Question 13.3: Where did the Beita Yisrael (Falashas) come from?

                                  Answer:
   
   First off, know that "Falasha" (Amharic for "stranger") is considered
   very derogatory. Just say "Ethiopian Jew" if you can't remember "Beita
   Yisrael." Older reference books will probably list them under
   "Falasha," i.e. the 1972 article in the Encyclopaedia Judaica.
   
   Their own legends date them back to Shlomo ha-melech [King Solomon],
   and ascribe their origin to the tribe of Dan. See the book The Lost
   Jews by Rappoport.
   
   Researchers also think some of the defeated Yemenite Jews from the Abu
   Duwas Jewish Kingdom came to Ethiopia, and that some Elephantine Jews
   migrated south from Egypt. Another Ethiopian legend has one of Moses'
   sons migrating South and establishing a Hebrew community before King
   Solomon.
   
   You can learn more about Ethiopian Jewry and their rich history and
   culture on the [5]Ethiopian Jewry WWW Homepage at
   <http://www.circus.org>.

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