‘RaGap’: Music and identity among young Ethiopians in Israel

Abstract

In this article, I present the emergence of a recent phenomenon among young Ethiopians in Israel, in which they appropriate and identify with specific black musical genres such as Reggae and Rap, and develop a new sub-culture of Afro-Israeli identity. This is part of their struggle for belonging and integration into Israeli society, that is currently in a state of crisis and alienation, as well as an opening of future participation in black Diaspora identity and struggle. Substantial numbers of Ethiopian Jews have immigrated to Israel over the past 20 years, after struggling for physical and cultural survival in remote villages of northern Ethiopia. The majority arrived in two operations—‘Moses’ in 1984 and ‘Solomon’ in 1991 — involving airlifts from Sudan and Addis-Ababa respectively and their community in Israel now numbers about 90,000, of whom more than 10,000 are between 12 and 18 years old and 2 percent born in Israel. The government of Israel has adopted an ‘affirmative-action’ approach and has — together with other Jewish communities, Israeli nongovernmental organisation's (NGO's) and Ethiopian community leaders and activists — been directing resources and efforts to overcoming the problems of housing, education and employment experienced by those seeking integration into Israeli society.