Ethiopia to Israel: Refugee Speaks of Her Journey

The Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues hosted speaker Maly G. Jackson to share her story as a travelling Jewish refugee in 1984 and her life afterward.

Jackson’s lecture, titled “Ethiopia to Israel,” took place on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017 in the Anita Tuvin Schlechter auditorium, and garnered approximately 100 faculty, staff, student and community member attendees.  The event was coordinated in conjunction with the Departments of Judaic Studies; Religion; and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; and the Milton B. Asbell center for Jewish Life.

Jackson is one of about 20,000 Ethiopian Jews who attempted to leave Ethiopia for Israel between 1977 and 1985. By 1973, the Chief Rabbi of Israel declared them eligible for Israeli citizenship. This came after Jewish Ethiopians were separated from the rest of the population and heavily restricted due to fears of the landed aristocracy. Jackson described her experience in one village of about 50 families in mud huts without plumbing, running water or electricity where they were persecuted, harassed and killed.

Jackson said that her grandmother told her about Jerusalem, which she called the “city of gold,” and promised that her family would settle there. Jackson said that her grandfather, though he did not know the term, was an avid Zionist. When she was seven years old, her mother took her and her two-year-old sister on a dangerous journey in hopes of being airlifted by Mossad.

Rowan Humphries ’19 was the Clarke Forum project manager for the event, and she said of the decision to invite Jackson:

“We think it is important, now more than ever, for the voices of refugees to be heard. We believe no one should be barred from the U.S., a country founded by immigrants, based on religion or nationality. While we cannot change laws, we can change the way we think about our fellow human beings by opening our minds to their stories.”

Jackson told her story in its entirety, pausing at times when overcome with emotion. She described the three-week walk through the desert, months in the camps, being bitten by a scorpion, watching others lose family and friends and her eventual settlement in Israel. She emphasized that there are many other narratives, saying, “This is just my story. So many people went on that journey, and so many people have their own story, their own struggles.”

In Israel, she had access to education, the entirety of Judaism and the modern world. She was unable to complete the mandatory year’s military service by attending school and working to support her family, but she later spent two years assisting the police in the community. She says she has never wanted to return to Ethiopia, but that she does want to visit her father. She said that though she is very happy with her life in America, “This [Israel] is the country I suffered for. I am hoping one day I do go back to my country.”

“If we don’t educate our children, our identity will slowly be fading…” Jackson said of the Jewish population in America. 

Olivia Kuchta ’19 said of the lecture, “It was incredible to see this strong woman stand up in front of the Dickinson community and tell us the story…I’m so happy I had a chance to attend such a moving speech.”

Yael Farber ’17 said Jackson’s talk, “…served as a reminder to me of the diversity of the Jewish community around the world.”

After the event, Jackson said, “I just want to thank the students and staff for arranging this wonderful event. The students of Dickinson [College] were very professional and they represent the next generation of future leaders.”

For more information about the Clarke Forum’s events, visit clarke.dickinson.edu.