Avital, Salem, and Lipaz are three student participants actively involved in the Ethiopian National Project (ENP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating the successful integration of Ethiopian-Israelis into Israeli society. ENP's mission focuses on education empowerment, risk prevention, cultural programs, and community service, operating to prevent the formation of a black underclass in Israel. Through intensive after-school support, the organization works with 7th to 12th grade Ethiopian-Israeli children, providing holistic assistance in academics, social interactions, emotional well-being, and nutrition. What sets the Ethiopian National Project apart is its strong collaboration with the Ethiopian-Israeli community, playing an integral role in all aspects of its work. The organization's effectiveness is well-demonstrated through independent evaluations of its programs.

ENP goes beyond its after-school programming by offering exciting summer leisure activities, including sending student participants to US sleep-away summer camps and teen traveling programs. Thanks to their collaboration with BBYO, the largest pluralistic Jewish youth movement worldwide, ENP students were able to sit alongside BBYO teens on a Passport bus. Recently, Avital, Salem, and Lipaz embarked on a remarkable three-week educational and hands-on experience in Israel. This journey allowed them to explore their homeland from a fresh perspective alongside their American peers. 

When speaking with Salem about her experience on the trip, she shared that the trip exceeded her expectations. “At first I thought I was not going to connect with the people there…but they were really sweet plus the staff was amazing” Salem shared. During some parts of the trip, Salem visited places she was familiar with, while others she got to experience for the first time. “I had never been to a couple of the places on the trip. I am really glad I got to experience it as much as they got to experience.” Salem exclaimed that floating in the Dead Sea and riding camels were her two favorite activities on the trip. 

A staff member on the trip, Sarah Katz, also shared her perspective on the addition of these 3 Ethiopian Israelis to the community of 31 Dallas students. “[Their participation] showed our teens, the Jews from Dallas, the different types of Jews. Dallas is very much Ashkenazi and these teens got to see how diverse Jews can actually be. Seeing Israel through Israelis eyes makes the trip all the more better. It was really sweet to watch and see from a distance, them being curious about Israelis, about Israeli culture.” The teens also felt the trip produced a safe space to share intimate stories, exposing the US teens to the vast experiences of Ethiopian Israelis. Katz said, “We had a session where Avital actually shared her family story about coming from Ethiopia to Israel, and the teens got to ask questions. It made it more personal rather than just them just watching a film about Operation Moses or Solomon. They got to hear firsthand, from someone on the trip with them, how their family came to Israel.”

Throughout the trip, Avital, Salem and Lipaz created a booming friendship with Dallas teen Kendall. Salem shared how “She brought a new perspective about how Americans view Israel”. Katz also discussed their blossoming relationship, “It was the four of them [Kendall, Avital, Salem, & Lipaz]. I told Kendall, you are going to have a very different experience than anybody else on the trip. You are getting three weeks of really integrating yourself with Israelis, and this will be a life changing trip for you. And it was. Them leaving made me cry, and they were sobbing saying goodbye to each other.”

The teens shared how ENP made this trip possible with the SPACE (School Performance and Community Empowerment) Scholastic Assistance Program. The teens have been participating in this program for years which teaches and builds on their English speaking abilities. In her perfect English, Salem shared, “the first couple of days I was stuttering with my English, but I got used to it. The program [SPACE] really helped with it.” Staff member Katz also stated how the language barrier was virtually non-existent, as each Israeli teen had flawless English. Overall, this exchange of cultures and friendships was a priceless experience for all, and this incredible opportunity was brought to life by the following organizations: RootOne, the Ethiopian National Project, BBYO Passport, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.

For more information on how to connect with the Ethiopian National Project visit: www.enp.org.il/en/ or contact info@enp.org.il.