At the Freedom Seder

Nitzana and Alberto (our landlady’s daughter and her husband; see photo) called us this past Friday to tell us about a freedom seder for African refugees sponsored by a group with whom their daughter volunteers. In the last few years, many people from Sudan and Eritrea have sought asylum in Israel, some entering legally while many others have been smuggled in through Egypt and Sinai. Several organizations assist them with job searches, finding a place to live, learning the language and organizing activities for children. The African Refugee Development Center, one of these organizations, teamed up with other groups to organize the seder. Long tables were set up on the playground area of a park across from the central bus station. Many activists and refugees showed up to enjoy the music and sunshine. Posted along the perimeter were photos taken by African children and teens as part of a project designed to encourage them to express their views of the world around them and share their feelings about the experiences they are going through as refugees.

Pati, a member of my Alef Plus class, is a 27-year-old well-educated Sudanese young man who has been in Israel a little over a year and a half. He explained that he is among a small number of refugees who have a visa (which must be renewed annually) that entitles them to benefits, protection, and access to jobs. Though he has a university degree and worked in public health in Sudan raising awareness about HIV, here he has been working in a market preparing fish for sale. He misses his family and friends back home and feels trapped, but lucky to be here. He would like to continue his career in public health but faces the challenge of learning Hebrew, as well as improving his English, in order to advance his education. He asked Lew to share any public health materials he has with him. I wish we had more to offer.