For Tuvia and Chaviva Gordon-Bennett, aliyah was never a question of “if," but only “when."
Their journey to Israel unfolded over decades, spanning multiple countries and life stages before ultimately bringing them to the northern Israeli community of Carmay Hanadiv.
Tuvia Gordon first came to Israel in 1999 determined to build a life in the country. Although he hoped to stay permanently, circumstances led him back to the United Kingdom. In 2007, he returned to Israel with the same goal, but once again life took an unexpected turn, eventually taking him to the United States for eight years.
Chaviva Gordon-Bennett made aliyah independently in October 2012, settling in Jerusalem. Soon after, she met her future husband, and together they began building their family in Israel. Following the birth of their first son, the couple relocated to the United States to care for Tuvia’s ill father.
Even while abroad, however, the Gordons-Bennetts never abandoned their dream of returning to Israel permanently.
“We always wanted to come back," Chaviva recalled. “The pandemic really derailed our plans, but we stuck to the plan. We knew we were coming back."
In June 2022, the family completed what Chaviva describes as their “aliyah shniya" - their second aliyah. Rather than feeling intimidated by the transition, the couple said the move felt like an exciting adventure for their children.
“It was like getting on a bus to an amusement park," Chaviva said. “We’re going on a new adventure, and this is where the adventure’s going to be."
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For two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the family waited for the opportunity to make the move, consistently reminding their children that Israel was where they belonged.
“The moment I told the schools, ‘Sorry, I’m not registering the kids next year,’ it became very real," she said.
When they first returned to Israel, the family intentionally chose an English-speaking community to help ease the transition for their children, who were then 8, 6 and 4 years old. Chaviva admitted she worried about how they would adapt linguistically because of her own experiences struggling with Hebrew. Over time, however, the couple realized their fears had been unnecessary.
“The kids would have been fine anywhere," she said. “Children are so resilient, and they learn so fast. They don’t have all those mental blocks that we as adults have."
Eventually, the Gordons-Bennetts decided they wanted a more immersive Israeli experience. After visiting friends in Carmay Hanadiv, they fell in love with the area’s atmosphere, diversity and balance between close-knit community living and nearby urban convenience.
“I always loved the yishuv lifestyle," Tuvia explained. “A slower pace, a smaller community where everyone works together, but also having the convenience of a city nearby."
One of the things the family values most is the sense of unity among residents from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds.
“No one really fits inside of a box," Chaviva said. “Everyone is living their own life and experiencing Judaism in Israel in their own way."
For the couple, raising their children in an environment that combines Torah values with exposure to the broader diversity of Israeli society was especially meaningful.
Although their extended families remain abroad - Chaviva’s relatives in the United States and Tuvia’s in the United Kingdom - the couple says there is no question where home is.
“We’ve been asked so many times, ‘Do you want to come home?’" Chaviva said. “But this is home. Home is here now for us."
That feeling only intensified after the outbreak of war. When reserve forces were mobilized, Tuvia learned that the military urgently needed electricians. Despite previously receiving an exemption after immigrating years earlier, he volunteered for service.
“I’m an electrician," he said. “My kids are old enough to understand."
He later joined the Israeli Air Force and has since completed multiple rounds of reserve duty. The couple says their children have never expressed any desire to return to the United States.
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“I don’t think a single time the kids mentioned wanting to go back to America," Chaviva said. “We just feel so much more relaxed and comfortable here. We’re protected here."
Today, the Gordons-Bennetts actively encourage other English-speaking olim to consider Carmay Hanadiv as a place to establish their lives in Israel. Chaviva often speaks with friends considering aliyah, emphasizing the community’s schools, parks, accessibility and welcoming atmosphere.
“You get a small-community vibe when you come home at the end of the day," she said. “You don’t feel like you’re part of a metropolis, but you still have access to everything."
For families arriving from abroad, she believes the area offers an ideal place to begin their Israeli journey.
“For people coming from out of town in America," she said, “this is the perfect place to start."