Although many Israeli Ethiopian Jews are part of the society, serving in the military and police and making inroads in politics, sports and entertainment, they still have the highest poverty rate among the Jews in Israel, and suffer much higher levels of police stop-search, arrests and incarceration.
The discrimination, racism, poverty, hopelessness led to the recent clashes in the streets of Israeli cities, between Ethiopian Israelis and the police.
The Israeli comedy series "Nevsu" (Reshet Channel 13) won the International Emmy for best comedy in 2018. The show centers around a man of Ethiopian Jewish background and his Ashkenazi wife.
The comedy highlights the differences in the couple's backgrounds, along with the prejudices and tensions that their marriage causes to their families.
We believe that Justice is equal opportunity for all. That is why SHALOM ISRAEL is connected with GUZO, an institution leaded by David Safafa.
David is a lawyer that supports the Ethiopian Jews in Israel, not only the new immigrants, but the poor, with food, school backpacks and provides legal aid for the underprivileged.
He quotes the Psalm 89:14 – Justice and judgment are the habitation of your throne: mercy and truth shall go before your face.
We from SHALOM ISRAEL, strongly believe that we should support the Ethiopian Jewish to integrate into Israeli society.
We expect that the government of Israel will approve their immigration and bring the remaining community of 8000 (2000 in the nation’s capital Addis Ababa, and 6000 in Gondar in the North) to fulfill the "alyiah" prophecies in the near future.
For the first time, an Ethiopian Israeli will represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest. Eden Alene, is 19 years old, currently is fulfilling her mandatory army service.
The Jerusalem native was raised in the capital city by her Orthodox Jewish single mother after her parents divorced when she was 4.
She said after her victory: “Think about where we were when the Ethiopians first started making aliyah and look at where we are now. It’s a whole new world.”
