"Two years ago, I arrived in Israel as a fresh college graduate and fell in love with the country. A summer trip turned into a year-long adventure on the Masa Israel Teaching Fellows With Israel Experience… except it was cut short due to COVID.

 

 

I had to return home to Florida in March 2020 and put my Nefesh B’Nefesh application on hold. Little did I know that just a month later, I would meet my husband (on a Facebook group called Meet Jew!) Aryeh is a fellow Floridian who also had to return home during COVID from New York. We knew right away it was meant to be, and we got married in November 2020.

 

 

A few months ago, we finished our Nefesh B’Nefesh applications together (after struggling to get them merged as a married couple!) We just arrived home on Thursday and are looking forward to building our home in Jerusalem (after we find an apartment)! Aryeh is a Jewish educator and rabbinical student passionate about sustainability.

 

 

I am a health writer and educator passionate about real food and holistic living. We are so grateful to Nefesh B’Nefesh for helping make our dream a reality!" - Manya Ronay