A New Volunteer, A New Experience
My name is Amber, I arrived to Jerusalem from Washington, DC about a month ago on a 5-month Masa Israel program, and I am very excited to volunteer with the ENP! This is because I have seen first-hand what empowered individuals and powerful grassroots movements can achieve in their communities. Because I am both Black and Jewish, I know all too well how easily the perspective, the struggles, and the voices of minority groups can go ignored in public discourse, forgotten in history books, or inadequately supported in society. ENP seems to work against these trends by working to improve education opportunities for Ethiopian-Israeli youth, empowering leaders within the community to speak out about their needs, and celebrating the unique cultural lens and experience that Ethiopians add to Israeli society. It's been an interesting month here in my ancestral home thus far. Although most Americans Jews experience a sense of "difference" for the first time in Israel among the ...