The religious acculturation of the Ethiopian Jew in modern Israel: Case study of a spiritual conflict.

The Israeli Ethiopian Jews want full admission into mainstream Israeli society. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the social and religious impediments to integration of Ethiopian Jews in modern Israel. Other immigrant groups to Israel, though initially challenged by the same problems of absorption and settlement, after a short time gained full admission into all areas of Israeli society. This is not the case among many first and second generation Ethiopian Israelis. Thirty years after immigration, this group remains frustrated, alienated and marginalized citizens.This study will highlight two aspects of the Ethiopian Jewish challenge to full Israeli integration: (1) African spirituality, (2) Ethiopian spiritual leadership.Ethiopian Jews transplanted African spirituality to Israel. Anchored in this spirituality was a worldview that conflicted with the worldview of Israeli religious and civil authorities. Thus, the Ethiopian Jews' African spirituality presented obstacles to their full integration into mainstream Israel.Second, de-legitimation of the role and influence of Ethiopian Jewish leadership has had a profound effect on the spirituality of the community, and this de-legitimation presents another salient obstacle to their full integration into modern Israeli society. The Ethiopian Israelis are Jewish in religion, but spiritually and culturally, they are Africans.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Pittsburgh, 2003.School code: 0178