After we got married and everything settled down, we decided it was time to apply for our Israeli passports. The process was relatively easy. I didn’t expect that I would be able to apply for and order my passport at the same appointment I had made to change my name legally here in Israel.
Continue reading Applying for an Israeli PassportYom HaAtzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) is widely celebrated outside of Israel. I remember going to school as a child and seeing Israeli flags everywhere, watching Israeli movies during class, and then singing “David Melech Yisrael” in our parade through the streets of Dallas. It was a day where everyone would dress up in blue and white (instead of our school uniform), eat falafel, and participate in Israeli dancing. We were proud Jews and proud of our country. And yet, we were content living 11,244 miles away.
Continue reading The Hypocrisy of Celebrating Yom Haatzmaut Outside of IsraelIt’s no secret to those in the Aliyah community that there is a large number of failed Aliyot- olim chadashim who move back to their country of origin. This phenomenon is known as yeridah, lit. descent. It is difficult to know the exact statistics of this phenomenon, as neither the government of Israel nor the Jewish Agency for Israel conduct population studies to investigate failed Aliyot. Regardless, we know it’s a big problem.
Continue reading What is a “Successful” Aliyah?The best place to live in all of Israel!
Continue reading Reasons to Make Aliyah to EliThe Israeli postal service is notorious for delivering packages late, sending them to the wrong address, or losing them altogether. I’m sharing this story as a guide for dealing with them, should any issues come up. Please note: I’ve ordered countless items online; this is the first time I’ve run into a case this bad.
Continue reading The Perils of Dealing with the Israeli Postal ServicePeople don’t like to hear it, but we weren’t able to thrive in the US. I’m $40,000 in debt from one year of college (at a state school! Not private!) And had been working 2 full-time jobs just to get by with no chance of going back. I moved here for the education benefits. I’m under 27, so I can get my bachelor’s paid for here, and the other financial support I receive as a new immigrant is more help than I’ve ever gotten from anyone since I was 17. Even with corona happening, this is the only path I had forward. Plus the healthcare. I hadn’t seen a doctor in 5 years in the states because I couldn’t afford insurance, and made too much money for medicare/Obamacare. I was above the poverty line because of my two jobs, but once you factored in rent, car insurance, food, debt payments, etc., I didn’t have enough for the $100/mo plus deductibles and copays and the time off to see a doctor.
Continue reading Your Story: Dejah LachowMy husband and I were matched online through sister sites Saw You At Sinai and See You in Israel (co-created by Nefesh B’Nefesh) on January 15, 2020. I was a critical care nurse from Texas, and Akiva was a policy officer for CIDI, a pro-Israel lobby group in the Netherlands. It was a perfect match. We had the same beliefs, values, religious observance, politics, and goals in life. After exchanging a few texts and calling a few times, it became clear that we had the exact same sense of humor as well! The only problem was we were living in two different countries, literally an ocean apart. Hearing I was planning a trip to Israel, Akiva decided to meet me there, and we met in person in Jerusalem. We went on two dates before returning to our respective countries. Then COVID-19 hit, and international travel was banned. We continued texting back and forth and making video calls that would last over 6 hours. Quite a feat considering a time difference of seven hours! We fell in love over our mutual love of Hashem, Israel, the Jewish people, and good memes. We met each other’s family over Zoom.
Continue reading How to Get Married in Israel During COVID-19When did you make Aliyah?
I made Aliyah in 1983 with my 5 children.
Continue reading Your Story: Rivkah GreenSo you made it to your aliyah flight! You brought your spouse, kids, luggage, and important documents (including the letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and your receipt of having completed the isolation form within 24 hours of your flight), and you’re wondering to yourself what it’s going to look like when you arrive. How does it all work when you land?
Continue reading I Made Aliyah, What Now?After gathering all of my documents and submitting my application for Aliyah through Nefesh B’Nefesh, I interviewed with The Jewish Agency over Zoom. The meeting went smoothly, and the questions were straightforward, such as where you think you’ll live, what kind of work you do, why you want to make Aliyah, and verifying your Jewish status. Depending on when your expected Aliyah date is, the Jewish Agency will then send you a “Mazal Tov” email approving your eligibility for Aliyah. This Mazal Tov email is valid for one year, after which you must reapply to make Aliyah. My Zoom meeting took place on July 31, and I received my Mazal Tov email on August 10. But because my parents’ (who also had their Zoom meeting on July 31) expected Aliyah date isn’t until November, they didn’t receive their Mazal Tov letter until September 10. A lot of people are making Aliyah now, and the Jewish Agency has to prioritize approvals based on expected Aliyah dates.
Continue reading Making Aliyah and Getting Engaged During a PandemicSince the coronavirus became a pandemic, Nefesh B’Nefesh has seen a 50% increase in applications for immigration to Israel compared to last year. The Jewish Agency expects a 30% increase worldwide in people making Aliyah due to the virus. Though this may be a legitimate case to move, what are some other reasons why we should make Aliyah?
Continue reading Reasons to Make AliyahTechnically my first time at the Kotel was in 2002. I was six years old and don’t remember much from the experience. I do remember it being very crowded, my mother had my brother and I wearing harnesses that resembled dog leashes so that we wouldn’t be separated. But this isn’t the topic of this post. No, my first true experience at the Kotel was during my Birthright trip in 2018.
Continue reading My Experience at the KotelI recently took my parents to Israel to visit my brother. It was the only time all three of us would be able to come. It was also the first time my parents had been to Israel since 2002. Needless to say, a lot has changed since then. There are many more stores with a wider variety of goods, traffic has skyrocketed, and thankfully, there are no more bus bombings. We were there to see my brother, but we also made it their pilot trip. This would probably be their only chance to visit Israel before making Aliyah, and they needed to experience the country as it is now.
Continue reading My Parents’ Pilot TripI have a dog. Actually he belongs to my brother, but he acts like a family dog. His name is Romeo, and just as his name suggests he is extremely loving and affectionate. We could not imagine making Aliyah without him; he is as much a member of our family as any of us. It’s no surprise then that he will be a part of our Aliyah story. In preparation for this, I researched what it will take to bring him with us.
Continue reading What About My Dog?While many people these days don’t use Facebook anymore, there is a virtual gold mine of resources for Aliyah through Facebook groups. There you can ask anyone with more experience living in Israel practically any questions you have about how to live in Israel. Just a few I’ve found include:
Continue reading The Advantage of Facebook GroupsPacking for Israel depends on your length of stay and what kind of activities you plan on doing when you get there. It is important to travel as light as possible, with as little luggage as possible. Below are some things that should be included in your packing list every time you come to Israel:
