Entrepreneur and new olah Maayan Gordon joins David Levine to share why she and her family left the comfort of American life and made Aliyah during a war.

From motherhood and business to community and purpose, this is a story about finding home and building a life in Israel—one messy step at a time.

After years of building businesses in the United States, Maayan never imagined she would one day leave the comfort and convenience of American life behind. But after October 7th, a long-awaited trip to Israel changed something deep inside her. For the first time, she experienced a sense of belonging and connection that made her realize Israel wasn't simply a place she loved—it was home.

In this episode, Maayan shares the emotional journey that led her family to make Aliyah, including convincing her non-Jewish husband to take the leap, welcoming a daughter, and ultimately arriving in Israel during the middle of a war.

She reflects on raising children in Israel, building community, entrepreneurship in Startup Nation, the realities of Israeli life, and why she believes that even amid the messiness of Aliyah, they are living the best life they could be living.

This is a conversation about identity, family, purpose, and finding home.

Follow Maayan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maayangordonmedia/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maayangordonmedia

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maayangordon/

Website: https://www.maayangordon.com/

🎙️ Oleh at Large: Aliyah Stories

Real Stories. Real Advice. Real Aliyah.

Hosted by David Levine

Credits

Editing: Laura Brickman

Associate Producer: Daniella Edelman

Social Media: Tehila Simantov

#Aliyah #Israel #Motherhood #Entrepreneurship #StartupNation

Writer Shlomo Kates joins David Levine to discuss his Aliyah journey, life in Tel Aviv, volunteering for IDF service later in life, and why he believes Israel is the only place where he can fully embrace all parts of his identity. Shlomo shares his views on the future of Canadian Jewry and how LGBTQ Jews fare in Israel.

This is a conversation about belonging, resilience, and finding home.

Links Mentioned
Times of Israel @https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Havruta @https://havruta.org.il/en/
LGBT Olim @https://www.lgbtolim.org/

🎙️ Oleh at Large: Aliyah Stories
Real Stories. Real Advice. Real Aliyah.
Hosted by David Levine

Credits
Filmed on location at Soho House Tel Aviv
Editing: Laura Brickman
Associate Producer: Daniella Edelman
Social Media: Tehila Simantov

#Israel #JewishLife #LGBTQ #IDF #Toronto #TelAviv #canada

Meet Ambassador Michael Oren - historian, bestselling author, former Israeli ambassador to the United States, former member of Knesset, and one of the leading voices connecting Israel and the Jewish world.

But long before diplomacy and public life, Ambassador Oren was simply a Jewish kid from New Jersey who grew up in the shadow of the Holocaust and experienced antisemitism firsthand. Inspired by the Six-Day War and driven by a deep belief in Jewish sovereignty, he arrived in Israel with little more than a backpack and a dream.

In this conversation, Ambassador Oren reflects on his extraordinary journey from lone soldier in the paratroopers to ambassador, historian, and public intellectual. He shares what it was like to belong to a generation of American Jews who left the comfort and prosperity of the United States to build lives in what was then a young and isolated country.

Drawing on nearly fifty years of experience, Ambassador Oren discusses opportunity, language, identity, and why he believes Israel remains one of the greatest success stories of modern history. Despite wars, political divisions, and growing global challenges, he explains why his personal experiences, historical perspective, and spiritual faith continue to give him hope.

This episode is a powerful reflection on Jewish history, resilience, responsibility, and the extraordinary possibilities that emerge from taking a leap of faith.

From lone soldier to ambassador, this is a remarkable story of history, responsibility, and hope.

Follow Ambassador Oren on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambmichaeloren
Website: https://michaeloren.org/
Substack: https://claritywithmichaeloren.substack.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC9PIP7ee_Ohu7c-4Pcbxj-Q
X: https://x.com/DrMichaelOren
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Mentioned in this episode:
Israel Advocacy Group - https://www.israeladvocacygroup.org/
Tablet Magazine - https://www.tabletmag.com/
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Oleh at Large: Aliyah Stories
Real Stories. Real Advice. Real Aliyah.
Hosted by David Levine
---
Filmed on location at Soho House Tel Aviv
Editing: Laura Brickman
Associate Producer: Daniella Edelman
Social Media: Tehilah Simantov
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#AliyahStories #MichaelOren #Aliyah #Israel #JewishHistory #Zionism