Sigd, a Jewish holiday originating with the Jewish community in Ethiopia, became an official Israeli national holiday through an act of Knesset in 2008. Seeing that Sigd may be almost completely unknown in the American Jewish community – and seeking to correct that – the Atlanta Israel Coalition, along with co-sponsor Herut North America, hosted a Zoom webinar on Nov. 13, 2020. "Celebrate Sigd - An Ethiopian Jewish Holiday" presented by Naftali Aklum. Herut's participation was organized by longtime pro-Israel, Zionist activist Larry Shepherd. The webinar was viewed live on Facebook by people from all over the world.
The name of the holiday Sigd is derived from the Hebrew word for prostration, "sigda" and this unique holiday takes place 50 days after Yom Kippur. In order to gain a better understanding of the importance of this deeply spiritual holiday, which has been celebrated for thousands of years connecting the Ethiopian Jews to God, Aklum gave a brief history of the Jews in Ethiopia.
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The main part of the event was Aklum describing the riveting details about the harrowing journey his family, as well as thousands of other Ethiopian Jews, took by foot to flee a famine-ridden and politically dangerous Ethiopia through Sudan to make Aliyah to Israel.
Aklum was also a consultant for the 2019 Netflix production of The Red Sea Diving Resort, which recounts how the mission to rescue Ethiopian Jews, known as "Operation Moses" came to be because his older brother, Ferede Yazezow Aklum, was among the first people to make the journey, and he went back and forth hundreds of times risking his life on rescue missions.
Some of the fascinating traditions of Sigd that Jews followed when they were still in Ethiopia and before their aliyah to Israel, are that they would climb up to a high mountain and face Jerusalem to intensely pray and become closer to God. This was not a joyous or happy day, but a day of fasting and prayers to return "Home to Israel."
After their prayers were answered, and they made their lives in Israel, Sigd is considered a much more joyous holiday. They celebrate that God brought them Home to Zion and today Ethiopian Jewish leaders are working to make Sigd a holiday for all Jews to celebrate with prayers to bring peace and unity to the Jewish people as they have seen first-hand that in unity there is strength.
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Aklum emphasized that one of the main problems that make it difficult for unity to grow is that "we don't know enough about each other." His mission is to educate people about the story of the Ethiopian Jews as well as to promote pride in Jewish identity.
He recounts his experience going back to his village in Ethiopia as an adult, and he said that experience made him realize who he is. He says, "I'm Jewish, I'm Israeli and I'm a black man. When you take all those identities within you and create a strong identity, you know you're worth something, and then people will look at you the way you see yourself." He stressed that it is important that everyone take a part in spreading his message to their children, to their families, and to friends because only when we educate people, will we begin to see change and unify as a people.
Atlanta Israel Coalition's Founding Executive Director Cheryl Feingold Dorchinsky said, "Naftali's presentation was so inspiring because he was passing on a message of pride, of tradition and connecting to people, some who are struggling with their identities. The Atlanta Israel Coalition is proud to provide a vehicle to pass on his message because together our voices are louder, our light shines brighter, and we can be a greater force for good within our communities and across the globe."
Lisa Koenig is the East Coast director of Herut of Herut North America's US division.
