Though not raised in a Jewish school, her family maintained a Jewish connection, and most of her friends were Jewish. “We always knew Israel was our country, but there was no plan to move. I never thought of leaving Rome,” she said.
Sermoneta initially had no interest in medicine, drawn instead to philosophy, history and psychology. Seeking financial independence, she considered psychiatry but switched to biotechnology after a year before entering medical school at La Sapienza University in Rome. Mid-studies, she opted for surgery over psychiatry, a decision that shaped her path.
At 24, after completing her degree, Sermoneta visited Israel to explore its medical system, intending to gain international experience. A month at Hadassah changed her plans. “I felt comfortable living among Jews here. I also thought it’d be easier to meet a Jewish partner and build a family,” she said, prompting her return to Italy to pursue Israeli medical licensure.
The process was grueling—“a nightmare!” she recounted—requiring four trips to Israel and temporary work as a family doctor while preparing for exams. During her internship at Hadassah, she shifted from surgery to anesthesiology, finding it a better fit.
Sermoneta arrived at Jerusalem in 2019, landing a job—a rare stroke of luck for new olim—despite arriving without knowing Hebrew. She studied in an ulpan for six months and worked as a waitress at a restaurant, connecting mostly with Italian and American expatriates, many religious like her, and Israelis only through work.
“I don’t need many people around me; the biggest struggle was missing my family in Rome,” she admitted. In her personal search for love, she dated an Israeli for four years with breaks before a final split, recently finding a new connection with a religious Israeli man.
After canceling several app-arranged dates, she spotted him walking his dog near her home. “I got excited, offered to wait, rushed home to fix my hair and makeup and we had our first date. We’ve been together since,” she recalled.
The Iran war proved tougher, leaving her with constant stress. Adjusting to Israel remains difficult due to “the angry people, the stress everywhere, the lack of attention to clothing and the shortage of museums and architecture.”
She suggests Israelis adopt Italian habits: “Learn to breathe, enjoy life, avoid rushing and be kinder.” Her favorite spot is the Negev desert, though she misses her family and the culture she grew up with most.
