Keep on Rockin' in the Free World

The section in Jerusalem ended. Its rather bitter sweet. I am happy to be finished with classes. A lot less stress, but I am going to miss the learning. I was ready to move out of the apartments. It was fun, but a little too crazy for me at times.

We got "kicked" out of the apartments on Wednesday. We don't have to be back in Jerusalem until this coming wednesday. I love having free time. It gives me a great opportunity to go see more things. Thursday night I went to David's apartment and just hung out. I was good to see everyone again. Congrats on the honors program David!!!
Yesterday morning I took a bus to Kfar Sava to see the family again. Traveling kinda sucked. Its been raining non-stop for a while now. Its good in the sense the Israel needs the water, but bad that it is coming all at once.
I love being in Kfar Sava. Its really too bad I don't get here more often. My family here is awesome. Its kinda a full house here becaue my younger cousins are staying here at Hiam and Rachel's apartment too because their parents are out of town. I didn't mind sleeping on the couch.
Being here also improves my hebrew. Sure they speak english, but I am not embaressed to make mistakes in Hebrew around them. Matter of fact, we laugh about it.

Sunday I am going to Eilat! I am not excited so much about the city, its only so so, but I am excited about the hike we are doing and the people I am going with. More about that after the break.

Wednesday I move into Arad for my last section! I am so excited. There are only eight of us, three boys and five girls, moving down to Arad. A great group of people. I am looking forward to a more intimate and meaningful experience.

I need to write an entry on the future of YJ. There is a lot of buzz and a lot of emails and letters being thrown around. It will be up in the next couple weeks.

I'm gonna go play some dominos with Guy. Peace.

If Only It Could Be Like This Every Weekend

The last couple of weekends have been some of the best I have ever had in my life. I went to new places, learned new things, and had great company. It doesn't get too much better.

The weekend before this last weekend (Feb 6-8) was one to go down in history. It all started with an idea of a males only weekend. It sounds horribly sexist, but we men need to be manly sometimes. We gave in the name "Weekman". It is supposed to sound like "Weekend", but in reality makes us all look like panzies. Anyways, the normal crew of guys I hang out with currently live in Bat Yam/Holon. It made more sense for me to meet them there instead of our final destination which you will hear about in a minute. I showed up to BY on Thursday night and was invited to dinner at Tal's apartment with my friends. Tal is the fixer upper of the apartments owned by YC in Bat Yam and Holon. He is originally from New York. A super nice guy. As a way of improving our hebrew, we all tried to talk as much as possible in Hebrew. A really good tool for impoving conversational skills. Afterwards we watched the movie "The Impossible Spy". It's an old movie, but I highly recommended it.





Friday moring we headed out to our destination: Tiberius. A town located on the eastern side of the Kinneret. Our plan went off without hitch. Well, that's because, the plan was pretty fluid.

We got to Tiberus, it was a beutiful day. We were all hungry and decided to find some place to eat. Things were starting to close because of Shabbat, but we found the place. The perfect place. It was your usual hummus joint run by an old lady. We were the only customers, 8 hungry boys...sorry....men. It was like hiring a mom for two hours. She actually went down the street and picked up fresh groceries because she was out of ingredients. We couldn't have been more satisfied walking out of there.

Afterwards we were looking for a place to make some coffee with my newly purchased equipment (stove, pot, good coffee, and perfect little glasses). We start walking to what looks like some strange metal structure. Upon arrival we realize its non other than Rambam's Tomb. A very cool find.

At this point our friend Dan arrives at the central bus station just a few blocks away. We meet him and then initiate the second part of the plan: find a place to camp. I was "unoffically" told by some people that it is totally feasible to just walk along the beach until we find a place to camp. It worked out perfectly. Our manly group paraded out of Tiberus about half an hour worth of walking and found a little place on the beach to camp. Set up camp, built a nice fire, and ate some dinner. Later we were joined by a group of Israels. Some high school kids. The cops came to check things out. They didn't even talk to us. They didn't even care that we were there. That would never fly in the states.

We woke up the next morning for the most epic day. We hiked back into Tiberus and dropped off our stuff and rented our bikes. The mission: to circumnavigate the Kinnert, a 60 kilometer trip. Mission Sucessful! It was hard, but a lot of fun.

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I hadn't done a ride that hard in a long time. Matter of fact, I haven't been doing much riding at all in Israel for the simple fact of not owning a bike. I really miss it. None the less, the ride was refreshing, sencnic and challenging.

The bus ride back from the Tiberus to Jerusalem was surprisgly short. I got on the bus and immediatly feel a sleep. Woke up two hours later while pulling into Jerusalem. I was back in my apartment by around 11 pm.

The next weekend was not nearly as manly, but very relaxing....and religious.
My friend Tehilla from camp invited Sali, Aaron, and me over for Shabbat. We all worked at camp togther, have seen each other on seperate occasions while in Israel, but have never had the chance to spend quality time together.

I met Sali in the central bus station in Jerusalem and from there we headed to Rehovot. In short, we spent the weekend hanging out, playing board games, and enjoying each other's company. Tehilla and her family are a lot more religous than I am. Being a guest in their house I observed the laws for shabbat with them and went to synagoge as well. I don't normally keep the shabbat, but every now in then I find it very comforting and relaxing, espically with good friends. The food was also a great plus. I love homecooked meals, and Tehilla's Mom is a great cook. I look forward to going back at least once before I leave in June.

Sali and I got back to Jerusalem fairly early. She always mets her friends at the Western Wall after every Shabbat. I walked with her there since I really didn't have any thing to do. It was a nice half hour walk. We had a really good conversation. I'm happy she is coming back to Midwest this summer. Maybe the same Aidah again Sali?

Election Time

Yesterday was National Israeli Elections. To celebrate I went and voted. And by voted, I mean watched my madrich vote. Since I am not a citzen here.

You think politics in the US is crazy? You haven't anything.
The Israeli Government works like the Parliament of England. Anyone can have a political party here. The Knesset (Israel's Parliament) is composed of 120 seats. The more votes a party gets, the more seats it gets. In order to form a government a group of 61 or more seats needs to be formed. Now, obviously, no one party ever gets all the required seats. As a result parties must join together to form a "coalition". At the point of having 61 or more seats, the coalition will then make a government. Here is how the elections went:

For the last couple of months, in particular the last couple weeks, parties have been putting ridiculous propaganda all over the country. Some of it is just ridiculous.


This is a spoff off of ObamaGirl in support of Tzipi Livni.

This is a prime example of how silly politics here can be. Likud, the party opposing Livni's, took her video and put the head of Nasralla on LiviniBoy.

I thought I would take my own spin on the ridiculousness. I went to google and found some pictures of party leaders.

With the Likud party: Bibi Netanyahu

Israel Beitanu: Avigdor Lieberman

Avodah(Labor): Ehud Barak
Kadima: Tzipi Livini

Although he is not the political leader, he is the spiritual leader of the Shas Party: Rabbi Yosef

It's time like these that I wished Celebrity Deathmatch existed in Israel. In all honesty, it doesn't even need to. These guys nag at each other like five year old children. I would just have to be in clay animation.

On a more serious note: where does the country go now? Well, now a coalition has to be formed. Likud looks like it is going to pull more parties in with it. With a mix of parties, and everyone wanted something more, will anything actually get done in the goverment, or will it be just like that last one, and not effectivly do anything? We can only watch. Here are a few articles to check out about the elections:

Kadima wins, but rightist bloc biggest

Netanyahu declares: I will be next PM

HOW THEY VOTED: See Israel election results by city/sector

There are other things going on in Israel as well. They are worth "Checking Out".

Thinking Really Hard

For some reason, today is an exceptionally warm day in Jerusalem. I think it is around the 60’s or something crazy like that. It would be a good opportunity to get outside and do something. Instead I am writing this blog.

I have a lot on my mind.

Monday night and all of Tuesday were mandatory seminars. You had two options: Advocating on Campus, or Aliyah(moving to Israel). I chose the latter. The seminar was good, really long, but good. We spent the day hearing from several different organizations that help people with Aliyah, and individuals that have made moved to Israel or are currently in the process. The organizations we heard from were: Nefesh’ B’Nefesh, AACI, Garin Tzabar, Mahal, WUJS, and Merkez Hamagshimim. We also heard from organizations/universities for studying in Israel: IDC Herzliyah, Hebrew University, Haifa Technion, Bar Ilan, and the Ministry of Education. All of this was a good insight to the process and the opportunities when moving here….which I eventually want to do.

Aliyah has been on my mind for a long time. Being here has got me thinking about it even more. I love this country. I love the people. I love the concept of a Jewish homeland. Yes, Israel is not perfect. No country is, but I would like to be a part of this young country and help it through its growing pains. How I am going to do that? I don’t know yet.

There are several large challenges with making Aliyah. First off, and probably the hardest, is the language. Hebrew is difficult. I am having trouble with it as it is. This can me over come with a good solid time in an Ulpan and getting out of the bubble of a program with English speakers. Much like the program I am on now. My Hebrew has improved 300% so far. I would be closer to fluent if I was hanging out with Israelis and not Americans.

The next big step would be the Army. Everyone in Israel is required to join. Males for three years, girls for two. This all happens before university. If I were to make Aliyah before the age of 25, I would still be required to do anywhere from three years to six months depending on my age when I make the decision. Honestly, this doesn’t freak me out at all. Matter of fact, I want to be in the army here. It is an integral part of society. When you walk down the street knowing that every single person has done some kind of service, it changes things. The country would not survive without the mandatory service. Also, for a new immigrant, the army is the fastest way to learn Hebrew and get adapted to the country.

I want to be in the IDF for a couple of reasons. The biggest reason: I want to help defend this state and the Jewish people. Do my part in something bigger. Yeah, it sounds hokey and cheesy. But, it is truthfully what I feel.

The less important reason: I want the challenge. It would kick my ass. Hardcore. Totally worth it though.

If I were to join the IDF I would be a lone soldier. This status is applied to soldiers who do not have immediate family living in Israel. The country takes care of their lone soldiers. They are given extra money to afford an apartment, a month to go back home every year, and various other perks. There are groups I could join that consist of many loan soldiers. Garin Tzabar is the one I have heard the most about. From my friends that are in it I hear many good things. A great support system.

Other hardships come with Aliyah too. Paperwork, paperwork, and paperwork. Getting an education. Finding a job. These are all things that must be factored in. There are organizations to aid you, like the ones that talked to us, but that doesn’t mean things are easy.

Moving here would mean a lot of sacrifice. Clearly my family would suffer. It is pretty expensive to get back and forth to America. I would miss my friends in the states a lot. On top of all this, America is very comfortable place, numb, but comfortable. Leaving it would mean more excitement, but a little bit rougher living until I get a good footing. Which could take a lifetime.

The state does a lot to help its new immigrants. All Jews are permitted to gain almost automatic citizenship to Israel. This is called “The Right of Return”. When one signs papers to officially declare Aliyah, the state grants them “Aliyah Rights”. The rights include many things to help a person make an easy transition and are in effect for six years after arrival. The first thing is a “gift basket” of 15, 000 shekel; money that comes from the taxpayers. Next is just an assortment of things: no income tax, no tax on purchasing a car, free health insurance, there are a lot more but I am blanking.

I have been talking to as many people as possible about the process, personal opinions, and advice. Everyone has something different to say. A conversation I had the other day really helped put things into prospective.

In the end it all comes down to this:
If I am going to make Aliyah, I need to do it for the right reasons. I might love Israel more than a fat kid loves cake, but when making this decision I have to make sure of one important thing: that the country benefits from my presence. This country is young and needs a lot of help. I could just move here and become your average citizen, but that wouldn’t help the country. Sure, it’s the Jewish homeland and Jews belong here. The fact is that the country loses a lot of money and resources for every new immigrant because of Aliyah Rights. I have to make sure that my moving here would help the country grow and not just take away from her. Army service is a big part of that, although, I could be a volunteer in the IDF and not make Aliyah.

There are a lot of Ifs in this situation. Say I do decide to make Aliyah. The big question is: WHEN?

There are some many options. I have some friends that are doing it right after YC, which is cool, but not right for me. I miss my family and friends, and I am working at camp again this summer. I also don’t really have the funds I feel necessary to do that. I know that making Aliyah is much easier if you are younger. Right now, I know that if I am going to do it I want to be younger than 24. It’s not to say that it couldn’t be done later, but it is considerably harder once you have a profession and trying to find it in Israel. So in my situation I feel like I have boiled it down to two options; in very basic form.

Option 1
I have been thinking about this one for a long time. In this tentative life plan (intense right?), I would finish YC, go home and attend college and get a degree, then move to Israel. Possibly work for a little while in the states to make some cash. Once in Israel I would attend an Ulpan on a kibbutz for a while to get a good about of Hebrew on my belt. Then I would enlist in the IDF. From there it’s all about getting a job and building a life.
Option 2
This is something that has come on my mind in the last few weeks. I don’t know if I am really ready to go back to school. This is what I call in my mind “The Israeli Aliyah Option”. First, I would come home from YC and work for six months to year. Then, I would do like any other Israeli and go to the Army. Following this, I would get an education here in Israel. I would like to think by the end of my service I would be fluent enough in Hebrew to take classes in Hebrew. If not, there are a handful of universities taught in English. Either way, the army pays for all, or a good portion, of one’s education in return for full service. This would certainly save my parents a lot of money, but at the same time would really be difficult on the family.

There are some many possibilities within each of these potential plans. Even if I choose one of these paths, it will change dramatically. I also have to be willing to accept that things might not work out and that I end up coming back to America. In the Aliyah community this is sometimes seen in a negative light, kind of a failure Aliyah. The truth is that it happens all the time. I have to think of Aliyah as a less permanent idea; more of “trying it out” rather than a definite choice and if things end up working out, then I will end up living here.

There is also the possibility of moving here at a later age. But once again, the younger you are the easier it is to adjust. No set career, no family, no huge responsibilities.

I am about to have a conversation about this with my parents in couple days. Luckily they get to study up with this post before we talk. As for Bubbie (my grandmother), well, at this moment she’s probably reading this and angrily squeezing a stress ball or writing me a livid email. Especially after that comment :)