(haipo) A municipal memorial ceremony was held last night (Monday, May 11, 26) in Tirat Carmel to mark Memorial Day for Ethiopian Jews who perished on their way to the Land of Israel. The ceremony took place at the memorial to the victims, which was inaugurated last year, with the participation of members of the Ethiopian community living in the city, senior municipal officials, members of the city council, and a representative of the Ministry of Aliyah and Absorption.
A moving memorial ceremony at the memorial to the fallen
The ceremony was attended by Acting Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Amy Afomedo; Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Community Center Board, Shato Matakiya; Haifa District Chief, Ephraim Lavi; and the rabbi of the city's Ethiopian community, Rabbi Darso Bru. Also present were members of the City Council and the Tirat Carmel Municipality Board, and a representative of the Ministry of Aliyah and Absorption. During the ceremony, the importance of commemorating the victims and their life stories, and the commitment to remember and mention their legacy among future generations, were emphasized.
"A story of heroism, dedication and a dream about Jerusalem"
Acting and Deputy Mayor, Amy Afomedo, said at the ceremony: "Ethiopian Jews embarked on a courageous and Zionist journey of faith, hope and love of the land, a journey that not all of them were fortunate enough to complete. Their story is a story of heroism, dedication and a dream of Jerusalem that has never been extinguished, a story of courage, of belonging and of love of the land at all costs." Afomedo added that "precisely in the days when Israeli society is facing challenges and questions of identity and belonging, the story of Ethiopian Jewry reminds us all of what love of the land truly is. And within the memory there is also a great light, the light of a young generation that continues to grow, lead, influence and be an inseparable part of Israeli society."
"Our duty is to tell the story of heroism to future generations"
Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Community Center Board, Chateau Matakieh, spoke and said: "Tonight we stand here together, to remember our brothers and sisters who embarked on a long and difficult journey out of faith, hope and love for Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. Many of them did not reach their destination. They walked through deserts, faced hunger, disease, fear and loss, but in their hearts burned the knowledge that one day they would reach Zion." Matakiya emphasized that "the victims of Sudan are not just part of the story of one community, they are part of the story of the rebirth of the entire Jewish people. Our duty today is not only to remember the pain of the journey, but also to continue telling the story of heroism, faith and sacrifice to future generations."
