Letter from Rabbi Edgar Nof at Or Hadash:

11 Happy 1^st Graders from the Ethiopian Jewry in Israel

Chaverim Yekarim,

Yesterday was the first day of school for almost 1,700,000 students in Israel. 48, 776 students started school in Haifa, among them my 4 children: Yael (10^th grade), Elior (5^th grade), Ariel (3^rd grade) and Talia (1^st grade). As a father I am excited (especially with my youngest daughter starting first grade).

As joyful as this occasion is, we cannot overlook the sad statistics which were published in the newspapers about poverty in Israel. 35% of children in Medinat Israel live below poverty line (768,800 children out of a general population of 7 million people). The Israeli Minister of Education, Yuli Tamir said that 22% of children suffer from hunger. As you know, last year Or Hadash “adopted” 3 different preschools for Ethiopian immigrants. This week we were very excited with 11 of the preschool children starting first grade. Since their families live under poverty line and the Social Services Department doesn’t have enough funds to help them, following the war, we were asked to help the children with all of the necessary school supplies. Of course our congregation provided help quickly and today all 11 children went to school with new backpacks (not used ones). It is our sincere hope that they will finish school, become vital members of our society and that they break the circle of poverty their families are in.

Attached are pictures showing the children get their new backpacks.

Wishing you a good week and soon a good year.

Edgar