Interviews with Olim
Each month, we interview an oleh or olah for our newsletter.
We invite you to read the stories of LGBTQ+ people who have made Israel their home.
"It just felt like an exciting and thrilling new adventure"
Interview date: October 2016.
Updated: August 2022. Scroll down for update.
Q. Where were you born and where did you grow up?
A. I was born in Athens, Greece and grew up in a small quiet suburb in the south called Glyfada.
Q. At what age did you come out? And how did it go?
A. I came out to my best friend when I was 16. It went better than I thought and I gradually came out to everyone but my parents by the age of 18.
Q. Were you involved at all in the LGBT community back home?
A. The LGBT community back home is quite new. Growing up there was barely any community due to backward thinking of most Greek people and also due to the strong prevalence of the religious establishment.
Q. What is your involvement (if any) in the LGBT community in Israel?
A. I haven’t had any significant involvement with the LGBT community so far.
Q. How long since you made Aliyah?
A. I made Aliyah in March 2013.
Q. Did you move here on own or with family/friends/significant other?
A. I met my boyfriend who is Israeli while working in Rhodes in Greece. My job was temporary so making Aliyah naturally felt like the next step.
Q. Why did you make Aliyah?
A. I made Aliyah because of my boyfriend but also due to the failing Greek economy and lack of job opportunities back home. Mostly though it just felt like an exciting and thrilling new adventure! I visited Tel Aviv as a tourist before I made Aliyah, to see if it was a place I could live in. I instantly fell in love with it and 3 months later I was an Israeli citizen!
Q. How is it going so far?
A. It has been great. Greeks and Israelis share pretty much the same mentality when it comes to forwardness, loudness, crazy driving, food, music, so no surprises there. I have also been through 2 wars already which felt like a scary challenge at first, but eventually by the second war the sirens were part of daily life.
Q. What do you do in terms of work?
A. I have been working as an account manager for the past 2 years in a high-tech company in Herzliya.
Q. How is your Ivrit?
A. I came to Israel only knowing “Shalom” and the names of the holidays. I went to Ulpan for a couple of semesters so now I can speak enough to get around but nowhere close to reading newspapers or watching the news.
Q. What has been your biggest challenge so far?
A. I guess the biggest challenge was finding a decent job. When I first arrived, I had to go through all kinds of awful and sometimes illegal jobs. I think it’s one of the biggest problem for Olim chadeshim when their use of Hebrew is limited.
Q. How do you perceive the Israeli LGBT community?
A. I think it’s very well-structured and organized. I was in awe when I attended Tel Aviv gay pride back in 2013 for the first time by the number of people and the events.
Q. How is being gay in Israel different to back home?
A. The difference is enormous. In Tel Aviv I was amazed of how open people are about their sexuality. Guys holding hands, serving openly in the military or being open in my workplace are just some of the things I never would have dreamt of seeing. In Greece these things are just unthinkable as most gay people are not even open to their family and friends. Also, the pride parade back home is relatively new and just last year they voted for the recognition of cohabitation for same-sex couples after many years of debating.
Q. If you were making Aliyah now, would you do anything differently?
A. I wouldn’t do anything differently; I just wish I would have made Aliyah 10 years ago!
Johnny
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"It has made me more comfortable with my sexuality"
Interview date: August 2022
Q. Has your life changed since we last interviewed you? If so, how?
A. I have changed job a couple of times and have advanced professionally quite a bit. I think also my Hebrew has improved substantially.
Q. Are you still living in the same town/city to which you made aliyah? Or have you moved around?
A. I have moved apartments three time, but still live in Tel Aviv. I dont think I would move out of the city anytime soon.
Q. Are you working in your desired industry/area? Do you have any advice on job hunting, job applications and interviews?
A. Yes, I’m still working in high tech gaming. I would advise people that want to get into high tech to ask friends for recommendations and not to be afraid to try jobs that are not 100% up your alley. You can get promoted or start a new position internally later on.
Q. How is your Ivrit now? What sites or apps would you recommend that helped you?
A. I feel my Hebrew has improved. The last ulpan I went to a few years ago really helped. It was a private ulpan with smaller groups focusing on everyday speaking.
Q.Have you discovered any off-the-beaten-track locations that you’d recommend to others?
A.I love trips to the Dead Sea and the Golan Heights. In terms of nightlife, Layla is always fun and later dancing at some party at the Phi.
Q. Are there any other groups or activities that you found that helped you integrate more into Israeli society?
A. Not really. I felt a good way of getting integrated was simply going out for drinks. It’s so easy to meet new people and make new friends.
Q. Do you feel that living in Israel has changed you? If so, how?
A. I think it has made me more comfortable with my sexuality and also more social. Moreover, the nature of my work has made me more confident with working in groups, giving presentations, listening to other people’s ideas and opinions and also being comfortable at interviews.
Q. Do you have any practical advice for new olim/olot or anyone who’s considering making aliyah?
A. Tel Aviv is an amazing city with a spot for everyone no matter where you come from, what you look like or what you believe in. It’s an amazingly inclusive city with much to offer.
Johnny
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