How many times can you make aliyah? It turns out that the answer can be a little tricky, especially in the case of Anastasia Oreshkin, 25, from Jerusalem. But we’ll get to that in a moment…
Now, breaking news: At the end of November, Anastasia was attending a class as part of the Nativ course when she was given a surprising honor. Her teacher received a phone call and was asked to recommend a student who could attend a panel held at the Jewish Agency. “All you have to do is tell your story and talk about your studies with Nativ,” the teacher told her. Anastasia immediately agreed and soon found herself siting on a large panel with the Jewish Agency’s new chairman, Doron Almog. “I met him and the other participants, and I told my story. I felt like I was doing something important, something meaningful,” she says.
“I knew Israel was home even before I made aliyah.”
When Anastasia is asked when she came to Israel, she immediately says, “April 2020, in the middle of the pandemic.” But after a short conversation, she surprises us by revealing that she and her parents had actually moved to Israel from Ukraine once before, when she was just five years old. “That was my first aliyah. I came here with my parents, we lived in Holon, and I attended kindergarten and 1st grade here, but after about two years we went back to Ukraine,” she says. “I remember the experience well – three days on a ship at sea, and also the activities that various guides did with us, the kids of the immigrants. They told us about Judaism, tradition, culture, and Israeli holidays. I remember everything. At that time, I was sure that I was Jewish because my dad was Jewish, but when I was 12 or 14 I realized that technically only someone with a Jewish mother is considered Jewish.”
As a young woman in Ukraine, Anastasia’s Jewish identity was an ever-present aspect of her life. “Long before I made aliyah again, I knew that Israel was my home.”
In September 2019, these strong feelings turned into actions and Anastasia came to Israel to study Hebrew for three months. “I’d forgotten all my Hebrew from childhood,” she laughs, “I thought I had to just brush it up but basically I had to relearn everything.” As mentioned, her move became official in the spring of 2020 and Anastasia decided to make her home in Jerusalem. Her parents remained overseas – due to the conflict in Ukraine, her mother went to stay with relatives in Germany, while her father had to remain in Ukraine.
The Mission: Taking it to the next level.
So we understand why you made aliyah, but why did you decide to convert?
“I just realized that I wanted to take it to the next level. I realized there was no point in waiting. At that point I hadn’t met my partner, Chaim, yet, but I already knew I wanted to start a family. I also knew I’d been in Israel long enough to move forward – and become officially Jewish.”
Other than the conversion itself, what did you get out of the Nativ course? Did anything surprise you?
“The first thing that comes to mind is everyone I met on the course – some of them have become close friends. The classes themselves are fascinating too. I was an instructor for the Jewish Agency in Ukraine for a while, so I thought I knew a lot about Judaism. I did know about holiday customs and traditions, but I was surprised to discover that there’s so much more to learn. For example, reading the Torah. Now, when I read the Book of Genesis, I suddenly see and understand things very differently, in a more profound way. And I really like that. I also think that everything to do with blessings and the Siddur is fascinating.”
It sounds like you know more about Judaism than some native Israelis, right?
“Maybe, I don’t know… Although I recently heard that there are Israelis who don’t know what kiddush is…”
How is the relationship with your host family?
“They live near me, and Chaim and I have a close relationship with them. Luckily, my host is a rabbi – he’s a very interesting guy with immense knowledge. Thanks to him, I not only get answers to my many questions, but also feel very connected to the topics taught in the course. He completes the big picture for me.”
Finally, what did you like most about the course?
“I established a very special bond with my teacher, Bella. That bond, along with all the people I met and the study materials, made me so excited to come to every single lesson!”
