Almaz Yishak

Father's name: Rubel Yeyach

Mother's name: Motseit Ibra

Year of birth: 1966

Place of birth: Gen Shlema, Bankar, Wegera

Region in Ethiopia: Wegera

Main occupation in Ethiopia: Student and women’s leader

The language of the interview: Amharic

Almaz Yishak, nature, agriculture, weaving, pottery, Jewish cemetery, student, women’s leader, housework, butter, games, school, Mehari Robel, Hebrew, math, city, village, journeys, rape, dormitory, racism, chairman of the youth council, society for women’s issues, song and dance band, performances, speeches, women’s rights, immigration to Israel, Derg, Gen Shlema, Bankar, Wegera, Adwa, Tigray, Dabat, Ambover, Gondar, Sudan, Israel.

Summary of the testimony:

Almaz talks about her family. She describes her village and its local history. The Jewish cemetery of the province of Wegera was located in her village. Her father worked in farming and weaving. Almaz describes the process of weaving cloth. Her mother was a potter who made and sold special clay vessels.

Almaz talks about her daily routine as a child. From the age of six, Almaz began to help her mother with housework tasks, such as grinding seeds, making butter, cleaning the house, washing clothes, and bringing water from the river. She describes the coffee ceremonies, the various games she played, and the social life in her village.

At the age of ten, she began to study at the Jewish school in Bankar. She was taught by a well-known teacher, Mengista Abraham. Almaz talks about the school, the conditions, the study methods, and the social life. She describes the syllabus, which included Hebrew and math.

When the school year ended, Almaz was taken by her brother, Mehari Robel, to study at the school where he worked as a teacher. The school was in the city of Adwa in the province of Tigray. Almaz talks about her first days in the big city, differences between the city and the village, and the tremendous homesickness she suffered. The classes in the school were in Amharic. The local students spoke Tigrinya outside of the school. At the end of the school year, Almaz returned home for vacation and begged her parents not to send her back to the school so far away. She asked to study in the boarding school in the nearby town of Dabat.

Almaz began third grade in the boarding school, but she returned to her parents’ home at the end of each day. The way to and from the school passed through Christian villages. This was not easy for her, and she feared for her safety. Therefore, in sixth grade, she started sleeping in the dormitory.

In seventh grade, Almaz began to study in the “Hawario Paulus” boarding school in the city of Gondar. That year, the school experienced financial difficulties and had to reduce the number of students. Almaz was accepted by another school in the city, where her brother Mehari taught. At the end of the year, she returned to her parents’ house. It was decided that she would return to the school in the village of Dabat.

Almaz rented a room in an apartment in the village. She received food and firewood from her relatives who lived in the area. After two years, Almaz began to rent an apartment with her schoolmates. She was responsible for running the house. She describes the social life. She talks about problems that arose during that time. There was racism from Christians. Many fears were part of women’s daily routine, such as the fear of leaving their house at night without a male escort.

In eighth grade, Almaz was elected chairperson of the youth council. In this position, she organized meetings and promoted issues that were important to young people in the village and province. Soon after she was appointed, the farmers’ committee in the village of Bankar established a society addressing women’s rights. Almaz was selected as chairperson of the society. She was responsible for holding fortnightly meetings, appointing assistants, and managing the budget. As part of her activity in the organization, Almaz established a band called “Female Culture.” They gave music and dance performances on Sundays and festivals throughout the province. After the shows, the women distributed coffee beans to the audience and gave speeches to raise awareness about women’s rights.

While she was in 12th grade and working, Almaz gave birth to her first son. She describes the customs of the menstruation house and childbirth. While she was in the menstruation house, her family and neighbors set out on their journey to Israel by way of Sudan. Since Almaz worked for a governmental organization, she felt torn between her duty to her job, her fear of being caught, and her great desire to join her family and immigrate to Israel. The entreaties of her mother and the members of her family eventually persuaded Almaz. She set out with the delegation to Sudan, and from there she immigrated to Israel.