Some 15,000 people gathered in Jerusalem on Wednesday to celebrate the Ethiopian Jewish holiday of Sigd, which commemorates the community's migration to Israel after thousands of years in exile.
The Sigd holiday honors the Jewish migration from Ethiopia and their longing to return to the biblical Zion. The day consists of fasting, prayers, repentance, and calls for unity, and ends with festive foods.
The ceremony began on Wednesday morning at the Armon Hanatziv promenade in Jerusalem, where a large prayer gathering took place and the traditional breaking of the fast was held.
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Several Israeli lawmakers were in attendance, including Knesset Speaker MK Yuli Edelstein and Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev, among others. Several local community leaders, as well as members of youth organizations and soldiers, also attended the event.
For the third year, the festival was hosted by the Culture and Sport Ministry, the Center for the Legacy of Ethiopian Jewry and the Kessim Association.
For many years, the holiday was observed in Ethiopia by going to the mountains 50 days after Yom Kippur, where members of the community would pray and fast. At the end of the service, leaders would break Dabu bread that symbolizes the bread served in the Temple in Jerusalem and was followed by traditional singing and dancing.
Most Ethiopian Jews today live in Israel, although there is still a population left in Ethiopia. The Sigd festival is traditionally celebrated at the Sherover Promenade, which is in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem and has a view of Mount Moriah where the Jewish Temple once stood. Many worshippers don traditional white clothing and carry colorful umbrellas during the prayer service.
"I welcome the transformation of the Sigd holiday into a state holiday that marks the strong and long-standing relationship of the Beta Israel community to the God of Israel and Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people. ... Today, more and more Ethiopian-Israelis are to be found in key positions in Israeli society and we will continue to work to ensure that this trend grows stronger," said Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev.
Dr. Simcha Gathon, a member of the Board of the Center for the Legacy of Ethiopian Jewry commended the Ethiopian community for holding on to its traditions.
"Even today, with their immigration to Israel, they continue their tradition and prayers, and continue to commemorate this holy day with fasting and prayer for the sake of Zion, of Jerusalem. ... We invite the public to share with us this special day at the Armon Hanatziv promenade in Jerusalem in order to enable the main prayer service to be conducted in a proper and dignified manner," he said.
