Esther Levi and her husband both grew up in Baltimore and raised their family there. They moved to Eretz Yisrael with their five children and now live in Ramat Beit Shemesh. I had the great pleasure of meeting Esther, and I am excited to share her family’s inspiring journey to Eretz Yisrael with you.
Tell us a bit about yourself, your family, and your background.
I was born and raised in Baltimore and spent my entire life there. My father is the Rav of a shul in Baltimore, so it was a big part of my life, and my family is a big part of my life as well. All my siblings – we’re all married now – still live in Baltimore. We’re a very close-knit family, so the biggest challenge was probably leaving that.
My husband was also born and raised in Baltimore – his parents are members of my father’s shul so we knew each other growing up. My older brother is married to my husband’s older sister, so we’re a very connected family. When we got married, we lived in Baltimore and were very happy there – great community, good schools. We just moved to Israel a year and a half ago.
We have five wonderful children who are now 17, 15, 12, 8, and 6. We felt that our two youngest were still young enough that the move hopefully wouldn’t be too difficult for them. Our daughter had just finished fifth grade when we moved, and we felt that was a good time – if we didn’t move then, it might have been harder socially. If she had started middle school in Baltimore and really forged strong friendships, it might’ve been more difficult to leave. Baruch Hashem, she made friends here very easily, which was huge, because having friends made the other hard transitions much easier.
As for our two oldest – everyone says not to move with teenagers – but after speaking to more people, it seemed that maybe once upon a time that was the case. More and more people are coming to Eretz Yisrael with teenagers. Not that there aren’t challenges, and not that it’s simple, but it can be done. We’re still figuring it out. We felt very strongly about coming here, and we felt that we could make it work.
Your family was so strongly rooted in Baltimore and moving was probably a huge decision – what inspired you to move to Eretz Yisrael?
I was always open to the idea of living in Eretz Yisrael. My parents have a very strong love for Eretz Yisrael, so I grew up with a love of our land. I didn’t feel like I had to move, but I was open to it. I was also just as happy to stay in Baltimore with my family.
My husband, though, was not at all interested in moving to Israel. It was totally not on the table for him. He went to school in Baltimore, then went to KBY after high school, was there for two years, and he has lots of family here, but it was not something he wanted – and that was okay with me, because for me it wasn’t a make it or break it factor.
About ten years ago, though, through learning, my husband started to feel very strongly that we belong in Eretz Yisrael. This is our homeland; this is the land Hashem gave us; and this is where we should be living. Eretz Yisrael just kept coming up in his learning – in Chumash and all over Torah – that we are really supposed to be living here, in Eretz Yisrael. We started to feel that this is where we should be, but we didn’t feel able to make the move at that point. We didn’t feel ready for our kids or for ourselves. But that’s when the shift began.
It was a constant conversation. Every few months, every year, we would hear about another family moving and wonder, should we go? Are we ready? But it never felt like the right time. Eventually, the back and forth became too hard for me. I needed to feel like either we are or we’re not. At that point, we decided it wasn’t right for our family. As much as we would have loved to go, I felt it just wasn’t going to happen. I needed to feel settled.
Even after that decision, it stayed in the back of our minds. A few summers ago, my husband’s niece was getting married in Eretz Yisrael, so we decided to take a family trip. I wouldn’t call it a pilot trip, but it was the summer so the kids wouldn’t miss school, and we wanted to see how it felt to be there as a family. I had put living in Eretz Yisrael in the back of my mind, but once we decided to go, I remember wondering if this trip would open that question again.
We came for the wedding, spent time with family, went on a few trips – we didn’t check out schools or neighborhoods. But when we left, both my husband and I felt we needed to live here. I had been to Israel several times before – before I was married, for seminary, and once with my husband when our two oldest were little – and I was always sad to leave. But this time was different. When we returned to Baltimore, I would look out the window and think, this is not where we’re meant to be. It was a very strong feeling for both of us.
That year we started thinking seriously. A friend of my husband had made aliyah around that time, also with older kids, and my husband asked him how his kids handled the move. He told him that he and his wife started talking about Eretz Yisrael all the time, and because they always spoke positively about Eretz Yisrael in their home, when they told their kids they were moving, it wasn’t a shock. After the wedding trip, we didn’t tell our kids anything yet, but we started taking steps and speaking more positively about Israel in daily life. The kids had positive associations from the trip, and it helped. Sometimes when you hear about terrorist attacks and things that go on in Israel, Israel can feel scary from afar. But visiting that summer showed our kids that Israel is a regular place to live – not scary, but wonderful.
After that, throughout the year, it was really just a private thing between me and my husband. Our families didn’t know. We were just trying to do some research ourselves to see if it could happen. And then, October 7 happened. And we thought, what now? Does this change things? But we both had already made up our minds that we’re moving. For my husband, the decision had already been made and this would not change it. For me, October 7 was even more of a push to come. I felt that this is our people and I want to be with our people. So many people sacrifice so much to be here. I wasn’t looking to move somewhere dangerous, but I felt that being here could be my sacrifice – another Jewish family living in Israel.
A few months after October 7, we told our kids. They were very surprised. They thought maybe one day, when they were grown, we would move – not now. Each child reacted differently. Some were excited, some absolutely did not want to come. One child initially wasn’t interested but gradually changed his perspective and very much wanted to come. We moved about six months later, in July 2024.
When you told your friends and family that you were moving, how did they react?
At first, we only told family. My parents were very proud and very sad at the same time – proud that we wanted to live in Eretz Yisrael, but sad that we were leaving them. My siblings didn’t take it as well. We’re a very close knit family, and we had all been living in the same city. It was hard.
My husband is one of six, and three of his siblings already live in Israel. His parents travel back and forth between Baltimore and Israel, so for them it was less of a big deal that we were moving.
Outside of family, I kept it quiet at first. It felt overwhelming, and I didn’t want to manage other people’s reactions. Around Purim time, when we had to start dealing with practical things like our house, car, and school registration, we began telling friends and neighbors. People were definitely surprised that we were moving because we had every reason to stay – good schools, community, family. But overall, the reactions were very positive – supportive, encouraging, and happy for us.
You came with kids at many different ages. What was the transition from Baltimore to Ramat Beit Shemesh like for your kids?
We’re proud of our decision to move to Eretz Yisrael and live here with our family, but the transition was hard. People say it’s hardest for the older kids, but initially I think it was harder for our younger ones.
Our son who was in second grade had a very hard time. He was sitting seven hours a day not understanding what was being said. There were Americans in his school so he could communicate with the other kids, but the learning was all in Hebrew. Every day he didn’t want to go. It was heartbreaking. I don’t want to sugarcoat it – it was hard. But we got through it. Around Purim, the language clicked for him, and it got much better. This year is a lot better.
Our youngest initially went with the flow, but then it hit her that we were staying. That was hard. She was in gan and didn’t understand what was happening around her. Baruch Hashem, she made friends quickly, and recently there’s been a real shift. She’s picking up the language, making friends, and happy.
Our daughter, who started sixth grade, had some challenges but overall did really well. She made friends quickly, and once she had friends, everything else was easier.
Our two oldest sons were in ninth and tenth grade when we came. They went to an Israeli yeshiva where classes were in Hebrew, and it was overall not a great fit for them. This year, my husband became involved in a new high school specifically for olim called Yesodei Yisrael that opened up in Ramat Beit Shemesh. The classes are all taught in English and the boys there are in a similar position to our sons. Our boys are both there and they’re much happier this year.
Do you feel there was a specific way you were able to help your kids with the transition?
Mostly, it was time – and giving them that time. Listening without getting frustrated. Giving breaks when needed. Being available. At the same time, giving them consistency. Dropping them off at school on time so they could get used to it. Sometimes we’d take a family day and all the kids would stay home and we would just enjoy ourselves. I didn’t work the first year we were here and that availability made a huge difference.
Before school started, I arranged for each child to meet someone from their class so they’d have a familiar face on the first day. I also try to buy some more of the American products for my kids because I know it’ll make it a little easier and more comfortable for them.
What was the transition like for you and your husband?
In terms of community, we’re still finding our place. In Baltimore, my community was my family. Here, we’re still searching for the right shul and broader connection.
Baruch Hashem, my husband has siblings in Ramat Beit Shemesh and Beit Shemesh, which made a huge difference – especially for Shabbos and Yom Tov in the beginning, and for guiding us through the aliyah process and settling in here.
Professionally, my husband was a teacher in Baltimore, and is now continuing in chinuch here with his involvement in the new yeshiva. He also started working for a mortgage company. I was a court reporter, and we decided I wouldn’t work at first so I could be available for the kids. About a year ago, I started a flexible remote medical billing job.
How do you feel that your life changed when you moved to Israel?
I’m very happy to be here. And I always go back to the reasons that I came because life becomes routine. It’s important to remember why we came and to appreciate that we had a dream and now we’re living that dream.
In some ways I feel incompetent – things like medical appointments are harder in Hebrew, and I rely on my husband more. I miss my family. Life is busy so I don’t have so much time for a social outlet but I think it’s important. I recently started going to a shiur that a friend of mine from high school who also lives in Beit Shemesh told me about. It’s great for me to get out once a week and connect with my friend and meet other people. We’re still finding our place, but as the kids feel more settled, I do too.
A friend advised us to come without expectations. That was very helpful. Moving to Eretz Yisrael is a dream come true. But it’s important to realize that doesn’t mean it’s all rainbows and flowers and automatic ease. It wasn’t easy at first, and not expecting it to be smooth made the challenges feel normal. We assume government appointments will take three tries – and if it takes fewer, that’s great. That mindset makes it less frustrating.
Do you have any advice for those in America?
I feel that you should not do something that’s not the right time for you. Not that you shouldn’t push hard for something that’s so important, but to make that decision at the right time for you and your family.
Exposing yourself and your children to as much Hebrew as possible before you come is helpful. When a friend of mine made aliyah, she got Hebrew tutors for all of her kids and only let them watch shows that were in Hebrew. That seemed like it was helpful for her and her family and for anyone who can expose their kids to more Hebrew before they move.
Move in a way that’s doable. Not everyone has the same luxuries – whether with time or money – but give yourself and your kids that space to adjust. You don’t have to make it harder than it needs to be. If living in a community like RBS (that is filled with Americans) or buying familiar products helps your family adjust and live in Eretz Yisrael – do it! You’re not copping out; the main thing is that you’re here.
