Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews

click here for more details, find new or used items	Stephen Spector Our price £9.99 New from £1.49 Used from £1.49 Pages: 320 (Paperback) ISBN: 019530716X Pub: OUP USA Pub date: 2006-09-07 Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 411108

Reader Reviews:

Bringing the Beta Israel home (12/12 people found this helpful)

This remarkable book tells the history of the rescue and homecoming of the Jews of Ethiopia. In Ethiopia they were known as "Falasha" which means Landless, an Exile or a Wanderer. They called themselves Beta Israel (House of Israel) and in the 1980s the community decided to make Aliyah to Israel. The highlight of this narrative is the actual Operation Solomon, when more than 14 000 of the Beta Israel were airlifted to Israel in May 1991.

Based on about 200 interviews with people in Ethiopia, Israel, the UK and the USA plus many articles and documents, the book offers a tale of chilling suspense, great sacrifice and awesome courage and joy. The constant political intrigue leading up to the airlift made it a risky enterprise from various angles.

Ethiopia was in a state of turmoil as the liberation movements were winning the civil war against dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam. Eventually Addis Abeba was surrounded. For more than a year, the Beta Israel stayed in terrible conditions in the city as the Ethiopian tyrant tried to use them to get weapons from Israel to fight his enemies.

Spector describes how, at the height of the tension as the buses reached the airport from the Israeli embassy compound, the people calmly and patiently waited their turn. This was one of the main reasons the operation succeeded. From Friday 24th May to Saturday 25th May, 34 hours and 4 minutes after the first plane left Ben Gurion Airport, the mission was accomplished: 14 310 Beta Israel were safe in their true homeland. Forty-one military and El Al aircraft took part.

One of the organizers is quoted as saying that it was a very disorganized miracle. But a miracle it was, as once again Israel plucked Jews out of danger. The moving reception of the Beta Israel at Ben Gurion airport was filled with wonder and elation, reminiscent of scenes from the Bible. Those who were still left behind were permitted to go from mid September of that year and in 1992, the 2000 Jews of Quara were also relocated to Israel.

There are three appendices: 1. Annual and Monthly Emigration from Addis Abeba to Israel, 1977 - 2003; 2. The number of people brought to Israel in operation Solomon; 3. A conversation with Kassa Kabede, a former Ethiopian official involved in the operation. The book includes Notes and an extensive bibliography of books, scholarly articles, press articles, public and unpublished documents, private memoirs, reports, correspondence and notes, plus oral history interviews. The 16pp. of plates contain black and white photographs of the action and of some of the people who were involved.

Operation Solomon was a highlight in the history of Israel. After all the politics, intrigue, secret deals and obstacles, the Jews of Ethiopia were delivered. The book reads like a thriller and has one on edge until the last plane had landed at Ben Gurion. Divine Providence must have played a part for things to have turned out so well. I highly recommend this suspenseful and uplifting book that portrays living history in such a compelling manner.

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