Abstract

This article examines the nature of the work of traditional mediators (Shmaglotz) of immigrants from Ethiopia in Israel, within the framework of municipal mediation centres. These centres are managed by welfare divisions in collaboration with the police and additional public bodies. The findings indicate that the collaboration between the shmaglotz and the professionals serves the absorbers as well as the absorbed. The absorbers are exposed to the culture of the immigrants from Ethiopia and contribute to the institutionalization of the traditional mediation model in a modern society. Nonetheless, the absorbers did not adopt an interactive multicultural approach, and the shmaglotz model is applied solely to the community of immigrants from Ethiopia. For the absorbed, the traditional mediation enables them to preserve values from their culture. However, through the shmaglotz and their old-new toolbox, the immigrants are exposed to dialogue with the culture of the absorbers.

Key words: Ethiopia, pluralism, tradition, mediators, immigrants.