The whole story started in earnest 7 years ago, when John, Max and I made our first trip to Israel the week following Max’s Bar Mitzvah. As a youth, I had dreamed of moving to Israel, but after I got married and started having children, the raging fire inside me had died out completely-or so I thought.

Visiting this amazing country, we felt a connection to the land and the people. The spark inside leapt into a flame and I had a burning desire to return.

Three years later, after a lot of soul searching, research and planning we sold our beautiful Southern California home, packed up our belongings and the adventure truly began!

We arrived the week before Passover, a quasi reenactment of the Exodus experience. After touching down in our new rented home in Karmi’el in the North, we headed for a week in Jerusalem. How apropos and glorious. The spring festivals were upon us, and it was a time of visiting old friends, making new ones, and intense bonding between my husband and 16 year old son. We were invited to a Pesach Seder by the most welcoming family, the Eisenberg’s- the best Passover experience for us to date. We toured the Old City, experiencing the sights, smells, history and traditions of our new home.

Returning to our new home in Karmi’el the true adventure -and hard work- began. Our city was lovely, well-planned, with a tight Anglo community that was open and ready to make us newcomers feel at home and integrated into the new land. Our neighbors, all native Israelis were friendly, hospitable, and more than ready to help us make the adjustments to an entirely new culture and language. For the first six months, we never once were without an invitation to a Friday night Shabbat dinner!!!

The last three years has been a time of intense growth. We’ve had wonderful times exploring our new land from the mountain trails and archeological sites of the Galilee region. We,be strolled along romantic Mediterranean beaches. Discovered new cities. Rode camels in the desert and snorkeled among the tropical fish in the Red Sea. Floated in the Dead Sea and stood under the waterfalls at Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul.

It’s been fun eating different new foods from a wide variety of cultures. We’ve celebrated holidays and joyous celebrations- weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, IDF swearing-in services at the Kotel, national festivals; and days of remembrance, mourning and funerals.The sweet and the sad, both.

For the most part we’ve had wonderful experiences. I wondered if my teen son would acclimate. He’s made life long friends in his gap-year Mechinah program. He drafted into army service and surprised us his first Shabbat in the army in full uniform. An unforgettable memory.

None of us could have imagined the friends we’ve made from all cultures. True, caring, wonderful people we’d trust with our lives. Israel is a very, very connected place, we’ve found out. Hard to explain, but something I’ve never ever experienced before. Although rough on the outside at times, seemingly gruff at first, the Israeli will go out of his/her way to help his fellow Israeli. It is a true connectedness. A how can I help attitude? We’ve met the most remarkable people and made great friends.

In return, we’ve learned the art of hospitality. We’ve opened our home to visiting family, old friends and new ones. Sharing the beauty and history of our new home with pilgrims of different faiths, world adventurers, scholars, Lone Soldiers, or those needing a meal and a place to stay is new to us- but has been the most incredibly rewarding experience. I just wish people in America knew the true benefits and joys of hosting the way these people do. We’ve learned so much, have had so much unexpected fun, and have had our hearts enlarged.

It has not always been easy. In fact, this move has been the most difficult thing we’ve ever done. Leaving behind four daughters, friends, lifestyle and home was huge. Thank goodness for skype and other social media immediate connection with our loved ones is possible. We’ve made a lot of adjustments. Learning a new language at my age has been painful, but there were lots of resources from our five month Ulpan classes, ongoing survival Hebrew class, and all the people willing to help out. I learned that if you truly try with all your heart to integrate, people give you much more respect and kindness. And even though modern-day conversational Hebrew is very different than the Biblical/Liturgical Hebrew I grew up with- it’s added to my understanding of the latter.

Difficulties have included seemingly simple things now difficult like banking, understanding the utility bills and daily life…all in Hebrew(without the vowels!!) We’ve had to deal with the trauma of health issues, for me, hospitalization, surgery, treatments- everything in Hebrew! Conversion from the English to the metric system; the dollar to the shekel. But we’ve tried to have a sense of humor through the difficulties; a sense of adventure; and the attitude of “it’s an opportunity to learn and grow.”

An added benefit has been the ability to travel Europe…. airfares are much cheaper than flights from Los Angeles. And travel is something we always dreamed of!! Prague, Budapest, Amsterdam, Italy, France, Switzerland ,Scotland-

We’ve planted gardens, fed Israeli soldiers, volunteered with the army, and I started my own business. John has become a coach of several Little League baseball teams. All in all, it’s been a full life so far. We’re living the dream, as difficult and glorious as it’s been. And look forward to more to come! What a three years!!!