ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that most programmes of "cultural preservation" are based on myth, and that serious internal contradictions characterize virtually all the many phenomena classified and justified under that rubric. It suggests that changes in the culture of Ethiopians in Israel can be best understood not as inauthentic or diluted forms of traditional Beta Israel life, which has since its inception in the early twentieth century drawn from both Beta Israel and normative Jewish models. The chapter explores some specific examples of the culture of Ethiopian immigrants in the light of the model and considers culture of Ethiopian immigrants in Israel. Even greater and more immediate contradictions exist when the preservation of Ethiopian Jewish culture is undertaken by Rabbinic-sponsored religious groups. In fact, most of the programmes had little to do with the preservation of what was unique and specific to Beta Israel culture, rather they sought to homogenize their beliefs and practices into a single universal tradition.
