Wow!
How did they walk in the desert
with no water at all!
The story of Yeruss aliya from Ethiopia to Israel, read to the Maaleh Hachamisha kindergarten,
was exciting and thrilling, and mainly created solidarity.
Yerus goes to Jerusalem.
Ahuthor: Bat Ami Melnik. Illustrations: Moran Yogev. Dror Lanefesh publications (Dror Israel)
July 22nd, 2015
Nutit Worgraft
The improvised ball
made of rags that the
heros brother took with
him from Ethiopia drew
the attention of the
Maaleh Hachamisha
kindergarten kids. Why
a ball made of rags?
What, didnt he have a
regular soccer ball? they
wondered. The
storyteller, Saudi
Biensai, an actress and
kindergarten teacher,
paused the story to
explain about countries
Illustrations by: Moran Yogev. From the book.
in the third world and
about places in which a
regular soccer ball is a on the TV or getting on a
distant dream.
There were other details
that seemed foreign to
the kids such as the cover
illustration in which a big
stork stands behind
Yerus, the little girl who
is the hero of the book.
Again, Biensai comes to
the rescue, singing the
Shlomo Gronich song
The stork flies and car and
explaining that this is a
song of longing and
yearning, and that the
book is about the aliya of
the Ethiopian Jews to
Israel. The explanations
about the third world
countries seems to have
been successful, because
as the question why do gave the historic context
you need a stork to be
updated about whats details became less
going on in the world,
instead of simply turning
plane? was never asked.
It seems that at least
under the storys this dramatic aliya is so
framework they were
willing to
accept that
over there, in
that magical
third world,
there could be
a girl who
never saw a
doesnt even
have a word to
describe it
other than a
big and noisy
box that travel
necessary and it is not
on wheels.
clear why there arent
more books like this one.
Probably because Biensai
Its probably an
American author
of the story, all those
Biensai guessed because
Israelis dont care. Well,
important than her own she was wrong. Bat Ami
involvement. So the
Melnik cared enough to
story is about you! the
conduct in-depth
kids rejoiced. Indeed,
research, speaking with
like Yerus, Biensai was
dozens of participants
one of the fourteen
from the Ethiopian aliya
thousand Ethiopian Jews and including some
who made aliya to Israel
Amharic sayings some
over one night in an air
of them are even written
train, in Operation
in Amharic. And it also
Shlomo in May 1991.
seems that the
More than once she told
illustrator, Moran Yogev,
the kids what her parents and the publishing
told her (she was only 4
company cared, because
and a half years old back
the illustrations have a
than) and her story is
presence of their own,
remarkably similar to
and the final result is
that in the book.
spectacular.
A childrens book about
The kindergarten kids resembles someone in
demonstrated interest in the kindergarten and the
the book long after teacher also hinted at the
Biensai finished and put answer, but that girl
it in the library, and for didnt see any
reasons that are not resemblance between us,
connected to Ethiopian and I thought that if the
Jews or their aliya. They kindergarten kids do not
chose it over other books see my color anymore
and were excited mainly because to them I am
during the adventure Zaudi, not black or white,
parts: Wow! How did maybe it can happen to
they walked in the desert others too."
with no water at all! But
they were especially
enthusiastic at the
moment Yerus falls into
a lake and almost
drowns, when her
brother rescues her.
Biensai says that it is themselves. Only the story begins with the
good they chose a girl as illustration of the words "Many years ago,
the books main Sudanese soldiers, with maybe 30." This might
character, but it is a bit their robotic uniformity, seem ridiculous as time
disappointing that she is scared them. Answering passes, because all good
a passive character, that Biensais question, they books - even children's
things happen to her and said the characters didnt books - are timeless.
that the active and more look like soldiers but like Biensai pointed to the
heroic character is the sleepwalking people ending: "Yerus saw a lot
brother. wearing pajamas. It of people of many colors.
didnt prevent them from 'Are they all like us?' she
The main character is a continue telling the story asked Dad. 'All of them',
generic girl, ageless, and asking Biensai over Dad answered. 'We have
whom in some of the and over: Were you come home, to the state
illustrations seems five there? Were you in this of the Jews.'"
or six years old and in place? That place? One
others almost a teenager. child even asked if she Like many young adults
But the kindergarten kids and her parents held from the Ethiopian
werent bothered by it. Israeli flags when getting community, Biensai is
They browsed the book off the airplane.One of involved in anti-racism
and used the illustrations the teachers had an activities, and is furious
to tell the story to important remark: The with every new scandal
exposed. These days, she
says, "To say that
'everyone is like us'
sounds ridiculous.
Nevertheless, she said
that one of the
kindergarten girls
described meeting an
Ethiopian girl: "When I
asked her how she knew
the girl was Ethiopian,
she said 'she looked
different'. I asked her in
what way she was
different but the girl had
no answer. I asked if she