King Solomon embraced the supposition that we were all created in God’s image and that this image is neither black nor white. Solomon married his words when he betrothed the Queen of Sheba. We have learned much from King Solomon’s wisdom, shared with us through Proverbs. But in many ways, we have not internalized how to live the value of respecting all humans as equally created in God’s image regardless of racial or ethnic background.
According to a 2019 Israel national census, Israelis of Ethiopian descent have an income that is 35% lower than the average Israeli. Only 8% of men have an academic degree compared to 29% in the rest of the Israeli male population. When Israelis of Ethiopian descent do successfully complete higher education, they earn approximately 25% less than the average Jewish Israeli.
Discrimination against Ethiopians is also seen in the judicial system. In a 2019 national Israeli census, we learn that 6% of adults and 14% of juveniles who appear before a judge are Ethiopian, from a population that is less of 1.7% of the total. I realize not all these facts are the result of racism, but have no doubt that racism played a role in creating this reality.
King Solomon affirms that “A righteous man falls down seven times and gets up [again].” (Proverbs 24:16). We have fallen down in our responsibility to help the some 170,000 Israeli Ethiopians, 44% of whom are Israeli-born and seamlessly integrate into Israeli society. We continue to deny Beta Israel, our Ethiopian brothers and sisters, the value of their history. And we have failed to set them up for sustained success.
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed,” (Proverbs 15:22). Accepting this prescription, in August 1996, the Israeli government formed an interministerial committee to eradicate racism against those of Ethiopian descent and outlined 52 recommendations to help correct institutionalized and societal racism. One of the most egregious examples of racist police response was the tragic killing of 19-year-old Solomon Tekah in 2019 which led to violent protests in the country in the summer of that year.
Success stories among Ethiopian immigrants
THERE ARE some very notable success stories among Ethiopian immigrants and their Israeli-born children. Many outstanding social service and advocacy organizations exist in Israel, led by Israelis of Ethiopian descent and others, but it is not enough to encourage significant social mobility.
One of the most significant examples of success in recent years was MK Pnina Tamano-Shata, who became the aliyah and integration minister in the previous government in 2020. Her ministerial appointment was an opportunity for celebration, particularly in seeing how she then assisted in reuniting Ethiopian families with their relatives, who had been waiting to join them in Israel for years. Alongside the minister are others who are accomplished in politics, the military, education and communications, etc., but they are outliers.
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity,” (Proverbs 17:17). Israeli Ethiopians need friends, but they also need brothers and sisters to help defeat the ugly brother we call racism.
In 2006, Magen David Adom destroyed blood donated by Ethiopians (“Blood Scandal,” The Jerusalem Post, December 12, 2013). This is antithetical to being brothers.
Jews are taught to always choose life. Tossing our brothers’ blood, the “gift of life” – as called by the American Red Cross – made my own blood boil. So I decided it was time to act. I decided to focus on education, as education has the highest change potential and return on investment. After all, we are nicknamed “the people of the book” for a reason.
Coincidentally, a team of like-minded philanthropists, aptly named the Changemakers, have embarked on a journey to raise $10 million to break one of the barriers for Israelis of Ethiopian descent. The money will enable them to attain scholarships to attend either Hebrew University or Tel Aviv University, Israel’s McGill or Harvard University as education remains our people’s proven solution for confronting inequality. While the government provides some funding, support has proven inadequate to increase numbers.
It is difficult to be racist toward your university roommate, best friend or grandchildren. Attending Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University will bring Israelis of Ethiopian descent out of Israel’s periphery and into the action. Integration facilitated by attending either Jerusalem’s Hebrew University or Tel Aviv University is critical to sustained success. Currently, Israelis of Ethiopian descent are, based on their population, underrepresented in both cities by approximately 65%.
Increasing the attendance of Israelis of Ethiopian descent to Israel’s two best universities is not an overnight solution to the problem of racism, however, I can firmly say that education is the most efficacious medicine for tackling inequality.
Of all people, Jews should be above racism and we are not.
The writer was the co-founder, president and CEO of Paladin Labs Inc., and started a second pharmaceutical company, Knight Therapeutics Inc. A resident of Montreal, he has chaired the Federation Combined Jewish Appeal annual campaign and has financially supported Jewish education in Montreal.