The Israel Bar Association announced on Thursday that for the first time in Israeli history, two Ethiopian women have been selected by the Israeli Judicial Committee to serve as judges. Adenko Sabhat Haimovich is due to become a magistrate court judge, while Esther Tapeta Gradi will become a traffic court judge.  Esther is a graduate of the Olim Beyahad program, one of the most outstanding and successful Ethiopian Israeli program supported by Friends of Ethiopian Jews.

Friends of Ethiopian Jews and Olim Beyahad are so proud that Attorney Esther Tepeta Gradi will serve as Judge at the Haifa District’s Traffic Court. In addition to this being a wonderful achievement for Esther – one which she reached as a result of her hard work and talent – it also serves as a significant advancement for the Ethiopian Israeli community and Israeli society as a whole.

Esther lives in Jerusalem with her husband and two children, and is a graduate of Olim Beyahad’s core program. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Haifa University, as well as a Master’s Degree (in the “Mediation and Negotiations” track) from Bar Ilan University. After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree, she interned at the State Attorney’s Office for State Attorneys Eran Shendar and Moshe Lador. From 2009 and until her recent appointment at judge, Esther served as the judicial law clerk for Judge Dr. Avraham Tennenbaum at the Jerusalem District’s Traffic Court. In 2014, Esther was selected as an outstanding judicial law clerk.

While building her professional career, Esther invested much of her time in social and communal involvement, providing professional assistance for Ethiopian Israelis and especially Ethiopian Israeli women.

The other new Ethiopian Israeli woman to be appointed as a Judge is Adenko Sabhat Haimovich.  Adenko will be a magistrate court judge.   Please Click Here to read YNET News about both appointments.  Kol HaKavod to Esther and Adenko!