From Slave To Israeli To Jew?

"The whole journey my mother's voice was echoing in my head saying 'they sold you into slavery'." The journey to Israel was an ongoing hell. "At night we drove and throughout the day, Bedouins with guns watched over us. One night we arrived in Eilat and from there on to Tel Aviv."

 

From slave to IDF officer: A Guinean's story
At just 15 Avi Be'eri was sold to slave traders who smuggled him into Israel from Guinea, he managed to turn his life around and will now become an IDF officer
Smadar Shir • Ynet

Avi Be'eri's life story could have easily become a successful soap opera. It started with the death of his parents in Guinea, continued with slave traders smuggling him into Israel and through to the IDF officers course, which he is due to complete on Tuesday.

The 21-year old, whose real name is actually Ibrahim, was born in the city of Labe in Guinea. When he was a year old his father died of cancer and he and his mother moved in with his uncle. His mother always emphasized the importance of an education and even saved up money to send him to school. But when he was just 13 years old she died and he was left alone in the world.
 
Life in his uncle's house was harsh and so he ran away to the local market, helping merchants in exchange for a place to sleep at night. One day he felt his luck was about to change, one of the merchants told him that in Israel it was possible to earn $3,000 a month. The merchant offered to pay for his air ticket in exchange for a percentage of Ibrahim's monthly salary.
 
"I knew nothing about Israel," he says in his fluent Hebrew. "I was an innocent kid and thought he really wanted to help me."
 
Avi arrived in Cairo with just a small backpack and nothing else. The local contact was waiting for him. "There were eight of us Africans, he put us under a big blanket on a truck and drove off," Avi recalls.
 
"The whole journey my mother's voice was echoing in my head saying 'they sold you into slavery'." The journey to Israel was an ongoing hell. "At night we drove and throughout the day, Bedouins with guns watched over us. One night we arrived in Eilat and from there on to Tel Aviv."

At Tel Aviv's Central Bus Station he was left all alone. "I was 15, the only black guy among the white," he said. "I noticed someone who was the same color as me and asked him where the migrant workers sleep." Avi started working as a dishwasher and was told by other migrant workers to send a letter to the UN's Refugee Committee in Jerusalem.

Special saviors

Their response was that he wasn't eligible for refugee status as there was "no war in Guinea". He was then sent to Tel Aviv's Shanti House – a home for children at risk. "I had to escape to make money," he remembers. "I knew that if I was deported back to Guinea without the money I owed the merchant who bought me the air ticket would butcher me."

Yet just a short time after he arrived, Avi was arrested by immigration police. He was transferred to a holding facility as a deportation candidate. It seemed like his worst fears were about to come true.

Avi's saviors were Susana and Azion Oshri from the communal settlement of Massad. They welcomed him into their home. Under their sponsorship Avi went back to school and appealed to the then Interior Minister over his status. The minister decided to offer the case special consideration and presented him with an Israeli citizenship.

When he received his identity card he changed his name to Avi – making it official. After completing his studies and receiving his high school diploma, Avi enlisted in the IDF.

On Tuesday he is set to complete his officers' course and will then be promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant. "I really do feel like someone who is making history," he says with pride. "Who would have believed that I, who arrived in this country with nothing, sat in prison and was nearly deported, would become an IDF officer and serve at the IDF adjutancy helping Israelis integrate into the army?"
 
Avi already has big plans for his future. "I feel like every door is open to me and see myself as a Jew in every way. My next challenge is to convert, marry and start a family. I want to go to university and study International Relations and then work in the Foreign Ministry to promote Guinea-Israel relations. My dream is to contribute as much as I can to this country. There aren't enough words to express my thanks."

Will the haredim who control Israel's rabbinic courts allow Avi Be'eri to convert to Judaism? Should they allow it?

I think they should, but I doubt they will.

Comments

[anuran]

The haredim won't let him convert, of course.
But why should we care about what they say? They're goyishe aporikosim, not Jews.

[Yochanan Lavie]

I'd be proud to have him join the Jewish people.

[Gevezener Chusid]

If he is willing to accept upon himself the binding authority of Torah and to keep shabbos, kashrus, and taharas hamishpocha, why wouldn't they convert him?

[Dave]

I'd also be proud to have him join the Jewish people.

[Adam Neira]

Remarkable story. He had some real angels cross his path whilst in Israel. He doesn't necessarily have to convert to be a decent citizen of Israel. He should be assisted with his interest in becoming an ambassador to Guinea. The combination of his language skills, life experience, courage and intelligence would be of great assistance to the Jewish people and world peace.

[kobi]

I was in tironut (basic training) with Avi at Machane 80 back in 2009! He's a real mensch, an inspiring person. I had heard about his story in yediot before i went to the army so it was great to talk to him. He's a very softly and well-spoken, intellectual and modest guy. ישר כוח אבי יא אחי, אתה באמת בן ישראל לעומת הטפילים לבושי שחור עם לבבות אבן

[yidandahalf]

This guy is fantastic. No whining from him, he is great and I believe he will succeed in all he strives to do.

[PishPosh]

Kobi I believe your every word. Just from the picture I see a proud man with the look of "I have found a home and I am ready to protect it with my life". Your fortunate to be have met him and I dont care if he dosent become a Jew. He makes for a dam fine citizen.

[lpd]

This guy come to the country with nothing, thrown in jail and almost deported by the government, and then is saved with help from some very big-hearted citizens. After all this he doesn't complain, enlists and his future plan is to serve the country as much as he can. Meanwhile the Haredi spend whole lives going to government-funded schools and taking government checks and then they don't enlist and refuse to recognize independence day. Who do YOU want as fellow citizen? I agree with Pish, who cares if Haredi rabbis say he can become Jew or not, he is true Israeli.