WHY I AM HAPPY THAT I MADE ALIYAH

On November 3, 2017, my wife Loretta and I reached the nine-month-mark since we made aliyah last year on August 3 to the senior citizens “Village in Nature” in the beautiful Shoresh area . This article aims to update you after my initial articles in the Jewish Connection when we first made aliyah.

I am happy to report that there are many times when I feel very Israeli and proud and happy that I made aliyah, including when:

• I sit on my patio or walk around the grounds of Protea Hills during the days around Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, and see the literally hundreds of small Israeli flags on strings between lampposts, fluttering in the breeze,. Like many other residents here, Loretta and I have a larger Israeli flag attached to the railing around our patio. 
• I stood silently along with millions of other Israelis during the one or two minutes that sirens go off on Yom Hashoa, Holocaust Memorial Day, and Yom Hazicaron,Israel’s Memoral Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, praying that “never again” will anything even remotely like the Holocaust occur and that there should be no more victims of terror,
• I attended well-planed events here on Yom Hashoa and Yom Hazikaron, reminders of the tragic losses of life before and after the establishment of the State of Israel 69 years ago.
• I attended a very festive Yom Haatzmaut event, which involved the serving of Israeli foods and a musical performance during which many residents joyously sang along with the music, clapped, and danced.
• I recognise that one has the potential to make a difference within Israel’s small borders in the life here. During the time we have been here, I have had 11 letters and one article published in the Jerusalem Post, and have given four talks at Protea Hills, two at the Israel Center in Jerusalem and one at the Jewish Vegetarian Center in jerusalem.
• We are able to easily partake in family events without arranging trips from America. We have been fortunate to have had several smachot since we moved here and are looking forward to many more, with God’s help, knowing that we can readily take part in the celebrations.
• Loretta and I are able to share many Shabbatot and other occasions from week to week with our two daughters and their husbands and our grandchildren. Especially meaningful is when a daughter brings some of our grandchildren for a swim in the heated indoor pool here and then we have a family picnic at the nearby picnic area. Without the help and encouragement of family members, we would never been able to make aliyah.
• I hear people speaking Hebrew and ,although I still do not understand much of it, I am in awe about the miracle of the revival of the Hebrew language in our ancient Jewish homeland, after almost 2,000 years of exile 
• I am sitting on the patio enjoying the wonderful view and what seems like the special Israeli air and sunshine, or riding in a bus or shuttle to Jerusalem and looking out at the beautiful Israeli countryside, or just taking part in another common activity, and suddenly am reminded of how fortunate I am to now live in Israel.

Despite all of the above positives and more,, I do not want to pretend that there are never difficulties for us here, including problems related to our relatively weak Hebrew and to troubles sometimes getting places without a car, but they pale compared to the many benefits.