Israel Today

Israel Today It’s Your Move

Aliyah in the Wake of the Coronavirus Crisis

By Ben Horodenker

A view of downtown Jerusalem at night, with a computer-generated image of the Jerusalem Spirit tower in the center

A computer-generated image of the library in the Jerusalem Spirit’s spacious lobby

For many Jews, Israel has always been the “final destination,” with their current residence (even one that is several generations strong!) merely a “pitstop” on the way home. Of course, that temporary sojourn is often further protracted by the comfortable lifestyle, ever-increasing opportunities and vibrant Jewish life that the Western world has to offer.

And then came COVID-19. For many of us, the lockdown last Passover was an even more powerful catalyst for introspection than the High Holidays; it was the first time we were forced to be truly present, sans the myriad distractions that so conveniently keep us away from … ourselves. Interestingly, that encounter led many people to consider some serious questions: Who am I? What do I want? Where do I want to be?

Surge in Aliyah

Yael Katzman, the director of marketing and communications at Nefesh B’Nefesh, says that since COVID struck they’ve seen a massive 240% spike in people expressing interest in aliyah. The non-profit organization works mostly with North Americans, facilitating aliyah before, during and after, and increasing the retention rate of its olim to 90%. Through the height of the COVID lockdown and afterward, Nefesh B’Nefesh has continued to help absorb planefuls of new olim.

“Of course, most of the people arriving now had already been in the pipeline before the coronavirus hit,” noted Yael, “but their joy in coming to Israel was palpable, regardless of the fact that they had to immediately enter isolation for 14 days.”

Katzman reports that interest in aliyah is across the board, represented by singles, young families, older families, and seniors; professionals, students and retirees. “We are currently helping a 100-year-old Holocaust survivor with no children, who since COVID has been feeling lonely and wants to move to Israel to be closer to her niece,” she said.

For many families, moving to Israel had always been a long-term dream, relegated to some distant time on the horizon.

“I always believed I’d return to Israel eventually,” says Rachel Kapeluto, a toshav chozer or returning Israeli. “But you know how it is; one year led to another and then another and another. When the coronavirus crisis hit, I saw that Israel was the safest place to be, compared to Europe, the U.S. and most other countries.” Rachel is now happily resettled in Israel and says that despite the second COVID wave, she feels very secure.

Additional factors such as anti-Semitism worldwide, challenges to the religious Jewish educational system in the UK and in the U.S., and the continued mass protests in some American cities are additional factors that have contributed to the feeling that the time has come to pack up and go “home.”

Katzman clarifies that she doesn’t advise anyone regarding where to set down roots, but rather, provides the information to enable potential olim to make the best, most educated decision. “No one can guarantee a future for anyone, no matter where they live. The most important thing is to have as much information as possible and to come as informed and prepared as possible.”

Clearly, one of the factors impacting an oleh’s decision where to purchase housing is economic, but there will always be those for whom location takes precedence, even if that means settling for a smaller dwelling.

“For me and my family, aliyah didn’t just mean Israel, it meant Yerushalayim,” says Parisian born Yoel. “Yerushalayim is the heart of the country and it is in my heart; I think that every Jew dreams about Yerushalayim.”

Jerusalem today is a huge, cosmopolitan city, sprawled over a huge area and boasting dozens of neighborhoods, each with its own unique character. For Yoel, the first priority was finding an apartment that “captures as much of Yerushalayim as possible.” He found what he was looking for in the upscale Jerusalem

Spirit project in the very center of the city.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity, a luxury residence within walking distance of all the charm, spirituality, and material benefits that Jerusalem has to offer: the Old City, hundreds of shuls, plenty of stores and eateries, and, surprisingly, even spacious parks,” says Hillel Zuravin, CEO of Hadas Capital, the project’s developer.

Construction is already underway, with foundations and lower levels completed. Occupancy is less than three years away. The location has the singular advantage of being right in the center of things, off of King George and Hillel Streets, but nestled in a quiet, out-of-the-way corner, right across from Independence Park, giving it a suburban feel.

Lionel, a lawyer from South Africa, purchased a unit in the project as an investment, which he hopes one day to enjoy. “

Here in South Africa, the Jews are not moving away in massive numbers, but we are becoming increasingly concerned by issues of personal security and the government corruption. So, yes, there is definitely of talk of emigration,” he said. Lionel made his decision during the corona lockdown, and promptly closed the deal over the phone in the ensuing months. “I didn’t need to see it to know that I was getting the best value for my money. The location is unsurpassed, and then there are the facilities — the gym with Jacuzzi, the mikvehs, function hall and more.”

Real estate attorney Yitzchak Steinberg agrees that when it comes to investment, a home in the city is the way to go.

“Societal trends, globally as well as in Israel, indicate a shift to the city center, even if that means downsizing and moving the family into an apartment as opposed to a house.” He adds, “That applies to any city, all the more so to the eternal city of Yerushalayim.”

Clearly, a home in the Jerusalem Spirit project means many things to different people. For Michaela Servi, an architect and artist who has lived most of her life in Haifa, it’s about coming full circle.

“When I was 17, I came to Israel on a trip with my Bnei Akiva group from my hometown of Rome, Italy. On one of our last nights, our group was sitting on the grass in Independence Park in Jerusalem. In those days, there weren’t many electric lights in the streets; the sky was clear and you could see millions of stars. I saw a shooting star and made a wish: I want to build my life here, with a husband and children.”

Six years later, Michaela and her husband Fabrizio, who had been sitting next to her on that starry night, made aliyah with their infant daughter. Both students of the Technion, they settled in Haifa, where they eventually built their dream house atop Mount Carmel, overlooking the sea. Today, proud parents and grandparents, and soon-to-be great-grandparents, Michaela and Fabrizio have decided to move to the Jerusalem Spirit complex.

“It’s the ultimate in all that we want at this point in our lives: within walking distance of everything we love, but with its own shul, spa and amenities so that in bad weather you don’t have to go out. This gated community has all the advantages of assisted living without the negative connotation,” she shares.

“The fact that Independence Park is on my doorstep is a constant reminder to me that all my dreams were fulfilled, down to the letter!” she says.

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