MY FAMILY
THE BETA ISRAEL CURRICULUM
THE TEN LOST TRIBES
Teachers should remind students of Unit 1 history lesson: The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 721BCE, and, over time, the 10 Israelite tribes living in that region were either exiled or assimilated into neighboring countries and cultures.33 Teachers should then explain:
Though the early Israelite prophets envisioned that the Ten Lost Tribes would eventually return to their kingdom – a hope echoed by some rabbis throughout Jewish history – it became increasingly clear that many others thought this to be a false prophecy,34 or at least, misunderstood. Given this, it is extraordinary that the Beta Israel maintained its faith of return for more than 2,500 years in isolation.35
When the Beta Israel finally arrived in Israel, they encountered a country, people, and even Judaism that was much different than what they expected. Still the very name of their community, the Beta Israel, is a remarkable demonstration of the hope sustained over more than a millennium in isolation.
This unit will explore how the Beta Israel remain invigorated with this faith, against all odds, through an understanding of its unique traditions and customs, tied directly to the notion of hope in Judaism.
33 See Kings II 15:27-29.
34 See Mishnah Sanhedrin 10:3: “The ten tribes will not return [to the Land of Israel], for it is said, ‘And He cast them into another land, as is this day’ (Deuteronomy 29:2): just as the day goes and does not return, so they too went and will not return. These are the words of Rabbi Rabbi Eliezer says: ‘As is this day’ just as the day darkens and then becomes light again, so the ten tribes even as it went dark for them, so will it in the future become light for them.’”
35 As mentioned in Unit 1: The Twelve Tribes – While most of the Beta Israel consider themselves descendants of the lost Tribe of Dan, some academics and rabbis have adopted other theories about the community’s origins. This curriculum, unlike most literature about Ethiopian Jewry, was written with deep sensitivity to reflect how the Beta Israel community perceives itself, rather than how it is labeled by others. As such, while this curriculum acknowledges alternative theories of origins, it preferentially affirms the Beta Israel’s prevailing belief in descent from the Tribe of Dan.
