Life in Ethiopia was a life of quiet of agricultural work. My grandfather cultivated the land himself and grew the grain, the cows and vegetables for his livelihood and took care of his family.
He did not need to buy food, including meat, but raised the sheep and cattle himself.
Grandma milled the flour and cooked the food. She also took care of the household needs and raised the children.
Jews in Ethiopia guarded their Jewishness by separating themselves from their surroundings.
My grandparents lived in the village together with the Kais (community Rabbi) who was my grandfather's uncle and kept the Torah and mitzvot, Shabbat and holidays.
I created a model of the village of Sarmale in Ethiopia where my mother and her family lived because I was interested in knowing how my mother and her family lived there, what their life was like how different their culture is from our culture today.
My family story
By Manuel Hirsch Grosskopf