My Aliyah Journey: A Life of Growth, Change, and Purpose

I had the privilege of sharing my story From Cape Town, Via London, Raanana to Jerusalem on Lesley Kaplan's Monday Motivation Spotlight. Here is the podcast, which can be viewed on YouTube or Spotify. I am sharing this as a blog as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P1Af60jNYg&feature=youtu.be

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Jn5ctQ7EyP0ax0jukT3nZ

Hello, My name is Jeffrey Levine

Today, I want to share my Aliyah journey—not just the moves from Cape Town to London to Raanana to Jerusalem but the evolution of my Jewish identity, career, family, and sense of purpose. Aliyah isn’t just about moving to a new country—it’s about growth, challenges, and transformation.

When I look back, I see how each phase of my life shaped who I am today. I hope that by sharing my story, I can offer insights, inspiration, or at least an entertaining story or two.

Cape Town: A Traditional Yet Unique Jewish Upbringing

My story begins in Cape Town, South Africa, where I was born into a traditional Jewish family.

Judaism was always present—we went to Shul Friday night by car, kept a kosher-style home, although we ate out in Restaurants, celebrated the chagim, and had a strong Jewish identity—but we weren’t intensely religious.

One of my earliest connections to Jewish practice was through music—I was in the shul choir of one of the most beautiful synagogues in the world, the Great Synagogue of Cape Town. After My BarMitzvah, I went to help my father on Saturdays in the Family Hardware Business.

But my Jewish identity really unexpectedly took shape. When I moved from the Jewish day school, Herzliya (because I had trouble learning Languages and, in this case, Hebrew), I went to a government school, Cape Town High; I suddenly felt different. That experience strengthened my Jewish identity. It made me realize that being Jewish wasn’t just about synagogue or family traditions—it was something deeply personal and distinct.

During my teenage years, I attended Bnei Akiva Jewish camps—some for social reasons (yes, meeting girls was a part of it!), but others with a stronger spiritual influence, like those run by the Counterpoint organization. Still, at that stage, my Judaism was more cultural than deeply committed.

The Call to Israel: A Dream That Took Time

It was during university that my connection to Israel truly began to grow. I became involved with Beitar, a Zionist youth movement, and it was there that I made a life-changing decision: I was going to make Aliyah.

At the age of 23, I left Cape Town with that goal, but first, I made a stop in London, planning to stay for a short time to earn some money before making the move. That “short time” turned into seven years.

London became a key chapter in my life.

• Spiritually, my connection to Judaism deepened thanks to Rabbi Danny Kirsch at the Jewish Learning Center, an inspiring figure who ignited my curiosity for a more religious lifestyle.

• Six months into my London Experience, I met my wife, Charmaine, who also came from Cape Town, at the most unexpected of places—the Hard Rock Café! That probably tells you where we were religiously at the time.

• Together, we took steps toward more significant observance, joining the Yeshuran Shul in Edgware, led by Dayan Gershon Lopian, another remarkable individual who influenced our path.

But life has a way of leading us to the right places, and our journey eventually took us to Israel.

Aliyah: A New Beginning in Ra’anana

In 1995, at the age of 30, we finally made Aliyah. We arrived in Ra’anana with two young children, We landed at the Merkaz Klita in Raanana, joining a wave of Anglo-Saxon olim—South Africans, Americans, Brits—all experiencing the adventure of building a new life in Israel together.

Rabbi Stewart Weiss ran the shul on the Mercaz Klita. His son Ari, who later fell in combat, had his Bar Mitzvah there.

Ra’anana was a great place to raise kids. It had a strong, warm community, but even in this bubble, we experienced cultural surprises. For example, we although we had encountered Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) in London. We just assumed that being more religious meant keeping the same general Jewish values but with more observance. That assumption was challenged when we arrived, and we had to navigate the differences between Haredi and Dati Leumi (Religious Zionist) Judaism—which shaped the diversity of our own family.

Arriving in Israel was a culture shock in many ways. Even in the protected environment of Ra’anana, we had little exposure to the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) world. We thought of religious Jews as a single group, not realizing the diversity within Israeli Judaism. Over time, we became part of a developing religious community in Ra’anana, helping establish a shul (KBA) and a small community of mainly ex-South Africans. We had a lovely South Asian, Hereidi Rabbi David Simon, who had to Raanana as a cofounder of the Raanana Community Kollel, where we were active supporters.

We raised our children in this environment, though navigating the differences between Haredi and Dati Leumi (National Religious) life was not always easy. Naively, We sent some of our Kids to Hareidi Schools, thinking they would stay more religious. Well, it didn’t pan out that way. Today, our children represent a full spectrum of Jewish observance—from Haredi to secular, each finding their own path in Israel.

Challenges, Self-Discovery, and Spiritual Growth

By the time I reached 40, I was well-established in Israel. I had a successful career as a CFO for one of Israel’s wealthiest entrepreneurs,

On the surface, everything looked perfect:

✔ A beautiful home

✔ A great job

✔ A fancy car

Life has a way of shaking things up. Life threw a curveball—I lost my job.

That moment forced me into a deep journey of self-discovery.

• Up until then, Judaism had been somewhat mechanical—a checklist of traditions rather than something deeply engaged and personal.

For a long time, my Judaism had been a "checklist" experience—going through the motions without deep engagement. But as I searched for meaning, I was drawn to the music and teachings of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, the philosophy of Rav Kook, and, eventually, the intellectual depth of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

These influences transformed my understanding of Judaism, unity, and purpose. _

Moving to Jerusalem: The Ultimate Aliyah

In 2017, after four of our five children had finished school, we made another big move—this time to Jerusalem. We started off in Rechavia, but we found it a bit too American and Haredi for us. During COVID, we relocated to Tzafon Talpiot, an amazing neighbourhood near Arnona and Baka. It has a fantastic, diverse community— retired rabbis, judges, teachers, and everyday people from all walks of life.

Living in Jerusalem led me to an unexpected project—The People You Meet in Jerusalem, a blog where I shared stories of the incredible individuals I encountered. Though it became dormant, it’s something I hope to revive one day.

My Three Key Projects Today

Beyond my full-time job (Monday To Thursday) and Sunday is reserved for outings, family, and visits to out eight grandchildren, I’ve poured my energy into three major projects:

1. Upgrading ESG

Having spent my career in business and finance, I became deeply aware of corporate greed. I was drawn to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)—a movement pushing businesses to operate with broader ethical and social responsibility. During COVID, I wrote a book, Upgrading ESG: How Business Can Thrive in the Age of Sustainability, and built a LinkedIn network of 30,000 followers.

However, ESG has faced serious backlash, becoming entangled in political debates. But I refuse to give up. I’ve rebranded my work under Empower Society for Good (ESG), shifting the focus toward positive social impact.

✔ I wrote a book, Upgrading ESG: How Business Can Thrive in the Age of Sustainability.
✔ I built a LinkedIn network of 30,000 followers.
✔ ESG has faced backlash, so I rebranded it as Empower Society for Good (ESG), shifting the focus to positive social impact.

2. The Soul of Israel

I never imagined I’d become a writer, but I found my voice through blogging. Inspired by asked a weekly ALTC publication in London run by the Kesher Shul, I began writing about the weekly Torah portion through the lens of ethics, business, and modern issues. Over time, this evolved into The Soul of Israel, a blog exploring Jewish wisdom and current events. In The Soul of Israel, I explore the Torah’s timeless relevance in modern life and ethics.

Since October 7th, my writing has taken on even greater urgency, advocating for Israel, combating misinformation, and highlighting the eternal relevance of the Torah. I now publish on Times of Israel and Substack.

I’m working on a book, The Soul of Israel: Before and After October 7th, which will combine insights on ethics, social justice, and the eternal wisdom of the Torah in a world that desperately needs it.

✔ I started a weekly blog, The Soul of Israel, exploring Torah’s relevance today.
✔ After October 7th, this became even more urgent.
✔ I’m writing a book, The Soul of Israel: Before and After October 7th, weaving Torah, ethics, and Jewish resilience.

3. Persofi – AI-Powered Financial Automation

Throughout my career, I’ve had to reinvent myself, especially during unemployment. I tried to use this piggyback on somebody's expertise, So I am feeling empowered by bringing my voice, expertise and experience to my latest side gig. Recently, I’ve been exploring automation in finance at the company I am working in. AI tools can transform bookkeeping and financial management for small businesses, making them more efficient. This led me to launch Persofi, a platform dedicated to AI-powered accounting solutions. My goal is to help small business owners streamline their finances and embrace the future of Ai and automation.

In today’s world, those who don’t embrace AI will be left behind, and I believe in using technology not just for efficiency, but for empowerment.

✔ I launched Persofi, an AI-powered platform for financial automation.
✔ AI is the future, and those who don’t embrace it will be left behind.
✔ My goal? To help small businesses work smarter, not harder.

Final Thoughts

My Aliyah journey has been filled with unexpected turns—from Cape Town to London, Ra’anana to Jerusalem. I’ve navigated career highs and lows, religious transformations, and the challenges of raising a family in Israel. Each step has shaped who I am today. Whether through business ethics, Jewish advocacy, or financial automation, I remain committed to making a meaningful impact.

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that Aliyah is not just about moving to Israel—it’s about constantly growing, adapting, and deepening one’s connection to this land and its people.

➡ From struggling with Hebrew to writing about Jewish values.
➡ From corporate CFO to advocating for ethical business.
➡ From secular upbringing to raising children across the full Jewish spectrum—from Haredi to secular.

Life in Israel is never predictable, but that’s what makes it extraordinary.
Looking back, my Aliyah journey has been about transformation—spiritually, professionally, and personally.

Life in Israel is unpredictable. But that’s what makes it extraordinary.

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

Aliyah isn’t just about moving to Israel. It’s about finding your purpose.

Thank you!