Shlomo Molla (, ; born November 21, 1965) is an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Kadima and Hatnuah between 2008 and 2013. He became Israel's second MK of Ethiopian origin.[ Tzipi Livni's new movement brings her full circle back to Israeli politics Haaretz, 27 November 2012] He later joined the Meretz party.
Biography
Molla was born in a small Jewish village of 40 families in
Gondar Province in
Ethiopia in 1965 into a family of 9 brothers and 2 sisters. Molla attempted to
aliyah to Israel in 1984 on foot, after being overlooked by
Operation Moses and
Operation Joshua.
He was rescued by Israeli forces in Sudan; during his journey in Sudan, one of the Ethiopian Jews traveling with him was shot and killed by Sudanese forces. Upon his arrival in Israel, he was sent to an immigrant absorption center in Safed. While suffering from malaria at the time of his arrival, he began learning Hebrew language during his stay in the hospital.
After his national service in the Israel Defense Forces, he studied for a BA in social work at Bar-Ilan University. During his studies he served as co-chairman of the Organization of Ethiopian Students. He later also gained an LLB from Ono Academic College.
Career
In 1991, he became head of a Jewish Agency immigrant absorption center in
Tiberias, and in 1995 was appointed supervisor of the absorption centers and
in northern
.
In 1996 he became a member of the Ministry of Health's committee to advise on war conditions, and in 1999 he became head of the Jewish Agency's Ethiopian Division. In the same year Molla won eighth place on Yisrael BaAliyah's list for the Knesset elections,[ Parties and Lists The Jerusalem Post] but the party won only six seats. In 2006, he was a member of the Zionist Executive and head of department at the World Zionist Organization.
Knesset tenure
Prior to the 2006 elections he was placed thirty-third on Kadima's list. However, following the resignation of
Avigdor Yitzhaki in February 2008, Molla became the second MK of
origin.
[ Knesset to swear in 2nd Ethiopian MK The Jerusalem Post] He was placed nineteenth on the Kadima list for the 2009 elections, and retained his seat as the party won 28 mandates.
As a member of the Knesset, Molla advocated for a two-state solution.
In 2012, he left Kadima to join the new
Hatnuah party. Placed eighth on its list for the 2013 elections,
[ Hatnuah Central Elections Committee] he lost his seat when the party won only six seats.
Post-Knesset career
In 2015, he encouraged Ethiopian-Israelis to
tax resistance or to serve in the Israeli armed forces to protest racist acts against Ethiopian-Israelis such as the police assault on
Demas Fikadey.
[Kershner, Isabel & Rudoren, Jodi “Soldier Becomes Unlikely Face of Ethiopian-Israeli Discontent” New York Times 4 May 2015] In 2019, Molla announced he joined
Meretz.
Personal life
Molla is married with three children, and lives in
Rishon LeZion.
External links
