This one's personal. If you've listened to Landings & Layovers, you already know Marty. He's my co-host, one of my closest friends, and someone whose Aliyah story I've heard in pieces over the years. What I didn't realize until this conversation is that all those pieces were really just the trailer. Marty's journey to Israel starts long before his Aliyah. His family has roots in Israel dating back to the 1600s. His father was born in pre-state Israel during the British Mandate. Hebrew was spoken in his home growing up. And yet, despite all of that, it still took nearly 40 years before he finally made the move himself. In this episode, we talk about the road that led him from New York and Las Vegas to Tel Aviv, why he and his wife decided to make Aliyah, what it was like arriving during the pandemic with two chihuahuas, and the reality of building a life in Israel after the excitement of the move wears off. Along the way, we get into the stuff that doesn't make it into the Instagram posts. In This EpisodeGrowing up with an Israeli father who spoke only Hebrew and an American mother who spoke only EnglishA family connection to Israel that stretches back more than 400 yearsWhy a world traveler who had visited 65 countries ultimately chose Israel as homeMaking Aliyah with two chihuahuas during lockdowns and discovering the strange loopholes that came with itThe Aliyah process, paperwork nightmares, and the moment Israeli bureaucracy essentially said, "We're just going to call you an Oleh Hadash and move on."The airport arrival story that somehow involved Marty's childhood rabbi welcoming him to IsraelWhy the WhatsApp groups that help you survive Aliyah are often the same ones you'll eventually muteLessons learned from moving an entire life across the worldWhat October 7th changed for Marty and the moment Israel stopped being a place he lived and became a place he truly belonged One of my favorite parts of this conversation is that Marty doesn't romanticize Aliyah. He talks openly about the frustrations, the uncertainty, the bureaucracy, the housing challenges, the language barriers, and the cultural adjustments. But he also talks about the friendships, the community, the opportunities, and the moments that remind you why you came in the first place. And toward the end of the conversation, he shares some advice that I think applies far beyond Aliyah: If you're considering a major life change, go somewhere uncomfortable first. Travel somewhere you've never been. Learn how to be uncomfortable. Learn how to figure things out. If you can handle being lost in Peru, you can probably handle being lost in Misrad HaPnim. This episode isn't really about making Aliyah during a pandemic. It's about identity, belonging, family, community, and the long road to discovering that the place you've always felt connected to is actually home. About Marty PazMarty Paz is a real estate investor, world traveler, and co-host of Landings & Layovers. He has visited more than 65 countries, works with clients across the United States, and currently lives in Tel Aviv with his wife and family. Listen & SubscribeIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who's thinking about Aliyah, living in Israel, or wondering what happens after the plane lands. Follow Aliyah Chronicles🌐 www.aliyahchronicles.com 📸 Instagram: @AliyahChroniclesPod 🎵 TikTok: @AliyahChroniclesPod 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Aliyah Chronicles is a production of Briefly Distracted Media, sharing the stories of people who made Aliyah and what happened after they arrived.
