Just Made Aliyah? Six Tips for Your First Year

Mazal tov on your aliyah!

This is such an exciting moment! You’ve been working toward it, dreaming about it, and now you’ve finally made it a reality.

I remember when we arrived in Israel after years of dreaming of the day. It was just over a year ago, so I remember it pretty well. 

Making aliyah is not simple, and even more so when you’re making aliyah as a family with kids of all ages, as we did. Now that we’ve had some time to settle in, I feel Israeli enough to give some unsolicited tips about how to have a great first year, and, Iy”H, many more to come for all of us.

1. Help

Ask for it, and accept it when it’s offered.

More often than not, you’ll probably have to ask. People really do want to help, but they have their own lives and won’t always anticipate your needs, so don’t be afraid to ask. 

We did pay for a service, Olim Advisors, which helped us tremendously both before and after aliyah. You don’t have to hire a service, of course. It just made some things a lot easier for us. But whether you get professional help or rely on friends, family, neighbors, or your community, the principle is the same: ask for help when you need it. You don’t have to figure all of this out alone!

2. Attitude

Do your best to stay positive.

There will be bumps and challenges. You’re transitioning to a new life in a new country! Things won’t always go according to plan, and that’s okay.

Staying positive doesn’t mean you have to be happy all the time or pretend that everything is great when it isn’t. Be honest about how you’re feeling. Give yourself permission to have hard days, to miss the people and places you left behind, and to acknowledge when something is difficult. 

This is especially important if you’re coming with kids. If they miss their old house, their friends, or places they used to go to, let them miss those things. Validate their feelings instead of immediately trying to talk them out of them. You can acknowledge that something is hard while still reminding them that you’re here for them and you’re going to get through it together.

At the same time, try to maintain a good perspective, a sense of humor, and the mindset to rise to challenges and overcome them as they come up. Mindset really can get you very far.

And remember that your attitude will trickle down to your kids. They don’t need to see you pretending that everything is perfect, but they do need to see that when things are hard, you can face them, find solutions, and keep going. And of course, see tip #1!

3. Socialize

Network. Make friends.

That’s how so much of life happens here, through connections. Many of you have probably already figured that out since somehow you managed to find a place to live! You’ll discover it again when you start looking for a job, getting settled in your community, or simply trying to figure out where the best place to buy something is.

If you’re naturally friendly and outgoing, great! If you’re more reserved, do your best to step outside your comfort zone and meet people. At the very least, get into the neighborhood WhatsApp group.

If you’re coming with kids, help them make friends, too. Sign them up for chuggim, encourage them to invite friends over, and give them opportunities to build their own social circles.

It gets so much better once you start connecting with people and making friends. Israel starts to feel less like a place you moved to and more like home.

4. Hebrew

Use what you have, and keep learning more.

Sign up for ulpan. Practice. Make mistakes. Keep going.

In many places it’s possible to stay in an “Anglo bubble.” But life is so much better here when you can speak Hebrew. It opens up opportunities, helps you meet people, and makes everyday life easier.

If you’re at an intermediate level, I recommend Simply Talk Hebrew, but there are plenty of other great resources depending on your level and how you like to learn.

You don’t have to become fluent overnight. Just keep trying and moving forward. You’ll get there!

5. Expectations

Manage them.

Or, as much as possible, don’t have too many to begin with.

Of course, there are some basic standards you won’t compromise on. But keep in mind that this is a new country, a new culture, with different norms and different ways of doing things. Try to approach it with an open mind. Be curious and willing to learn. Not everything will be done the way you’re used to, and that’s okay.

As much as possible, resist the urge to compare things to what you left behind. Instead, try to understand how things work here and why. Give yourself time to adjust.

And, of course, look for the good. Appreciate what’s different, what’s special, and all the things that made you want to come here in the first place.

6. Moments

Make them.

Making aliyah is different from taking a trip to Israel, when you try to cram everything into a couple of weeks, immersed in a combination of spirituality, excitement, and inspiration.

Aliyah means living in Israel, with all of the daily grind that life entails, especially during the first year with all of the additional bureaucracy.

But don’t forget to make time to be a tourist, too.

Think about all the things you would have tried to squeeze into a trip to Israel. Go see that place you’ve always wanted to visit. Take a hike somewhere beautiful. Explore a new city. Go to the museum, restaurant, beach, or attraction you’ve been meaning to check out. The great thing about living here is that you don’t have to do it all in one trip. You can wait for the right weather for that hike, or for friends to come visit so you can explore somewhere together.

At the same time, don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’ll do it “sometime.” Because you live here now, it’s easy to push things off for another time. Make the time anyway. Do the things you came here wanting to do. Make those moments. They’ll help you stay connected to what you love about living here and remind you why you chose to make your life here.

And if you’ve been paying attention, you may have noticed something about the first letter of each tip:

H-A-S-H-E-M.

That’s really the point behind all of this.

Living in Israel is a mitzvah that even Moshe Rabbeinu didn’t merit, and you’re here!

Maybe you already felt a little bit of hashgacha pratit, Divine Providence, when you started seriously taking steps toward making your dream of aliyah a reality. I know I did.

Now that you’re here, keep looking for it.

Pay attention to the little things that somehow work out. Notice the unexpected help, the right person who happens to show up at the right time. When you know to look for those moments, you’ll see them all the time.

Thank Hashem for enabling you to merit being here, notice and praise Him for the miracles we take for granted, and turn to Him for the strength, patience, wisdom, and whatever else you need to have a great first year and many wonderful years to come.

Mazal tov, and bruchim haba’im!

Welcome home.