History of Tebeka/ Why We Exist
Tebeka was founded in 2000 by Israel’s first Ethiopian-Israeli attorney, who recognized a need to safe guard the rights of Israel’s 130,000-member Ethiopian community and cultivate Israel’s next generation of leaders and legal scholars. Of utmost importance is educating the community about their rights and obligations as Israeli citizens, as well as to guard agains
t legal injustices and prejudicial practices. Challenges & Solution
•History: Ethiopian Jews are an ancient community which underwent an abrupt transition from a rural agrarian lifestyle with minimal technology to a knowledge-based economy and technology-driven culture in Israel. This abrupt change created tremendous challenges in navigating the complexities of Israel’s legal system, educational system, socio-economic structure, family structure, and government bureaucracy. They faced discrimination and stigmatization, which hampered their opportunities to attain basic rights.
•Bridging socio-economic gaps: Typically marginalized by the general society, many Ethiopian-Israelis continue to live in low-income neighborhoods and peripheral areas of the country. A high rate of unemployment and a low level of average income persist.
•Bridging educational gaps: By the time they reach high school, the combination of poverty and poor educational achievement results in a relatively high rate of at-risk children and youth; a higher rate of Ethiopian juvenile delinquency exists. All of the above contribute to a strong feeling of alienation and discrimination among the members of the Ethiopian community, especially the younger generation. Tebeka’s Solution: (1) Legal Services to combat Racism & Educate and (2) Leadership & Mentoring Programs for community empowerment.
