Gilad is home and I am home.

Every time I tell someone that I'm an olah chadasha (new immigrant), they tell me that I came at an exciting time.  But the truth is, life is never boring in this country.  I just got back from Regba after being away since last Wednesday, and it feels good to be home.  On Wednesday, I met up with a friend of mine from Young Judaea who I always looked up to.  Teddy made Aliyah last week, and I went with him to Beit Tzipporah (aka his family's apartment in Jerusalem) to spend Simchat Torah. We did a little shul hopping, met some religious Americans, and then went to yet another Judaean's apartment for the chag.  Steve is also  Teddy's age (25), from Young Judaea and made Aliyah three years ago.  After dinner, we decided to turn the chag into a secular one, and we went out to a few bars and I even got into the King David Hotel! (A story for another time...)

It felt good to be with some Judaeans.  After all, Young Judaea is the reason why I made Aliyah.  It is really great to be able sit and talk with some Zionists who think like me, in terms of my idealism (not so ideal anymore) and in terms of Zionist thinkers (gotta love me some Golda and Herzl).  Not only do I owe my Zionism to Young Judaea, as well as my Aliyah, but I also must say that almost my entire base of friends in Israel is because of Young Judaea:  I've got old counselors, co-counselors, fellow campers, and of course, my incredible scouts on year course.  I have Year Course teachers, machon leaders, and Israelis that came to camp for a summer and who now offer me the shirt off their backs.  I would be miserable and lonely and in America if it weren't for Young Judaea.  It only makes me hope that the relationship I built with my campers affects them as much as my relationship with my counselors affected me.  I know that I'm not done giving back to YJ, but I hope that what I have done thus far is enough to sustain me until after the army.  Not to mention, I'm going to be in the education unit in the army and I plan on writing some kick ass peulot that, obviously, I learned how to write in Young Judaea...

Anywho...I'm starting to really feel acclimated in this country.  It feels like I never left.  And it's an incredible country to be a part of.  When Gilad came home, and we were all watching on television, I could only imagine how many people were glued to the TV.  This country is a giant family, with an infinite number of opinions and beliefs, but nonetheless a family.  I now am privileged to be a part of it.  I keep getting asked by friends in America what I think about the Gilad Schalit deal.  I like to think that my thoughts haven't changed, but being here and being drafter in a month really has cemented my thoughts on the matter.  Yes, it is really terrible that we had to give 1000 prisoners back in order to get Gilad Schalit back.  But I would expect Israel to do the same to any of the boys in my garin (g-d forbid), any of my friends, brothers, neighbors, and eventually my sons.  It is true that these terrorists may become terrorists again, but regardless, when our boys show up on the day of their draft, they are promising to protect this nation and the Jewish people no matter what it takes. For three years they do whatever it takes to keep this country safe.  The least we can do it promise them that we will try whatever we can to make sure they come back home safe and alive.  It's a simple request, and one that I truly believe needs to be granted for every soldier that fights in the IDF.

This chofesh/chag, it felt good to be home.  It felt good to be in Israel, it felt good to be with friends and loved ones, and it felt good to be home.  Making Aliyah and joining the army really is a dream, and I am floating on the clouds...at least until I arrive at basic training! :)