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Moving to Israel with kids... Where to start?
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essie14




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 08 2018, 3:08 am
Bet Shemesh is HOT! Except maybe in December or Jan ;-)
The climate is nothing like Jerusalem.


7 years old is a great age to move with. Your child is young enough that he will have plenty of time to adjust. As you speak to olim parents, you will see that there are kids who sit in class for months and have no idea what is going on and they do fine eventually.
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Thu, Nov 08 2018, 11:14 am
Thanks so much for the replies. What I'm getting from the conversation is:

1) Seven is still an okay age. (Though realistically she would be 8 by the time we are able to get there, and entering third grade.... Does that change anyone's assessment?)

2) There are no secret hideouts I didn't already know about that have the weather we want. So we really do need to decide how important the weather is and confine our search accordingly.

3) Gush Etziyon might be more realistic than I thought. Most people are not living the donkey lifestyle but more of a suburban lifestyle. And there are Lubavitchers in the region.

What I still need to understand:

The Lubavitchers who live in the Gush. Where are they sending their kids to school? And how?

In general there are so many yishuvim, it seems to me. How can I begin to narrow it down so we even know where to visit when we come?

(edited because I feel I posted too much revealing information)
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Hatemywig




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Nov 10 2018, 9:51 pm
amother wrote:
Hatemywig, if you don't mind answering, are you part of Neve Chabad?


No, I only know what I've read online. On their blog and FB page.
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Thu, Nov 22 2018, 11:54 am
Thanks all! This conversation has been helpful.
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amother
Aquamarine


 

Post Thu, Nov 22 2018, 12:24 pm
I second Tzfat. Similar climate as Jerusalem, religious city, a lot of Chabadniks. Cheaper than Jerusalem. A disadvantage is fewer anglos than Jerusalem. I have no idea about jobs.

I think in general there is less societal pressure to fit into a box in Tzfat than in Jerusalem.
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chanchy123




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 22 2018, 12:46 pm
Haven't read through the comments but Beitar sounds perfect for you. Now that I read through your thread maybe try Tzfat - it probably has the largest Chabad community in the country and tons of Anglos. However it is a city and a lot of it is slummy.
I think I might actually live in the one yishuv in the Gush you visited (no side walks and there used to be a donkey here) this is not reflective of most Gush communities which are very suburban.
The one very Chabad family here sends their kidd to school in Beitar.
I'm sure there are plenty of Chabad families in Bat Ayin, thet probably send to their local schools. That is probably a mix between suburbia and hickville.
Also not super familiar but maybe Kochav Yakov/Tel Zion.
Oh and kids generally get to school on a school bus. Not a "van".
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Sun, Nov 25 2018, 6:35 pm
Thanks!
I don't think we can move to Tzfas because it is far from anywhere my husband is likely to find a job.
Chanchy123 you mention families in Bat Ayin sending kids to local schools rather than to Beitar. I am wondering how common this is across the Gush. I would love to speak to someone living in the area with a strong Chabad identity who does either of these things (send to local schools or to Beitar).
It seems to me that either option can be okay if other local Chabad kids are doing the same.
Thanks, I will look into Kochav Yaakov.
And actually it is someone who lives in Bat Ayin who mentioned the "van" to me...
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etky




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 26 2018, 6:40 am
amother wrote:
Thanks!
I don't think we can move to Tzfas because it is far from anywhere my husband is likely to find a job.
Chanchy123 you mention families in Bat Ayin sending kids to local schools rather than to Beitar. I am wondering how common this is across the Gush. I would love to speak to someone living in the area with a strong Chabad identity who does either of these things (send to local schools or to Beitar).
It seems to me that either option can be okay if other local Chabad kids are doing the same.
Thanks, I will look into Kochav Yaakov.
And actually it is someone who lives in Bat Ayin who mentioned the "van" to me...


Why don't you email chabadofefrat@gmail.com.
I'm sure they will be able to give you some information.
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ProudMommie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 26 2018, 7:57 am
We made aliyah 5 years ago and have done a ton of research about communities and have some good people in Chabad too who can give you some ideas and guidance possibly ... Please feel free to pm me and we can speak. Perhaps you can glean some useful points from our experience. I think it is amazing that you want to make aliyah. Nothing compares to living in Eretz Hakodesh.
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amother
Mauve


 

Post Mon, Nov 26 2018, 8:01 am
I used to live in Bat Ayin and was acquainted with two chabad families there (but have since lost contact with them over the years). Chabadnikim in Bat Ayin tend to be rather alternative (kinda like the rest of Bat Ayin) - hippy-ish, artistic, musical, healthy eating conscious, fairly quirky and unconventional. I felt very far from civilisation when I lived in Bat Ayin and the artistic boho vibe wasn't really my cup of tea. A lot of kids of olim there seemed to have gone OTD unfortunately (although this seems quite common in a lot of anglo communities, sadly). I wouldn't recommend living there, or at least would stronglyyyyyy recommend renting a zimmer there for a while before committing to the place.

Last edited by amother on Tue, May 12 2020, 2:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
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amother
Blue


 

Post Mon, Nov 26 2018, 8:40 am
Bat Ayin is very fringe. It's not for most people.
I wouldnt advise Tzfat either. There is a big chabad presence, true (mostly meshichist), but too many other disadvantages. The job situation is the pits, and many families are struggling financially. The whole city is struggling financially and neglected.

It's also way too far from everything for someone who doesnt have roots and a history there.
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exaustedmom




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 26 2018, 9:01 am
What about rechovot? Big science community there and it's a very pretty city. I believe they have a chabad community there too
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etky




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 26 2018, 9:10 am
exaustedmom wrote:
What about rechovot? Big science community there and it's a very pretty city. I believe they have a chabad community there too


If OP doesn't mind the heat and humidity...
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Israeli_C




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 26 2018, 9:37 am
exaustedmom wrote:
What about rechovot? Big science community there and it's a very pretty city. I believe they have a chabad community there too


I second Rechovot. My (lubavitcher) Rav is from there and he's an amazing person. If he's an example of the type of lubavitchers to be found there, it's well worth sweating it out during the summer. TBH something's gotta give on the OP's list of must haves. Moving to the Middle East unfortunately means that things get very hot. I also grew up in a cold climate, but you learn to adjust, stay inside with air-con when things get particularly uncomfortable and basically live with it.
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Mon, Dec 03 2018, 12:36 pm
Thanks to all of you for your comments.

I've spoken to a few people irl as well who've told me of the risks of OTD kids in Bat Ayin. And I remember the "out of civilization" feel and can't say I would feel thrilled to jump there. So I guess that's out.

I have heard a lot of good things about Rechovot and the Chabad community there, and there should be lots of science opportunity, but we live in a very hot place now and my husband as well as some of my kids get physically sick (nauseous, takes them a whole day to recover) even from a five-minute walk to Shul in the summer. We really don't want to commit to a lifetime of that. As soon as the weather turns even slightly dry/cool where we live now, it's like I get a whole different set of (happy, energetic, pleasant) kids. So we really want to find the little pockets of more temperate weather in Israel.

Proudmommie I will pm you! Thanks.
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Mon, Dec 03 2018, 12:50 pm
Our new place that we are considering is Kochav Yaakov/Tel Tziyon. It sounds culturally more up our alley than the places we looked into in Gush Etziyon, as well as being beautiful and not too hot. I'd love any insight into that place for us (or additional suggestions of places to look into as well). I've seen some mention online that there is a Chabad community and maybe even a local Chabad school in Kochav Yaakov? But I can't tell if that is true or current information at all. Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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chanchy123




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 03 2018, 3:42 pm
I suggest that you should not rule Beitar out completely either.
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