(Mesekerem Tadesse, Alem Wondie and Bezabeh Mulugeta. Credit: The Heart of Israel)
FIRST ETHIOPIAN FAMILY TO RELOCATE TO ISRAEL SINCE 2017
The family of Sintayehu Shaparou, the Ethiopian who competed in Israel’s April 2018 Chidon HaTanach contest, will arrive in Israel
Who: Mother, siblings and nephew of Sintayehu Shaparou
What: The family will arrive in Israel from Ethiopia | Greeting by advocates, volunteers | Sintayehu will attend
When: Tuesday, Nov. 6 | Flight lands at 8 p.m. - allow 30 minutes to 1 hour for the family to clear customs
Where: Ben-Gurion International Airport, arrival hall
November 4, 2018 ---------- The family of Sintayehu Shaparou, the Ethiopian who competed in Israel’s April 2018 Chidon HaTanach contest, will arrive in Israel on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. The family will be greeted by their son and several volunteers and advocates. This is the first Ethiopian family to arrive in Israel and become residents since 2017.
Family members include: mother Alem Wondie; siblings Bezabeh Mulugeta, Mesekerem Tadesse and Zemna Tadesse; and nephew Dawit Ayelign. They are being granted residency status after months of lobbying the government. The family’s flights and initial expenses are being paid for by The Heart of Israel, which raised money to support the cause mainly from Christian Zionists.
“It is gratifying to see this day come - the day that Sintayehu’s family will arrive in Israel - after all of our efforts to bring them home,” said A.Y. Katsof, director of The Heart of Israel, thanking his donors from around the world for their support in ensuring the last 8,000 Jews of Ethiopia are able to move to Israel. “I hope that this is only the first of many Ethiopians we see arrive in the holy land.”
The family will be relocated to Kibbutz Kiryat Menachem.
(Mesekerem Tadesse, Alem Wondie and Bezabeh Mulugeta. Credit: The Heart of Israel)
Katsof noted the significance of the event happening one day before the Sigd, the major holiday of the Ethiopian community in Israel. The Sigd marks the return to Zion and the longing for Jerusalem and brings together the Ethiopian community for reckoning and soul-searching. And event will take place on Wednesday at the Sherover Promenade in Armon HaNatziv, Jerusalem to celebrate the Sigd. President Reuven Rivlin and Minister for Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver will speak at the event.
But Katsof said that The Heart of Israel and its partners, including “The Struggle for Ethiopian Aliyah,” will not rest until all of the 8,000 remaining Ethiopian Jews are brought to Israel.
Last month, the cabinet approved the immigration of 1,000 Ethiopian Falash Mura to Israel. The Falash Mura are Ethiopian Jews whose ancestors practiced Christianity, often under duress, generations ago. Today, the Falsh Mura are practicing Jews.
The government decided in 2015 to bring the remaining members of the Falash Mura community to Israel. The government brought a first 1,300 in 2017, has approved this next 1,000, but has yet to approve a budget for any further immigration.
The Struggle for Ethiopian Aliyah is currently disseminating a petition that will be presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the Ethiopian-Israeli community during a protest marking three years since the passing of the 2015 resolution. This petition calls on him to keep his promise and bring them home.
Media are welcome to attend. Interviews will be available. Please address all questions to Maayan Hoffman at 050-718-9742 or maayan@israel365.com.
