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| Ethiopian Soldiers Enlighten their Parents about Military Life |
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24 December 2009 , 13:27
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| Parents of Ethiopian soldiers visit Golani base to learn about their children's lives. Photo: Ori Shifrin, IDF Spokesperson Ori Shifrin, IDF Spoksperson |
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| ''The visitors were very excited and learned a lot from the panel with the soldiers.''. Photo: Ori Shifrin, IDF Spokesperson Ori Shifrin, IDF Spoksperson |
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Parents of Ethiopian soldiers visited an IDF base to learn about their children's lives and issues in the military
Sivan Peleg
It is not easy to be a new immigrant in Israel. Despite the fact that Israeli society is made up of people from all sorts of different backgrounds, and even though most Israelis have at least one grandparent who immigrated from another place, it still is not easy to be a new immigrant. The language, the culture, the customs and the beliefs are so different and foreign for those who come from abroad, and theirs are so foreign to the Israelis who judge them. It is even more difficult to be Ethiopian in Israel. In addition to all the regular differences, there is another central difference, the skin color. And nevertheless, the Ethiopian community has slowly adapted itself to the society and the State of Israel. 90% of Ethiopians enlist in the IDF, a very high percentage compared to the general society, and a lot of them chose a significant combat service.
On Wednesday (Dec. 23), the Golani Brigade training base hosted parents of Ethiopian soldiers and discussed various issues those soldiers face: the large gap between the parents, who are still attached to the Ethiopian mentality and culture, and their children, who consider themselves Israelis and in most cases have even forgotten some of the Amharic language.
"I invited my parents to the final ceremony of my basic training," recalls Staff Sergeant Avraham Latso, who serves in the Combat Engineering Corps. "Since they didn't understand how important the ceremony was, and because they had to work, they didn't come. I received a certificate for the most exceptional soldier of the platoon and I had no one there from my family to hug me, or to sit with and talk to after the ceremony, while all the other soldiers spent time with their families. I found that very difficult. Afterwards, when I told them that, they understood how important it had been for me and since then they have come to every event."
"A lot of soldiers meet with difficulties regarding communication with their parents during their military service," explains Moshe Behata, the Head of the Immigrant Relations Department at the Jewish Agency. "The parents, who in most cases have immigrated from Ethiopia and are still used to the culture they came from, don't understand how important it is for them to support their children, how important the various ceremonies and visits on weekends are, how alone the soldiers feel when they are the only ones whose parents didn't come to visit. Today 's purpose is to present the soldiers' perspective to the parents, and to attempt to find solutions for the gaps, whether it is to call their son and ask him how he is, or whether it is to take some time on the weekend to sit down and hear what their son is doing in the army. A lot of parents have numerous things on their mind, so they forget sometimes to pay attention to the soldier who just came home and wants to talk about his week."
"Today I feel like I belong"
Staff Sergeant Latso considers serving in the IDF important and significant: "Everyone has difficulties adjusting at the beginning of their military service. Not necessarily as Ethiopians but generally as immigrants. But as time passes you learn to deal with the difficulties, and when you overcome them together with your friends from the unit, the gaps close and your skin color doesn't matter anymore. Today I feel like I belong."
Behata agrees with him. "In the army, the soldiers come across people from all kinds of backgrounds," he says. "Whether you're rich or poor, black or white, everyone wears the same uniform and uses the same weapons. The army provides equal rights and opportunities so that everyone can realize his full potential. I see military service as an entrance ticket to Israeli society, and through it, the Ethiopian soldier becomes a regular member of the society, both in his own view point and in that of the society."
Lt. Geshahu Ayalin, today a deputy company commander in the Golani Brigade, immigrated to Israeli in 1991. Like any new immigrant he had initial difficulties with the language and the different culture, but he adapted to Israeli society, and today is Israeli like any other citizen. He says that his parents do not know what he does in his job and why he only returns home once in two or three weeks, but they still make an effort to support him as much as they can.
"You need to open up to your children as much as possible," he addressed the parents. "Be interested and ask even if you don't understand. We don't always know when you are free to talk and we need you to turn to us."
In addition to those explanations, the parents had the opportunity to have a small taste of the military experience. In order to demonstrate their activities to the parents, the soldiers let them watch a showcase exercise. The parents stood and watched with excitement. "This is a great way to end the day. After this day I know what my son goes through mentally and emotionally, and also some of what he does in the army," says one of the parents. "I learned that I need to speak to him and show interest, that he's only waiting for me to sit down and listen."
Esnat Edna, the Coordinator of IDF Preparatory Programs, concludes: "The parents care a lot of about their children, they simply aren't aware of the difficulties. The visitors were very excited and learned a lot from the panel with the soldiers. A lot of the parents said that after today, they will be more involved in their children's lives. Our ambition is that with time, more and more Ethiopian soldiers will become officers and serve in commanding positions, and that in a couple of years they will feel like any other Israeli."
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