Israel’s premier Ethiopian Israeli-led organization, advocating for an equal and just society. Founded in 1993, AEJ advances equitable policies to close gaps, change prevailing attitudes and improve the quality of life of Israelis of Ethiopian descent on every level: with the community, municipal and state decision-makers, the media and civil society. AEJ constitutes a multi-dimensional platform – based on research and data, profound community involvement, and persistent advocacy with Israeli decision-makers.

The Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews was founded in 1993 by Rabbi Micha Odenheimer, who as a journalist had reported extensively on the Aliyah from Ethiopia during 1990-91. The American Association for Ethiopian Jews (AAEJ), which had pushed for the Aliyah since 1969, asked Micha to be their representative in Israel for the 1993-94 year, when they intended to close with a feeling that their mission had been completed. Odenheimer, after witnessing the absorption difficulties and what he believed were critical mistakes in policy by the government and the Jewish Agency, founded the Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews, with the help of activists and lay leaders of the American Association for Ethiopian Jews such as Nate Shapiro, Will Recant and Susan Pollack.

The Association of Ethiopian Jews relies on research, information and updated data on a wide-range of topics in order to raise fervent matters and thus bring change in the relevant issues. By cross-referencing between sources from public bodies, research institutes, data processing and data segmentation, we expose problematic issues to decision-makers, whilst making the information broadly accessible to the general public.