May 27, 2018
1:30–5 p.m.
Please register via Eventbrite
Join the National Museum of African Art for a celebration of Ethiopian Jewish heritage! Don’t miss this special screening of Mekonen: The Journey of an African Jew (dir. Rebecca Shore, 2016, Israel, 43 min., Hebrew with English subtitles). From 1984 to 1991, over 22,500 Ethiopian Jews emigrated to Israel as a part of Operations Moses, Joshua, and Solomon. Young Mekonen Abebe was one of these emigrants, alongside his family—but Abebe’s father died before he could make the trip. Follow along with Abebe’s emotional journey to see Ethiopia for the first time since leaving the country as a boy, and to finally visit his father’s grave.
Following the film, an engaging discussion will be moderated by Sephardic Heritage International (SHIN) DC’s Shlomit Daniel alongside Issayas Yona Bogale, whose father Yona Bogale was the first leader of the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel. Traditional refreshments and musical performances will follow.
Part of a regular Heritage Talk series, this screening and discussion will allow the museum to hear directly from one of its most important audiences: D.C.’s local African diaspora community. Make your voice heard!
Presented in collaboration with Sephardic Heritage International DC
Co-sponsored by the Washington Jewish Film Festival
Free and open to the public
