After being involved in some Jewish activities including assisting in fund raising for the building of the road to mount Meron, Joan made a decision in 1968 to move to Israel. Joan came to Israel by boat with her good friend Helen and started to work for few months in the offices of the Jewish Agency in Tel Aviv. In March 1969 Joan decided to change her status from "tourist" to "New Immigrant" and started to work for TWA as the secretary of the General Manager.