Mazi Melesa Pilip has lived the American Dream. The daughter of Orthodox Jewish parents, Mazi grew up in a rural village in Ethiopia that didnât even have running water. At the age of 12, Mazi immigrated to Israel with her family as part of Operation Solomon and would later enter the Israel Defense Force, serving in the IDFâs elite Paratrooper Brigade. Following her military service, Mazi earned a bachelorâs degree from the University of Haifa and a masters degree from Tel Aviv University.