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When Miriam Aviva Ross arrived in Israel a month and a half ago, she didn’t know a word of Hebrew.
Navigating the country’s bureaucracy proved to be a real challenge, she told ILTV. Fortunately, she found support through Belong, an organization dedicated to helping new immigrants.
“Belong was hugely helpful in getting me in contact with the immigration authorities, translating documents so that I knew what I needed to fill out, what to bring, and even the staff offering to come to my appointments with me to translate in real time,” Ross said.
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MAKING ALIYAH
She first heard about Belong from her brother, who had moved to Israel from the United States a few years earlier. When he learned that she was interested in making aliyah, he immediately connected her with the organization for support.
“You know you’re not just going to need help with one thing. It’s going to be a whole range of things,” Ross recalled her brother telling her. “You’ll only really realize when you get here you’re not able to do everything.”
Though thrilled to be in Israel, Ross acknowledged that the process of moving to a new country is challenging.
“So, Belong has honestly been essential to my success in establishing myself here,” she said.