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DREAMS COME TRUE

JOURNEY TO

NACHLAOT

THE ALIYAH OF THE DEUTSCH FAMILY

Mby Bracha Shugarman
eandering the quaint, winding alleyways of
Nachlaot, I feel transported to an earlier era. This
intriguing enclave in central Jerusalem is sand-
wiched between the busy thoroughfare of Rechov
Yaffo, Machane Yehuda shuk, the quieter residen-
tial neighborhood of Sha’arei Chesed, and the
expansive, grassy Sacher Park. Nachlaot’s various
neighborhoods date back to the late 1870s, when
overcrowding in the Old City caused a notable portion of its
population to relocate. Many artists as well as colorful resi-
dents of all types and stripes live here create a mystique and
vibe of diversity and inclusion. My curiosity is piqued. I want
to know more about Nachlaot and meet its residents.

I head toward the home of Tzvi and Shaindel Deutsch and
chat with Shaindel about her aliyah journey over a cup of tea.
Shaindel Siskind Deutsch was born and raised in Baltimore
until age 12, when she relocated to Israel with her parents
and two brothers. The year was 2001, and Shaindel’s parents,
Mark and Paula Siskind, had been contemplating aliyah for
several years before deciding on the right time to make a go
for it. The Siskind children did not make official aliyah
together with their parents, so that they would be able to get
their own aliyah benefits later on in life if they chose to
remain in Israel.

I ask Shaindel how she experienced the move as a teenage

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