Hello, I'm Tadelo Talaka

My name is Tadelo Talaka

I am 13 years old and I live at absorption centre zahal 9 in Sefad. An absorption center is a special place for new immigrants. Here we get help and support; there are so many people who help us here - social workers, leaders, teachers and principals. After a while we leave the absorption centre and move to regular houses around Israel. Sefad is A small city in the north of Israel, where every stone tells the story of the Jewish history.
I have 2 brothers- Warako 6 and Gato 2.5. I have one sister- Marito- 17 years old.
I made Aliya about a year ago. In Ethiopia we lived in a small village. My father was a farmer, he used to grow corn and we had cows, sheep and a donkey. I was a shepherd ...then we moved to the region of Gundar to a transition camp, and from Gundar we moved to Israel.
I go to Amit School in Carmiel (30 minutes' drive from Sefad). I take the school bus every day. I leave at 7:30 and I come back at 1:00. I go to a kelet class- it is a special class for new imegrants, we learn all subjects and we focus on Hebrew.
My favorite subject is Hebrew.
After school I like playing football with my friends at the absorption centre, I like playing on the computer and listening to Amharic music. My favorite football team is Manchester United. Unfortunately today they lost 6-1 to City...

I am really happy I have new friends from the UK!

Please tell me about yourselves- what are your hobbies? Where do you go to school? Please tell me about your families. Do you know anything about Ethiopia? Have you ever been to Israel?
Please write back soon.

Your friend

Tadelo

The Ethiopian Bar and Bat Mitzvah Programme is one of several strategic educational and welfare programmes supported by UJIA to aid the integration of Ethiopian immigrants into Israeli society and to encourage Jewish life thus creating a 'living bridge' between the UK communities and the communities in Israel.

UJIA has long been committed to improving the absorption of Ethiopian Jews and advancing their integration into Israeli society, beginning with their stay in absorption centres.

To find out more about the programme or how you can sign up please contact Adrienne Cinna