April 6, 2010 / 22 Nissan 5770

Two hundred new immigrants from Ethiopia attended a model Seder Thursday (March 25) at the Jewish Agency Absorption Center in Mevasseret Zion outside Jerusalem, in preparation for their first Passover in Israel.

On Passover eve Monday night, 5,000 new immigrants from Ethiopia will attend Seder meals at 20 Jewish Agency absorption centers across the country.

Many of the immigrants attending the model Seder Thursday just arrived in Israel over the last several weeks.  This week another, another 160 immigrants arrived on two flights from Addis Ababa, and so far this year the Jewish Agency has brought 1,000 Ethiopians to Israel.

"I am committed to bring the rest of the Falash Mura community to Israel," said Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, who attended the model Seder.

Sharansky spoke of the first Seder he attended, at the age of 25. "I am sure that for you, like for me, this experience of celebrating the Seder will be one of feeling liberated, just as the Jewish People felt when they left Egypt."

Also attending the model Seder was Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, whose organization sponsored the event and the Seders to be held at Jewish Agency absorption centers over the holiday.

Photo credit: Avi Hayon

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Jacob Dallal
Director of Public Relations and Marketing
Jewish Agency for Israel - North America