Ethiopia // History in Today's World & Itinerary for the Jewish Traveler

Gila
Apr 15, 2021
6 min read

Former home of the queen of Sheba and current home of the Omo Valley Tribes, Ethiopia should be considered a continent for itself. A mix of today and yesteryear, Ethiopia is a hub of culture and craftsmanship, a visit I will never forget.

Health PSA: Before going, be sure to get the Yellow fever vaccine and get a prescription for anti Malaria pills. As of 2021 the United States has a shortage of the yellow fever vaccine but you can get in touch with Passport Health for the shot. Unfortunately, they do not accept insurance. Pack some Pepto Bismol and Tylenol as the water there will most likely give you travelers diarrhea.

I know, what an intro! Ok, let's get started. :)

You'll likely want to start off at the capital, where most flights come in.

Addis Ababa / Capital of Ethiopia

Getting around is simple! If you want a ride for a decent amount, download the Ride app. Just like Uber, Ride will get you anywhere for a decent price and is the most reliable taxi service. If you want to be ripped off in the capital Addis Ababa, hail a taxi.

Birr is the monetary unit of Ethiopia and the currency is pretty low, 1 USD gives you 40 birr. Be aware that you can not re exchange to USD once you've exchanged to birr so make sure you don't overestimate your expenses.

Where we stayed:

The Mado Hotel is a short walk away from the Chabad house led by Rabbi Eliyahu Chaviv. There are definitely a lot of affordable alternative hotels available but we were staying for Shabbos and wanted a comfortable place to stay. You can also get in touch with Rabbi Eliyahu since he is friendly with the hotel manager and might get you a discount for your stay.

Rabbi eliyahu Chaviv

+251 90 123 3770

On Kosher Food:

Unfortunately, there are no Kosher certified restaurants in Ethiopia but many hotels will serve strictly vegan meals since many people there are vegan. If that's fine with your kosher standards make sure to ask them if the food is “fasting”. Rabbi Eliyahu and his wife kindly hosted us for some meals. They were extremely accommodating and the meals were delicious!

If you are traveling anywhere outside of Addis Ababa, make sure to pack along enough food since the towns around Ethiopia are not very specific when it comes to hygiene.

Suggestion:

For a heavenly cup of Ethiopian coffee, hop on over to Tomoca coffee.

Tomoca Coffee

Wawel st, addis ababa

+251 91 172 3482

Exploring Addis Ababa:

The city has some cool stuff to do, so, while you're there, check out these spots:

(Don't travel all the way to Ethiopia if you're just going to stay in the capital!)

~ Addis ababa, Entoto Mountains ~

The beautiful views of the Entoto mountains will have your breath. Take a walk around the beautiful park and enjoy a fresh juice at one of the rustic restaurants. It's quite a drive from the Mado hotel but you will get to see fascinating shops along the way.

On the way down you can go visit the house of King Kenelik, the son of King Solomon and The Queen of Sheba!

~ Visit the Falashen (Jewish community) in Addis Ababa ~

Finding the Shul might be a bit of a hassle so make sure you take a cab driver who speaks your language and knows his way around.

The shul is located off Asmara road. Head to the Manrashiwa hotel (it's not listed on google) next to the Israeli embassy. You'll spot a bus station, then you'll need to walk up the alley for a minute or two until you will hit the Shul. If you're not sure where exactly to go, the locals in the shops nearby will probably be able to direct you.

Gondar / A Jewish Experience

For a truly unique experience with the Falasha Jewish community, I would recommend that you head over to Gondar which is just a 45 min flight away.

Geting around in Gondar:

The best way to get around in Gondar is by Tuk Tuk. Most of the roads are unpaved and some off road areas are not vehicle friendly so make sure you wear really great climbing shoes.

Where to stay:

Gondar is extremely laid back so don't expect to be staying at the Hilton. People will recommend that you stay in Lemmeryeger hotel, my recommendation is don't. Although it is owned by an Israeli, the place is extremely run down and some rooms don't have toilet seats. Instead, head on over to the Florida hotel. The Florida hotel is decent and you can request a fan. Another decent hotel is the Goha hotel. They have a restaurant with vegan food and a breathtaking view.

The Lemeryeger hotel has options for vegetarian food cooked in special pots they only use for Kosher food, I can't vouch for the hygiene though. If you do go eat there try some Ethiopian Injara for a true Ethiopian experience.

~ Fasilides castle~

King Melenik's descendant Facilides built many castles. One of which still stands today in Gondar. The price per person is around 200 Birr.

~ Gondar Jewish Shul ~

As this is a blog post, I won’t go into lengthy details of who the Jews of Gondar are, but a short explanation would be beneficial prior to your trip. The Jews of Ethiopia claim to be descendants of the Aseret Hashvatim who were forced to exile. After the destruction of the first Temple. After living for years in the Falasha village, these Jews are known as the Falashen. For years they practiced the written torah only but started learning more of Torah Shel Balpeh as they gained access to outside Jews.

As of today, around 200 Orthodox families practice Judaism religiously in Gondar. My eyes filled with tears watching the little boys kissing the Torah on Shabbos after making the hour trek under the boiling sun to come to Shul. They eat just injera most of the time since they are extremely poor and live in houses built by metal sheets and mud.

There will be guards in front of the Shul so try to make contact with a congregant before going there because they are very wary of strangers. It's also advisable not to barge in with your camera. Get to know the people first until they are comfortable around you. You might also be as lucky as us to get invited by a family for a meal.

They have their own school and support each other with religious practices. We went to watch the process of baking matzah before Pesach and I was heart-warmed to see the jewish nation prosper in a small village in Ethiopia.

The Omo Valley / The Real Ethiopia

Somewhere deep in the woods on a valley in the town of Jinka, live the tribes of the Omo Valley. Staying in Jinka will be hard, with almost all people there belonging to an uncivilized tribe, the living conditions are very poor. They will struggle to understand why you need electricity in your hotel room.

Where to stay:

We stayed in the Jinka resort, which is considerably decent. The hotel is usually included in the price if you book a tour guide which is recommended for your safety. A tour guide will most likely speak the language of the tribes and will know his way around. We had an amazing experience with Babi. His contact information is listed below. A guide including stay, car and food will cost you around $145 a day per person.

Babi

+251 912 656 8189

~ The Tribes ~

There are around Fourteen main tribes but some are only possible to reach if you are going to stay for a few weeks. If you are planning a short trip consider going for 4-5 days.

For an unreal experience visit the Mursi tribe. The Mursis are known for their piercings especially for their lip plates. The Hammer tribe is fascinating as well and known for the married women's hair and the sticks they walk on to find their animals in the woods. As for the Banna tribe you will be interested in their beautiful colorful beads and clips in their hair.

You might also enjoy visiting the Keyafer market on tuesdays when people from the Banna, Male, Ari and Tsemay tribes come together to sell spices, tools and other important items.

Be prepared to give 5-10 Birr to each person you take a photo of or they may get aggressive towards you.