Yonatan Schechter

Great question. Aliya need not always be a crisis, but it's definitely a transition and transitions are particularly vulnerable times for people. Transitions are likely to create feelings of loss or nostalgia about what is being left behind, as well as concern or fear about what lies ahead. Everyone responds differently to transitions and even within the same family different members may respond differently to the challenges of aliya. Sometimes those differences alone can be a source of friction within the family. The more that people are aware of and respect each other's differences, the lower the likelihood of friction within the family.
Of course, there are also external circumstances which can make the aliya process more smooth or more bumpy, but since these factors are largely out of the control of the olim, a determinedly positive attitude and commitment to support each other throughout will go a long way in easing the process no matter what.