SOSTEJE
Society for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry
President - Dr. Shalva Weil

Newsletter 11

SOSTEJE NEWSLETTER NO. 11
www.sosteje.org

(President- Shalva Weil)

SOSTEJE Florence international conference October 7-10, 2007
Conference Venue
The conference will take place at COMUNITA' EBRAICA
DI FIRENCE - FLORENCE JEWISH COMUNITY- via Luigi Carlo FARINI 4- +39-055.245252

The conference will open with a light dinner hosted by the Florence Jewish community (President : Damiela Misul) on Sunday October 7 and a tour of the Synagogue and Jewish Museum, and terminate on Wed. Oct. 10 in the afternoon. All lectures and events will take place on the campus of the Florence synagogue.
There will be 30 lectures, 2 films, an historic exhibition, and a (free) guided city tour of Jewish Florence. Registration includes two kosher lunches on Monday and Tuesday, and receipt of an abstract book, as well as a bibliography prepared by Dr. Lisa Anteby-Yemini, Scientific Officer of SOSTEJE.
Lunch on Wednesday in the community centre is optional at EUR 20.00. Please inform the SOSTEJE office at yonata05@gmail.com immediately (RSVP up to Monday 24 September 2007 only) , if you wish to order lunch on the Wednesday. We have ordered 20 lunches for Wednesday on a first come, first serve basis. Your confirmation will be binding.
There will be a charge of EUR 60 for accompanying persons. This includes the opening dinner, 2 lunches, bibliography, participation in the conference and the walking tour.
The conference is sponsored by the Florence Jewish community, the Italian Zionist Federation, the Institute of Semitic Studies, Princeton, USA, the Center for Afro-Jewish Studies, Temple University, USA, the Vigevani Fund and the Faculty of Humanities, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

DRAFT CONFERENCE PROGRAMME. Please note that some changes may still take place. A final programme will be issued for the conference.
All lectures are to be presented in the English language and are to be 20 minutes duration, except for the two films, which have 3/4 hour to present. Discussion will follow the lectures.


Sunday, 7 October, 2007
19.00-Opening of Conference: 100 Years since the Establishment of the Pro-Falasha Committee in Florence, Italy

Greetings:
Dr. Shalva Weil, President, SOSTEJE (Society for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry)
Dr. Renzo Gattegna, President, UCEI (Union of the Jewish Community in Italy)
Ms. Daniela Misul, President of the Community of Florence
Prof. Ida Zatelli, Dept. of Hebrew Studies, Florence University
Prof. Ephraim Isaac, Institute of Semitic Studies, Princeton, USA and Chair, SOSTEJE Academic Committee

Light dinner provided by the Florence Jewish community
Tour of the Florence synagogue and the Jewish Museum

Monday, 8 October 2007
9.00 -11.00 Turn-of-the-Century Interest in Beta Israel and the Establishment of Pro-Falasha Committees
Chair: Dr. Shalva Weil, President, SOSTEJE

East and West through the talks between Jacques Faitlovitch and Farid Kassab
Prof. Emanuela Trevisan Semi, University of Venice, Italy

Rabbi Samuel Zvi Margulies, Disciple of the Rabbinical Reintegration of the Ethiopian Jews
Prof. Michael Corinaldi, Haifa University, Israel

The Pro-Falasha-Committee in Germany -Glimpses of an organization and its members
Dr. Alice Jankowski, Institut für die Geschichte der deutschen Juden, Hamburg,Germany

Important news summaries between the Rabbi of Trieste, Hersh Zwi Chayes, and Jacques Faitlovitch before the First World War
Dr.Sigrid Sohn, University of Venice, Italy

11.00-11.30 Coffee break

11.30-13.00
Dr. Faitlovitch: Friends and Pupils
Chair: Prof. Lewis Gordon

Ermlas Essayas: An Unknown Student
Dr. Shalva Weil, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Rav Margulies and the Falasha Movement at the Turn of the 20th Century
Rabbi Yosef Levi, Rabbi of the Florence Jewish Community, Italy

Film on Tadesse Yaacov
Mr. Shlomo Akale (film), Bahalachin, Tel-Aviv, Israel


13.00-14.30 Lunch in Hebrew Community of Florence

14.30-16.30
Dr. Faitlovitch's Legacy
Chair: Dr. Daniel Friedmann

The Jews of Ethiopia: A Personal Reminiscence 1950-2007
Prof. Ephraim Isaac, Institute of Semitic Studies, Princeton, USA

Meetings with Yona Bogale, one of the leaders of Ethiopian Jewry-Beta Israel ;Summer 1976, Addis Ababa
Mr. Aron Cohen, Jerusalem, Israel

The Jews of Ethiopia in the investigations of Wolf Leslau (1906-2006)
Prof. Vittorio Morabito, Università of Cattania, Italy

Undisputed leader and healer among Ethiopian Jews
Mr. Melkamu Yaacov and Ms. Anita Nudelman, Ben Gurion University, Israel

16.30-17.00 Tea break

17.00-18.00
Special Focus on Carlo Viterbo
Chair: Prof. Vittorio Morabito
Greetings: Mr. Giuseppe Franchetti, President, Zionist Federation of Italy
Exhibition on Carlo Alberto Viterbo
Mr. Giuseppe Viterbo, Florence, Italy

Tuesday, 9 October 2007
8.30-10.30 Ethiopian Israelites?
Chair: Prof. Emanuela Trevisan Semi

Afro-Jewish Invisibility
Prof. Lewis Gordon, The Institute for the Study of Race and Social Thought and the
Center for Afro-Jewish Studies, Temple University, USA

Are the Igbos Jews? The discourse on the Jewishness of the Igbos in the state of Israel
Mr. Daniel Lis, University of Bern, Switzerland

The Beit Avraham: A community of crypto-Jews in Ethiopia
Dr. Edith Bruder, SOAS, London, England

Waiting On The Way – The community of Zera Beta Israel (the Falashmora) in the compound in Gondar
Ms. Ravit Cohen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

10.30-11.00 Coffee break

11.00-13.00
Unique Religious Practices
Chair: Prof. Michael Corinaldi

The Performance Practice in Beta Israel Prayers: a Service for the New Moon (ya-Caraqâ Ba‘âl)
Dr. Ron Atar, Bar-Ilan University, Israel

The Covenant of Circumcision in the Ethiopian Community
Rabbi Sharon Shalom, Bar-Ilan University, Israel

The Arfe Asert or the 10th day of the New Moon
Dr. Daniel Friedmann, EHESS, Paris, France (film)

13.00-14.00 Lunch in Hebrew Community of Florence

14.00-15.30
Ethiopian Jews in Israel
Chair: Ms. Anita Nudelman

Jewish Immigrants from the Atlas Mountains and from Ethiopia: Destinies Apart
Prof. Moshe Shokeid, Tel Aviv University and Ruppin Academic Center, Israel

Enkaslantiya-Bementiya: Insult Games/Slur Duels among Ethiopian Jews in Israel
Dr. Gadi Ben-Ezer, College of Management, Rishon-le-Zion, Israel

Strategies of coping with discrimination and prejudice: Experiences of emerging adult Ethiopian born immigrants in Israel
Dr. Sophie Walsh, Bar-Ilan University, Israel

15.30-16.30 AGM of SOSTEJE's Israeli branch- "Amuta" no. 580444388

16.30
Walking tour of "Jewish" Florence
Guided by Dr. Giovanna Bossi

Wednesday, 10 October, 2007

9.00-11.00
Education, Health and Work in Israel
Chair: Dr. Ruby Newman

Role Perception and Work Environment Perception in Multi-Cultural Work: A Comparative Study of Youth Workers Belonging to Different Ethnic Groups
Ms. Simha Getahon, Bar-Ilan University, Israel

Perceptions of Race and Jewish Religiousness among Young Ethiopian Israelis
Ms. Shula Molla, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

When Freud meets the Zar spirits
Dr. Marie-Ann Ullman, Beer-Yaacov Mental Center, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
The impact of Ethiopian Jews’ heritage on the cultural identity and on the social and educational adjustment of adolescents in boarding schools
Ms. Belainish Mekonnen, Bar-Ilan University, Israel

11.00-11.30 Coffee break

11.30-13.30 Ethiopian Jewish Women
Chair: Dr. Amakaletch Teferi, Addis Abeba

Ethiopian Jewish Grandmothers
Dr. Ruby Newman, York University, Toronto, Canada

Israeli Women of Ethiopian Origin: Success Stories
Dr. Lisa Anteby-Yemini, CNRS, Aix-en-Provence, France and Dr. Yarden Fanta-Vangenstein, Harvard University, USA

"Equb" and "Quve" rotating savings and credit associations among Ethiopian-Israeli women
Dr. Hagar Salamon, Prof. Harvey Goldberg and Prof. Steven Kaplan, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Between two worlds or "in Ethiopia a man comes with a walking stick, a woman comes with an umbrella"
Ms. Nurit Barkan, Tel-Aviv University, Israel

13.30-14.30 Lunch in Hebrew Community of Florence (according to special advance booking only)

14.30-15.30 SOSTEJE International Business Meeting and Closing Ceremony


The conference organizing committee consists of Shalva Weil (Chairperson), Lionella Viterbo (Coordinator), Michael Corinaldi, Bat-Zion Eraqi-Klorman, Simha Getahon, Shlomo Akale, Michael Glatzer, Gadi Ben-Ezer and Anita Nudelman.

The conference academic committee is composed of Ephraim Isaac (Chairperson), Emanuela Trevisan Semi, Michael Corinaldi, Ruby Newman, Bat-Zion Eraqi-Klorman, Vittorio Morabito and Shalva Weil.
Accomodation
A list of hotels in Florence are available on our site. Hotel Arizona, where we received a subsidy, is now full, except one quadruple room. The address of Hotel Arizona is:
Hotel Arizona
Via L.C. Farini, 2
50121 Firenze
Tel 055245321-22
Fax 055 2346130
www.hotelarizona.it
The hotel is 10 metres from the conference venue i.e. the Florence Synagogue compound.
How to get to the conference:
From Florence station, you can take a taxi. It takes some 5 minutes to arrive, and costs about EUR 12,00.

On foot, it takes about 20 minutes. You can also come by bus number 31 or 32 in the direction of P.za D'Azeglio. You can buy tickets for EUR1,20 from the newspaper seller or at the back of the bus stops. Get off on Via della Colonna. Ten meters after the bus stop, turn on the right to Via Farini. You will see hotel Arizona at the end of the street on the left site.
From the airport , you can take a taxi ; it takes 20 minutes and costs about EUR 20,00.
There is also an airport bus that you will find just in front of the airport exit. The ticket costs EUR 3.10, which you can buy on the bus from the driver. There is a bus every 30 minutes from 5.30 A.M. to 11.30 P.M.
Come off to the bus at the railway station , cross the station on foot, and just in front of you, you will see the bus stop. Take numbers 31 or 32, as above.
Travel scholarships for students:

We ar pleased to announce the names (in alphabetical order) of the five M.A. or Ph.D. students who were allocated scholarships, $500 each, to present their works at the Florence conference :
• Nurit Barkan (Tel Aviv University)
• Ravit Cohen (Hebrew University)
• Belaynish Mekonnen (Bar-Ilan University)
• Shula Molla (Hebrew University)
• Sharon Shalom (Bar-Ilan University)
We thank the student academic committee consisting of Simha Getahon, Anita Nudelman and Bat-Zion Eraqi Klorman for their work in selecting the students according to academic criteria.

Registration dues for the Conference are as follows, for those who have not yet paid and wish to participate:

85 Euros for SOSTEJE members
110 Euros for non-members
70 Euros for SOSTEJE student members
60 Euros for accompanying persons
The dues include a reception on Sunday evening with the Jewish community, (subsidized) kosher lunches on Mon. and Tues., an abstract book, and more. You can transfer money to SOSTEJE (Society for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry) c/o Investec, Bank 26, Branch no. 202, swift code no. IGBTILIT ATTN. Jerusalem (jerusalem@investec.co.il)-

Membership dues are paid biennially. Dues are still due for 2007-8. They entitle members to participate in the Israeli AGM, reduced conference fees, and bibliographies on Ethiopian Jewry. The dues are $50 for 2 years, and $30 for students, or the shekel equivalent. Please send your money by mail to: SOSTEJE c /o Dr. Shalva Weil, Research Institute for Innovation in Education, Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem 91905, Israel. Please make out your cheques in Hebrew to העמותה למדעי יהדות אתיופיה or in English or transfer money to SOSTEJE (Society for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry) c/o Investec, Bank 26, Branch no. 202, swift code no. IGBTILIT ATTN. Jerusalem (jerusalem@investec.co.il)- stating clearly your address (for receipt), tel. no., interest in Ethiopian Jewry, last degree, and institutional affiliation, and informing me at the above address.

LIST OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON ETHIOPIAN JEWS

Books
Dores, Maurice. 1992. La beaute de Cham – mondes juifs, mondes noirs. Editions Balland, Paris, 213p.

Hass, Tal, ed. 2007. From Ethiopia to the Joint: Personal Stories of Joint Israel Employees who Immigrated from Ethiopia, Joint Publications, Jerusalem (in Hebrew).

Shimron, Gad. 2007. Mossad Exodus: The Darin Undercover Rescue of the Lost Jewish Tribe, Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem, 232pp.


Scientific Articles in Journals
Jankowski, Alice. 2007. "Fur die Falaschas: das internationale 'Pro-Falascha Comite' in Deutschland", Aethiopica, vol. 10, pp. 144-176.

Rozenbaum, M., I. Touitou, E. Portnoy, S. Morkos and I. Rosner. 2006. "A Molecular Basis for the Absence of Familial Mediterranean Fever in Ethiopian Jews", Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, vol. 24 (no.5 Suppl. 42) p. S127.
Chapter in Books

Shmidt, Wolbert. 2005. "Deutsche Briefe von Athiopian 1855-1869 aus dem Umkreis der protestantische Mission zur Regierunzeit von Tewodros II", in D. Nosnitsin, ed., in collaboration with S. Frantsouzoff, L. Kogan and B. Lourie, Scrinium 1, Varia Aethiopica, In Memory of Sevir B. Chernetsov (1943-2005), Byzantinorossica, Saint-Petersburg, pp. 287-316.

Book Review
Weil, Shalva. 2007. Operation Solomon by Stephen Spector, (Oxford University Press, 2005) Studies in Contemporary Jewry, an Annual, Oxford Univ. Press, Vol. 22, pp. 341-343.


Dissertation
Barkan, Nurit. 2007. Between Two Worlds: The Experiences of Absorption of Ethiopian Males in Israeli Society, M.A. final paper, Tel-Aviv University (Hebrew).
Mengashe, Nigist. 2007. Socio-educational Mediation among Ethiopian Immigrant Jews in the Israeli School System, D. Phil. Thesis, Dept. of Education, University of Sussex, 268p.
Report
Sever, Rita. The State of Youth in the Ethiopian Community2007. Jerusalem: Shatil