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,... Continue Reading →
When people ask me why I came here, my answer is that no matter what I believe religiously I'll always accept the fact that by being born into what I was born I have no choice but to cast my lot with the rest of my people. So even now, as there is this man... Continue Reading →
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.... Continue Reading →
'Why did you move to Israel?' We get asked that a lot, don't we? Here's my #1 reason 9 years ago, and my #1 reason now: Children who know no differently... The list of reasons for living in Israel grows each year I live and learn here. This year it grew by way of another... Continue Reading →
I looked up when, among the mumbling, I heard the word 'מעליב.' Standing in a long, slow-moving line at a Staten Island department store, I suddenly felt at home. And yet, it wasn't because I was in Staten Island, or a department store. She turned around to complain about the long line in English, and... Continue Reading →
Anglo self-hate. Nothing wins more comments on the Times of Israel than that. The latest? This piece by Noga Martin: Why can't the Anglos learn to speak? The author made aliyah at 19 with no background in Hebrew. She managed to learn it and speak it fluently, as well as develop an Israeli accent in doing... Continue Reading →
We 'have' kids. Sounds so passive, doesn't it? Isn't it more like, we find someone to have kids with, settle in with them, work at it for a few months to a few years, attempt to save money to cushion the initial shock, bring forth a baby into the world with extreme amounts of energy,... Continue Reading →
...the people who just live here. I've seen one too many Western aliyah/Anglo-bashing/Anglo-praising/Anglo-centric articles in the last week so now I'm just gonna mouth off a little. It seems people are either complaining about Anglos who need to get over it - 'yes life is a struggle here in Israel, deal with it' - or... Continue Reading →
To ulpan or not to ulpan? It's up to you, but it doesn't have to end when you leave the musty, dingy premises of the classroom... Take ulpan home with you with Stick Around. The story behind Stick Around goes something like this: “Aaaahhh!!!” my wife yelled, and even though it’s not a word, I could... Continue Reading →
So here I am, in Israel seven years today. Did I consider where I'd be in seven years when I got in the plane from New York? Never bothered to go that far. Maybe in the back of my mind I always wondered if the seven-year itch would grab me. It hasn't. A rarity, maybe,... Continue Reading →
Into my seventh year of aliyah - living in Israel - I finally, finally, finally have been able to start what every oleh needs to do the second they get here. I've started letting go. Letting go of my pride. Letting go of my mistakes. Letting go of my fear. Maybe it's my bilingual kid.... Continue Reading →
They're talking to you, Israelis. The Israeli government has been enticing Israeli ex-pats back for a while now. But it seems they've added emotionally heart-tugging videos to their Jewish guilt arsenal. The Returning Home Project - not just for born-diaspora Jews anymore. The campaign seems aimed at getting friends and family still in Israel to... Continue Reading →
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