Shira Berkovitch was born in Israel. Her parents were on student visas and returned to the United States when she was nine months old. She feels like this truly shaped her identity. The oldest of five siblings, Berkovitch says, “There was something about me that was inherently Israeli.”

Her parents raised their children in a very Zionist and religious environment. From the time of her bat mitzvah, Berkovitch visited Israel often, sometimes working to pay for her trip. Learn how to buy your home in Israel with confidence >>

“My dream was very clear,” she says. “I wanted to move to Israel, do meaningful service in the IDF, and become a doctor.”

Her education was eclectic. She went to a Montessor i elementary school until fourth grade, and then to a very religious Chabad school in Mon

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