I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Daniel Rubel, a partner at Zeichner Ellman & Krause (ZEK) LLP, and co-head of ZEK’s Israel practice. Daniel made aliyah in August of 2012 after working as an attorney for ZEK in the United States for two and a half years. In the interview, we discussed topics surrounding his life, career, and decision to make aliyah. This interview provides invaluable insights and guidance to individuals considering aliyah, or those interested in business development in Israel.

Tell me a bit about your story and what inspired your decision to make Aliyah?

Daniel explained that he had grown up in New York in a very Zionistic community and household. Israel had always been central to his upbringing. So much so, that during college he spent 2 years studying in Israel. Additionally, his wife was also brought up with an appreciation for Israel. So, when Daniel’s parents and brother made aliyah, him and his wife began seriously considering aliyah as an option for their family.
Eventually, after working in New York as a lawyer for about 9 years, Daniel and his family moved to Israel in August of 2012. Daniel knew that the transition from working mostly in litigation in the United States, to a more corporate focus in Israel may be difficult, but with the help of his firm in New York, he knew he wanted to make it work. He explained:

“Because corporate law is generally practices in English, there is much more of a US component. My background was in litigation and the people I spoke to told me that they were unsure if I could make the transition to Israel. But I was thankfully able to keep my job at my current law firm, who I was with then, which made the transition much smoother.”

Him and his wife’s love and appreciation for Israel, his parents and brother making aliyah, and his firm providing him with the opportunity to keep his job in Israel created the perfect scenario in which aliyah became possible for his family.

How was your experience with the transition to Israel, both personally and professionally?

Similar to the sentiments of many olim chadashim from North America, Daniel discussed how Israeli culture, especially in the workplace can be quite different from the culture in the United States. However, some things that gave his family a “soft landing” was moving into a warm and welcoming community with lots of English speakers.
Personally, Daniel told some stories that highlight his journey to becoming accustomed to Israeli culture. At the beginning, he often felt like he was a step behind the rest of the country. For example, he told the following story:

“I was taking a taxi when I first made aliyah, and I asked to go to Rothchild [here he pronounced it ‘Rawth-Child’] street, a very popular street in Tel Aviv. The cab driver told me that he was sure that there is no such street. I explained that I was positive it existed, but he insisted it did not. I then asked, what about Rothchild [here he pronounced it as ‘Rot-Chilled’]. Then the cab driver goes ‘oh Rothchild [pronounced here as ‘Rot-Chilled]”.

This anecdote represents the personal challenges faced by Daniel when he first made aliyah, during the processes of becoming accustomed to Israeli culture and language.

On the professional side Daniel jokingly said:

“When we made aliyah, I didn’t care if my house had running water or electricity, I just needed the internet to be set up so I could start working.”

This quote is a testament to his transition from a typical lawyer in the United States, to developing new skills as a lawyer and business developer in Israel. While Daniel explained being a lawyer in both the US and Israel require a great deal of hard work, coming to Israel required skills such as business development and the ability to adapt to a new culture. Daniel said that it took some time to become comfortable in the business and working scene in Israel.

What was your connection to the law firm before moving—had you worked there previously?

Daniel shared his remarkable journey helping his firm expand their practice, spearheading its development in Israel. Before he made aliyah, he knew the firm he was working at did some business with Israel. He was very happy at ZEK, and he knew he wanted to continue working there. So, he came up with a business proposal where he would continue working at the firm but move to Israel. He explained that at that time, working remotely was rarely ever done – that this idea was quite foreign to most people. He explained:

“They were impressed with my business proposal, but they said to me that if I went, I would have to develop business in Israel. At the time I thought to myself, very naively, that this was no big deal, but it was a lot of work.”

Daniel is extremely thankful for the support of his firm. Notably, the executive partner of the firm, Stuart Krause, who is the co-head of the Israel practice and travels to Israel on business very regularly, as Daniel was able to keep the job he enjoys and move to Israel. ZEK had told him that they wanted to take his business proposal seriously and ‘do things right’ in Israel. This meant opening a foreign attorney’s office and building clients and business in Israel. When he first arrived in Israel, he had a great deal of overseas work to do, but eventually, he shifted his focus on doing business for clients in Israel.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in your career after making Aliyah?

Daniel’s experience is unique in that he was tasked with developing business for his firm. Not only had he never done this, but he was doing it in a culture that had different norms. Daniel explained that:

“There is no one style that works for developing business. Everyone has to find a way that works best for them.”

Daniel became more comfortable in the Israeli workforce and found his footing through gaining confidence, proving himself as competent, and constantly learning from others.

Additionally, Daniel moved to Israel in 2012 which is when the Israeli Bar Association passed new guidelines allowing for foreign law firms to operate in Israel. Daniel took this as an opportunity to certify his firm as the first law firm recognized as a foreign law firm. Daniel outlines how this was a complicated process, but is now, a massive milestone in his career as it permitted his firm to function in Israel.

Furthermore, there are some cultural differences in the legal sector in Israel that Daniel outlined. For example, he explained how everything is fast paced – more so than in the United States. There are high expectations. He needed to show the people around him that he could meet them, while working efficiently. In juxtaposition, he said that building relationships takes time and requires patience. He explained that developing relationships is hugely important, but gaining trust and proving yourself takes time. However, it is a necessary step to one’s success in the Israeli legal sector.

What advice would you give to lawyers considering Aliyah?

There are a few pieces of advice Daniel provided. Notably, he advised individuals to utilize their networks before making aliyah. There is value in growing your network and meeting as many people as possible. He suggested that lawyers considering aliyah should reach out to senior members of the legal community as they are likely to be responsive to genuine interest and someone who is willing to learn.
Daniel also explained that Israel has many excellent lawyers. Therefore, clients have high expectations. Daniel described Israel as having:

“Top notch services where law firms are extremely capable.”

Therefore, he advises lawyers considering aliyah to be prepared to meet high expectations. On top of high-quality legal work, he explained that clients want individuals working in Israel to have a presence here as well. So, individuals considering aliyah should place high value in being available while they are in Israel in order to meet client expectations.

After hearing Daniel’s success story as a lawyer in Israel, I knew that his success required passion, hard work, and a love for Israel (of course). He is well-established and accomplished, despite integrating into a completely new culture in the middle of his career. I would like to thank Daniel for spending some time to be interviewed. His answers provide unique and important insight into making aliyah as a lawyer. He was a pleasure to interview.

Additionally, I would like to thank the Robus team for helping me set up this interview. Their guidance and connectivity has allowed me to learn, grow, and enjoy my time in Israel.