For Long Beach family, Modi’in spells happiness

For Tal and Isaac Attia, affiliated with The BACH in Long Beach, this Pesach marks a milestone. It’s their first as Israeli citizens.

“Every year in the States, I’d tear up at the Seder, knowing we weren’t here yet,” Tal shares. “This year, we’re finally home.”

The Attias made aliyah last year with their three children. They said an anticipated massive challenge has instead been “surprisingly smooth, even joyful.”

Living in Modi’in’s Shimshoni-Kaiser neighborhood, the Attias were immediately embraced, invited out for Shabbat dinners every week for their first seven months. “The communal warmth was more than we could have hoped for,” Isaac says.

Their children are thriving, especially impressive given the unique considerations they faced. Their eldest son, who has hearing loss, started kita bet (second grade) just weeks after their arrival.

“We were nervous about how he would adjust, but the support here has exceeded anything we imagined,” Tal says. From advanced classroom acoustics to integration into a community of kids with hearing loss through Shema, he’s not only succeeding academically but growing socially and emotionally — and even sounds Israeli now. Their daughter, in gan chova, already understands everything in Hebrew.

“The kaytana (day camp) helped so much. It was fun and pressure-free,” Tal adds.

Professionally, Tal continues her impactful work with the OU’s JLIC (Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus), a role she has held for years supporting Jewish students on campuses across North America. Now she’s working remotely with campuses in Israel, such as Tel Aviv University, Bar Ilan, and Haifa. Her behind-the-scenes work has been critical, especially in moments of crisis — like when a rabbi at Columbia University spoke out about rising antisemitism.

Isaac, formerly a school principal and community rabbi, is transitioning into the tech world via the Cheirut Center (formerly Tikvah Israel), seeking a smoother acclimation into Israeli professional life.

Though the rise in antisemitism abroad didn’t solely drive their decision, it did add urgency.

“We always knew we were going to make aliyah,” Tal says. “We used to say, ‘We’re not putting our kids in American schools.’ When war broke out in Israel, we were already planning, but it crystallized the feeling that it was time. We didn’t want to sit on the sidelines anymore. We wanted to be where the Jewish people are.”

Now, as Pesach approaches, the family prepares to celebrate in a land where their children sing songs that include prayers for IDF soldiers and where ancient history feels alive and personal. Their Modi’in home is carefully planned, including a mamad (safe room) for their son who cannot hear sirens.

Pesach in Israel, for the Attias, is no longer a dream — it’s a lived, vibrant, and deeply emotional experience.

News source: Nefesh B’Nefesh