"...I bore you upon a huge eagle's wings
"and brought you unto Myself..."
Torah - Exodus - chapter XIX - 4
They had been forgotten on their mountaintops
near Gondar.
Yet, since the dawn of time,
the Ethiopian Jews, known as the "Falashas",
dreamed of returning to their homeland, the Holy Land,
Jerusalem.
1984.
With Israeli and U.S. Aid,
a vast program was undertaken from November to January 1985
to transport the Ethiopian Jews to Israel.
The Falashas were returned
and finally recognized as descendants of King Solomon
and the Queen of Sheba.
The Israeli secret service
carried out the operation on the sly,
keeping it from the Mengitsu
pro-Soviet regime who had prohibited their emigration.
The Falashas walked from Ethiopia to Sudan,
a Muslim country under Charia law.
There, they had to hide their Jewish identity under pain of death
In Sudan, planes awaited to take them to Israel.
On the road, hundreds died of sickness,
famine, exhaustion. Others were killed by bandits.
In the 1980s,
the Sudanese camps welcomed
thousands of Africans from 26 countries who were prey to famine:
Christians, Muslims,
and clandestine Jews.
The first secret airlift operation, known as "Operation Moses",
saved 8,000 Ethiopian Jews.
4,000
died on the road between Ethiopia and Sudan,
murdered, tortured
or suffering from famine, thirst and exhaustion.
Many children reached the Holy Land alone or as orphans.
Live and Become
Mommy, eat!
No, I'm not hungry.
Wake up.
Go!
Don't cry.
Go!
Go, live and become!
And don't come back.
Don't come back until then!
Go!
Hana, is this your son? Didn't he die this morning?
This is my son!
I saved him this morning. Tell him.
Okay.
A man doesn't cry.
When we get to the Holy Land, we'll all be white,
won't we, Mommy?
It's a land flowing with milk and honey...
Paradise on Earth, my sweet.
Mommy.
Excuse me, my son,
are there many albinos in Israel?
- You mean "whites"? - Yes, whites.
In Israel, all Jews are white.
Aren't we in our country yet, my son?
Haven't we reached Jerusalem?
We have, father,
we are in our country. All of the country is Jerusalem!
Israel is the country of our ancestors: Jerusalem!
No! No!
What's wrong?
Calm down! Calm down!
Israel has plenty of water!
There's enough water! It's okay.
Listen to me! It's okay!
It's not my fault!
Like this.
You see?
You see? You do it.
Let me.
Like this.
Enjoy your meal.
Fork.
Like this.
Silence!
Silence, please!
For the first time our black brothers have been brought out of Africa,
not to be sold
or made slaves,
but to be saved,
liberated!
Welcome!
On behalf of my entire community, I thank Israel
for having helped us return to Jerusalem,
and for having saved us.
What's his name?
- Adisalem. - That's not a Jewish name.
Yes it is.
Adis means "new", and alem means "world".
Adisalem means "new world".
We'll call him Eddy.
Write it: Eddy.
Are you sure you're Jewish?
I'll ask you one last time.
I personally don't believe it.
Nobody knows you here.
What village are you from?
Have you forgotten?
What is your grandfather's name? And your great grandfather?
Can't you remember?
Follow me.
Come on.
Help me. I can't recognize them on my own.
We must be careful.
Don't forget,
your name is Solomon.
Your father was called Isaac,
your grandfather, Yakov, your brother, Yakov,
and your sister, Aster.
They all died on the road to Sudan.
The name of our village is Weleka.
Repeat.
My name is Solomon, my cow's name was Mandala.
No, just Solomon, not the cow!
Are you circumcised?
I believe you.
Is this your son?
What's his name?
Solomon!
Solomon... Schlomo.
"Schlomo", do you understand?
Your father and your grandfather?
We're from Weleka.
Everyone knows us here.
Qes Amhra, too.
My husband's name was Isaac,
my daughter, Aster,
my youngest son, Yakov.
They're all dead.
Solomon is all I have left.
Schlomo.
Would you like to go to school, Schlomo?
Of course!
With her!
You'll stay together. Don't worry.
Through there. They come in and out. There's a door!
There are a lot of them.
She's getting better.
She's in good hands now.
You can see her later.
Take off your coat.
Do you want to watch TV?
Nobody came out of the TV.
They haven't gone to bed yet.
Keep your secret.
Don't say a word to anybody...
Never.
Otherwise, they'll send you back to Ethiopia.
You are my son,
a Jew from Weleka.
Learn our traditions.
That way you'll be safe.
Don't forget the names of your parents and your grandparents.
Isaac,
Hana,
Yakov,
Sura.
And don't forget your mother
who is still over there.
Never!
One day, you'll see her again.
Because you'll live!
Don't die.
Don't cry.
Hello, children.
I'm the director of the school...
Hello, my name's Zwi. What's your name?
Schlomo, I'm the school psychiatrist...
Cow.
Girl.
Boy.
Bird.
Hat.
Fish.
Watch.
Banana.
Sit down.
Hello, everybody.
Do any children have family still left
in Ethiopia or Sudan?
You're gonna eat this!
Eat, I say!
Stop! Have you lost your minds?
Let him go!
It'll be OK.
No!
It's not my fault!
Mommy,
I have to become like them.
I don't want to change.
How will you recognize me?
Please, let me come home...
Well?
Can't find him.
I've had it. This kid's driving me nuts.
Not in the park or the rooms.
We've woken everyone. I've called the police.
Come on.
Schlomo, stop!
Leave him alone. He's just a child. Leave him!
12 kilometers on foot!
- He's only 9 years old. - This child...
He learns Hebrew quickly and is very interested in school.
I see his violence, but we've got to give him some time.
I want a solution now.
He needs a stricter school that will control him better.
Maybe Echel Avraham.
Is there any surviving family member?
Nobody from his old village wants him.
Do you have any ideas? Tell me!
Schlomo ran away, barefoot,
wrapped in a sheet.
Which way did he go? Which way?
Towards the south, Ethiopia.
Why?
Maybe he's trying to return to his old life,
with his mother and family.
Time and another school will never bring
Schlomo's mother and family back.
It's impossible.
I understand.
That's fine. Thanks.
Come in, please.
Schlomo, your adoptive parents,
Yael and Yoram Harrari.
112 horsepower, automatic,
it can go up to 200 km/h.
Volvo, the best car in the world.
Do you like cars, Schlomo?
You can call us "daddy" and "mommy", if you want.
This is your brother and sister:
Tali and Dany.
Look, the stadium!
You can come and run here if you want. I'll sign you up.
You like to run, don't you?
Gramps, they're here. Come and see.
They're here. Daddy, daddy!
Hello, my cherubs.
Not a word about his dead parents, okay?
This is Schlomo.
This is Tali,
Dany... and Gramps.
Yoram's father.
You're a polite boy.
We never looked somebody in the eye where I grew up either.
He grew up in Egypt.
- Near Ethiopia. - That's all you have?
What, I didn't say anything about his dead parents!
Your room.
It was mine before.
You can put whatever you want on the walls.
I forgot the presents!
Right... the presents.
This is from us, Yoram and myself.
My present.
If you want to write a diary, I have one.
This is good luck where I come from.
A kippa, from us.
- Hello! - Hello, Mother.
- Is he here? - Yes.
Did he get here by bus?
No, we picked him up.
Where is he?
That's French.
Our native language...
Is this him? He's so adorable!
You take plane... no afraid?
Mother, he speaks Hebrew.
Hebrew in Ethiopia?
Is he sick? He's pale. I mean... pale-black.
- He's fine, mother! - Are you sure? Have you checked?
Go see Dr. Cohen. He's wonderful.
He doesn't need to. He's doing fine!
"Injara", the traditional Ethiopian dish.
Listen, Schlomo...
I'd like to tell you that we know.
Everything.
We prefer to be clear...
I wanted to tell...
No, it's us...
We're your parents now.
Schlomo, we're left-wing people.
- I wanted to tell... - We like to be frank,
honest, and respect others.
So I'll be frank, Schlomo.
We...
we're not religious.
We know that in Ethiopia, you were.
You have always defended the Torah
and survived because of your dreams to return to Jerusalem.
We respect that, even if we're not practicing.
If you'd like, tonight,
we'll pray with you.
We'll repeat after you.
Thank you. That's nice,
but not tonight... Please. It's just that... not tonight.
Let's sit down.
Don't you like it? Did she mess up?
Stomach ache.
When I say that, it doesn't work!
They make me finish my plate.
Who do you like better, Mickey or Donald?
They don't have Mickey in his country, dummy.
What sport do you like, soccer?
Walking.
Good night.
If you need anything, come and wake me up.
Mommy, come here! Mommy!
Shut up!
He's really big and muscly!
He's handsome as a prince!
Everyone.
We have a new student:
Schlomo Harrari.
Take a seat, please.
Let's carry on with the lesson, please...
Did you have a good day, darling?
Hello, Mrs. Zilbermann.
How are you?
So, so...
I've brought you some fish and oranges.
What?
Fish and oranges!
And the brownie?
I forgot!
Next week.
I'll take down the garbage.
Thanks a lot.
Bye-bye!
Take care of yourself!
Where did we receive the Torah?
- On Mount Sinai. - Exactly!
And who brought us the Torah?
Moses.
Very good.
Who is the founder of our religion?
Jesus!
Because... Jesus...
converted... he... first Jew...
who became a Christian... Christianity...
He suffered...
And that's why he walked on water,
turned the other cheek... got a slap.
And Jesus thought... God's only child,
but... so nice to have brothers and sisters.
And his mother... is his mother,
but Jesus mustn't say a word...
"Genesis".
"In the beginning there was heaven and earth..."
One morning I'll wake up, and I'll be all white.
And I'll speak Yiddish like a real Jew.
Like Mrs. Zilbermann,
from the first floor,
who's losing her hair and has a hard time getting around.
Her feet have swollen up these past few weeks.
I buy her milk and bread.
And brownies. She loves them.
She's constantly saying: "Oy, oy, oy, mein Gott!"
That's what it is to be Jewish!
Mother's Day
Is Yael OK?
Yes, don't worry.
You're not happy it's me?
Sorry, you're not happy?
I understand French.
Okay... okay.
Was school OK?
I have a surprise for you.
Do you understand "surprise"?
There are good and bad ones...
and big and little surprises.
I have a good one!
Yoram, it's broke!
- What did you touch? - Me, no!
It's not a toy, damn it!
You say play.
I didn't say to fiddle with it. How can I work now?
I don't know what he did. He broke it!
Does it work?
Of course it works!
Your father's got a bug sometimes.
There are too many pieces to change inside.
Murad Khelfi, our computer genius.
A pillar of our company.
Schlomo, I suppose.
He can't stop talking about you.
Listen, if they ever seriously get on your nerves,
you can come and stay at my place.
OK?
When the Queen of Sheba, your great, great, great-grandmother,
crossed Egypt for Ethiopia
after her meeting with King Solomon,
I could've shut the door and never let her pass.
She was beautiful, you know.
I could've taken advantage. But I didn't.
Do you know why?
I wanted to meet you. I wanted you to exist.
- What do you say to Grandpa? - Thank you.
You tell me how I became a Jew.
But I'm not telling you how you got out of that dump Alexandria.
Dump?
Where did you get that?
Alexandria, a dump?
Heathen, ignoramus!
Black savage! Baboon! Come here so I can slug you.
The largest library in the world you call a dump!
For you.
I can't read Amharic.
You'll learn.
Can I talk to you please?
Schlomo, could you leave us alone?
Thanks.
This is a bit embarrassing, but...
Parents want to withdraw their kids from school
if Schlomo isn't transferred.
They're afraid the level will go down.
I know it's wrong, Schlomo has very good marks.
And they're afraid of diseases from Africa.
I know that...
Listen, you morons!
I've had enough!
My son is the most beautiful child in the world. Understand?
He's as good, if not better than your children!
He's healthy as can be. Tell them!
His pimples? It's stress!
You're not the first or the only ones to give him a hard time!
He's healthy! He's healthy!
Schlomo won't budge from this school.
You fucking idiots!
- Tigress, can you lick my pimples? - Stupid!
Stop thinking about it. You did the right thing.
Let him handle it on his own.
He knows we love him.
Let him go to school on his own.
- He's only 9. - Dany's 8. He goes on his own.
Let him be, otherwise they'll make fun of him.
Let them respect him, not you!
Dany, put out the glasses.
I haven't finished.
Are you OK, darling?
Can you handle this? I've a meeting tomorrow.
What is it?
Hello, my love.
Tomorrow you have a medical exam with the immigration service.
We leave for Jerusalem at 7:30.
We're getting up early. So get to sleep.
Ready to go?
Eat something. We have to go.
In 15 minutes, understood?
Dany, get up!
Are you cold?
Tali, did you wake up Dany?
- He won't get up. - Go on.
You threw out your bread?
You're impossible, Schlomo. Make an effort!
An effort, damn it!
Don't be afraid, they won't do anything.
Just an "ahh", "open your mouth", that's all.
You're a man, right?
A man, right? A man!
Ritual bath of the Jerusalem Rabbinate
Are you hot?
Are you OK?
Why did you take your bag?
Come in.
Tell me... Schlomo, is that it?
Tell me about your name, your father, your mother,
grandparents, your place of birth,
your religious education...
My name is Schlomo,
my father's name was Isaac, my mother Hana,
my grandfather Yakov, my brother too,
my sister, Aster.
My mother died in Ashkelon, the others in Sudan.
You already have that information!
Isn't this a medical visit?
This way.
Alone!
Lie down.
Take off your coat.
Pull down his pants.
Forgive me.
Run! They want to convert us!
Shame on you!
Bastards!
Don't touch my son!
Come on!
Climb! Jump!
Run! Run!
You are my son. My son!
You're Jewish. Nobody will touch you. Nobody!
You're my son!
No to conversion!
We're Jews like you!
Humiliated by the Chief Rabbinate who tried to convert them
by taking a drop of blood from their penis
and dipping them in a ritual bath,
the Falashas ask to be recognized as Jews,
true descendants of Moses.
This is not about purifying blood,
it's about purifying doubt.
It's for their welfare.
They are children of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon.
The Queen of Sheba wasn't Jewish.
Judaism is passed on through the mother.
Chief Rabbi Youssef recognized our Jewish identity
Qes Amhra Rehovot in 1973 thanks to this letter.
The letter allowed Israel to carry out "Operation Moses".
In Ethiopia, they said
we weren't real Jews,
not genuinely Jewish.
If we are not Jews,
then what is the point of our sacrifices?
Why have we paid such a heavy price in coming to Israel?
In Ethiopia, they accused us
of being Jews.
Here we're criticized of not being Jews.
In Ethiopia
we were called "buda", witches,
and here we're treated like "kushee",
niggers!
I want to remind the government that numerous Jews
were left behind in Ethiopia and Sudan.
Children are living alone in Israel,
while their parents are still in Africa.
8 Ethiopians on a hunger strike
were hospitalized and treated in Jerusalem, then released.
Today, people from kibbutzim
joined the demonstrators and brought them food...
"Qes Amhra - Rehovot"
Our color is indelible!
We've all been circumcised!
Do you know where Qes Amhra is?
Here's a piece of paper.
Write a wish on it.
Here's a pen.
Write your wish and don't let anybody see.
Don't say a word to a soul and it'll come true.
Why all these wishes? Are people unhappy in Jerusalem?
I read what Schlomo wrote: "I want to see you again, Mommy"!
Go to your room!
- I didn't do anything! Kushee! - Shut up!
Can I tell you a story?
Once upon a time there was a monkey.
Happy.
He jumped from tree to tree.
He had all his family and friends.
He knew the forest by heart.
One day, by accident,
he fell into a thorn bush.
His entire body was covered with thorns.
They hurt him a lot.
He started to take them out,
but he soon realized it was hopeless.
There were too many,
even under his nails.
Those hurt him the most.
Should he tear out his nails to remove them?
Hello, could you possibly give me
the address of Qes Amhra from Rehovot?
Excuse me.
The healer Melassa? Herzel Street?
Herzel Street: Straight ahead.
Reassure me, can I help him remove his thorns?
Yes.
Come in.
I saw you on TV.
You're the only one
to have spoken of our family left behind.
I'd like to write to my mother, but I don't write Amharic.
Can you help me?
You said your piece well. What's your name?
- And your father? - Isaac.
And your mother?
That's not a Jewish name.
She had to convert.
And not your father? Where do you come from?
I don't remember. I was too young.
Only my mother's left.
Could you help me write her a letter?
I have to tell her I'm alive and doing fine.
Sit down.
It'll cost you...
How much?
10 shekels a letter.
I'll bring you the money.
You're not going to negotiate?
Can I?
Not anymore, too late now.
"Mommy..."
"Dear Mommy, sunshine of my life...",
ingrate!
Yes, that's better.
"Dear Mommy sunshine of my life
"Israel's a beautiful country
"a nice family has adopted me
"I go to school and learn a lot..."
No periods or commas? Just one sentence?
I don't know, you're the writer.
Very well.
What's next?
What's the address?
Camp Um Raquba, near Gedaref, in Sudan.
And the return address? Where should she reply?
Where do you live?
Here?
Can she reply to me here?
Very well.
I meant to call.
You meant to call?
Ask me a question to which you know the answer's "yes".
Do I speak good French?
Did you have a good day?
Answer me, Yael.
Do you have a problem?
Are you kidding around?
What's with you?
A few years later - 1989
You've got to write another letter.
We talked yesterday. She was less cold, much nicer.
Not now, tomorrow.
How about later?
Tomorrow!
Tell her "I love you like Romeo loved Juliet,
- "that all my life..." - Shut up!
If it's a dictation, you write it.
It's her birthday.
She invited us over, you too.
I'll read it:
"Dear Sarah, ever since I left..."
Hold it, I never left.
Shut up, this works!
"Dear Sarah, ever since I left,
"I miss you. You have no idea how much.
"I'd love you to be so proud of me.
"I'd like to wake up one morning
"and find you sitting next to me
"as if you had always been there,
"and our separation were simply a long nightmare.
"Every evening, I look up at the moon.
"God thinks I'm speaking to Him,
"but I'm speaking to you.
"One day we'll be together
"forever.
"I miss you. I love you,
"Itai."
Shit, you can write!
Where do you get all that?
Wait, what's wrong?
Are you crying? You love her, too?
- Fifteen shekels. - I thought it was ten.
She loves you because of me.
Five shekels success bonus.
I hope you're not stealing this money.
I work hard, Qes.
I wash the stairs of our building.
You seem sad.
It's a twinge of melancholy, nostalgia.
What day is it?
Friday.
Friday, the day of Sabbath.
And it doesn't smell like Sabbath...
It doesn't smell like Sabbath?
Don't you remember?
You were probably too young.
Friday morning, it already smelled like Sabbath...
the scent of Sabbath bread that the women were baking.
The best bread of the week.
It's terrible:
In the land of the Torah, nothing smells anymore.
It's been lost.
Alright, I'm listening.
"Mommy...
"Mommy, tell me why...
"I'm doing well...
"I'd like to... I need to know why...
"I'm not allowed to come home..."
Here.
From now on, you write.
You need to.
Besides, my eyes are weary.
Go on, learn.
"Mommy, sunshine of my life...",
and then you write whatever you want.
You said: "Become..." Become what?
"And don't come back until then."
Why don't you call Mom "Mommy"?
It's always Yael.
Yeah, you won again! What a score!
Did you see the score? Champ!
Another round?
What should I wear?
Jeans, a T-shirt! Something cool!
It's a birthday, not a wedding.
I'll make him director of the company.
With a new title: "HardHarrari & Son".
What do you think?