The Ethiopian Jewish Exodus: Narratives of the Journey / Edition 1

by Gadi BenEzer

Overview

Between 1977 and 1985, some 20,000 Ethiopian Jews left their homes in Ethiopia and - motivated by an ancient dream of returning to the land of their ancestors, 'Yerussalem' - embarked on a secret and highly traumatic exodus to Israel. Due to various political circumstances they had to leave their homes in haste, go a long way on foot through unknown country, and stay for a period of one or two years in refugee camps, until they were brought to Israel. The difficult conditions of the journey included racial tensions, attacks by bandits, night travel over mountains, incarceration, illness and death. A fifth of the group did not survive the journey.
This interdisciplinary, ground-breaking book focuses on the experience of this journey, its meaning for the people who made it, and its relation to the initial encounter with Israeli society. The author argues that powerful processes occur on such journeys that affect the individual and community in life-changing ways, including their initial encounter with and adaptation to their new society. Analysing the psychosocial impact of the journey, he examines the relations between coping and meaning, trauma and culture, and discusses personal development and growth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415273633
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/30/2002
Series:	Routledge Studies in Memory and Narrative , #9
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Gadi BenEzer is a senior lecturer of psychology and anthropology at the Department of Behavioural Sciences in the College of Management in Tel Aviv. In the last two decades he has worked as a psychotherapist and organizational psychologist with the Ethiopian Jewish immigrants in Israel. He has written extensively on Ethiopian Jews, trauma and life stories, and cross-cultural psychotherapy. His book on Immigration and Integration of the Ethiopian Jews has become the main text on the subject in Israel.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction2. The Context of the Journey3. Interviewing and Interpreting in Cross Cultural Research4. The Theme of Jewish Identity5. The Theme of Suffering6. The Theme of Bravery and Inner Strength7. The Impact of the Journey: Psycho-Social Issues8. Ethiopian Jews Encounter Israel

Editorial Reviews

"Thousands of Ethiopian (Beta Israel) Jews arrived in Israel following a perilous journey on foot from their original villages in Gondar to refugee camps in Sudan. This difficult and lengthy journey and waiting period forms the subject of this excellent book... While geared to specialists, this book may be read with profit by anyone interested in the phenomenon of immigration and in the Beta Israel experience. Highly recommended." - Choice

'Gadi BenEzer presents a rich body of interview data on an understudied refugee group, Ethiopian Jews in Israel. His humane and skillful methods bring to light important details of the difficult journey itself which he successful demonstrates have a critical impact on the adaptation of individuals to their new surroundings. The book is a treasure. It is suitable for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in the social sciences and social work as well as for those who work with refugees. ' - Kathie Friedman, University of Washington

From the Publisher