click here to jump to start of article Join Our Newsletter  Get
latest articles and videos with Jewish inspiration and insights​
Israel's Pull  Israel's Pull  Why are families leaving it all
behind to come live in Israel?   For me, Aliyah was easy. I was
22, not a worry in the world, and going out with a cute Israeli
who would later become my husband. I had dreamed of coming to
live in Israel since I was 15, and arriving was a dream come
true.  Blessed with a positive, optimistic nature, I was only
slightly exasperated with the bureaucratic hurdles, the long
lines, and the difficulty of understanding the language. The
scorching summer heat and humidity were difficult, and I missed
the summer rain and thunderstorms of my native Johannesburg
terribly, but hey, it was nice to see blue sky every day.
Living in the middle of nowhere without a car, it never bothered
me that it could take about two hours to get to work by
hitchhiking, or that there were only three busses a day.
Standing at the bus stop I could see