ARRW

The “Aliyah under all circumstances” team is out in force here, but the reality is complicated. School age comprises a broad range. The older the child, the more problematic. In the worst case, the average American Mesivta boy who does not speak Hebrew and is used to learning until 2 o’clock and then night seder will find the Israeli Yeshvia Ketana system suffocating. There are a very few schools which offer an alternative more American way of learning with some secular topics. However, their numbers are small, they may not be where you want to live, and your son may not get in and there will still be lots of cultural problems for a boy that age. Many Israeli schools simply do not want Americans because it will taint the schools reputation. On the other hand children between the ages of 6 and 10 will after some initial difficulties generally do OK. Many high school age children simply refuse to make Aliyah with their parents. Is it worth breaking a family up to make Aliayah?

In short, there are a lot of factors such as the age of your children, how much they are on board with the plan and how much unhappiness you are willing to tolerate in your home for the sake of making Aliyah. These are not easy choices.