Volume 7, Issue 7 / Tammuz 5764 / July 2004
Designing a New Life
"One of the first words I learned in Hebrew in the ulpan was savlanoot – patience," relates Enrique Kirchuk, a 45-year-old architect who immigrated to Israel from Argentina with his wife and two children in September 2002, while sipping yerba mate on the balcony of the Rishon Lezion apartment where he and his family now live. "But it is awfully hard to be patient when your whole life lies before you as a question mark. Nevertheless, today, with my new job in an architectural firm, my wife employed and my children happily adjusted, I am glad I was."
Only a few months ago, the picture was not so rosy. Kirchuk, despite 20 years of professional experience in his hometown of Corrientes, had not been able to find a position as an architect in Israel. To support his family, he was working 12-hour shifts in a printing press. But then three programs of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) came together to change the situation.
"I literally sent out hundreds of resumes and didn't received one positive response," Kirchuk recalls. "My absorption coordinator suggested that I take a JAFI funded course in AutoCAD, a computer-aided-design program to help me acquire state-of-the-art computer skills to augment my years of experience."
At about the same time, through the JAFI "Together at Home" project, Kirchuk was matched with veteran Argentinean immigrant, architect Walter Scheinkman, who immigrated from Corrientes 18 years ago.
"Together at Home" is a unique national project that pairs veteran olim with new immigrants of similar backgrounds, education, professions, etc. in order to create an extended support network to facilitate absorption.
"Walter and I studied together in Corrientes but until JAFI brought us together, I was not in contact with him," Kirchuk says.
Scheinkman, who has his own architectural firm in Ashdod, was impressed with Kirchuk's skills and experience. But with Israel only now beginning to emerge from economic recession, he was a little hesitant to hire new staff.
That is where the third JAFI program came in. This program provides assistance to employers who hire new olim by paying the oleh's salary for up to six months. The employer must commit to employ the oleh for a time period of at least double that of the aid. In addition, the job must be full-time and pay at least minimum wage.
The JAFI salary aid program tipped the balance and persuaded Scheinkman to hire Kirchuk. With the economy picking up and building starts increasing, Kirchuk is confident in his future.
Since beginning his new job with Scheinkman in May 2004, Kirchuk has bought a car and is now thinking about buying an apartment. His wife, Ruti, is working as a salesperson in a children's clothing store in Rishon. In Argentina, she owned three children's clothing stores. The children have also settled in. Dario, now 20, is serving in the Israel Air Force. Tamara, now 15, just completed junior high school.
"We made the decision to come to Israel mainly for the children," Kirchuk states. "There was no future or hope for them in Argentina. I have relatives in Florida who wanted me to go to the US, but my wife and I decided we wanted to raise our children in a Jewish state."
Once in Israel, the Kirchuks found family they had never met before and have been keeping in touch with them.
Starting over is never easy but Kirchuk believes the most difficult part is behind them. "Yes, it was hard at first but now we feel we are on the high road," he says. "There were a few moments when my wife and I considered throwing in the towel and returning to Argentina, but the kids were adamant. They love Israel. They said - you can go back but we are staying. So we stayed and we are glad we did. We are managing with the language, have jobs, have friends, bought a car – now if only we can have peace, we won't need anything more."
Credits: Text by Gail Lichtman/ Photo by Douglas Guthrie
To download this file as a word document, click here.
