In honor of Israel’s 73rd birthday on Yom Ha’atzmaut, the Raritan Valley Chapter of Hadassah presented a Zoom discussion, “From Highland Park to Israel: What’s It Like to Make Aliyah?” Four former residents of Highland Park discussed the motivations, challenges and rewards straight from Israel, thanks to Zoom technology.

Cheryl (Sara) Gunsher made aliyah in 2018 and lives in Jerusalem. Her son had made aliyah many years before and she and her husband, Meir, made periodic trips to visit the grandchildren. One day she told her grandchildren that they were lucky to live in Israel. When they asked her why she couldn’t be lucky too, she and her husband decided to give aliyah strong consideration and made plans when the timing was right.

Merav Kleinman, a graphic designer living in Haifa, had difficulty finding a job in the United States after college graduation because she didn’t have experience in her chosen field. She moved to Israel in 2018, where she learned about a program with an internship in Israel that would provide the needed experience. She extended her stay with a second internship, and then made the arrangement permanent in 2019. She had no plans to make aliyah, but the country “grew on her,” and now she can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Marcie Leff noted that she had wanted to live in Israel since her childhood in Las Cruces, N.M. Her mother and first husband were very against the idea. Following her divorce, she thought the time might be right, but her second husband did not feel it was the place for him. Twelve years later he passed away, and she ultimately moved to Israel in early 2020.

Sue Grass self-identified as a voracious reader and writer who came by her Zionism “honestly” after reading books by Leon Uris and Elie Wiesel in her teens. While not religious, she is a confirmed Zionist who believes that there is nothing more important to the Jewish people than safeguarding Israel at all costs.

She had volunteered in a kibbutz and toured Israel for a month in her younger days, but family obligations kept her tethered to the United States. She now has an arrangement that works for her: she spends three or four months a year in the United States and her husband spends three or four months in Israel. She finds every opportunity to practice and improve her Hebrew by attending multiple ulpan programs and exercise classes (in Hebrew).

All participants agreed that people considering aliyah should do as much as they can to improve their Hebrew language skills before their move. Once in Israel, the ulpan program is a huge benefit to enhancing language skills, meeting new friends, learning the culture, helping with acclimation to a new country and more. Another point of agreement was that the information provided by Nefesh B’Nefesh was top notch. Familiarization with their website and aliyah requirements before setting dates and plans make the process go more smoothly.

Another suggestion was to utilize Facebook groups and Google to make contact with the many online communities of people who have already made aliyah and can share their experiences and resources.

The group also recommended thoroughly researching potential places to live, as what sounded good initially may not be best overall. Leff had a lovely place to live, but found she was a 45-minute walk from where her friends lived. She was able to find another apartment in their neighborhood, but would have preferred not to have had that problem. Another participant had a friend who moved somewhere where there were few English speakers and regretted the choice. Gunsher noted that she is of retirement age living in a community composed mostly of young families. While it doesn’t bother her, she knows it might not be for everyone. It is also recommended to initially rent so it’s easier to move if needed.

There was no question that Israel was a great place to live and thrive. One participant noted a study that said that Israelis live three to four years longer than Americans. When asked what advice the participants would give everyone at home, Leff immediately answered, “Come!”

For more information about this program or upcoming events, contact [email protected].

By Deborah Melman