I'm tempted to say at the Beginning, but that would be too simple! Life doesn't often work like that anyway.
First off, you MUST make a pilot trip to Israel. You need to know what you are getting yourself into. You can dream all you want about a life in the Holy Land. Reality can be a very different thing. It's not a place of rainbows and roses. Although every cloud does have a silver lining, roses still have thorns. Israel can be a very thorny place.
I am not being a hater. But if you come to Israel expecting the American, Canadian, or Western European lifestyle you are leaving behind, you may well be sadly disappointed.
It's a hard life in Israel. The cost of living is higher with salaries generally lower. Patience and manners are often lacking.
The homes/apartments are smaller. Newer construction will have "open concept" in its design.....but there's a price tag attached. The walls are cinder block, covered with plaster. Wood is expensive to import, and I've been told they don't harvest from their own forests....that is not allowed. So the very style of architecture that you may be accustomed to does not exist.
It's very crowded, especially in the bigger cities. I am a country girl, so I tend to shy away from the hustle and bustle. If you choose to visit the metropolitan areas, I suggest using mass transit whenever possible. It's quite affordable and very predictable. If you choose to drive your own vehicle, the driving is one issue, but the parking is quite another! Trust me, you will spend more time circling around looking for a parking spot than the quantity of time on the "autobus".
Let me mention something about driving. Gasoline is quite expensive. My friend filled up his SUV and it cost $127.00 at the exchange rate at the time....and he was not running on empty. It's normal for them, but shocking for an American when gas at the time was about $1.85 a gallon. To fill up my little car was then a whopping $20 in the US!! Of course, it is sold in Litres over there, but the end result is still the same.
Driving is a cross between the game called "chicken" and Nascar. Yes, there are rules of the road, but most don't obey them. Red and white striped curbs mean NO PARKING. But I have a picture I need to find and post showing about 8 cars in a red and white no parking zone in front of a bank, with one car actually up on the sidewalk!! I asked my friends, "Why do they do this? Isn't this a towing zone?" Their reply? "Yes, but they're only going to be inside for a few minutes!" Seriously? (Found the photos--here ya go!)
Then there was the day we were driving to Tel Aviv. It was a Highway, with 3 lanes in each direction. The curb along this residential stretch was blue and white, permit parking only. We round a bend in the road, and there is a car PARKED in the far right traffic lane, double parked next to the cars parked legally with their permits. IN THE LANE OF TRAFFIC! No hazard lights. Our driver just calmly swerves into the middle lane to avert a collision, and continues on as if that were normal. "That car back there was PARKED in a traffic lane!" I remark, incredulously. Reply? "Yeah, he probably forgot something in his apartment....he'll be back in a minute".
Maybe where you come from this is normal to you. It's NOT normal for the Western half of these United States! Just sayin'. These are some of the things that you will have to get used to.
There's no such things as a line. You may even go to a place where you must take a number and wait. But be warned, it doesn't help much. Everyone considers their time and their problem more important than yours. The post office is the leader in this arena.
Every country I have visited so far has an orderly way to accomplish meeting your buying needs. It's an unwritten rule of common courtesy to wait your turn in line. Newsflash: It doesn't exist in Israel. Whether you go to buy fast food, check into a hotel, check out of a supermarket, or bring your purchases to the cashier at a clothing store or pharmacy, there will be people literally trampling over you (as if you were invisible) to get to the head of the line. I do not know why this is. It's what I have labeled the "me first" mentality. It was so disheartening to witness. Where is Love Your Neighbor? It does exist, but it's in the minority, unfortunately. So sad.
If you were to smile at a stranger as you passed by, more often than not you will get a suspicious scowl instead of a smile in return. Suspicion abounds if they consider you too friendly. Manners betray that you are a foreigner. Don't be expecting an "excuse me, I'm so sorry!" if someone bumps into you by accident. They just keep right on walking. Doors will not be held open by the men for women, or even for mothers who might be pushing a stroller. And getting in or out of an elevator should be considered Olympic sport! Again, there is no courtesy..... Before you get ON an elevator, the people inside need to exit. Isn't this common sense? Good luck. The people will POUR in and block the path before you have a chance to get out. It's the same situation trying to get in. The doors open and there is no order to the loading and unloading.
Yes, these stories and many more were part of my reality check when I spent time in Israel. My US friends can't imagine why I would go back for more. At first, I wasn't sure I could handle my frustration and disappointment. But I did a little Torah study that changed my mind. We are taught to be kind to strangers. As a new immigrant, I will be a stranger among my own people. It is my goal to shine my light wherever I go. All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the flame of one little candle. It may be the hardest thing God has ever asked of me, but I will greet those I meet with a smile, and hopefully a kind word. I will open doors. I will say 'excuse me', and I will STILL say please and thank you. I will live my life as if kindness depended on me. Because it does.
I am really thankful for Thanksgiving this year. It is not celebrated in Israel, so this is my last real turkey dinner for a while. In fact, I had difficulty finding turkey any time of the year in the Israeli markets where I shopped. I was told that some Jews don't consider turkey to be kosher ONLY because it wasn't specifically mentioned by name in the Torah. It fits the kosher criteria, but there are always those who will take things to that "outer fence" level of Torah observance.
One day, though, I was walking by the heated display case in the market with all the cooked meat choices. Mostly chicken....at about 35-45 shekels per package. I was about to walk away when I saw a price tag of 5 shekels on something......what? Oh My Gosh!! It's turkey!! 2 huge turkey wings (I prefer white meat anyway!) for only 5 shekels! That was about $1.50 at the time. SCORE!! I asked my friends why it was priced so much less than chicken, and they told me it's just not that popular. If that's what keeps the price down, I hope the Israelis NEVER catch on how good it is! :)
I did see on a website within the last week that a group of new Olim were invited to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner down in Tel Aviv. I smiled. There are a few things that are part of our American culture that are worthy of import to any country, and I think Thanksgiving qualifies as one of them. Not that we need a day set aside to remind us to be thankful...but rather a special day to celebrate life and love with our family and friends.
Oh wait, there already is a Jewish Thanksgiving! It's our weekly holiday known as Shabbat. Now we just need to add turkey to the meal! :)
The saying goes if you have 2 Jews you will get 3 opinions. So if you have 13.5 million of us worldwide (give or take) I guess that would make over 20 million different opinions. Wink.
I went to Israel for the first time on a tour in 2007. As the pilot banked for our landing, the "special-ness" out of my window was already palpable. But not explainable.
We stayed that first night in Tel Aviv. Headed up the coast early the next day. I had this image in my head that Israel would resemble the Sahara Desert for some reason. Yet to our left and to our right, nothing but fertile fields. Everywhere.
I don't mean to mislead you- there are PLENTY of desert vistas, if that's your thing. But for some reason, people are shocked when they see photos of rolling hills, forests and farmland.
But the Land. I had a connection to the Land itself. I mean, to the very dirt. I know it sounds a little far fetched, but I really wanted to just roll around in it....throwing handfuls of it over my head. Crazy? Perhaps. But it's what I wanted to do. (I did restrain myself!).
To walk the cobblestone streets inside the Old City of Jerusalem...to pray at the Kotel.....to see the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret)....to watch the sun set on the Mediterranean....to float in the Dead Sea....to hike up Masada....explore the falls at Ein Gedi....The beauty of the Jezreel Valley....walking around the ancient ruins of Beit She'an....I could go on and on. Each site has it's own history and unique quality.
In addition to all the places you can go see and experience, there is a "feeling" that permeates Israel. (Especially on Shabbat). I have often tried to put that feeling into words. The closest I have come after 5 years of trying is this: It's a place where past and future unite in the NOW. You are fully present in the present. I can't say this is everyone's perception, but it's mine and I'm sticking with it. :)
It's usually the first thing people say when they find out I'm making Aliyah. Jew and Gentile alike. Why would someone leave the comfort of the USA to go live in Israel? Don't know who I'm quoting, but "if I had to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand."
I am not knocking the country I was born in. I love it here and will come back to visit as often as I am able. (Read: Afford). Americans making Aliyah get dual citizenship. The best of both worlds.
With the events in Israel these last few days, it only causes people to question my sanity. I received more than a few emails from acquaintances saying, "PLEASE tell me that you are in the United States!" I assured them that I was, knowing they won't understand why I still plan to make Aliyah. Logically, I realize that it does not make sense to most to go off to a country surrounded by enemies and always on the brink of war. But the soul has other ideas. And God is in control.
If your web search has landed you on my page, a hearty Shalom!
I am in the process of making Aliyah from the United States. Nefesh b'Nefesh is the organization I have applied through. They work in conjunction with The Jewish Agency. It's a long process, so it's never too soon to get started. Hint, hint.
I have decided to document my journey in order to leave a trail of crumbs for anyone who might be contemplating the process.
I have traveled to Israel many times, and plan on sharing my favourite photographs with you as the blog unfurls.
This is just the humble beginning. As time goes on, I hope to catalogue and cross reference information for you to be able to find what you are looking for, as well as to answer any questions you might have. I am happy to share with you everything I learn throughout my journey. :)
All the best,
Aliana (Ali)
