It

is now a little over a year since we made Aliyah…..and what a year it has been! We started off with all

of the obvious challenges a move to Israel with three children would involve… language barriers, making

new friends, learning new roads, understanding our mail to name a few. Our children were real

troopers. With determination and a sense of humor, they seemed to be truly happily adjusting to their new

lives. The past summer provided an exciting couple of months. We were expecting the birth of our fourth

child, we were building a house in a new neighborhood, and our son was chosen to play baseball for the

Israeli national little league team in the Czech Republic. And then the war broke out. We were fortunate

that our daily lives went on as normal, sort of… If waking up in the middle of the night to nurse your baby

and hearing warplanes zooming overhead is normal. As we were still terribly busy with our daily lives, in a

way I started to feel guilty. How do I continue normally with all of these things happening just a two hour

drive away? It then occurred to me... this is actually why I moved to Israel! Going on with my daily life was

exactly what I should be doing to show those who seek our destruction that we are not leaving. Not only are

we not leaving, we are growing and building because we are a nation of builders. We build homes, we build

families, and we even build sports leagues. Our life here can only be the statement that it is by building and

LIVING here. I miss my family, my friends, the Skokie Public Library and baggers at the grocery store more

than you can imagine, and my family misses the Cardinals and the White Sox. But we wouldn't trade the life

we have here for anything.

We'd love to hear from you!

Dear Friend,

In previous decades, when visitors from Israel would journey temporarily to their hometowns in the Diaspora, they would be greeted by their former community with fanfare and celebration. The entire neighborhood would rush to catch even a morsel of information

about Israel - waiting eagerly to hear descriptions of the Land and be inspired by the travelers’ tales. Certain rabbinic literature even discusses how a traveler from Israel would receive an Aliyah L'Torah on Shabbat and trump any chiyuv of the day.

Over time, with the advance of technology enabling frequent trips to Israel and "real time" connectivity to locations 6,000 miles away, the marvel and allure of this precious gift of the ability to live in Israel has somewhat faded.

It is therefore significant that we reinvigorate our generation's awe of our modern endowment of Eretz Yisrael. Our communities and specifically our children should never lose sight of the miracle that after years of praying, hoping and longing, they actually have friends, neighbors and family who are living the dream of centuries – building their lives and future in Israel.

It is with great pride that we present to you this installment of "Letters from Home," a newsletter customized for your community from your neighbors and friends who have made Aliyah in the past recent years. From their letters, smiles, and reflections, it is evident that we are living in truly miraculous times.

Beyedidut,

Rabbi Yehoshua Fass Founder, Executive Director

Nefesh B'Nefesh is dedicated to the revitalization of Aliyah from North America and the United Kingdom.Over 10,000 olim have made Aliyah with Nefesh B'Nefesh since 2002.

Nefesh B'Nefesh offers: • Employment Resources • Expedited Processing • Group Aliyah Flights • Financial Assistance • Post Aliyah Support

North America:1-866-4-ALIYAH

United Kingdom:0800-075-7200

Israel:972-2-659-5700

www.nbn.org.il

It is now a little over a year since we made Aliyah…..and what a year it has been! We started off with

all of the obvious challenges a move to Israel with three children would involve… language barriers,

making new friends, learning new roads, understanding our mail to name a few. Our children were

real troopers. With determination and a sense of humor, they seemed to be truly happily adjusting to their

new lives. The past summer provided an exciting couple of months. We were expecting the birth of our

fourth child, we were building a house in a new neighborhood, and our son was chosen to play baseball

for the Israeli national little league team in the Czech Republic. And then the war broke out. We were

fortunate that our daily lives went on as normal, sort of… If waking up in the middle of the night to nurse

your baby and hearing warplanes zooming overhead is normal. As we were still terribly busy with our

daily lives, in a way I started to feel guilty. How do I continue normally with all of these things happening

just a two hour drive away? It then occurred to me... this is actually why I moved to Israel! Going on with

my daily life was exactly what I should be doing to show those who seek our destruction that we are not

leaving. Not only are we not leaving, we are growing and building because we are a nation of builders. We

build homes, we build families, and we even build sports leagues. Our life here can only be the statement

that it is by building and LIVING here. I miss my family, my friends, the Skokie Public Library and baggers at

the grocery store more than you can imagine, and my family misses the Cardinals and the White Sox. But we

wouldn't trade the life we have here for anything.

We'd love to hear from you!

Letters from Hometo QUEENS

It

is now a little over a year since we made Aliyah…..and

what a year it has been! We started off with all of the obvious challenges a move to Israel with three

children would involve… language barriers, making new friends, learning new roads, understanding

our mail to name a few. Our children were real troopers. With determination and a sense of humor,

they seemed to be truly happily adjusting to their new lives. The past summer provided an exciting

couple of months. We were expecting the birth of our fourth child, we were building a house in a new

neighborhood, and our son was chosen to play baseball for the Israeli national little league team in the

Czech Republic. And then the war broke out. We were fortunate that our daily lives went on as normal,

sort of… If waking up in the middle of the night to nurse your baby and hearing warplanes zooming

overhead is normal. As we were still terribly busy with our daily lives, in a way I started to feel guilty.

How do I continue normally with all of these things happening just a two hour drive away? It then

occurred to me... this is actually why I moved to Israel! Going on with my daily life was exactly what

I should be doing to show those who seek our destruction that we are not leaving. Not only are we not

leaving, we are growing and building because we are a nation of builders. We build homes, we build

families, and we even build sports leagues. Our life here can only be the statement that it is by building

and LIVING here. I miss my family, my friends, the Skokie Public Library and baggers at the grocery store

more than you can imagine, and my family misses the Cardinals and the White Sox. But we wouldn't

trade the life we have here for anything.

We'd love to hear from you!

Letters from Hometo NEW YORK CITY

Letters from Hometo BALTIMORE

It is now a little over a year since we made Aliyah…..and what a year it has been! We

started off with all of the obvious challenges a move to Israel with three children would

involve… language barriers, making new friends, learning new roads, understanding

our mail to name a few. Our children were real troopers. With determination and a

sense of humor, they seemed to be truly happily adjusting to their new lives. The past

summer provided an exciting couple of months. We were expecting the birth of our fourth

child, we were building a house in a new neighborhood, and our son was chosen to play

baseball for the Israeli national little league team in the Czech Republic. And then the war

broke out. We were fortunate that our daily lives went on as normal, sort of… If waking up

in the middle of the night to nurse your baby and hearing warplanes zooming overhead is

normal. As we were still terribly busy with our daily lives, in a way I started to feel guilty.

How do I continue normally with all of these things happening just a two hour drive away?

It then occurred to me... this is actually why I moved to Israel! Going on with my daily life

was exactly what I should be doing to show those who seek our destruction that we are not

leaving. Not only are we not leaving, we are growing and building because we are a nation

of builders. We build homes, we build families, and we even build sports leagues. Our life here

can only be the statement that it is by building and LIVING here. I miss my family, my friends,

the Skokie Public Library and baggers at the grocery store more than you can imagine, and my

family misses the Cardinals and the White Sox. But we wouldn't trade the life we have

here for anything. We'd love

to CHICAGO

Letters from Hometo TEANECK

Letters from Hometo LOS ANGELES

Israel: Beit Ofer - 5 Nachum Hefzadi | Jerusalem, 95484 Israel | Tel: (02) 659-5700North America: 42 East 69th Street | New York, NY 10021 | Tel: (212) 734-2111

United Kingdom: JNF House | Spring Villa Park | Edgware, Middx HA8 7ED, UK | Tel: 0800-075-7200 www.nbn.org.il