If you are in Vancouver Monday September 7th, and would like to meet some amazing young people who have come immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia to spend a month as legal interns here...this will be fascinating. From my experiences with Former israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia in 1991 during Operation Solomon, and from reading his book, I know that this will be quite the evening.

Please come to meet Mr. Erez Jegenau Naga and Ms. Jerus “Sigal” Trunech, two Israeli law students born in Ethiopia who are approaching the end of a month-long internship with Blake Cassels, a Vancouver law firm. They’ll be at 2644 Manitoba Street in Vancouver on Monday evening, September 7, from 7:30.


Erez was five years old when he was among the first group of Ethiopian Jews airlifted to Israel in 1985. At age 5, he left his village in Ethiopia and trekked for three months into Sudan. Growing up in Israel, he joined the IDF and served in a special combat unit.

Jerus came to Israel at age 10 considerably later than Erez.

Both are first-year law students at Ono Academic College in a program supported in part by the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. You can read more about that program below and you can get a bit of a glimpse into Erez and Jerus’ visit here at http://tesfayesjourney.blogspot.com/. Meeting and talking with Erez and Jerus is an opportunity to learn firsthand about the experiences in Israel of Jews from Ethiopia and their personal perspectives on living in Israel.

Everyone is welcomed to attend. Please share this invitation with anyone who would be interested.

This evening is part of the PROJECT FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ETHIOPIAN BORN IMMIGRANTS TO ISRAEL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Ono Academic College (OAC), together with the Jewish Agency and in fulfillment of our mission of social responsibility, actively recruits Ethiopian-born Israelis who participate in the Higher Education and Community Leadership project. The project is currently in its fourth year and has gained recognition both in Israel and abroad for its success.

They aim to develop a cadre of young professional leaders by teaching academic degree programs in prestigious, lucrative professions able to make a huge impact on Israeli society. The first generation of children born in Ethiopia, but mostly raised in Israel, is just reaching the age of higher education. This is the generation which will make the changeover and become an integral part of Israeli society.

They are committed to provide personal attention, welcoming environment and extra support in studies provided at OAC enable the students to flourish and succeed.

Presently OAC provides scholarships for over 50% of the tuition for each student. The Ministry of Absorption's Student Authority provides tuition scholarships for the remainder. A token tuition of NIS 1,200 is paid by each student. We continue to seek partners for matching scholarships in order to maintain the growth of the number of students in this successful program.

The Jewish Agency, UIA Canada and UJC join OAC in funding the system of academic support, enrichment and leadership training courses for the students with Annual Campaign funds. The Israel Department of the Jewish Agency grants an annual stipend for living expenses to each student.

GOALS

The program goal is the achievement of a prestigious academic degree in high demand professions along with personal and leadership skills, leading to the strengthening of the family and social fabric of the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel. This generation of Ethiopians has the opportunity to break the glass ceiling, and sever the chain of poverty of this community in Israel. Specifically, there are less than a dozen Ethiopian born lawyers in Israel today and just as few businesspersons. We need to believe in the strength of numbers and know that this group of students has the power to create positive social change.

PROFILE OF THE STUDENTS

OAC is proud to have 142 Ethiopian-born students this year. Their Ethiopian-born students come literally from all over Israel. Most live at home and a few live in Jewish Agency dormitories at the Kfar Saba Absorption Center.

Almost all of the students volunteer in one or more community projects, the majority within the Ethiopian community. Many of the projects originated in the Leadership course and are a direct result of plans drawn up in this course. Most of them are carried out in the students' home towns.

The volunteer projects include mentoring and homework assistance, participation in the Ethiopian National Project and other organizations for the Ethiopian community, preparation for the army for Ethiopian youth, empowerment for Ethiopian women, free legal aid, translation and preparation of documents for various authorities, and a unique project in which Ethiopian born students connect with Ethiopian soldiers in military jails to provide them with information and support, and facilitate their return to the army. Five of their students were elected to the Ethiopian Student Union, as Chairman, Vice Chairman, Spokesperson and board members.

Many of their students come from extremely difficult socioeconomic backgrounds. A majority of the students come from large families with four or more children. Most of the students' parents do not have skills which enable them to be employed in Israel, and subsist below the poverty level. On the whole the Ethiopian students must support themselves financially by working part time jobs, while also fulfilling volunteer requirements necessary to receive financial aid from the Ministry of Absorption. Four of their students are orphaned from both parents, and raise younger siblings.

They invite scholarship participation in carrying out this most important project. So even if you cannot make it Monday night, think of helping out. The trip I have been planning is now closed. This group often hosts missions to Israel, during which time you, as guests, will have the opportunity to personally meet the students.

For more information, go to http://www.ono.ac.il/?CategoryID=381&ArticleID=210

If you are interested, go to Amazon and look for a used copy of Asher Naim's "Saving the Lost Tribe: The Rescue and Redemption of the Ethiopian Jews" or contact me and I can lend you a copy...