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IMPROVING ABSORPTION OF ETHIOPIAN OLIM ON KNESSET AGENDA This week, the Aliyah and Klitah Committee of the Knesset held a special session on the subject of absorption of Ethiopian olim. The discussion was initiated by Committee Chairman Zvi Hendel and MK Eliezer Zandberg. Deputy Minister of Absorption Yuli Edelstein addressed the Committee, as well as Jewish Agency Director General Aaron Abramovich, senior representatives of the Absorption and Education Ministries, and representatives of the Ethiopian olim. Deputy Minister Edelstein announced that the ministry had begun to organize the transfer of Ethiopian olim from temporary absorption sites in hotels and guest houses to new, permanent absorption centers, due to open shortly in several cities around Israel, including Beersheva, Safed, Ashdod, Jerusalem, Haifa and others. The absorption centers will open in special residential buildings which have been rented and refurbished by the Ministry of Absorption, and they will be run by professional Jewish Agency teams. Edelstein also said that he is working to settle the issue of mortgages for the Ethiopian olim, which will enable them to purchase apartments not only in development towns but also in established areas which will significantly improve the absorption process. MK Eliezer Zandberg said that despite all the projections that aliyah from Ethiopia is coming to an end, the aliyah continues and the government must prepare a long-term plan for absorbing the olim. MK Zandberg suggested initiating preparatory activity before the olim arrive, while they wait for confirmation of their entitlement in the temporary compounds in Addis Ababa and Gondar. Jewish Agency Director General, Aaron Abramovich reported that not all the local municipalities in which the Jewish Agency wishes to establish absorption centers have responded favorably or showed an understanding of the issue, and he expressed the hope that this situation would change in the near future. According to Abramovich, expanding the number of units in the absorption centers would continue until the number of new olim arriving in Israel each week balances with the number of veteran olim who are leaving the absorption centers and purchasing apartments.
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