Alumni, aliyah and the bonds that endure

The way that each of them combine their professional goals with their dedication to the Jewish people and the land of Israel is awesome.

My head is still spinning from the whirlwind of emotions we experienced on our journey into the lives of campus alumni in Israel. The diversity of talents, professional experiences, personal challenges, resilient perspectives and aliyah directions were tied together by the bonds we shared at a common Shabbos table, a Torah class, or a chat on the living room sofa years ago in Pittsburgh.

My husband, Rabbi Shmuel Weinstein, and I traveled to Israel for the wedding of a Pitt alum, Sofia Rubin, who graduated in December 2023. Three years ago, Sofia made aliyah after experiencing Palestinian protests on campus in the aftermath of Oct. 7. For her, there was one place to go: Israel. Soon after arriving in Israel, Sofia met Etai, who also recently made aliyah, and the rest is history.

Before and after Sofia and Etai’s wedding, Shmuel and I arranged to see Chabad House alumni. Their sense of purpose and fulfillment from thriving in a society of vast differences —cultural and ethnic, religious and ideological — was fascinating.

Day to day life in Israel is exciting. Despite tremendous challenges, from economics to actual physical survival, Israelis love their land and their lives there. Even the cabdriver, who showed us his gas receipt topping $200 per fill-up (which happens two to three times per week), insisted that Israel is the best place to live and he will never leave.

We had the privilege to stay with Miri Gantshar (class of ’91) who lives in Moshav Neve Michael on the border of Judaea/Samaria. For Miri, there’s no act too big or too small in accommodating others in her beautiful country home. Miri brought her 97 year-old mother from hospice in Philadelphia this year to live with her in Israel. Needless to say, she is on call 24/7 and is loving the opportunity. In the short week we were there, Miri attended two weddings and hosted two sheva brochas festive meals for the newlyweds. The week culminated in a celebratory dinner for Pitt alumni from different generations welcoming the new couple, who recently made aliyah. The sense of purpose, of unity and of identity as one people, one family, was overwhelming. We were all just happy to be together in our land.

When I thanked Ari Heitner (class of ’98) for making the effort to join even though his schedule was conflicting that day, he answered, “I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to get together with you!” I was constantly reminded that life in Israel is day by day. Every hour is precious. Every minute accounted for.

Menachem Genut, who came to our Chabad House from Israel while earning his PhD in 1990, drove us from our hotel in Tel Aviv to his start-up company’s site in Kibbutz Nir Am along the Gaza border. His company, YOPI, is developing a groundbreaking arm band real-time diagnostic, which monitors health and performance during rigorous physical activity, a potentially life-saving innovation. I was amazed at how his team members were so open and interested to explain the technology. “Every Jew is responsible for another,” as it says in the Talmud (Shavuot 39a). The Gemara discusses the interconnected spiritual responsibility of the Jewish people — that one Jew’s actions affect the collective, and that Jews are obligated to care for one another materially and spiritually. Here, in Kibbutz Nir Am, it was tangible.

We felt that same sense of connectivity with other alumni who are doing cutting-edge research in subjects such as environmental anthropology, musicology and oncology. The way that each of them combine their professional goals with their dedication to the Jewish people and the land of Israel is awesome. A highlight of our trip was joining alumni Sol and Gabi Horvitz (class of ‘06) at the Kotel to watch the induction of their nephew as an IDF paratrooper. Such pride and heroism is beyond description.

Our last day was spent meeting Professors Jen and Ilia Murtazashvili, from the School of Governance at the University of Pittsburgh, who left Pittsburgh for Ilia’s sabbatical and Jen’s Fulbright Distinguished Scholar fellowship in Tel Aviv. Their enthusiasm for life in Israel despite the 150 escapes to their maamad, or shelter, following missile sirens during the Iran war, is inspiring.

After our 38 years on campus in Pittsburgh, it was refreshing to hear Jen and Ilia’s determination to connect Israeli society with students, faculty and administrators at Pitt.

Finally, we gathered with a few alumni for dinner to renew old ties, catch up on the latest family news and enjoy the kosher cuisine of an outdoor cafe on Tel Aviv’s cultural center on Dizengoff Street. It’s difficult to convey the depth and breadth of conversations. There were so many messages communicated between the lines. Despite the tremendous tragedy of Oct. 7 and its aftermath, we must talk about good things and seek out the positive strengths of those around us.

Israel is strong and its people are resilient. Their mission is to spread light in a dark world. We left Israel grateful to have seen people we love knowing that we are forever connected as Am Yisrael, one nation. Am Yisrael Chai! PJC

Sara Weinstein is co-director of Chabad House on Campus in Pittsburgh.