Israel held its annual state memorial ceremony Thursday morning for Ethiopian Jews who died on their journey to Israel, with thousands gathering at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem before Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) to honor members of the Beta Israel community who unfortunately never made it. The ceremony commemorated more than 4,000 Ethiopian Jews who perished during the dangerous journey through Sudan in the 1980s on their way to Israel.

Beginning in the late 1970s and accelerating through the 1980s, thousands of Ethiopian Jews left their villages following calls from Israel and Mossad emissaries operating in the region. Entire families crossed harsh desert routes through Sudan hoping to reach Jerusalem. Many died from hunger, disease, violence and brutal conditions along the way, while relatives were often forced to bury loved ones in unmarked graves or leave them behind without documentation.

The memorial is held each year on the 28th of Iyar, Yom Yerushalayim, symbolizing the longing of Ethiopian Jewry to reach Yerushalayim after generations in exile. The date was officially established by the Knesset as the national memorial day for Ethiopian Jews who died en route to Israel.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Isaac Herzog described the aliyah of Ethiopian Jewry as one of the defining moments in Israel’s history. “There are moments in the history of the state that enter deeply into the heart. The aliyah of Ethiopian Jewry was one such moment,” Herzog said. He added: “Thank you for coming, thank you for not giving up, thank you for being here.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu connected the memorial directly to Jerusalem Day, telling members of the community: “My brothers and sisters of Ethiopian descent, who more than you knows that our presence in Jerusalem is not self-evident. You dreamed, you merited, you saw Jerusalem.” Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer also announced plans to establish a heritage center at Mount Herzl dedicated to preserving the story of the Beta Israel community for future generations.