Notable Events
IAEJ Director in U.S. in May for International Siach Conference
Ziva Mekonnen, Executive Director of the Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews ( http://iaej-english.org/) will be at the Siach conference on the environment and social justice, May 12-15, 2011 at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Connecticut. Siach (www.siach.org) has intiated “An Environment and Social Justice Conversation” which will launch a global network of experienced Jewish environment and social justice professionals, as well as highly dedicated lay leaders, from Israel, North America, and Europe to connect and collaborate upon a shared passion and commitment to Tzedek and Tikkun Olam.
This global network will be anchored in a series of conferences rotating around the globe, the first to take place on May 12-15, 2011 at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Falls Village, Connecticut and the second to take place in May 2012 in Israel. Approximately 120 participants, roughly 40% from Israel, 40% from North America, and 20% from Europe, will attend the first conference.
Ziva will also be speaking in the New York metropolitan area before and after the conference. Check back here for locations and times, or email Susan Pollack to learn more or if you'd like to arrange for Ziva to speak to your group or organization about the current situation of the Ethiopian Israeli community.
Yuvi Tashome will be given the honor of lighting a beacon at this year's National Independence Day Ceremony in Israel on May 8, 2011, in Jerusalem in the presence of Israel's President and Prime Minister. Yuvi is one of the founders of the Gedera Community Garin and Friends by Nature-Community Empowerment (FBN). Yuvi is currently the co-director of FBN and is its inspiration and beacon of guiding light.
A Jewish Hero Has Passed Away.
Baruch Tegegne passed away on December 27, 2010 at the age of 65 or 67 - there were no birth certificates where he was born in Ethiopia. Baruch was one of the original group of Jewish youths brought to Israel in the late 1950's by then President Ben-Tzvi and raised in Kfar Batya. He was then sent back to Ethiopia to be a leader of the Ethiopian Jewish community. In Ethiopia, he served his community and the state of Israel in many, many ways. After Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed, he was arrested by the Marxist Military junta as an Israeli agent. He escaped Ethiopia without a passport and literally walked across deserts and stowed on ships to make it back to Israel. In Israel, he became one of the most important figures in the advocacy campaign for bringing the Ethiopian Jewish community on aliyah. He lobbied, he smuggled people and he put his life on the line to make sure this most ancient of Jewish communities would be rescued from violence and starvation. It is no exaggeration to state that he was the one individual most responsible for the fact that there are over 100,000 Ethiopian Jews in Israel today. Everyone who met him knows that Baruch was a sweet human being and a true Jewish hero. He passed away at home in Rehovot, Israel after a long illness.
He will be truly missed.
