Rachel Neiman
April 18, 2014

Immigration is traumatic. That’s true even under the best of circumstances where the outcome is the successful absorption into the new culture and even more true when success is hindered.

The Never Ending Journey exhibition of photographs, part of the International Photography Festival at Rishon LeZion which closes tomorrow night, explores the Ethiopian-Jewish community’s experience of joining mainstream Israel society.

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Photo: Amir Halevy

The images present milestones — for good and for bad — in this integration. The TV reality show winner, the first Ethiopian-Israeli beauty queen, children and young people at school and at play…

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Photo: Carmel Vernia

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Photo: Shai Beilis

… participating in that quintessentially Israeli rite of passage known as the youth movement.

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Photo: Eliezer Yaari

Then there are those who have to make the choice between the old world and the new: the young man who gave up the title of Kes (Cohen Tzedek or religions leader) in favor of army service. And there are stories of those who do not adapt: parents who rely on their children as translators of a foreign language and culture.

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Photo: Naftali Tali-Idan

Curator Eli Atias writes, “We gathered together pictures for those trying to preserve the glorious past of the Ethiopian community and their journey towards Israeliness as of 2013.”

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Photo: Benny Levin

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Photo: Yitzhak Goren

“This exhibition is dedicated to those still marching home.”

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Photo: Eli Atias

The International Photography Festival of Rishon LeZion closes April 19, 2014.

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