Six Months!

Six months!

Wow, where has the time gone?  6 months ago, I fulfilled my life-long dream and landed in Israel as an olah chadasha.  What a whirlwind time period!

In so many ways, I feel like I have been living here for so much longer.  With all the bureaucracy and learning how to navigate a new country and new society, and most of all a new JOB!, it just really feels like home.    Thank G-d, I have made many new friends, graduated from ulpan, and began stimulating the Israeli economy with my shekel paycheck. 

I had a Chanukah post started but visitors from the US kept me very busy, and of course, I’m also working full time and getting used to that.  Chanukah was incredible beautiful.  I can’t even describe what it’s like to live somewhere where Chanukah is the only holiday being celebrated in December.  Instead of a Christmas tree adorning my office lobby, with a small electric menorah on the side to be PC, the menorah is the star of the show, and of course nonstop sufganiyot.  The holiday decorations on the streets all reflect OUR chag!    My new friend/family member captures the flavor of Chanukah in Israel so beautifully. 

I’ve been so incredibly blessed, in every step along the way on this fabulous journey.  The new job is really going well.  Great company, nice people, challenging and interesting work.  I love having friends visit from abroad.  Skype has been amazing.  It’s not quite like being there, but it’s really the next best thing. Family and friends’ smachot are popping up, so I don’t feel like I am only missing events in the States.  I am building my life here, and thank G-d, everything that comes along with that is falling into place.

Here’s to the next six and beyond!

Shoutout to she who knows who she is (and better be reading this blog) – I did not use the word ‘amazing’ ONCE in this whole post  :)

I got a job!

I'm not going to discuss details on the blog, too public for my liking, but feel free to comment or e mail or contact me via the multiple electronic messaging programs that I have on my iPhone :)

I got a job today!  I actually will be starting tomorrow so it will be a little hectic for the next few weeks, I'm sure.  It's a really great company and I'm very excited to be on board.

Thanks, all, for your moral support!

Gilad Shalit is home! More links

More links that I found interesting.
Chag Sameach! and Shabbat Shalom for all you 3-day people :)

http://www.yctorah.org/content/view/743/54/
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/prime-minister-netanyahu-s-remarks-following-release-of-gilad-shalit-1.390779
http://blogs.jpost.com/content/second-most-spectacular-thing-israel-sukkot
http://www.janglo.net/component/option,com_adsmanager/page,display/tid,177982/catid,99/Itemid,361

Reaction of Gilad Coming Home

So many other people can express things far better than I can.  Here are some links I found interesting.

http://www.treppenwitz.com/2011/10/eating-my-hat.html

http://muqata.blogspot.com/2011/10/welcome-home-gilad.html

http://realjerusalemstreets.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/gilad-shalit-home/

http://elianahsharon.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/sophies-choice/

http://rabbistewartweiss.com/2011/10/14/soldiers-sacrifice/

Gilad Shalit is home!

Today is a truly joyous day in Israel.  Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier taken hostage over 5 years ago by the Palestinians, has been released today, in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian terrorists.  I'm really not going to comment on the politics of this deal.  There is really no right answer.  I am just happy that Gilad is home.  I am happy to live in a Jewish state, that values life so much.  The entire country is just so happy right now.  Signs like these have been put up all over Jerusalem.

I just watched Gilad's first TV interview.  He seems to be in relatively OK shape, although he is definitely overwhelmed, breathing heavily and not really sure what to answer.  I really thought he would be much worse off, so I'm happy to see him at least physically OK.
Regardless of how anyone feels about the deal, it's a true simcha to have Gilad back home.

Chag Sameach!

Just a quick post to say Chag Sameach.  I really should have posted on Thursday night after our ONE DAY OF CHAG was over :)
Yerushalayim is simply amazing.  Check out photos from blogs of friends of mine here , here and here.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in Yerushalayim

The High Holy Days have just ended and I am still on an emotional high from singing L’shana Ha’ba’ah B’Yerushalayim while sitting in shul IN Yerushalayim.  I’m not going to sugar –coat it –- it was not easy being away from my family and my beloved shul on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  There was no rabbi’s sermon here, which is a major component of inspiration for me on Rosh Hashanah and especially Yom Kippur.  But my pre-holiday tefillot at the Kotel were inspiring as well.  And I am so fortunate to have really wonderful friends here, many of whom davened at the same shul, so I didn’t feel quite so alone.

Mostly familiar tunes and some new ones – but the words are all the same.  And knowing that my family and friends across the ocean were singing the same tefillot made me feel very connected to them.

Rosh Hashanah was beautiful, although 3 days is hard no matter where you are!  I was so fortunate to get invited out for the meals by wonderful friends, many of whom feel like family.  Walking through the streets of Yerushalayim on the 1^st night of Rosh Hashanah (I had a 55 minute walk home from the Meah Shearim area) was incredible.  The entire city is celebrating the start of a wonderful New Year.

I can’t even begin to explain how it felt when singing parts of the tefillot that mention Yerushalayim.  It was incredibly emotional for me to be here.  I kept thinking back to last Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur when I sat in Queens, knowing that my dream of aliyah was going to be coming true in the coming year.  It seemed like such a short time ago.  What a year!

The buses wish everyone a Shana Tova before Rosh Hashanah
On Shabbat I went to the OU Center to hear the Shabbat Shuva drasha given Rabbi Weinreb, formerly of Shomrei Emunah, so I got my Baltimore fix!

In between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur they now say Chatima Tova :)

On Erev Yom Kippur I went to the Kotel for Shacharit.  The streets were already quieter than usual, with most shops closed and everyone preparing for the holy day.  As the sun began to set, the silence was overpowering.  Not one single car was on the street for the entire Yom Kippur.  Living near a very busy intersection, it’s never this quiet outside my window.  It was amazing.  The davening was very beautiful and inspiring.  And now I hear the sounds of sukkot being put up.  The decorations are already being sold on street corners throughout the city.  The holiday season is palpable here and it’s the most wonderful feeling.

Sukkah being put up at the Kotel

Rosh Hashanah is in the Air!

So I know I haven’t blogged in a really long time, but it’s because things are just a routine now, I guess.  Thank G-d I moved into my apartment on September 1 and it’s been really great unpacking all my stuff and getting settled.  The apartment is beautiful and spacious and I even had my first guest last week! (Shout-out to Aliza K J  Miss you!)

It’s a great feeling to have my own place.  It really feels like home and I am just loving it.

Pre-Rosh Hashanah is just a wonderful time here.  Flowers are blooming and you really feel the chag approaching.  I am taking advantage of the many Torah opportunities and attending some really fantastic שיעורים.  I just love how everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, wishes everyone else a שנה טובה.  Every bus driver, cab driver, random person on the bus, cashier, bank teller, etc.  The products in the supermarket even have special חג שמח  packaging.

My cell phone company even sent me Rosh Hashanah greetings!

The pomegranates ripen just in time for ראש השנה and they are displayed in all the supermarkets and at the shuk, along with apples and honey.

 It's impossible not to feel the chag approaching!

Pictures!

I said this blog wasn't really going to be in order...

If anyone is interested, here are pics of departure and arrival.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9QbtHLFs5azk


1-6 - packing and shipment (I can't wait to be reunited with my stuff!  My container arrived and is all cleared through customs but I don't get delivery until I move into my apt on Sept 1)
7-20 - Last night in NYC, dinner at Sushi Metsuyan
21-61 departure at JFK
62-68 - the flight (someone's random baby that we babysat for a bit)
69 - passport control guy - we were just jumping in our seats at that point to get off
70-71 - getting off the plane!
72-75 - bus from tarmac to arrivals
76 - 103 - my amazing family and friends who came to greet me!  And the arrival ceremony.  Laya and me with our Teudat Oleh
104-112 - first dinner out with Gila at Kadosh and then first night at the Kotel!

More to come...

Latest Update

Wow, blogging really does not come easy to me.  So many things to talk about and I always think about blogging but then I get busy J

First pigua (attack) since I moved here was on Thursday. Lots of emotions.  Hits so much closer (literally) when you are living here.  My cousin’s army base is near Eilat so of course I was worried about him.  BH my aunt heard from him and all is OK with his unit.  Reading about the causalities – I just can’t explain it.  I feel like each person could be my neighbor.  In fast each person IS my brother or sister.  We are all part of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael and are just so much more connected.  I am so happy that I can be part of the statistics of Jews from חוץ לארץ  who have made aliyah this year.  The terrorists need to see that we are not scared off.  Jews still want to live in our homeland and defend our right to live here.

I went to give blood on Friday.  It’s something I did regularly in the States and have been meaning to do it since I arrived.  Very happy to be a contributing member of society here and do my part to help.

Please keep ארץ ישראל  in your תפילות  and especially our brave חיילי צהל.  

Here are some links about the situation here.  

http://muqata.blogspot.com/2011/08/gazas-war-on-israel-sunday-august-21.html

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/146999

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/147005