Ethiopian Government Offers a Deal We Can't Refuse!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008

While our MJAA team was in Ethiopia in December, they were approached by the Ethiopian government and offered land for farming.

The land is not free. It would cost $100,000 to purchase. But for that amount, we can get a sizeable amount of good farmable land.

 Many of the Beta Yisrael (House of Israel—the Ethiopian Jewish people) were successful farmers and livestock herders before they gave everything up to migrate to Gondar province in hopes of making aliyah (immigrating). When they migrated they lost their most major source of livelihood and food. If we can purchase the land they can begin farming again. They can begin to be productive once again. Their eyes will always be on Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel), but while they wait to make aliyah they can become independent and self-supporting. They won’t have to worry about life and death from day to day.

We don’t have to purchase all the land at once. We can start smaller, but my sources in Ethiopia tell me that our initial purchase should be for at least $50,000 worth of land. Starting smaller will enable many families to get started providing for themselves and show the Ethiopian government what a positive program this will be.

This program could have a significant impact on the Israeli government. Many believe Israel’s reluctance to grant aliyah to the Beta Yisrael is as much economic and social, as it is religious. With Israel’s spiraling economic difficulties, it is possible that there might be a reluctance to grant aliyah to thousands of people who might be dependent for some time on Israel’s social and welfare services. But, because of this program, we could see a time soon when Israel would realize that the Beta Yisrael are a productive people ready to add their agricultural and herding skills to their new homeland.

There is also a prophetic thread to this story; Genesis 12:3 speaks of those who bless the Jewish people will be blessed. The Ethiopia government has offered a blessing to the Beta Yisrael; should we purchase the land we’re confident our people develop it into productive farms and ranches. When they finally make aliyah to Israel, those farms and ranches will be a blessing to the Ethiopian people—much like our wells that bless the whole community—Jewish, Christian and Muslim.

 A program like this gives new meaning to the restoration of Israel. We have been presented with an opportunity to bring restoration to a suffering remnant in Ethiopia and, at the same time, provide opportunities that would ease their restoration to Israel in the future. Such a deal.