Interviews with Olim

Q. Where were you born and where did you grow up?

A. I was born into a New York City family and grew up everywhere. My father was in the military and we lived in several different states and also Germany when I was a teen. My adult life was all spent in Nashville, Tennessee. I have a home there still. I expect to visit in the US yearly.

Q. At what age did you come out and how did it go?

A. There are so many ways to answer this question! I have always maintained that I have been out all of my life. Even as a young boy, I knew that I was different in terms of interests and activities. Somehow, I understood that I could only live a natural life. That’s what I set out to do and the rest followed. Actually, it’s useful to think of coming out as a process, not a destination.

Q. Were you involved at all in the LGBT community back home?

A. I have supported numerous LGBT organizations and their social and political initiatives. I like the work of Human Rights Campaign and A Wider Bridge to name a few. In the early part of the HIV/AIDS, I was a “frontliner” meaning those who were trained in meeting and providing needed community services. That pandemic catapulted the needs, the stigmas and disparities of health and its many different conditions. In Nashville, I organized a counseling center that was a part of the local lesbian and gay center. I’m learning about the various groups supporting our communities. We all owe debts of gratitude to everyone that leads and takes part in making our world a better place.

Q. What is your involvement (if any) in the LGBT community in Israel?

A. Prior to Aliyah, I knew about the LGBT English-Speakers Group and decided that I would take part in the activities. These were very much part of my first year here. I intend to go to events and activities in other cities. After six previous trips to Israel before my Aliyah, I have never been to Gay Pride in Tel Aviv and that will be rectified this year. I am looking forward to that involvement!

Q. How do you perceive the LGBT community?

A. From what I’ve seen, it has been a very welcoming community. I certainly do not have enough information about the various parts of the community here. Being out and about in the city, I did expect to find a greater presence in the community.

Q. How long since you made Aliyah?

A. I made Aliyah on December 30, 2020 on the last flight from the US. I’ve just passed the one-year anniversary and I can say that it was a year like no other!

Q. Did you move here on your own or with family/friends/significant other?

A. I moved here on my own. With the restrictive lockdown in effect, the streets were empty with nearly everything closed and you could not walk too far. The lockdown overlay gave new meaning to being on your own,

Q. Why did you make Aliyah?

A. Making Aliyah was something that I had planned to do for many years. My great-great grandfather emigrated here from the USA, on his own almost 100 years ago. His family never joined him and after 1926, he never returned to the USA. I am very proud and humbled to be descended from a pre-state pioneer. He died in 1940.

Q. How is it going so far?

A. The first several months were difficult as the government offices and banks were closed. The things that new olim must do were not able to be done until the early spring. Overall, it has been good and I love this new part of my life.

Q. What do you do in terms of work?

A. My work career has been in behavioral health services and I trained as a doctoral psychologist. This past year was devoted to my Aliyah and I did not do a lot of work. Right now, I am participating in some volunteer activities as well as working in behavioral health, possibly with the government. When I lived in Nashville, I worked with many Kurdish families and their refugee related behavioral health issues. I’ve also planned to begin some research with Kurdish Jews that stem from my previous work with this community.

Q. How is your Ivrit?

A. During lockdown, I did an online ulpan. One of the classmates subsequently made Aliyah and we have now completed the Aleph course, in a different ulpan, and are poised to begin the Aleph+ course. There has been progress and I have to say that I need much more. I have it on high authority that pillow talk is the best way to learn a language. I am hoping to enroll in that course soon.

Q. What has been your biggest challenge so far?

A. Living in a small apartment tops the list followed by the planning and taking the bus to be on time, not finding some familiar food products, some lifestyle differences like not having a garden or a car. Staying away from the beach was a big problem but the weather the last few weeks fixed that for me.

Q. If you were making Aliyah now, would you do anything differently.

A. Seriously, I did not know if the plan for my Aliyah flight was going to leave until almost the last moment. I would have planned so much more diligently about what to bring and what to leave and what to buy here. I knew I should have brought my KitchenAid mixer. And my German Short-haired Pointer, Roca.