In this episode of the Aliyah Story podcast, we explore how recovery didn’t just change Eric Levitz’s life — it gave him a mission that could only be built in Israel. Eric, the founder of AZ House Jerusalem, shares how his own near-death battle with addiction and his experience in a free, donation-based recovery center in Cleveland shaped everything he would later build in Israel.

Arriving in Israel with no Hebrew, no money, and no plan, Eric followed what he describes as a faith-based jump — trusting that the reason would become clear only after he arrived. Within six months, it did: he realized that the Jewish world had no free, community-driven recovery center, the very kind that saved his life.

Eric also shares how recovery gave him everything: his community, his life, even the introduction that led him to his wife. “Every dream I ever could have imagined — and many I couldn’t have imagined — came from the decision to get sober.”

This episode is a powerful look at how recovery doesn’t end with getting better — it can ignite a mission, transform a community, and root a person deeply in Israel.

Mentioned in this episode:

AZ House Jerusalem - Eric’s treatment center in Jerusalem. https://www.azhousejerusalem.com/

To support AZ House: https://donorbox.org/the-az-house-a-home-to-rebuild-lives

Pizgat Ze'Ev - https://www.jerusalem.muni.il/en/residents/communities/pisgat-zeev/

Anthony's Pizza - https://www.facebook.com/anthonys.pizza.jerusalem/

Follow us on IG: @aliyah_stories

Production: Yazek Shrem

Business & Social Coordinator: Tehila Simantov

Tynan McArthur wasn't very satisfied with his career as a dentist in Johannesburg, South Africa. He made a bold choice to move to Israel to chart a new destiny, and it landed him in a whole new field - early childhood education.

Find out about Tynan's Aliyah Story and how he made the transition and found a new direction in life in the Holy Land, with some inspiration about how you too can find a new direction in Israel.

Production: Yazek Shrem

Social Media Coordinator: Tehilah Simantov

Follow us on IG @aliyah_stories

Juda (Yehudah) Honickman is a fierce advocate for Israel, and made Aliyah back in 2012. Juda has a great story to tell, how he found himself as an addict in recovery, met his wife and made the move to Israel to work at a recovery clinic. Juda is a positive force on social media for Israel, and we are grateful to hear about his story.

Production: Yazek Shrem

Social Media Coordinator: Tehilah Simantov

Follow us on IG @aliyah_stories

Comedian Deb Kaye is an Australian-born Oleh, sharing her Aliyah Story. After raising her kids, Deb discovered she had a knack for comedy, and became a stand-up comedian just a few years ago. Deb tells us how she was able to get back on stage after Oct 7, and about the fun and challenges of English-language comedy in Israel.

Mentioned in this podcast:

TLV Laughs comedy nights: run by Deb https://www.tlvlaughs.com/

Production: Yazek Shrem

Social Media Coordinator: Tehilah Simantov

Follow us on IG @aliyah_stories

David is joined by Hillel Fuld, activist and tech leader, who shares his Aliyah story. Moving to Israel as a teen, Hillel found his way into activism and the tech world, becoming a leader in both. Hillel shares what he loves about Jerusalem, why its a religious imperative to make Aliyah and provides tactical advice on finding a job in the Israeli tech scene.

Follow Hillel at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HillelFuld/
Instagram: instagram.com/Hilzfuld
X : twitter.com/Hilzfuld
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hilzfuld
Website: HillelFuld.com | ampisrael.com/hillel-fuld

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hilzfuld
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hilzfuld

Dellet Production for Lightboat Media

Production by: Yazek Shrem

Business and Social Media Coordinator: Tehila Simantov

IG: @Aliyah_stories

We're back with a new season of Oleh at Large: Aliyah Stories, coming at you from an all new location - Tel Aviv! I finally made the move, and this Season 3 premiere episode is all about Florentin, the cool neighborhood where I spent the summer.

Oleh At Large: Aliyah Stories is about my journey ("aliyah") as an immigrant (oleh") to Israel, and this season we also have a range of guests - coming up this season are Deb Kaye, Hillel Fuld, Judah Honickman and more.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Mexcal - great Mexican restaurant in Florentin

Holy Cheeses - European-style cheese and gourmet store

Alpaca - great happy hour Florentin bar and venue

TLVLaughs - English language comedy shows at Hoodna Bar

Please subscribe and follow on Instagram at @Aliyah_Stories

This is a Dellet Production for Lightboat Media

Social Media Coordinator: Tehila Simantov

Production and Editing: Yazek Shrem

The "12 Day War" with Iran is over, but thousand of Israelis have been displaced with their homes destroyed by Iran's missiles. Within days, Eve Balensi formed "Rising Lions Volunteers" a grassroots organization to help mobilize Olim and connect them to the Israeli groups on the ground helping rebuild and help displaced citizens. I had the opportunity to volunteer myself, and wanted to share the work Eve is doing to encourage more support on the ground and from outside the country. Links to get involved and to donate are here:

Rising Lions Volunteers: https://israelvolunteeropportunities.com

Donate to Support Rising Lions: https://secure.israelfriends.us/forms/sword-of-iron-israel-volunteer?campaignId=5260

Kerem House: https://keremhouse.com/volunteer/

Vaad Hatzedaka: Gift cards to victims for new home supplies: https://bit.ly/40mlnk1

Produced by Dellet Studios for Lightboat Media

Social Media Coordinator: Tehilah Simantov

Edited and Mixed by: Yazek Shrem

www.lightboat.media

IG: @aliyah_stories

© Lightboat Media Ltd.

This podcast features my very incredible and special niece Ruthie Abitbol, who made Aliyah as a young child, and has grown up to be an incredible woman. Not only is she an incredible mother to three wonderful boys, a devoted wife, daughter and granddaughter, but she is also a volunteer with the Israeli Home Front Command, trained to help out with mass casualty events, such as missile attacks. Ruthie shares what her Aliyah journey was like, and what its like to live in Modiin as a young family. And of course our word of the pod.. havlatz.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Homefront Command App: https://apps.apple.com/il/app/israel-home-front-command/id1542010719

Modiin: https://www.modiin.muni.il/ModiinWebSiteEng/MainPageEng.aspx

Produced by Dellet Studios for Lightboat Media

Social Media Coordinator: Tehilah Simantov

Edited and Mixed by: Yazek Shrem

www.lightboat.media

IG: @aliyah_stories

© Lightboat Media Ltd.