Immigrating to a war zone might sound crazy, yet for several individuals who made aliyah amid the wailing sirens and ballistic missile strikes during the recent Iran war, the decision to move to Israel was not triggered by the crisis but was made despite it.
Hailing from different parts of North America and all at different stages in life, the five new olim (or immigrants to Israel) featured here talk about fulfilling a long-held dream. All five share the common traits of having a deep connection to Israel, concerns about rising antisemitism in the Diaspora, and a desire to build their futures in the Jewish state.
Sami: ‘This decision had been made somewhat for me’
Name: Sami Rahamim, 30
Aliyah date: March 25
Origin: Minneapolis, Minnesota
New home: Klil, Western Galilee
Despite having a lifelong connection to Israel via his Israeli-born father, Sami Rahamim said his decision to make the Jewish state his home came during a 2024 solidarity trip to Israel with the Minneapolis Jewish Federation.
“I just understood that this decision had been made somewhat for me that I needed to be here,” he said, describing the experience as intuitive.
Rahamim, who worked in Jewish communal relations prior to making aliyah and describing his role as an ambassador for Am Yisrael, said he was not fazed by the spiraling war in Israel and continued with the immigration process even as things escalated.
“I was not scared to be here during the war,” he said. “As long as I was physically able to get here, I wasn’t going to be the one to stop myself.”
Rahamim said he chose to live in Klil – an agricultural community situated close to Israel’s northern border and within range of Hezbollah’s rocket fire – because of its values of sustainability and nature.
Happy with the decision, he also acknowledges the absurdity of moving into a war zone.
“It is surreal that our daily existence is one where there’s this constant ever-present threat,” he noted, adding that he doesn’t feel afraid but more a sense of freedom and clarity.
Asked if he made the right decision to come now, he said: “There is no question whatsoever.”
Amanda: ‘I didn’t necessarily feel like delaying it’
Name: Amanda Schuster, 34
Aliyah date: March 25
Origin: Baltimore, Maryland
New home: Tel Aviv
Amanda Schuster had already made up her mind to move to Israel long before the war with Iran broke out, driven by a deep connection to Israel and the desire to live in a place with other Jews.
“There’s something about being surrounded by other Jews that made me feel really seen,” she told the Report.
The outbreak of war with Iran did not deter Schuster from making aliyah, even as her new city was under attack.
“Israel is often dealing with some level of conflict,” she said. “Making aliyah is part of accepting that reality rather than waiting for a moment that feels completely calm.”
Schuster said she adjusted quickly to sirens and running for shelter.
“It’s like, there was just a missile, and then you just carry on,” she said. “Honestly, when I was back home, I was more scared than I am here.”
Henry: ‘I didn’t want to put my life on hold’
Name: Henry Garfinkle, 26
Aliyah date: March 9
Origin: Toronto, Canada
New home: Ra’anana
For Henry Garfinkle, the rise in antisemitism and antisemitic incidents in his native Canada was what prompted him to move his life to Israel.
“I really wasn’t happy with how events were shaping with the Jewish community and antisemitism back home in Canada,” he told the Report.
Garfinkle said his decision to make aliyah was also inspired by his visits to the country with organized programs such as Birthright and MASA, and that the timing of the ulpan program in Ra’anana in March influenced his decision to come despite the war.
“I didn’t want to put my life on hold,” he said, describing his arrival during a war as “unifying.”
“I’ve really loved my first month living here as a new immigrant,” Garfinkle said. “It’s like you’re going through it with everyone else.”
He said it also gave him a sense of belonging.
“I truly felt like this was my home.”
Debbie and Alan Pransky: Choosing Israel over ‘locked doors’
Names: Debbie, 77, and Alan, 76
Aliyah date: March 12
Origin: Peabody, Boston area, Massachusetts
New home: Kfar Saba
With longstanding ties to Israel and with many relatives and friends living in the country – including their son, who has been here since 2008 – the Hamas October 7 attack and rising antisemitism prompted them to reassess their aliyah plans more seriously.
Starting the aliyah process in August 2024, the couple described how their decision was shaped by both emotional considerations and the concerning parallels they saw between shifting attitudes toward Israel and earlier periods in Jewish history.
“We studied history. We learned about World War II,” Debbie told The Jerusalem Report. “We see some disturbing parallels.”
Security concerns also played a major role, they said. The couple compared heavily guarded synagogues in the United States with their experience in Israel, where synagogue doors are open and welcoming.
“In Massachusetts, in order to get into our temple, we had to ring a bell; and in Florida, we had to pass an armed guard,” Alan said.
In Israel, he continued, “we don’t have to hide our Jewish identity. We don’t have to go through locked doors to be part of the community.”
Arriving in Israel in January 2026, the couple’s aliyah story was unconventional. Due to war-related delays, they had to navigate the initial bureaucratic hurdles largely alone, finally completing the aliyah process in March, with the help of Nefesh B’Nefesh’s guided aliyah program.
“We didn’t get the pomp and circumstance,” Debbie said, “but we made our own pomp and circumstance.”
Now settled in Kfar Saba, the couple said they feel safe and welcomed in their new community, and despite the uncertainty of living in Israel during wartime, they said their daily life is more regular than expected.
“In spite of the war, Israel is still relatively normal,” Debbie said, adding that they like to share their experiences with friends and relatives in the Diaspora, relaying to them what life is really like in Israel in an attempt to counter “fear-driven narratives.”
Recalling a missile alert received during kiddush at synagogue on a recent Shabbat, Debbie and Alan described how the congregants simply walked together to the bomb shelter, bringing the food with them as others joined from outside. Instead of a frightening experience, the couple said it was a special, communal one.
Despite the community feeling, the couple acknowledged the challenges of integrating into Israeli society and getting used to a country that is less organized than back home.
“We love the word ‘balagan.’ The whole thing is a balagan [chaotic mess],” Debbie said, acknowledging that the decision to move countries later in life – and especially during a war – is “crazy.”
“You have to have a willingness to go beyond, and not be afraid to stand up for yourself,” noted Alan, emphasizing that aliyah requires a certain mindset.■