Becoming Israeli: The Hysterical, Inspiring and Challenging Sides of Making Aliyah

by Akiva Gersh

"Becoming Israeli" captures the story of aliyah, of Jews moving their entire lives and futures to Israel. To tell this story, Akiva Gersh recruited 40 bloggers whose words take readers on an adventure that evokes a wide range of emotions, from frustration to inspiration, from confusion to deep pride. It is a record and a testament to what drives olim (immigrants) to make aliyah, gives voice to the challenges they face acclimating to a new language and culture, and illustrates vividly why they would never want to live anywhere else. You will literally laugh out loud as well as wipe away tears as you journey through the world of aliyah with these bloggers who want to share their story. A story which, essentially, is the story of the Jewish people coming home.

Genres: Israel

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 29, 2017

Reviews

[Natalie Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Becoming Israeli is a widely praised collection of essays by English speaking immigrants to the Jewish state that first appeared via The Times of Israel blogsite.

Conceived and edited by Akiva Gersh with a foreword by Yossi Klein Halevi, it is currently listed on Amazon.com’s ‘Free Kindle Biographies’ daily email as part of its ‘Kindle Unlimited’ package.

I fear this makes the offer misleading as, like too many other titles on this list, it is available only to K U subscribers paying a monthly fee of $9.99. It also means that customers like me are ineligible to become subscribers as we do not have the correct account!

However, I have read the ‘free excerpt’ available to casual browsers and understand why so many readers have been charmed by Gersh’s boyish ardour for Israel and the undiminished thrill he still feels as an immigrant, despite having lived here since 2004.

Some of Gersh’s observations don’t ring true to me. But as we hail from different countries, are of different generations and leapt the ‘great divide’ at different times, I suppose I must take his remarks at face value. I suggest that should a sequel be considered, that it features the founders and members of the startling successful ‘Keep Olim in Israel’ group. This is where much unsung work is accomplished to quite wonderful effect.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful book

This book helps me get my thoughts in order. I now have a better understanding or why I am making aliyah

[Karli Sherwinter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy, enlightening, funny, and nerve-wrecking. I hope to meet some of the writers while we are in Israel. It certainly doesn’t paint a rosy picture of everyday life in Israel, but the passion and intensity of those who have made Aliyah shows in these short essays.

[Sofie Novak · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful and honest collection of stories from Jews who have made Aliyah, and their life in a new land with a new language.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

funny and heartfelt

Great stories of people’s experiences in making aliya. The good, the bad, but mainly the good. I laughed out loud many times.