Daughters of the Ark

Susan Merskey is freelance writer in London, Ontario.

In 939 BCE, Aleesha and her family were sent from ancient Jerusalem to
Ethiopia to join the court of Queen Sheba. They left bearing the Ark of
the Covenant, but King Solomon’s men reclaimed it. But even without
it, as Aleesha’s father tells her “[t]he Ark and its commandments
lie in the minds and hearts of anyone who wants to understand what they
mean.” As well, Aleesha still has the emerald she took from the Temple
before leaving Jerusalem.

Almost 3,000 years later, as a part of Operation Exodus, which brought
many Ethiopian Jews to Israel, Debritu and her brothers leave their
Ethiopian village bearing the emerald that has been passed down through
the generations of their family since Aleesha’s death. Once Debritu
learns Hebrew, she is able to follow the instructions wrapped round the
emerald and return it to the ruins of the Temple.

Both groups encountered many dangers en route, and the author makes no
attempt to gloss over the hardships they endured. She also describes the
devastating effects of the famine in the Gondar region of Ethiopia in
the 1980s.

In a story based on the ancient and contemporary history of the Beyta
Israel tribe, Anna Morgan has brought together true events, real
characters, and legends to create a fast-moving and fascinating novel
for young readers aged 10 and up. A chronology, glossary, and
photographs from modern-day Ethiopia are all useful additions.
Recommended.