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.

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!

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........

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