Oakland family of six pulling up roots to plant in Israel

by Renee Ghert-Zand
Jewish Weekly
May 26, 2011

Rabbi Jason Rozen, his wife, Bruria, and their four young children
live in Oakland. But not for long. In July, they will be making aliyah 
to Israel and setting up a new home in Beit Shemesh, near Jerusalem.

“We are making an important step in our lives that will carry us 
into the next stage,” Jason said. Moving to Israel, although it is a 
big change, seems natural to the family. “Years of Jewish education 
have instilled in us a love for the Land of Israel and the value of 
living in the State of Israel,” explained Bruria. Moreover, they will be 
joining many extended family members who have made aliyah.

When Jason, 32, the middle-school director at Oakland Hebrew Day 
School for the past seven years, and his wife, 31, married nine years 
ago, they made what they called their “10-year Israel plan.” 
In other words, they hoped to make aliyah within 10 years of their 
wedding date. “It was always a dream,” he said. “But it became 
much more of a practical reality when I was recently offered a 
work opportunity in Israel.”

Immediately upon arrival, he will begin his job at a new gap-year 
program called Imadi, working with Ahron Glazer, a former 
Oakland resident who ran the East Bay teen group NCSY. 
Imadi will offer students college-level courses at the Hebrew 
University of Jerusalem’s Rothberg International School, 
Jewish text study, travel and other Israel experiences. 
Although it has an Orthodox orientation, Imadi is open to 
all post–high school Jewish students. Rozen expects the 
program to begin this fall with 30 students 
(see http://www.imadi.org).

The rabbi, who also serves as the youth director at Oakland’s 
Beth Jacob Congregation, is confident Imadi will be a good fit 
for him. His wife, meanwhile, will focus on getting the family 
settled in their new home. “We chose to live in Beit Shemesh 
because it’s a community we can see ourselves in,” she said. 
“There are a lot of American olim [immigrants] there, 
good schools and lots of kids.”

The Rozens are hopeful that Nachum, 7, Avigayil, 5, Yedidya, 3, 
and Bayla, 1, will be happy with their new environment. 
“They see our aliyah as an exciting thing,” Jason reflected. 
“We have always talked about and valued Israel - both at 
home and at school. Our older two, especially, are very proud 
and know that moving to Israel is a big deal.”

The children naturally have been asking questions about whether 
they will stay in touch with old friends and whether they will 
meet new ones. “They want to know what it is going to be like,” 
Jason said.

“We’ve been telling them about how all the food is kosher there 
and getting them excited about that,” Bruria added.

Their dad, who has a penchant for eating shwarma at Israeli 
gas station restaurants, has been joking with the kids that they 
will be eating hummus-flavored breakfast cereal when they 
get to Israel.

Both Rozens spent time in Israel earlier in their lives, but other 
than a short work-related trip Jason took a couple of years ago 
with the Bureau of Jewish Education’s BASIS program for Israel 
education in Bay Area day schools, they have not been back 
since they were married.

The Rozens consequently are grateful for all the assistance and 
support they have been receiving from Nefesh B’Nefesh, 
an Israeli-based organization whose goal is increasing aliyah 
from North America.

“They’ve been amazing, so helpful. They have made everything 
crystal clear,” Bruria said. “They really do make aliyah very 
simple,” Jason said.

The couple also has been working with Nir Wittenberg, 
the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Pacific Northwest regional 
director for aliyah in San Francisco.

“Our aliyah will be bittersweet,” Bruria shared.

“We are really feeling a mixed bag of emotions,” echoed Jason.

On one hand, they are looking forward to being nearby four of 
Bruria’s siblings, as well as Jason’s sister - all have already 
made aliyah.

In addition, Jason’s mother is Israeli, and her entire family 
lives in Tel Aviv. The nearness to so many relatives is a big draw, 
especially since the Rozens have no family in the Bay Area 
(Jason is from New Jersey and Bruria is from Boston).

On the other hand, it is hard for them to leave the “close-knit, 
positive” Jewish community they have found in Oakland. 
They admit it will be a bit challenging to figure out where 
they “fit in” in Israeli society after being used to the 
Bay Area’s characteristic pluralistic Jewish scene.

“But we’ll have some time to start figuring that out while 
we camp out for six to eight weeks in our new house while 
waiting for all our belongings to arrive,” a laughing Jason 
said optimistically.