Judy Massarano in Israel
ENP's newest volunteer in Israel is Judy Massarano, an English teacher from Berkeley, California who came to Israel for the express purpose of volunteering with ENP. Judy is volunteering in Jerusalem and sharing her vast teaching experience with ENP youth. Her blog posts are written in a free-style, stream writing format. ENP hopes that Judy will inspire you to come volunteer with us here in Israel as well!
6/28-29 Early impressions
I always wanted to volunteer and specifically, learn about this population. Earlier trips had been as a student, then 22 years later as a tourist, then as an educator with a group looking at how Israel is taught in America, then finally as a chaperone for an 8th grade school trip. it was time to give back.
I met 3 girls, Azanash, Menna, and Merdana, all in 9th grade, all wanting to become more successful English speakers. They seemed typical in some ways, but have less affect than most teenage girls, either American or Israeli that I know. They listen to music, are interested in sports, animals. I was sad to learn that they are on the outside, that is, due to their color and questioned Jewish status, it is less common for them to be seen integrating with the indigenous Israeli girls. That made me so very sad.
They struggle, less with Hebrew, of course, but with English to an advanced degree.
Today I met two more students, Dagitu and Ba(y)ush...
7/5/09 Today I met with 4 Ethiopian teenage girls, with beautiful names and faces. They were all eager to learn, some more shy than others to try out their English with me. We spoke for a few minutes before reviewing letters, words, numbers, colors, and body parts. I asked them various questions. i had spent Shabbat in Beit Shemesh, where I noticed that in the predominantly Ashkenazi synagogue, a good number of Ethiopian women sat together yet did not participate, due, I was told, to their inability to speak Hebrew. "They pray in their hearts," said one girl, "or even in Amharic. They listen!" This same girl wondered about America, and acceptance of Jews. She pointed out that here, she stands out as Ethiopian, there she stood out as a Jew. Where does she fit?
Another girl asked, "What is a nigger?" The others knew this meant "kooshi." I asked where she had heard such a word. She said that young children here called her that. She was not upset by it, but I was very upset. I explained how that word is usually used as a terribly insulting name--they understood that to mean a kind of curse word. They wanted some background as to my own strong reaction. I told her how wrong it was to use a word that was used in the States to belittle a person of color.
2 others, very joyful girls I saw today also asked about America, and could anyone go there-- was it free in that way? I said, mostly... They then said they miss Ethiopia sometimes and still remember it, though life here is alright. They still have some family there. Their parents miss it more than they. They asked about the driving age in the States, and why it was so young. They hope to drive some day but realize it's a big responsibility. They help their parents with English, but difficult English is beyond them, too. They asked, "Why don't you live here?," as in, isn't this the obvious choice for a Jew?
They strike me as trying to sort out their own feelings. One plans to study medicine, and knows that English is key.
This afternoon I briefly met the boys whom I hope to study with. There are 3, who seemed interested and ready to work with me. We will begin on Wednesday.
Yitzchak, my contact person, met me at Matnas Lazarus in Talpiot. I learned that he gives psychological support to teens who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse, etc. I had many questions--he said the boys felt fairly accepted, but he reflected on the Ethiopian experience in response to my questions about their absorption. he discussed the various airlifts and how each time the experience was different. Earlier groups felt welcomed though culturally there was a divide. But this generation struggles with their status as Falash Mura, so they must go through a 3 year process of conversion in order to gain equal rights. Additionally, the 'tainted blood' episode for him personally, was scandalizing and painful.
These are a brave people, in a country struggling to help so many.
7/6 Thank you, you’re welcome, and bruchim ha’ba’im…English is very confusing! I learned that in their synagogue, tefila is done twice, once in Amharic, once in Ivrit, as the generations form one community. Will they hold onto the Amharic? I met Yisraela, super-motivated, we bought bagrut practice books. She is in a modern family, who ‘left behind’ all of the traditions, she said. We worked about 2 solid hours.
6/28-29 Early impressions
I always wanted to volunteer and specifically, learn about this population. Earlier trips had been as a student, then 22 years later as a tourist, then as an educator with a group looking at how Israel is taught in America, then finally as a chaperone for an 8th grade school trip. it was time to give back.
I met 3 girls, Azanash, Menna, and Merdana, all in 9th grade, all wanting to become more successful English speakers. They seemed typical in some ways, but have less affect than most teenage girls, either American or Israeli that I know. They listen to music, are interested in sports, animals. I was sad to learn that they are on the outside, that is, due to their color and questioned Jewish status, it is less common for them to be seen integrating with the indigenous Israeli girls. That made me so very sad.
They struggle, less with Hebrew, of course, but with English to an advanced degree.
Today I met two more students, Dagitu and Ba(y)ush...
7/5/09 Today I met with 4 Ethiopian teenage girls, with beautiful names and faces. They were all eager to learn, some more shy than others to try out their English with me. We spoke for a few minutes before reviewing letters, words, numbers, colors, and body parts. I asked them various questions. i had spent Shabbat in Beit Shemesh, where I noticed that in the predominantly Ashkenazi synagogue, a good number of Ethiopian women sat together yet did not participate, due, I was told, to their inability to speak Hebrew. "They pray in their hearts," said one girl, "or even in Amharic. They listen!" This same girl wondered about America, and acceptance of Jews. She pointed out that here, she stands out as Ethiopian, there she stood out as a Jew. Where does she fit?
Another girl asked, "What is a nigger?" The others knew this meant "kooshi." I asked where she had heard such a word. She said that young children here called her that. She was not upset by it, but I was very upset. I explained how that word is usually used as a terribly insulting name--they understood that to mean a kind of curse word. They wanted some background as to my own strong reaction. I told her how wrong it was to use a word that was used in the States to belittle a person of color.
2 others, very joyful girls I saw today also asked about America, and could anyone go there-- was it free in that way? I said, mostly... They then said they miss Ethiopia sometimes and still remember it, though life here is alright. They still have some family there. Their parents miss it more than they. They asked about the driving age in the States, and why it was so young. They hope to drive some day but realize it's a big responsibility. They help their parents with English, but difficult English is beyond them, too. They asked, "Why don't you live here?," as in, isn't this the obvious choice for a Jew?
They strike me as trying to sort out their own feelings. One plans to study medicine, and knows that English is key.
This afternoon I briefly met the boys whom I hope to study with. There are 3, who seemed interested and ready to work with me. We will begin on Wednesday.
Yitzchak, my contact person, met me at Matnas Lazarus in Talpiot. I learned that he gives psychological support to teens who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse, etc. I had many questions--he said the boys felt fairly accepted, but he reflected on the Ethiopian experience in response to my questions about their absorption. he discussed the various airlifts and how each time the experience was different. Earlier groups felt welcomed though culturally there was a divide. But this generation struggles with their status as Falash Mura, so they must go through a 3 year process of conversion in order to gain equal rights. Additionally, the 'tainted blood' episode for him personally, was scandalizing and painful.
These are a brave people, in a country struggling to help so many.
7/6 Thank you, you’re welcome, and bruchim ha’ba’im…English is very confusing! I learned that in their synagogue, tefila is done twice, once in Amharic, once in Ivrit, as the generations form one community. Will they hold onto the Amharic? I met Yisraela, super-motivated, we bought bagrut practice books. She is in a modern family, who ‘left behind’ all of the traditions, she said. We worked about 2 solid hours.
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