Shlomo Molla
Encyclopedia
Shlomo Molla is an Israel
i politician who has served as a member of the Knesset for Kadima
since February 2008.
in 1965 into a family of 9 brothers and 2 sisters. Molla attempted to immigrate
to Israel in 1984 on foot, after being overlooked by Operation Moses
and Operation Joshua
. He was rescued by Israeli forces in Sudan
; during his journey in Sudan, one of the Ethiopian Jews travelling with him was shot and killed by Sudanese forces. Upon reaching Israel, he was sent to an immigrant absorption centre in Tzfat. Ill with malaria
upon arrival to Israel, he learned Hebrew
in the hospital. After his national service
in the Israel Defense Forces
, he studied for a BA in social work at Bar-Ilan University
. During his studies he served as co-chairman of the Organisation of Ethiopian Students. He later also gained an LLB from Ono Academic College
.
In 1991, he became head of a Jewish Agency
immigrant absorption centre in Tiberias, and in 1995 was appointed supervisor of the absorption centres and ulpan
s in northern kibbutz
im. In 1996 he became a member of the Ministry of Health's committee to advise on war conditions, and in 1999 became head of the Jewish Agency's Ethiopian Division. In the same year Molla won eighth place on Yisrael BaAliyah's list for the Knesset elections, but the party won only six seats.
In 2006, he was a member of the Zionist Executive and head of department at the World Zionist Organization
. Prior to the 2006 elections he was placed thirty-third on Kadima's list. However, following the resignation of Avigdor Yitzhaki
in February 2008, Molla became the second MK of Ethiopia
n origin. He was placed nineteenth on the Kadima list for the 2009 elections
, and retained his seat as the party won 28 mandates.
Molla is married with three children, and lives in Rishon LeZion.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician who has served as a member of the Knesset for Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
since February 2008.
Biography
Molla was born in a small Jewish village of 40 families in Gondar Province in EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
in 1965 into a family of 9 brothers and 2 sisters. Molla attempted to immigrate
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Israel in 1984 on foot, after being overlooked by Operation Moses
Operation Moses
Operation Moses refers to the covert evacuation of Ethiopian Jews from Sudan during a famine in 1984...
and Operation Joshua
Operation Joshua
Operation Joshua was the 1985 removal of 800 Ethiopian Jews from Sudan to Israel.George H. W. Bush, Vice-President of the United States at the time, arranged a CIA-sponsored follow-up mission to Operation Moses, which had brought 8000 people to Israel. Under Operation Joshua, an additional 800...
. He was rescued by Israeli forces in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
; during his journey in Sudan, one of the Ethiopian Jews travelling with him was shot and killed by Sudanese forces. Upon reaching Israel, he was sent to an immigrant absorption centre in Tzfat. Ill with malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
upon arrival to Israel, he learned Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
in the hospital. After his national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, he studied for a BA in social work at Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University is a university in Ramat Gan of the Tel Aviv District, Israel.Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is now Israel's second-largest academic institution. It has nearly 26,800 students and 1,350 faculty members...
. During his studies he served as co-chairman of the Organisation of Ethiopian Students. He later also gained an LLB from Ono Academic College
Ono Academic College
Ono Academic College is a college located in Kiryat Ono, Israel. Ono currently is capable of granting B.A., LL.B. and M.B.A. degrees. The college has a program that serves the Ultra-orthodox population by allowing men to attend classes on different days than women...
.
In 1991, he became head of a Jewish Agency
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
immigrant absorption centre in Tiberias, and in 1995 was appointed supervisor of the absorption centres and ulpan
Ulpan
An ulpan is an institute or school for the intensive study of Hebrew. Ulpan is a Hebrew word meaning basically studio or teaching, instruction....
s in northern kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
im. In 1996 he became a member of the Ministry of Health's committee to advise on war conditions, and in 1999 became head of the Jewish Agency's Ethiopian Division. In the same year Molla won eighth place on Yisrael BaAliyah's list for the Knesset elections, but the party won only six seats.
In 2006, he was a member of the Zionist Executive and head of department at the World Zionist Organization
World Zionist Organization
The World Zionist Organization , or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization , or ZO, in 1897 at the First Zionist Congress, held from August 29 to August 31 in Basel, Switzerland...
. Prior to the 2006 elections he was placed thirty-third on Kadima's list. However, following the resignation of Avigdor Yitzhaki
Avigdor Yitzhaki
Avigdor Yitzhaki is an Israeli politician. He is a former member of the Knesset for Kadima, having been the party's parliamentary group chairman and head of the coalition....
in February 2008, Molla became the second MK of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n origin. He was placed nineteenth on the Kadima list for the 2009 elections
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
, and retained his seat as the party won 28 mandates.
Molla is married with three children, and lives in Rishon LeZion.