HB #61: Making an Aliyah - Part 4 (With Sharon Mandel)

Nate and Sharon sit down in their living room and chat about all things Israel. How did their viewpoint change after a year of living there? Have the struggles changed their idealism of wanting to live in the Holy Land?

First, they discuss the cost benefit of buying furniture in Israel verses shipping new furniture from the US. After having been sure their decision to only bring a pallet of things and purchase everything else they needed in Israel, they are now looking at it with different eyes. The conclusion is that even with the high cost of shipping from overseas, if you are furnishing a whole house or apartment, it’s still going to cost less, and result in better quality, to bring everything over from the US.

Second is transportation – Nate and Sharon ended up buying their electric scooter. They love it! But it has its limitations. It’s great in their sleepy desert town, for getting around locally to pick up some groceries or doing errands. But, in the end, they admit that they really need to buy a car and are looking into getting a Tesla, since the price of gas is so much higher than in the States.

Third is their experience with socialized medicine while living in an area that is far away from more populated centers. From finding the right doctors to getting the prescriptions, paperwork, and appointments, they are not happy with medical care in the country.

On the good side, despite the negatives, they LOVE being in Israel! They have internalized the adage “Expect nothing and be grateful for everything.” Israel is a land of miracles and is warm, sunny, and beautiful. The quality of life and the chilled culture of the inhabitants is inspiring and something to learn from.

Nate sums things up on life in Israel:

Luxury and efficiency? No

Idealism and culture? Definitely…yes!

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