By
– September 1, 2011
Many people have read military accounts of Jews who escaped from Ethiopia via the Israeli airlift. However, this book tells us of the escape of one teenaged girl who is separated from her family and tries to rejoin them. Its title refers to Wuditu, the main character, whose is called a beautiful giraffe with a long neck by her grandmother who says that “even when she’s sad or frightened holds her head up and doesn’t cry.” That description is a foreshadowing of all the misery this young woman will endure. By showing us the blatant anti-Semitism that Jews in Ethiopia are subjected to, the reader is able to see why escape is their only alternative. Wuditu is an excellent student in a literacy class in her village. She is shocked that her teacher, who she previously respected, promulgates the belief that the Jews killed Jesus. Additionally, he teaches that the Beta Israel or Falashas (the Ethiopian terms for Jews) are possessors of the evil eye and “can harm you just by looking at you.” Although to an American reader it seems impossible that an entire populace believes this, the author repeatedly shows how Wuditu almost dies when people find out she is Jewish. Initially, Wuditu joins her family, who escape from their village. She tries to connect with the Israelis who will airlift the family to Israel. Through a variety of mishaps, Wuditu is left alone and must be responsible for herself under the most adverse circumstances. She is a vulnerable young woman with no resources. When she tries to get employment, she has no references and can therefore secure only the most menial jobs. She eventually is hired as a servant in a teacher’s home. Although the teacher is reputable, his nephew (who lives with him) is not and she is forced to leave. To avoid living on the streets, she accepts a job from a woman who never pays her and treats her like a slave. How she finally escapes is both amazing and harrowing. This book is suspenseful and worth reading but due to the amount of violence, this book is meant for a young adult audience. The story is based on real events. The back of the book states that the author, a journalist, risked her life to help Wuditu leave Ethiopia and find safety in Israel, where she still lives today. Ages l2 – 15.
Marge Kaplan is a retired English as a Second Language teacher. She is a consultant for the children’s literature group for the Roseville, MN school system and is a storyteller of Jewish tales.
