Alone at 12: The Journey That Led Her From Ethiopia to Israel

Elena Yeshiwork was just 12 years old when her mother told her she would soon set out alone on a journey to the Land of Israel.

“It didn’t surprise me,” Elena recalls. “We lived in the Gondar region of Ethiopia, and many people around us were already leaving for Israel. We had also heard frightening stories about those who went through Sudan and died from hunger and disease, but that didn’t stop us from dreaming. It only pushed us to plan more carefully, hoping that with Hashem’s help, we would reach the Land of Israel.”

Elena as a young girl

A Dream of Jerusalem

Life in Ethiopia, she explains, was not bad. As a child, she enjoyed a simple and beautiful life in her village, without modern distractions. Still, she experienced deep loss at a young age. Her father passed away from illness when she was just nine years old, and she walked to his funeral alone while her mother lay sick at home.

Despite everything, one dream remained constant. From a young age, they would bless one another with the words, “Next year in Jerusalem.” So when the opportunity came, Elena did not hesitate to join a group of teenagers preparing to leave.

An Illustration of Jerusalem from Elena's book about her journey to Israel

A Long and Dangerous Road

Elena set out with a group of 23 teens, the youngest among them. From the beginning, the journey was filled with complications. They waited three months for a guide, and when they finally began, most of the group was forced to turn back due to missing identification papers. Only three teens remained, continuing forward with the guide.

They traveled by bus and then by trucks carrying animals and stones, always fearing they would be discovered. Eventually, they were forced to continue on foot for six days without food or water. Elena recalls how, after two days, she felt she could no longer go on, until a kind woman gave them milk that revived their strength. At one point, the boy traveling with them collapsed, and the guide told them to leave him behind, but they refused and managed to help him recover.

After facing further dangers along the way, they finally reached a port city and boarded a ship, unaware that the hardest part of their journey was still ahead.

Elena walked for six days without food or water

Trapped and Alone

They arrived in Djibouti, a dangerous transit city, where they were hidden in an apartment for eight months without leaving, fearing discovery. Eventually, more members of their original group joined them, but conditions were extremely difficult. Food was scarce, sanitation was poor, and many became ill.

Elena’s condition worsened severely. There were days she could barely breathe. When agents arrived to arrange documents, they immediately rushed her to the hospital, where she received life-saving treatment.

But when she returned, she discovered that her entire group had already left for Israel. She was completely alone.

Soon after, authorities discovered she had no legal status and arrested her. At just 13 years old, Elena was placed in prison, where she remained for a year and a half, isolated and without any contact with her family. She describes feeling as though she had been forgotten by the world.

A 13 Year Old Prisoner

Despite the harsh conditions, Elena refused to give up. Over time, she noticed that women brought in overnight were released each morning. Gathering courage, she joined them one day and managed to walk out with them to freedom.

With nowhere to go, she lived on the streets, surviving on scraps of food. Eventually, she found work in a Muslim household, caring for children and managing the home. Although she was grateful, living in a non-Jewish environment was difficult for her, and she chose to leave.

Determined to move forward, she found work cleaning in a hospital. She worked tirelessly, even sleeping there at night because she had no home. Later, she met other girls who invited her to share an apartment, giving her some stability while she continued to search for a way to reach Israel.

Elena was imprisoned for over a year at the age of 13

A Message From Home

One day, a stranger offered to carry letters to Ethiopia. Although she was afraid, Elena decided to write to her family. A month later, they received her letter and were shocked to discover she was alive, as they had previously been told she had died.

Her family quickly took action, and soon Elena received instructions to go to the French embassy. From there, everything moved quickly. She was flown to France and then to Israel.

When she finally arrived, her uncle was waiting for her. In that moment, she understood that her long and painful journey had come to an end. Later, her mother and siblings joined her, completing the family’s reunion.

Faith That Carried Her

When asked what gave her strength through it all, Elena answers without hesitation: faith. She explains that she grew up in a home where her mother constantly reminded them that Hashem would always help them. Throughout the journey, she felt that she was never alone.

That same faith continued to guide her life. She married, built a family, and faced further challenges with courage, including a complicated pregnancy in which she gave birth to quadruplets. During a critical moment after the birth, she experienced a powerful vision of her father, which she believes gave her the strength to continue living for her children.

Looking Ahead

In recent years, Elena fulfilled another dream by writing a book about her life. She wanted her children to understand what she had gone through and to pass on a message of strength and hope.

Elena's book about her life and journey to Israel

Today, she works in education, helping guide the next generation. And each year, when Passover arrives, her story takes on even deeper meaning. She says she feels a personal connection to the Exodus, having experienced her own journey from hardship to freedom.

Her message is simple and powerful: no matter how difficult the path may be, with faith, it is possible to overcome and find your way home.