As the Days of Awe close, we reflect on how dramatic and difficult this year has been. In Israel, proposed governmental reforms have torn the country apart and another Ethiopian Jewish child – this time a four-year-old little boy – has been killed and the police have once again failed the community. The turmoil in Israel is real and Ethiopian Jews are caught in the struggle. Make no mistake. They are on the side of democracy and justice.
The Ethiopian Israeli organizations supported by Friends of Ethiopian Jews (FEJ) work every day to help Ethiopian Jews access full education, skilled and professional employment and equal opportunity, as well as holding the police and the justice system accountable for harsh and illegal actions. They need YOUR continuing support!
Please go to www.friendsofethiopianjews.org/donate and make a safe, secure donation to help Ethiopian Jews in Israel stand and fight for their rights. The outstanding programs that FEJ assists can do it – but only with YOUR help!
If you have not yet made a gift in 2023, please do so now. If you have given this year and can help a little more, Thank You.
Here are some of our outstanding partners that need your support:
AEJ: The Association of Ethiopian Jews –
We will not despair! Despite continued injustices in Israel, the AEJ carried on its advocacy work by its constant presence in the Knesset, leading and participating in protests, conferences, publishing articles, swaying the media, raising awareness about key issues, submitting court petitions, and meeting upon meetings with MKs, ministers, officials and influencers. The AEJ, together with 37 other human rights NGOs, submitted a petition to Israel’s Supreme Court protesting the amendment to the Basic Law: Canceling the Reasonableness doctrine. The petition focuses on the damage that the amendment will cause to human rights protection.
And, AEJ received the Midot “Seal of Effectiveness,” for the third year in a row, from Israel’s prestigious watchdog agency!
Tebeka – Advocacy for Justice & Equality for Ethiopian Israelis
Ethiopian Israelis’ other long-standing advocacy group, Tebeka, led by Director Attorney Tomer Marsha, continued to remind decision-makers and elected officials that “a just society must be just for all.” Tebeka assisted arrested protesters, and negotiated with the police and Ministry of Justice to expunge the records of nearly 300 young Ethiopian Israeli men who were wrongfully arrested. With the help of FEJ, Tebeka was able to hire attorney Moshe Adgo full-time to work on this, plus respond to hundreds of legal queries on matters of employment, education, housing, and health. The controversial “hit and run” accident, which killed a four-year-old Ethiopian Israeli boy named Raphael Adana (z’’l) , hit Tebeka at its core. Tebeka acted quickly and appealed to the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of National Security, demanding that a thorough investigation be carried out immediately and the driver brought to justice. Tebeka defends the rights of Ethiopian Israeli citizens every day in schools, places of employment and in the courts.
Tech Career-Technology Training for Ethiopian Israelis – Tech Career continues to expand its outstanding programs, equipping
Ethiopian Israelis with the skills to land high-paying, secure jobs.
Launched in October 2022 in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor, Tech-Career’s In-Tech Program aims to increase the number of Ethiopian Israeli adults entering Israel’s high-tech industry by familiarizing young people with high tech professions and supporting them through training and placement processes. The program’s experiential methodology significantly enhances personal capabilities and strengthens motivation to integrate and succeed in the field. Participants are accompanied by a team of instructors and facilitators who assist in refining personal career vision and formulating a practical plan going forward. The objective is for 1,000 Ethiopian Israelis to enroll in tech studies by the end of 2024!
Please support Ethiopian Jews today! Givr securely online at: www.friendsofethiopianjews.org
Thank you!