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The people we host are all in different places on their religious Yisrael: There is definitely a culture shock when you move from
journeys; some come from totally non-religious backgrounds, Kiryat Arba to Tel Aviv! Some of our older children were already
while others left religious observance and are now looking to out of the house when we moved, while the younger ones had to
re-engage. These Shabbat experiences can be truly transforma- leave their friends at school and Bnei Akiva behind. The street
tive. We sing, share a dvar Torah, and ask a question that every- looks very different in Tel Aviv compared to Kiryat Arba, but I
one answers. People’s hearts open as the words, and sometimes don’t think any of them were weakened spiritually. Many of our
tears, flow. They stay long into the night; in order to end the kids even became spiritually stronger! The children are part of
evening and get people to go home, we had to set the timer so the community work we are doing, some more and some less.
the lights would go out for a half-hour. But people learned the And we are constantly working out the right balance between
trick and stayed through the dark until they switched on again! giving to the wider community and to our own family.
After people connect through the Shabbat meal, the next stage
of their journey is starting to learn Torah one-on-one and by Do you encourage people to move to Tel Aviv?
joining shiurim. Yisrael: Yes, though not everyone. You need to be strong in your
It is hard to convey the depth and emotions each person expe- Torah values and beliefs, as there is a very different atmosphere
riences on their path to teshuva. One woman worked as an air here. But we need many more young couples to join us and to
hostess for ElAl, and she gradually began becoming religious. make an impact on this city! n
I helped her at so many different stages – how to handle her
family that was not supportive of her decision, how to kasher
her apartment, and how to date in a religious world that was so
foreign to her. There were frustrations, laughter, tears and joy.

How has living in Tel Aviv impacted your family?

Moriah: There has been a lot of mesirut nefesh, as we have to
sacrifice a lot of time with our family to open our home to
others. The flip-side of this is that the women who I work with
feel like my extended family! When I dance at a wedding of a
woman who has been at our home for years, after we have gone
through so much together, it really feels like we have formed
an extended family bond!

Hakafot Shniyot in Central Tel Aviv after Simchat Torah.

The Frank family, one of the Rosh Yehudi couples living in Tel Aviv
Facing page, left to right: Moriah Zeira with a student; Yisrael Zeira giving
a class.

Part of the crowd at Kikar Dizengoff for Yom Kippur davening.
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