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Rabbanit Bendavid: Our youth programs are perfect exam- Rabbi Gottlieb: This is a complex issue which depends on multi-
ples of the ways we help foster community. When you make ple factors, such as personality, Hebrew fluency, age of children,
Aliyah as a kid or teen, it takes time to feel a sense of belonging and more. Speaking in broad-strokes, I would say that while
because of the language barrier, which hinders their access to there is a value to integration, it is not the only, or even the most
their emotional language. In our programs, participants (and important, value. The same values that hopefully guided us
their families) connect to others who are journeying through the before Aliyah – menschlichkeit, commitment to Torah, etc. – should
Aliyah process. Our programs are primarily in English and this guide our lifestyle and parenting decisions in Israel as well. In
creates a sense of belonging and familiarity, while fostering a our case, living in Ramat Beit Shemesh with a high percentage of
foundation of support to grow into new schools with new friends. English speakers has been a true blessing which facilitated our
successful Aliyah. As the children grew older, their experiences
Rabbanit Gottlieb: Men have minyan where they can naturally in school, yeshiva, seminary, army and sherut leumi have allowed
connect and create a sense of community. This is much more of them to integrate more fully. For us, and many others in our
a challenge for women, especially if they still have young chil- community, this has been a successful formula.
dren, and particularly in Israel where Shabbat morning davening
typically ends much earlier than in the Diaspora. As such, we For many people, there is a religious culture shock of arriving
have emphasized women’s programming, be it regular shiurim in Israel, where terms like “Modern Orthodox” aren’t as
or social programs. Every year we have a social event in Elul to common and there are different religious questions and
reconnect and meet new women who have recently moved into
the community. categorizations. How do you help people navigate the new
religious landscape when they arrive in Israel?

Olim must balance the desire for familiarity provided by Rabbi Fine: Many Anglos live in “bubble communities” where
living near other olim with integrating into broader Israeli they don’t need to navigate new religious landscapes because
society, which requires breaking out of their comfort zone. they have succeeded in replicating the landscape from which
How do you guide congregants in how to strike this balance? they came. For people who want to explore beyond their comfort
zone, my advice is similar to the advice I try to follow whenever
Rabbi Fine: It is almost impossible to answer this question gen- I enter into new territory or a new situation: do a lot of listening
erally because it is so different for each individual. Some consider and try to learn as much as possible. Many of the foundational
it a value to become integrated while others do not. They feel beliefs about Judaism upon which we were raised in the Dias-
they have made Aliyah, which in some ways is a sacrifice, and as pora are viewed differently here. Speaking with a rabbi who is
long as they are making that sacrifice they want to live in Israel well-versed in guiding people or someone who has been here for
in ways that are as socially comfortable for them as possible. longer can be helpful.
In our circles, there is often a lot of judgment surrounding this Rabbi Bendavid: There are many shocks for people when they
issue, but I think everyone must do what is best for themselves come. Many of our members do not fit into the typical religious
and their family and that there isn’t one response that is right categories that exist in Israel, though one of the beautiful things
for everyone. Personally, I believe that integrating as much as about living in Ra’anana is that the typical political and religious
possible is mutually enriching for all involved. We Anglos have categories don’t hold as much weight in this wonderfully diverse
much that we can contribute to Israeli society. Many of the city.
great things that Diaspora communities provide have not yet
been experienced by most Israelis. We can also gain so much, The first shock comes when people realize that the school system
personally and communally, by leaving our comfort zones and here offers the bare-minimum in terms of limmudei kodesh. This
means that parents need to take a lot more responsibility for
integrating. Although my primary social circles remain Anglo, their child’s chinuch than in chutz la’aretz, where you could “out-
I make every attempt to cross the so-called divide to the extent source” your child’s education to the Jewish school system.
that I can. I believe my life and my family’s lives are better and
more enriched because of it . Another big shock, particularly for South Africans, is the freedom
of Israeli society. Many people conform to their community’s
Rabbi Bendavid: As the Anglo community in Ra’anana has religious standards when living in the Diaspora but ironically,
increased in numbers and in strength, we are seeing that even once they arrive in Israel, feel freer to establish their own identity
second-generation olim are more culturally Anglo than they were and sometimes to lower their standards of religious observance.
in the past. We encourage everyone to take ulpan, to explore
Israel as much as possible through tiyulim, and to break out of The third challenge is that Israel is a complicated place. It’s both
their social comfort zones. We run events that give people more very religious as well as very secular. This is confusing for adults
exposure to what is happening around them. For example, every and especially youth who want to connect to other Jews out of
ֹ
Tisha B’Av evening, we participate in a program called אל ה ָלְי ַּ ל ַה a sense of national solidarity who may not be shomer Shabbat,
םי ִד ְמֹול, in which Israeli intellectuals and media personalities even if they are very Zionist or traditional. Sometimes we joke
from across the political and religious spectrum come together that it’s much easier to raise youth to be Orthodox Jews in the
to discuss how we can fix the divisions within Am Yisrael. At the Diaspora where you have non-Jews who can serve as a contrast
same time, we support people and let them know that it’s okay to our religious values. It’s much more confusing in Israel.
to hold on to things that give us comfort. Mental and emotional Rabbi Gottlieb: The religious and social categories we are famil-
stability is more important than “becoming Israeli” on day one iar with in the Diaspora are not fully replicated in Israel. Modern
of Aliyah. It’s a process. Orthodox is not the same as Religious Zionist, and yeshivish is not

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