For Maayan Gordon, an American Jewish TikTok creator with more than 2 million followers, that fear is real, but so is the answer she says she has found in Israel: community is often built into everyday life. Gordon recently made aliyah to Jerusalem with her husband, Benjamin, and their 1-year-old daughter, Eliora, after sharing her immigration journey with her online audience.
American Jewish TikTok creator Maayan Gordon
Gordon, 34, was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in Seattle and later drifted away from religious life, before reconnecting with Judaism after the October 7 massacre. She has said the war did not change her family’s decision to move to Israel, and that life in Israel, where people are open and go through things together, felt more natural to her than life in the United States. Now, as she settles into life in Israel, Gordon says one of the most reassuring discoveries has been how naturally social connections can form.
“Scared you won’t make friends after moving to Israel?” she asks. “I actually think that’s one of the biggest fears people have before making aliyah.” But, she says, one of the most meaningful parts of her experience has been seeing how community appears in ordinary moments.
On Lag B’Omer, Gordon and her family went to Gan Sacher in Jerusalem, where barbecues and gatherings filled the park. What stood out, she says, was not only the atmosphere, but the openness of people around them. “What’s amazing is that people here are genuinely open to meeting new people,” she says.
Family life, Gordon adds, can also become an easy path into community. One afternoon, she and Benjamin took their daughter to the mall and unexpectedly found a children’s performance underway, with dozens of local families gathered around. The event, paid for by the mall and free for families, turned into a simple way to meet other parents from the neighborhood. “It’s how much life here is built around families and community, in ways you won’t find anywhere else in the world,” she says.
For new Olim who work remotely, Gordon recommends coworking spaces as another way to meet people. Places such as WeWork often host weekly community events, creating opportunities for freelancers, entrepreneurs and remote workers to recognize familiar faces and form relationships over time. Synagogues and Chabad houses, she says, are also among the easiest entry points into local life. Gordon notes the familiar saying that anywhere one can find Coca-Cola, one can find Chabad.
In Israel, many communities also operate WhatsApp groups where residents share events, Shabbat meal invitations, recommendations and other ways to connect. And in Israel, she says, WhatsApp should not be underestimated. “Don’t sleep on WhatsApp,” Gordon says. “It’s one of the biggest social tools you’ll find here in Israel. There are groups for everything.” Making aliyah can still feel overwhelming, especially in the beginning. But Gordon says one of the most beautiful things about Israel is that community is woven into daily life.
For new Olim, the first step may be simple: show up, join the group, accept the invitation and say yes when connection appears.