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Ethiopian Urges Help
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lthough worldwide
attention has been
focused on bringing
Soviet Jews to safety, an E-
thiopian Jew who lives in
Israel doesn't want Ameri-
cans to forget his former
countrymen.
Matti Elias, who has
worked with the Israeli
government to help Ethio-
pian Jews resettle for 25
years, spoke to Detroit au-
diences May 9 about the
dangers faced by Jews in
Ethiopia.
"There is a feeling that
after Operation Moses there
is no problem with Ethio-
pian Jews," Elias said.
While Operation Moses
succeeded in bringing 7,500
Ethiopian Jews from Sudan
refugee camps into Israel in
1985, another 15,000 Ethio-
pian Jews remained behind
in the war-torn and famine-
filled country.
For 15 years, a civil war
between the Communist
government and two
guerilla rebel forces has
been fought in the country's
villages, he said. Now rebels
control northern provinces
including Gondar, where
about 10,000 Jews live.
Ethiopian Jews "are really
in danger. It is not a ques-
tion of the famine. It is a
physical danger," Elias said.
Rebel military forces, sup-
plied by Arab countries like
Lybia and Iraq, have forced
Jews to leave their homes
and move to other provinces,
he said.
"The Ethiopian Jews are
not farming, they have no
schools, they have no syn-
agogues. Communication
has been cut by the rebels,"
said Elias, who has not
heard from his two sisters in
Ethiopia for six months.
Escape for Ethiopian Jews
became easier when the
Israeli and Ethiopian
government resumed
dipolmatic relations in
November. Jews living in
the country's capital, Addis-
Abba, can leave the country
legally.
About 3,000 Jews are in
the capital waiting for the
necessary paperwork, he
said. But for those Jews who
remain in areas controlled
by rebel forces, getting to
Addis-Abba means crossing
war zones.
Even if Jews get to the
capital, relations between
Israel and Ethiopia could
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change, Elias warned. The
rebel forces are 100 miles
from the capital. If Addis-
Abba is captured, Jews may
not be permitted to leave.
Once in Israel, Ethiopian
Jews are sent directly to ab-
sorption centers where they
are taught Hebrew and
vocational skills , Elias said.
Some Ethiopians who came
during Operation Moses are
still in absorption centers
while they look for perma-
nent housing.
Unlike Soviet Jews who
can directly settle in Israel,
absorption centers are
necessary for the 17,000 E-
thiopian Jews in Israel.
Coming to Israel from Ethi-
opia is like "bringing a per-
son from the 10th century to
the 21st century," Elias
said.
Ethiopian Jews in Israel
also face the separation of
their families, which makes
settling in the country
harder, he said. Almost
every Ethiopian Jew has
someone who he has left
behind.
Although older Ethiopian
Jews find it difficult to adapt
to life in Israel, the younger
generation does not, said
Elias, an adviser and coor-
dinator for an army prep
program for Ethiopians.
Previously, as deputy direc-
tor for vocational training
for the Ministry of Absorp-
tion, he organized seminars
for immigrants.
Elias, who came to Ethi-
opia legally as a young boy,
said he had little trouble
adapting to Israel. He now
lives on a kibbutz with his
wife, Tirza, and four
daughters.
During his Detroit visit,
which was sponsored by the
B'nai B'rith Council, Elias
asked area residents to write
letters to government
leaders about Ethiopian
Jews and join groups like the
Michigan Association for E-
thiopian Jews. The group's
goal is to bring attention to
the plight of Ethiopian Jews.
Elais also asked for finan-
cial support. It costs about
$3,000 to resettle one Ethio-
pian Jew in Israel. The
money pays for transporta-
tion, housing and other ex-
penses.
Once in Israel, it costs
$900 for a group or in-
dividual who wish to adopt
an Ethiopian child and pay
for his education for one
year.
For some Detroiters, the
message has already been