With help from The Fellowship, Alexandra and her husband, Nikita, made aliyah from Georgia in the former Soviet Union in October. The young couple, aged 30 and 35, has been married for two years but never had a proper honeymoon due to the war in Ukraine. They left nearly everything behind in their home in Siberia and drove for 12 days to reach Georgia. For two years, they lived in a modest apartment near Tbilisi until they found The Fellowship and received the help they needed.
Alexandra’s connection to Israel is rooted more in family than in faith. While she knew her father’s side of the family, her mother’s side remained largely a mystery. Over time, however, she learned more about her heritage and discovered she had cousins in the Holy Land whom she had never met. With not only a new life but also a new part of her family waiting for her, Alexandra knew she needed to be in Israel.
“The last two years were really difficult,” Alexandra said, “We realized the war between Russia and Ukraine wasn’t going to end, and we couldn’t stay any longer. We’ve been following news about Israel –but we aren’t afraid. We trust that Israel protects its citizens.”
Since their move—and during the war with Iran—Alexandra and Nikita have been staying with Alexandra’s sister in Nesher. Being near Haifa, sirens and bomb shelters have become a regular part of life, but they are not facing it alone. Confident that Israel is where they will raise a family, the couple looks forward to building a new life once a permanent ceasefire is reached.
Nikita hopes to continue his career as a carpenter, while Alexandra aspires to further develop her craft in jewelry making with the help of master jewelers in the Holy Land. Until they have children of their own, they are proud cat parents to two.
