Oldest known Ethiopian Jewish texts unearthed from the 15th century

A centuries-old mystery hidden in plain sight has finally come to light. In a modest prayer house in Israel, among community leaders and handwritten pages passed quietly from generation to generation, something remarkable was discovered.

Two rare religious manuscripts, written more than 600 years ago, surfaced during a traveling workshop led by scholars from Tel Aviv University. These books, known as the Orit, are sacred to Beta Israel, the ancient Ethiopian Jewish community. They are now the oldest known Jewish manuscripts of their kind in the world.

What makes these books extraordinary is not just their age, but what they represent: an unbroken chain of spiritual tradition kept alive through war, exile, and migration. The discovery marks a turning point in understanding Beta Israel’s rich cultural and religious legacy—one that has, until now, remained largely unseen by the wider world.

The rare find occurred during a June 2024 workshop organized by the Orit Guardians program, a master's-level initiative at Tel Aviv University. This traveling workshop brought together scholars, students, linguists, anthropologists, and community members from across Israel. The program's goal is to document, preserve, and expand knowledge of Ethiopian Jewish scripture, history, and oral tradition.

Among the key figures leading the expedition was Professor Dalit Rom-Shiloni from the Department of Biblical Studies. She helped launch the Orit Guardians program about five years ago with the intention of saving a fading heritage.

Alongside her were anthropologist Professor Erica Weiss, linguist Dr. Anbessa Teferra, and students from the program. International experts also joined, including Professor Loren Stuckenbruck of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and Dr. Sophia Dege-Müller and Ted Erho from the University of Hamburg.

The team examined books held by the Kessim—spiritual leaders within the Beta Israel community. These Kessim have served as the keepers of Jewish religious knowledge in Ethiopia for centuries. The scholars used palaeography, a technique that studies handwriting styles, to determine the age of the texts.

To their amazement, two of the Orit books dated back to the 15th century—making them the oldest Jewish manuscripts ever found in Beta Israel’s possession. While texts from that period have surfaced before, they were always Christian in origin. “Now, for the first time, it has been revealed that Kessim from Beta Israel possess Orit books that are over 600 years old,” said Prof. Rom-Shiloni.

The Orit includes not just the Five Books of Moses, but also the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. These scriptures are written in Ge’ez, an ancient liturgical language understood today only by Kessim. Each manuscript carries its own story—many were inherited from fathers or given by revered teachers. These Jewish monks preserved and taught the sacred traditions in Ethiopia for centuries.

Even today, the books are treated with reverence and used in active prayer services in Israeli communities. Their owners—mostly Kessim and their families—have guarded them with deep devotion. Some risked their lives to bring these manuscripts to Israel. These books are not museum pieces or relics—they are “living books,” still used during ceremonies and rituals.

Until recently, these texts remained hidden from public view and scholarly research. The Orit Guardians program aims to change that by locating as many manuscripts as possible, then documenting, photographing, and preserving them. However, all manuscripts stay with their original owners. The purpose is not to take away but to share and protect this knowledge before it is lost.

In total, the workshop documented 17 sacred books, including two Orit manuscripts from the 15th century, two more from the 18th century, and 13 additional sacred texts from the 17th to 20th centuries. Each was examined, documented, and digitally archived through the help of the National Library of Israel. The Ethiopian Jewry Heritage Center also played a key role in the effort.

The Koret Center for Jewish Civilization, a partnership between Tel Aviv University and the ANU Museum of the Jewish People, supports the program and recently held a special event to unveil the findings. The digital archive now being built will make these sacred texts available to both the academic world and the general public for the first time.

“This is an extraordinary finding,” said Professor Youval Rotman, academic director of the Koret Center. “Discovering ancient manuscripts is rare, and when they are the oldest of their kind in existence, the find is all the more exceptional.” He praised the Orit Guardians for combining traditional oral knowledge with academic study, helping young scholars become part of the living tradition they research.

According to Rotman, the success of the program lies in its approach: researchers form bonds with Kessim and earn their trust, creating a bridge between community and academia. This method doesn’t just preserve culture—it strengthens it.

“The program unearths hidden treasures that have so far dwelt within the four walls of local synagogues,” Rotman said. “It then documents and studies them and makes them accessible.”

While the recent discoveries are thrilling, the team sees them as just the beginning. Prof. Rom-Shiloni believes many more sacred books may still be held by families across Israel. “It is likely that many more sacred books of Beta Israel are held by families and Kessim around the country, and we will continue searching for them,” she said. “Our discovery is only the tip of the iceberg.”

There is another urgent goal: preserving the oral tradition of the Kessim, which has never been written down. This tradition includes the interpretation of scripture and translations from Ge’ez to Amharic. For generations, this knowledge was passed on by word of mouth.

Today, only 18 senior Kessim who trained in Ethiopia and still hold this oral wisdom are alive in Israel. Most are elderly. If these traditions aren’t recorded soon, an irreplaceable part of Jewish history could vanish. The Orit Guardians program is now working quickly to document their teachings through interviews and translation.

Rom-Shiloni emphasized the importance of this effort. “This heritage, transmitted only orally from generation to generation, has never been set down in writing,” she said. “If we do not act quickly, we might lose this precious cultural treasure.”

At its heart, the discovery of these ancient texts is a story of continuity and resilience. The Beta Israel community managed to preserve their sacred books for centuries, even when isolated from the rest of the Jewish world. Their survival is not an accident but the result of deep faith, community strength, and cultural pride.

Through collaboration between scholars and spiritual leaders, this project is helping to keep that legacy alive. The sacred books will remain where they belong—in the hands of those who have always protected them. But now, their stories and wisdom will reach beyond the prayer houses of Beta Israel to inspire a global audience.

This work does more than document history—it builds connections across generations and cultures. By preserving both the written and spoken traditions of Ethiopian Jewry, the Orit Guardians program ensures that this ancient heritage will live on, not just in libraries and archives, but in the lives and voices of future generations.

Research findings are available online here.

Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News.

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