1984-1985 Rothberg Yearbook

ia
l n o s
How does one eat a popsicle? Why does white skin get red
and peel when exposed to the sun? How come Jews in
Israel don’t smash all their dishes before Passover? These
are a few of the questions OYP student Rachel Friedberg
and OY'P graduate Daniel Gordon dealt with over
Passover. Rachel and Daniel are two of the 13 students
whom the Office of Student Activities and the Youth Aliya
Department chose to help Ethiopian youth,aged 11-18,for
eleven days in special villages around Israel.
Rachel and Daniel were sent to Hofim, which they feel
is “the best and biggest youth village.” They spent most of
their time taking the 200 Ethiopian children, who usually
traveled with a canteen in one hand and a school book in
thè other, to their Passover tiyulim in the Galil. “The kids
were amazing!” recalls Rachel. “Most of them would be
completely justified if they spent all their time weeping and
moaning, but I never heard them complain. Although a few
have parents living in absorption centers, most of the
children will never see their mothers or fathers again, either
because they are stranded in Ethiopia or are dead. Some of
the children have physical scars from their 300-kilometer
desert treks from Ethiopia to Sudanese refugee camps.
Other children have mental scars from watching their
parents and siblings die from starvation and illness. But
they all manage to stay cheerful.
Arriving at Hofim on April 4, the 5 OYP volunteers
came just in time to help celebrate the young Ethiopians
first Passover in Israel. Although the staff was anxious to
teach the kids new customs, they were careful. They did
not want to repeat the policy of 30 years ago that many
sociologists believe was a deliberate attempt by the Israeli
government to eliminate the language and culture of the
Oriental Jewish immigrants. The night before and during
the Seder, father figure and village coordinator Rabbi
Nachum Cohen explained to the children the reasons
behind the Israeli rituals and prayers. When possible,
traditions of both cultures were honored. For example, a
half-Hebrew, half-Amharic Hagaddah was used. Both Israeli
and Ethiopian songs were sung. And, after the traditional
reading of the Hagaddah, an 11-year-old boy stood up and
chanted from memory in the holy language of Baez for over
20 minutes. His father was a kohen (priest) in his village.
Although the service was stretched out to over four hours,
“.The children stood completely still,” recalls Darnel.
The only thing the staff might have done wrong, say
Daniel and Rachel, was that in teaching the children they
implied that all Israeli Jews keep these customs. The youth
are sheltered from the fact that most Israelis do not observe
Jewish law. “They might get a big shock when they see
Israeli society,” states Daniel. Adds Rachel, "The girls
wouldn’t understand that I usually don’t wear a skirt.”
Most of the kids will learn Hebrew and basic Judaism
at the village for another six months. After that, they will
be sent to special boarding schools. Most hope to go on to
University one day, except for a few who, Daniel points
out, “would prefer to become soccer stars.”
BECCA LEVY
Newton, Mass.
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