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Last update - 18:19 10/06/2008 N.Y. Jewish group departs from Israeli gov't line, will aid Falashmura By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Falashmura, aliyah  The Jewish federation of New York, departing from current policies of the Israeli government, decided last week to continue to provide aid to Falashmura in the Gundar province of northern Ethiopia, who hope eventually to immigrate to Israel. The decision came as Israel planned to halt immigration of Falashmura this month, arguing that the government has already accepted all of the Falashmura who were eligible to come to live in Israel. Advertisement The New York federation is the first major Jewish organization to act contrary to the government's decision to cease its activities in Ethiopia. The Jewish Week newspaper of New York reported last week that the federation has decided to allocate $180,000 dollars to aid the Falashmura, who claim Jewish ancestry, despite having converted to Christianity over the years. At present, two major large organizations which are dealing with Ethiopians, the Joint Distribution Committee and The United Jewish Communities of America (UJC) are lining up with the government's decision. Recently, the UJC informed its members that it is halting its allocations of funds to the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry (NACOEJ), which operates food and education programs for the Falashmura in Gondar. NACOEJ and some of the Ethiopian immigrant organizations are demanding that the government reverse the decision to halt Falashmura aliyah, and that the Ministry of the Interior reconsider the status of some 8,700 Falashmura who remain in limbo, waiting to immigrate to Israel. Last week, the Prime Minister's Office began examining the possibility of reinstating the eligibility of additional Falashmura for aliyah. The New York federation was unavailable for comment over the Shavuot holiday. The Shas party has urged that immigration of Falashmura continue, while Ethiopian immigrant groups in Israel and the United States have said that there are still thousands that meet criteria set by Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar. Amar ruled, based on a previous ruling by Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, that the Falashmura should be recognized as Jewish, but because "they were assimilated in the last generation," they should nonetheless undergo conversion. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Knowing when to fold Ehud Olmert tells Kadima to begin preparations for party primaries. Cost of kashrut Meat prices set to soar after raid on biggest kosher slaughterhouse in U.S.   1.   Get your facts right 19:58  |  Another Jew 10/06/08   2.   They africanization of Israel 21:17  |  CHANGE! 10/06/08   3.   Non- jewish Aliah??? 23:20  |  Slappy 10/06/08   4.   If They Are Willing to Convert Back 07:13  |  Craftsman 12/06/08   5.   Of course same new yorkers wouldn`t accept them as neighbours 20:32  |  Dennie 12/06/08

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