191 o his cus-
tomers,
Haim Des-
ta is just a
Southfield
cab driver
who gets
them where they have to go.
Occasionally, he and a pas-
senger will engage in conver-
sation. Mr. Desta likes to talk
about politics, education and
world events.
That's usually where the
conversation ends.
But Haim Desta is a driver
with a story to tell. Seated be-
hind the wheel of the red-and-
white Southfield cab, separated
by glass from his customers, is
a man who wears a ring with a
lion —symbolizing the Tribe of
Judah — and a Star of David
around his neck.
Mr. Desta, born in Africa 31
years ago, is one of a small
number of Ethiopian Jews liv-
ing in the Detroit area. He
came here in 1991, from a life
he says was often a struggle.
Jews were given few rights
in his former homeland. Prac-
ticing their religion and being
able to leave the country at
their own free will were not
among those privileges.
"We were not al-
Desta pays
lowed to be Jewish in Mr.
thousands of
Ethiopia," Mr. Desta
dollars to
said "Jews in Ethiopia insure his cab.
were smart people.
There was one synagogue in
Gondar and people hid their
identity. I heard some people
were forced to convert although
I never saw it happen. It was
just something I heard."
But the religious oppression
didn't end there. Mr. Desta
recounted an occasion where
his attendance at a function
within the Detroit Jewish com-
munity was questioned by a
woman who was also attend-
ing the event.
"When people see me, they
don't know who I am or give me
much of a chance to explain,"
he said. "Because my skin color
was not like hers why should
she ask me? At the moment I
was mad, but I know who I
am."
Mr. Desta said he hasn't re-
turned to the place where that
incident occurred. He attends
services and Jewish functions
in Windsor with a friend who

From
Ethiopia to
a Southfield
cab, Haim
Desta
travels a
long- road.

lives there.
Before arriving in Southfield,
Mr. Desta lived in other areas
of the world. He was unable to
go to Israel because, at the
time, he couldn't get there from
Ethiopia. Instead he went to
Egypt and sought political
asylum. From Egypt, Canada

Mr. Desta is one of
a small number of
Ethiopian Jews
living in the Detroit
area.

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

granted him citizenship. He
spent five years there before
moving to Southfield in 1991.
Mr. Desta said he decided to
come to Michigan because the
cost of living in Canada was too
expensive.
When Mr. Desta left
Ethiopia he had to go without
his mother and three siblings
because they could not afford
to pay for a passport. They did
leave for Israel five years later.
Mr. Desta learned English
in Ethiopia. His first job in
Michigan was working in a
local hotel.
After receiving money from
Hebrew Free Loan he was able
to purchase his cab and he now
works for the Southfield Cab
Co. Even learning his way
around the city was not diffi- –
cult.
But Mr. Desta does not want (NI
to make a career out of driving –1
a cab 12 hours a day. He hopes cc
a_
to be able to afford to go to <
pharmacy school part time and
eventually join his family in 39
Israel.