The Emunah Women of America has announced the launching of “Operation Joshua,” a multi-faceted, long-term program to ensure the successful absorption of the recent Ethiopian Jewish immigrants to Israel.
Beverly Segal, chairman of Operation Joshua, said the Ethiopian immigrants are observant Jews and, as such, have specific needs which are often ignored during the regular Israeli absorption process. Operation Joshua, she said, “is distinguished from the other fine humanitarian efforts on behalf of Ethiopian Jews because it recognizes the unique cultural and religious needs of these people.”
Segal noted that when the religious needs of the Jews from Moslem lands were ignored during their absorption in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the result was that “a disproportionate number of Israeli welfare families, broken homes, and delinquents came from this immigration …. The mistake was made once. It should never be repeated.”
According to Segal, “Many Americans are under the impression that it was enough to transport the Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth. It will take millions of dollars, lots of hard work, and years of effort to ensure their proper integration into Israeli society.”
SOME OPERATION JOSHUA PROGRAMS
Among the programs of Operation Joshua, Segal said, are free day care for thousands of Ethiopian children, provision of tuition, room, and board at Emunah schools throughout Israel for hundreds of young people, free counseling for all ages on the traditional dietary and family purity laws, political rights, and the availability of religious education; and both volunteer and professional support groups throughout Israel.
“Most important of all”, Segal said, “is that Operation Joshua is developing a new leadership from within the Ethiopian Jewish community to make the new arrivals proud and self-sufficient in the years ahead.”
Segal said the name Operation Joshua was selected because, “While Moses brought the Jews out of exile, it was Joshua who brought them into the land of Israel and made the walls come tumbling down.”
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