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Weve been thinking about moving to E”Y but have so many questions and not many people to ask. Which is the best area, how much does it cost, what are complications etc. anyone have any bits of helpful info or advice?
real – it really depends what you and your family are like – if you want you are welcome to ask specific questions here. i will be glad to answer them. we made aliyah 5 yrs ago and lived in a few different areas.
the moderator would not allow me to post my email address. sorry
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Have you been in charge with aliyah promotion groups, like (I think it’s called) Nefesh b’Nefesh? They can help with practical advice.
There are some articles you want to read. You may find them by googling Leah Kuber and Yair Spolter. (Rebbetzin and Rabbi respectively.) They’ve written articles about making aliyah, difficulties with certain age kids, etc. There are SO many factors. While you may get some good direction here I urge you to find groups where you can exchange emails, etc. for better and more direct communication.
Hatzlacha! May we all get there soon!
I just saw your post on the RMB thread. Sounds like you don’t have to worry about the age issue with your kids. I also bet that whoever you talk to will urge you to take a pilot trip so get ready.
Go to Nefesh B’Nefesh and ask.
Oh, I’m sure that we will have lots of advice to give; we are Jews, after all.
Do you wish to start with specific questions?
What kind of neighborhood/area do you wish to live in? City, town, moshav?
What is your religious orientation? Do you want to live in a place where most of the folks are at about your level of observance, or do you want something more diverse?
How many children do you have, and what kind of schools are you looking for?
Do you have work lined up, or will you be looking?
Istrael has many different climate zones. What kind of weather do you like?
I highly recommend Haifa. If you have any questions about it, I’ll be happy to help you.
From what you are describing, it sounds like Ma’aleh Adumim would be a good place. There are a lot of Americans there. They have some actual houses, as opposed to just apartments. There are several shuls, so there is probably at least one you would like. It’s close to Yerushalayim, but not as crowded.
You should contact Maran Harav Hagaon Shloime Rosenbaum, shlita, of Tzfas. He heads an amazing community there that’s full of ruchnias and chessed. He himself must be one of the lamed vav. There are shiurim in his Bais Medrash in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English. There are many opportunities for chessed there as well. The Rebbe’s own wife, may she live ad 120, has a wedding cake gemach where she bakes cakes herself for chasunas in the community. There are kollelim set up for yungerleit and in the evening for working fellows as well. All in all, a diverse community with an outstanding, dynamic leader. There are many English speakers there; the community is about 30% Anglo. B’hatzlacha!
I normally refrain from giving advice but here I will make an exception. I have been living in Israel for many years.
1. Contact nefesh b’nefesh, it is a very effective organization and they have the means and contacts to help you in many ways. For Americans considering aliyah, it is almost automatic to go through them, and well worth it.
2. Do not , under any circumstances, decide yet where you will live permanently. You don’t know and you don’t have to know. When you arrive here as a mishpachah olah (not just a pilot trip), you will have the opportunity to investigate many wonderful communities and decide which is best for you. A cake baking rebbetzin is not a valid criterion for choosing a community. Don’t rush, you will have time.
I wish you much hatzlachah when you finally arrive at the only real home of the Jewish people. We are all rooting for you.
I would like to echo what onlyemes said, and add a caveat. Talk to the people at Nefesh b’Nefesh, and talk to your local Aliyah Shaliach. Ask the same questions to both. And keep in mind that when you actually do get here, the information you were given may not be totally accurate.
That said, I think every Jew should live in EY. Despite some of the problems that crop up during the Aliyah process, living here is an indescribable bracha and well worth whatever it takes to get here.
You need to think about a bunch of things, (And I’m sure I’m leaving a bunch out here)
including:
- Where are you going to work?
- What type of commute are you going to have (time, mode etc)
- What size community do you want to live in (Big City, suburb, kibbutz/moshav etc)
- What kind of schools do you want for your kids
- What kind of weather do you like?
You should make a pilot trip and check out a bunch of places and then rent for the first year or two while you figure things out.
I have recently been in touch with Nefesh B’Nefesh and they have a person who they hired to be a liaison to the Yeshivish/Chareidi community. His name is Yigal Segal and he can answer many of the questions I have seen posted here. His email is [email protected]- I know he said he would be in America around Thanksgiving time so you might be able to get a meeting with him here if you get in touch with him.
real613: In a previous post I had suggested Ma’aleh Adumim, because from what you described it seemed appropriate. But I really want to put in a “sales pitch” for Haifa. Before I do that, is there some reason you prefer the Yerushalaim area?
You said that you’re looking for a frum but diverse community. There are communities like that but you have to be willing to look into different places and possibly experience a few different places. A few places that I’ve been to that you might consider are: Har Nof or another english-like community around Yerushlayim. Other places are Tzfat-frum and accepting, or also Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Hatzlacha Rabba!
Dear Haifagirl, what is the cost of living, particularly housing, like in Haifa, compared to other sectors in Israel?
I have a very nice, 2.5 room apartment, fairly large, and I pay 1600 shekels a month. I don’t know about all other areas, but I know people in Har Nof (in Jerusalem) who pay $1000 for a one-room, converted machsan. Also, it seems to be fairly common in Haifa that there is no monthly fee for vaad habayit. Other costs (food, etc.) are probably similar.
I see way less poverty here. There are beggars on the street, but I don’t see nearly as many here as I do in Jerusalem.
That’s good to know, Haifagirl.
We looked at apartments in Jerusalem, and they were out-of-this-world, pricewise, at least, particularly in the english-speaking areas of Jerusalem.
Mrs. ronrsr can work her job in any country of the world where her company has a presence, and would like to
ronsr:
I have to mention something else about Haifa. I have spent Shabbos in Jerusalem several times. There is one family I usually stay with, and I attend their shul. Nobody has ever come over and introduced themselves, or even said “Good Shabbos.” I usually get there early, before my friend does, so it isn’t obvious I’m there with anybody.
The first time I went to shul in Haifa, almost every woman in the Ezras Nashim came over to meet me. Each week several come over to chat, even though my Hebrew is not that good. They go out of their way to make me feel a part of the kehillah. In fact, that first time, there was another American there. Several people went over to her to make sure she spoke to me so I would have somebody to talk to.
haifagirl, it depends what kind of shul you go to. In any neighborhood,in any city, in any country there are some places-shuls known for not being outgoing and friendly. They’re usually just there to daven and then leave, its not a socialclub for them. But then you have other shuls in different communities that are vey warm and caring and accepting, and they will come over to you and make you feel welcome if you’re new in shul. It all depends where you go, what your mindset is and what you’re looking for as a priority in the place that you do go to daven.
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