Va, Vis Et Deviens (Go, See, and Become)

---

"...I bore you upon

a huge eagle's wings

"and brought you unto Myself..."

Torah - Exodus - chapter XIX - 4

They had been forgotten

on their mountaintops

near Gondar.

Yet, since the dawn of time,

the Ethiopian Jews,

known as the "Falashas",

dreamed of returning

to their homeland, the Holy Land,

Jerusalem.

1984.

With Israeli and U.S. Aid,

a vast program was undertaken

from November to January 1985

to transport the Ethiopian Jews

to Israel.

The Falashas were returned

and finally recognized

as descendants of King Solomon

and the Queen of Sheba.

The Israeli secret service

carried out the operation

on the sly,

keeping it from the Mengitsu

pro-Soviet regime who had

prohibited their emigration.

The Falashas walked from Ethiopia

to Sudan,

a Muslim country under Charia law.

There, they had to hide their

Jewish identity under pain of death

In Sudan, planes awaited

to take them to Israel.

On the road,

hundreds died of sickness,

famine, exhaustion.

Others were killed by bandits.

In the 1980s,

the Sudanese camps welcomed

thousands of Africans from 26

countries who were prey to famine:

Christians, Muslims,

and clandestine Jews.

The first secret airlift operation,

known as "Operation Moses",

saved 8,000 Ethiopian Jews.

4,000

died on the road

between Ethiopia and Sudan,

murdered, tortured

or suffering from famine,

thirst and exhaustion.

Many children reached the Holy

Land alone or as orphans.

Live and Become

Mommy, eat!

No, I'm not hungry.

Wake up.

Go!

Go!

Don't cry.

Go!

Go, live and become!

And don't come back.

Don't come back until then!

Go!

Hana, is this your son?

Didn't he die this morning?

This is my son!

I saved him this morning.

Tell him.

Okay.

A man doesn't cry.

When we get to the Holy Land,

we'll all be white,

won't we, Mommy?

It's a land flowing

with milk and honey...

Paradise on Earth, my sweet.

Mommy.

Excuse me, my son,

are there many albinos in Israel?

- You mean "whites"?

- Yes, whites.

In Israel, all Jews are white.

Aren't we in our country yet, my son?

Haven't we reached Jerusalem?

We have, father,

we are in our country.

All of the country is Jerusalem!

Israel is the country

of our ancestors: Jerusalem!

No! No!

What's wrong?

What's wrong?

Calm down! Calm down!

Israel has plenty of water!

There's enough water!

It's okay.

Listen to me! It's okay!

It's not my fault!

It's not my fault!

It's not my fault!

Like this.

Like this.

You see?

You see? You do it.

Let me.

Like this.

Enjoy your meal.

Fork.

Like this.

Silence!

Silence, please!

For the first time our black brothers

have been brought out of Africa,

not to be sold

or made slaves,

but to be saved,

liberated!

Welcome!

On behalf of my entire community,

I thank Israel

for having helped us

return to Jerusalem,

and for having saved us.

What's his name?

- Adisalem.

- That's not a Jewish name.

Yes it is.

Adis means "new",

and alem means "world".

Adisalem means "new world".

We'll call him Eddy.

Write it:
Eddy.

Are you sure you're Jewish?

I'll ask you one last time.

I personally don't believe it.

Nobody knows you here.

What village are you from?

Have you forgotten?

What is your grandfather's name?

And your great grandfather?

Can't you remember?

Follow me.

Come on.

Help me.

I can't recognize them on my own.

We must be careful.

Don't forget,

your name is Solomon.

Your father was called Isaac,

your grandfather, Yakov,

your brother, Yakov,

and your sister, Aster.

They all died on the road to Sudan.

The name of our village is Weleka.

Repeat.

My name is Solomon,

my cow's name was Mandala.

No, just Solomon, not the cow!

Are you circumcised?

I believe you.

Is this your son?

What's his name?

Solomon!

Solomon... Schlomo.

"Schlomo", do you understand?

Your father and your grandfather?

We're from Weleka.

Everyone knows us here.

Qes Amhra, too.

My husband's name was Isaac,

my daughter, Aster,

my youngest son, Yakov.

They're all dead.

Solomon is all I have left.

Schlomo.

Would you like to go to school,

Schlomo?

Of course!

With her!

You'll stay together. Don't worry.

Through there. They come in and out.

There's a door!

There are a lot of them.

She's getting better.

She's in good hands now.

You can see her later.

Take off your coat.

Do you want to watch TV?

Nobody came out of the TV.

They haven't gone to bed yet.

Keep your secret.

Don't say a word to anybody...

Never.

Otherwise, they'll send you

back to Ethiopia.

You are my son,

a Jew from Weleka.

Learn our traditions.

That way you'll be safe.

Don't forget the names of your

parents and your grandparents.

Isaac,

Hana,

Yakov,

Sura.

And don't forget your mother

who is still over there.

Never!

One day, you'll see her again.

Because you'll live!

Don't die.

Don't cry.

Hello, children.

I'm the director of the school...

Hello, my name's Zwi.

What's your name?

Schlomo,

I'm the school psychiatrist...

Cow.

Girl.

Boy.

Bird.

Hat.

Fish.

Watch.

Banana.

Sit down.

Hello, everybody.

Do any children

have family still left

in Ethiopia or Sudan?

You're gonna eat this!

Eat, I say!

Stop! Have you lost your minds?

Let him go!

It'll be OK.

No!

It's not my fault!

Mommy,

I have to become like them.

I don't want to change.

How will you recognize me?

Please, let me come home...

Well?

Can't find him.

I've had it.

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