Israel is often described as a melting pot, with Jews of every background contributing their unique cultural flavors.
However, venturing beyond the major cities where many olim (immigrants) tend to settle – Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Herzliya to name a few – one may notice the disappearance of English and other foreign languages.
A few months ago, The Jerusalem Post’s Yuval Barnea and Shir Perets shared their experiences navigating an arduous journey faced by many new olim: finding affordable, livable accommodations in Israel’s capital city.
While the majority of immigrants choose to establish their lives in these well-known hubs, some are forging a different path, opting to build their new lives in Israel off the beaten track.
Leah Goldberg and Magda Gonzalez are two such individuals. They recently spoke with the Magazine about their decision to embrace the road less traveled, how they ended up in these communities, and the unique struggles they have encountered.
Leah Goldberg: A journey of connections, resourcefulness, and faith
In the early hours of the morning, in the old city of Rosh Ha’ayin, one might catch sight of the ever-resourceful Leah Goldberg, who is out at 5 a.m. to ensure that the street cats enjoy a hearty breakfast. At any other time of day, though, the young South African olah will likely be found at her desk, in the city’s newer part, working on her content writing business.
Rosh Ha’ayin, re-established in the 1950s by Jewish settlers from Yemen, has a rich history dating back to Even Ha’Ezer, one of the first settlements after the Exodus. Today, the city is undergoing renovations and is known for its archaeological heritage, which includes ancient farms and biblical connections.
Goldberg’s journey to Rosh Ha’ayin began with love at first sight. Her first visit to Israel in February of 2014 left such an impression that just a few months later, she decided to make aliyah and see where life in Israel might take her.
“I just fell in love with the place – like, very quickly,” she told the Magazine. “Culturally, I felt like I really belonged here… There was this sense of belonging.” With determination and faith, she found a job, secured an apartment, and was left feeling that “God wanted this for me.”
Like many new olim, she began her aliyah journey in Tel Aviv. With the support of Telfed – an organization dedicated to helping Jews from the southern hemisphere to settle in Israel – she found her footing. Living in a subsidized apartment and working as a teacher, she embraced her new life in the vibrant city.
But after five years, the relentless bustle and the soaring cost of living, in what the Economist Intelligence Unit named the world’s most expensive city, eventually pushed her to seek a quieter, more affordable alternative.
Looking for a fresh start, she turned to Momentum Israel to help her find a new home. Her wish list was simple but specific: a space large enough for her cats, a cozy “cottage vibe,” and plenty of surrounding nature. In 2020, she found exactly what she was looking for – a charming cottage in old Rosh Ha’ayin.
She lived there for several years, enjoying the rustic charm, before eventually relocating to one of the city’s newer neighborhoods.
When asked about her favorite things in Rosh Ha’ayin, she didn’t hesitate in answering that the people made the city. “I got introduced to the Yemenite community, and I think they are very nice,” she said. “They have kind hearts; they’re very warm… The old part of Rosh Ha’ayin feels very connected – everyone is connected.”
While Rosh Ha’ayin may not offer the high-end brands of Tel Aviv, and its shuk (outdoor market) is considerably smaller than the one in Jerusalem, Goldberg loves the local shopping scene. “I have all the shop managers on WhatsApp – if I need anything, I just text them,” she said, once again emphasizing the strong interpersonal ties she’s built in the city. “I love the flea market…”
As a doting cat mom and someone with a strong appreciation for animals, she explained that one of the many reasons she continues to live in the city is the animal hospital there and her vet (Vet Psagot Clinic).
Beyond the people, the shopping scene, and her pets’ needs, she loves that Rosh Ha’ayin is a “quiet city” – a contrast to the balagan (chaos) one might find in Israel’s big cities. “Tel Aviv is very vibrant, very New York – everything is going on every second. In Rosh Ha’ayin, you can breathe,” she explained.
She added, “Tel Aviv is really cool if you like going out every night and you want to visit the beach every weekend and have a very vibrant life. But if you like to hibernate more, if you are getting older and stay indoors more, Rosh Ha’ayin fits better.
“It’s nice to live in a place that is very quiet. You don’t want to live in a place with constant construction and noise and [car] honking and balagan... But I think when you come to Israel the first time, Tel Aviv is a great experience.”
Taking a unique journey can often lead to challenges, although Goldberg has found a strong support network backing her through them. Her neighbors, who shared “a lot of love,” spoke English and helped integrate her into the community.
While not fluent in Hebrew, Goldberg said that she has a somewhat decent grasp of the language – something that aided her living where English is rarely spoken. In cases where her Hebrew failed her, the city’s slow pace meant there was never any rush, and she could use her phone to translate when needed.
“When I couldn’t manage, people were very friendly with me when I said I was going to use Google Translate,” she said. “Rosh Ha’ayin has been really easy for me. As an olah, overall, there have been struggles, but in Rosh Ha’ayin things have been really smooth.”
The only thing Goldberg said she found hard was the dating scene. Google Translate may support her in going about her day-to-day life, but building an emotional connection with someone who meets your criteria can be tricky without the means to communicate. Now she runs her own business, has a large group of friends, and a beautiful new apartment.
Signposting another resource for olim, Goldberg credited Yair Amit of Zoo Consulting for helping her create her business – an organization that guides entrepreneurial olim in opening their own companies.
“Thank goodness I have my own business, and I have work, and I am busy because I have created that for myself…,” she told the Magazine. “So, that’s the only thing I have found difficult.”
Goldberg said she would recommend Rosh Ha’ayin to anyone with a family, citing the cost and size of apartments available there. “It’s much friendlier on the budget,” she said, adding that the city has a mix of observant and secular Jewry, making it an ideal place for any type of Jew to call home.
Magda Gonzalez: An intercontinental love story
Magda Gonzalez’s journey to the small central district city of Ganei Tikva is, at its heart, a long love story. Growing up in Colombia, she spent her childhood and young adult years ‘looking for God.’ Her search took her through the New Testament and local indigenous religions, but the connection she longed for remained elusive – until 2006.
In 2006, Magda worked for a bus company, researching her city’s transport system. One day, her boss, a writer, asked if she could help him research his family’s Jewish history. Like Magda and many others in their city, he traced his heritage to the great migration from Spain and Portugal.
Both believed their families were Marranos – Jews who had converted to Christianity. Local traditions, such as using a separate pot for milk, hinted at Jewish roots but lacked clear connections to the Christian practices of the surrounding areas.”
Inspired by her boss, Magda began to delve into Judaism. This was the start of her journey to Israel, Ganei Tikva, and her husband of 13 years.
“I started to get obsessed with Judaism – but when you aren’t Jewish, you don’t know what it means. You don’t know where to look. As Christians and Catholics, we don’t know anything about Judaism,” she told the Magazine.
Knowing of Magda’s research into Judaism, one of her friends quickly called when a Jewish family moved next door to them. The ever-smiling Magda soon befriended the family and later their Israeli friend Eran. Though platonic, Magda and Eran developed a close relationship, so much so that they continued their discussions when Eran returned to Israel.
While protesting rising rent prices in Tel Aviv, Eran and his girlfriend found themselves pulled into the apartment of a man named Moshe – just minutes before police began dispersing the protesters. That brief encounter sparked yet another quick friendship.
A few weeks later, Eran called Magda, eager to tell her about an amazing single man he had just met. As they talked, Moshe unexpectedly knocked on Eran’s door, marking the first time Magda saw him.
“He was so shy, and he was so cute, and everything,” Magda recalled, explaining that the pair began talking on Facebook just three days later. A few months later, in January, Moshe asked what she wanted for her birthday in February. Magda replied that she wanted him to visit. A week later, Moshe showed her the tickets for his flights.
On February 14, Moshe arrived in Colombia, two days before her birthday. “We kissed like we were together all our life,” she said, smiling.
They spent two weeks together, during which time Magda watched as Moshe put on tefillin and recited the Shema every morning. That hour of prayer each day had a profound impact on her. When Moshe prayed the Shema, “I started to cry and cry and cry. I felt like this was something very special… I didn’t plan to become Jewish, but after this…” she explained, her voice filled with emotion as she recalled the moment.
After just two weeks in Colombia, Moshe decided to move there to be with Magda. He returned to Israel, sold his belongings, quit his job, and the pair were reunited. Less than six months after they first spoke and only two months after they met, they were married in April.
When Magda became pregnant with her son Isaac, she knew she wanted to be Jewish. After speaking to a rabbi, Magda began studying Torah. She was later told she could only convert in Israel or New York. Still, she studied and maintained a strong connection to Israel and Judaism.
Magda and Moshe later opened a business selling Israeli products in Colombia, but it didn’t take off as they had hoped. After his aunt recommended they return to Israel, Moshe went back to assess the economic climate. A year or two later, Magda decided she would travel to Israel to be with him. Isaac missed his father, and the daily phone calls weren’t enough.
She sold everything and boarded a flight with only two bags, her dog, and her son. Her flight on March 4, 2020, was one of the last to land in Israel before COVID-19 restrictions were enforced.
Finally reunited, the family moved to a small religious neighborhood in Or Yehuda. Despite their love for Israel, the neighborhood wasn’t the right fit. COVID-19 prevented Moshe from opening his salon, making the cost of housing a challenge. Meanwhile, young Isaac felt marginalized because he wasn’t as religious as the other children in the neighborhood, Magda explained.
It was while on a bus trip traveling through Ganei Tikva that Magda had a realization that this was her home. They packed their bags and moved in 2021.
“I was in love with Ganei Tikva because it was pretty…We have been here three years, and I am very happy. I love this city,” she stressed. “Even if I had the [means] to move to another place, I would choose this city.”
Ganei Tikva, located between Petah Tikva and Kiryat Ono, was first established as Shikun Hayovel in 1949 but was renamed several years later. It only became an official city in 2023 and is now known for its educational institutions, ecological efforts, and expansive green spaces.
After the move, Magda spent years caring for Danny, Moshe’s now-deceased uncle, as he battled declining health. Through this experience, Magda found a sense of purpose, belonging, and community.
“It was one of the best things that happened to me, this family of Moshe’s,” she tearfully said, remembering Danny.
When asked what was so special about Ganei Tikva, Magda described the picturesque walks with her dog, Sol, the many parks for children to play in, and the excellent schools.
For a family with a 12-year-old son, the city offers a lot, she explained.
Magda added she appreciated the accessibility of the amenities there. She is able to walk to the mall, the doctor’s office, and everywhere else she needs to go.
When asked if she faced any struggles living in a neighborhood not known for a large immigrant community, Magda said her challenges were few and far between. However, she did mention several struggles she encountered during her move to Israel.
The war has isolated Magda from her friends, she explained. “The hardest part has been the war – to live in a war… I don’t feel like I have any friends anymore because all the people believe what the media shows them and, in some way, they are judging all the Israelis and all the Jews… It becomes [hard] trying to explain what is happening, and they don’t understand. They don’t see what is happening.
“In Colombia, I have to explain. In Israel, I don’t have to explain to anybody. I am at peace here,” she said. “I love Israel. I love the sky. I love Shabbat – it’s something special. Even [when] the people are grumpy and fight about everything, they really will help another Jew if they really need it. The people will not let one another die of hunger.”
Magda went on to explain that not having family connections like she had in Colombia has sometimes been tricky. Although her father, a lawyer, and her brother, a doctor, had been valuable sources of support when she lived in Colombia, she no longer has those connections. Her solution, she explained, is simple: “I just pray to God.”
Magda now keeps a kosher home with her family and is awaiting the day she can become a citizen – something she was advised will make her conversion process simpler and more affordable.
In parting, she concluded that her journey to Judaism, Israel, Ganei Tikva, and Moshe was “the best thing I have done in my life. The hardest but the best thing.”