Memorial Day for Jewish Ethiopian Exodus

On Wednesday a special ceremony will be held at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. The 28th of the Hebrew month of Iyar marks Memorial Day for the masses of Jewish Ethiopians who escaped politically charged Ethiopia and trekked from their rural homes in the Gondar region, across Sudan and on their way to Israel. According to the official Knesset website, between 1980 – 1984, thousands were absorbed into Israel in clandestine ways. "Operation Moses" finally airlifted huge numbers of the Jewish community out of harm's way. It is estimated that 4,000 Jewish Ethiopians died on the trek. The official government memorial was established at the cemetery in 2007. Thousands are expected for a special prayer service which will coincide with Jerusalem Day.