Interviews with Olim

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

A. East London, UK

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

A. 18, when I went to university. Among university friends (Jewish and non-Jewish) it was no problem at all. My parents didn’t take it so well at the beginning, but they came round once they understood it a bit more. They were both hugely loving and supportive. It just took them a while to grasp it.

Q. Were you involved at all in the LGBT community in your previous country?

A. Yes, although much more so when I was a lot younger. I co-founded a social group called ‘Hineinu’ for young LGBT Jews in 1989, and I was the first openly gay chairperson of Liverpool Jewish Students Society.

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

A. Only this group.

Q. How long since you made Aliyah?

A. I started the process within Israel in February 2022, and got my ‘Aliyah’ in November. I was not prepared for the ridiculous and unnecessary hurdles that the Jewish Agency put in my way.

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

A. Alone.

Q. Why did you make Aliyah?

A. I never had this big “Aliyah” dream. I’ve always loved Israel, especially Tel Aviv, and imagined spending more time here. After the pandemic, when working patterns changed, I realised I could run my business mainly remotely, so that gave me the opportunity to give living here a try. At first Aliyah seemed like the best vehicle to enable that, but then the concept grew on me!

Q. How is it going so far?

A. Very mixed. Looking back, the first year was hard. There will always be things about the UK that I miss, and there will always be things that annoy and frustrate me about Israel. But on balance it’s where I want to be. When I feel negative, a long walk on the Tayelet normally sorts me out. A couple of big enablers have been this group and the coworking hub at Nefesh b’Nefesh, where I’ve made friends and have felt a feeling of community.

Q. What do you do in terms of work?

A. I have my own consultancy business based in the UK.

Q. How is your Ivrit?

A. I love Hebrew, and I’ve studied Hebrew on and off throughout my life. I feel I pick it up easily. My main frustration is that I live in a bit of an Anglo-bubble, so I don’t get enough chance to really use it, so I’m not progressing as fast as I would like.

Q. What has been your biggest challenge so far?

A. Leaving the security and support of my long-term friends in the UK.

Q. How do you perceive the Israeli LGBT community?

A. I don’t know. Tel Aviv is not Israel! In some ways, it’s not even relevant. I have friends of all sexualities and genders. I feel very integrated. I don’t even think it’s necessary to say I’m gay most of the time. Being gay is very normalised here, which is a great achievement for our community, considering what life was like when I was teenager in the early 1980s.

Q. How is being LGBT in Israel different to your where you lived previously?

A. I don’t feel any different here than in London.

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

A. I don’t think so. Although I’d probably be able to shortcut some of the bureaucratic nonsense with the insight that I gained by going through it.