descendants of ancient Israelites, faced state-sanctioned persecution and discrimination in Ethiopia for centuries. They were prohibited from owning land and were forced to take up certain professions due to anti-Jewish beliefs. In 1973, Chief Sephardic Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ruled that the Beta Israel should be brought to Israel, and in the following years, the Mossad, with help from George H.W. Bush and others, orchestrated two large operations (Moses and Solomon) to bring Ethiopian Jews to Sudan and on to Israel.
One of the pivotal figures behind these operations was Micha Feldmann, who was the point man for Ethiopian Jewry. Despite the challenges he faced, including holding the corpse of a 12-year-old girl during the earliest rescue flights and leading a staff to care for thousands of Beta Israel refugees in capital under siege, his commitment remained unwavering. After years of political wrangling and with the help of American Jewish donors, 14,325 Beta Israel were flown to Israel over the course of a single weekend in May 1991, including a record-breaking 1,086 passengers aboard a Boeing 747.
Despite being over 30 years ago, the footage of the operation still inspires and serves as a reminder of the role of Israel in providing refuge for the vulnerable and oppressed. Upon landing, the passengers spontaneously broke out in song, affirming their place as members of the Jewish nation.
