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 role of the centers is to coordinate the care of these immigrants within the municipality and promote the development of services and programs for them, 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 fifth in the series, presents data from a survey conducted in the Afula Hatzi’ira and Afula Illit neighborhoods of Afula. Altogether, data on 248 households were collected, representing 68% of the Ethiopian-Israeli families residing in the two neighborhoods.
A number of important findings arise from the data:
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A large proportion of the Ethiopian-Israelis in Afula have been in Israel for a relatively long period of time – 50% for more than 15 years. Nevertheless, there is a sizeable group that has been in the country for only six to 10 years.
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About one-third of the households with children – a particularly high proportion – are single parent families.
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There has been significant integration into the workforce by the Ethiopian-Israelis. Nevertheless, the employment rate among those aged 18-64 is lower than the rate among the overall Jewish population, at 48% for men and 32% for women.
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The employment rate (77% for men and 45% for women) is highest among those aged 26-44. The rates remain relatively high in older age groups: 60% of the Ethiopian-Israeli men aged 45-54, and one-third of those aged 55-64, are employed. These figures are apparently related to the length of time that Afula’s Ethiopian-Israeli community has been in Israel.
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Almost all of those aged 18-25 are in some type of framework (studies, army, National Service or employment) or looking for work.
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As length of stay in Israel increases, there is a significant rise in the proportion of dual parent families in which both spouses are employed, reaching almost one-half. There is a similar trend among single parent families.
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Only a small percentage of the Ethiopian-Israelis in Afula have participated in vocational training courses. However, one-third of those under 45 who have not undergone training wish to do so.
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The non-employed noted that they primarily require vocational guidance, as well as assistance making contact with potential employers, in order to be integrated into the work force. The women also require assistance in paying for childcare during work hours.
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All of the children aged 3-13 attend an education framework. Two-thirds of the two-year-old children are in day care. Three percent of those aged 14-17 do not attend any educational framework.
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Among children living in the community, one-half of those aged 3-13, but only one-third of those aged 14-17, participate in after-school enrichment or educational programs. According to the parents, about one-quarter of the school age children require, but do not receive, help with their studies. There is a need to expand the scope of such assistance, as well as the scope of participation in after-school educational programs.
The survey findings are being utilized for the planning of intervention programs for Ethiopian-Israelis in the two neighborhoods in Afula.
The survey was initiated and funded by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption as part of the program to develop the neighborhood centers.