First Home Update – The Ideal Match: From Brazil to the Negev Desert
Many years of experience help us understand that life in a kibbutz is not for everyone, but a kibbutz is always a good choice for soft landing and starting from scratch after making aliyah. However, sometimes it happens that the place is ideal for the family and then we talk about a perfect match.
Rafael, Fernanda and Liana are celebrating Lag BaOmer (Jewish religious holiday) together with other kibbutz dwellers | Photo: JAFI
This is exactly what happened to the Bitterman family from Brazil. Everyone in the kibbutz knows them, everyone loves them. Rafael (43 y.o.), his wife Fernanda (34 y.o.) and their little princess Liana (7 y.o.) came to Israel two years ago and were accommodated in kibbutz Revivim. They literally flew halfway around the world to get home.
Photo: JAFI
By a lucky coincidence they became not only participants of the “First Home in the Homeland” program, but also my neighbors. So, we spent many lucky hours together sharing one cozy balcony and celebrating Jewish holidays. At first our children did not have an opportunity to communicate in one common language. My son is a native Russian speaker while Liana is a Portuguese speaker. It took them only 3 weeks to start playing in Hebrew together.
“The first thing Rafael did after arriving was to place an Israeli flag on the balcony”
Photo: JAFI
The Aliyah wasn’t a spontaneous decision for them. Rafael always knew about his Jewish roots and was proud of his origins. Fernanda fully supports him. They even had a wedding under Chuppah according to the Jewish traditions. More that his parents have also moved to Israel shortly before them. The first thing Rafael did after arriving was to place an Israeli flag on the balcony.
Of course, they were able to live with Rafael’s parents in the city, but they decided to come via the Program because of the better integration for their daughter and intensive Hebrew class for them. In Brazil Rafael used to work as a physiotherapist, Fernanda as a nurse. Therefore, it was very important for them to learn the language at a high level.
They are not currently working in their field but have made great progress in Hebrew. Rafael works in the local supermarket, Fernanda temporarily stopped working at the kibbutz kindergarten because a miracle happened unexpectedly…
We have always said that a seed planted in fertile soil bears fruit, and it really does work.
Photo: JAFI
This Tu BiShvat (Jewish New Year of the Trees) brought them the most important fruit. Exactly on 13th of February they became parents of two daughters, because their second daughter decided to be born on the Promised Land in kibbutz Revivim. They gave her the name Tamari that means “Date” in Hebrew. They did so in accordance with the beautiful tradition of naming children born on Tu BiShvat after flowers, fruits and plants. Just a month later, at the Purim celebration, the four of them appeared dressed as “M&M’s” candies.
Today as all Jewish people celebrate the holiday of Freedom, “Pesach”, I write this story to show you what real freedom is. The real freedom is feeling at home enough on the Promised Land to build your life here, feeling safe enough to give a new life, and being proud enough to show who you are!
Thank you for your support and love!
Please support the “First Home in the Homeland” Project. Any amount is welcome!
Assisting a family in the “First Home” program costs € 230 euro / US $ 250 a month.
Support in €
Support in US $
