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 :)