“Even though we are different colors, our blood is the same blood, our faith is the same faith.  Don’t forget this. Don’t forget us.“

      – Moshe, Chazzan and leader of Jewish community in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“I cried for weeks straight. Every prayer. Shacharit. Mincha. Maariv. Praying to make it to Israel. To have even just one second in Israel…And the greatest miracle happened. I was chosen. One of the select few. To be brought from my community in Gondar, Ethiopia, to learn in a yeshiva in Israel for six months. Those were the best six months of my life.“

  – Takele, community leader in the Jewish community of Gondar, Ethiopia

But Takele’s story did not end there.

After six months, his student visa expired, and he was forced to return to Ethiopia. He returned home carrying memories of Israel—and is still waiting for the day he can return.

Today, I am writing these words from Addis Ababa.

I came here as a volunteer on a medical mission from Israel with Operation Ethiopia, a family-led NGO helping Jews and some of the poorest communities in Ethiopia receive much-needed eye care.  I expected to spend my time helping with eye care, handing out a few gifts to children, and then returning to the blessed and chaotic life I love in Israel.

But after visiting the Addis community—after meeting families and hearing the stories of people like Takele and Moshe—I realized there is a much greater mission before us.

There is a part of our family still waiting to come home.

At the very least, we must hear their story.

I am writing this in the hope of opening your eyes—and your hearts—to our brothers and sisters still waiting in Ethiopia.

Before coming here, I didn’t realize just how many people were still waiting.

You may read this and think, as I did just six months ago before my first visit:

“Wait… there are still Jews in Ethiopia? I thought everyone came during........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)