KC native celebrates 40 years of living in Israel

JERUSALEM — In August, Ronnie and Judy Belzer celebrated 40 years since coming to Israel on aliyah. Ronnie grew up in Kansas City, Mo., and, over those years, he has frequently returned to visit Kehilath Israel Synagogue, where he grew up and where his stepsister, Rhetta Goldstein, belongs.

Today, Ronnie, 73, and Judy Belzer, 69, are the parents of two daughters and a son; grandparents of nine; and great-grandparents of three.

Judy is originally from Denver and met Ronnie when she was a camper and he was a counselor at Camp Herzl in Webster, Wis.

During the 1957-58 year, Ronnie went to Israel as part of a program called the Institute for Youth Leaders from Abroad; they exchanged a few letters because Judy was interested in that program. When she decided to apply, she wanted to go with Young Judaea, but they required her to attend the Machoneh Avodah (work-camp) program at their National Camp in Barryville, N.Y., as a prerequisite. That summer, 1958, she met this writer as her madrichah (counselor).

Judy spent the 1958-59 year in Israel on the Young Judaea program, and, a year later, she and Ronnie were married. After two years in Waltham, Mass., while Ronnie earned his master’s degree at Brandeis University, they moved to California. They made aliyah in 1969 and moved to Petach Tikvah, a large suburb of Tel Aviv. A number of their American friend also resettled in Israel around that time.

No regrets
Ronnie, now a retired English teacher who teaches in local colleges and does a little tutoring, looks back over the 40 years, and says, “No regrets. I’m very happy that we came. We feel we belong here. Our children and grandchildren are settled and successful.”

Judy, a retired teacher, hopes to continue teaching remedial English. She did so last year for Ethiopian immigrants through the ORT organization. She participates in sports and takes a painting class.

“I’m happy,” she says. “My children grew up here, and we have them nearby. They all have American citizenship, but they’re not interested in leaving.”

Do they have any advice to those contemplating aliyah?

“Come, we want you,” says Ronnie. “You belong here! Considering the rate of intermarriage and assimilation (elsewhere), the chances for not having Jewish grandchildren is very likely.”

“I think American Jews today don’t worry about this any more, but I want to see more Jews in Israel,” adds Judy. “I don’t know what future there is for Jews in America.”

Retirement agrees with the Belzers. They remain active in the Young Israel Synagogue of Petach Tikvah, which they helped found in the 1970s. Last year, the Belzers traveled to China, and this fall they are going to Spain.     

Sybil Kaplan, a longtime Chronicle freelance writer, now lives in Jerusalem.

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