ein shabbat cmo shabbat b'yerushalayim (theres no shabbat like shabbat in jerusalem)

Last week for me was an incredibly difficult week.  I think that because I did not feel anything before I left for Israel, it all hit me at once.  Speaking hebrew was incredibly difficult, and I tried to (and still try) to speak all the time, but it just feels like there is a never ending list of words and rules and conjugations that I will never know.  I had one REALLY bad day, and then that night our soldiers that live with us and are basically our counselors--they run activities, talk with us, etc-- woke us up in the middle of the night to show us a little bit of what it means to be in the army.  At one point, they yelled at me to do seven push ups   and I had no idea what she was saying (obviously...they didn't teach us the word push up in hebrew class at BU) and it just felt so so shitty.  After it was over, I went back into my room and SOBBED.  I told my roommate that I felt like I didn't want to do it and I wouldn't be able to survive it.  Immediately after, my two chaylot (soldiers) came into my room.  It had been obvious that I was having a lot of trouble with my hebrew and they made me feel a lot better.  After they left, Amy and I sat and complained about all the stupid little shit that pissed us off and after we got it all off our chests, I breathed a sigh of relief and started over....and there is nothing better to restore a sense of meaning then spending a Shabbat in Jerusalem. 

I got to Jerusalem on Friday morning and my two friends (rachel and amy) and I immediately went to Machane Yehudah--the shuk in Jerusalem.  It's so incredible to see a place PACKED with people, with everyone getting ready for Shabbat.  I was spending the weekend with Heddy, my friend who went to Brandis, worked for Hasbara with me, and made Aliyah a month before I did.  It was so so nice to have someone to talk with who knows me from home, and who understands my ridiculous crazy loud Zionism.  It was also nice to talk with someone who isn't in my Garin (even though I love them) about being in Israel, and making Aliyah, etc.  We went to her boyfriend's family's house for Friday night dinner and I had the most delicious split pea soup.  It was really really nice.  I really like doing Shabbat, and I missed it! I feel like I havn't done it since BU and it really is such a nice thing to do.  After we hung out for a while, Heddy and I walked back to where we were staying for the night and on the way we decided to walk by the Gilad Schalit tent.  I had never seen it before, and it really hit home.

There is something really really incredible about this country, and I think that the situation with Gilad Schalit really exemplifies it.  In Israel, when a soldier goes missing or a soldier dies, the whole country grieves.  In America, it doesn't hit home, because how many people (at least in my life) do I know that are American soldiers.  But here, that soldier could be my friend, or my neighbor, or my boyfriend, or my brother.  Now that I'm living with 15 boys, 14 of whom want to be in combat, I get it.  I understand why Gilad's parents have given up their lives for their son. 

After we passed the the tent, Heddy and I ran into 6 or 7 people that we knew.  That's another thing about Israel--"wherever you go, there's always someone Jewish".  I ran into a camper from Sprout Lake who had just gotten back and she was so sad! I remembered what it was like to leave camp at the end of the summer (especially Bogrim year) and I really felt for her!  And then I told her that I had just made aliyah and how if you can't be at camp, at least she gets to be in Israel...the place that she learns about ALL THE TIME at camp.  And we talked about TY and Machon and Year Course and it made me so grateful for Young Judaea. It really is the reason why I'm here, and it made me think about how I really do want to do something in my life for people like YJ did for me!  

And then today we had a really great discussion about the army, and about Israelis that don't go to the army, and about what we're doing.  We talked about how the army is like "the people build the army builds the people" We talked about it what it meant that the army is a "nation's army".  And it made me so proud.  It made me so happy to be a Jew, and I love that I am joining an army not just for Israel, but for all of the Jewish people in the world.  It's really really an incredible concept, and there is nothing else like it in the world.  

I'm feeling really good about being here, and even though I'm having a lot of trouble with my hebrew, I know it's the right thing, and I know if I keep working hard, I'll be good.  

YAY Israel! 

BEACH! HEBREW! FAMILY! AHH!

Day 2 on the moshav!!! It is a beautiful beautiful place.  Our rooms are incredible.   There are 2 beds, a kitchenette with a toaster a kum kum (hot water heater that's  electric), plates, etc.  Our bathroom is a typical Israeli bathroom with a curtain  around the floor and a showerhead. There's a squeegie-woohoo- I don't know why  america hasn't adapted them yet. I'm living with my friend amy who I really really like.  She's from boston and were  both chill down to earth people.  I love love love my garin!  Everyone is really great  (even though I have my typical annoyances with people).  I feel like iif I needed  something from any of them I could ask. My host mom is awesome!!! I've only met her twice but she's great!  She doesn't  speak much english (but don't worry dad she speaks some!) And I feel like were  both very warm people. Everyone on the moshav tells me that she has 4 boys  and they are all incredibly good looking! I can't wait to meet them..... I'm trying so hard to speak only hebrew but what everyone told me is  correct-when everyone speaks english its soooo hard to speak hebrew.   But I know its important and I reallyreally need to practice. I think I'm going  to start sitting with one of the boys in my garin everyday to work on my hebrew.   Its important. We went running this morning to the beach! Its so pretty!  Today was Regba's birthday (65) so the entire moshav got  together to celebrate the founding of their amazing home.   It was really fun. I had a lot of bugs in my room-an infestation--and I realized  that israel doesn't care about rthem as much as I do.. Don't  know what to do without my dad to kill them. I wish I brought  the bug vacuum. Anyway-all in all I'm still happy but it still feels like vacation! Miss you all:)

I'm Israeli! (and really tired)

We got to the airport yesterday at 9:30 in the morning and the next few hours were spent checking in luggage, taking pictures, getting free tshirts, and hanging out with the family.  My Aunt Ellen came and so did my Uncle Mickey (who is no longer meaner than Hitler cause he brought me popcorn!) The ceremony that they held at JFK was not as exciting and emotional as I thought it would be, and I still didn't cry! When it was time to say goodbye, I hugged both my parents and that was it! I cried a little, after all, it was sad, and my parents are the best parents EVERRRR, but I still don't think I realized what it meant that I was saying bye.

I have to admit--the flight was pretty uneventful.  I don't know what I was expecting--maybe a party in the air?  It felt like a Machon or Year Course flight--everyone was up and about talking to their friends.  I had expected singing and dancing!  It was a simcha, after all!  But when I tried to start some Am Yisrael Chai singing with some friends, nobody joined in!  It was so sad!  But landing in Israel, was as incredible as I had expected.  I couldn't stop smiling.  It was different this time.  Knowing that I proactively decided to follow my dreams and go to Israel and join the army made this landing a lot better than all of the others.

When we got off the plane I expected everyone who came to see us to be standing there.  Instead, there was a ton of press making us do different poses, say different things.  I felt like a celebrity (and I obviously ate it all up)!  Then we got on a BUS to take us to where all of our friends were.  It was not like they show in the nefesh videos! 2 of my girlfriends from the Garin came to welcome us, as well as our friend Sam in the garin.  It was really great to see friendly faces.  The ceremony, for those of you who didn't watch it (and shout out to those who did!) was REALLY long and pretty boring.  But I succeeded in getting on camera a couple of times, one of which is me dancing! It was the highlight of the whole ceremony!  Then they took us upstairs to process our paperwork.  We signed up for health insurance, we got some kesef to get us going, and we got our Teudat Oleh (thats my temporary identity card before I get my real Israeli passport!) It was so exciting!!!!  I then got my luggage, which took forever (and for all of you Sprouties you should know that the way they labeled/gave us our bags after the flight was the same way we do it for Family Fun Day!).  Afterwards I took  my free cab ride to Roey's!  It was really a long process and I was hungry and dehydrated and exhausted.

I am so lucky to have a good of friend as Roey!  As soon as I got there he helped me with my luggage, let me take a nap in his bed, and made me shnitzel!  What a dude, right?  After my nap I spoke with the Tsofim who told me that channel 2 (a big news station here) was going to do an interview with me!  I got to go down to the TV station and they put on makeup and everything!  My interview can be found here.  The truth is, it was a really difficult day.  When I skyped with my parents it took everything in me not to cry.  I was lucky to have Roey, and I called my friend Sahar in my garin, but I just felt so alone.  I knew that this was where I belonged, but I was just so sad and tired and I was so anxious.  But as I'm sure you guys could have guessed, being in the limelight put the spring back in my step.  After my big TV debut, I went out to dinner with Roey and his boyfriend, Maor and then I came home and slept from 10-830!  It was SO amazing.  Today I spent the day with people from my Garin and then I went out to dinner with my mom's cousin, Yael.

I'm really looking forward to ACTUALLY getting to know my family in Israel.  I can't wait to be fluent in hebrew, wear an army uniform, and not say sorry when I brush past someone on the street!  Tomorrow is my Garin Tzabar Tekes and I am PUMPED.  Can't wait to see my new mishpacha, Garin Regba THE BOSS.

I miss everyone and I love you all! Please email me and keep in touch!

Last night in town!

It's 12 minutes past midnight, which means I'm moving today! Hooray!  I feel like I should be writing a really emotional sappy entry, but I'm just excited!  I'll (hopefully) be keeping everyone up to date by writing on here!

Welp, here goes nothing!