GLOBES October 2007 Translation from Hebrew article It has become customary to speak of the reverse migration from Israel with regard to hi-tech professionals. The salaries in the Diaspora, especially in the United States, are very enticing, the work is challenging, and the experience is considered critical in the challenging hi-tech world. However, have you ever imagined a positive migration to Israel? Could you ever have envisioned Jews employed in hi-tech who want to make Aliyah and are seeking to integrate into the local hi-tech arena?. As Israelis, this sounds totally surrealistic. To give up a great job, a high standard of living, great benefits and high salaries for a small country which is surrounded by enemies. With the help of Nefesh B’Nefesh, we managed to find four hi-tech professionals who decided to give up their lives in America to make Aliyah and to settle here in Israel. To Live as a Jew David Bogner was raised in Connecticut. He studied International Relations and English Literature at Yeshiva University (YU), and spent four years in the U.S Navy as a sonar technician and division petty officer on board two different frigates stationed in Pearl Harbor. He worked in several hi-tech and communication companies, including 3 different divisions of USA network (owned by Barry Diller) in the United States as well as in an Israeli telephony startup in Connecticut prior to moving to Israel. David made Aliyah in 2003 with his two children and has since had a new ‘sabra’ born as well. He is now working at Israel Aircraft Industries in their marketing and customer service divisions. Making Aliyah to In addition, he is an amateur bee-keeper, a hobby the whole family is involved with. Just this past Rosh Hashana, the Israel’s Silicon Valley Bogners collected over 55kg of honey. David Bogner grew up in Connecticut. Susan Duker was born Why did you decide to make Aliyah? Bogner: Aside from the obvious religious attraction and raised in Canada. Henry Feurte was born and raised in NY of living in Israel amongst a Jewish majority, there was actually a stronger negative impetus from feeling like a and Sim Zachs was born in West Virginia. This is the story of four second-class minority in the US. Don’t get me wrong, the US is a wonderful country and has offered greater equality American hi-tech professionals who decided to leave behind and opportunity to Jews than any country in the history of our Diaspora. But despite a clear separation of Church and their lives in the Diaspora, and move to Israel. It appears that State, the US remains a Christian society dominated by the customs and holidays of that religion. Having to explain money is not always everything. to current (or worse, potential) employers why you have to leave early on Fridays in the winter and repeatedly explain Special Supplement - 1 all these strange holidays you want to take are still very much culturally oriented to many aspects of life in the US. But off for in the fall and spring... well, it becomes our children are already 100% (okay, maybe more like 95%) Israeli... and that tiring. Also, spending a small fortune to send has always been the main goal. kids to Jewish day schools is all fine and good, but then you send them off to college What are your main challenges in comparison to your and into the work force where every aspect “previous” life outside of Israel? of their environment will conspire to undo Bogner: Keeping up the close connection with extended family and friends all that cultural education. No thank you... in the US is the main challenge. We are a close knit family, and the distance DAVID BOGNER we opted out. For all its problems and warts, makes us all work a little harder. Another challenge is constantly having to Israel is a very easy place to be, and remain, Jewish. work at lingual and cultural comprehension. These things go hand-in-hand and are a long slow road... but I have the rest of my life. My ancestors were How do you feel, now, after you have made Aliyah? ‘greenhorns’ when they came to the US and were seen as clumsy foreigners Bogner: Like I’ve been holding my breath and walking on eggshells for half for most of their adult lives. I’m just repeating the process in the place of my life... and can now suddenly relax and breathe deeply. Even the most where they really should have come in the first place. secular co-worker, tradesman or vendor in Israel knows where I go late Friday afternoon and what holidays are coming up in the calendar. Not How was your absorption here, socially speaking? only that, but when having business meetings with people - in or out of the Bogner: We had a relatively soft landing since we chose to move to a office - kosher food is a given when anyone religious is participating. community that had a sizable English speaking community (Efrat)...and where we knew forty families before we arrived. The best advice we got What did you “give up” in the Diaspora to make Aliyah? was ‘if you don’t have family in Israel to help you get settled, make sure Bogner: Higher pay, higher bills and higher expectations on the part of you move near friends... since they will become your family’. I tell this to my neighbors. I can live without all of these things since they negate one everyone I know who is contemplating Aliyah. another. Nefesh B’Nefesh provided an important framework which is often lacking... What did your spouse/family think about your decision? even with people who would really love to move to Israel. Wanting to do Bogner: The decision was a joint one made with my spouse and family. something is not the same as knowing how to go about it. Once the process My extended family was very supportive, and my parents have since made is defined, the individual concerns and worries can be categorized, prioritized Aliyah to be closer to us (a huge surprise). My siblings have also come to and cut up into manageable bites instead of completely overwhelming visit. potential Olim. Not only did Nefesh B’Nefesh speak to us in our language, but they addressed our concerns having had gone through the same Are you happy/satisfied now that you’ve made Aliyah? process themselves. Bogner: Extremely. There are obviously many cultural hurdles and barriers that my wife and I will have to deal with for the rest of our lives since we 2 - Special Supplement The Beautiful What did you “give up” in the Diaspora to make Aliyah? Duker: My salary today is lower so we live on a considerably smaller Jerusalem View budget. Otherwise the only thing I might miss is Dunkin’ Donuts. Susan Duker was born and raised in Toronto, What did your spouse/family think about Canada. She received a B.Sc from the Sy Syms your decision? School of Business with a degree in MIS. Duker: Everyone was very supportive. All my siblings and most of my She worked at PSEG (the New Jersey-based husband’s siblings are already living in Israel. SUSAN DUKER electric and gas company) where she was the senior business process design specialist, What are your main challenges in comparison to managing a nine million dollar billing system. Today Susan works at Kayote Networks, a VoIP company based in Jerusalem, managing the your “previous” life outside of Israel? company’s team of five engineers. She lives in Beit Shemesh with her Duker: I have not really become fluent in Hebrew as I work mostly in husband, Jonathan, an author and teacher, and her three sons. As a English and live in an English speaking community. I still can’t read hobby she plays basketball in the National Basketball League and is Hebrew publications, which sometimes makes me feel like I have not completely satisfied that she made Aliyah. properly integrated into Israeli society. When did you decide to make Aliyah? How was your absorption here, socially speaking? : It’s been fantastic. I think it was very easy because we moved to Duker: When I was 12 years old and I came to Israel for my first trip. Duker More specifically, my husband and I made the decision about a year an Anglo neighborhood. So many people who live here are dealing with before we came. the same challenges we are so we give each other advice and support. How do you feel, now, after you have made Aliyah? Duker: I don’t think a day goes by without me realizing how lucky I am to be here. I drive through the mountains to get to the Jerusalem Technology Park and its views never cease to amaze me. The Trauma of How do you feel, now, after you have made Aliyah? the Twin Towers Feurte: Many people have asked me this question and I tell them that Aliyah was the second best move I’ve ever made. The first was marrying Aharon (Henry) Feurte was born and raised in my wonderful wife. I feel very much at home. It wasn’t easy but it certainly Brooklyn, NY and studied biology at Brooklyn was, and still is rewarding. In Israel you can live a normal Jewish life whereas College. He worked in desktop support at Bear in galut, it was impossible. Sterns and USN Communications and then worked at Marsh Inc.