Arutz Sheva-Israel National News met with Gerry and Esther, who immigrated to Carmay Hanadiv in Kiryat Malachi, and heard their Aliyah story.
“We wanted to make aliyah 50 years ago and had everything done, and then we had to undo it, and through the years, this was always our desire. We were here every 2-3 years," says Esther.
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Gerry added, “This was a joint decision. We've always wanted to make Aliyah, but due to personal reasons, we could not do it 50 years ago."
“Finally, our oldest daughter went to some meetings. She knew we were talking that maybe it's time, since Israel is the place where at least we are welcomed as Jews and not in America, where we seem to be not so beloved. She said, ‘Ima, would you buy an apartment with us?’ And I said, "Let me talk to Abba." We spoke together with the daughter and the son-in-law, and here we are," said Esther.
Gerry admitted that, “My friends never tried to dissuade us. They were very supportive and a bit jealous. They said we're really, really happy for you for moving, making aliyah to Israel. We wish we could do it, or we wish we were able to do it.”
Despite the rumors about terrible bureaucracy here in Israel, Esther admitted that, "they are not right. They were wonderful to us.”
Gerry shared that he was nervous, "I didn't know what to expect. Aliyah is very different from visiting Israel. However, Nefesh B’Nefesh and the olim advisor really, really made the transition here very, very smooth.”
Esther, “It's surreal, because it's something that we always wanted to do and we stayed for whole summers in places and we sat here singing about being in Israel, but now it's different. You just feel better, or you feel younger. Even my kids tell me I look better and walk better.”
“This is family here. Eretz Yisrael is family. When I came here, and the first Shabbat that I went to the Beit Knesset [synagogue] here, two things happened. One, I was greeted with ‘Shalom, Bata Habaita,’ [Shalom, You’ve come home]. And the second thing is they gave me an aliyah to the Torah [I was called to say a blessing on the Torah reading] and they all started singing ‘veshavu banim, veshavu banim, veshavu banim’ [a song sung for people who have made Aliyah and returned to Israel] and I thought that was really, really nice; just a very, very warm welcome," says Gerry with a smile.
Esther, “I think every single person here has a golden heart. We have received such a welcome. People invited us over.”
“The best way to describe Carmay Hanadiv again is community, and a community that is just goes above and beyond. It's just so wonderful here. Everybody here is so outgoing, so warm, so helpful.”
“It's a home here, and it doesn’t make a difference where you come from.”
Gerry, “If you want to come to a warm and welcoming community here, which it is, I urge you, Carmay Hanadiv is the place to come to. It is wonderful. It is great. There are so many superlatives I could give, but anybody who would like to, you could reach out to my wife and me anytime. We'll be more than happy to talk with you and tell you about the community here and Carmay Hanadiv. I just urge you, ‘bo habaita,’ come to Carmay Hanadiv.”
“Come home! We need you, we want you, and you need us,” says Esther.
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