Arthur Stark, Chairman and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations issued the following statement:
The Conference of Presidents today expressed its deep regret on the passing of the Hon. Princeton Lyman, who, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, played an important role in organizing the airlift of thousands of Ethiopian Jews from the Sudan to Israel, in what was called Operation Moses. Furthermore, as US Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Lyman earned the respect of all parties and helped in the government transition from apartheid to democracy
Only two American diplomats were informed of the details, secret flights, and the complex logistics in bringing them undetected to Israel from the Sudan, which had no relations with the Jewish State. “We had the privilege of working with him both during and in the aftermath of Operation Moses. He played a low-key role and was not properly recognized in the media for his important contribution. We are grateful for his service to the United States and his important place in the historic chapter of the rescue of Ethiopian Jews, as well as his friendship to us,” said Malcolm Hoenlein.
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