Earlier this month, on a departing flight from New York City, Rachel Pechenik's adventure began in earnest.

One of more than 40 young people to board an airliner Aug. 12, the North Muskegon resident headed for Israel, where she will begin what amounts to a new life.

"It's exciting," Pechenik said. "I'm going outside my normal routine."

To say the least.

Pechenik, who landed in Israel Aug. 13, has already embarked on a three-month crash course in the Hebrew language. She is adopting dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship. She will join the Israeli Army.

It is a far cry from what she described as a small-town existence in North Muskegon.

Pechenik, 22, is one of thousands of English-speaking people to have made the Aliyah, or Jewish immigration to Israel, under the auspices of Nefesh B'Nefesh.

Nefesh B'Nefesh -- Hebrew for "one by one" or literally "soul by soul" -- is an organization dedicated to revitalizing immigration to Israel from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Since the organization's founding in 2002, more than 15,000 people have made the Aliyah through Nefesh B'Nefesh.

"It's the story of a historic and dramatic process," Charley Levine, a spokesman for Nefesh B'Nefesh, said in a telephone interview.

It was Rabbi Josh Fess, whom Levine described as the "up and coming American rabbi of a southern Florida synagogue," who co-founded Nefesh B'Nefesh with Florida philanthropist/businessman Tony Gelbart.

"He had a young cousin who was killed in a terrorist attack in Israel," Levine said of Fess. The victim was 13 years old, and his death had a profound emotional impact on Fess, Levine said.

"He took it to heart," Levine said. "Not only did he say, 'We're going to Israel,' but it led him to create an organization to encourage immigration there."

A few months ago, the organization registered its "15,000th American who went on Aliyah," Levine said. "And we have 20,000 in the pipeline."

The stated mission of Nefesh B' Nefesh is to ease the olim, or immigrants, past the typical obstacles that might otherwise face them. Those include financial, professional and social obstacles. Nefesh

B' Nefesh offers financial grants, employment assistance, social guidance and counseling, including assistance in finding communities and housing.

While Jewish immigrants like Pechenik are allowed, under Israel's Law of Return, to adopt dual citizenship, Levine stressed that the program is not anti-American in the least.

"We will not fund one person who does not love America," Levine said. "We see it as a way of building bridges -- even stronger bridges -- in America.

"We believe that the whole thing has to be thoroughly realistic. We can't have somebody with stars in their eyes."

That's why participants are encouraged to travel and have personal experience in Israel.

Pechenik's experience began in 2005, when she made a trip there through Birthright Israel, a Zionist organization that offers free trips to Israel for Jewish young adults from around the world.

"It was a nine-day trip," Pechenik said. "It was a really great experience."

For Pechenik, it was also a strong, bonding experience, which created lasting relationships among the participants. Out of the 20 people who participated, "four or five have already immigrated," she said.

Pechenik had her own personal reasons for considering the Aliyah. "I've thought about it for a long time," she said. "I have friends and family in Israel."

Beyond those bonds, however, Pechenik said she had another to consider: her relationship with herself.

She said she wanted to add purpose to her life.

After graduating from North Muskegon High School in 2002, she attended Muskegon Community College. She recently graduated there as a music major.

Her decision to enlist in the Israeli military is a three-year commitment. What lies beyond, Pechenik has not decided.

"I always planned to spend time in Israel," she said. But that doesn't rule out returns to or even living in the United States.

On the day before her departure, she said her goodbyes here to her mother, her cousin and her boyfriend. It was an emotional experience, Pechenik said.

"I'm not a crier," Pechenik said, "but I went through a box of tissues that day."

Despite the extended publicity about terrorism and violence directed against Israelis, Pechenik said she is not afraid.

"I have a different perspective on the issue," she said. "Knowing people in Israel and knowing where to be, I'm not worried about violence."