This is a story of a modern-time national Aliyah and recovery !
Help the Jewish Ethiopian community thrive amid African-Ethiopian unrest!
My name is Kama Tzuntz. I’m 23 years old and I was born and raised in Kibbutz Sde\\\'e Eliyahu, located in the north of Israel. I served the army as an air traffic controller for almost 3 years.
This last summer I got back from Ethiopia after spending a few months that proved to be extremely significant for me. I decided to travel to Ethiopia initially as a part of the Shlihut program, working with the community of Jewish Ethiopians waiting to make Aliyah from the cities of Addis Ababa and Gondar.
As part of being a Shlicha in Ethiopia, I taught the children and teenagers Hebrew, Judaism and Zionism.
I met the people of this community and experienced firsthand their authentic culture that I was not exposed to in Israel. I saw their way of living and their Zionistic dream to come and live in the land of the Jewish people.
The truth is, I went to this Shlihut to see it with my own eyes. I wanted to be a part of the story of ‘Kibbutz Galouyot’ (Ingathering of the exiles – the Jewish people coming together after 2000 years of exile).
Here’s a little background on the Ethiopian Aliyah-
Throughout the years there have been many special actions (by the Israeli government) to bring the Ethiopian Jews to Israel. The story of Ethiopian Aliyah appeared to come to an end in 2013 when the Jewish Agency sponsored their last group flight, of known Ethiopian Jews, from Ethiopia. But the story continues.
In November 2015, the Israeli government announced its intention to bring a new wave of about 9,000 Ethiopians on Aliyah by 2020.
As of today, the Jewish community that is left in Ethiopia counts about 10,000 people. All have families and relatives in Israel. These are people that left their homes and properties in the villages and came to the Aliyah camps in Addis Ababa and Gondar to finally come to Israel.
When I came to the Jewish center in Gondar, I met Binyamin. A smart, 20-year-old young man who teaches the teenagers Hebrew every day. He prays and dreams of coming to Israel and reunite with his father that he hadn’t seen in 16 years.
I was so excited to witness the Aliyah of Kano- a girl that got to make Aliyah and reunite with her family that she hadn’t seen in 20 years.
These are just a few examples of the stories I was privileged to witness.
Life at the camp is not simple, to say the least, and our Jewish brothers and sisters are suffering from poverty and antisemitism.
Although they are living a hard life, when I was there, I saw a strong and optimistic community. I met kids with so much passion for learning, and a great love for the land of Israel, a place that they never saw.
I met true Zionistic youth that lead the youth movement, and do so much more for the community.
The people of the community are eager to come to Israel. A seven-year-old told me about his dream to learn Hebrew in a Hebrew school in Israel. An 18-year-old is hoping to join the army and protect the land of Israel. A 24-year-old is dreaming of learning in the Hebrew University, get married, and build his home in Israel. 80 years old is dreaming of being buried in the land of the Jews.
This wonderful and amazing community needs your support to keep active and optimistic. To study Hebrew and Judaism for the kids. To learn Torah lessons. To operate the youth movement and other activities such as soccer, football, dance, circus and more.
Let’s help our brothers and sisters!
