We moved to Eretz Yisrael in 2014. It
wasn’t because of the finances; we were, b”H, doing fine in Cleveland. It wasn’t
because of the chinuch; our kids were
learning in Mosdos Ohr HaTorah, a very chareidi
place with about 75 percent of the student body coming from kollel homes or whose parents were
involved in chinuch. Socially, as
well as in ruchniyus, we felt that we
and our children would be just fine if we stayed. There was no “real” reason
for us to pick ourselves up and leave everything behind, aside for one: We felt
that the future for us Yidden is only in Eretz Yisrael.
I believe that, today,
Eretz Yisrael is the real “land of opportunity”; you just have to find it and
put in your effort. I am happy to share some of the opportunities we have
found.
We made a few pilot
trips before our move, and looked into the different communities. To minimize
the pressures involved in moving to and living in a different country, we
looked for a community where we would be able to “copy and paste” our life in
America as much as possible. I came to understand that the communities in Eretz
Yisrael can be grossly categorized into “in-town” and “out-of-town,” just like
back in America. Being originally from Atlanta, I’ve found that out-of-towners
like us might specifically prefer the unique taste of Rechovot.
We were looking for
an out-of-town kind of place that is solid “Anglo” Orthodox, “black hat” but
more accepting, where it would be fine to wear colored shirts or walk around in
a T-shirt. We were also looking for a central location, in Israel’s mercaz (center), where the job market is
stronger. Rechovot, and specifically the Chatam kehillah of English speakers, perfectly fit the bill. We found it
to be a place where Yeshivish out-of-towners like us could really feel at home.
The kehillah was founded in the 1980s by a
group of families for the Torah advancement of the growing English-speaking
community in Rechovot. Our rav is Rav
Dovid Stein, shlita, one of the kehillah’s founders. The recent increase
in young people who have joined and become active in the kehillah led to the recruitment of assistant Rav Yosef Ashenberg, shlita, a talmid of Ner Yisrael of Baltimore and of Yeshivas Mir. The kehillah is now ready to absorb a new
generation of newcomers. The challenge is to have the trickle of frum American immigrants who have
recently become part of our growing kehillah
turn into the beginning of a wave.
One advantage of
out-of-town communities is that there is less polarization. Rechovot is home to
many different kinds of people, and there is no critical mass of any specific
group. Due to this fact, there is a wider range of people who comfortably
self-identify as chareidi, more than
what one might find in the in-town communities. The relaxed, non-judgmental
atmosphere is very relevant for the integration of frum immigrants from the U.S. I personally feel completely
integrated and identify with the Israeli chareidim
here.
The local chareidi school here in Rechovot is part
of the relatively-new mamlachti-chareidi (government chareidi) school system, where, in
addition to the high level of limudei
kodesh, there is a good level of limudei
chol as well as an emphasis on derech
eretz – similar to what you would find in frum schools in the U.S. This is something that was important to us
and other American families here. So far, for the coming school year, there are
already eight kids from immigrant Anglo families enrolled for the first grade.
The cheder has wonderful rabbeim, and includes all grades from
first through eighth. There is a similar girls school with an incredible
American-Israeli principal, that has classes up until third grade so far,
adding a new grade each year.
We came when our
oldest was in first grade. Integration for new immigrants beyond first grade
may be difficult, and might limit schooling options to those available in Ramat
Beit Shemesh. (It is possible to commute from Rechovot to Ramat Beit Shemesh,
albeit not a particularly short commute.) Even that is not to be taken for
granted; Ramat Beit Shemesh has come a long way in the past several years,
becoming much more “user-friendly” for English speakers, and thus serving as a
viable option for many.
Rechovot is not the
countryside, but it is a bit less dense as compared to Ramat Beit Shemesh, and
it is a central city as well. So although the pricing for homes is similar to
Ramat Beit Shemesh, it is actually quite a bargain. Most members of the kehillah live in apartments, including
garden apartments, though there are some who live in private houses.
All in all, Rechovot
and the Chatam kehillah have
delivered on my expectations. They may live up to yours, too!*
Easing the Move
In my line of work, dentistry, as well as for other freelance trades and
occupations, it may be difficult to find a 9-to-5 job, and I had to build my
own practice from scratch. Building up my own private practice and reaching
financial stability was no small task, but we persevered and didn’t give up,
putting our heads down, barreling forward, and overcoming one obstacle after
the next. Thankfully, today, my clinic is popular and successful. I firmly
believe that Eretz Yisrael is the real land of opportunity if you have the
gumption and will to succeed.
I have also seen time and again that newcomers who
are employed immediately in an already established framework or company have a
much easier aliyah. For anyone planning to move here, I would
strongly suggest trying to set up a job that will be ready for you right when
you come. In particular, those with professions such as accounting, law,
programming, or engineering who have done so have great chances of success.
This article is
part of the Eretz Chemdah series featuring Anglo-Chareidim living in, settling,
and building up Eretz Yisrael. A project of Avira D’Eretz Yisroel, coordinated
by Yoel Berman – info@aviraderetzyisroel.org.
* For more on Rechovot, see www.lifeintheland.com/wiki/Rechovot.
