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Interning at ENP: Translating Books, Teaching Surfing, and Singing Hatikva

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     I’m Sacha Toberoff, a summer intern at Ethiopian National Project (ENP) through the Columbia/Barnard Hillel Onward program. I’m studying history and political science at Columbia University. I grew up in a secular Jewish home in Malibu, California. I’ve always had a strong connection with my cultural background and recognized the importance of Israel, as my Safta grew up here. This is my first time in Israel and I have been delighted to connect with the land of my ancestors. I chose to intern with ENP because it is doing pivotal work to support the Ethiopian Israeli community by sponsoring scholarships and hosting leadership and English language programs. I have a background in service and legal work and am excited to bring these skills to ENP. Before coming to ENP, I knew little about the struggles of the Ethiopian Jewish community making Aliyah. For many years, they dreamed of returning to Israel, and when it was finally possible it took tremendous effort and sacrifice to make t
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Celebrating Achievement and Collaboration- ENP’s Students, Staff, and Teachers Accomplish and Inspire Eachother and Volunteers

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     On Sunday, November 21, I had the privilege of visiting the Amit Mekif Yud school in Ashdod and immersed first hand in the nurturing environment created by ENP’s SPACE program, spoke to the SPACE teachers about their insights and goals for the kids, and witnessed the dedicated work ethic of the 7th and 8th graders we talked to. While visiting Ashdod, the SPACE teacher explained to me the beauty of the SPACE program is that students are not made to feel like charity work, rather they receive extra help in school that other students get at home. Indeed, speaking to students at the Youth Summit I learned that while many of their parents know Hebrew, a significant portion speak only Amharic at home, inherently creating a barrier- in addition to being immigrants in a new culture and environment- not felt by other students in school. While in Ashdod, the teacher further explained that because of the structure and nature of the SPACE program, having it span all of high school, concrete g
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Dabo Bread and Dancing at Bus Stops: Highlights From an Inspiring Sigd

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     An outpouring of culture, custom, and collectivism, this past Thursday’s Sigd celebration filled me with awe and admiration. Vast crowds of Ethiopian-Jews gathered together on the Jerusalem Tayelet to celebrate connection and yearning to reside in Jerusalem, a reality that was made possible for thousands of Ethiopian families, who endured strenuous travels and obstacles, in the past few decades.       The unique customs and practices of Ethiopian Jewry shine a light on how incredible it is to have maintained tradition and devoutness throughout the diaspora. After the opening ceremony of the event, in which politicians addressed the feats and accomplishments of the community, I met a friendly young man named Oded. After offering my friends and I to taste some of his Dabo, a traditional Ethiopian bread that many Ethiopian Jews serve on Shabbat and that many break their Sigd fast with, he explained with eagerness his mom’s commitment to Judaism and gratitude to be in Jerusalem. His p
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Celebrating Sigd: Old Traditions Meet New Communities

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The Sigd festival held last week in Jerusalem was a special experience because it demonstrated a balance between isolation and assimilation, between tradition and modernity. Until contemporary times, the holiday of Sigd was practiced solely by Ethiopian Jews. Sigd celebrates the acceptance of the Torah and the desire to return to Israel and the Temple. It also marks the day that God is thought to have revealed Himself to Moses. Walking through the festival here in Jerusalem, it was impossible not to notice the subtle ways that Ethiopian and Israeli cultures alike have shaped our modern celebration of Sigd. Ethiopian Israelis dressed in traditional garments intermingled with those wearing popular street fashion. But, most importantly, it was not only the Ethiopian Israeli community celebrating. The crowd represented a mix of Jewish identities from numerous origins. For many immigrants, making a new life in another country tragically requires relinquishing ties to one’s traditions and ho
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Interview with Roni Akale

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Roni Akale is the first to share his story in our breathtaking project, #ENPeople documenting the lives and stories of different members of the ENP community. This project was created by our amazing intern Noa, a very talented photographer and storyteller. Noa photographs her subjects proceeding an interview about the subject's life and experiences. Over the next couple of months, Noa will be interviewing and photographing a variety of members in the ENP community including students, parents, and administrators in the organization. Noa hopes to amplify the voices of the Ethiopian Israeli community through a platform that highlights the strength and resilience of her interviewees. She hopes readers are inspired become mindful about their actions and resources so they can do more to help Ethiopians in Israeli society feel welcomed, supported, and heard. Read Roni's story below: “I was born in a Jewish village called Woinya. I was a shepherd. When I was six, my parents decided
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From Making Aliyah to Making a Difference

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The Hebrew word “Aliyah” ( עליה ) literally means “going up”. It was originally used when Jews were called up during services to read from the Torah. Today, it also refers to the process of emigrating from the Jewish diaspora to become citizens of Israel. For many Ethiopian Jews, Aliyah represents the fulfillment of a dream passed down for generations.   Making Aliyah is therefore meaningful not only individually, but collectively, as it constitutes an ancestral return to the Holy Land. Ethiopian Jews in particular faced many obstacles in the diaspora. In the 1970s, many fled Ethiopia to Sudan to escape persecution, where they lived in Sudanese refugee camps. The State of Israel led two major campaigns to rescue Ethiopian Jews: Operation Moses i n 1984 and Operation Solomon in 1991. The Ethiopian National Project checked in with several Ethiopian Israelis about their lives after making Aliyah. We ask, was it worth the risk to come to Israel? For each person, not only had their own su
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English as a Prerequisite to Israeli Success

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  Before I came to Israel, I was completely panicking about the language barrier I knew I was going to face. I had been abroad before, to places like Budapest and Tokyo where I truly did struggle not knowing the language. So, I downloaded the DuoLingo app and started learning basic Hebrew. However when I got to Israel I saw most people speaking English to me, and abandoned my Hebrew education. However, this is not the situation for all Israeli's. Many people do speak some conversational English, but lots of communities don't. It is common for people in lower socio-economic backgrounds to struggle with English proficiency, which is why programs like the ENP Bridges program that give English learning opportunities to students are so important. But let’s look at the stats. 85% of Israelis speak some English, 50% of the internet is in English, and 96% of articles are written in English. Speaking English is crucial to success, and Israel is no exception. English is taught in a m
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