“Sigd: In Case You Need a Holiday!”

  This Hebrew month is called Cheshvan. It’s unique because it’s the only one without a day to celebrate. As a matter of fact, the sages gave it a nickname calling it Mar Cheshvan, mar meaning “bitter.” But in truth if you are an Ethiopian Jew - or just need a happy day – celebrate Sigd tonight and tomorrow through sunset. Sigd is an Amharic word meaning “prostration.” It commemorates the day God first revealed the Divine Presence to Moses, but it commemorates other events as well. Google it if you’re interested.

  In 2008 the Israeli government officially recognized Sigd, but the Ethiopian Jews wanted it to be celebrated beyond their own community and have it included with all our other holidays. So far that hasn’t happened.

   Ethiopian Jewry was saved by Israel in numerous operations. Today there are at least 120,000 Jews of Ethiopian descent living in Israel. They call themselves Beta Israel, the House of Israel, and are integrated into Israeli society. Of course, there are instances – too many – of discrimination against them just as there were against the other non-Ashkenazic (western) Jews who came to Israel especially in the various rescues of the 1950s. 

  There was a question as to their “Jewishness.” They didn’t follow post-biblical law (Halacha) because they had been isolated from other Jewish communities therefore unaware of the development of our faith from the days of the sacrifices. So many of their customs were based on the biblical life of their ancestors which, to the surprise of the Ethiopians, went the way of the dodo bird once we were in Babylonian exile; they were in their own exile unaware of anything going on in the normative Jewish world.

  When they were transported to Israel the question came up as to whether they really were Jews. The rabbinate finally determined that they may enter via the Law of Return. Most Israelis of Ethiopian descent (for now there are two generations) are Israelis in every single aspect of daily religious and cultural life, including devoted service in the IDF, Israel Defense Forces.

  If nothing else, the presence of Beta Israel in the State of Israel shows that we are not a “race,” for just as there are black Jews, there are members-of-the-tribe in the far corners of the earth who look just like their neighbors.