Name: Liza R Nationality: American Israeli Current Location: Israel Karkur Date Moved to this Location: August 1991 Other Countries Lived In: United States Type of Expat Woman: Mother   Professional

I grew up in the United States with a very strong sense of Jewish identity. During my younger years, this trait manifested itself through activities of a more religious nature, whether it meant regular synagogue attendance and active participation in leading youth services or diligently applying myself to my Hebrew school studies. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I was religious, but rather that I was expressing my Judaism in a manner that was known to me and available at the time.

As a teenager, I joined an Israel-oriented youth organization following a completely coincidental choice of a summer camp (with the main selection criterion being that the camp be Jewish), and discovered that it was possible to identify with Judaism through its cultural and historical aspects, and thus began my love affair with Israel. That Zionist youth organization changed my life, and a trip to Israel when I was fifteen sealed my fate. From that moment on, I geared myself towards Israel, visiting when I could and becoming a pro-Israel activist when I couldn't. I spent a year in Israel between high school and university, which only served to solidify my determination to eventually "make the move".

Throughout high school and university, I was always drawn towards friendships with international students or students who also felt the Israel connection. I was a founder and active member of my university's Israel group, and also spent a great deal of time participating in local Israel-related activities. I volunteered at the local Israel Aliyah Center as well as the Israeli Consulate, getting to know members of the local Israeli expat community.

Following my graduation with a degree in sociology (which has proven to be quite useless, aside from demonstration that I am capable of obtaining a college degree) I came to Israel for what was supposed to be a one-year program. The idea was that I'd spend the year in Israel, laying the groundwork for my upcoming move, return to the US to gain practical job experience for a couple of years, then come back to Israel for good. That was fifteen years ago, and I still haven't left. I never went back to try my luck in the American job market. During the course of the year, I met my the man who would later become my husband. Given that I had nothing concrete waiting for me back in the US, I decided to stay on in Israel and see how the relationship developed.

Fifteen years later, we're still together, with many life experiences under our collective belt. As a native English-speaking writer, I've worked in a variety of writing-related professions, from speech writing to editing, to translating, and to my current profession of technical writing (one of the more popular fields for native English speakers here, many of whom were forced to find a new profession upon arrival in Israel). It's been an exciting fifteen years, to say the least. Life here isn't perfect, and I often find myself comparing different aspects of life here to life in the US. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't sometimes feel a pull to go back. What expat doesn't? That being said, there are many things about life here that I wouldn't trade for anything. Israelis live life to the fullest - we work hard, we party hard. The intensity and the energy here are awesome, and you'd be hard-pressed to find anything like it elsewhere. For me, these traits are what characterize Israel, and when combined with the local brand of resilience, they are a combination the lack of which would make it difficult for me to live anywhere else.

1. Learn Hebrew - integration into Israeli society will be far more difficult without it, and far richer if you succeed.
   
   
2. Don't be afraid to speak your mind and push for what you want/deserve. Sometimes being aggressive is the only way to achieve anything. Everybody else does it, and I've learned that being quiet here won't get you very far.
   
   
3. Cultivate friendships with native Israelis. You won't truly feel that you're part of Israeli society until you do. It's so easy to stay in the expat bubble, but you miss out on so much!
    
4. Bureaucracy is a nightmare! Before going to government offices or any other location requiring paperwork, be sure to find out on the phone and/or on the Internet exactly which documents you need to succeed in your mission. Time spent doing your "homework" pays off when there's no need for repeat visits due to missing paperwork (and believe me, this happens with great frequency - ask any new immigrant!).
   
   
5. If you have local contacts, use them! All Israelis do it, whether it be while searching for a job or dealing with any bureaucratic institution. You'll be the one left out in the cold if you play by conventional rules.

http://www.aaci.org.il/
http://www.esra.org.il
http://www.expat-blog.com/en/directory/middle-east/israel/
http://english.webster.co.il/