Category: aliyah rites

  • The privilege to choose where you’re murdered for being a Jew

    The privilege to choose where you’re murdered for being a Jew

    A reaction from a lot of Americans (including the State Department, apparently): “You can always come here.” I do feel guilt and appreciation around this, rooted in the well-meaningness and love of my friends and family; I understand how irresponsible? selfish? it might seem: “You have American passports. You can always come on a plane…

  • Immigrant sandwich generation

    Immigrant sandwich generation

    I have some devastating data to share with you: Depending where you’re sitting when you read this, you may feel differently. The way it hits me: Sabra Israelis are way more networked throughout their lives than Americans. Living pretty close, even if it’s two hours away, to return home for holidays… Shul/youth groups every weekend…

  • Aliyah is a million cuts.

    Aliyah is a million cuts.

    When you’re 22 and pick up and move to another country with a minimum 9-hour flight time, you’re really not thinking about 18 years later when the other shoe drops. The first shoe dropped when you had your first kid, and realized how hard it is to have added yet another family member to the…

  • The hard way.

    The hard way.

    At the ‘חוג בת מצווה’ I’m doing with my daughter, tonight’s session was focused on Jewish Israeli women heroes of the last century; this follows six weeks focused on even earlier historical Jewish strongwomen. Posters that hung around the room exposed us to some oldies but goodies – Naomi Shemer, Golda Meir, Henrietta Szold –…

  • The things that change and don’t change in fifteen years.

    The things that change and don’t change in fifteen years.

    15 years ago, I landed at Ben Gurion airport and a Russian-accented משרד הפנים rep told me I’ve been spelling my last name wrong my entire life as he prepped my paperwork. Last night, I was helping my son with his math homework in averages and after puzzling over the inaccurate wording of this problem,…

  • Expat life: Eleven years.

    As of today I have spent a third of my life living as an expat, having made the choice to leave what I knew and start over somewhere else, with specific goals and ideology fueling the decision. And 11 years later I really don’t have much to complain about, which I appreciate is incredibly fortunate.…

  • The freedom to be as stubborn as we want in our own land

    Israelis are nothing if not… persistent. That’s how we ended up here after thousands of years, and it’s how we became Startup Nation. So when we planned to go to the beach weeks ago for Yom Haatzmaut, you can bet the forecast be damned and we were going to the &@!$% beach. Even if there…

  • No better Israel education than the one from your sabra kids

    Things I love about Independence Day season in Israel: Every year – without fail – I manage to learn something new from my kids. This morning, all dressed up for the gan celebration, on the way to the car, my gan-aged kids broke out into song together. I asked them to teach it to me.…

  • On casting my lot: 10 life lessons about making aliyah, after a decade in Israel

    Been living in Israel for ten years – here’s the lowdown.

  • It’s over. Everything is over and my kids have won. Now go read my electric bill.

    Native children ahad, Immigrant mother, efes.

  • 6 quickies from visiting for 3+ weeks in the States

    Just because. There are some things I must remember. So the ’90s are back. This I swear, I was thisclose to buying Doc Martins with my adult money. I don’t feel old. I feel great. I guess I’m so over it, I forgot to get a doughnut? Obviously my T-Mobile customer rep, who was digging to find out why I’m…

  • Maybe there’s really no such thing as a ‘lone’ soldier

    One thing I know about Max Steinberg z’l is he was a Jewish citizen of the world who took action for our people. Another thing I know about Max Steinberg z’l is that his actions brought together Jews of all kinds, pouring out from big and bigger rooms to comfort his mourning parents and siblings.…