A Survey of Ethiopian-Israelis in Three Neighborhoods in Ashdod

In 2001-2002, the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, in cooperation with local authorities, established neighborhood centers in 10 cities with large concentrations of Ethiopian-Israelis. The centers coordinate municipal care and promote the development of services and programs for these immigrants, while increasing cooperation among various agencies, pooling resources and fostering community support.

To learn about the needs of these immigrants in a variety of areas, and to provide information inputs for the work of the centers, a survey is conducted of the Ethiopian-Israeli households in the neighborhoods where the centers have been established. This report, the seventh in the series, presents data from a survey conducted in three neighborhoods in Ashdod. Altogether, data on 693 families were collected, representing 88.5% of the Ethiopian-Israeli families residing in these neighborhoods.

A number of important findings arise from the data:

  • Over one-third of Ethiopian-Israelis aged 18+ in Ashdod have been in Israel no longer than 5 years. Half the adults arrived in Ashdod during the past three years. This has ramifications for the situation of the families in all areas of life.
  • Single-parent families constitute 28% of the households and 33% of all families with children.
  • The overall employment rates for those aged 18-64 are low in comparison both to the general Jewish population and communities of Ethiopian Israelis in other cities – 41% for men and 15% for women.
  • The highest employment rates are among men aged 26-44 (62%) and women aged 31-44 (23%).
  • In 44% of the dual-parent families whose head is of working age, neither one of the parents is employed. Both parents are employed in only 15% of these families. Eighty seven percent of single mothers are not employed.
  • 66% of the children up to age 18 live in families where neither one of the parents is employed.
  • As length of residency in Israel increases, the percentage of dual parent families in which both spouses are employed rises significantly, reaching almost 50% among the families who have been in Israel longest. A similar trend is evident among single-parent families.
  • About a third of the Ethiopian-Israelis in Ashdod are participating or have participated in vocational training courses. About three quarters of those aged up to 45 have not participated in such frameworks, and are interested in doing so.
  • The non-employed noted that they primarily require vocational guidance, vocational training, as well as assistance making contact with potential employers, in order to be integrated into employment. The women also require assistance in paying for childcare during work hours.
  • Almost all of the children aged 4-17 attend school. Ninety percent of the three-year-old children are in day care frameworks or kindergartens; however, only a third of the two-year-old children are in day care.
  • In half the families with school-aged children, the children do not have all the required textbooks. 66% of families with very young children have no reading books at home.
  • Among children living in the community, 38% of those aged 6-13, and 31% of those aged 14-17, participate in after-school enrichment or educational programs.

The findings of the survey are being utilized for planning intervention programs for Ethiopian-Israelis in Ashdod, and serve as the basis for national policymaking.

The survey was initiated and funded by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption as part of the program to develop the neighborhood centers.