Page 88 - issue
P. 88
ª DREAMS COME TRUE
NOF TZIONJOURNEYTO
THE ALIYAH OF THE
EILBERG FAMILY
Iby Bracha Shugarman
am off to meet Pnina Eilberg, resident of Nof Tzion, a neigh-
borhood of just 85 families living on two streets. It came as
a surprise to me to learn that such a place exists within the
boundaries of Yerushalayim. Located in the Kidron Valley
above Ir David, it is surrounded by Arab villages. Its name,
though, meaning Zion View, is not surprising. As Pnina
graciously welcomes me into her apartment, I take in the
gorgeous panorama of Har Habayit and Har Hazeitim from
her giant living room window. And as Pnina explains the back-
ground of her family’s aliyah journey and talks about life in this
tiny enclave, I begin to appreciate the importance of the neigh-
borhood and the strength of its residents.
uuu
Originally from Toronto, Pnina Shields met her husband Na-
chum while visiting her Baltimore relatives. One of them, her
aunt Elky Kleiner, a”h, made the shidduch. After their marriage,
the couple settled into a house on Wallis Avenue. Six years later,
they moved to Ivymount Road, where they were part of Rabbi
Shmuel Kaplan’s kehila.
The Eilberg family made aliyah in 2004 with their four chil-
dren, and although Pnina believes that it was the right time for
them to move, she wasn’t game when the idea was first put on
the table. “I do think that this is where all Jews should be,” Pni-
na says, “but it has to work out for you and your family. There
is no rushing it.” In her family’s case, Pnina says, “There were
certain things that fell into place before we made aliyah, signs
that it was our time to go.” One was that Eshkol Academy, the
school her oldest son had been attending, was closing down.
In the summer of 2003, Nachum traveled to Eretz Yisrael with
80 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
NOF TZIONJOURNEYTO
THE ALIYAH OF THE
EILBERG FAMILY
Iby Bracha Shugarman
am off to meet Pnina Eilberg, resident of Nof Tzion, a neigh-
borhood of just 85 families living on two streets. It came as
a surprise to me to learn that such a place exists within the
boundaries of Yerushalayim. Located in the Kidron Valley
above Ir David, it is surrounded by Arab villages. Its name,
though, meaning Zion View, is not surprising. As Pnina
graciously welcomes me into her apartment, I take in the
gorgeous panorama of Har Habayit and Har Hazeitim from
her giant living room window. And as Pnina explains the back-
ground of her family’s aliyah journey and talks about life in this
tiny enclave, I begin to appreciate the importance of the neigh-
borhood and the strength of its residents.
uuu
Originally from Toronto, Pnina Shields met her husband Na-
chum while visiting her Baltimore relatives. One of them, her
aunt Elky Kleiner, a”h, made the shidduch. After their marriage,
the couple settled into a house on Wallis Avenue. Six years later,
they moved to Ivymount Road, where they were part of Rabbi
Shmuel Kaplan’s kehila.
The Eilberg family made aliyah in 2004 with their four chil-
dren, and although Pnina believes that it was the right time for
them to move, she wasn’t game when the idea was first put on
the table. “I do think that this is where all Jews should be,” Pni-
na says, “but it has to work out for you and your family. There
is no rushing it.” In her family’s case, Pnina says, “There were
certain things that fell into place before we made aliyah, signs
that it was our time to go.” One was that Eshkol Academy, the
school her oldest son had been attending, was closing down.
In the summer of 2003, Nachum traveled to Eretz Yisrael with
80 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
