Dres Tefra

Father's name: Tefra Levy

Mother's name: Zuma Kesah

Year of birth: 1941

Place of birth: Beldgray Tekala Haymanot, Wegera

Region in Ethiopia: Wegera

Main occupation in Ethiopia: Blacksmith and builder

The language of the interview: Amharic

Dres Tefra, nature, agriculture, shepherding, builder, traditional doctor, blacksmithing, studies, building houses from tin, measurement, construction, contractor, farmers’ union, school, synagogue, conscription, military mission, jail, security, Derg, Emperor Haile Selassie, Beldgray, Tekala Haymanot, Wegera, Jerusalem, Wark-Damuch, Addis Ababa, Israel.

Summary of the testimony:

Dres describes his family tree, his village, and the local history. He recalls the various games he played as a child, and how the festivals were celebrated. He tells stories about Jerusalem that he heard as a child.

During the rule of Emperor Haile Selassie, Dres’s Jewish relatives were forbidden from owning land. They had to rent the land they worked on. After the Derg party rose to power, the prohibition was rescinded. The family was granted full ownership of lands. They also made a living from blacksmith work. Dres describes the work, how he learned it from his father, and what tools they made. At the age of 12, he began to study in school, where he learned to read and write and some religious studies. His studies were limited because he had to help support his family.

At the age of 24, after marrying and starting a family, he began to work as a builder, planning and building custom-made houses from tin. Dres describes how he learned the profession from a gentleman from the province of Tigray, who worked with his father. He initially worked as an apprentice. After he was fully trained, building became his main occupation. Dres explains that there was a great demand for tin houses, since they are fire resistant. Setting fire to houses was a common act of revenge in various types of disputes.

He describes the residential homes, synagogues, and produce storehouses he built. He also describes the tools and work methods he used, beginning with the measurement stage, then laying the foundations, building the walls and roof, and the final stage of covering the house in tin. It took eight days to build a small house, and twelve to build a large house. The demand was especially great during the Christian festival of Arbeto, which was celebrated around the time of the Passover festival. During this time, the farmers did not work in the fields.

After the Derg party took power, farmers’ unions were established. They ordered sheds for their bulls from Dres. The ruling party also enacted a mandatory education law for all citizens, and Dres built schools in many villages. He was recruited for various military missions, such as catching wanted people who were hiding in the forests, or guarding jails.

When the immigration to Israel via Addis Ababa began, Dres sold all his possessions and moved there with his family, where they waited until it was their turn to immigrate to Israel.