About the Forum of Experts
The largest database of Ethiopian Israeli experts
Dozens of professionals from all fields of Israel’s economy and society
Dozens of years of experience
Dozens of fascinating and inspirational life stories
Here you will find the best experts and speakers from the Ethiopian Israeli community – media figures, economists, entrepreneurs, businesspeople, lawyers, doctors, actors, musicians, and artists. Their voices and opinions are interesting and worthy of hearing –both regarding their fields of expertise as well as additional matters concerning all Israeli citizens.
Why we Established the Forum of Experts
There are over 140,000 Ethiopian Israelis in Israel, constituting 1.7% of Israel’s citizens. How did it happen that this community’s representation in the media constitutes only 0.3% of all media content, most of which is in negative contexts? Why are the voices of hundreds of articulate and knowledgeable professionals barely heard?
Since the media is one of the most influential factors in shaping Israelis’ perceptions of reality, while influencing their opinions and defining their priorities, Olim Beyahad (an Israeli NPO) together with partners from Israel’s media world, decided to make a wide range of eloquent Ethiopian Israeli speakers from all fields of Israel’s economy and society accessible to the Israeli media.
The Problem
Stereotypes and prejudices lead to underrepresentation in the media
Studies conducted in recent years reveal that out of all immigrant groups in Israel, Ethiopian Israelis are the most excluded group in society, suffering from stereotypical and prejudiced perceptions.
79% of Israelis believe that there is racism towards Ethiopian Israelis and statistics show that one out of every two Israelis personally encounters racist behavior towards Ethiopian Israelis. To a large extent, negative perceptions stem from the underrepresentation and negative representation of Ethiopian Israelis in the media. Ethiopian Israelis suffer from offensive discourse and significant racism on social networks, while thousands of offensive and inciting statements against Ethiopian Israelis are documented across the internet.
The Solution
Establishing a forum of articulate Ethiopian Israeli experts that is accessible to the media
“Olim Beyahad” – an NPO that developed a groundbreaking work model for promoting the integration of excelling Ethiopian Israeli university graduates into the forefront of the Israeli workforce – decided to work on improving the underrepresentation of the Ethiopian Israeli community in the Israeli media by establishing a forum of experts, comprising dozens of Ethiopian Israeli professionals and social activists. They all speak fluent Hebrew, have knowledge and expertise in dozens of fields, and are able to speak proficiently in front of a camera or a microphone.
The Forum of Experts
A top quality forum of Ethiopian Israelis representing a wide range of professions, skills, and opinions
The Forum of Experts includes dozens of professionals from all fields of Israel’s economy and Israeli society, as well as entrepreneurs, artists, and social activists – a wide range of people who can speak about any topic that interests the Israeli media. The experts were selected to join the forum following an extensive search and examination, and some of them already have experience appearing in the media. Others were specially trained following the forum’s establishment.