Journeying back to Eretz Yisrael

(I thought this was a pretty cool sunset over Toronto, taken from the shuttle plane)

Air Canada, I must declare, has the coolest jet I've been on. It's the jet of the future! I'm glad that I didn't pack any books or magazines because the tv screens were touch-screens and everthing's On Demand. So it meant that if a movie already started in another flight, I would've had to wait for the next showing. Here, you could start your shows anytime you wanted. You could pick any shows! So I picked two movies- "The Counterfeiter" (about the huge counterfeit operation during Nazism where they attempt to destroy Britain's economy by putting in extra pounds in its currency) and another one about the South Korean women's handball team's journey to the Athens Olympics. I picked them just because they had subtitles- I could barely hear the regular movies. They were actually showing some of the recently opened movies like "10,000 BC" and "Definitely Maybe." The first class/business class looked like it was blasted from The Jetsons. (Apparently Ofek, the son, is going on this airline for his Canada trip at the end of the month so I told him all about it and he's really looking forward to it!)

We had to make an emergency landing in Halifax because the plane had no water so we were delayed for 90 minutes. I was soooo tired and sick that I just wanted them to shut off ALL the lights!

Otherwise, everything else was cool with Air Canada. Just A LOT of little kids!

Not so cool with the passport control, on the other hand. It went like this:
PC: What's your purpose of your visit to Israel?
Me: Ulpan study in Haifa.
PC: How long are you studying for?
Me: 4 or 5 weeks.
PC: You'll need a student visa.
Me: What? I'm here less than three months!
PC: Yes but you have a student visa here and it's expired. If you're going to study here, you need to get a student visa.
Me: But it's only for 3 or 4 weeks and I'm here for another 2 weeks!
PC: Then where are you going after you finish studying?
Me: I'm just going to Tel Aviv. (panicky response)
PC: You have family there?
Me: Yes!!! (sorry Mom and Dad, I wanted her to shut up and let me go already)
PC: Okay, fine. If you're going to be studying for another 2 weeks, then you NEED to get a student visa.

I called Meredith, my old roommate from last year who's in Jerusalem now doing the ulpan. She had no problems apparently. I think it was just the fact that I had a student visa.

Shlomi picked me up and we drove back to the kibbutz. We had a quiet dinner of spaghetti and meatsauce while watching the news on Jerusalem's "terrorist" attack. I called Meredith again to get the English version of the story and apparently, the cab drivers were having a field day.

It's already all over and I'm just going to go into Jerusalem early afternoon tomorrow and spend the night with Meredith. I'm too anxious to see her as I won't really see much of her at all after our ulpanim are over but I will see Linda and Shlomi again in August. I know it's a long wayyyy off but with my own family coming in for two weeks in two and half weeks, I want to see them and show them around!

Pickin' Up Where I Left Off...

I've been making some phone calls via Skype to Israel to get some things together. I know, why am I planning things less than a week before leaving? Maybe I really have been in Israel for too long!

This summer hasn't been quite summer-y in terms of weather so I'm pretty anxious to greet the 80+ degree weather with full sunshine. Sometimes I wonder why I'm sitting in my house for 4-5 weeks. But I owe it to my brother to show up for his graduation this Saturday. But when you're unemployed and the weather doesn't call for pool, it's easy to get fidget-y about the time passing faster.

But my mom thinks I've been in Israel too long. She'd read the paper and say, "Oh it's going to be like 70, 75 degrees next week. You should be able to go to the pool." Then I would stammer and say, "But Mom, it needs to be at least 80 degrees!" Then she would reply, "You really have been in Israel too long!" But I think it's just how I adapted and haven't dropped any habits. I love plain yogurt and don't mind eating tomatos, zucchini, and cucumbers for breakfast with my eggs. I still keep kosher 99% of the time within the parameters of my current surroundings. Shabbat tends to come and go for me but when I do it myself, it feels relieving that another week has gone by and I survived it. As implied in my last post, Israel is becoming a priority in my decision-making. I have also cut back on my shopping needs and gone scouting for cheapest sales, even in stores like Abercrombie. Not because I'm about to become a poor graduate student, but why pay more just for that brand-name? If I can get a pair of jeans for $20 at final mark-down from Abercrombie, then why not? Otherwise, I'll find another pair of jeans elsewhere or just wait.

Oh, not to mention that when I went to Jersey Shore with my oldest friend, I was seriously hallincuating while hanging out on the beach. I saw Tel Aviv and people playing in the water and on the shores. I was really missing that scene. I tried to "transport" back to Israel just by laying in the sun and playing Israeli songs on my iPod. Okay, I guess I have to admit that I was in Israel for too long.

When I made calls over to Israel, it didn't matter who, I just felt that connection to the land. It's so weird that I can't explain it. It's different from Facebooking and instant messaging. But when I heard someone's voice from over there, I felt as if I was right in the next room, a wall separating us. When I talked to Nate and Tobi, it's similar being back in my dorm room at Hebrew U making those weekly calls to see how Nate was doing with his chemo. When I called Linda and heard her warm voice, it was so easy to fall back in the old habit of being part of the family. When I talked with my old Jerusalem ulpan roommate, Meredith, I was so excited. I couldn't wait to get there already!

Hm, nope, I don't think I was in Israel for too long. It's definitely alive in my heart and soul (as this blog is appropriately titled). Even though I'm a little nervous but overall, I'm very excited to pick up my life where I left it (persumbly with lots of changes in terms of location).

Here's a tentative itinerary:
July 2nd-3rd: On the kibbutz with the Ravids
July 3rd-July 6th: Jerusalem
July 6th-July 30th: Haifa
--> July 18th-20th: My aunt's family visit Haifa so I get to play tour guide!
--> July 25th-27th: Jerusalem
July 31st-August 8th: Still up in the air, depending how the dollar is doing, the weather... and what everyone's up to. I'm sure at some point here, I'll go back to the Ravids' and spend time in Tel Aviv.
August 9th-August 14th: Melissa comes back and we're in Jerusalem!!!

I think my goal this time is try to take a few more trips like Caesarea, Modi'in, and Eilat. And yes, plus get the hang of Hebrew. I am making a goal to finish this David Copperfield that I'm reading so that when I go to Israel, I'm only going to read easy children's novels in Hebrew and anything in Hebrew. There's no Jerusalem Post in Haifa but maybe there's a copy around on Friday if I look carefully for some reading materials on Shabbat.

Goodness, how am I going to sleep? I got up at 6 AM this morning...

Returning Home with Political Baggage

I am being very aware of how days I have left before I jet out of Rochester to Tel Aviv (via Toronto on AirCanada) on July 1st. I am become extra aware of the news in NYT and Israeli papers so that I am prepared to answer some questions that Israelis may pose for me, particularly the upcoming election.

It means having to be specific on why so much of the West and liberal Americans want to support Obama. It means telling them what a disaster the US is domestically and we are in need of a president who can fix and prep the US for the future. Americans are sick and tired of being ruined after 7 years of presidency, especially that Bush has turned into a lame duck. And explain why Hillary Clinton lost. I cannot defend John McCain as to why he is a better choice other than for Israel. And I am on the fence about the whole thing, no matter who's Obama's VP. This is a bad time for American Jewish communities who still very much want to support Israel and are Democrats.

My friend asked me over dinner a few nights ago to remind her why "Obama is bad for the Jews." She's fairly secular Jew who is just beginning to explore the Jewish world a bit so what I had said to her shocked her. She came from a staunch Hillary Clinton family so here she was, in the same uncertain position but would like to vote Democrat. First, I told her that Obama has not been to Israel enough- only once in 2006 to Chicago's sister city. What bothers the Jews the most is how he wants to deal with Iran, Israel's current biggest enemy. Obama, in summer 2007, explicitly stated that he would meet dictators upfront including Iran without using envoys or UN sanctions. Here's the transcript:



Question: Would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?


Obama: I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -- which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration -- is ridiculous. ... And I think that it is a disgrace that we have not spoken to them. We've been talking about Iraq -- one of the first things that I would do in terms of moving a diplomatic effort in the region forward is to send a signal that we need to talk to Iran and Syria because they're going to have responsibilities if Iraq collapses.



Right, but it makes Israel nervous. US' plan could fail and erupt in a Middle East war that would seriously threat the Jewish state. Iran's president, Ahmadinejad, denies the Holocaust and does not recognize the State of Israel. So the logic is that Ahmadinejad must recognize the State of Israel and accept the Nazi Holocaust in order for any peace talks with Israel and the US.



In general, Obama's attitude and foreign policies annoy and worry the Jews. Some Jews go as far to point out his Muslim background and his middle name, Huessein, and argue that he'll be pro-Palestinne. The fact is that fundamentalist Muslims are angry with him for not recognizing his own Muslim background so there is very little for those Jews to worry about.



Further reasons for Obama's weak stance with the Jews are his ties to the black church that he just divorced from (aka Reverend Wright), lack of abroad experience (3 weeks in Pakistan and romping around Indoesia doesn't really count), and general historical Jewish-black tensions. My biggest gripe in his cheap talk, especially his speech on Memorial's Day. He spoke to a group of WWII veterans and told them that his great-grandfather had served in WWII and helped to liberate Auschwitz. BUZZ! The Americans did not liberate the camps in Poland, it was the Soviet troops that did. Historians called on him on that. Later, the campaign revised its statement that the grandfather liberated Buchenwald. Kind of like picking a name out of the hat to me.



Recently, he has been attempt to connect with the Jewish voters. He says that he supports undivided Jerusalem under Israeli control while entertaining the idea of a two-state solution. Jews know better. Two state solution cannot happen unless Jerusalem divides.

Obviously as I have lived in Jerusalem and observed what has happened in Gaza since Hamas took over, I don't believe that Abbas could take better care of East Jerusalem than the Israeli government, no matter how much the Arabs complain.

So what do I do at this point? Zev says to keep an eye on Chicago's Jewish community given that they have known him the longest. I should update the Israelis without leaning to one side of the fence which I don't want to do until October or November. But also watch what happens when Israel attempts to talk with Syria and how Israelis react.

Or, maybe the Israelis won't say anything.... not that it matters but as I said to my mother several weeks ago, "I'm not anyone's spokesperson. I'm just a voter." As a voter and an US "ambassador" to Israel, I should be informaed of both sides of the issue at hand so that I can answer any questions without bias (if anyone can help it) and eventually make an informed decision.

Canada's PM on Israel

The Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, delivered a speech forIsrael's 60th. It is so extraordinary that I must lead off with this today:

"All of my life, Israel has been a symbol of the triumph of hope and faith. After 1945, our battered world desperately needed to be lifted out ofpost-war darkness and despair. After so much pain and suffering, humanityneeded comfort and optimism. After so much death and destruction, we neededthe renewal of the dream of a better and more civilized world. In short, weneeded to be inspired. It was the people who had suffered who most providedthat inspiration. By their example, they led the world back ! to the light. From shattered Europe and other countries near and far, the descendants ofAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob made their way home. Their pilgrimage was theculmination of a two-thousand-year-old dream; it is a tribute to the unquenchable human aspiration for freedom, and a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people.

"In the sixty years that followed, Israel blossomed into one of the mostsuccessful countries on earth; a land of ingenuity and enterprise, an oasisof agricultural genius, a wellspring of fine art and high culture, a modelof democracy. Israel truly is the 'miracle in the desert.'" But the source of Israel's strength and success,! in my view, is itscommitment to the universal values of all civilized peoples: freedom,democracy, human rights and the rule of law...

"Unfortunately, Israel at 60 remains a country threatened by those groups and regimes who deny to this day its right to exist. And why? Make no mistake; look beyond the thinly-veiled rationalizations: because they hate Israel, just as they hate the Jewish people. Our government believes that those who threaten Israel also threaten Canada, because, as the last world war showed, hate-fueled bigotry against some is ultimately a threat to us all, and must be resisted wherever it may lurk.

"In this ongoing battle, Canada stands side-by-side with the State ofIsrael, our friend and ally in the democratic family of nations. We havestood with Israel even when it has not been popular to do so, and we willcontinue to stand with Israel, just as I have always said we would...

"There will be many challenges along the way, but considering how far Israel has come in such a short time, in the face of such seemingly insurmountableodds, I can foresee no dark force, no matter how strong, that could succeedin dimming the light of freedom and democracy that! shines from within Israel."

The Luckiest Jew in the World

From a forwarded e-mail from my uncle and it reasonates very, very true for me for most part.. except her opinion on Israelis' "quick fuses." Of course, she's older than me so...

The Luckiest Jews In The World
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By:Caroline B. Glick Wednesday, April 23, 2008
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I just published a collection<http://www.israelbooks.com/bookDetails.asp?book=659&catId=1&gclid=CMuU5vLO15ICFQQPuwodSyKb5w> of my essays in English. Each time I am asked if I amalso releasing the volume in Hebrew I feel a pain deep inside me when Ianswer that no, right now, my publisher is only interested in an Englishedition. Indeed it is a shame because I wrote most of the essays in Hebrewas well.

Writing in Hebrew is a qualitatively different experience than writing inEnglish. Hebrew is a more compact language than English. It has fewer wordsand the words it has are denser and more flexible than English words. A1,200-word essay in Hebrew will be 1,800 words in English.

This is a mechanical difference. But there are deeper distinctions as well.One level beyond the mechanics is the multiple meanings of Hebrew words. Thedensity of meaning in Hebrew is a writer's dream. Nearly anyone can imbue aseemingly simple sentence with multiple, generally complementary meaningssimply by choosing a specific verb, verb form, noun or adjective. Thesedouble, triple and even quadruple meanings of one word are a source ofunbounded joy for a writer. To take just one example, the Hebrew word"shevet" means returning and it also means sitting. And it is also a homonymfor club - as in billy club - and for tribe.

In 2005, the IDF named the operation expelling the Israeli residents of Gazaand Northern Samaria "Shevet Achim," or returning or sitting with brothers.But it also sounded like it was making a distinction between tribesmen andbrothers. And it also sounded like "clubbing brothers."

As this one example demonstrates, one joyful consequence of the uniquedensity of the Hebrew language is that satirical irony comes easily to eventhe most dour and unpoetic writers.

For a Jew, knowing, speaking and writing Hebrew is an intimate experience.This is particularly so for those of us whose mother tongue is not Hebrew -because as the secrets of the language slowly reveal themselves to us wefeel we are discovering ourselves.

Hebrew encapsulates the entirety of the Jewish story. Modern Hebrew inparticular is an eclectic amalgamation of classical Hebrew, Yiddishisms, andexpressions from the Sephardic Diaspora experience. Greek, Roman, Aramaic,Turkish, Arabic and English expressions meld seamlessly into the stream ofwords. It is not simply that it is the language of the Bible. Hebrew is alsoan expression of the unique culture of a small, proud, often besieged, oftenconquered and permeable people.

Its power to explain that cultural experience and that historical baggage issomething that often leaves a newly initiated member of the Hebrew-speakingworld gasping in a mixture of disbelief and relief. It is unbelievable thata language can be so immediately and unselfconsciously expressive offeelings that have traversed millennia. Understanding its power as a tool ofexpressing the Jewish condition is one of the most gratifying discoveries aJew can make.

But the experience of speaking in Hebrew and of living in Hebrew isincomplete when it is not experienced in Israel. It is one thing to pray ina synagogue in Hebrew or even to speak regular Hebrew outside of Israel. Theformer is a spiritual duty and a communal experience. The latter is a socialor educational experience. But speaking Hebrew in Israel is a completeexperience. Hebrew localizes the Jewishness, Judaism and Jews. It anchors usto the Land of Israel. Taken together, the Hebrew language and the Land ofIsrael stabilize a tradition and make the Jewish people whole.

I write all of this as a means of explaining why a Jew in the Diaspora,particularly the United States, would want to live in Israel. LeavingAmerica is difficult on several levels. In my own experience, it involvedphysically separating from my entire family. It also involved cutting myselfoff from my language - English - and immersing myself completely in a tongueI had yet to master. Beyond that, it meant leaving a country that had doneonly good for me and for the generations of my family who fled to Americafrom the pogroms in Eastern Europe at the turn of the twentieth century.

As someone who loves me told me 17 years ago as I packed my bags for anunknowable future, "People don't emigrate away from America. They beg tocome to its shores."

But would it be right to characterize leaving America as an act ofingratitude? Do Jews have to reject America in order to go to Israel? No, wedon't.

Coming to Israel is not rejecting America. It is embracing a choice tobecome whole in a way that life outside of Israel cannot provide. Thatdoesn't mean life cannot be fulfilling for a Jew outside of Israel. Millionsof Jews can attest to the fact. It certainly doesn't mean that life inIsrael is easier or safer or more lucrative than life is elsewhere.

Israel is a troublesome, hard, often irritating place. It is a young countrythat belongs to an ancient, eternal people who are all imperfect. Some Israelis, particularly those who today occupy the seats of power, are weakand irresponsible and often corrupt and self-serving.

Israelis have quick fuses. Among other things, this distinctively Israelirush to anger makes being stuck in rush hour traffic a bit like dancing awaltz in the middle of a shooting range. Then too, service is not a conceptthat most Israelis - particularly in service professions - are even vaguelyfamiliar with.

Beyond the general fallibility of Israelis, there are the wars and thehatred and the terror that make up so much of life in Israel. Beingsurrounded by enemies and living in the midst of jihad-crazed Arab states islike sitting on the edge of a volcano. And rather than acknowledge thedanger and contend with it, Israelis - frustratingly and dangerously - moreoften than not blame one another for the heat while ignoring its source.Yet once a Jew catches the Zionist bug, none of that is important.

Once a Jew allows himself or herself to feel the pull of our heritage, of ourlanguage and our land, the frustration, danger and hardship of living inIsrael seems like second nature - as natural as breathing in and out.

I recently moved to a home on the edge of a valley filled with forests andcarpeted by wildflowers. Every day I hike for an hour or two along thetrails below. A few days ago, as I walked late at night, I considered thedark and silent hills surrounding me and felt safe. They were liberated in1948.

As I stood for a moment, I thought to myself, "These hills have already beenconquered for you, by people better than yourself. Now it is your job tokeep them safe for the next generation. And it will be the next generation'sresponsibility to keep them safe for the following one."

The thought filled me with a sense of privilege and peace.

People ask me all the time why I insist on living in Israel. Usually I justshrug my shoulders and smile. I, a woman who makes my living from words,find myself speechless when challenged with this simple question.

I spend several months a year away from Israel working. But every time I goaway on a long trip, inevitably after three weeks or so, I begin to feelincomplete. I start to long for the smells of Israel. My ears ache to hearHebrew all around me. I want to go back so I can walk down the streets on Friday afternoons and smile at perfect strangers as we bid each other Shabbat Shalom.

Why do I live in Israel? Because Israel lives in me, as it lives in allJews. It is who we are. And those of us lucky enough to recognize this truthand embrace it in all its fullness and depth are the luckiest Jews in theworld.

Caroline Glick is deputy managing editor of The Jerusalem Post. Her JewishPress-exclusive column appears the last week of each month.