His home was a secular one, with a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother and while he says he grew associated with the local Reform community, he never felt a connection. After discovering Chabad while in university, Haftel decided to undergo an Orthodox conversion. He said that he always dreamed about coming to Israel to truly embrace his Jewish identity, but his disability made it hard for him to find the right framework that would welcome him and his challenging lifestyle.
About a year and a half ago, a social worker who works with people with disabilities who are looking to immigrate reached out to Haftel and told him about Beit Finger. "From that first moment, I realized that this place could be the perfect solution for my health issues as well as being suitable for my religious lifestyle," Haftel recalled.
The process was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but after a long awaited ten months, Haftel fulfilled his dream of making aliyah. He was warmly welcomed to Jerusalem and Beit Finger.“I feel at home and receive the maximum treatment that I could ever dream of. All my needs are met and I feel like I’m literally in Gan Eden," he said.
His future plans include learning in yeshiva and pursuing a Master's degree.