Saving the Lost Tribe: The Rescue and Redemption of the Ethiopian Jews

I just finished reading Mr. Naim's book, "Saving the Lost Tribe: The Rescue and Redemption of the Ethiopian Jews," and I was astounded at the lengths that this diplomat took to save his people in Ethiopia. Mr. Naim could have had a much easier life for himself working in the foreign service, which he had done elsehwhere for a number of years before being assigned to Ethiopia. However, in the midst of his other duties, he took the time and mustered the courage to do what he had to do to, literally, save a lost remnant of Jews from a country where they experienced extreme prejudice. Since the time of Solomon, the Black Jews of Ethioipia have adhered to their faith in spite of cultural prejudices against them. Finally, after generations of stigmatization there, they were transported home to Israel due to the heroic measures of Mr. Naim and his embassy. Their adaptation, as he candidly states in the postlude to the book, was not an easy one from Ethiopia to Israel but, as with any immigrant group in transition, given time, they will experience the dignity of citizenship and make their contributions in the homeland of their forefather, King Solomon. In 2005, my husband and I traveled to Ethiopia with Dr. Etphriam Isaac for the First World Conference on Africa and the Bible. Ethiopia, mentioned just a few times in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, is an amazing country, very poor, but extremely rich in history. Since our visit, I have read extensively on the situation with the Jews there. Mr. Naim's book fills a void in the literature about the plight, the prejudices, and the triumph of his people in Ethiopia.