Ethiopian-Israeli JDC Professional Reconnects Parents And Children

When Redai arrived in Israel from Ethiopia at the age of 14, he could not read or write in any language. Back in his native village of Kelakel in the Tigrai region of Ethiopia, Redai worked as a shepherd tending flock in his family's fields and did not receive a formal education. Despite this disadvantage, by the time Redai was 18, he had nearly completed his matriculation certificate. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces, he finished his high school studies and went on to gain a bachelors degree in Social Work at Ben Gurion University in Beersheva.

Since graduating, Redai has worked as a key staff member in JDC's social and educational programs for the Ethiopian-Israeli community. He was pivotal in developing JDC's SHAHAM national service volunteer program which helps Ethiopian-Israeli families in social distress. Today Redai is a city director for PACT - Parents And Children Together – an early childhood intervention for Ethiopian-Israeli preschoolers.

Redai attributes his accomplishments to the solid foundation he received from his parents in Ethiopia. "I did receive an education – my parents taught me about their lives and what they did. They gave me a strong sense of responsibility and a clear set of values and beliefs." Redai feels that it was this upbringing and instilment of strong cultural roots that afforded him the ability to cope with the adjustments and choices he needed to make, in order to succeed in his life in Israel.

Unfortunately, many Ethiopian-Israeli children and youth today do not share this same advantage. "The parents' cultural transition has weakened their ability to act as strong role models to their children born in Israel and has left many youngsters feeling confused and split. Frequently their parents are unable to provide the full support needed to help them integrate into Israeli society. Additionally as they see their parents struggle, Ethiopian-Israeli youngsters often fail to understand the value of learning about their Ethiopian heritage and culture."

That’s why Redai appreciates the primary emphasis that PACT places on working with children and their parents. The program seeks to close the learning and social gaps between Ethiopian-Israeli children and their veteran Israeli peers. It does this by providing children with the key educational foundation they need, within a framework that actively involves their parents and fosters pride in their community and the rich Ethiopian-Israeli culture.

PACT is committed to helping a new generation of Ethiopian-Israeli children in partnership with their parents, not in opposition. By helping Ethiopian-Israeli parents regain their parental authority and their rightful place in their child’s development and upbringing, PACT offers immeasurable help to both Ethiopian-Israeli children and the community as a whole. JDC's experience in working with relevant local agencies and immigrant communities in a mutually respectful manner makes this vision possible.

As Redai says: "Life in Israel undoubtedly requires a certain give and take between new and old cultures. However, children need to know where they’re coming from in order to choose where they want to go."