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Ono Beit Midrash Takes Stock of Progress and Discusses Whether Keisim Are Serving the Beta Israel Community

The 10th meeting of the Beit Midrash for the Study of Ethiopian Jewish Religious Texts at Ono Academic College, took place on Ono’s new campus. Future meetings will all take place in the in-person format and once every three weeks for four hours each session.  The framework of the 10th meeting is a group discussion, punctuated by readings, in order to take stock of where the program has gone until now, and where it will go in subsequent meetings. The issue of the program’s purpose to learn about classic Beta Israel sources and share them with the community was discussed. Some thought we are only at the beginning of this road. Critique was leveled at the traditional spiritual leadership of the Keisim that did not succeed in passing on our people’s intellectual treasures to the next generation.  A discussion arose around a feeling of some participants that the attitude of the course is that the Ethiopian Jewish tradition is the best one. A case can be made that the Beta Israel tradition is the most authentic and ancient. Therefore it is particularly sad that the majority of Ethiopian Jews in Israel have not kept up our own tradition. One participant said that our effect will be stronger on our own families than on the society at large. The change will not be more than the equivalent of adding spice. Questions arose regarding who decides what identity Beta Isarel will have.  It isn’t the Rabbinate but is it the community or the individual? A discussion emerged about the principle of “Mar’it Ayin” among Beta Israel. Rav Sharon was asked what he wanted from the Beit Midrash program. Others discussed what the role of the Keisim should be today.