Since the 1980s, Israel has welcomed thousands of Ethiopian Jews under the Aliyah program, allowing them to immigrate to the country and obtain citizenship but however, the integration of this community into Israeli society has been a complex challenge.
Ethiopian immigrants often arrive in Israel carrying the weight of emotional trauma, requiring special care and support as they embark on their new lives and upon arrival, they are sent to transit centers where they are provided with essential items such as clothing, shoes, and official documents, including citizenship and identity cards and efforts are made to reunite them with family members, although the absence of last names makes this a challenging task, as they are typically known by their given names and their father’s name, such as “Chaim, son of Eleazar.”
Approximately 10% of Ethiopian children arrive without parents, either orphaned or with their families still in Ethiopia and many require immediate medical attention for illnesses uncommon in Israel, including intestinal parasites, malaria, dysentery, skin diseases, and tuberculosis as the prevalence of Hepatitis B is high, and there is a need for donations of vaccines to address this issue.
At the absorption centers, Ethiopians engage in Hebrew language studies and receive education about various aspects of Israeli society, but despite these efforts, the Ethiopian Jewish community faces significant challenges during the integration process.
A report conducted by the Bank of Israel some years ago raised concerns about the integration of the Ethiopian community into Israeli society, and unfortunately, the situation has not significantly improved since then. The report highlighted the following disparities:
- Poverty: The estimated poverty rate among Ethiopian families is approximately 51.7%, significantly higher than the 15.8% in the general Israeli population.
- Employment: The rate of labor market participation among Ethiopian adults stands at around 65.7%, compared to about 82.5% in the general Israeli population. Unemployment among Ethiopians is estimated at approximately 13.2%, while the general Israeli population faces an unemployment rate of 7.4%.
- Income Disparity: The monthly per capita income is estimated at about 1,994 New Israeli Shekels among Ethiopians, while the general Israeli population has an income of approximately 3,947 New Israeli Shekels.
- Education: The percentage of Ethiopian students awarded the Bagrut Certification (high school diploma) is approximately 44%, compared to about 57% in the rest of the Israeli population. Furthermore, only around 34% of Ethiopian immigrants meet the requirements for higher education, contrasting with approximately 83% of the general Israeli population.
- Educational Attainment: Approximately 21.7% of Ethiopian immigrants hold a high school diploma or higher education, compared to about 49.2% in the general Israeli population. Conversely, about 20.4% of Ethiopian immigrants lack basic education, compared to only 0.9% in the general Israeli population.
- Crime Rate: The rate of criminal charges against 12- to 20-year-old Ethiopian immigrants is 4.6%, twice as high as the equivalent age group from the rest of Israeli society.
Nonetheless, Israel remains the only country in the world where Judaism prevails, offering a unique advantage to Ethiopian immigrants but the challenges faced by Ethiopian immigration to Israel are significant, both socially and economically and such a large influx of immigrants strains an economy already grappling with high inflation and unemployment.
While the path to integration for Ethiopian immigrants is undoubtedly challenging, Israel’s commitment to supporting their journey and facilitating their successful integration remains crucial and even when the estimated cost of absorbing Ethiopian immigrants over the next two years stands at $300 million, it seems to be not enough to support them.
Helping Families in Need
In addition to the usual difficulties that immigrants face when adjusting to a new culture, language, and social system, Ethiopian “olim chadashim” also have to deal with the adversities imposed by the conflict in the region as the constant insecurity and attacks in the area near the Gaza Strip create an atmosphere of fear and additional stress for these new immigrants and the sirens announcing missile attacks generate an unimaginable level of tension, especially for those who have come to Israel seeking safety and stability. This situation further complicates their adaptation and can lead to psychological trauma in those who suffer direct effects from the conflict.
Fortunately, amidst these challenges, the “City of Life” Ministry has taken on the responsibility of providing support and assistance to the new Ethiopian immigrants and our Outreach Center in Sderot has become a refuge of hope and solidarity for those in need of help in their adaptation process as through various projects, the ministry offers support like food sacks, diapers, svouchers for supermarkets, furniture, and other necessary household items, providing practical relief to those struggling to establish themselves in their new environment.
In addition to material assistance, the “City of Life” Ministry also provides psychological support to Ethiopian immigrants as we understand the importance of addressing the emotional and psychological impact of the conflict and strive to offer encouraging support that promote mental health and well-being within the Ethiopian community.
Lately our ministry extended a helping hand to a remarkable woman named Sivan and her beautiful family, a vibrant young mother who finds herself raising five young children, the youngest of whom entered this world a mere three months ago, and even when she is a hardworking Ethiopian immigrant, we are aware that her economic situation is far from easy, so as a community outreach center we strive to support her through providing food baskets, vouchers, and assistance according to our organization’s capabilities.
Sivan diligently works at a nursing home, returning to her job shortly after giving birth to her third child and her unwavering determination stems from the need to provide for her precious children, who depend on her love and care but despite the challenges she faces, Sivan always wears a smile on her face and remains hopeful for a brighter future as she expresses deep gratitude to both God and our ministry for the support and assistance we have given her.
But the journey doesn’t end here as in the City of Life Ministry we’re committed to touching the lives of many more families like Sivan’s, offering a helping hand and the gift of hopea nd showing the love of the Father as we believe that together we can make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most.
We invite you to join us in this calling, your involvement can transform the lives of families facing adversity. Let us extend our hands and hearts to those in need, just as we did for Sivan and her children.
Together, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of families within our community in Sderot and the border towns, and become a beacon of hope in someone’s life.
You can be part of and impact the lives of more people who need help in our city and together show them the way, the truth and the life.
We invite you to be part of our ministry so that together we can bring hope to our border town of Sderot.
Our work would not be possible without the help of partners like you, so we ask you to consider in prayer the possibility of a monthly commitment that will allow us to continue with the Lord’s work here in Israel.
Sincerely yours
Pastors
Michael & Dina Beener
and CLM Israel Team
“City of Life”
Messianic congregation and Outreach Center
Sderot, Israel.
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