Ebenezer’s office in Jerusalem provides Ethiopian families with much-needed food

These Jewish people live in Jerusalem and Haifa and when I asked the leaders of their communities which kind of food we could bless them with, they said Teff. Teff is a fine grain, about the size of poppy seed that comes in colors ranging from white and red to dark brown. It is their staple food for it grows predominantly in Ethiopia and Eritrea. With these community leaders we started to look for someone who can provide us with 20 kg bags of Teff — 10 bags each month. Praise the Lord we found someone who can import them from Ethiopia!

I was amazed that these needy olim would be satisfied with just one kind of food a month, so I asked if there was something we could give them as well. I was told that if they have Teff in their house they don’t need anything else — it was comfort enough! One 20 kg bag can provide a family of four with enough food for 6– 8 weeks. We have been able to assist some very needy families with this food as they continue to adjust to life in their true homeland which is often a struggle. One of the leaders called to tell me that there are no words to express the thanks of the families who received the blessing of this food.

The decision to make aliyah is loaded with all kinds of questions. ‘Will I fit into life in Israel?’ ‘Can I learn the language?’ For Ethiopian families one of the toughest questions is ‘What shall we have in our homes to eat?’ As they settle into a new life in Israel, having Teff to eat is a big help to them.

By Shirley Lawrenson – Olim Liaison

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