Page 17 - HaMizrachi Yom HaAtzmaut 5782 USA

Name: Adina Jacobs Name: Eliav Yishai Tzion Saban
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia Hometown: Toronto, Canada

In 9th grade, I spent a semester at a high school in Ma’ale My obsession with Eretz Yisrael began at age 9 when
Adumim. The school put a great emphasis on chessed I began attending a Religious Zionist summer camp.
and helping our fellow Jews. Every day, I felt that I was By the time I was in high school I was asking myself
surrounded by people who truly loved being a part of Am every day: “Why am I still in exile? Why am I not in the
Yisrael, and it helped me understand that Israel is more Jewish homeland, the land G-d gave us?” The dirt that
than a country – it’s a family. After giving birth during my I step on here is so holy you can’t even plant right now!
first year of college, my teachers called me to see how I Everything I learned in Torah, from Avraham and Lech
was coping emotionally, how my baby was feeling and if Lecha, to Moshe and his yearning to enter Israel, was
we had everything we needed. This is Israel! about the land. And now I’m finally here!

Name: Michael Gaon Name: Talia Benjamin
Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil Hometown: London, UK

I made Aliyah because I believe Israel is our rightful I am currently in my third year serving in the IDF as an
land and the only place where I can fully live a life of officer in basic training and was lucky enough to be the
Torah and mitzvot. I don’t take for granted having the mefaked (officer) for three groups of olim chadashim
freedom to express myself religiously and the chance from all over the world who were learning Hebrew
to be together with others who identify with those in preparation for serving the State. Hearing French,
ideals, something I experienced in a powerful way when American, Russian, South American, Ethiopian and
I studied in Hesder and served in the IDF. Indian Jews proclaim together “עָּב ְ ׁ שִנ יִנֲא”, swearing
to protect our people, is a tangible fulfillment of the
Zionist dream. I’m privileged to be a part of it!

Thank you to Yedidyah Rosenwasser for his help in preparing these profiles.
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