The death rate among Ethiopian Jews waiting for permission to emigrate is declining, apparently as a result of stepped-up medical assistance provided by the American Jewish community.
A total of 40 Ethiopian Jews died during the month of July. But that number fell to 28 in August and is expected to drop further, according to Michael Schneider, executive vice president of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
“In the 10-day period ending last Thursday, there were six deaths,” Schneider said. “We would anticipate that it could be as low as 18 in September if the trend continues.”
Recent reports in Israeli newspapers have cited far higher fatality figures, numbering in the hundreds. But the reports were based mainly on eyewitness accounts from Israelis who recently visited Ethiopia.
Those reports have heightened anxiety in Israel and the American Jewish community over the fate of the 15,000 to 17,000 Jews now stranded in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian Jews arrived there from their native Gondar province in the North, hoping to obtain permission to leave for Israel.
However, emigration has been slow and sporadic.
According to William Recant, executive director of the American Association for Ethiopian Jews, about 200 Ethiopian Jews left for Israel during August. During the first week of September, 63 came out, and 70 were expected to leave during the second week.
In attempts to assist those who remain behind, crowded in the unfamiliar environment of Addis Ababa, the Joint Distribution Committee has provided food, mattresses and blankets to the Ethiopian Jews. Through an Israeli non-profit organization, it has provided them with cash assistance as well.
Most important, the relief organization, which is funded largely by the United Jewish Appeal, has expanded and upgraded its medical clinic in Addis Ababa.
“In cooperation with the Ethiopian government and government hospitals, we now have trained about 75 Ethiopian Jews as outreach visitors to all the homes where Jews are living, to encourage them to come into our clinics for treatment.” said Schneider of JDC.
Schneider, who recently returned from a visit to Addis Ababa, said he felt the outreach program had been a “contributing factor” to the reduced death rate.
Recant concurred, saying, “We have begun to witness a decrease in the death rate” among Ethiopian Jews. He credited relief efforts and improved medical care.
Schneider said that the roles of the JDC and the Israeli Embassy had been clearly defined in a meeting he had with Kassa Kebede, a top aide to Ethiopian leader Mengistu Haile Mariam: JDC is responsible for relief work only; the processing of Ethiopian Jews for immigration to Israel is handled by the Israeli government.
But Schneider said it had been agreed that JDC would be permitted to “coordinate and cooperate” with Israel, “in order to avoid unnecessary duplication and confusion.”
It is the Israelis who appear to be the arbiters of “who is a Jew.” Schneider said that in determining who is eligible for cash assistance, the relief organizations “leave the assessment as to who is Jewish” to the Israeli Embassy.
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