In honor of Israel’s 77th birthday, Jerusalem Post readers were asked to contribute to a list of 77 reasons why they love Israel. I so thoroughly enjoyed reading their responses that I decided to share my thoughts on the subject. However, instead of 77 reasons, which would require more space than I’m allotted, I’ll share 26 reasons over the next several weeks, one for each letter of the English alphabet. Here’s A-H.
Adventure: Moving to a new country requires a sense of adventure. Living in a new country, especially Israel, surrounded by often hostile neighbors, promises a lot of adventure if one is willing to surrender to the unknown – from the negative unknowns of warning sirens of incoming missiles to the positive unknowns of new experiences that await.
Belonging: In my last years teaching at Houston Community College, “belonging” in the classroom was a criterion that instructors were expected to meet. It was considered as important, or perhaps even more so, than the knowledge and skills we were supposed to be teaching.
But after the catastrophe of October 7, 2023, I did not feel a sense of belonging in my own classroom of international students, most of whom received their news from the anti-Israel sources in their home countries. Teaching English in Israel, I not only feel that I belong in my classroom, I feel I am truly at home.
Feeling part of a community throughout the country
Community: As a Jew in Houston, I felt part of my local synagogue community and the greater Jewish community, as well. Here in Israel, while I have easily integrated into a local synagogue community and neighborhood, especially with the help of the many WhatsApp chat groups that connect the like-minded, I feel additionally connected to a national community.
Simply put, in terms of community, there is a tremendous difference between being a member of the majority instead of the minority. Even as a relative newcomer here, with moderate Hebrew skills, I can go nearly anywhere in the country and immediately feel part of the greater community.
Diversity: With its fabulous beaches and bakeries, my adoptive hometown of Netanya is a natural magnet for immigrants. Walking the streets of its European-style town square, one hears French, Russian, Hebrew, and English, probably in that order.
Although less common on the streets of Netanya, Arabic is commonly heard in the medical facilities and pharmacies, as many of the medical professionals and pharmacists are at least bilingual if not trilingual native Arabic speakers.
Surprisingly, I recently happened upon a local Chabad branch announcing itself as a center for the Italian-speaking community. The diversity is not just linguistic, of course. Israel is home to three major religions of the world and several minor religions, each with its own places and types of worship. What all of this diversity means is that Israel is multicultural, in the best sense of the word.
Exoticism: It could be argued that diversity leads to exoticism. Interestingly, while I find many places exotic here, I think the natives find me exotic as well. That’s something new for me.
Friends and family: Making aliyah is certainly easier when one has a support group already waiting on the ground. I am proud to say that I am a link in a great chain migration of friends, family, and ancient and not-so-ancient ancestors who have made Israel their home.
I have become close with distant family members who live here; close family members have become closer. My husband Elliott and I were blessed that all of our college roommates were already here to help catch our fall!
Gratitude: When living outside of Israel, one can only understand Israel’s challenges in theory. Living here, one sees the soldiers and security forces all around. I have students who don’t show up for class, not because they are lazy or irresponsible, but because they are busy serving this country in reserve units.
I am so thankful to have the opportunity to express my gratitude to these virtuous men and women, without whom our lives would be endangered. My greatest thanks to the Israel Defense Forces and all of the members and volunteers with the security forces. Every week, I tear up when we sing the prayer for them in my synagogue.
Haifa: Haifa is not just a beautiful city to visit, with its stunning Baha’i Gardens and the Carmel Mountain range overlooking the bluest of blue seas; it is also a port city from which cruise ships depart for destinations on the Mediterranean and beyond.
Located one hour north of where we reside in Netanya, Haifa is just one train away from cruises to Greece, Italy, and Spain. When the war finally ends – may that day come soon with total victory and peace in our land – I look forward to frequent getaways to our neighboring countries.
International access: If Haifa is the port that connects us seaside, Ben-Gurion Airport is the gateway for travel by air. Living in the Middle East – the center of the world – certainly has its neighborhood challenges, but how wonderful it is that we’re just a relatively short flight to anywhere in Europe, and a little longer flight to destinations in Africa and Asia.
Still, coming from the US, where traveling abroad can take close to days (the shortest flight from Houston to Israel will take just under 15 hours), it certainly feels like one has the world at their fingertips when you live in Israel. It is common for Israelis to fly abroad for long weekends, due to the low cost and short travel times. The trip from Tel Aviv to Prague is like flying from Houston to Los Angeles.
Stay tuned for my next installment, when I’ll continue from “J” onward, with more reflections on life, language, and everything in between.
The writer is a recent new immigrant from Houston. Formerly a professor of English as a second language to international students at Houston Community College and the University of Houston, she is currently a lecturer of English at Bar-Ilan University and Ruppin Academic College.