Peoples of Israel: Ethiopian-Isrelis

            In Donna Rosenthal’s book The Israelis, she discusses the trials and triumphs of Ethiopian Jews who were rescued from their home country and brought to Israel. The Israeli Government decided to take action after thousands of Ethiopian Jews were robbed and killed as they made the journey from Ethiopia to Israel through the Sudanese desert.  She writes about the hardships they had to face being brought to a new country with new technology and a lifestyle that they had never experienced. They were often afraid and did not know how to assimilate to their new home. Rosenthal also writes about their identity crisis they face being Jews in a new land. They had structured societies in Ethiopia and knew their roles well. In Israel those roles were no longer necessary. Many men found it harder to assimilate; they did not have defined roles like they did as in Ethiopia. Younger people children found it difficult because they learned the Israeli lifestyle easily but were being pulled back to their old way life by their parents and family. Many young people struggle with their identity and the Israeli government is doing what they can to help them by creating programs and by subsidizing their education. In 1995 there were only 145 Ethiopian students receiving aid, ten years later there were more than two thousand. One way many Ethiopians have found to become more Jewish and Israeli is by joining the Army. There they find their place and volunteer more than any other draft group in Israel.

            In the Myers, JDC, Brookdale Institute website they have statics about the effort that Israel has taken to help with the absorption of the Ethiopian immigrants. They define Ethiopian Israeli as anyone born in Ethiopia or Israeli with one or two parents born in Ethiopia. They have to go through a process to prove that they are Jewish to receive their Israeli citizenship. In the year 2010 there were 119,700 Ethiopian-Israelis, 40 percent of them were under the age of 18. Although they have a higher dropout rate the numbers have decreased and are only 2 percent higher than other Israeli groups, at 11 percent. Also the number of Ethiopian-Israelis who are eligible to receive their matriculation diploma has increased, from 31 percent in 2000 to 41 percent in 2010. The number of Ethiopian-Israelis who are employed is also very similar to other Jews, both with women and men. According to Rosenthal men had a higher unemployment rate, but those numbers have decreased over time. Although more Ethiopian-Israelis are employed they are still making far less than their Jewish counterparts, by an average of two to three thousand less. Forty-one percent of Ethiopian-Israelis live in poverty compared to only 15 of other Jewish families. They attribute their higher poverty rate to their lower education, larger families and employment opportunities as factors to their living standards. The average Ethiopian-Israeli family has 3 or more children than other Jewish couples. They also have less income earners in their families.

            Donna Rosenthal writes about the hardships the Ethiopian Jews faced as they made their journey to Israel. She also focuses on the difficulties they faced once they arrived to Israel. She interviews Ethiopians and Israelis to see their experiences through their eyes, although most were happy to be in Israel they did have some issues with the way in which they were treated. One example is the “Blood Riots” in which some government health agencies were dumping Ethiopian blood donations in fear of HIV infections. They feared that the blood might be contaminated because they came from a country in which AIDS is widespread. Many Ethiopians felt insulted by their treatment and the fact they were keeping it secret from the public. After that incident many more issues came to the forefront, like the slowness in which programs were being into practice. In the Myers, JDC, Brookdale article they focused more on a research and academic perspective. People were not asked about their feelings or experiences just information. The Institute focuses on providing research and information for the social change of the country of Israel. They both bring to the forefront the issues that many Ethiopian-Israelis faced and still continue to face as they integrate themselves into their new home. 

People's Blog 2: The Arab Population

            In Donna Rosenthal’s The Israelis, she writes about the point of view of the Arab population who live within the Israeli borders. They often feel ostracized for their faith and just their ethnicity. They feel out place in their country and sometimes they feel like they do not have a home. They have to face the ridicule and embarrassment of searches, curfew and profiling by the IDF and the police. Some of the people interviewed like Yasser Mansour, feel like they are part of the community and call themselves Israelis. Since the Second Intifada they have found it harder to relate with the other people. They have had to face harsher criticism and even more suspicion from people. The Arab populationmakes up about 20 percent or 1.57 million people. About half of the Arabs wereunder 19 at the time of the survey.

            There are many misconceptions when it comes to the Arab population in Israel. The Myers-JDC- Brookdale Institute has been conducting data research on Arabs and other groups of people in the country of Israel. One thing that people need to understand when they think of the Arab population of Israel is that they are not all Muslim. Only 87 percent of them are, 10 percent are Christians and 8 percent are Druze. Their fertility rates are also dropping from 10 children to 3.5 only, while only 11 percent having 5 or more children. Jews in Israel average 3 children and only 3 percent of the Jewish population has 5 or more children. Their birthrates have been dropping for Muslims in Israel while the Israeli government is trying to have Jews increase their birthrates. Although the birthrates have almost become the same there is still a chance that Arabswill outnumber Jewish population in Israel in 2020.

            Another surprising finding is the number of Arabs who have continued their education and gone on to receive some form of higher education. The number has increased from 25.2 percent in 2001-2002 to 29.6 percent in 2010. Although the number of Arabs participating in higher education has increased, the number of the dropouts has still remained high at 16 percent. Without a high school education they are unable to continue even with vocational training. This makes it harder for them to receive better paying jobs and higher wages. In 2010 about 53 percent of the Arab population lived in poverty compared to the 14 percent of Jews. The percentage of Arabs who are employed is 71 while the number of Israeli men is 76 percent. The number for Arab women is much lower than that of Israeli women; Arab women are at about 25 percent while Israeli women are at 64 percent.

            There is big gap between Jewish Israelis and Arab Israelis and that gap has increased in some areas but in others their differences have decreased. Although the Second Intifada has created many divisions between the groups there are some people on both sides who have tried to end these conflicts. Some people like Suhad feel that Arabs without a land will make it harder to end the conflict. They believe that a Palestinian State is the only way to end the conflict and end the bloodshed between these two groups of people. Some people believe that there is still a chance to find a solution to the conflict and find a peaceful end. As long as there people like Yasser who believe in peace and coexistence, there can changes made. People have to put their differences aside and realize that as Yasser said “This is our home. Jews and Arabs have to think about what kind of future it will be because we’re all going to be sharing it.” The Arab population is part of the State of Israel and they have to be taken into account when the Government makes their decisions as Suhad said. They might have different believes but they are still part of Israel. 

People Of Israel 1: The Haredi

In the book The Israelis, Donna Rosenthal writes about the small proportion of Haredi Jews or ultra-orthodox Jews who live in Israel. She explains their strict and traditional way of life and how that affects their relationship with other Jews within Israel. The Haredi population has one of the highest birthrates in Israel, with almost four children to every mother. Other women average about two children.  Haredi men do not work and devote most of their lives to the study of the Torah. This causes a high unemployment rate among able bodied Haredi men. They typically finish their studies at the age of 42 well past the age of service for the Israeli Defense Forces. They also are exempt from the compulsory draft for religious reasons. When the law was created that allowed to be exempt there were only some 30,000 men who would fall under the exception.

In The Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute website they have posted their most recent stats about the Israeli population. They have noted an increase of about 5 percent for the Haredi or Ultra-Orthodox portion of the Jewish population. They make up about 11.9 percent of the population, up from 3 percent in 1990. Birthrates is not the only reason for an increase in the population, some religious people have also joined the more stringent Haredi faith. They also have the highest unemployment rate in Israel. In 2011 the employment rate for men was 46 percent still far below the average of all Jewish men which was at 78 percent. The employment percentage for Haredi women is much higher and rose to 61 in 2011, the national average is 66 percent. They are usually the only source of income for Haredi households. They are also reliant on government subsidies to help pay for housing and other expenses.

The Haredi population reliance on government aid and their ability to avoid the draft often cause much tension with other Israelis who call them draft dodgers. It is such an important issue that it was even presented to Knesset or Israeligovernment to for a vote. They want the exemption to be overturned and that all able bodied men be drafted without exemption. The secular branches of religion and government do not believe that devoted studying of the Torah is enough of a reason to be exempt from the military service. The Knesset passed the bill with a vote of 67-1 with some 52 opposition lawmakers being absent in protest of the bill and the vote. It is a very controversial bill, with many of the Haredi and Ultra- Orthodox opposing it in Israel and around the world. Some Haredi believe that it is not fair and that they are being targeted for their beliefs. In 2013 there were some 3,000 men in the IDF in some integrated and segregated units. Some Haredi are so against the government that they even oppose the Zionist movement and the state of Israel. They believe that only when they are pure and worthy enough will they get their land back. The Haredi population has grown so much that they make up 11 percent or about 811,000 people who are considered Haredi.

The Haredi population has expanded and has grown in Israel after it was almost wiped out by the Holocaust. When the country of Israel was being created they gave many exclusions, special treatments and subsidies to the Haredi that other Jews did not get. They felt like they needed to rebuild their communities after they were so badly damaged. The law that allowed them to be exempt was created by the original Knesset. The Brookdale Institute expects that the population will increase to 18 percent by 2030 and their rate of increase will continue at 5. The government is also trying to increase the number of employed Haredi men and women. It is rising but not as fast as the government would like it. Some Haredi men have even joined the military willingly and have deferred their studies. The government has also reduced the amount of aid that a family receives and the subsidies that a family receives. The times are changing in Israel and the government hopes that the Haredi will change and participate more in their country. 

Current Events Blog 3: A New Political Weapon

Homosexuality is becoming a weapon in the elections of Israel. In the article Gay marriage inIsrael? Unlikely, but it’s a hot topic in the 2015 election campaign the writer Allison Kaplan Sommer writes about the difficulties that many political parties are facing in the elections regarding gay marriage. Some parties are trying to use the issue of gay marriage to bring support to their parties. Other parties are declaring their stance against same sex marriage. They believe it is against the Jewish religion to support gay-marriage and homosexuality. Others are walking the fine line of not declaring themselves either in favor of it or against it.

Israel is considered a gay friendly country; they have a lot of laws protecting rights in the military and in the work place. Some laws and programs have also been created to protect people regarding tax credits and fertility programs for same-sex couples. They are even two elected gay officials in the Knesset. They belong to the Meretz party, which is left wing party. Although there is support for gay people in Israel, there is also opposition to homosexuality by Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox parties. One party that has grabbed the attention of protestors is Habayit Hayehudi. Their leader Naftali Bennett has been trying to bring a younger and hipper audience into the party while still holding true to their Zionist believes. It is a tough political atmosphere where even a majority does not guarantee political pull.

As more people have come out of the closet there has been an increase in support of gay rights. It has also expanded in the political spectrum, and many parties have shown their support for gay rights. Even if a party were to gain the majority in Knesset they also need the support of the orthodox parties to get the 61 votes they need to pass and create laws. It would be unlikely to happen since most orthodox parties do not support and are very vocal against homosexuality. The Likud and Meretz parties have been open and supportive of gay rights. They have openly gay members and have recently shown their support for gay marriage and equal rights regardless of gender, race or faith. They have even allowed gay Jews to immigrate to Israel with their non-Jewish spouses.

The author Allison Kaplan Sommer included quotes of both supporters and non-supporters of gay marriages and rights. Some quotes showed how the right wing parties believe homosexuality is against the Jewish faith and the orthodox believes. Other quotes of included those of the right wing party members who do support gay rights and even marriage. She seems to lean to the liberal side, but acknowledges that it might be difficult to get gay rights and gay-marriage passed in a parliament that is controlled by religious parties. The article also refers to a lot of the protest media against the right wing parties. She begins her article with the viral video reminding voters to thinks about their loved ones when they vote in the 2015 elections and not vote against those that are against equal rights for everyone. She does make sure to include the right wing opinions and shows respect to their opinions and believes.

Gay rights in Israel are a difficult issue for politicians and the political parties to which they belong to. If a politician and their parties show support for gay rights they are limiting their support within the parliament. A party must have 61 votes to create laws, and most parties cannot get those on their own so they often resort to compromising with other parties to get the votes they need. Most of those parties and right wing and often are Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox branches. It would be difficult for liberal and gay right supporters to get a majority votes and the support of other parties in government. I believe the author made a good point in saying that the gay constituents are a new demographic that political parties are targeting. Although they cannot guarantee their promises they are showing support for gay rights and the homosexual population, which was not done so openly before. Gay rights and marriage is a long way off, but at least it is now a subject that politicians are willing to talk about. 

Currents Events Blog 2

The article On the frontline with Gaza, fence menders face nightly peril focuses on the task that a special unit of the Israeli forces faces. The author, Mitch Ginsburg the military correspondent of the Israeli Times, accompanied the special unit known as Kometz on their nightly task of mending the fence. The fence was built in regulation with the Oslo Accords that was signed in 1993 between Israel and Palestinian Liberation Organization.

The fence has developed over time and has become more technologically advanced. In the 1970s, it consisted of trip wires and flares to indicate the location of the trip. Now the fence has cameras, and location abilities that can pin point the location where the fence was crossed. The fence has to be constantly maintained, or a simple glitch can take down long stretches of the fence.

            After it was built it helped prevent attacks from terrorist and infiltration, or at reduce the amount of attacks. The fence is not only a barrier but is also able to detect when someone crosses the fence. It is so technologically advance that it can detect where the person crossed. The fence is often damaged by weapons, people and even the weather. The special unit called Kometz is responsible for the upkeep of 60 kilometers or about 37 miles worth of fence in Northern Gaza.

The Kometz Unit constantly faces enemy fire, from rocks being thrown to guided missiles. They have to work in the cover of darkness so they are not as easily spotted by snipers or other forms of attack. The unit is not an infantry unit but a special ordinance unit whose job is to fix and maintain the barbed wire fence that separates Gaza from Israel. They are often accompanied by infantry units that watch the horizon as they work. The fence is their first line of defense against attacks; it helps curb the number of terrorist that can get into Israel. The number of fence crossers is up. The average number is 13 crossers a month, between September and January it has been 84.

The author of the article is Mitch Ginsburg the military correspondent for the Times of Israel. He writes from the perspective of the soldiers who are out in the field. He describes how they feel the concern about attacks and how they have to put that aside to get the job done. He also states the different ways in which the soldiers are targeted and how some members of the unit have been injured but returned to service. He mostly focuses on the perspective of the Israeli forces and how they feel.

Ginsburg also included an interview of a former fence crosser, who described the prison in Israel as a five-star hotel. That was the only perspective he offered from the Palestinians point of view. He was limited in the information he provided for the Gaza side of the border. The numbers that the author provided in the crossings were also listed in a New Times article. He also used the same quote of the man interviewed for the New York Times article, his name is Youssef Abbas.

Although Mitch Ginsburg did provide a quote by a Palestinian border crosser he focused more on the perspective of the Israeli soldiers. The data he also provided can also be found in another article, although there is no official record of the numbers given. The article describes the dangerous that both sides face. One as they try to maintain their safety and the other as they try to find refuge from the war torn country they are running from. I wish Ginsburg had interviewed more residents of Gaza and Israelis who live near the border.

Second Post

Are Israel and Palestine trying to avoid war, or are their actions saying otherwise? In an article Nasrallah Warns Israel about the consequences of a war.

First Post

Hello my name is Janely. I’m from Agua Dulce. I am currently working on finishing my history degree at the California State University Northridge.