In this episode of Sababoosh, I sit down with Dov Lipman, a former Knesset member and passionate advocate for olim (immigrants) to Israel. Now at the helm of an influential organization dedicated to supporting new arrivals, Dov shares his unique journey from the political arena to grassroots immigrant assistance.
We delve into the stories and challenges of olim, exploring how they enrich Israeli society and the hurdles they face in adapting to a new home.
As an oleh myself, this episode hits close to home and left me inspired and proud to have made aliyah. Something that especially moved me was the idea that olim can inject a sense of gratitude and freshness into the experiences of native-born Israelis. Things naturally get taken for granted and it often takes a visitor or new arrival to show us how special the things that we have really are.
The stories that Dov shares are especially powerful in these days. It can be moving to hear the success stories and struggles of olim. It’s not so common to hear from someone who helps olim so closely.
I remember how frequently I would see social media posts meant for Dov asking for him to help someone get a relative into the country or help navigate Israeli bureaucracy. A lot has happened since COVID, but there is still plenty of work for Dov and his team to do.
I’m very grateful for the work that he and his organization are doing and something about this interview in particular got me thinking about my own journey and how I relate to living in Israel. I hope that you find it meaningful as well.
Tune in to uncover insights from Dov's experiences, shedding light on the importance of community, resilience, and the vital work being done to integrate newcomers into the vibrant fabric of Israeli culture.
Learn more about Dov's organization, Yad L'Olim, at the organization's website: www.yadlolim.org
The episode was recorded in Nomi Studios in Jerusalem.
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