Shmuel Goldman grew up in a Washington, DC, suburb, part of a traditional, if not Torah observant, family. When Shmuel was in sixth grade, the family came to Israel for a year of fun and adventure. And that’s exactly what it was … for everyone else in the family. But for Shmuel, it was the beginning of a new worldview. He knew he’d come back to Israel someday. The only question was when, and how.

Fast-forward 40-plus years, and there was Goel, with his wife Gilla waiting in line to order coffee at Makom Yaffe leCafe, an adorable and inspiring coffee spot in the northern part of Israel. As they approached the cashier to place their order, Goel couldn’t believe it. “Wait, is this guy American?!”

So what happened?

Goel sat with Shmuel at Makom Yaffe LeCafe to talk all about it.