It’s often said that marrying a girl from Chicago means you can pretty much expect to live there; and for Josh and Shoshi (Lichtenstein) Ross, that was certainly the case. Originally from Rochester, NY, Josh, who attended Shaalvim and YU, had a dream of aliyah but the trajectory of normal life seemed to get in the way. An entrepreneur who will chat (or play sports) with anyone he meets; Josh started an important nonprofit organization from his dorm room in college. When he got that off the ground, he went on to build a successful Solar Energy Company. And then, like every good husband of a Chicagoan, Josh agreed to leave New York to join Shoshi’s parents and sisters in Chicago, where her family owns a local bagel restaurant.
Life was good in Chicago; their five kids were happy at their schools, they had good friends, their kids were growing up with their cousins. Living in Israel became something that seemed out of reach. Concerns such as uprooting their family from their comfort zone to learning a new culture, a new language, and the risk of ensuring their children would thrive – including their oldest who was already a teenager – were real and legitimate concerns.
But when you have a dream, it doesn’t extinguish easily. As Josh says, “I’m an old school Zionist. Israel was the place our grandparents could have only dreamed of living in. Israel is a safe haven for Jews. G-d constantly talks about our land in nearly every parsha, it seems. Plus, the shawarma.”
Shoshi shared the dream. The biggest challenge was leaving her family behind. As it turned out, for the most part, she didn’t have to. One of her sisters, Talia Cohen, had already made aliyah a few years before with her family. Now it seemed most of the family was ready to follow.
In the summer of 2021, Josh and Shoshi, along with two of Shoshi’s sisters, Dina Hartstein and Naomi Shicker, along with their families (including a few teenagers!) and Shoshi’s parents, Linda and Howard Lichtenstein all made aliyah together to Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph.
In Josh’s own words:
“Two and a half years into our aliyah, our family (children and adults) have made new friends. We’ve held onto some non-Israeli habits like buying American cereal, playing baseball, flag football, and ice hockey (in Netanya) but are also slowly adapting to Israeli culture. Most importantly, we feel at home, both in the personal and communal sense. Israel is our home and, G-d-willing, it will be the home for our kids and future generations. It’s one big dysfunctional loving family. If you can look past the small things, you will notice the many larger than life experiences (even on a daily basis).”
Josh’s advice for those considering aliyah: take a pilot trip, talk to as many people as possible, you’ll get a different perspective from everyone and they are all correct in some ways. Try to have a job secured and find a community that aligns with your values and budget. Always be positive and know in your heart, it’s the place where we all belong. One way or another, we’re all going to end up here.
