Celebrating Sigd: Old Traditions Meet New Communities

By -

The Sigd festival held last week in Jerusalem was a special experience because it demonstrated a balance between isolation and assimilation, between tradition and modernity. Until contemporary times, the holiday of Sigd was practiced solely by Ethiopian Jews. Sigd celebrates the acceptance of the Torah and the desire to return to Israel and the Temple. It also marks the day that God is thought to have revealed Himself to Moses.

Walking through the festival here in Jerusalem, it was impossible not to notice the subtle ways that Ethiopian and Israeli cultures alike have shaped our modern celebration of Sigd. Ethiopian Israelis dressed in traditional garments intermingled with those wearing popular street fashion. But, most importantly, it was not only the Ethiopian Israeli community celebrating. The crowd represented a mix of Jewish identities from numerous origins. For many immigrants, making a new life in another country tragically requires relinquishing ties to one’s traditions and homeland. Sigd, however, represents the unique harmony between Ethiopian and Israeli culture, built on shared Jewish roots.

Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian Israelis continue to influence one another and build a common Jewish community. Sigd is even recognized as a national holiday in Israel. The festival was held in a mix of Hebrew and Amharic to avoid excluding anyone from participation. Notable speakers included both high ranking Israeli government officials as well as the spiritual leaders of the Ethiopian community, called the Kessim. I ate a pita filled with schnitzel and goat meat, cooked with Ethiopian spices. The flavors blended perfectly.

ABOVE: A woman prays in traditional garb. In the bottom right corner,
a young girl in a pink jacket plays on her mobile phone 

As Sigd shows, both Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian Israelis strive to appreciate one another’s unique traditions and the roles they play in our shared society. I spoke with several non-Ethiopian Jews who were excited to celebrate the festival for the first time this year and to connect with another aspect of their Jewish heritage. However, for full integration to be possible, social services like ENP’s Scholastic 

Assistance Program must continue. Although a mutual culture has begun to form here in Israel, Ethiopian Israelis in particular face the hardships of low-income work, lack of access to education, and the language barrier. As we celebrate with the Ethiopian Israeli community, we must also remember to offer support through these difficulties.

Article contributed by Jessica Powers

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interning at ENP: Translating Books, Teaching Surfing, and Singing Hatikva

By -
Image
     I’m Sacha Toberoff, a summer intern at Ethiopian National Project (ENP) through the Columbia/Barnard Hillel Onward program. I’m studying history and political science at Columbia University. I grew up in a secular Jewish home in Malibu, California. I’ve always had a strong connection with my cultural background and recognized the importance of Israel, as my Safta grew up here. This is my first time in Israel and I have been delighted to connect with the land of my ancestors. I chose to intern with ENP because it is doing pivotal work to support the Ethiopian Israeli community by sponsoring scholarships and hosting leadership and English language programs. I have a background in service and legal work and am excited to bring these skills to ENP. Before coming to ENP, I knew little about the struggles of the Ethiopian Jewish community making Aliyah. For many years, they dreamed of returning to Israel, and when it was finally possible it took tremendous effort and sacrifice to make t
Read more

Interview with Roni Akale

By -
Roni Akale is the first to share his story in our breathtaking project, #ENPeople documenting the lives and stories of different members of the ENP community. This project was created by our amazing intern Noa, a very talented photographer and storyteller. Noa photographs her subjects proceeding an interview about the subject's life and experiences. Over the next couple of months, Noa will be interviewing and photographing a variety of members in the ENP community including students, parents, and administrators in the organization. Noa hopes to amplify the voices of the Ethiopian Israeli community through a platform that highlights the strength and resilience of her interviewees. She hopes readers are inspired become mindful about their actions and resources so they can do more to help Ethiopians in Israeli society feel welcomed, supported, and heard. Read Roni's story below: “I was born in a Jewish village called Woinya. I was a shepherd. When I was six, my parents decided
Read more

An Interesting Session with Two SPACE Students

By -
By Gainya St Clair ENP Volunteer Today I went to the boys' school where I am volunteering for the third time. I worked with two 12 year-old kids that I have never met before—David and Shlomo. The boys are actually related- David  is the uncle of Shlomo. They told me they do not like to tell other kids this, though, because they find it strange. During the session, I had a very hard time engaging David. He was working on a math assignment from a very strict teacher who assigns a lot of homework. I got him to do a few small activities in English, but overall he was uninterested. Shlomo was also working on the math homework, but he was more interested in practicing his English. He is at a much higher level than David; although his grammar is not perfect, Shlomo can fully communicate in English. He quickly zoomed through the lesson and practice exercises I had prepared, so we just spoke in English for the remainder of the time, and I corrected his grammar when necessary.
Read more