Falasha Village- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Falasha Village (also known as Wolleka), located about 3 km north of Gondar in Ethiopia's Amhara region, preserves the legacy of the Beta Israel Jewish community that inhabited the area until most emigrated in the 1980s–1990s through operations such as Moses and Solomon. The village is distinguished by its compact mud‑brick houses decorated with Stars of David and geometric motifs, and a small octagonal synagogue with a thatched roof and richly painted interior created from natural pigments. Falasha artisans historically organized local craft traditions—pottery, weaving, blacksmithing—to support their community after losing land rights following Christianisation of Ethiopia; their skills may have contributed to the ornamentation of Gondar's royal castles. Today visitors can walk through the synagogue, browse artisanal stalls, and reflect on the complex history of Ethiopia's Jewish minority and their cultural imprint on the region.