Coming to Aliyah

The decision to make aliyah is not arrived at intellectually, through thought; rather it is a purely emotional choice made by the heart.

As a 26-year-old born-and-bred Bostonian about to make aliyah this April, I wanted my community to understand this choice.

It's easy for many Jews to understand the love for Israel - the feeling of seeing Hebrew everywhere, knowing everyone around you is Jewish, and having access to kosher food in restaurants as a normal occurrence. After working for the past three years in the Boston Jewish community (at The David Project), I have seen first-hand the passion for Israel that drives so many American Jews to devote their careers to Israel. When I talk to people about Israel, I see nostalgia in the eyes of older adults and the bright, sometimes overwhelmed faces of returning Birthright participants.

Most of us know what it feels like to fall in love with Israel. But I have noticed many, including myself, are quick to turn our minds against our emotions. There are endless excuses not to make aliyah – lack of economic opportunities, the salary differences, the war and conflict, the language barrier – and yes, all those issues exist, and could exist in almost any place at any time.

I decided to make aliyah because I realized that American life, with all its luxuries, was still lacking something for me. What that thing is, you and I both feel when we're in Israel.
When I go for runs along the beach in Tel Aviv, I sometimes imagine what it looked like when the ships carrying Jewish refugees pulled into the safe harbor of Israeli territory. Today, amidst beachgoers and bikers, small monuments dot the Tel Aviv promenade marking the sites where so many Jews arrived with nothing but their freedom.

I am able to enjoy the exciting, wonderful city that Tel Aviv is today because of those who have worked to make it so. Israel must continue to grow and cannot be taken for granted. I see myself as part of a circle; today is my turn to contribute, so that the next generation may feel inspired to continue the work. I love America, and becoming Israeli does not make me feel less like an American. I am making aliyah simply because I feel incomplete anywhere else.