St. Louis Then… Israel Now
Aliyah’s Name: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

“What were you thinking when you named your daughter Aliyah?” I asked Marvin Schneider, father of Aliyah Schneider.

“Since she was a child, I had my hopes for her to be ‘called up’ to a higher calling. In many ways she has had her sights set on doing all she can to make the world a better place. The fact that the word ‘aliyah’ also means to return to Israel has been a great coincidence.”

In fact, the name “Aliyah” does not appear in the popular website which lists over 2,200 Jewish baby names. The word “aliyah” literally translated is “ascent.”  In Jewish life it refers to Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel.

Aliyah first connected with Israel through her studies at the Epstein Hebrew Academy and Block Yeshiva High School. “My first trip to Israel was when I was a student at Block and I went on the March of Living program.  “We were hundreds of teens from all over the world who gathered in Poland on Holocaust Memorial Day and then flew on to Israel to observe Israel Independence Day.  The experience was very emotional for me since my grandfather was a Holocaust survivor.”

Staffing a Mission
In 2005 Aliyah was hired by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis as a development associate, and the following year she went to Israel on a working trip for development associates who plan mission trips for federations.

“Then came my Birthright trip in 2007,” recalls Aliyah.   “Being a Birthright participant while I was working at the Federation gave me a perspective that later helped me to staff a mission.” 

All the while, her professional life was intertwined with her personal life. As a volunteer, Aliyah was active with SLIC – the St. Louis Israel Connection, which empowers people in their 20s and 30s to advocate on behalf of Israel.”

In the spring of 2008, the Missouri Botanical Gardens and the Jewish Federation of St. Louis teamed up for a jointly sponsored trip to Israel. “And I had the privilege of staffing this mission,” says Aliyah. “It was a pivotal trip for me. Before leaving Israel, I took to heart the advice of my Israeli cousin, Einat, who was always encouraging me ‘to make things happen.’”

What did Aliyah want to happen?  “I realized that I wanted to try and really live in Israel.  There were many options, but I chose a program sponsored by the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS).  Why?  Because I was influenced by Neil Lazarus, an internationally acclaimed expert in Middle East studies, Israel advocacy and effective communication training.  At the time, Neil was teaching at the WUJS program.

On a Mission
When Aliyah applied for the WUJS program, this is what she wrote:

“My ultimate goal is to bridge the life I’ve led thus far as an American Jew (and) the land and people of Israel by building a more profound relationship with the land while strengthening my skills as a leader/ambassador for the country.”

Does she feel that she has accomplished this goal?  “I have definitely strengthened my skills,” says Aliyah. 

“It’s been said that to know a country, you have to walk it. An important component of the WUJS program is the weekly field trip.  The official name of the program is WUJS: Land, Language, and Society.

“Also my Hebrew has greatly improved.  Though I’m not totally fluent, I am very comfortable with the language. And my connection to Israeli society was strengthened through my volunteer work in the southern city of Sderot with the Sderot Media Center.”

On the evening of December 25th, 2008, Aliyah was one of four WUJS participants privileged to attend a Chanukah candle lighting ceremony with the Prime Minister of Israel and the head of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

“It was an amazing experience to participate in such a special and unique event and one that I'm not likely to ever forget,” remarked Aliyah in a  report to the Federation. Read about this event at: http://www.jewishinstlouis.org/section.aspx?id=29

What does Aliyah miss from St. Louis? “Bais Abe.  A shul like Bais Abe doesn’t exist in Jerusalem.  It’s diverse; it’s out-of-the-box.  It’s me.”

This is quintessential Aliyah, a warm and bubbly 28 year-old with a contagious smile.

Next mission
Aliyah has been here since July 2008, but her program ends in mid-February. “What’s your next mission?” I ask her.

“My options are open,” Aliyah replies. And she smiles.

Written by former St. Louisan Leah Hakimian, who now lives in Jerusalem.