[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21302]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      IN HONOR OF THE NORTH AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON ETHIOPIAN JEWRY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JERROLD NADLER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 5, 2004

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the North 
American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry on the occasion of the first 
annual Adopt-A-Student reunion in Israel. On October 13th there will be 
a first-time reunion of Ethiopian Israeli graduates that were able to 
obtain education because of NACOEJ. Hundreds of American sponsors who 
provide support, correspondence and financial assistance have arranged 
to travel to Israel to take part in the celebration.
  NACOEJ was founded in 1982 to help Jews cope with living conditions 
in Ethiopia; provide educational opportunities; aid with their 
emigration to Israel; and help aid the absorption of the emigres into 
Israel's society while preserving their unique and ancient culture. In 
Ethiopia, NACOEJ is the sole supporter of compounds in Addis Ababa and 
Gondar Province providing 10,000 meals to babies, children, and 
pregnant or nursing women daily. In addition, it supports Jewish Day 
Schools for 3,500 students, as well as adult education, employment 
training, family food distributions and religious facilities.
  In Ethiopia generations of Jews were always among the poorest 
inhabitants. Families faced poverty, famines and malaria epidemics 
while malnutrition, disease and civil war were a part of daily life. 
Yet since 1984, 2,200 Ethiopian Israeli university students have 
received NACOEJ living stipends that many times can mean the difference 
between dropping out and graduating. Many people that relocated to 
Israel are now leading free, fulfilling and fruitful lives because of 
the work this group does.
  For their generosity, for their commitment to freedom and democracy 
in Ethiopia and Israel, and for their unyielding commitment to 
improving the lives of people in the worst of conditions, it is my 
privilege to honor the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry.

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