Wobalem Tezazu-Mekonnen (Hebrew: וובעלם טזזו-מקונן) is an author of books for children, coach and social activist for the Ethiopian community in Israel.
Early life edit
Wobalem Tezazu-Mekonnen was born in a small village in the Gondar region of northern Ethiopia in 1975 and immigrated to Israel during Operation Moses in 1984, at the age of 9,[1] together with her mother and eight older siblings.[2] She grew up in Petach Tikva. After completing her Sherut Leumi as a mentor for teenagers at risk[1] in Bnei Brak[2] she enrolled at Bar-Ilan University, obtaining a degree in Human Resources and a master's course in education. Tezazu-Mekonnen also has a senior diploma in coaching from the ICCM college. She has also completed a certificate in educational leadership at Tel Aviv University alongside a teaching certificate in Talmud. She lectures in many areas of personal, social, and family empowerment.
Career edit
In 1991, she volunteered for the Traffic Accidents Prevention Council of the Petach Tikva Municipality, and since then she has been involved in various volunteer activities such as volunteering with a group of coaches at events for the children of the Alumim boarding school in Kfar Saba or at Perach Child Mentoring and volunteering at the ISF Foundation in Petach Tikva and the Hatikva neighborhood in Tel Aviv.
Between the years 2019–2020, she managed the Emuna daycare center[2] at Bar-Ilan University, in addition to being a visiting officer in the Central District for the Ministry of Education of Israel.[1]
Tezazu-Mekonnen has published three therapeutic books for children, parents, and teachers. Her first book, מסע (Journey) is a book about dealing with life's challenges from a positive perspective, based in the life story of Tezazu-Mekonnen from the day she was born in Ethiopia until she made aliya and established in Israel. Her second book, ילדה כהה, ילדה בהירה ("Dark-skinned girl, Light-skinned girl") is a book about accepting the different, based also on her personal experience as a Beta Israel immigrant encountering racism.[1][3]
Her most recent book, מילות הקסם של רועי ("Roy's Magic Words") is a book about how to deal with personal fears.[4][5]
Personal life edit
Tezazu-Mekonnen is married to Shai Mekonnen and a mother of one girl, Tehila, and one boy, Roi.[2][1]
Works edit
- מסע - Tzivonim Publishing, 2017.
- ילדה כהה, ילדה בהירה - Tzivonim Publishing, 2018
- מילות הקסם של רועי - Orion Publishing, 2019
References edit
- ^ a b c d e המאמנת: "אצל חלק מהאנשים קיימת תפיסה שאם אתה אתיופי אתה לא מקצועי"
- ^ a b c d קהילה בעלייה: הקהילה האתיופית תחגוג מחר את חג הסיגד. Israel Hayom
- ^ "אמא, אני רוצה צבע עור לבן". Ynet
- ^ מילות הקסם של רועי - וובעלם טזזו מקונן
- ^ מערכה ראשונה: אני לא אישה של מלחמות, אבל מדי פעם צץ קרב ששווה לצאת אליו. Maariv
External links edit
- Interview of Wobalem Tezazu-Mekonnen with rabbanit Hagit Shira for the TV channel Hidabroot