Voices of Olim

Jodi Samuels’s journey: Aliyah, advocacy, and community

Samuels reflects on her aliyah and advocacy journey: 'I wanted two things in my life: to live in Israel and to have an open home.'

|ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Jodi Samuels, founder of JIC and Jodi's Voice.
A soldier stands guard and defends the Sderot MDA station on October 7

Maryland to MDA: How an oleh found his place on Israel’s front lines

An American oleh serving as an MDA paramedic reflects on his aliyah story and the intense realities of working Israel’s emergency front lines.

|ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Levi Preger (L) and Max Long, the founder of the Growing Wings Foundation.

Levi Preger: From a Dutch town to the IDF

Preger, aged 27 is a lone soldier who made aliyah from the Netherlands. For the past four years, he has been active with the Growing Wings Foundation, a nonprofit that supports lone soldiers.

|ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
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Olim navigate studying in Israel

Academic life in Israel can be challenging – from navigating a new language, culture, and bureaucracy – yet it can also be deeply rewarding.

|ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN

Survival tips for grocery shopping in Israel

Olim provide practical guidance for how to make shopping in Israel feel less overwhelming and more manageable.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Mahaneh_Yehudah

Shopping in Israel: chaos, carts, and comedy

Whether it be Rami Levy or Osher Ad, even a simple trip to the grocery store can feel like an episode of Kupa Reshit.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Shopping in Israel can also be an exhausting and overwhelming experience, says the writer.

Israel’s healthcare through an olah’s eyes: one woman’s story of struggle and strength

The combination of language barriers, bureaucracy, and cultural differences can make even routine appointments overwhelming.

AUGUST 28, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Test results are often difficult to understand in Hebrew.

Navigating Israel’s healthcare system as an oleh

The experiences of olim navigating Israel’s healthcare system— stories that are often frustrating and relatable, sometimes amusing, and at times even inspiring.

AUGUST 22, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
View of a Maccabi Health Center in Modi'in, on January 26, 2021.

Surviving Israeli public transport as an oleh

Diving headfirst into the chaos of the Israeli public transport system amid a heatwave and the temporary shutdown of Jerusalem's light rail.

AUGUST 15, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
The Jerusalem light rail is temporarily out of service, forcing commuters onto already crowded buses or scrambling for alternative ways to get around.

Lost in translation: the joys of learning Hebrew

Many olim learning Hebrew can attest that they have at one point or another embarrassed themselves profusely either by misunderstanding, mishearing, or mispronouncing a word.

AUGUST 7, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Hebrew language (Illustrative).

Deemed unfit to drive by Israeli bureaucracy

Getting a driver’s license in Israel can feel like surviving an obstacle course - it’s not just a test of driving skill but also of patience, resilience, and pure willpower.

AUGUST 1, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Israeli drivers and roads are notorious for being among the worst worldwide.

Bureaucracy battles: how do olim deal with the Israeli postal service?

Another common hurdle that nearly every oleh has encountered.

JULY 25, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Illustration of an Israeli post truck. March 6, 2023.

Bureaucratic battles: The struggles of new Israeli olim at the Interior Ministry

Daily bureaucratic obstacles can really take a toll on new immigrants who are trying to find their footing in a new country.

JULY 16, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
THE EXPECTATION that citizens should roam the length and breadth of the country in order to find an appointment slot somewhere to renew a passport is preposterous.

Shifra Jacobs: Adjusting to life in Israel as a young olah

From Manchester to the IDF: a young woman’s journey of aliyah, adaptation, and finding her voice in a new country.

JULY 13, 2025ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Shifra Jacobs.