August 16, 2010 / 6 Elul 5770

By Soni Zinger
Director, Ibim-San Diego Student Village

The Demidovski family moved to the San Diego Ibim Student Village last year from Moldova and participated in the "Nitzanim" program for young families from the FSU. 

The San Diego IBIM Student Village, founded by the Jewish Agency for Israel and supported by international partners including the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, serves as the first home in Israel for student-aged immigrants from around the world. Last year, the Village also began housing for one year young families from the FSU. Beyond being just a place to sleep and study, it is a place of promise and progress-where residents take their initial steps as Israeli citizens and build their future in Israel.

The Demidovskis include Andrei, 33, Tatiana, 33, their daughter, Alexandra, 9, and their son, Leon, who was born five months ago in Israel.  Andrei has family in Israel, including a sister and an aunt in Ashkelon who have been a great support to them, particularly over Shabbat and holidays.

Only three months after making Aliyah, Andrei started working in a factory in Sderot.

With our help he later passed an interview at the Poleg factory in nearby Kibbutz Gevim and was accepted as an machinery assistant. Today, he is waiting word for his first promotion that will enable him to pass the course to become an operator.

Now, after a full and intense year on Ibim, the Demidovski family decided to leave the village and start their own life nearby in the Negev because of Andrei's job. They were accepted as members of Kibbutz Nachal Oz in the Shaar Hanegev municipality and have already moved into their new home and are loving it!

The family has managed to save money and to buy new furniture for their new home and even a car.

We wish them all the best and are very proud of them!