The Blogs: Yom HaAliyah: Words fail me | Kally Rubin Kislowicz

In a personal essay for Yom HaAliyah, Kally Rubin Kislowicz recounts a synagogue mixer where an icebreaker panel on language mistakes led to bonding between Israeli and Anglo members. A Hebrew misunderstanding about the word 'convert' (giyoret) caused confusion but sparked connection. The essay also touches on her son's frustration with classmates who downplay aliyah's difficulty and her daughter receiving a zebra-print hot water bottle at school.

In a personal essay for The Times of Israel's blog section, Kally Rubin Kislowicz reflects on Yom HaAliyah, Israel's national holiday celebrating immigration. She describes a Friday night mixer at her synagogue designed to foster connections between Israeli and Anglo members. Initially anxious about language barriers, she was called to an icebreaker panel where the first question—about embarrassing children with language mistakes—led to shared stories and genuine bonding. A humorous misunderstanding occurred when she said 'I am a convert' (giyoret) to explain her preference for Friday off; Israelis interpreted it as a religious conversion, not a cultural adjustment. The essay also touches on her son's frustration with Israeli classmates who downplay aliyah's difficulties, and her daughter being publicly honored at school with a zebra-print hot water bottle. Kislowicz concludes by linking her storytelling to the biblical commandment to recount the Exodus, framing her family's aliyah narrative as a modern iteration of that tradition.