An exhibiton documenting the lives of Ethiopian Jews is on a Museum Africa (Photo: Ilan Ossendryver)

RELATED LINKS: Work steams ahead on geology museum ITS geological collections have been in storage for more than seven years, now Museum Africa is bringing them out, establishing a purpose-built Geological Museum for the occasion. Read more Museum Africa: A trip into the inner city's soul STEP into the typical 1950s shebeen at Museum Africa in Newtown, downtown Johannesburg, and an automatic motion monitor churns out a Marabi tune. Read more The travels of the Zeederberg Coach THE Zeederberg Coach may be a little worn, but it has travelled far across country and ocean in the past century, to its resting place in Museum Africa in Newtown. Read more New name sought for old museum ONE of the oldest museums in the country, the Geology Museum, is in need of a new name. New displays are planned to coincide with the new name. Read more Museum audit turns up interesting things FROM handmade Edwardian clothes to valuable paintings, the City's museums are conducting an audit of their collections. Photographs and information of the items will eventually be available online. Read more

(Photo: Ilan Ossendryver)

Exhibition looks at Ethiopian Jews An exhibition of photographs documents the history and poignant moments in the lives of Ethiopian Jews in Israel. July 30, 2007 By Lesego Madumo THE first pictorial exhibition of its kind in the country, documenting the lives of Ethiopian Jews, opens at Museum Africa in Newtown on Monday. Ethiopia in Israel is hosted by the well-known photojournalist Ilan Ossendryver, who has lived in Israel for almost 20 years, covering most of the major events that have happened in that country. The exhibition comprises of Ossendryver's photographs, which feature in the award-winning book written by Len Lyons, The Ethiopian Jews of Israel: Personal Stories of Life in the Promised Land. It is designed to enlighten visitors about the history and poignant moments in the lives of Ethiopian Jews, who fought long and hard to be recognised and accepted as citizens of Israel. Kess Legalem leads a spiritual group at the Sigd Festival in Jerusalem (Photo: Ilan Ossendryver) "The exhibition will [include] multimedia explanations and a video presentation of how Ethiopian Jews [live and] got to Israel," Ossendryver said. The Jews who lived in Ethiopia came to be known as the Ethiopian Jews of Israel after relocating to the Jewish homeland. Their story is "a fascinating example of Jewish perseverance and survival despite time, trial and tribulation", according to the Israel Association of Ethiopian Jews website. The deposing of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie in 1974 sparked a conflict in Ethiopia, pitting various groups against each other. Multitudes of Jews were killed and many more were left homeless during the intense civil wars. The conflict triggered the intervention of the Israeli government, which launched two rescue missions. The first, Operation Moses, ran in 1982 and 1983, followed by Operation Solomon in 1991. In all, more than 14 000 Ethiopian Jews were rescued and flown from Ethiopia to Israel. Today there are about 85 000 Ethiopian Jews living in Israel, of which 20 000 are Israeli born. Opening to the public on Monday, 30 July and running until Friday, 3 August, the show is being staged in collaboration with the South African Zionist Federation. School tours have been organised, to coincide with workshops, multimedia presentations and walkabouts conducted by Ossendryver. Lyons's book told the story of the Ethiopian Jews through candid interviews and his photographs, Ossendryver explained. It spoke of their trials, tribulations and inspirational triumphs in their struggle to be recognised as Ethiopian Israelis. Ethiopia in Israel is at Museum Africa from 30 July to 3 August. Group and school bookings are essential. Museum Africa, at 121 Bree Street in Newtown, is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9am to 5pm. For more information about the exhibition contact the museum's exhibitions curator, Zola Mtshiza, on 011 833 5624 ext 255 or email ZolaM@joburg.org.za. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za