" . . . offers intimate portraits in both the visual and narrative sense of Ethiopian Israelis from a variety of backgrounds speaking in their own voices. Male and female, old and young, religious and non-religious Ethiopians are all given the chance to describe their life journeys and the realities of their new home.. . . . Anyone interested in Israel, Ethiopia or African diaspora communities will find something to cherish in this book.
Professor Steven Kaplan, Hebrew University, Jerusalem

"The author writes with compassion but also with a penetrating conscience, reminding us of what we and the Jewish state have to do to embrace this community and gather them into our hearts . . . . This book for the entire family enriches our life and deepens the complexity of our Jewish journey."
Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis. Valley Beth Shalom, Encicno, CA

This marvelous book offers a story in words and photographs which complement each other beautifully. But it does much more than that. . . . This book is must reading for a full understanding of contemporary Israeli society.
Professor Shula Reinharz,
Director, Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University

"Lyons captures . . . some of the high and low points of perhaps the country's most difficult aliya. He is not afraid to address some of the difficult topics such as racism, poverty and alternative cultural practices. . . . powerful photography by Ilan Ossendryver . . . a recommended read for anyone interested in understanding the basics of where these black Jews come from and how they fit into Israeli society."
Jerusalem Post, September 6, 2007

"Even more than a beautiful book about beautiful individuals, this work is a service to the Jewish people."
Blu Greenberg, Author of On Women & Judaism

"Beautiful, important, captivating … captures the faces, feelings, and life experiences of Israel's Ethiopian Jewish population…. Deals in nuanced, sensitive, yet very concrete ways with the intersection of race, gender, religion, class, and minority status. I recommend it heartily for gift giving … and for reading yourself."
Prof. Sylvia Barack Fishman, Brandeis University

"A loving tribute to the resilience and courage of Ethiopian Jews, the tenacity of Jewish tradition over the centuries and the reality of Israel as a multiracial society."
Rabbi Harold Kushner, Author of When Bad things Happen to Good People

"Overcoming every possible stereotype, Lyons' book gives readers a deep sense of the complexity of Ethiopian life in Israel . . . this book is a powerful antidote to those who wish to dismiss Israel as nothing but a state of white Europeans."
Tikkun Magazine, May/June 2007

"The portraits in this book add a rich chapter to the story of the Jewish people."
Hadassah Magazine, June/July 2007

"…explores the complexities of the modern Ethiopian-Israeli experience....[and] celebrates their achievements." (See full-page photo essay.)
The Forward, July 25, 2007

"The Ethiopian Jews Of Israel is an impressive and welcome treatise that is enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library Judaic Studies and Israeli Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Midwest Book Review, June 9, 2007

Lyons, the author of six books, gives readers a well-balanced and discerning account of these people.
Booklist, American Library Association

"…points out the strengths of the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) community and what they can contribute to Israeli culture."
Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, March 23, 2007

"This splendid collection of stories and photos is insightful and touching. It is the first book to recount I captivating photos and candid interviews the profound challenges and inspiring accomplishments of Ethiopian Jews struggling to become Ethiopian Israelis."
Jewish Media Review, March 12, 2007

"This book provides an excellent introduction to on of the fascinating groups of people comprising the colorful and complex human quilt of Israel."
The American Jewish World, March 30, 2007

"This beautiful and touching book . . . explores the many challenges that face this unique group of immigrants.
South African Jewish Observer