These and Those

Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem

Social Justice Track in Gedera

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Jessica Jobanek

Tags: , , , , ,

On November 19, 2013, the Pardes Social Justice Track travelled south to Gedera to learn about issues facing the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel. We had a long, delicious traditional lunch and coffee with Jessica Baverman's friend Yuvi, who told us about her remarkable journey from Ethiopia to Israel as a child, her process of navigating assimilationist tendencies and racism in Israel, the issues facing Ethiopian young people, and more. We also talked about the religious practices of the Ethiopian Jews and Rav Ovadiah Yosef z''l's famous tshuva declaring them definitely Jews from the tribe of Dan (and not in need of geirus l'chumra, an additional conversion for the sake of stringency). What an amazing afternoon!

On November 19, 2013, the Pardes Social Justice Track travelled south to Gedera to learn about issues facing the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel. We had a long, delicious traditional lunch and coffee with Jessica Baverman’s friend Yuvi, who told us about her remarkable journey from Ethiopia to Israel as a child, her process of navigating assimilationist tendencies and racism in Israel, the issues facing Ethiopian young people, and more. We also talked about the religious practices of the Ethiopian Jews and Rav Ovadiah Yosef z”l’s famous tshuva declaring them definitely Jews from the tribe of Dan (and not in need of geirus l’chumra, an additional conversion for the sake of stringency). What an amazing afternoon!