In 1991, Ethiopia was a country in turmoil. Years of civil war had brought the regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam close to collapse, with Eritrean and Tigrayan rebel forces fighting to overthrow him. Amid the growing political instability, there was mounting concern for the safety of Ethiopia's Jewish communities, many of whom were living in remote regions of the country.

Operation Solomon was born out of that urgency — a covert mission orchestrated by the Israeli government, with Mossad playing a key role in coordinating intelligence and diplomatic efforts on the ground. Shrouded in secrecy and protected by military censorship, it was an operation of extraordinary scale. To accommodate the vast numbers being evacuated, EL AL 747s were stripped of their seats. Aircraft designed to carry around 400 passengers were, at one point, carrying more than 1,000.

I documented one of these last exoduses.

My journey began in the remote villages of Gondar in the Ethiopian Highlands, where some of the last remaining Jewish communities were preparing to leave. For several weeks, I lived alongside the families in their mud huts as they prepared for the monumental journey to the ‘Holy Land’.

We finally left Addis Ababa in the dead of night, flying via Athens before arriving in Israel. I was the only Westerner on the flight and, somewhere along the way, my role began to shift. Having lived alongside the families for several weeks, I found myself helping them navigate a world entirely unfamiliar to them.

These photographs document that journey and the immensely proud, brave and remarkable individuals who allowed me to share it.