For decades the Falashas - the Black Jews of Ethiopia - have fascinated scholars. Are they really Jews and in what sense? How can their origins be explained? Since the Falashas' transfer to Israel in the much publicised Israeli air lifts, the fascination has continued and new factors are now being discussed.

Written by the leading scholars in the field, the essays in this collection examine the history, music, art, anthropology, and current situations of the Ethiopian Jews. Issues examined include their integration into Middle Eastern society, contacts between the Falasha and the State of Israel, and how the Falasha became Jews in the first place.