“Which world do you want to live in?” Stephen asked Tsehai at the Reform temple during oneg. She unraveled. Her intestines stretched out across the length of the floor.
“The world-to-come,” Tsehai answered not fully understanding Steve’s question. She raised her eyebrows as she tried to gather herself.
“No, the first world or third,” he clarified. His effort to dissuade her from visiting a remote Jewish village in Ethiopia was thwarted by her optimism.
“They’ve only recently been able to openly practice Judaism. The government lifted restrictions. I want to join the community and show solidarity.”
“You could write a book about your adventures. You’d be the heroine in a triumphant story,” he stoked the flame. Once he realized her passion was not just skin deep, but rather a matter of faith, he applauded her.
The two of them began to mingle with the other members of the congregation. The conversations revolved around life choices and the weekly Torah portion. The rabbi deeply admired Tsehai’s effort to be inclusive and gave her his blessing to volunteer in East Africa.
“You have holy chutzpah,” the rabbi said with a warm smile between sips of kosher grape juice.
Tsehai remembered this Shabbat when she landed in Ethiopia. Her delegation was diverse; it was composed of representatives from six different nations, including Israel, the US, and Canada. Each soul was searching for signs of Jewish life in a world of widespread chaos and routine oppression. Freedom is found in discipline. What required more discipline than Torah observance?
Tsehai was born into an Ethiopian family, but she was adopted by American Jews. Her goal on this trip was to connect with her roots, though she didn’t speak Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia. She understood more Hebrew than Amharic - enough to pray and to read Torah. She knew aleph, so she taught aleph. Just the basics were endearing to those starving for a Jewish education.
On the last day of her visit to Ethiopia, they took a group photo and said their farewells. It was all smiles with a few agonizing tears. Would there be lasting peace in their neighborhood? Could they make aliyah to Israel? Ethiopian Jews faced discrimination based on race and religion. Their religious identity was often questioned and so was their motivation for practicing Judaism. Did they just seek prosperity or was the desire deeper, more sincere?
Tsehai and her new friends were proud of the additions they had made to the structure of the Ethiopian synagogue. Everything was contained on the first floor and constructed with a modest design. The door was open for her to return. Her hope straddled between East Africa and the east coast of the United States, she lived in both worlds - at least, her heart was divided. She had yet to visit Israel, her birthright. That would be on another occasion. She heard stories of how secular it was in Israel and that dissuaded her from making plans. But one day she would, b'ezrat HaShem. One day the timing would be right and she could experience life in Jerusalem. She hoped it would feel like home, in as much as the earth were our home. There was no rush to see the world-to-come. Our time was short enough. Better to be alive surrounded by sparks, than in a grave in the dark. But Tsehai battled with dark skin in a white world. The truth is she was a light in a dark world - a light.
Comments