Died at the age of 97, a day after the death of his wife Almito • The two were laid to rest in Beit Shemesh • Served as a first-rate spiritual figure for members of the community
The late Dana Case
Photography:
Itzik Friedman Ben Shalom
Case Dana (Rafael) Takoya, one of the most prominent figures in the Beta Israel community, passed away yesterday (Sunday) at the age of 97, just a day after the death of his wife Elmito.
The two, who had been married for about 77 years, were laid to rest in their hometown of Beit Shemesh.
Case Dana was born in the village of Gorba in the Gemadar district of Ethiopia and was orphaned at a young age.
In 1954 he studied Hebrew and rabbinic Judaism, and was later employed by the Jewish Agency as a teacher of Hebrew and Judaism.
In 1976, Lika Cohen (a religious priest in charge of a large area) was appointed to the position and served as a judge in a high court.
In 1985 he immigrated to Israel.
Upon settling in Israel, he began working for the Ethiopian community.
Among other things, he conducted negotiations against the demand for conversion to Humra, which then provoked heavy anger in the Ethiopian immigrant community because they claimed that they should not convert at all, a position that was finally accepted by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
Due to a given line taken, the case was declared by community protesters as an undesirable personality.
He later made another controversial decision, recognizing the Falashmura members as part of Beta Israel and working to bring them to Israel.
Case Hadana conducted for decades the Sigd ceremonies and Memorial Day ceremonies on the way to Israel, and is considered one of the most important figures in the Ethiopian community in the country.
His children continued his public work.
One of his sons, Rabbi Yosef Hadana, served as the Chief Rabbi of Ethiopian Jews on behalf of the Chief Rabbinate until 2017.
In the city of Beit Shemesh, they received the news of the death of Case Dana and his wife in shock.
"The couple worked for many years for the Ethiopian community in everything that is sacred, reached out to every person for help and kindness for free and established the magnificent synagogue in Bar Ilan for Ethiopians," the local newspaper "Beit Shemesh News" praised him.
Yehudit Springer, who grew up near the case, said: "Every Passover morning I would go to the case house to hear the story of the Exodus from Egypt. I would come alone and ask to meet with the case, when his whole family including the grandchildren are there, and I want to hear the story. With me and telling me, and I was so happy. "
She said of his wife: "She was a right-hand man, they had an amazing connection. A real, humble, humble, hospitable woman. A month ago, they were privileged to bring in a Torah scroll."