Raphael Hadane

Raphael Hadane is the Liqa Kahenat (High priest) of Beta Israel in Israel.

Born in Seqelt and studied with the Qessim as a child. During the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, he had moved to Ambober where he worked as a farmer. He studied Hebrew briefly in 1955 when an Israeli rabbi taught in Asmara. In 1985 Qes Adana immigrated to Israel along with his wife and eleven children.

Hadane has argued for the acceptance of the Falasha Mura as Jews.At a ceremony in 1994 marking the 10th anniversary of Operation Moses, Hadane recited the Yizkor prayer in Hebrew and Amharic in memory of 4,000 members of the community who died en route to Israel.