Tebeka

What is it?

Tebeka ("vindicator" / "advocate" in Amharic) is a legal aid center for Ethiopian-Israelis. Founded in 2000 by attorney Fentahun Assefa-Dawit.

Activities

• Racism litigation — filing complaints and providing legal representation in civil and criminal suits
• Police accountability — assistance in cases of excessive force, discrimination, and racism by officers
• Civil rights — defense in cases of discrimination in employment, housing, and education
• Public influence — submissions to the Knesset Constitution Committee, position papers
• Outreach and training — community workshops on rights, and academic-student training

Structure

• HQ: Jerusalem
• Staff: ~25 attorneys (Amharic/Hebrew speakers)
• Funding: government, KKL Foundation, JDC, philanthropic
• Annual cases: ~2,000 (estimate)

Community relevance

• Community anchor for Tedros Phase 8 (Voice) — see ADR-011
• First default for any law-enforcement or discrimination incident
• Authoritative source on legal matters in the community

See also

• Right: Tebeka legal aid — free service for eligible community members