Operation Solomon Essay, Research Paper

Introduction:

The main essence of Israel’s development has been aliyah, immigration of Jews from dozens of countries on every continent speaking over 100 different languages. They came from Russia before the revolution, from Germany and Austria fleeing the Nazis and from Poland, Hungary, Romania and Czechoslovakia out of the ashes of the Holocaust. They came from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and North Africa expelled by Arab anti-Zionism. Most recently they have come from the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Ethiopia. Since 1990 alone over 700,000 immigrants have reached Israel from the former Soviet Union. In May 1991 the largest number of newcomers to reach Israel in one day was recorded when 14,000 Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to the country during Operation Solomon. Operation Solomon was the carried out by the I.D.F ( Israeli Defence Force) and of the Israeli government to bring Ethiopian Jews from Ethiopia to Israel, “bringing to an end the 3,000 year old saga of the Ethiopian Jewish community, as told in their tradition”. This operation took place on the 24th of May, 1991 and was the arrival of 15000 (even babies were born on flight) new Jewish Ethiopians. It took 48 hours. The first stage of this operation was to move them new patch of immigrants from Gundar to Addis which happened between February and May of 1990 with the help of America giving aid. Great tension was put on the Ethiopian government to let the Ethiopians go. But in March of 1991 a vicious act threatened to overthrow the Ethiopian government. The Jews needed to be out of Ethiopia before the government broke down.

The main theme of miagration has been impact. The impact of new immigrants has changed the social, political, economical and cultural ways of Israel, the people living in Israel and the new immigrants.

This operation cost Israel $35,000,000. Israel made El Al cover their logo on their aircrafts and army soldiers were dressed as normal civilians so that it would look like that the mission was carried out by civilians and not a government project. This operation was carried out by General Amnon Shachar. The Ethiopian Jews were only one hand luggage on board. When they arrived they expressed there feelings like “Baruch Hashem” (Bless God) and “Kol Hakavod”.

Area Two – Economically

It cost Israel $35,000,000 to bring the Ethiopian Jews from Addis Ababa to Israel. The Ethiopian Jews were not educated enough, although little percentages held high public positions, but majority of the Ethiopians still have potential. One of the biggest challenges for the israeli newcomers was adjusting to a regular work routine in Israel.Yoram Ben-Meir head of the Partnership Project For The Advancement Of Ethiopian Ex-Servicemen and building the Ethiopian younger generation who spent six months in Ethiopia says “The Ethiopians worked the land according to the seasons and time was abstract, rather than a fixed element. No one told them when to start working or when to stop. Nature and the elements were their clock.” However, all this changed drastically when they came to Israel. The Ethiopians needed to adjust to Israeli work life. Israel developed programs for training Ethiopians to enter Israel’s workforce. Although for the educated Ethiopian jews the adjustment was less pressuring. All the Ethiopians had to complete a six month Hebrew course (an Ulpun) before they could enter ant sort of training programs in Israel.

Many Ehtiopians have joined the Practical Engineering College of Beersheva, were a large amount of Ethiopians have recieved diplomas. Dr Hect of the Manpower Training Development Bureau of the Ministry of Labour and Yoram Ben-Meir both agree that the Ehtiopians that study technological subjects, share the same ability as any new immigrants coming from more higher society. Thirty percent of ethiopians that enroll in the College are women. This changes the traditional image of a Ehtiopian women and it will slowly break away. Now more women are joining the technology work force.

It has been benifical for Israel to absorb these miagrants, because they

In conclusion “35,000 Ethiopian Jewish have come to Israel. The absorption of Ethiopian Jews, with their distinctive appearance and customs, provided a Zionist challenge of the highest order to both the Israeli government and Israeli society.”

To Migrant Experience (video worksheet) – Handout provided by Mrs Katz

Aliyah by Nili Kadary from the internet site

http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/100/concepts/aliyah5.html