Stories of Aliyah

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By Jessica Cohen
ENP Volunteer
Israel Experience
Tel Aviv

 Aliyah is defined as the immigration of Jews from the diaspora to the land of Israel, or progressing towards Jerusalem. Prior to my time in Israel and my interactions with many Ethiopian Jews, the aliyah stories I had heard generally involved North American Jews moving to Israel and finding jobs, creating families, and starting their life anew in the Holy Land.

 Although I spend the majority of my time working with students who are first generation Ethiopian-Israelis, their parents have made aliyah and their stories differ drastically from the ones I am accustomed to. Additionally, every Thursday, myself and the other ENP interns from cities all across Israel meet in Jerusalem for brainstorming meetings, fundraising planning, and my favorite aspect – to hear someone who has made aliyah from Ethiopia to Israel share their story.

 Every story we’ve been told has had a few things in common: the individual couldn’t tell anyone (even their family) that they were leaving Ethiopia, they had to walk for somewhere around 27 days on a long and dangerous journey to Sudan, and they waited in refugee camps in Sudan until the Israeli Air force could quietly assist them finish the last step of their aliyah. 4000 Ethiopian Jews lost their lives while trying to return to Jerusalem, but thousands more completed the journey. Despite a country’s best attempt to close its’ borders, the global world we live in made it possible for the Ethiopian Jewish community, to get back to Israel against all odds, even when some were convinced they were the last Jews in the world.

 It amazes me how different these aliyah stories are from the ones I had heard before and how much the Ethiopians I have met had to endure to make it to the Jewish State. I strongly believe that their incredible journey and the unimaginable obstacles they overcame makes them very deserving of the work ENP does to help them and their families integrate and thrive in Israeli society. Everyone who has ever returned to Israel has come in hopes of something better and whether it’s a better life, better treatment, better opportunities, or a safer place to live as a Jew – this is something all aliyah stories have in common and something ENP helps to make possible for the thousands of brave Ethiopians that have made it home.​

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