Do Heimishe/Chassidish Americans have a place in Israel?

amother

Lemon

Fri, Feb 02 2018, 2:47 pm

I wish I can move to Israel. But feel like we won't fit in anywhere.
I feel like we're too modern for Israeli Chareidim. But too Chassidish for the rest of frum society.

We grew up in Heimish/Chassidish homes (more Chassidish than Heimishe but that's the best way I can put it). My husband learned for a few years after our marriage. We're a fine, normal, frum Heimishe/Chassidish family.

I feel like we're too modern for Chareidim in Israel because:
We have smartphones and believe in working along with technology.
We believe in college and higher education for men and women.
I drive, I wear a shaitel below my shoulder, I wear denim.

On the other hand:
My husband wears a shtreimel and other Chassidish levush on Shabbos.
We truly enjoy our Chassidus, (relatively small and not so well known but still a Chassidus).
We understand Chareidi nuances.

Should I even bother to start looking into it. Or I just wait for Moshiach to take me home.

FranticFrummie

Sat, Feb 03 2018, 1:29 pm

ALL Jews have a place in Israel! The question is, which community.

What you are looking for is called "Chardal" or Dati Torani. If you ask Israelis where you can find those groups, you'll have a much better idea of where you want to settle. There are plenty of Anglo/American communities that are a bit mixed, like you.

Another bit of advice, don't buy an apartment right away. Rent for the first two years. That way if the neighborhood, schools, or shul are not a good fit, and you find something better, you are not tied down.

byisrael

Sat, Feb 03 2018, 1:43 pm

I don't know that Chardal fits what you are describing...

I actually see open chassidish/heimish more in RBS. There are actually alot of this type in Petach Tikva but there it is TOTALLY Israeli....

I also know a lot of families like you here in J'lem that send there kids to the regular chassidus's schools but do their own thing - for some reason the heimish/ chassidish can get away with ALOT more the litvish when it comes to the things you describe.

There are also alot of people like you guys in beitar - they have more of a community and either send to the chassidish schools and toe the line (not wear denim and long sheital to school events but do whatever the want outside of that) or send to non chassidish schools. Not sure if there are americans in this community in beitar - definatley know american israeli's....

Can you afford a pilot trip in the diff. communities? This also helps when it comes to job search, getting an idea of where you fit in....

Also I would disagree with FF about renting because of the real estate reality in this country. if we would have waited two years to buy there is NO way we could afford the 30% down payment - real estate is constantly rising in Israel because of the housing shortage. You can always sell and buy something else, but get your foot in the market....

chanchy123

Sat, Feb 03 2018, 1:45 pm

There was a regular poster here years ago who sounds of a similar background. She made aliyah to a small moshav in drom har Hebron and seemed very happy there. It was a very frum simple place and no one cared what her DH wore on Shabbat.
I wonder what ever happened to her. I know we're not allowed to ask that on this site so I'm not giving her screen name.
Anyhow, Israeli very frum DL crowd is full of chassidish leaning people. They are more Breslev, chabad but they would be very accepting of any modern chassidish people. In not sure what heimish means in this context so can't comment on that. But if you are willing to look beyond externals a lot of communities would be happy to have you.

FranticFrummie

Sat, Feb 03 2018, 2:04 pm

LOL, I'm sure by now you've figured out that some things just don't translate from English to Hebrew, and vice versa! Definitions tend to depend on who you're asking. LOL

I have wonderful American friends in Beitar Ilit. They don't do email, but I can try to contact them for you if you're interested.

Sadie

Sat, Feb 03 2018, 4:14 pm

OP, I have a bunch of sisters in law who fit your description exactly and they are very Israeli, not American at all. I don’t know all the nuances but they live in Jerusalem in the neighborhoods of Ramot, Neve Yaakov, and Givat Shaul. So maybe give those places a look.

BH5745

Sat, Feb 03 2018, 7:09 pm

OP your family and ours sound very similar. Anyone Chassidish/heimish definitely does not fit into the Chardal or Torani community. The aforementioned communities are quite zionist and not heimish. We recently made aliyah to Yerushalayim. BH, through many long months of trying shul after shul, my husband found a Chassidishe kehilla we love being part of. If you are interested in more info, PM me

amother

Turquoise

Sat, Feb 03 2018, 11:42 pm

I think you fit in many areas but if you start out in yerushalayim you'll have a hard time moving somewhere else. So if you can't afford such high rent don't go there unless you don't go to the American neighborhoods

amother

Blonde

Sun, Feb 04 2018, 12:53 am

BH5745 wrote:

Are heimish and Zionist oxymorons?

heidi

Sun, Feb 04 2018, 6:54 am

amother wrote:

Are heimish and Zionist oxymorons?

Not necessarily. My chassidish Israeli friend has a smartphone and in her chassidus the men do sherut ezrachi (like sherut leumi for men).
Totally disagree with FF--you would not fit into a chardal community at all. There are definitely people in Betar and Har Nof like you. Also RBS.

finallyamommy

Sun, Feb 04 2018, 8:59 am

Please come to RBS! We are the same way (levush, smartphones, chassidish, educated, etc.), and we are bh part of a kehillah of likeminded people. Over here you have your choice of shuls: Aish Kodesh (that I don't know personally but I'm told it is chassidish and openminded), Boston, our Rebbe's shtiebel on Arugot, Rav Haber's shul might be an option, or Rav Gerzi, who is chassidish although his shul is a little more on the modern side.

ludicrous

Sun, Feb 04 2018, 1:12 pm

BH5745 wrote:

which kehillah are you referring to?