Ethiopian And Soviet Immigration And Their Impacts On...

Ethiopian and Soviet Immigration and Their Impacts on Israeli Society Israel is a state complete with a multitude of ethnicities. As Jews began to immigrate to the newly formed state, they brought with them distinctive cultural values and traditions that shifted Israel from a more homogenized community into a definite â€Å"melting pot†. Significant waves of Jews came from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and even North America. The impact each of these groups had on Israeli society differed from group to group. Two of the most recent waves of immigrants to Israel came from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union. Both groups changed the dynamic of Israeli society in ways previous groups had not. In Israel today there are 125,500 Ethiopian Jews. This constitutes 1.75% of the total population and makes Israel home to the largest Ethiopian Jewish community. This group lived predominantly in the North and Northwestern parts of Ethiopia and can trace its origins back to biblical times, when many Jews migrated to Ethiopia following the exile of Jews in Egypt. According to tradition, in the 4th century CE this group was pressured to convert to Christianity and refused. They became known by the term â€Å"Beta Israel†, meaning â€Å"house of Israel†. In modern times, they have lived among Christian and Muslim communities in Ethiopia. In the 20th century, Beta Israel renewed contracts with other Jewish communities. Because of the instability and violence thatShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesLandscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past Sharon Hartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform Michael Adas, ed., Agricultural and Pastoral Societies in Ancient and Classical History Jack Metzgar, Striking Steel: Solidarity Remembered Janis Appier, Policing Women: The Sexual Politics of Law Enforcement and the LAPD Allen Hunter, ed., Rethinking the Cold War Eric Foner, ed., The New American