The Jewish American actress Natalie Portman has joined the fight for the continued emigration of Ethiopian Falash Mura to Israel. The Falash Mura, who practice the Jewish religion, have been awaiting permission to come to Israel while they stay in camps in the Ethiopian capital. Portman, who was born in Jerusalem, arrived in Israel last week and visited the Ben Yakir Youth Village near Hadera, where she met with students that immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia. This week, she visited a Falash Mura camp in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, where she is also scheduled to meet with Israel's ambassador and representatives from the Jewish Agency.
Portman is touring Ethiopia as part of a project organized by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Federation. During the tour, she also plans to visit orphanages and child care centers for children infected with AIDS, with the intention of encouraging American Jews to make a contribution to their welfare.
Meanwhile, senior United Jewish Communities (UJC) officials in the United States have confirmed that the organization has stopped funding aid programs for Falash Mura in Ethiopia. The ‘Jerusalem Post’ newspaper reported that the funds from UJC, the umbrella arm for North American Jewish federations, had run out on 31 May. Over the past three years, the funds have provided food, nutrition programs and medical relief to the Gondar region for Ethiopians waiting for permission from Israel to immigrate. The funds were part of the UJC's special ‘Operation Promise’ campaign.
