aliyah

Original Article Published On The JP

For those who observe Shabbat and Jewish holidays, and for those who simply want a relaxed destination getaway not far from New York City, there may be no better place than on Fire Island.

In most American Orthodox synagogues, it’s the one guy sitting in the back wearing shorts, a T-shirt and sandals who gets stares from the more appropriately and well-dressed congregants. 

At the Fire Island Minyan (FIM), located in a small house in the Seaview section of the three-block wide barrier island 51 km. long off the southern shore of Long Island, New York, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great South Bay, it was a different scene – the one guy wearing a black sports coat and slacks got the quizzical looks. 

“We attract everything from shtreimels to shorts,” shul president Dov Schwartzben notes playfully, though somewhat seriously. Most attendees at the relaxed, relatively late starting (9:45 a.m.) island minyan were dressed only a drop more fancy than the man leading Shaharit – himself clad in shorts, a red T-shirt with white lettering, a tallit and flip-flops. Some even came with coffee cups in hand. 

The room filled as the Shabbat morning went on, though some timed their arrival to coincide with the lavish hot kiddush served outside. Women had a very good view from behind the mechitza (partition) made of fishing net and seashells decorated with Jewish stars. They had a clear view of the holy ark with the small lighthouse on top used as the ner tamid (eternal light). When the gabbai asked if there were any kohanim present to receive the first aliyah, one wise guy blurted out, “I am not, but I identify as a kohen!” 

What is Fire Island like?

Fire Island is a unique place generally and Jewishly – even among relaxed seasonal vacation communities. No cars are permitted on the island, which sports its fair share of deer, butterflies and bamboo. Arrival times to the island must be timed to coincide with the ferry or water shuttles. As soon as passengers exit the ferry, they unlock their wagons and pull their coolers of food and other household supplies to their homes. 

SUNSET OVER Fire Island. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

In the summer, those who observe Shabbat must be on a ferry no later than the 5:30 p.m. one – the 7 p.m. ferry arrives after Shabbat has begun (though not a problem for some given the pre-paid nature of the ferry and the fact that most think the island is a natural eruv and thus the prohibition of carrying items is not an issue).

On the island, summer visitors far outnumber seasonal residents by 800,000 to 873. There are only 360 permanent homes on the island, as well as a few rooming houses, some restaurants and bars, and a few essential stores including a general store, a liquor store, a plant nursery, some churches and two synagogues.

When did Jews come to Fire Island?

While there is currently a strong Jewish presence on the small island, the Seaview section was restricted to white Protestant homeowners until 1928 when the ban against Jews was lifted. Ralph Levy was reportedly the first Jew to break into Seaview in the 1940s, closely followed by Walter Weisman. More Jews began arriving in the 1940s through the ’60s including such famous actors and entertainers as Irving Berlin, Fanny Brice, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Woody Allen, Lee Strasberg, Marilyn Monroe and Tony Randall. The Jewish community’s informal historian, Michael Lustig, notes that Carl Reiner, creator of the famous sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, reportedly wrote the script for several shows from Fire Island. 

Other famous Jewish residents have included Richard Meier (architect), David Duchovny (actor), Peter Greenberg (TV travel reporter), Nat Hentoff (columnist), Harvey Keitel (actor), Paul Krassner (writer), Tim Blake Nelson (actor/director) and Ally Sheedy (actor).

Most early Jewish residents to the island were secular, though there were some observant Jews including Rabbi David de Sola Pool of Congregation Shearith Israel, the Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue in NYC. When he bought his first house in the Ocean Beach section of the island in 1938, a local Nazi-sympathizer reportedly burned a cross on his lawn. 

The first organized prayer services were held in 1952, and a Torah was brought to the island in 1954. Services were held in the living room of Herman Wouk, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Caine Mutiny, another early, observant Jewish resident of the island. At various times, services were held in Wouk’s living room, Jack Miner’s house at 430 Dehnhoff in Ocean Beach (for High Holy Days services) and later on the deck of Rabbi de Sola Pool’s house in Ocean Beach.

After at least a decade or more of this arrangement, the group was large enough to become independent and was able to bring out a rabbi in a rented home that would double as a synagogue. The house was large enough to host rabbi, professor and medical ethicist Moshe Tendler and his family. Tendler, accomplished on his own, was the son-in-law of the prominent Rabbi Moshe Feinstein.

RABBI DR. Shaul Magid, who has been serving as rabbi of the once Conservative, then more Reconstructionist, now more Renewal Fire Island Synagogue since 1997, provided his account of Jewish life on the island. Magid, who wears earrings and looks one part hassidic master and one part Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, explains that his shul started in the 1970s as an Orthodox synagogue “on the deck of Herman Wouk’s house.” Over time, the synagogue evolved. Magid said there was a “contentious vote” in the 1980s and the synagogue decided to become egalitarian. “Some left over it,” says Magid, who explained that there were many issues and transitions taking place at once including younger families coming to the island with children, and people no longer identifying or wishing to practice in an Orthodox fashion.

The banjo-playing rabbi is an accomplished bluegrass musician who has truly brought a musical flavor to the shul. He and cantor Basya Schechter, lead singer of the singing group Pharaoh’s Daughter, have developed what they call “a Kabbalat Shabbat nusach [style] based on Appalachian music.” 

The bluegrassy service takes place on the shul’s deck each Friday night, and musical friends regularly spend Shabbat and contribute musically. Magid also happens to be a distinguished fellow in Jewish Studies at Dartmouth and is a former professor of religious studies and the Jay and Jeannie Schottenstein chair of Jewish studies in modern Judaism at Indiana University. He recently published a book on Rabbi Meir Kahane and is currently working on a book on antisemitism and critical race theory. 

With Magid’s shul in transition in the ’80s and early ’90s, some members left to join what was to become FIM – the second shul on the island, a 10-minute walk from the Fire Island Synagogue. The creation of a second shul begs reference to the classic joke about a small community needing two (or even three) shuls – one to pray in and one to never set foot in! [Actually, one other town on Fire Island, Saltaire, offers High Holy Day services in a space at St. Andrew’s Church].

The FIM was founded in 1990 by Jim (“Yitz”) Pastreich with services taking place on his deck. Pastreich recalls “plastering the entire island” with signs announcing the new minyan. Historian Lustig says: “[Prominent Reform] Rabbi [Herbert] Weiner, [author of the well-known book Nine and a Half Mystics], rented a house to us (in 1993) for a number of years, and it was initially operated as a ‘share house.’” He explained that in a share house, four people lived in two bunk-beds and the middle was cleared for services. The modest house, which was purchased in 1999, originally went by the name “Rodfei Shemesh, Anshe Chof” (Seekers of the Sun, People of the Beach). It proudly strives to be an “inclusive place for interested parties to participate in prayer services in a traditional (yet casual) environment.”

ON A recent Shabbat at FIM, the community was hosting 20 former IDF combat soldiers spending a week on the island as they participated in Peace of Mind, an intensive therapy program of the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma. The community was also gearing up for the Sunday Rosh Hodesh bar mitzvah of the son of longtime residents.

Services moved quickly – until the announcements, when the gregarious and good-natured shul president just couldn’t stop himself as he announced birthdays, famous events on that date in Jewish history – and tide times. No one seemed to care. Everyone stayed for a long time to enjoy the hot meaty outdoor kiddush – with more than a fair share of alcoholic beverages.

The community returned Sunday morning for the bar mitzvah, and many residents will spend Shabbatot on the island through Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Some visitors who don’t own homes find their way to the island for a summer Shabbat or for the Jewish holidays. “Two families of Satmar Hassidim came recently,” a member shared. “They said they needed a break from their community.”

The shul website sums it up nicely. “In keeping with the easygoing nature of Fire Island, the FIM has no ‘dress code’ (congregants may be found wearing anything from suits to shorts/T-shirt to bathing suits and everything in-between) and services are self-organized, with no official rabbinical position (therefore no accompanying weekly sermon!). The FIM is very cognizant of the location/culture in which we operate, with a (relatively) late start time and efficient operation, so as to allow people to maximize their rest and leisure hours. In fine Jewish form the FIM also has a strong emphasis on food, and we strive to have good ‘kiddush lunches’ after Saturday morning services.”

For those who observe Shabbat and Jewish holidays, and for those who simply want a relaxed destination getaway not far from New York City, there may be no better place than on Fire Island.

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Original article published in the Jerusalem Post

“If I stayed, there would have been too many temptations, so we decided to come here. It has been a fantastic roller-coaster experience!”

When Jonathan Balkin traveled from South Africa to Israel in 1971 to participate in Hadracha, a course that included participants from Betar, Bnei Akiva and Habonim, he had no idea he would meet his future wife on the plane, make aliyah, spend his entire professional medical career at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem and live in Alon Shvut, surrounded by supportive and loving community members.

On the plane from South Africa to Israel, Balkin became friends with Terri, a female Habonim participant from the town of Stellenbosch near Cape Town. After two years of writing letters (“There was no Zoom or even TV in South Africa, and calls were very expensive”), Balkin reports, “The friendship blossomed into a meaningful relationship.” Jonathan and Terri eventually married and made aliyah in January, 1977, the day after he “qualified” (completed his studies) in medicine. Despite coming from a prominent medical family where both his father and grandfather were doctors – and a likely promising career in South Africa – Balkin knew it was the right time to make aliyah. 

Balkin concedes, “In South Africa at that time, it was paradise if you were white. I personally came from a family where my grandfather was one of the premier physicians in Johannesburg and had taught all of my teachers. He was an active communal person, and was very involved in setting up and running the hevra kadisha [Jewish burial society], which was really the tzedakah of the community. I had a fantastic career open to me there but I wanted to come to Israel!”

Terri was less certain. “We had discussed coming to Israel in our letters, and sorted out a lot,” notes Balkin, acknowledging that Terri was less certain in those days about coming to Israel. “If you asked her in those days, she would say she didn’t want to come. But having come, she is eternally grateful.” 

Dr. Balkin adds thoughtfully, “If I stayed, there would have been too many temptations, so we decided to come here. It has been a fantastic roller-coaster experience!”

An Israeli flag [Ilustrative] (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

Balkin’s family of origin was always committed to Israel and Zionism. “I was encouraged to be a Zionist, probably almost from birth. My grandmother was a member of the Women’s Zionist League in South Africa, she was in WIZO (Women’s International Zionist Organization) and came to Palestine in 1935 as a WIZO delegate. She came by boat! It took about six weeks just to get to Palestine at that time, and back. So I was brought up with a very Zionistic influence.” 

Balkin was active in Bnei Akiva while growing up in Johannesburg. “I became religious as a result. The first Shabbat I ever kept was in Bnei Akiva. I realized that Shabbat can be kept in a modern world.” He adds, “Bnei Akiva had a tremendous influence upon me and upon my outlook, and I’d already decided during my studies that I wanted to make my life in Israel.” His wife was affiliated with Habonim growing up. 

Prior to coming to Israel and Kibbutz Rosh Tzurim in January 1977, the Balkins and others had set up a garin (small group) of professionals. “We called it ‘Garin Snoopy.’ We were naïve and innocent. They were a traditional kibbutz where you worked in the lul [chicken coop] or nagaria [carpentry shop]. They had no concept of what a professional is. After a year, we realized that, unfortunately, it was not for us.” Things might have worked out differently had they made aliyah years later. “Ten or 15 years later, kibbutzim woke up and realized they couldn’t survive without professionals.” 

After a year on Kibbutz Rosh Tzurim, where their first child was born, the Balkins moved in 1978 to Alon Shvut and Balkin started his medical internship. “I was fortunate to do cardiology. My mentor was the late Prof. Monty Zion, also from South Africa.” Dr. Zion, who died in 2016 at age 91, was chief of cardiology at Shaare Zedek and a clinical professor at the Hebrew University. “He was an old-style cardiologist with a tremendous understanding of the physical examination as well as being open to new ideas which were happening at the time, especially in cardiology.” 

Balkin admired Zion’s commitment to traditional medical practices as well as his openness to new ideas. “When we started the department of cardiology in 1978 or ’79, there were lots of new things happening, and he was open to that, while at the same time, to continue teaching in a traditional fashion with an emphasis on hands-on, history and examination and understanding the patient.” 

Balkin has followed in his mentor’s footsteps and is now respected by others for his distinguished cardiology career. He served as director of Shaare Zedek’s Intensive Coronary Care Unit, which is responsible for accurate diagnosis and initial acute care of cardiac patients, and for actively working to prevent coronary damage in his patients.

Balkin has seen the hospital grow from being housed in its original 1904 building (“the physical conditions were awful until 1980”) to its current building. “It has been an unbelievable change, offering fantastic impetus for development.” 

He raves about his nurse colleagues and about working in a religious hospital. “The nurses really have dedication and love for caring for people.” He adds, “Coming to work in a religious hospital was a real change. The atmosphere at Shaare Zedek was totally different from anything I experienced before. The modesty and behavior were very different from what I experienced in South Africa. This was an amazing thing.” 

Balkin is similarly pleased with the caliber of doctors he works with – and with their extraordinary training. “It is amazing to see what has happened in Israel over the last 45 years – in medicine in general and in cardiology in particular. In the ’70s and ’80s, they were sending their best guys to the best places in the US for fellowships. Almost all heads of all departments are Israeli-born and spent time at the best institutions in the US. Israel is now at a world-class standard in almost all fields. It has been a wonderful experience to have been part of that. I’ve had a fantastic career here in Israel.”

BALKIN ACKNOWLEDGES that his family’s early years in Israel were “quite tough.” They had no close family in Israel to help with child care or with other situations requiring support – no easy task with his busy medical schedule and Terri working as a physiotherapist. He reports, “The Alon Shvut community is amazing,” and credits them with helping out in many crucial ways. “When my wife was on bed rest many years ago for two or three months, I came home from work and found food on the table, laundry done and the place cleaned – by people I had never met. That’s when I realized this community is wonderful and it is a real privilege to be part of it.” 

The Balkins are proud parents of four adult children who all live in Israel and are “all frum [observant], in very different ways.” One daughter, a biologist, lives nearby in Alon Shvut. One son is a teacher, one son is an actor and another is a teacher turned medical student. Balkin recounts the story of his soon-to-be-a-doctor-son with obvious pride, given this will make four generations of Balkins in medicine. “His wife said he should be a doctor, and he is almost done with his studies.” 

While the Balkins always spoke with their children in English – and are trying hard to make sure their grandchildren understand and speak English – they are proud of how hard they worked to master Hebrew. “I was determined to speak Hebrew. I broke my teeth and am still breaking my teeth 40 years later. People at work laugh but I was determined to write notes in Hebrew, speak to patients in Hebrew and make presentations in Hebrew. I still make mistakes but people appreciate the effort. You can’t really be part of life without Hebrew. It is part of being in Israel. I think it is a good thing for us.”

The Balkins truly love living in Israel and experiencing all that Israel has to offer. “Israel is a land of olim. And the people I’ve had the privileged to meet – Holocaust survivors, people from North African countries, the Soviet Union, people who have come with nothing and built a life for themselves – make this place such a great country. People just accept you.” 

Balkin acknowledges that many immigrants had difficulties mastering Hebrew and this prevented them from working in their fields – despite excellent educations in their home countries. “Then you see the second and third generation and how they have changed. It is just wonderful.”


Jonathan BalkinFrom Johannesburg, South Africa to Kibbutz Rosh Tzurim, 1977, to Alon Shvut, 1978

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Original Article Published in the Jerusalem Post


Photo: JEFF AND MIRIAM GREEN FROM WASHINGTON, DC TO BEERSHEBA, 1991(photo credit: Courtesy Green Family)

As a teenager, Jeff Green was a committed and observant Conservative Jew with plans of becoming a Conservative rabbi – until a friend showed him a brochure for Pardes.

The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem refers to itself as “an open, inclusive, diverse and intellectually challenging Jewish learning community.” For Green, one year at Pardes turned into two. “I overestimated what I thought I knew. I knew nothing! I had to learn how to learn.”

During those years at Pardes and in Jerusalem, Green fell more deeply in love with Israel. “I had to be in Israel,” Green vowed before going back to the US to save up money for his ultimate return to Israel. He was determined not to date – even resisting his mother’s pushing. He then devised a plan. He would agree to date to please her – but there were enough caveats to assure he never actually dated.

“I said, ok, only Modern Orthodox, attractive, DC area and willing to make aliyah in a year!” Green and his wife of decades, Miriam Green, laugh as they recount this period in what seems like ancient history during our Zoom interview from their living room in Beersheba.

“Miriam was on my list,” he admits.

“We had friends in common.”

The two started to date.

“I wanted to date only someone willing to make aliyah within a year and not wait. We were married in September 1990 and made aliyah in July 1991.”

While the timing of their aliyah may not have been perfect (“We just missed the Gulf War”), the Greens came to Beersheba with a plan and with some support in place. Jeff’s sister and brother- in-law lived in Beersheba, where he was a professor, and Jeff had already been accepted to a Boston University/ Ben Gurion University master’s degree program in management

.“We knew we wanted to be here and raise kids here.”

THE MUGHRABI Bridge leading up to the Temple Mount compound, with the Western Wall and Dome of the Rock seen behind, in Jerusalem’s Old City. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

THE MUGHRABI Bridge leading up to the Temple Mount compound, with the Western Wall and Dome of the Rock seen behind, in Jerusalem’s Old City. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Green was blessed with a great professional opportunity upon graduation.

“When I walked out with my master’s degree, my predecessor was looking for a protégée. I became a financial officer in charge of donations.”

As he reflects on his nearly 30 years at BGU, he is proud.

“We went from 6,000 to 20,000 students, we have three campuses and are about to double. It is interesting to be part of it.”

He balances his professional work with a large dose of Jewish learning and teaching, including daf yomi (daily page of Talmud learning). He and Miriam are also very involved in their local synagogue.

Jeff’s strong desire while in his early 20’s to live in Israel is rivaled only by Miriam’s commitment to the Holy Land.

“My journey to Israel started in 1949,” she offers playfully.

“When my mother was 10, she and her family made aliyah from England. Her father became ill in the Krayot and they went back to England.” Their desire to live in Israel never waned.

“When I was 12, my family lived in Rehovot for a year,” Miriam report. “That year made me determined to return, which I did in 1982 with Habonim.” She spent 1982-83 on Kibbutz Gesher Haziv with Habonim (youth movement), then began her university studies at Oberlin College in Ohio. Israel was still very much on her mind. “I looked for all the people with Israeli sandals and became friends.” At that point, she made two promises to herself. “I would make Aliyah and continue to write.” Miriam hoped to always pursue her love of writing.

“My grandparents made aliyah in 1983,” she recounts, “and when we arrived in 1990, we had an opportunity to interact with them intimately until their deaths.”

She reports that she always “had an ingrained sense that this is my country.” She recalls that 1976-77 were significant years, referencing the heroic raid on Entebbe and Israel winning the 1977 FIBA European Champions Cup championship. Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Mobilgirgi Varese by one point, 78–77, in the finals.

Miriam spent 1982-1983 on Kibbutz Gesher Haziv with Habonim (youth movement), then began her university studies at Oberlin College in Ohio.

Israel was still very much on her mind.

“I looked for all the people with Israeli sandals and became friends.”

At that point, she made two promises to herself.“I would make aliyah and continue to write.” Miriam hoped to always pursue her love of writing.

Miriam gushes with pride when she reports, “We had five generations here at one time – this is just astounding!”

Her grandparents lived in Netanya, and her parents made aliyah in 1994, the year her first son was born. Her father, a biochemist, had done a post-doc in Israel from 1964 to 1966.

While the Green’s aliyah was “storybook” in many ways, they faced challenges.

Miriam shared her experience in an article she wrote for “Guideposts” (guideposts.org), the publication of the spiritual non-profit organization that encourages wellness through inspirational content creation and also maintains an outreach ministry. The article, entitled “They Followed In Abraham’s Spiritual Footsteps: What compelled this couple to give up everything they knew to move to Israel when they couldn’t even speak the local language?” Miriam writes candidly about the struggles learning Hebrew.

“I struggled to conjugate verbs, memorize vocabulary and refine my accent. Who knew that the word for ‘interview’ (ra’ayon) sounded just like pregnancy (herayon)? These two words would define my biggest struggles in my new land: starting a family and defining a job.”

Miriam and Jeff had dreams of raising a large family.

“We wanted at least four children. When a year passed without us conceiving, we went to the top fertility specialist in Beersheba.”

The Greens are proud of the support the country provides, including free IVF treatment for the first two children up until a woman turns 45.

“We were thrilled. We tried IUI and many rounds of drugs before we got the results we were hoping and praying for. Jeff and I eventually succeeded – with God’s help, and an amazing array of doctors – in birthing three healthy children. We were blessed with countless babysitters and playmates for them.”

The Greens appreciated the support of members of their adopted Beersheba community who shared similar stories of struggles conceiving.

Miriam, who had worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in the US, had difficulties finding comparable work due to her lack of fluency in Hebrew.

She then found a job with a good fit – working to help new immigrants, through AACI (the Association for Americans and Canadians in Israel).

This job, in turn, helped her improve her Hebrew as she was working with many government agencies in her advocacy work on behalf of clients.

Miriam worked with AACI for 18 years helping new arrivals to Israel.

“Find a community,” she advises all new olim. She further explains, “Aliyah is like a smorgasbord buffet – you need to know to go up to it – it won’t come to you.

”She speaks of the many services and supports available to olim – if they wish to take advantage of them.

Another challenge Miriam has written openly about on her impressive website, thelostkitchen.org, is her mother’s dementia. She has also written a book, The Lost Kitchen: Reflections and Recipes from an Alzheimer’s Caregiver. The book masterfully weaves poetry, recipes and anecdotes.

Her mom, Naomi, currently lives in the Orpaz memory care facility in Beersheba.

The Greens are great ambassadors for their Beersheba community.

“It is an open, friendly and warm community,” Miriam reports, stressing the many connections they have made in their synagogue and beyond.

They are pleased their 27-year-old son, 24-year-old daughter and 22-year-old son live in Israel (though their daughter and her boyfriend – also a Beersheba native – are currently in Los Angeles and plan to return soon). One small source of frustration the Greens report is property crime, which has included break-ins and stolen cars.

The Greens are also ambassadors for aliyah. Jeff speaks for the two of them when he reports, “I can’t imagine our life any place else. I firmly believe this is the place for me.”

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