Preserving Amharic among the second generation — why it's fading, and what actually exists

Tens of thousands of children and teens of Ethiopian descent were born or raised in Israel — the "second generation." For many of them, Amharic is no longer an everyday language, and this isn't just about convenience at home: it touches directly on the connection with parents and grandparents, and on cultural identity. Important to state upfront: there is currently no organized national network or government program in Israel dedicated to language preservation — this is a handful of pinpoint initiatives, detailed below.

The phenomenon: why the second generation is losing the language

Dr. Anbessa Teferra, a linguist and lecturer in Amharic at Tel Aviv University who has studied this phenomenon for years, points to a combination of factors: the relatively low social status some immigrants themselves attributed to the language ("Amharic or Tigrinya aren't perceived as prestigious as French or Russian"), and pressure to assimilate quickly into Israeli society. He recalls that early in his career, parents of students would get angry when he tried to start a conversation with them in Amharic: "Why are you speaking Amharic in Israel?" — a detailed feature on the subject was published by ynet.

An active example: Tegest — "Learning Amharic, made fun"

One initiative that is actively running today is tegest.co.il ("Learning Amharic, made fun"), led by Tegest Falka, an educator with more than 17 years of experience in the Israeli education system. The initiative offers several tools in parallel: learning kits for letter recognition and family games, educational workshops for elementary schools, digital games, free printable materials, and a digital course.

The underlying program — "Amharic, Tell Me a Culture" — is officially approved and listed in the Ministry of Education's Gafan catalog of recognized enrichment programs for schools, under program number 46531. This is a formal approval that lets schools incorporate the program as part of their enrichment offerings.

What isn't detailed on the site: there's no pricing, detailed registration process, or fixed physical location listed — the site directs you to contact them directly via WhatsApp or email (learningt100@gmail.com). Reach out directly to check details before deciding.

Another example: an Amharic course for children in Or Yehuda — a one-time initiative

In summer 2024, the Or Yehuda municipality, together with its education department, the community council, and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, ran a 10-session Amharic course for Ethiopian-Israeli children. The course met on Wednesdays, starting July 24, 2024, from 18:00–20:00, at the "Yachad" club (Beit Yedidut), 15 Ayelet HaShahar St. Its stated goal was to strengthen the children's mother tongue and improve communication between children and parents.

Important to stress: this was a one-time municipal initiative for a single summer — not a standing program. Neither the municipality's site nor other sources checked indicate the course repeated in later years, or that a similar standing framework currently exists in Or Yehuda. If you live in Or Yehuda or elsewhere, it's worth checking directly with your local education department or community council about whether a similar seasonal initiative is planned.

What this means in practice

As of today, there is no organized national network or government program in Israel dedicated to preserving Amharic among the second generation. What exists is a handful of pinpoint initiatives: one ongoing private program identified (Tegest), alongside one-time municipal/community initiatives (like Or Yehuda). Longstanding community organizations like Fidel (fidel.org.il), active in the community since 1997, can be a general address to ask about local initiatives — even though no specific language-preservation program was found there.

Tips for parents

• If you'd like your child's school to adopt a recognized program, you can point the school to "Amharic, Tell Me a Culture" (program 46531) in the Gafan catalog, or contact Tegest directly.
• Check with your local education department or community council about whether a seasonal initiative similar to the one in Or Yehuda is planned.
• Per the ynet article, some of the reasons behind language loss relate to perceived social prestige and pressure to assimilate quickly — being aware of this can help parents decide, deliberately, whether and how much to speak Amharic at home, without worrying it will "get in the way" of their children's absorption.

Sources

• Tegest — Learning Amharic, made fun
• Or Yehuda Municipality — Amharic course for children of Ethiopian descent
• ynet — "Mom, don't speak to me in Amharic"
• Fidel Association

See also

• More community guides