I am a professional photographer working in Ethiopia for three months and recently started a project about the Falasha people of Ethiopia, a marginalized minorty of Jews who have been in here for almost 2000 years.  I started just shooting pictures to donate to a local non-profit for their use on their website and marketing material.  I have become enamored with the communities and now hope to make a short film.  The people of the community are master artisians working in ceremaics, weaving and metal-smithing. These crafts were the only ways they could earn a living as their land was confiscated years ago.

        As you may of heard, one sect of these people were famously airlifted to Israel in the 80's and 90's.  The other are my subjects, the Kechene Jew.  This sect immigrated to North Shewa, a mountainous region north of the capital city, Addas Ababa 500 years ago from Gondar after the King decreed forced religious conversions to Orthodox Christiniaty. The communities have been living mostly in secret as they claim Ethiopian society is very prejudice and hostile to their culture.  Mostly all wear orthodox style crucifix's to hide their identity.  This city is full of people who are Jewish but not aware as over the last 2000 years most have converted.  

    The small village I visited recently and want to assist was in bad need of some medical attention.  Hours away from the capital and then a very hard & precarious 3 hour hike into a valley sits a 500 year old synagogue that I went to visit.  I was surprised to find not a village of people but more of a compound of the elderly, many who have not left the small mud homes for 20 years or more.  Most of the 15 or so people there were experiencing different forms of eye ailements, many completely blind.  I am not sure what was the cause and I don't know what exactly they need.  One man had 100% cataracts (pictured) and was desperate for help.  He begged me for a flashlight and when I gave him mine he started crying and dropped to the ground hugging my legs. (Unfortuanitly it is a rechargable model and they have no electricity but one of the two sons of the manager makes weekly trips to the small city near by so he will charge it for him). All are to old to walk up the incredible difficult trail to try and get any medical attention.  I had unknowingly wandered into a Jewish "Mother Theresa's Home of the Dying" (which I have visited in Calcutta and here in Addis) except it had no doctors.  One boy had a third degree burn that I was told had just happened but looked like it was weeks old.  He had no anti-bacterial ointment or cloth to keep it clean nor sterile cleaning supplies.  If left untreated I think it might progress to permenant injury or worse.  

With any money raised I will procure medical supplies after consulting with medical personal and send the supplies to the group.  If enough is raised I will try and send a medical team down to deal with the situation.  I most likely won't have time to return myself on this trip.

We don't need, thankfully, a lot of money.  Anything will help.  I gave $50 to the manager and he was very thankful.  With a little help I think we can make a big difference in the lives of these folks.

Best,

Joshua

Further links:

http://www.kulanu.org/  This organization is the one that got me in touch with the small minority here. They work to help needy Jews around the world.  Their site has lots of info on the history and communities of the Ethiopian Jews.

http://www.visualaidfoundation.com/  This is an organization I am starting that will provide photography to needy non-profits.  I hope to start fund-rasing this spring.