“I have no doubt that my children, young people in general, and youngsters from the Ethiopian community in particular, see in me how ‘if you will it, it is no dream’ can become real”. Avraham Yitzhak spoke these words in a speech at the ceremony awarding him the rank of colonel. Avraham, who arrived in Israel from Ethiopia at the beginning of the 1990s, went through a long acclimation process, overcame all the difficulties and become the commander of the Medical Division in the Southern Command. But the way to the top was not easy. He was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His father was an activist who worked tirelessly, risking his life, to help the Jews of Ethiopia make aliyah to Israel. In 1983, when Avraham was just 10 years old, his father was forced to flee the country after his activities were discovered by the local authorities. He describes the years that followed as a time of true hardship and poverty. His family didn’t even have the means to make clothing; he used to fashion pants for himself out of hemp. But Avraham turned out to be a gifted student. He began studying medicine in Ethiopia when he was only 15, and a few years later decided to immigrate to Israel. He was sent to the absorption center in Kfar Saba, learned Hebrew and after significant effort, was admitted to medical school, becoming the first oleh from Ethiopia to be a doctor in Israel. But he didn’t stop there. He completed an officer’s course in the IDF with distinction. He served in a number of combat units and saved the lives of dozens of soldiers. In 2017, he was appointed colonel, the first Ethiopian oleh to achieve this rank. Avraham’s inspiring story offers new hope for young people from the Ethiopian community, who see that glass ceilings can be broken, and goals can be set and achieved. Today, thanks to the various frameworks that Keren Hayesod invests in and supports, more and more Ethiopian olim have become officers and doctors, and this trend will only grow.
Photo: Avraham Yitzhak at the ceremony awarding him the rank of colonel, with Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gadi Eizenkot, 2017
Credit: IDF Spokesperson