Tell me your Aliyah story

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 9:50 am

It is going from dream to reality it seems and time is just flying. To think we are so close yet still so many months from making the move. I would love to hear your aliyah story. Why? When? How was it? I need the inspiration to keep us going.

essie14

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 11:14 am

I always felt a love for Israel, even before I ever visited.

EDIT
I just wrote out my whole story but I realized it's giving away too many personal details.
Happy to share privately.
The TLDR is that I made aliyah when I was single, in my 30s. Met DH here in Israel.
It was the best thing I ever did.

amother

Crocus

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 11:21 am

Got the bug on a visit and made it happen a few years later. Hardest thing I've ever done, and likely one of the most important. I feel grateful (and the struggle) every day.

spoons

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 11:34 am

I had been thinking about it non-stop and when my oldest was going to be going into 7th (that's when DL schools start new schools), I thought this is it we've got to go now. She's now several years out of high school and thanks us all the time for taking the plunge

shabbatiscoming

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 12:06 pm

Went to sem. Went back to do uni. Realized I never wanted to raise a family in america. Finished uni. 6 months later made aliyah, before nefedh bnefesh was a thing.
Met my husband 2 years later. Been here almost 22 years.
There was this pull, this feeling that I literally felt was misding when I returned to america. The minute I landed I felt whatever it was that had been missing, for me.

amother

Thistle

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 12:13 pm

IYH you should have a successful and blessed Aliyah!!
I had a very strong urge to come to eretz Yisrael. Before making Aliyah I felt out of place and just in such a cold and lost environment. My opportunities were close to none in my home country, it just wasn’t shayach. Once I came here with dh my paranassa went up, social life was so much better (people are sooo warm, kind and helpful here! I have new friends who I click with much better, etc). The food is incredible and so is the weather. The fact that if we have a day off it’s such a breeze to go to the beach. My connection with ה׳ is so incredible. Prayers are answered much more easily. I love being here and say thank you every day to Hashem for the zechus of being here.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 1:12 pm

amother Thistle wrote:

Wow love this. There is nothing missing in my life physically and don't feel I am running away. My life is good bh, but I feel like there is just this piece of my neshama that is craving something more. I hope I am not being too idealistic.

amother

Seashell

Tue, Oct 08 2024, 2:09 pm

Dh wanted to go so I came with him. We had 10 kids at the time. BH it was a good transition and we are very happy here. I have to say it wasn't my dream to come but if I would need to go back to live in USA I would be devastated.

amother

Outerspace

Tue, Oct 08 2024, 2:16 pm

Came to Israel for the first time at age19, immediately felt the magic, the pull.
Came several more times, also volunteered, knew all along that I wanted to live here and nowhere else.
Life threw a few obstacles into my way in my 20ies, but in my 30ies I made Aliyah alone (divorced). The Aliyah process went amazingly smooth. Hashem made me bump into the right people who helped me a lot and I got married second time round, incredibly better than the first. Started a family, have a job I like, B"H. The only drawback is an elderly and now ill parent in the old country who can't come on Aliyah.

amother

↑ OP

Tue, Oct 08 2024, 2:20 pm

amother Seashell wrote:

10 kids, wow! They were all on board for Aliyah?

amother

Navyblue

Tue, Oct 08 2024, 2:26 pm

To remain anonymous, I’ll be vague. My dh always wanted to come and slowly but surely Hashem cut away at the strings attaching us to America. Some events being very difficult challenges. I’ve become a Zionist since moving, more so than he. There is nothing like living as a Jew in Hashem’s land. It is truly reserved for our people and there is no galut equivalent to galut in Israel. I thank Hashem for this amazing opportunity every single day.

amother

cornflower

Sun, Nov 03 2024, 8:59 am

I grew up in the US came for seminary and just couldn't bring myself to leave! I went back to the US for a few weeks and packed up my stuff and made aliyah a few weeks after seminary.

Best decision I've ever made. I've been here over 20 years now, have multiple degrees and a good job in my field, married a wonderful guy (who incidentally grew up about 40 minutes away from me, but his family made aliyah when he was a child, so I wouldn't have met him otherwise!), have a few wonderful children. After I made aliyah, the rest of my family eventually made aliyah too, we're all here now.

There were of course times that were hard, but life could have also had hard times had I gone back to the US. Life has hard times, I'd rather do them here than anywhere else.