Eretz Yisrael has become an incredible melting pot. Within its tiny borders, Jews from every conceivable national origin have found a safe place of refuge where they can express the fullness of their particular flavor of Judaism. Perhaps the most dramatic example of this would be our Brothers and Sisters from Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Jews, known as the Beta Israel, have become one of the most visible, and sadly, misunderstood Jewish communities of all. They have an incredible story to tell, and a cuisine that is second to none.
The Beta Israel can trace their origins back to antiquity. Their oldest oral traditions claim that their ancestors migrated from Israel to Egypt after the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C.E. After a few hundred years, the community migrated further south after Egypt was conquered by the Roman Empire. They eventually came to the land known as Ethiopia.
Another tradition, described in the Kebra Negast (Book of the Glory of
Kings), claims that the Ethiopians are the descendants of Israelite
tribes who came to Ethiopia with Menelik I, the reputed son of King
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Not only did Menelik I bring Judaism
back to Ethiopia, but tradition holds that he also brought the Ark of
the Covenant as well. Though the Bible in no way supports these claims,
this tradition is very strongly adhered to by Ethiopian Jews, as well
as Christians (there is a church in Ethiopia that claims to posses the
Ark of the Covenant) and Rastafarians (who claim that their messiah, the
Emperor Haile Selassie (reigned, 1930-1974) was a direct descendant of
Menelik I).
There is a third tradition which claims that the Beta Israel is the
remnant of the Lost Tribe of Dan who fled the civil war in the Kingdom
of Israel between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. This too has been a very
popular tradition from the ninth century onward. Whatever the actual
truth, it is clear that the Beta Israel have been identifying themselves
as Jews for a very long time.
The Beta Israel became a mighty nation. They were at one time kings who
ruled over their own Jewish Kingdom, known as Gondar, on the Northern
shores of Lake Tana in what is now Ethiopia. Their power and splendor
rivaled that of their Christian and Muslim neighbors in the Ethiopian
Empire. After many invasions by the forces of the Ethiopian Empire, the
Jewish Kingdom was eventually conquered and their Autonomy ended in
1627 C.E.
Life for the Beta Israel in the Ethiopian Empire was hard. The Jewish
religion was forbidden, and many Jews were forcibly converted to
Christianity or killed. Nonetheless, the community secretly continued
its practices, though they had to be changed a bit. Eventually
conditions improved and skilled Jewish craftsmen served the Emperor.
However, their social status was extremely low. Persecutions continued
right up to modern times, and coupled with extreme poverty and famine,
the Jews of Ethiopia found themselves in dire conditions.
Everything came to a head in the 1970’s and early 1980’s when there was
open hostility toward the Jews by the Communist Derg government and a
great famine raging in the land. The Jews wanted to emigrate to Israel, but were not allowed to leave. There were many covert waves of
immigration to Israel, especially during Operation Moses (1984),
Operation Joshua (1985), and Operation Solomon (1991). Today, the Beta
Israel population of Israel numbers more than 120,000 souls.
The Cuisine of this fascinating community differs very little from
Ethiopian Cuisine as a whole. The flavors and spices are the same, but
of course Kashrut governs how things are to be eaten. The Jewish
community does not eat the many raw meat dishes that are well known in
Ethiopia. It also traditionally has no stricture against combining milk
and poultry. This is a result of its evolution outside of early
Rabbinic Judaism. The combination of milk and meat is strictly
forbidden.
The Beta Israel strictly observes the Sabbath, and as a result they have
their own version of the Great Sabbath Meal which is the hallmark of
authentic Jewish Cuisine. The dish is called Doro Wat, and it is
actually the national dish of Ethiopia. It is a spicy chicken stew
flavored with chilies and exotic spices, simmered for many hours, and
garnished with hard cooked eggs. This dish is a great alternative to
the weekly Cholent, and a great way to familiarize oneself with our
Ethiopian Brothers.
Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew)Serves 5
• 1 whole chicken cut into 10 pieces ( 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts cut in half crosswise)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 yellow onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• ½ cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon berbere spice blend to taste (recipe follows)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground fenugreek
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 5 whole large eggs
• 1 cup chicken stock or water
• Kosher salt to taste
Combine the lemon juice, salt, and water. Mix to combine. Soak chicken
pieces in the solution for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Remove chicken,
pat dry, and discard solution. In a heavy bottomed stew pot over
medium high heat, add olive oil, onions, garlic, and fresh ginger.
Sauté for about 10 minutes, and add all of the other ingredients except
for the chicken, and eggs. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and then
add the chicken and the eggs. Be sure that the chicken is well coated
in the sauce. Cover the pot and place into a low Shabbat oven. Allow
to cook at least 12 hours, and up to 18 hours. Serve the chicken in the
sauce, garnished with the eggs which can be peeled before serving, or
not.
Berbere Spice Blend
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine all together and keep in a sealed jar.
Dennis Wasko has been a Professional Chef for 12 years and is the author of New Israeli Cuisine
, www.newisraelicuisine.com,
and Beyond The Kitchen Wall
www.beyondthekitchenwall.net.