Many olim choose to make aliyah as teens or adults, leaving behind their families and family, driven by a desire to connect more deeply with their people and their homeland. But what about the children and teenagers who don’t choose - those who are brought to Israel by their parents, uprooted from everything they know, and placed in a new country with a new culture and language?
In this week’s column, I explore the experiences of these “accidental olim” - children who made aliyah not by choice, but by circumstance (or perhaps ‘force’ as some feel) - and how they view that decision now as adults.
Together with Sid Slivko from Olim Paveway, we ran and moderated a panel discussion with young olim who made aliyah with their families as children or teens.
Our four panelists were Shlomo Bronner, aged 40, from the US, who made aliyah with his family when he was 9; Shifra Jacobs, aged 27, from the UK, who made aliyah at 11 years old with her mother and brothers; Gadi Zaig, 26, from the US, who arrived with his family when he was 14; and Netanya Joffe, 18, from the US, who moved here with her family when she was 10 years old.
The initial shock of being told ‘We’re moving’
When asked how they felt when their parents announced their decision to make aliyah, all panelists shared that they had initially been frustrated and upset.
All of them struggled at first to integrate into Israeli schools and to learn Hebrew. The older they were, the harder the transition was. While Shlomo and Netanya moved here at a young age, and the adjustment was hard at first, they were still young and learned Hebrew relatively quickly.
Moving here as a teenager compounds the challenges of aliyah even more. Starting high school is hard enough. For Shifra and Gadi, starting high school in a new country, in a new language, was overwhelming and often challenging. Shifra noted that it took some time until she felt integrated or more Israeli, and it wasn’t until she joined the army that she felt more comfortable speaking Hebrew. Still, both shared that despite their initial struggles, they slowly made friends, integrated, and built their lives in Israel as adults, now living and working in Jerusalem.
As adults looking back, and reflecting on their experiences, the panelists understand why their parents made their decisions and that they had their best interests at heart.
Netanya noted that parents often see the long-term picture in ways their children cannot and that as a child, she was too young to make this decision: “Our parents know what’s best for us, even if we don’t understand it at the time.”
Shlomo, now a parent himself, echoed that sentiment. Looking back, he says he understands why his parents brought him to Israel and that he too wouldn’t want to raise his children anywhere else.
A question of morality: IDF service
One of the more contentious issues raised in the discussion was the morality of bringing children to a country where military service is compulsory and can be dangerous.
Gadi admitted he was initially reluctant to join the IDF, something that was unimaginable in his US upbringing; in the end, he wasn’t able to serve for other reasons. But at 18, still wanting to contribute to his country, he chose to do Sherut Leumi (National Service) for a year, working as an English teaching assistant. Shlomo also completed two years of sherut leumi, which he felt helped him integrate better into Israeli society.
Regarding the controversial topic, Shlomo noted that as a parent, he said, he will always worry about his kids, no matter where they are, and that you can’t always protect them as much as you wish you could. If he lived in the US, he would worry about his children studying on college campuses amid rising antisemitism. Ultimately, parents choose to live in a place they believe offers their children the best future and reflects their values - for him, that place is Israel.
Netanya, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of serving your country, particularly as a Jew. She is preparing to enlist and expressed pride in serving Israel. Her boyfriend even moved here from the US specifically to join the IDF, wanting to protect his loved ones and contribute meaningfully to Israel.
Where is it safest to be Jewish?
In the wake of the war and rising antisemitism globally, aliyah has surged with olim arriving from all over - yet paradoxically, many Israelis are leaving. The panel addressed this contested issue.
Is Israel truly the safest place for Jews? And is there a difference between being safe and feeling safe?
Shlomo pointed out that there are dangers wherever you live, in whatever country you are in. He recalled his visit to South Africa about 10 years ago for his honeymoon. The person they rented a place from there told him and his wife to be careful of pickpockets. They responded that in Israel, you need to be worried about rockets.
“It’s even scarier in South Africa,” he said. “Anyone could target you. At least in Israel, you know who your enemy is, and we have the IDF.”
Gadi agreed, noting that with rising antisemitism in the US, he feels safer being Jewish in Israel, where, despite our differences, he is free to be Jewish and there is a sense of looking out for one another.
Shifra countered that although she loves Israel and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, it is still scary living here and sometimes feels unsafe. The fact that we are used to having rockets and bombs flying over our heads - that this is a normalized part of daily life- is sad and unsettling.
Would you move back?
When asked whether they would make yeridah i.e move back to their birth countries, Shlomo, Shifra, and Netanya responded that they are happy living in Israel and see their futures being here. Gadi eventually plans to return to the US after his studies, as he feels more connected to his American roots and identity.
The differing perspectives shared reveal how making aliyah as a child can shape adults in very different ways, and how each panelist has carried and interpreted that experience uniquely.
Does every Jew need to make aliyah?
On the question of whether all Jews should move to Israel or whether strong Diaspora communities are important, the panelists were unified.
Israel, they recognized, is not for everyone. Aliyah is hard. While everyone agreed that Israel is the Land of our Nation and that it is the best place for Jews to be, they also understand and appreciate the importance of having Jewish communities in the Diaspora. These communities play a vital role, especially since the war began, in supporting Israel and the connection between Jews in Israel, and in the Diaspora continues to strengthen.
Would you move here if you weren’t Jewish?
To close the discussion, Olim Paveway’s CEO, Ofer Nachshon, posed a thought-provoking question:
Is Israel only a special country for Jews? Would you move here if you weren’t Jewish?
Most panelists concurred that Israel’s pull lies in its Jewish identity. Living here as a Jew is special because it carries a unique sense of connection and belonging. Without that, they said, they would not necessarily choose to live here.
I certainly feel more connected to my roots by living here but would have no reason to move if I wasn’t Jewish.
The panelists’ stories underscore the layered realities behind childhood aliyah: the challenges, but also the transformations that follow. In listening to their stories, one thing becomes clear: every aliyah path is different. Each of these accidental olim carries a different version of what it meant to grow up between countries, yet all of them offer a window into the complexity - and possibility - of building a life in Israel.