November 4th, 2021
Ben & Sarai Kerido
On the twenty-ninth day of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, 49 days after Yom Kippur, on a day which usually falls in November, a unique holiday called Sigd is observed by the Beta Israel, or the Ethiopian Jewish, community. Sigd is derived from a root word in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Ge’ez that refers to bowing down or prostrating oneself in worship.
Once, Ethiopia’s Jews would ascend to the highest point near their homes on this day, look towards Jerusalem and pray. Today, thank God, the holiday is observed by a gathering of thousands in Jerusalem itself. First the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) engage in fasting, prayer, and public readings from the Torah and the early books of the Tanakh. Then, the fast is broken with food, dancing, and celebration.
But where did Sigd come from? And why should the rest of the Jewish world be aware of the observance and find relevance in it? …
