Post by Zadkiel on Jan 12, 2016 19:42:51 GMT
Atenism did not die along with Akenaten's reign. When the religious structure of Aketaten collapsed, one of its branches fled south to Elephantine Island and established a community that was concentrated around the temple there. Later, this was influenced by Aramaic and Hebrew elements. The Persian occupiers protected the Atenists' descendants until the former was forced to withdraw from Egypt. The Elephantine Island Community then moved on to Ethiopia, where generation after generation have maintained their religious rituals right up to the present time, when most of these people, who call themselves "Habasha" and "Kayla", have chosen to emigrate to Israel, despite the fact that they in many ways are treated as "secondary citizens" and called Falasha ("alien") there. One reason why they are ostracized by most Israelis is not their darker skin colour, but rather that their faith and teaching are very different from those practiced by mainstream Judaism. However, this is not surprising, since the Ethiopian "Jews" are not Jews at all, because their religion has not evolved from Judaism, but only shares its origins.
