Hey Kasha, thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me today.

Of course, it’s great to see you again Abby.

Let’s start with the present moment here in Israel. What does a typical week look like for you?

Well, I have a pretty busy schedule. I work at Wix, an Israeli software company, doing Product Marketing. I live in Tel Aviv and commute to the office in Herzliya three to five times a week. Fortunately, Wix provides shuttle services, so it makes the commute pretty convenient. I kayak three to four times a week, mostly in the sea, and recently I became an instructor. I’m even organizing a kayak fun day at work, where I’ll be teaching, which is something new and exciting to look forward to.

Wow, that’s amazing!

Thanks! Besides kayaking, I also take pole classes. I’m not a fan of the gym, but pole is a great workout. It’s more like gymnastics on a pole rather than just dancing. I also spend a lot of time with friends, often at the beach. I practically live there—whether it’s for morning walks or sunset walks, I’m always by the sea.

That really is quite a busy schedule! How long have you been living in Tel Aviv and working at Wix?

 I’ve been at Wix for three years, as of October. I initially moved to Israel in 2015 because of my ex-husband. We lived in Rehovot for a year before moving to Tel Aviv. At the time, we knew our stay in Israel was temporary—we had this dream of becoming “digital nomads.” After four years, that dream came true. We spent a year working and traveling, but then COVID hit, and we were forced to come back to Israel.

As hard as it was to come back and essentially “start over,” everything worked out in the end. Funny enough, we ended up moving back into the same building where we had lived before we left—just one door down from our old apartment!

Amazing, I love when that happens. You’ve had quite an international upbringing—growing up in Poland and then moving to the U.S., correct?

Yes, that’s right. I lived in the U.S. until I was six, then we moved to Warsaw and eventually settled in the outskirts of Poznań, Poland. When I was 19, I moved to New York on my own. It felt familiar to move to New York because I had relatives there, and I had spent a couple of summers visiting. That’s where I did my degree in Health Care in Radiography. So, then when I moved to Israel, I ended up doing a career change into tech.

With your experiences in the U.S., Poland, and now Israel, how would you say life here compares to the other places you’ve lived?

 I never really felt like I fit in in Poland. I was born in America and moved around a lot within Poland, so I never had a stable base. Here, I feel connected to the energy of the people—there’s loudness and chaos, but also a strong sense of community. In the U.S., things often felt superficial. There’s a big focus on appearances and material success, which didn’t resonate with me. Poland has its own challenges—people tend to be closed off and judgmental. In Israel, I feel like I’ve found my place within the chaos. I can build my own little bubble here, and the blend of cultures aligns well with my personality.

You mentioned that your move to Israel was linked to your ex-husband. Did your breakup affect your decision to stay in Israel?

My ex-husband, Yoav, and I separated in August 2023, but we’re still very good friends. We talk every day, and I’m close with his family as well. We simply wanted different things in life and grew apart after being together for ten years. It felt like a mature decision on both our parts to remain friends rather than forcing something that wasn’t working.

I decided to stay in Israel because it took me a long time to build my life here. I love my job, my friends, and the hobbies I’ve discovered. A month ago, I lost my cat in a car accident, which was very hard. It made me question whether I really wanted to stay—whether the stress and craziness were worth it. But after reflecting on the community I’ve built here—the friends who have become like family—I realized I wouldn’t want to go back to America or Poland. I’ve been here long enough that leaving would feel like starting over, and that seems harder than staying and navigating the challenges.

Could you take me through this past year? How has it been for you?

I think I became very desensitized to everything because it’s been so much to deal with. On top of the war, I also went through a divorce. Suddenly, I was living by myself, and I had to find my own strength to deal with the sirens and the constant threat.

How was it for you to communicate with friends and family outside of Israel?

From the beginning, I felt like I was on Israel’s side, even before I moved here. I didn’t really understand much about the conflict even though most of my friends in New York were Jewish. We would talk about it, but it felt so far away—it wasn’t my problem. When I moved here, I started to see how biased the news is and how everything is turned around against Israel. The outside perception can be so distorted. I can see how easy it is for others to fall into that mindset. 

For example, my niece stopped talking to me after October 7th; She lives in New York, and all her knowledge about the conflict comes from the media. She knows me, knows I’m here, but never took the opportunity to ask me about the situation or hear my perspective.

I’m really sorry to hear that.

It was very disappointing. She didn’t speak to me for a long time, though she did reach out about a week ago, and we finally spoke. On the other hand, my mom is a huge supporter of Israel. She actively defends Israel on social media, and honestly, she should get a medal for it. She sees the injustices happening to Israel and Jews all over, and while she might be biased, she’s always been a strong pro-Israel advocate.

It’s clear that you’ve learned a lot and grown from these challenges. Thank you for sharing your unique perspective; I’m sure it will resonate with many readers. In conclusion, looking ahead—what’s next for you?

I’m still figuring that out. After October, I realized that I’m staying in Israel, and it shifted something in me. I want to learn more Hebrew. I can have basic conversations, but I want to reach a point where I feel fully part of the culture. I want to immerse myself in conversations without hesitation.

More generally, I want to continue growing and becoming more resilient. Life has taught me to look for the good in things, even through chaos. I don’t feel done with Israel yet; it still has more to offer for me.