Aliyah inspired by love affair with Israel that began at PJA

By ELIZABETH SCHWARTZ

article created on: 2011-05-01T00:00:00

Many college students spend a semester or a year studying abroad, but few actually become citizens of another country in the process.

Shuly Wasserstrom, 21, did just that, making aliyah in February 2010 to become an Israeli citizen, while also carrying a full academic load at Tel Aviv University. Wasserstrom, the daughter of Oregon Jewish Museum Executive Director Judy Margles and Reed Professor of Religious Studies Steve Wasserstrom, has had a long and intimate connection with her adopted country, beginning at age 10, when she and her family spent a year in Jerusalem. She also spent a semester of her junior year in high school in Israel.

“The best part of high school was the four months I spent in Jerusalem in 2007,” Wasserstrom recalled during a visit with her family in Portland for Passover. “I made life-long friends.”

Wasserstrom credits her years at Portland Jewish Academy with beginning her love affair with Israel.

“I had a wonderful experience at PJA; from the time I was in kindergarten, we had Israeli Hebrew teachers and I remember learning Israeli Hebrew songs,” she said. “When we were little we always thought of Israel as this amazing place. Being surrounded by Jewish peers until eighth grade, I became comfortable in a predominantly Jewish environment.”

Wasserstrom spent a year at Syracuse University, and then took a year off in 2009 to return to Israel, spending a semester in Ramla, one of the most impoverished towns in Israel, located just south of Tel Aviv. In Ramla, Wasserstrom volunteered in an after-school program, teaching English to Ethiopian students.

“When I went back [to Israel] it felt like I was coming home,” she explained. “I had a lot of friends there and realized I wanted to stay, but I also wanted to continue my education.”

After completing a semester-long ulpan for new immigrants who want to continue their university education in Israel, Wasserstrom applied to Tel Aviv University.

“I wanted to live in Tel Aviv. It’s a different cultural hub that centers on young Israeli culture and has a really active night life,” said Wasserstrom. “To tell the truth, Jerusalem made me feel a bit constricted. Also, the Political Science Department at Tel Aviv really interested me. Learning politics and international relations in Israel is exactly what I want to do, because I’m interested in Israeli-American relations. The Political Science Departmentat Tel Aviv University has Arab professors and Arab students; we get all sides of the story, and it’s an unbiased, varied outlook. Being there and learning from all sorts of professors and students is a great opportunity to really understand what’s happening.”

Interestingly, Wasserstrom places less emphasis on her status as a new olah (citizen) than as a university student studying in a foreign language.

“My basic identity hasn’t changed all that much; what’s important is that I’m studying in an Israeli University in Hebrew, but my fellow-students don’t think making aliyah is such a big deal.” Asked why she decided to make aliyah, Wasserstrom explained, “I felt a connection to Israel, and after you make aliyah you feel more a part of the society. Israelis often ask if you’ve made aliyah, so you feel more validated. I’m not just a foreign student living in a foreign country; I’m part of the country.”

At this point, Wasserstrom isn’t sure what the future holds for her.

“I’m young and I’m still figuring it all out. Being an olah is still pretty new for me and it’s hard to say what I’ll end up doing, but I’m really enjoying my experience. Academically I’m challenged, but I’m having a great time.”

Elizabeth Schwartz is co-host of the Yiddish Hour on 90.7fm KBOO Community Radio and a freelance writer living in Portland.