Operation Moses

Discover the compelling story of Operation Moses at the Jewish Museum of Florida, on display through October 31. This exhibition the dramatic and inspiring events that unfolded on November 19, 1984, when FIU professor Tudor Parfitt arrived in Sudan to investigate reports of Ethiopian Jews, known as Beta Israel, being poisoned in refugee camps.

The exhibition recounts how Parfitt's unexpected discovery of Beta Israel being loaded onto buses revealed the first phase of Operation Moses. This joint operation, involving the Israeli government, the Sudanese Secret Service, the White House, the State Department, Mossad, the CIA and the International Organization for Migration, successfully relocated approximately 10,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Operation Moses was notable for rescuing Black people from Africa not as slaves but as brothers, an element of the mission aptly code-named Operation Brothers.

Complementing the narrative are historic photographs from the 1980s and poignant images by Peter Decherney, capturing the Beta Israel community that remained in Ethiopia. This exhibition offers a profound look at a significant moment in global humanitarian efforts and the enduring spirit of the Beta Israel community.