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PROFILE IN ALIYAH

Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz

Lag BaOmer, May 12, 2009

I visited Israel for the first time as a college student. It was love at first sight. I was so impressed with the strength and beauty of the youth – the tanned soldiers and the girls with curly ringlets sauntering down Ben Yehuda. The pink bougainvillea and tall palm trees that greeted us at Ben Gurion were as powerful a symbol for me at the Temple Mount must have been for pilgrims of earlier times.

Returning to college at Harvard, I began studying Hebrew and learning about the beginnings of Zionism – how the Jews wanted "a nation like all the others" and how through a combination of miracles, hard work, ingenuity, and the support of the world community, was able to build an independent Jewish state in 1948 for the first time in 2000 years.

I spent the summer before senior year in Jerusalem, drinking in the scent of night blooming jasmine, interviewing Russian immigrants for thesis research on the elections, and studying Mishna at Pardes.

I spent the year after college at the Hebrew U. on a Wallenberg Fellowship, working with an interfaith group, studying, traveling and meeting key political figures and social activists, and volunteering in an absorption center. I actually made aliyah in 1994 and studied at the Schechter Institute and becoming the fourth female Masorti rabbi ordained in Israel, in 1998.

We ended up in the U.S. for some time for my husband Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz to finish his degree and JTS and then work for the JTS development office doing adult education and outreach. Our lives were full and we were contributing to Jewish life, but Israel was always in our hearts.

So we began planning to spend the year in Israel, a chance to immerse ourselves in Hebrew and Judaism and "recharge the batteries." We packed up our belongings, rented out our home and said goodbye.

It was a good idea to arrive in the summer as the kids (9, 3 and 7 months) had time to travel, explore, and meet new friends before school started.

Our daughter was blessed to join Gan Olgi, a creative, gentle, calm, nurturing atmosphere with field trips to the science museum and farm, and lots of time for free play. Her Hebrew developed week by week until now, 8 months later, she puts her hands on her hips, tells stories, leads her friends in play, and introduces herself to new people in a perfect Sabra accent.

Our son had a more eventful transition – real culture shock with a class of 31 kids, all in Hebrew, lots of noise, homework, and chaos. His teacher was kind and supportive, but he and the other kids did not seem to click. We explored other options and soon found a home at the Rova, a smaller school in the old city. It is a magical place that feels like a family – 2nd graders invite 5th graders to their birthday parties, and the kids have weekly tours of the old city. It was a big adjustment to have everything in Hebrew, but he has a chance to shine in English, sports, art and music, and is making strides with Hebrew every week.

Even the baby seems to enjoy the sights and sounds – and foods – of Emek Refaim.

My husband and I have found our niches professionally, and are inspired by the atmosphere to continue our creative outlets, his art and my pottery.

During the year we decided we were here to stay. We are booked for Shabbat a month in advance. There is always some new corner of the city to explore, a concert in an Armenian monastery, a fancy kosher restaurant, a retro movie theater, a fabric shop, a museum, Mount Zion, or another town a short drive away.

We love experiencing the holidays as part of the natural rhythm of life, not going against the grain. We love the songs on the radio before the holidays, the shuk filling up with lulav and etrog before Sukkot and dried fruit for TuB'Shvat. We do not mind the Middle Eastern flavor with people pushing in line and trying to get around rules – in fact it can be kind of fun and refreshing after all those years of people orderly and polite!

Of course we are concerned for our family's safety and security and would only come here if we believe it was a responsible thing to do. There are problems all over the world – perhaps here they are more intense, but that also means the will to resolve them must eventually be stronger. Parents of every generation pray that when their kids are of age, there will be no need for an army, that the lines between neighborhoods, languages, and friendship groups will not be so black and white. Before we came here our son said, at the age of 8, "America is better because people of different religions can be friends." We want to find the people here who want to cross boundaries and be your friend too, to show him it is possible.

Do we feel marginalized as Conservative Jews? Most Israelis have not heard of Conservative or Masorti – when I say I am a rabbi they immediately ask "Reform?" as the Reform Movement has done a lot of PR here. Some people do not know how to reply, think it is not "authentic" or look askance when they see I am wearing pants and no head covering. But the only way to become more of a presence is to be here and make a mark!

The aliyah process is much simpler than before, thanks to the streamlining of the process through Nefesh B'Nefesh and the Jewish Agency. In no other country are new immigrants actually wanted and welcomed and given financial and cultural incentives to move there.

We have plenty of opportunities for davening and community life in the various Masorti communities as well as the liberal Orthodox ones which are what they are today because of the presence and willingness of the liberal movements to push the envelope... The Schechter Institute for higher academic degrees and the Conservative Yeshiva for lishma learning are on the map here and we enjoy connecting with students of both.

The decision to make aliyah, leaving family and friends far away is not totally a rational one – we will have less income, and it will be harder to visit. It is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter and too many people smoke! Yet our parents always told us to listen to our hearts as well, and our hearts are here. Other families who have made aliyah tell us that it is natural to take a few years to get used to it. We hope eventually our kids will not only accept our decision but come to be proud of it. The children here seem so confident, adorable, independent... we want Israel's story to be our story too.

As Theodor Herzl said, "If you wish it, it will not be an unattainable dream." "Im irtzu, ein zo agadah."

Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz
Jerusalem 5769.