Blog#14 chevron

This past weekend we read parshat chayei sara. In America there is no real celebration or significant happening that shows our appreciation for the fact that our patriach avrohom bought this land from efron in chevron. Yes we talk about the fact that efron offered it to avrohom for nothing but avrohom insisted that he pay. Efron accepted the money and avrohom buried Sara. Aside from that we kind of just ignore the fact that Jews should outright claim the area and should not have to share the site. Furthermore the restriction of Jews  not being allowed into the main room for majority of the year is appalling. I won't blog on politics but this past weekend I had the privilege of going to chevron for this Shabbat. The Israeli citizens celebrate this by going en masse. There are no hotels there, and no kosher restaurants to take out food. The Jews (15,000) just come with camping gear and set up tents. So as you can imagine I was dead set against going.  However my husband promised me no tents and we would be eating catered food. OK so food and sleeping arrangements were made. However, I am very vigilant in not going to unsafe places. Chevron has a population of 200,000 Arabs. There are 91 Jewish families scattered within one neighborhood. The closest Jewish city is kiriyat arba. That has population of 10,000 Jews. This city is ten minute walk from chevron. Which still makes it not so safe..my husband and others promised me that it's the safest Shabbat I'll ever have. I can attest to that now. There was at least a soldier every 5 feet when walking from kiriyat arba (where we slept) to chevron where we ate. In chevron itself there were at least 5_10 soldiers every couple of feet. In fact what was so comical was my son saying Shabbat shalom and toda rabba to each one... at times he didn't stop..... I was also told that on this Shabbat the Arabs have movement restrictions. Additionally they are not allowed to go into the marat hamechpala the whole Shabbat. So yes in the end I did feel safe.

I can not describe the feeling of eating in the chevron "simcha hall" while looking out the window and seeing this mammoth building of the marat machepela that sits on the land that we know avrohom bought and knowing that all of our forefathers and mothers are right there. What a privilege as my husband made kidush I suddenly felt connected to my religion. I also felt very privileged to be eating inside with 300 or so others, as opposed to out in a tent :-)
The Friday night meal was beautiful there were many soldiers who quickly came and ate with us.  Many Kennest members add high ranking sergeants, colonels and police officers. Who have thousands of soldiers and police officers underneath them ate with us as well.The clincher for me at this meal came when I started to speak to the other family at our table. The wife told me she comes every year. She stays with her cousin who lives in chevron. My immediate question was...isn't she terrified?????!!! Her response to me " no  the Arabs are scared of her" I saw the cousin who sat at the next table. she didn't look scarier than anyone else that I know. Just a regular person who is raising her family in a very special place. Without her family and the 90 others we the Jews would surely not have this part of Israel.  What a higher goal!!!!  Shabbat after noon we did a walking tour of the Avraham avinu neighbourhood with simcha hochbaum. Was truly amazing...the past 10 years of history there were many terrorist attacks in chevron. Simcha took us to couple of these place. One was where a mother was walking her child in a stroller in the city street in broad daylight.her child was shot to death by a sharpshooter. After this tragedy this family didn't leave but stayed and had more kids. There refusal to move out is meant to she strength and courage will not deter!!! There was another sad and similar story where a husband and wife were brutally murdered in the street by a walking Arab man with a bomb in his shirt. They noticed him walking towards the children's park and wrestled him to the ground. Killing only themselves and saving many children. One more tragic story was a man who was stabbed to death in his home. The wife vowed not to leave chevron instead she asked that a building be built so that young men can come learn. Now there is a vibrant yeshiva in her backyard. One can only look up to these people who show such determination to live for a higher goal. While it was an awesome feeling to be there for the entire shabbat, the lesson I walked away with was the following. We live our lives with a goal in mind to be good and kind people, to be good parents, however somehow a real sacrifice for religion tendsto get lost. While yes I admit before this Shabbat I thought to myself... wow I'm living in the holy land, God must think I'm really great..she really gave up a lot to be here In my land. But this weekend that changed. Instead I think now those people living in chevron and kiriyat arba, although somewhat insane , really are sacrificing for their religion. What a higher standard of living!!! What can I /you say we sacrifice for our religion that can equate to the Jewish residents of chevron and kiriyat arba? is there any???

Blog #12 sacrifices

When you make a sacrifice do you usually feel good or bad about the choice you just made? Most people usually feel good about the sacrifices they made ....otherwise they wouldn't have made it... Right?  After meeting a good portion of the people on my block I realized that I was definitely NOT the only one who left alot behind. Ie houses, cars, live in help, nicer cars, etc. Yet most of these people seem happy. Although I really didn't ask them if they are presently happy, nor did I ask them how long it took to feel that the sacrifice they made to come here was the right one. However, I know that after speaking to a handful of people... they all left behind an easier way of living.  A way of living that if you want...(which most people who left America want...) can only be done  if one is receiving income from an American company. Which then requires you to work American hours or travel frequently back and forth. Of course there maybe other exceptions... Cough cough;-) but again you see the sacrifices people make to be in the holy land and maintain the lifestyle one is accustomed too...
So let The truth be told the sacrifice of leaving the Golden America is definitely not an easy one. After just one month of being here I am realizing that ....what in the world did I just do....hmm I left behind my house that I loved and basically completely redesigned to my taste....including a "functional kitchen" yes the one here is very dysfunctional. My car ( OK it was a leased Volvo.. But it had a gear for parking!!$%%), supermarkets that carry products I am used too... and a country full of people that speak and understand my language.. Not to mention all the little things that made me happy there. (Refer to previous blog..on things I'll miss) So as of right now... I can not say that the sacrifice that I made was the right one. However what can be said is that at least the sacrifice was made..now I just have to realize somehow, and someway, that it was the right one...

Blog#11 bigger picture

Living in america as an observant Jew you really never get to feel that you are part of a something big. You actually always feel like you are the minority. That's because we really are... I know i felt like that living in.. yes ny. However living in Israel for about a month now and being around lots of Israelis all the time now... I am starting to notice how everyone is celebrating the same holidays as I. I am starting to realize that I am no longer a minority. That I am a part of something a lot bigger rather than just being another randomite.. And I am not just referring to the religious people living in my hood ...obviously I'm specifically referring to the secular Israel's. Going to the mall, going to the beach, shopping in all types of stores ie linens, kitchen ware, going to the grocery store, getting manicure  eating in diff restaurants,  getting gas, yes the kotel etc... you see all different types of Israelis and when they wish you a Shana Tova or chag sameach you start to realize .. hey this is strange I'm part of these people. I belong to them and they belong with me. I may not literally understand them :-) but I am starting to understand that I am part of them and that theres a bigger picture here. There's a country ( six million ..i think)full of people that share the same religion / customs as me. You may not think that's wild but what really blows me away is that these people not only share my religion but they literally put there life on the line to protect me and everyone else living in this country. So the next time I/you feel that.. hey we are just another dot in this world think of all the people living in this country there's plenty of them just like you. To be in line with the holiday we are in ...I bring to the light that us Jews consists of many different types ...just like the arba minim. Enjoy your chag and know you are not the minority.... at least not in the Holy Land!

Blog#10 adjusting?!#$@

When people ask me how I am adjusting to my aliyah I just say OK. I don't think they really want to know all my gripes and complaints. Additionally I don't think my fellow blog readers either want to know. In general I don't think most people really care about other peoples issues when inquiring about people's state of mind. However I do think that it is good for people who are having a rough time to vent. Tonight I went to a nefesh bnefesh event for new olim for parents with kids in school. What adjustment they are going through and what parents can do to help. Personally I thought it was an AA meeting ..you know..small room with handful of parents. In turned out to be quite comical. The topics in my mind always concluded with how Israel has its own culture and how different Americans are. For example the lecturer mentioned how Israeli s don't have boundaries. My son told me one of the first days of school how when he put his water bottle down at the lunch table everyone started taking and drinking from it. As if it was for everyone. His expression when he told me was complete shock I reacted the same way. A lady mentioned similar story where her kid brought doritos and everyone dug their hands into her bag too. Trying to Look at that with a positive eye i guess i can tell my son that it's nice to share but we can still maintain our boundaries..Lecturer also mentioned how Israelis teachers are more emotional. Another incident where my son came home and said."mom right its not good middos to get angry and yell" I answered yes. He said well my Mora screamed at me for no reason. I did land up speaking to the teacher and clarify what may have happened. The point I'm trying to bring out is that while I am an American/Canadian and living in Israel there are challenges that I am faced with aside from the biggie of not speaking Hebrew. There are lots of cultural changes that need to be learned like why do stores close at 11and reopen at 5? Why does my car not have a gear for park? Why did the warranty guy sound like he was breaking my oven instead of connecting it? Why didnt any of the delivery guys or handy man clean up the mess they made? Why are there stores in the underground parking lots? Why does everything seem so small in this country? (Including the kitchen)
Why did I only pay 60 shekels to fix two blown out tires?

Why do I keep reaching left to turn on the light in my bedroom.??? (That's only bec I had my light switch on the left in Monsey...I wonder when my brain will stop doing that)

I have tons more Q's on the differences. But the bottom line is we are different culturally and that's something I personally wont change but can try to live with.
So when asked how i am adjusting I think the correct answer would be... yeah...adjusting.

Blog#9 G-ds winks

When things go as planned or without any issues....Do you stop and think oh that was helpful, and then carry on with your day?/life. So I admit yes that was me for the past number of years. But now  as I 'm trying to Adjust to "life" here I am trying to see  and use the borrowed phrase (from my hubby) g-ds winking at me. Explanation right????

As I am "absorbing" to life here things are really frustrating. Obviously not knowing the language is the number one issue. So any of the day to day tasks where you need to talk really become a HUGE hassle. Such as going to the bank. Of course this should be fairly easy. Who goes to tellers any more? You just use the atms. OK so let's say you didn't get your debit cards yet.....

So that was the mission which wasn't supposed to be too difficult because we had an English representative. Our luck our local bank was closed and it was Sunday!!! So next challenge go to any other local branch "speak " to the teller and take out cash. Ok next stop another local branch.... Follow waze our new Israeli navigator. ....Don't you love it when you rely on technology and it totally craps out on you@#%& . So we arrive at or destination... A traffic circle????!!! OK don't ask anyone just yet  we will find it. OK. Ask someone now ...because we just drove up and down the same street 5 times!!! Ok ask someone else because that person must have lied or had no clue. Ok never mind asking anyone just park the car and walk. Ok place is found ...phew. Next challenge talk to a teller. Oh first get reprimanded by someone who obviously waited a long time and wants you to be just as stressed as she is to take a ticket. Ok we take the stinking ticket and then out of nowhere comes the wink from g-d. I noticed the teller. Its my sisters nephew from her husband side... A fellow Canadian.  Yeah I remembered vaguely some one in my family mentioned he worked at a bank.  Good luck? or g-ds wink? Our number is called we ask for the specific teller. The challenge of not knowing Hebrew is now eliminated. Thank you g-d for your wink and  the challenges that come only for what I  can handle....
One more story to share on g-ds wink. So we finally got our debit cards from our branch and with signing up with that bank they gave out a pocket size dictionary. You know the ones you had for school. So post that errand came the grocery shopping. Local store in rbs Thursday night... Looks just like Rockland or Wesley kosher. Crowded and long lines. No worries everyone in rbs speaks English. To the spices section we go as I'm dropping different spices into my buggy my son starts opening the chocolate milk box drinks. While trying to ignore the situation of him begging to have one and then letting him have one and him saying we didn't pay yet I start to tune him out and figure out which one might be the basil. OK so my motto is try not to speak.... as my son continues to beg for my attention I notice the dictionary in the cart. Great I'll look up basil. that must have been a classic site..I wish I could have been an outsider seeing that. LOOSER!!!!..right??? The next best thing happens... a teenager girl says in her brokenish english you need help looking for something. G-ds little wink. I'm hoping to continue to see them and of course to thank g-d for them....by winking back.

Blog#8 whose your hero

I know that hero's are usually people who sacrifice their lives for a higher cause. Like 911 firefighters. Although many times I am mistaken and believe hero's are the ones who score the winning goal in the dying minutes of a playoff hockey game. Or who hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the world series. However today my real hero was my son. He, although not really given the choice,walked into a class where knowing the teachers only speak Hebrew, and knowing he was not going with any friends went into his classroom with confidence and without a tear. Simply no fear! (I am hoping that stays)Truthfully he is a kid, and some kids are just better at adapting to diff situations than others. My kid is usually more set in his ways and change of order or schedule usually does not go well with him. So today I was amazed at his disposition in this situation. No struggle, no fight, no debates. Just straight up confidence! I am wondering if that came, literally with the territory?  Does living here... in this great country change who we are?  Does this land impact our personalities and we don't realize it. I know it's a 1000000 times easier to remain religious here, (because everyone is doing the same thing) but by living here does our personalities inherently change, do we re prioritize our priorities? Was there an ingredient that g.d put in this land that if we live in his land we become a different person than  we would be by living somewhere else.....only time will tell!
For now ...There are many heroes this great country has had and we can all think of so many but what I think is the common trait amongst them is the lack of fear to do what's right. My son has taught me that today. I hope that in the right situations I too will not be afraid of this land and what it has to offer me. It is different, it is foreign, it is scary but if i want to be hero i must also be fearless.

Blog #7 oleh chadasha

I realize my blog title is pre aliyah...its been two days since my arrival to Israel. I am now considered an oleh chadasha translated as New citizen. The plane ride was extremely awesome. I can say it was a little emotional as there is nothing like over 130 new cadets entering into the Israeli army singing am yisrael Chai. Dovid melech. Shavu vonim as our plane touched down. It made me really think that although this is my husband's dream I should have also wanted to join him in desiring to reside in Israel.  The ceremony en route to Ben gurion airport was very satisfying. I thought about many ideas. Such as do any other countries makes such a big to deal when citizens return to their own countries. Ie Italians to Italy? Russians to Russia? I have never seen or read about that....
The prophecy about the in gathering of the Jews back to israel is surely being played out. I felt that loud and clear when I looked at the people on the flight... Allot of them were not religious. What was it that made them want to return? After all America is America!! Why leave it..... there's so many more luxuries there. They have to be outright crazy to want to leave that all behind and more. Nefesh bnefesh also mentioned we were the 50th flight since 2002, and since then 35,000 Jews have returned to Israel.

After walking across the front of the terminal with the mob of yfamily members and soldiers cheering for us I felt a sense of pride. I did give up allot to come and I should feel pride in this tremendous change. I realized that This is our land if i/we don't acquire it who will. God gave it to the jews. He gave it to abraham. God told him to leave his father's home his birthplace;The land that he is familiar. And follow god to a place which He will show him. Eretz canan. Follow god blindly.... I am now also  fulfilling this age old commandment. I am now a citizen of Israel. And I also feel like I'm following god blindly. However I do realize that this was a choice and I now will also choose to try and make it work.