In the early 1900’s, Dalit’s grandfather, Yona Bogale, met Jaques Faitlovich, a professor from France who went to Gondar to study the Jewish community. Faitlovich was instrumental in sending 13-year-old Yona to study in Jerusalem. Upon his return to Ethiopia, Yona dedicated his life to leading the Jewish community.

Dalit’s mother was one of the first Ethiopians brought to Israel by the Jewish Agency in 1956. Her father, Zecharia, made aliyah in 1971. In 1979, Dalit’s father and grandfather addressed the General Assembly (GA) held in Montreal. It was at this historic GA that the Ethiopian community was formally recognized by the North American Jewish community.

Recently, Dalit returned to the GA in Toronto where Operation Promise was at the top of the agenda. “My grandfather had a dream to bring the entire community to Israel. The commitment of the North American Jewish community and the Jewish Agency never faltered in keeping the promise to fulfill this dream.”

A confident young woman, Dalit currently lives in Petach Tikvah. She received a Jewish Agency supported Student Authority Scholarship, part of Operation Promise’s critical initiatives to ensure equal educational opportunities for all Ethiopians. She holds a BA degree in social sciences and is now studying for her MA degree in international relations at Bar Ilan University.

“I identify myself as an Israeli and an Ethiopian woman. My dream is to see all young Ethiopians given the opportunities to become equal, contributing members of Israeli society.”

Written by Lisa Samin