Movie Screening – Bal Ej: The Hidden Jews of Ethiopia
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Jewish Museum of Maryalnd
15 Lloyd Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Join us for the Maryland premiere of Bal Ej: The Hidden Jews of Ethiopia. Following a one-hundred-year-old account of the prominent Jewish Polish scholar Jacque Faitlovich, the film-maker travels to discover and explore a sect of secret Jews in Ethiopia. Named Bal Ej, craftsmen, for their artisan skills, they have been persecuted by their Orthodox Christian neighbors who slandered them as “evil-eyed” and “hyena-people.” They have been deprived of basic rights, including ownership of land. Fearing persecution, they appear to be Christian, practicing Judaism in strict secrecy. This film reveals hundreds of years of history, customs and culture of a remarkable community. Following the screening we will be talking with the director Irene Orleansky live from Israel via Face Time.