So Far So Good
Dear Kumah!

Shalom everyone, sorry I have been so silent in the past few days since we made Aliyah. The reason is simply this - I have been so busy at work, which of course is a blessing in the Land of Israel. I am working for that media concern you may know well, Arutz Sheva - Israel National News. I am working for the English radio department and they have me doing all kinds of stuff from the highly technical to the highly mundane. In my short time here I have learned a ton. Malkah and I have been unable to do most of our bureaucratic business because of the government workers strike that has been going on for months. However, Malkah did enroll in Ulpan and she loves it. Malkah and I have not had the chance to see Israel yet and we haven't seen our own town - Beit El. This place is affluent, very pretty, and surrounded by Arabs. Abraham was here and Jacob famously dreamed here. Malkah and Yishai are starting here.

So far my slogan for figuring out life in Israel is: Nichye Ve'neer'eh (We Shall Live and We Shall See)

One thing that might excite you is my new idea for this radio station - I call it Jewish Campus Radio - that is, an internet radio show which will focus on American Jewish campus issues i.e. Birthright, Hillel events, fighting anti-Semitism, Israel programs, Jewish music scene, and obviously, Aliyah.

Do me a favor please - Give me some feedback about this idea and check out our radio station on the web and tell me what you think. There is an opportunity at this station to send out a message that matters. Your ideas are extremely valuable. Here is the site:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/metafiles/asx/israelnn.asx

Upon my arrival I was immediately contacted by Kumites here in Israel who told me that we must get events going here in Israel for those who have already made Aliyah and are looking for like-minded and like-situated people. With G-d's help that is exactly what we will do. More info to come soon...

This Sunday is the begining of the United Jewish Communities General Assembly (GA) convention in Jerusalem. 4000 Americans will be here and so will we. A big rally is scheduled to raise the issue of Jonathan Pollard - may he be freed soon. Aliyah will also be an issue as will the future of American Jewry. I hope we can have some impact. If you would like to help Kumah this week at the GA, please get in touch.

This week's Torah portion clearly shows that there are times when one is tested. Abraham was tested to the utmost when G-d asked him to sacrifice his son. Moving to Israel is likewise a test - I have been amazed at how much Gashmiyus (mundane physicality) is involved in the fulfillment of this great Mitzvah. I am suddenly concerned about money issues, the purchase of this or that, space for junk, and all kinds of other issues. Its all smoke and mirrors. This is the place to be. As the driver of a hitchhiked ride told me - patience is the medicine for everything. And so is faith and trust in G-d.

Wishing you all the best and looking forward to seeing you,
Shabbat Shalom, Yishai
050-356-263
- posted by Yishai @ 12:35 PM Permalink Home

 
Shmuel Sackett's speech last night
I went to hear Shmuel Sackett (from Manhigut Yehudit - Jewish Leadership) speak at YU last night. The event was organized by Shmuel Sokol from Mission for Israel. At the end of the speech, I spoke for a minute about Kumah, and the important first step of Aliyah. Mr. Sackett made Aliyah 13 years ago, and has been politically active there ever since. His work is having significant impact in the Israeli government. This can be an inpiration to those of us who want to make Aliyah, but don't think we can make a difference there. If you're not familiar with the Manhigut Yehudit organization, please visit their web site. For those of you in Israel, consider attending their upcoming conference in Binyanei Ha'uma, Tuesday, Rosh Hodesh Kislev, November 25th, at 6:30pm.

His message was a positive one. He spoke about the direction that Israel should move in, yet he barely mentioned the Arabs. So often we are so obsessed with current politics that we forget the long-term picture: to be an or lagoyim, a shining light to the world, from our exemplary Jewish society in Israel. That is different from striving to become a nation just like all the others, or striving merely to live in peace. It is a lofty goal, but it is one that is gaining steam in Israel, as people realize that the current alternatives are not working out.
- posted by Ben @ 10:16 PM Permalink Home

 
Ulpan and the Intifada
I just finished my second day of Ulpan! I'm learning really quickly, I think (I hope). Readers, do not fear your inability to speak - Israel will make sure you learn, if you're committed to spending the time and energy. There are people in my class who didn't know the Aleph Bet (literally) when they got here, and now they're writing sentences. Everyone in my class is really fun - we laugh a lot, and people aren't embarrassed about their mistakes, which I think is key to the learning process.

Because I'm living in Beit-El, I have to take 2 buses to get to class (which means getting up at 6:00am - ichsa) - one long ride into Jerusalem (an hour) and then another short ride in the city (15 minutes). On the way home yesterday, I got on the short bus to the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem, where I would take my bus to Beit El. As I was sitting, I looked up and saw a man in a puffy black jacket sitting diagonally from me. He was speaking Arabic into a cellphone. I looked at him, he looked at me, and my stomach dropped. "This is it. This is the one that's going to get ME." An arab in a puffy black jacket, the exact puffy jacket I imagined all the suicide bombers (may they rot in hell for all eternity, those desecrators of The Name) wear. At the next stop, I hurried off the bus, about 3/5 of a mile from the Bus Station. I was totally freaked out. As I stood on the sidewalk, watching the bus go by, waiting for it to explode, I realized... it wouldn't, that I had misjudged the situation. So I thought "Wait a minute, every Arab around here wears a puffy black jacket, and winter's coming. Am I going to jump off of every bus that carries one of these guys?" On the other hand, I thought "But what am I supposed to do when I am afraid for my life, when I feel that someone is a threat to me? Ignore my instincts? What if I had been right?" I decided that it had to be somewhere in the middle. It was a bit of a depressing moment. I wish I were a little braver, but I wish I didn't have to be.
But then, on the long ride to Beit-El, I looked out my window at the gorgeous rocky hills outside of Jerusalem, listening to my walkman and reflecting on my new life. I saw a man standing on a hill above the road. He must have been somewhere between 15 and 19 (I'm not very good at estimating ages). As we drove by, I saw him hurl one rock, and then another, at our bus! He was too far away to hit us, so I don't think anyone even knew he was there, except for me. I was stunned. I was a target today, after all.
- posted by Malkah @ 4:33 PM Permalink Home

 
Shopping in Jerusalem
I just carried maybe 100 pounds (I'm not exaggerating) of groceries from Jerusalem back to Beit-El. Thank Hashem for Yishai's humongous backpack. I took a tremp (hitchhike) in to Jerusalem, despite my continual inability to understand questions people are asking me. I sat next to two other sweet hitchhikers - Tzofia and Leah. They practiced their English on me and did quite well. Turns out Leah's mom spent many years in the US. Turns out she is the daughter of the late Rav Meyer Kahane, z''l. I asked Leah if she had ever met her grandfather - she did, when she was little.

Last night Yishai and I saw Arabs working in Beit-El, I think for a private employer, carrying some heavy objects or something. This sort of activity, even in the private context, has to stop, particularly in a place where we are so adamant about the Jewishness and Jewish sovereignty of Israel. Can't we find some strong Jewish young men to do this work? Or can't we pay more so Jews will take the jobs? Aren't people complaining about unemployment while religious Jews hire Arabs in Israel? It doesn't make sense to me.


- posted by Malkah @ 4:25 PM Permalink Home

 
Raining in the Holy Land
Yes, it's raining here in the beautiful Shomron. Yishai and I are in Beit-El - our first day with Israel National News. One of the offices has a metallic-type roof which makes the rain drops sound like hail. I can only imagine what rain will sound like in our caravan (B"H), where all the sides are metal.

We spent shabbat in Maale Adumim, a "settlement" of 32,000 people about 15 minutes from Jerusalem over that menacing veil of oppression, the green line (just in case you couldn't read my sarcasm, if you would ever drive over this "green line" you'd have no idea at what point you did so. If you were to ask me what the green line is, my most accurate, authoritative response would be "I have no idea.") We stayed at the home of our friend Jason Orenstein's parents, who made Aliyah about a year and a half ago. I spent a good deal of time talking with Bobby/Bubby, the family's 87 year old olah chadasha, who sang me a lot of yiddish songs. She said making Aliyah at her age was not so easy, but she was optimistic about a new yiddish organization her daughter, Jason's mom, would be taking her to soon. Good luck, Bobby the occupier, and have fun. I think she'll be alright.

I went to a website today called www.learnhebrew.org.il, where I picked up many, many hebrew slang phrases. Since the ulpan of my preference doesn't start until January 15, I'll try to learn some hip jive, LeTovot HaClal (in the public interest) (see, it's working!).

Anyway, mazal tov on the brachah (blessing) of rain here in the Holy Land. We must be doing some thing right.
- posted by Malkah @ 4:26 PM Permalink Home