As we are getting closer to our official Aliyah date ( under 1 year !) and even closer to our house hunting trip ( under 2 weeks!) the response from our community at large is quite interesting.
I had mentioned previously that we live in what is considered a very "Zionist" community.. but lets just say aliyah is almost a dirty word. In some ways, i feel people just dont get that close to us and figure we are leaving anyways... At a recent shabbat lunch someone jokingly said " should we become better friends, you're leaving anyway.." to which my wife replied " only if you want a free place to stay when you visit!"
I would say there are 3 types of responses we get....
1) The well meaning couple....
these are the sort of people who genuinly would like to make aliyah but both partners in the couple agree they dont want to go anytime soon.... usually get nice, honest well wishes etc...
2) The aliyah eyes....
these are people that think we should be started on antipsychotics for making aliyah. they roll their eyes at us and genuinly think we are freaks ( especially leaving with an MD degree.... " are you crazy, you are going to be SO poor")
3) The split couple....
this is the couple in which one spouse wants to go and the other does not. we are kind of seen as a danger to this type of couple, and i find this type of couple begining to distance themselves from us as if we are a lighted fuse...
anyway, the journey continues.... it should make for an interesting year.....
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3 comments:
David, it's wonderful that you are making Aliyah. And it's great that you will be bringing your medical expertise to Israel. Kol HaKavod to you.
I made Aliyah 18 months ago from the UK. The hardest part, by far, has been finding a job - a good job that reflects my experience and qualifications. That has been (so far) impossible. I have been offered shift work in call centres, in the adult industry (no kidding) , cleaning apartments etc. And this is the reason that holds the people I know back in the UK from making Aliyah. They build up a good career at home and they know how hard it will be (and believe me, it is EXTREMELY hard) in Israel. It's not hard because we expect to be rich or even get the same salary as we did at "home". It's hard to get a job in the first place.
And the Aliyah agencies here are pretty useless, IMHO.
So my advice to you is: go for it. But prepare as much as you can. Try to get fixed with a job before you come here, if you haven't already; call people in your specialty in the big hospitals, fly here and ask them to help you.
It'll seriously make the difference between your Aliyah being successful or not. However much you love Israel, you need to survive here.
And good luck.
Thanks yaeli....
Thank G-d, i have a job for when i come,,, i amade some good connections during my residency... i am very thankful for that!
oops, signed in with my wifes name!
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