Israel's immigrant population added 16,500 people to its ranks in 2012. As a foreigner, sometimes it feels as if I have a connection to the immigrant population here not only because for the time being I'm making a home here, but because I am so often mistaken as a member of the immigrant community. But despite how things may look to some on the outside, I have very little in common with this group. I live in an upscale neighborhood with access to any and all goods and services I need. I have a community of people in the exact same situation as me that I can commiserate with. A short chat with my friend Eddie quickly informed me that sadly that's not the case for everyone here from another country. In fact, some of the things Eddie told me about his life here were so surprising (and disturbing), that the level of nonchalance with which he conveyed them gave me pause. Many of the tough situations that Eddie currently faces make him a candidate for help from YEDID, where I promptly referred him after this interview. I very much hope that he takes advantage of the assistance YEDID can offer him. So here is a little taste of what life is like for Eddie from Nigeria, the good, the bad and the ugly.
**(please note these are solely the opinions of the interviewee and do not reflect my own personal opinions)**
Why did you come to Israel?
I came to Israel because of a better living. Normally when you come you have to seek asylum so that you can get a status to stay. So I have to tell them an asylum story which is not true, so 90 percent of us here, most of our stories are not true cause we are all here for a better living. Our country is not good, it's corrupt. You live on 100 dollars for the month with a wife and kid, so it's really difficult back home in Africa.
Do you want to continue living in Israel for a while or do you hope to return home soon?
No for now in Israel I see the conditions for work are okay if you have jobs, compared to other countries. I have family elsewhere like Europe, Canada. The way they live might be better than Israel, but getting a job and getting the money is not as easy. In Israel the earnings and what you make in a month is far better than Europe and the way you live here is cheaper than they way you live in Europe and other countries. You stay in a room, in a while you don't bother about really buying expensive things. But in Europe they want to live like the Europeans also so it makes life very expensive there. So I really like life here. I wanted to make a family here, I brought my wife.
How do you like life here outside of work? What do you think of Israeli society and culture?
I like Israeli society. There are different types of people in Israel, it depends who you mingle with. If you mingle with the people that are really traveled and enlightened, that have different cultures, it's very good. In Israel they like fun a lot. They are always happy. The problem really here is the Orthodox people. They are racist. They don't like the blacks. They are really against the blacks, they don't want to see us, they do some things you hate. There was a day I just got on a train, I was going to Modi'in. I just sat opposite a man who looks like a rabbi. Immediately he told me I should go sit on the other side. I said "why, you paid for both seats?" He just got up. So the racism with the Orthodox people is really really annoying. But with others you can live here, you can live comfortably, they are very free. Most people I used to work for are people that have been in Europe and in London, and they are very free society people, nice people. But the life here is really really fun, it's cheap, you see a nice environment, the beach, the beach is so beautiful! You have places to visit. If they allow us to stay it's a nice place to stay to make your family and to raise your children. But the only problem here is the education. What I see here is, I don't know if it goes along with them, but the black children are not really educated. You see them go to school, by 10, 1130 they are all over the streets. So I don't really know what they learn. But living in Israel is nice. It has nice people from the people I've met, but I don't really want to meet with the religious people. I avoid them a lot because I know they are racist.
Do you try and seek out help for the problems you encounter here, with racism or anything else?
Yes I have lots of people who are helping me, like ASSAF. The head of ASSAF has been a very very good person to me. She has been helping me a lot. Then ARDC (African Refugee Development Center). I have a problem now, they arrested my wife, she's in the prison now. I got a free lawyer, she works with ARDC and she has been doing that. Then she was almost taken back home. I have friends from Canada, they are journalists, also like human rights activists. They went to the prison, made some noise and told them you cannot take her home, she has problems. They go to visit her because I can't go, they bring her things she wants. I also have doctors that are helping me a lot, doctors in the human rights clinic. So I don't know, maybe it's because of me personally because I am really friendly, I know how to talk to people.
What do you miss about home being in Israel?
I miss my son a lot. I miss my mom. And there's nothing else really that I'm missing apart from the food. Sometimes I can get the food but not like home. The fact is that the culture there, everybody is going out to drink. So since I came here I became really dedicated to my religion. I was a passive Jehovah's Witness but now I am dedicated. So it is a different style of my living back home. Back home I was the type of guy that was in the street and wanted to drink with friends but now I'm not that kind of person, so going back home now, I'll be a different person. So the person I really miss at home is just my mom, my son.
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