vote

Discussing why my klita was ok and is going well would take alot of writing. I'll be happy to answer questions.

made aliyah in '96 the army called me up a few months later and came back to usa in 99 but would love to move back if I could get my wife to go

Well maybe it would help to tell your wife Israel has changed a lot since 96. For example, Ramat Beit Shemesh was a barren hilltop. Now it's like a city. Ramat Shlomo and lots of other areas of Yerushalyim weren't built yet (or barely built). So there are more American areas to choose from.

Also communications are cheaper - with VoIP phones and webcams I see and talk to people in the US more than I ever did before.

Lots more products are being imported - Golden flow orange juice for example. How cool is that?

And here's is where everything is happening! Come back soon!

she has been ther and we went together last year and I showed her all that stuff but she hates even NY- her folks are in LA so NY is as far as she is willing to live away from her parents, now if my brother in laws and I can convince my FiL to move... maybe

It was the best experience of my life

Yep. 10+ years. It has its ups and downs just like life. Making aliyah and living in Israel can be a "culture shock". But you grow used to it. Or you leave.

It's the best place to be. Of course there are moments.....

Just started the process. We hope to be there in September.

I make aliyah almost every week since the shul is small and with only about 10-12 mispallelim every week virtually everyone is assured of making aliyah.

my thoughts exactly

Indeed it's called Aliyah for the same reason. You are elevated spiritually.

At Kumah we have a pin that reads "Keep Making Aliyah" the idea is that Aliyah doesn't end at the airport and you have to keep rising up spiritually every day!

they only hard time I had after making aliyah was foinding a shidduch and getting the army to accept me (charedi all the way here, so they sent me home 4 times, I kept telling them I want to serve my country)

But you did find a shidduch? Did you ever get into the army?

I too made a aliyah from 96 to 98.

Wow...never knew we had so many olim here - and yordim! Guys come back Home!

Split Melech's comment about yordim to here. -P

So many things to say about making Aliyah... Wow. When we moved to IL life sure changed...

My immigration went well, although I can't imagine any member here will have to look into the programs I initially joined.
Started with Sherut Leumi straight away, to support myself. Was offered free, excellent education. Shared housing, but it was part of the deal.

Ditto.

I found my shidduch back here in NY
as I said they sent me home 4 times last time they sent me home was witha shichrur/patur misherut tzvait

What did you do to make you so lucky?

i made aliyah by myself almost four years ago. the experience right afterwards was red tape, red tape, red tape. but i think that i was soooooo much in 7th heaven that i didnt even reaslize how bad teh beaurocracy actually was.
i would have to say that overall my aliyah has been wonderful. and of course about a year ago i met my now husband, so i alwys thank HaShem for allowing me to build my life here and to have helped me find my partner for life in the country that i so very much wanted to live in:)