Why did three brothers choose to leave behind a perfectly comfortable life in Colombia to start all over in Israel? We spoke with Yaacov Amar Rothstein, who shared the story of how he and his younger brothers, Yosef and Aaron, navigated the path from their home in South America to their current lives as thriving trailblazers contributing to the nation’s future.

 

The Contest That Changed Everything

My first trip to Israel at fifteen for the International Bible Contest changed everything. Despite my background as a board member for the Kineret youth movement, the sight of the modern Jewish state was super impressive. Walking through the bustling cities and hearing the language of King David used by high-tech entrepreneurs made me realize that our two-thousand-year wait was over. I felt that we were living in a historic moment, and I decided right then to make Aliyah and become an active participant in Israel’s ongoing history.

 

At age 18, I arrived in Israel with a suitcase and a guitar. I went to a kibbutz where I had the merit of working as a farmer for half a year. I felt like I was living in the old photos of Israel's pioneers from the 20th century, with the difference being that in my generation, we used Israeli-developed hi-tech while working the land. Later, I lived in Jerusalem and served in the IDF Special Forces. After I completed my service, I made the move that would shape my future to this day.

 

A Torch Within the Mist

As a new immigrant in Israel, one sometimes feels like one is walking through a mist. You don't know what lies ahead or where the next step will lead. Thank God, I arrived at the Rothberg International School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. There, they had everything thought out and prepared for people like me: counselors, housing, and extracurricular support. For many Olim (immigrants) like me, they had an extended hand ready. During the one-year preparatory program I took, the Mechina, they explained the options for my future: the different degrees and programs I could study, at which institutions, which scholarships I could apply for, how to apply for them, etc. It is as if someone, in the middle of the mist where you were walking cautiously, suddenly lit a great torch and everything around you illuminated.

 

"Thank God, I arrived at the Rothberg International School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. During the one-year preparatory program I took, the Mechina, they had everything thought out and prepared for people like me: counselors, housing, and extracurricular support. For many Olim (immigrants) like me, they had an extended hand ready."

 

Yaacov at the closing ceremony of HUJI's one-year preparatory program (Mechina) in 2016.

A Shared Journey Toward the Light

Today, I am a chemical engineer, I am pursuing a master’s degree in Jewish Philosophy, and I have rabbinic ordination. I am also blessed to have met my wife here in Israel, and we are now parents of three children (with one on the way).

 

My two younger brothers also made the smart decision to come to Israel a few years after me. Yosef, the middle brother, also participated in the Chidon HaTanach, and both he and Aaron, the youngest, are students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This was a great relief for me, as the University has created exemplary mechanisms so that, despite the adversities of recent years in Israel, students do not interrupt their studies. Yosef is studying Economics and Middle Eastern Studies, and Aaron is studying Business and Middle Eastern Studies. Yosef’s story was also blessed with his marriage to Yael, a Biotechnology student at HUJI.

From the wedding of Yosef and Yael, both students at the Hebrew University.

 

Our Legacy as a Living Menorah

Today, the three of us consider moving to Israel the best decision we have ever made. Currently, when we are not studying or working, we help other immigrant soldiers make the best decisions for their futures. We do this, because it is part of what our Jewish heritage teaches us. I see our experience as a living Menorah: I am the first candle that, although full of potential, was unlit due to uncertainty. But the light of the Hebrew University ignited my path, and that clarity has only grown - like the Hanukkah candles - as my brothers joined. As three brothers in Israel, we will give our best to develop, protect, and strengthen Am Israel forever.

 

Learn more about the Mechina, our one-year preparatory program, here:  https://international.huji.ac.il/mechina-preparatory-programs

 

For a century, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been a beacon for visionary minds who challenge convention and shape the future. Founded by luminaries like Albert Einstein, who entrusted his intellectual legacy to the university, it is dedicated to advancing knowledge, cultivating leadership, and promoting diversity. Home to over 23,000 students from 90 countries, the Hebrew University drives much of Israel’s civilian scientific research and the commercialization of technologies through Yissum, its tech transfer company. Hebrew University’s groundbreaking contributions have been recognized with major international awards, including ten Nobel Prizes, two Turing Awards, and a Fields Medal. Ranked 88th globally by the Shanghai Ranking (2025), Hebrew University marks a century of excellence in research, education, and innovation. To learn more about the university’s academic programs, research, and achievements, visit the official website at http://new.huji.ac.il/en