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JEWS

with
VIEWS Rabbi David Rabbanit Sarah

Katz Cooper

everal years before making Aliyah came to Israel to learn for the year when I was
I visited Israel in an effort to keep 17 and decided to stay. At first, I took it year
my Aliyah passion alive. I visited Yad I
by year. Yet the decisions I made paved the
Vashem, stepped out of the then-new road for me to live here. I did Sherut Leumi,
SChildrens’ Memorial quite moved, and and then social work – not because I was
We asked five looked across the hill at a new neighborhood particularly interested in the field, but because I
being built. At that moment I closed my eyes,
as if dreaming, and promised myself, “One day knew it would help me understand Israeli society
and help me hone my Hebrew skills. Little by
accomplished soon I will be living here in Israel and I will live in little, I became attached to life in Israel and felt
that very neighborhood!” As always, life moved
forward and I forgot about that moment. deeply at home.
When the day came for me to get my teudat
Jews from made Aliyah right after our wedding (with Sheva zehut (Israeli citizenship identity card), I woke
Fast forward a few years, and my wife and I
up at 6am and stood in line outside of the
around the Berachot on the plane as I promised my bride!), Ministry of the Interior. When my number was
and we moved into our first apartment in the
finally called, my heart started beating faster.
Har Nof neighborhood of Yerushalayim. After My lifelong dream was about to come true! The
world: What unpacking (our lift only came a month later; we woman behind the counter stamped my papers
slept on borrowed Jewish Agency mattresses.
Unpacking was easy!) I opened the mirpeset and called out loudly “next!” I looked at her in
complete shock and said: “That’s it? Where are
was your (balcony) door to get some fresh Jerusalem the people dancing and singing? Are you not
sunset air. I looked out at the hill across from
me and I saw… the Childrens’ Memorial of Yad even going to give me a flag? Do you have any
experience Vashem! are eligible to receive their first teudat zehut, I
idea what I am giving up to come and live here?”
To this day, when my children turn 16 and
My Aliyah was long before Nefesh B’Nefesh
like when you existed, but yes, I was, and still am, living the insist on coming with them – and I do my best
dream!
to totally embarrass them. I dance and clap as
they have their picture taken and hand them an
made Aliyah in Israeli flag, so that they realize how fortunate
they are to grow up in our people’s homeland,
your twenties? in a country we call our own.

Rabbi David Katz made Aliyah from Teaneck, New Rabbanit Sarah Cooper is originally from New
Jersey, and is the Dean of Michlelet Mevaseret Jersey and is the principal of the Orot Etzion Girls
Yerushalayim (MMY). elementary school in Efrat.

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