#Meet_the_Oleh- Yudith Guttman

Aliyah Date: January 2013 Made Aliyah from Holland Currently living in Tel Aviv

Yudith made Aliyah from the Netherlands and has been working magic through massage therapy in Tel Aviv over the last several years. Read her story, and contact her for her services--you will be amazed how taking care of your body will change your whole world!

Yudith made Aliyah from the Netherlands nearly eight years ago and lives in Tel Aviv. She knew for years that she needed to live in Israel. She needed to finish school and then she could come here. Her father is Israeli, so she came to visit Israel all the time growing up. Then, when she was 18, she went to kibbutz ulpan. So that truly was her connection to Israel. It felt like a natural next step! Spending every summer here with her friends and grandparents fostered a love of Israel, and she feels great here!

Yudith is a massage therapist specializing in deep tissue massage, for the release of tense muscles and pain. When people call her, usually they have back or neck pain, and they need immediate relief. Yudith recommends that people with regular muscle pain come back once a month for maintenance--so when she does see them, they're not immobile and desperately in need of treatment. She recommended getting to the root of the problem and staying in good shape with good habits.

Because of Corona, we need Yudith's help more than ever! People are working at home, sitting in uncomfortable and unsupportive chairs. Even something so simple as a table and chair not being aligned can be brutal on your back, especially when you're working for hours straight! Contact Yudith for a hypnotic massage, but also to ensure your habits aren't causing recurring pain!

Along with practicing massage therapy, Yudith is studying natural medicine -- naturopathy. That's nutrition, herbal medicine, and supplementation to take care of the body, mind, and soul! That way, she can continue to help people in the most effective way.

In terms of the challenges of Aliyah, the first few years in Israel were really hard for Yudith. At first, nothing worked out. She has a Masters's degree and still was disappointed by jobs available to someone with a second degree -- in Holland, there had been more opportunities! She was just paying the bills, getting by. In the back of her mind, she knew she had to do something else -- something with healing and touch. She says, "It's a blessing and an honor that I can do this job. I can help people feel better--it's really a gift."

In terms of the best parts of Aliyah, Yudith credits her Aliyah to finding her passion and profession of massage therapy. If she didn't come here, she's not sure she ever would have started working in this field! Though it was hard for her at first, the difficulties push you out of your comfort zone and that opens new opportunities! She has met amazing people along the way and thinks that is the best thing in Israel.

Yudith has great advice for future Olim -- she recommends that if you have an idea to work for yourself or start a business or project, DO it. This is the right time, the best time in the best place! If you decide to start over, do everything that you wouldn't or couldn't do before. Everyone brings their specialty and vibe to what they do, and we all bring something different to the table.