Judy in Israel, Blog Post #5
7/9 I shared a book with Dagitu and Bayush this morning about Pesach (Passover) around the world. The section on Ethiopians was somewhat interesting to them, though it describes the world of their parents and grandparents more than theirs. They were excited to see the map yet had not idea how to read it. They were most interested in the recipe that accompanies each chapter, though the one described was nothing they had eaten. It used matza meal, which they did not understand/have a context for. Yet, they did recognize noog, an Ethiopian sesame seed paste that they love. They still enjoy some native foods, which are available here, along with the pots in which to cook them. They celebrate Pesach like more modern Israelis, complete with an egg and a Haggada. They were less knowledgeable about traditional Ethiopian ways of observing it.
2 boys didn’t show…2 did and one did not like the lesson, which began with a discussion on racism. Elias felt that people are people, no matter where they are. He seems to have encountered some uncomfortable stuff. He insisted we speak English whenever we lapsed into Hebrew. I took out a book on MLK Jr., whom he was aware of. How did he know about him?, I asked. He says he learns everything from TV since he has no books. He asked me for books. He appreciated and agreed with the message of non-violence for bringing about change.
Later that evening, I had a brief conversation with Meir, the fruit man. After hearing about what I was doing in Jerusalem, he commented that Israelis have no compassion for the Ethiopians.
7/10 I always learn new Hebrew words from my students. But today I learned that Ethiopians have opinions about Arabs. The local, more informal “shmatte man,” I guess, was making his rounds. I learned this because I heard something being said over a loudspeaker, repeatedly. I asked what it was, and I was told, “Those Arabs…”what a sorry cycle of prejudice.
2 boys didn’t show…2 did and one did not like the lesson, which began with a discussion on racism. Elias felt that people are people, no matter where they are. He seems to have encountered some uncomfortable stuff. He insisted we speak English whenever we lapsed into Hebrew. I took out a book on MLK Jr., whom he was aware of. How did he know about him?, I asked. He says he learns everything from TV since he has no books. He asked me for books. He appreciated and agreed with the message of non-violence for bringing about change.
Later that evening, I had a brief conversation with Meir, the fruit man. After hearing about what I was doing in Jerusalem, he commented that Israelis have no compassion for the Ethiopians.
7/10 I always learn new Hebrew words from my students. But today I learned that Ethiopians have opinions about Arabs. The local, more informal “shmatte man,” I guess, was making his rounds. I learned this because I heard something being said over a loudspeaker, repeatedly. I asked what it was, and I was told, “Those Arabs…”what a sorry cycle of prejudice.
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