Around The Jewish World
Big Costs
Israel looks to American groups for help
bringing Ethiopians to homeland.
RACHEL POMERANCE
Jewish .Telegraphic Agency
New York
A
s Israel takes steps to bring 20,000 Falash
Mura to Israel from Ethiopia, it is looking to
American Jewry to help pay the tab.
The latest moves in the saga of the Falash g
Mura — Ethiopians whose Jewish ancestors converted --c.-. .22.
to Christianity but who since have resumed practicing
Judaism — comes in the wake of increased lobbying by xs
officials from U.S. Jewish federations, Jewish humanitar-
Above: Ethiopian
ian groups and Ethiopian Jewry advocates. ±.4.
pay for their absorption.
Israelis demand
Last week, the Israeli government official responsible
It is not clear how the project would be funded. A
emigration for their UJC project several years ago to raise money for
for bringing the Falash Mura to Israel outlined a plan to
family members.
implement a February Cabinet decision to bring them,
Ethiopian absorption gained little traction. The issue
but concerned parties are viewing it cautiously.
is not on the agenda of the Dec. 8 UJC committee
Left: Feakdu Takle,
Advocates for the Ethiopians want Israel to accelerate
meeting on overseas allocations, according to Steven
22, an Ethiopian
the aliyah process, especially in light of the ongoing
Klinghoffer, chair of UJC's Overseas Needs
Israeli, wants the
famine in Ethiopia. Israel has been bringing in Falash
Assessment and Distribution Committee.
government to bring
Mura at a rate of about 2,500 per year.
"No one has assumed the financial responsibility
his parents from
• In November, Israel's Supreme Court called on the
for this operation," said Yechiel Eckstein, the Jewish
Ethiopia to Israel.
government — the Interior Ministry in particular — to
ency's representative to the discussions. "Everyone
explain its delay in implementing the February decision.
is passing the buck."
The government also is under pressure from Falash
What's more, the issue of the Falash Mura arouses
Mura in Israel, who stage frequent protests demanding
along with the American Jewish Joint Distribution
ambivalence and controversy among Jews around the
that the government bring family members left in
Committee, provides services to Falash Mura relief com-
world. Some consider the claims to Jewish heritage by
Ethiopia. Recently, some American Jews have taken up
pounds in Ethiopia, shut down its operations by March
the Falash Mura specious. They point out that in 1998,
their cry.
31, 2004. At that time, administration of the corn-
announcements were made that Israel was bringing the
Before the General Assembly of the North American
pounds would come under control of the Jewish Agency last 4,000 Falash Mura to the Jewish state, but then
federation system last month, a delegation of federation
for Israel.
thousands more Ethiopians came to the compounds
leaders traveled to Ethiopia to assess the situation. As
Additionally, Poraz asked American Jews to help pay
claiming Jewish heritage.
General Assembly delegates met in Jerusalem, the
for the Falash Muris immigration and absorption,
According to Eckstein, Poraz is preparing a recom-
Knesset convened to discuss the Falash Mura.
which he estimated at a lifetime cost of $100,000 per
mendation for a Cabinet committee in the next month
The discussion came amid talks between Israeli Prime
person.
or two, once he has secured funding sources and deter-
Minister Ariel Sharon and the president of the United
"The government will turn to Jewish organizations
mined the number of Falash Mura eligible for aliyah.
Jewish Communities federation umbrella group,
internationally, and primarily in the United States,
Some critics say Israel's foot-dragging on the issue is a
Stephen Hoffman, on how the federation system could
including those that preach to us day and night about
sign of racism or class-based prejudice, since the Jewish
aid in their absorption.
why we're not bringing the Jews of Ethiopia to Israel,"
state readily welcomes massive numbers of Jews from the
- In the Knesset discussion, Interior Minister Avraham
Poraz said.
former Soviet Union.
Poraz said Israel would provide entry by the end of 2004
Some Ethiopia advocates object to Poraz's proposal.
Regardless of whether or not the Falash Mura left in
to Falash Mura who qualify as immigrants under the
They say it would not bring all the Falash Mura to
Ethiopia are Jewish, the fact that many of their immedi-
Law of Return, which grants Israeli citizenship to any-
Israel, as required by the February resolution.
ate family members now live in Israel makes their emi-
one with at least one Jewish grandparent. He also said
It also does not provide a timetable for immigration,
gration there a humanitarian issue, some say.
that by June 2005, Israel would allow immigration of
or for checking the Ethiopians' Jewish ancestry, they say.
Feakdu Takle, 22, immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia
any Falash Mura with immediate family in Israel.
Israel's Chief Rabbinate, and all three major Jewish
three years ago, and he has not seen his parents since.
The cost of immigration and absorption, and the
denominations in the United States, have affirmed that
Takle, who just finished his army duty, is frustrated that
number of Falash Mara eligible for aliyah, are at the
the Falash Mura are Jews, but the Jewish identification
"the state that I am defending" will not bring his parents
heart of the government's delay in implementing the
of those who have come to the compounds still needs to
to Israel.
February Cabinet decision, observers say.
be verified.
"This is our place. This is the home for all Jews and
Worried that Israel faces an influx of an unknown
Barbara Ribakove Gordon, executive director of
my parents are Jews," he says, his voice breaking into
number of Ethiopians seeking to flee a famine-stricken
NACOEJ, said it is "distressing" for NACOEJ to be
tears. "I will continue to struggle until all my family ,
country, Poraz at the Knesset discussion capped the list
asked to shut down its Ethiopia operations. The recent
come home."
of Falash Mura slated for emigration at 22,000, the
Knesset discussion follows a meeting in October
Returning to Ethiopia is not an option for Takle.
amount counted by a census taken five years ago.
between Hoffman, Poraz, Ethiopia advocates and others
Dressed in a tight T-shirt and low-slung jeans, he looks
Many of those 22,000 already have emigrated to Israel.
in which the parties agreed to consider a deal in which
like a typical Israeli. And recently he give his baby
Poraz also demanded that the North American
the number of Falash Mura eligible for immigration
daughter an Israeli name, Ora. El
Conference on Ethiopian Jewry, or NACOEJ, which
would be capped and U.S. Jewish groups would help
2/ 5
2003
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