stan@hou2f.UUCP (S.GLAZER) (01/18/85)
To the many questions being asked about the rescue of the Falashas (i.e., the Ethopian Jews), I offer the following information which was obtained from the N.Y.TIMES and from those in my shul who have just returned from Israel. This information is public knowledge and no secrets are being disclosed. The airlift, which began about Thanksgiving time, started with one flight per week (plane size unknown) and was to be completed sometime in March. The air carrier was a Belgium charter who was working under a contract refugee camps. The Jewish Agency immediatly claimed that the rescue would resume as soon as another carrier was found. At the current time it is estimated that there are still 5,000- 7,000 who want out. Most are on the way to the boarder. Some are still in the camps. Relatives in Israel claim that on the average, it takes about two years to walk from their villages in Ethopia to the camps where the rescues took place. The elders were the last to leave primarily to maintain a claim to their land until they had some word that the rest of the family made it. Fortunatly, the severe drought has not hit most of the jewish villages. Time, however, is not in their favor. A group from B'nai B'rith (US) just returned from Ethiopia and reported conditions are quickly worsening due to the approaching drought and the loss of the younger workers. Inside Israel, the new arivals are given medical treartment (manny have [rare in Israel] tropical sicknesses obtain during their long trek from their villages), and a tested by other Falashas for their jewishnes. This latter test consists of family history and judaic practices. (While in the Sudan, if there was any doubt if the refugee was jewish, he/she was allowed to board since the determination could be better done in Israel.) The average age of the refugees is 14 years old. The average life expectancy of the Falashas in Ethiopia is 34 years. Those who pass the jewish test (and most do) are sent to the schools in Ashkelon (sp?) where they are helped to assimulate to Israeli life and to cope with a 10 century cultural shock. The few who do not pass the jewish test are given various options. The most popular is to go to a kibutz, learn a trade or farm and apply for citizenship as any other non jew. Many kibutz's are asking to help these refugees. On the political side, various groups, including the Prime Ministers Office, are accusing each other of leeking the story of the rescue (and thus bringing about it temporary halt) in order to obtain the glory for being part of this important event. They all do agree, however, that somehow, the program will start again and all the Ethiopian jews will be brought home. The cost to the government is approx. $6,000, including resettlement, for each refuge The Marxist governments of Ethiopia and the Sudan tried to rally world opinion against Israel for performing this rescue, but it has been mostly inefectual. Israel asked where were the Arab countries when Arab refugees needed (and still need) help. There is a plan to hold yet another Arab summit on the issue of Israel's rescue of these refugees. That is the highlights of what I know on the subject. Stan Glazer AT&T-Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ hou2f!stan :w
stan@hou2f.UUCP (S.GLAZER) (01/18/85)
Something happened to my second paragraph. Let me try it again. The airlift, which began about Thanksgiving time, started with one flight per week (plane size unknown) and was to be completed sometime in March. The air carrier was a Belgium charter who was working under a contract from the Jewish Agency. The plan was to rescue the approx. 12,000 jews who were already in the Sudanese refugee camps or on the way to the camps. As news of the rescue leaked to the press, the flights were increased to twice weekly, then to four times per week. They were being increased to eight times weekly when the carrier resigned due to political pressure from the Sudan. (I do not know how the pressure was applied.) When stopped, approx. 7,000-9,000 were already rescued. The flights were not direct between the Sudan and Israel, but via other unspecified points. (We were told, quite dramatically, that the refugees came through 10 centuries in 10 hours.) Hope the above adds more continuity to my previous posting. Stan Glazer AT&T-Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ hou2f!stan