For six-year-old twins Miriam and Sophia Reinstein, starting school in Israel means starting school, period. After making Aliyah from Arizona to Modi’in this summer, the sisters are preparing to enter kita aleph (first grade), a Hebrew phrase they already proudly know how to say, at a school that is bigger than the one in their hometown.

They are especially excited to learn Hebrew, though they’re already divided on one important aspect of life in Modi’in, the weather. Miriam says it is cold, while Sophia insists it is hot. Their older brother Leo, meanwhile, is entering fifth grade and is also preparing to navigate school without yet knowing Hebrew.

The twins are hardly arriving in Israel without family. They have “about 5 thousand, 204 billion” cousins here, according to Miriam.

The Reinsteins are not the only young newcomers finding their footing this school year. All five children featured here made Aliyah with their families through Nefesh B’nefesh, in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, and Jewish National Fund-USA. 

For nine-year-old Tari Schonfeld, who made Aliyah from Cleveland and is entering fourth grade, the transition is already beginning to feel familiar. She had visited Israel four or five times for weddings and family visits, and her cousins made Aliyah about 20 years ago. Now she lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh, her favorite place in Israel.

“I was a little nervous but mostly excited and happy,” Tari says of finding out she would be making Aliyah. She was particularly looking forward to meeting friends, and she already has a head start.  Her classmates reached out to her prior to the new school year starting, and even gave her a tour of her new school. 

What does she like most about Israel? “Meeting friends, and the parks.” Her favorite food is sushi, and she thinks they make it better in Israel.

For Tari, one of the biggest adventures ahead is learning Hebrew. She hopes that by the time she has settled into her new school, the language will feel increasingly natural. And she enters her Israeli schooling career with a clear idea of what she wants to do: become a teacher, just like her mother.

For brothers Samuel and Asher Edelstein, some of the excitement has come from discovering just how much surrounds them in their new home. 

Samuel, 14, who is entering 10th grade, and Asher, 11, who is heading into 6th grade, made Aliyah from West Hempstead, New York, to Hashmonaim.  Just 11 days into life in Israel, they are already enjoying being so close to biblical and historical sites, like the Kotel, as well as having more nature around them than they did in New York. The brothers had visited Israel a couple of times before making Aliyah, so when their family decided to make the move, they reacted with excitement. “I wouldn’t say we, like, wanted [to make Aliyah],” Samuel says, “but we were happy with the decision.”

Both boys are “mostly excited” about school, and a little nervous. They are the only new olim in their respective classes, although there are many others in their school and community. Learning Hebrew is high on the list of priorities, with Asher particularly looking forward to school helping him pick up the language quickly.

Regarding favorite Israeli foods, they don’t stray from the classics: Samuel’s favorite is shawarma, while Asher enjoys Israeli ice cream and fruit.

For the brothers, sometimes it’s the small things that can be most intriguing. Samuel has heard that high school in Israel comes with more independence than in America. Friends have told him that students can even “go home and get a snack in the middle of the day.”

Across different ages, cities and schools, these five young Olim are entering the year with many of the same things on their minds: learning Hebrew, figuring out new routines, and perhaps most importantly, finding friends.

And for kids who might be nervous about making the same move, the advice is simple.

“It’s really special here and you’re gonna make a lot of friends,” Tari says.

Samuel agrees. “Even though it might be scary, you should still try and be happy and make the most of it. Cause it is a lot easier than it seems, and it’s gonna get better and everything is going to work out.”

This article was written in collaboration with Nefesh B'Nefesh.