Dean of Students, Rechovot Campus
This year, Orot Israel has joined other colleges which conduct a Tasfeh program. This program, whose name comes from the Amharic word for “hope,” caters to the Ethiopian community in Israel. In the context of this program, the students participate in enrichment activities in a variety of disciplines.
Recently, we conducted a very full day seminar in the city of Kiryat Gat. We met with Ms. Shulamit Sahalu, a religious woman and member of the Ethiopian community, who currently serves as Deputy Mayor of Kiryat Gat. Over the course of a lengthy conversation, she spoke about the power of meaningful achievement within a municipal system, armed with limited resources beyond personal drive. Ms. Sahalu noted the extraordinary progress the city is currently enjoying, in its transition from a development town, suffering from an unflattering public image, to a city undergoing accelerated development. We saw these changes firsthand, when the City Spokesperson escorted us on a tour of various sites around the city. The tour highlighted the centers of technological development and demonstrated the importance of the earliest possible recognition for future potential.
From there, we visited the Atachlit Farm, a village of “Beta Yisrael” (the adopted name of the Jewish Ethiopian community in Israel), where we were exposed to the cultural richness of the Ethiopian community. At the village, the students were addressed by Rabbi Moshe Solomon, who is an active member of the Ethiopian community; the Director of the organization Hineni, which provides a range of social services within the community; and a lieutenant colonel in the Reserves. Finally, we went to the Tenufa youth center, where we held a fascinating conversation about all the days’ experiences. The day concluded with a conversation with the municipal psychologist, whose responsibilities bring him into contact with the various segments of the Kiryat Gat community.
Students participating in the Tasfeh program represent all the assorted specializations and programs offered in the College: general students, yeshiva students, and students receiving academic retraining. A large portion of these students combine their studies in the College with parallel rabbinic studies. The seminar was arranged with the aim to contribute towards the development of these students as community leaders and educators, and it was clear from the uplifting and positive atmosphere that the seminar had achieved its purpose.
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