Commemorating a Fallen Son with my Ethiopian Friend
Living in Israel has its ups and downs, like everywhere else, but sometimes things happen that remind you that you are living in the most special place on Earth. Since we have been living in Migdal HaEmek I have become close with Shmuel Yosef, a wonderful young Ethiopian Jew. We interact mainly in two locations. First, the local Ethiopian shul is around the corner, and I find myself going there often. When I first came to town, I was a bit wary of attending, given the drama that went on years ago regarding the question of their Jewish lineage. The issues have been dealt with in different ways; I will not delve into the matter in this essay. Briefly, some great Rabbonim said that they might need a Giyur LChumra (conversion as an extra assurance), as some of their observances differed significantly from the rest of Klal Yisroel, from whom they had been separated for thousands of years. Others, particularly Rav Ovadia Yosef זצ"ל held that they should be accepted as ...