Fall Holiday Newsletter September 2010 Dear Friends, During the past year, we have seen the IAEJ weather many challenges while experiencing exciting changes and growth. Rosh Hashana is the celebration of new beginnings, and coincidentally is a time when we welcome IAEJ’s new Executive Director Ziva Mekonen Degu, who replaces Danny Admasu. After more than four years of valuable service on behalf of the Ethiopian Israeli community, we wish him continued success. The New Year is also an opportunity for soul-searching and committing to a fresh start. In the coming year, the IAEJ, under Ziva’s leadership, will undergo professional strategic planning to define and sharpen IAEJ’s mission, in order to intensify our community’s voice to advocate at the grassroots and national level for better solutions to advance Ethiopian Israeli integration. IAEJ needs your help now. Your donation of any size will help us to improve the lives of Israel's most vulnerable community suffering from discrimination in education, employment and housing and a standard of living that continues to decline farther behind other Israelis. In this Newsletter, you will read about how IAEJ made a real and vital difference and how lives were made measurably better as a result of our advocacy efforts. The Ethiopian Israeli community has generated solid successes and progress has been made, but we still have a long way to go to. Your support will enable IAEJ to keep going. In this New Year, we look forward to your continued partnership and we wish our colleagues and supporters a productive and fruitful year. Shana Tova, Shula Mola Chairperson Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews
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These are my Names. Ruth Mason, a Jerusalem resident and IAEJ supporter, has just released a filmtitled, These are my Names. The 30-minute documentary explores the experiences and identity conflicts of Ethiopian Israelis through the prism of the immigrants' Amharic and Tigrinya names -- names that carry a depth of meaning and connection not found in the West. In the film, we meet young Ethiopian Israelis whose original names – changed without their consent upon their immigration to Israel – take them back to childhoods in nature, to the hunger and fear in Sudan, to longing for loved ones who disappeared or died on the journey to Israel, to denial of their identity…and a return to their roots |
Hillard Fahn (ז"ל) "The Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews" (IAEJ) extends its heartfelt condolences to the Fahn family on the untimely passing of IAEJ's dedicated supporter Hillard Fahn. Hillard Fahn funded the Hillard Fahn Scholarship to assist university students and develop young leadership. He devoted his life to forging connections with others, especially many young people he met around the world. He was an example of perseverance and believing in yourself, no matter what the obstacles, and to live life to the fullest. His passing is a real loss to the IAEJ and the Ethiopian Israeli community. May his memory be a blessing. |
Zionist Actions of Ethiopian Israelis Find Their Place in History Books.jpg)
Editorial In the Picture: Yona Bogale, The 'Ethiopian Herzl'
IAEJ congratulates Minister of Education, Gideon Saar, on his decision to include the Ethiopian Aliyah and heritage in the compulsory history curriculum. Executive Director of IAEJ, Danny Admasu, sent a letter to congratulate the Minister and called on him to include the perspective of Ethiopian Israelis in the history books: “Don't leave out the Zionist actions of the Ethiopian Israelis themselves from the history books.” |
Introducing Y.E.S: The New Student Activist Group "Y.E.S" - Young Ethiopian Students
Y.E.S was founded by seven Ethiopian Israeli students when we came to the conclusion that, the only way to create real social change and progress in our community, is to think radically. Our goal is to share information and ideas in various fields; to be a forum and address that encourages critical thinking; to find ways to advance real integration - in a respectable and authentic way - into Israeli society; to promote creativity; and to take initiative instead of being marginalized. We strongly believe that just as our parents did, we too can make a real change for future generations.
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 | "The Beauty of Photography"The photographer Benny Voodoo welcomes the surfers to view his new website -"The Beauty of Photography", that present the Ethiopian community from inside.
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The (Ugly) Truth About the Five-Year Comprehensive Plan for Ethiopian IsraelisDanny Admasu, Executive Director the Israeli Association for Ethiopian Jews Photo by Avi Masfin: The Five-Year Plan 2008 Declaration  On January 6 th, 2010, the High Court of Justice discussed the petition on the implementation of the Five-Year Plan, submitted almost a year ago by the Israeli Association for Ethiopian Jews and Gadi Yavarkan. |
Updated Statistics on the Ethiopian IsraelisOn the occasion of the Ethiopian Jewish Sig’d Holiday, in November, the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), published current statistics on the Ethiopian Israeli community, prompted by the Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews (IAEJ). The data presents a small improvement of the Ethiopian Israeli community but the gap compared to other Jewish Israelis is still too wide. |
 | Stage of Jerusalem Cinematheque Turned Dance Floor for One NightEditorial Pictures: Bahano Admasu Hip hop artist Jeremy Cool Habash swept the audience away during Ethiopian Cinema Night that took place last Sunday at the Jerusalem Cinematheque, transforming the theater's stage into a dance floor. Ethiopian Cinema Night, which took place this year for the fifth time in the framework of the Jewish Film Festival, was organized by the Israeli Association for Ethiopian Jews in association with Gesher Multicultural Film Fund and Jerusalem Cinematheque. |
The Promised LandBy Vered Lee, "Haaretz"
"The results show that Israeli society has failed to absorb the Ethiopians," says Danny Admasu, director-general of the IAEJ. "Israel is pervaded with stereotypes and racism that will take years to change. When you break down the statistics, you just can't argue that it's because this community has a different culture and that they don't speak Hebrew and aren't Israelis. It's a population of about 120,000 people, a third of whom were born in this country. Half of them are young and speak Hebrew. If you can't manage to get along with them, then I'll put it very bluntly: It's a barrier that white Israeli society has toward the color black." |
Discrimination against Ethiopian graduates. Disturbing research results Editorial A survey among employers reveals discrimination against the Ethiopian, ultra-orthodox and Arab sectors in high-prestige professions. Such are the findings of the "2009 Ono Report", published by the Ono Academic College, based on a study conducted among employers and managers in these professions. The report reflects a situation already well known, demonstrating quite clearly the fact that discrimination against Ethiopians in Israel does actually exist. |
The President’s Residence Thank You LetterPhotography: Irene Pratik
 With the conclusion of the Sig’d Holiday festivities for the year 5770, which included a plethora of activities aimed at bringing the story of Ethiopian Israelis into the conscience of the Israeli public and bringing together the community’s youth with its successful young leaders, the President’s Residence expressed its gratitude to the members of the Forum for Advancement of the Ethiopian Immigrants, including the Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews. (IAEJ) |
Little Man Metuku Searches for HomeLilach Gavish  The play “Metuku’s Home” by Hullegebb, the Israeli-Ethiopian Theatre Group, won first prize in the Israeli Fringe Theatre Festival, Acco, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Out of ten participants in the competition, the play won first prize together with one other play. Actor Beyne Getahun received a commendation for his role as the main character in the play, Metuku. The play, fantastic and surreal, is made up from the experience and stories of members of the Ethiopian community in Israel, which are expressed by poetry, humor and dance, often with spine-tingling intensity
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