Solomon Mengesha is an M.A. Candidate in Jewish Studies.
1- How did you get involved with Jewish Studies?
While working with the formerly incarcerated, I decided to continue my education and enrolled in graduate school, where I earned a M.A. in public administration (MPA). After that, I went to work for various private and non-profit organizations. However, in the back of my mind, I remembered two things about my late father. He used to call me Dr. Solomon for as long as I can remember and expected that I, one day, become a Doctor, which did not happen in his lifetime as he died in 2001. Second, I used to see my father, whom we called Abbe which is Amharic for father, listening to the AM/FM radio for information about Israel. I did not know why then, but before he died in 2001, I realized how much Israel and the Jewish people meant to him. He never got to see Israel but left me with his passion for Israel and the Jewish people. Now I'm seeking to do the things he wanted to do for himself but could not do in his lifetime. This is what led me to enroll in the Jewish Studies M.A. program at Columbia and research the Betha Israelis, in particular. In this regard, Dr. Isabelle Levy (M.A. Program Director), has been a great mentor and superb guide who is gentle yet challenged me to do better throughout my studies on Ethiopian Jews. I was also lucky to have studied with Dr. Debra Glasberg Gail last Spring in the Jews, Magic, and Science course, where I fell in love with the work of Isaac Luria, a leading rabbi and Jewish mystic of the 16th century. This course exposed me to Jewish poets, physicians, astronomers, rabbis, and thought leaders in Jewish history, including Maimonides.
2- What are you currently researching and working on?
As part of my M.A., I am currently researching Betha Israel (Ethiopian Jews) material culture. As an outgrowth of my studies, I incorporated a non-profit organization named Our Story (Yegna Tariq in Amharic), which seeks to build bridges to share information in real-time through relevant data mining and evaluation, education, cultural interchange, and technology sharing. It aims to help create a local Betha Israel Material Culture Center that houses books, oral tradition, customs, and music.The information will be centered around and embedded within language, faith, education, contact with other communities, and the pursuant survival and development of its unique Jewish identity. Our Story aims to bring policy changes in Israel via public opinion, shaped by data-driven information gained when local communities create space, access resources, and allow other stakeholders to be directly or indirectly involved. I am also co-authoring a book about the Betha Israelis with the help, guidance, and support of Prof. Yehoshua Frenkel of University of Haifa.
3- What are you most looking forward to this Spring?
I am looking forward to traveling to California to see my daughter.