At 16, Esther Avital Gottesman was passionate about bands, aspiring to work in the music industry. By 18, she was interning at a top record label, and by 21, she was a news assistant at a prominent newspaper in the entertainment section.
There was another dream she harbored from her mid-teens: She wanted to become Jewish.
After plunging headfirst into the world of music, she was quickly disillusioned as she realized how unhealthy and superficial it was.
Concurrently, she was working her way through various streams of Judaism. “When I was 23,” she relates, “I went to Israel. I fell in love with the country and realized I wanted to be an Orthodox Jew and live there.”
She returned to the States but was at a loss. “I took a job in Target just to fill time and garner some income, but it only lasted a few days. Then I worked for Disneyland in their hotel‑booking department.
“I was interested in mental health and wanted to better understand mental illness. I got a master’s degree online in mental health counseling. While in school, I got a job working in an inpatient residential treatment facility for acute mental illness. At the same time, I was working on my conversion. My father had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and I was helping him as well.
“Having worked extensively with trauma, my aim was to bring my expertise to Israel—a country all too familiar with the impacts of trauma.”
At the age of 30, Esther Avital converted, took the leap, and went to Israel, where she attended Shearim seminary. She arrived in September of 2009, met her husband over Chanukah, and they were married in March 2010.
Her oldest was born right away, followed by a sister. Esther Avital didn’t speak Hebrew well, and was struggling to acclimate to motherhood and life in Israel. “I did whatever work I could find to pay the bills.
“I’d hoped to have more children, but it wasn’t meant to be. As my kids got older, I realized I needed work that was more fulfilling. Leora Gruen encouraged me to attend a Temech networking group in my community.
“I told her I have no business, why go to a group for business owners? But she assured me it would help me figure out my next steps.
“At the group, I had to give an elevator speech. Hearing myself say that I was a mental health counselor specializing in trauma made me realize that I wanted to return to the therapeutic world.
“To be able to work in Israel, I needed post-graduate clinical hours. I discovered The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim. Temech gave me the confidence to raise the funds through crowdfunding to put myself through the three-year program.”
“Temech helped me believe in myself, believe that I could achieve my goals. The other women were all so supportive. It made what seemed impossible become possible.”
Esther Avital got her certification and then it was time to hang up her shingle.
“My Temech training helped with that too. The groups were accepting and non-judgmental while also offering accountability and pushing you forward. It was inspiring to watch people expand their businesses and bring in more income while utilizing their skills and talents.
“I got hired as a staff therapist at The Family Institute, specializing in trauma, and I’m building up my private practice. I’m doing exactly what I’ve always wanted to do, and feel so fortunate.”
