Page 24 - HaMizrachi Yom HaAtzmaut 5782 USA

Aliyah allowed her to actualize the ideals
she believes in

Devorah Silberfarb attended a Charedi all-girls school in
Baltimore where she was taught to appreciate Eretz Yisrael,
but not Medinat Yisrael. She did not observe any of Israel’s
national holidays in school nor was she part of any Zionist
youth movement. She credits learning Jewish history, family
discussions and her two “staunchly Zionistic grandparents”
as contributing to her “Zionistic spirit.”
Now 23, Silberfarb was 17 and a midrasha student when she
first came to Israel. “Being at the Kotel for the first time was
a surreal experience,” she recalled.
Silberfarb made Aliyah “the day after I finished my gap year”
and is studying educational counseling and Jewish art at Bar-
Ilan University. “I made Aliyah because, as a religious Jew and
history enthusiast, I see the modern State as a Divine miracle.
To me, living in Israel is the fulfillment of prophecy. How could
I not make Aliyah?
“My family had a difficult time with me making Aliyah Devorah Silberfarb and her dog, Dakota
because we are a close-knit family. My parents were especially
heartbroken because I am their only daughter, but over time, importance of Israel.” On Yom HaAtzmaut, IDF soldiers would
they have become more and more supportive of my decision.” come to address the students and Becker marched in the Israeli
Day Parade every year. He celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Kotel
Her peers help solidify her certainty in her Aliyah decision. “My and annual family trips to Israel often included visiting army
social circle, both my friends and my community, are incredibly bases in addition to extensive touring.
supportive of Aliyah. I live in a community where an especially
large number of olim have made Aliyah without their families.” Becker’s immediate family is still in the US, “but I have many
second and third cousins in Israel who I’m very close with and
She credits the Mizrachi OU-JLIC family for creating “such a host me all the time in their homes,” he reported.
caring and supportive community. JLIC has made Givat Shmuel
feel like home for me and so many of my fellow community “Learning in Israel was a natural step to making Aliyah. Once
members. Almost all my friends have already made Aliyah; yeshivah really opened up my eyes to the importance and
we have become like family for one another. I have also been centrality of Eretz Yisrael in the Torah and to our lives, I just
‘adopted’ by incredible families who have made my Aliyah couldn’t imagine being or living my life anywhere else. Being
experience so much easier,” she shared. here for college is helping me integrate with Israeli society in
Aliyah allowed Silberfarb to actualize the ideals she believes in a way that will make living here even better. I am definitely
and gave her access to a great community, spiritual connection, planning to make Aliyah at this point.” Becker confessed that,
free college, and the culinary sensation of fire hummus. with Israel at the center of his life, he feels “as though I have
already made Aliyah and I just need to go through the legal
“While the actual decision to make Aliyah was relatively easy, process at this point.”
my first two years living in Israel were incredibly difficult.
My first year, when I was in Sherut Leumi, I didn’t know the Becker’s social circle is full of young adults who “have or are
language and felt unable to express myself.” She struggled planning to make Aliyah. Many of my friends have already
with social isolation and a lack of community. served in the army and others are planning to after they finish
their degree.
“Though Aliyah was the best decision of my life, it can be super
tough and not necessarily what is best for every individual,” I know Israel is where the Jewish people
she cautioned. belong
I feel as if I’ve already made Aliyah
It wasn’t until high school that 22 year-old Shira Pahmer
His gap year experience convinced 21-year-old Zechariah “realized that I really wanted to make Aliyah and began feeling
Becker that his future was in Israel. “During my first year in extremely connected to Israel.” Serving as one of the heads of
Yeshivat Hakotel, I decided that I really wanted to make Aliyah. I her Beis Yaakov’s Israel Club in 11th grade helped strengthen
actually went back to New York for a year to start college there, her resolve. “Being in a position where I was trying to inspire
but I felt I needed to be in Israel, so I transferred to Machon and show others the importance and beauty of the country
Lev to finish my degree here,” he said.
helped me become much more connected myself. By that point,
Becker described his upbringing. “My family is definitely Tzioni I was fully obsessed with Israel and knew without a doubt that
(Zionist). My high school put a significant emphasis on the I wanted to move there as soon as possible,” she shared.

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