But they now feel the time is right to make Israel their permanent home.

And on Monday they were among those making aliya on the Jewish Agency’s biggest-ever UK flight.

Jonathan is a former Holy Law Congregation executive member and Bernice taught at King David Infant School for 14 years.

She said they were at last looking forward to “going home” and taking their children to live in a place where they could be proud to be Jewish.

In fact, younger children Dina, 11, and nine-year-old Rafi will be joining some of their former Broughton Jewish Primary School classmates and Holy Law friends whose families have already settled in Modiin where the Cohens will now live.

Eldest son Adam, 21, is to complete his university education in the UK, while 18-year-old daughter Naomi preceded the family to Israel last week in order to enrol in a Magen David Adom course before studying at a seminary in Shalvim next month.

Bernice reckons that with Dina leaving Broughton Jewish and Naomi moving onto higher education, this was the best time to make aliya. She plans to enrol in an ulpan and teachers’ training course so that she can transfer her skills to an Israeli school.

Commercial mortgage broker Jonathan, who served as Holy Law vice-president and honorary secretary, also hopes to continue his work in Israel.

The couple say that the only down side of making aliya, besides the enormous upheaval, is leaving behind their close family and friends.

Bernice’s mum Sarah Starr now lives in London and father Michael Starr in Manchester while Jonathan’s parents Freda and Harold Cohen live in Liverpool’s Allerton.

The Cohens said farewell to Holy Law at a kiddush last week.