Jednakos

Jednakos is a term used in Ethiopian Jewish culture to describe interfaith marriages between Ethiopian Jews and non-Jews, often resulting in the conversion of one or both spouses to Judaism.

Historically, the practice of jednakos was relatively common among Ethiopian Jewish communities, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s, when Ethiopia was a major country of origin for Jewish immigrants to Israel. Many young Jewish women who had not yet found suitable husbands would marry non-Jewish men in an effort to preserve their cultural heritage and to ensure the continuation of their family line.

However, as the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel grew and became more integrated, attitudes towards jednakos began to shift. The Israeli government and many in the wider Jewish community viewed interfaith marriages as a threat to the preservation of Jewish identity and tradition.

Today, the practice of jednakos remains relatively rare in the Ethiopian Jewish community, reflecting a greater emphasis on maintaining Jewish traditions and stronger social and cultural integration into the wider Israeli Jewish community.

From a historical and anthropological perspective, jednakos offers insight into the complex cultural dynamics of the Ethiopian Jewish community, particularly with regards to issues of identity, culture, and tradition. Accurate estimates of the extent of jednakos are difficult to determine due to the taboo nature of the practice and a lack of comprehensive research on the topic. However, ongoing studies and scholarly discussions suggest that the practice persists, albeit in a more discreet and stigmatized manner.