Aliyah is on the rise! Many Baltimoreans have come to Eretz Yisrael in recent years. Although most of them are singles or young families, seniors are a growing demographic of those desiring to spend their lives in our holy land. All of them face challenges: singles paving their way to marriage and career, families navigating the job market and school systems, and seniors learning the bureaucratic ropes. And Hebrew is a problem for everyone!

My husband and I are among those making aliyah as retirees. But the question is: Do all gil shilishi (the Israeli term for seniors, which literally means “third age”) actually retire? It depends on who they are! Here are the stories of a few golden age Baltimoreans who have reinvented themselves in Israel.