ONE OF THE historical events in which the present-day BetäƎsraʾel community takes most pride is the attempted exodus tothe Holy Land of numerous members of this com-munity in 1862. This exoduswas famously led by the monastic leader Abba Mähari.Abba Mähari's role as the high priest ofDämbəya is mentioned by Stern (1862, 249) and Flad (1869, 37),both of whom met with him prior to the exodus. Halévy (1877a, 227),who visited Ethiopia after the exodus, at a time when AbbaMähari had established his residence at QwällaWägära (see below), lists him among the most prestigiousmonastic leaders of the community. Qes ŠätoMǝḥrät, the great grandson of AbbaMähari's sister, wrote that AbbaMähari was “in charge of all themäloksewočč ” (Ben-Dor1987, 10). The awe which Abba Mähari inspired amongthe Betä Ǝsraʾel and their adherence to his words isreflected in the numerous sources mentioning him, and seems to have had asubstantial impact on the prestige of his place of residence,Zärʾa Wärqe, and on the size of the religious communityresiding there.

The precise location of this monastic centre has not yet been ascertained,but Stern's (1862, 239–48) account of his visit there and themap he published together with his book, the only known map in which thisplace appears, indicate its general location: In the map, the point markingZärʾa Wärqe appears northeast of Ǧändaand west-south-west of Gondär, on a ridge between two rivers flowingsouth to Lake Ṭana. This roughly corresponds with Stern'sdescription of the journey to Zärʾa Wärqe, according towhich the missionaries travelled west-southwest from Azäzo andreached and travelled along the Dərma River (which he refers to asthe Dimah River), before crossing it and reach-ing Balangäb (which herefers to as Balankab). And indeed, Balangäb is the name of alocality near, or partially corresponding with Amba Gwalit, andimmediately west of the Dərma River. Afterwards, Stern (1862,248–52) relates that the missionaries crossed the Dərma again(presumably to the east bank) and continued to ZärʾaWärqe, a journey which seems to have been rather short, since theycrossed the Dərma after mid-day and arrived in ZärʾaWärqe on the same day, with ample time to meet withAbba Mähari and then spend the nightelsewhere.