Today was awesome. Since I had gotten to work way to early the previous two days, I decided not to rush out of the house after I picked up Tiki and Eitan from Gan and babysitting. It was a lot nicer not rushing and the bus came 1 minute after I got there, so I ended up getting to the Central Bus station at 2:15, 45 minutes early. Since it was a nice day, I decided to walk to work, instead of taking a bus from the Central Bus Station. I was going to take the back way and Walk down Agrippas, which would take me right by Machane Yehudah (Shuk-the large open air market). This is one of my favorite places in Israel, and I love going there, even if I don't need anything (although gumballs are so ridiculously cheap there, I almost always buy some). I called Caryn and asked if she needed anything, and she gave me a list of fruits and vegetables to buy, since they are dirt cheap at the Shuk. I walked around for a little bit, and finally bought what I needed. As I was walking out, it dawned on me that I was actually living in Israel, working in Jerusalem, going to the SHuk, not as a tourist, but as a resident, and I could go back whenever I wanted. It was a vary exciting moment. The fact that I was listening to Israeli songs on my Ipod also probably helped.
At work, which I was still early for, we listed to some sample debt collection calls, and it was very encouraging, as the person we were supposed to model ourselves after, was definitely someone I can be (or at least fake being). As my father always says, be sincere whether you mean it or not. Essentially, the entire job is about bluffing the debtor into paying money that they owe. I left feeling confident that I could do it.
What was even better, was my analysis of the pizza situation for lunch. I was explaining to my colleagues, that the price of pizza per slice in the states is cheaper than in Israel. However, the cost of a pie, is usually equivalent to the cost of anywhere between 6 and 7 slices. In Israel, while the cost of a slice is more, the cost of a pie is only the equivalent of 5 to 6 slices, thereby making a pie much more cost effective. Naturally, I backed up my thesis which actual facts. At SBarros, the cost of a slice is an astounding 14 shekel per slice (approximately $3.68). However, the cost of a pie is only 65 shekel ($17.10). Therefore, the cost of a pie is actually less than the cost of 5 slices, which is really unusual. Since we are in a heavily touristy area, I'm sure the prices are jacked up. In any case, my arguments were convincing, and we went out for dinner and ordered a pie. I also had a drink analysis, but I think they were tuning me out at that point (suffice it to say, I got a 16oz bottle coke for less than 2 shekel by the time I was done). You may be thinking I have too much time on my hands to come up with all of this, but actually, these kinds of things come to me rather quickly. We got to leave early for New Years Eve, and I was home at 11 PM, which was nice. Overall, a great work day.
I hope everyone has a happy and healthy new year, even through we don't really care about this holiday in Israel, as our new year was 3 months ago.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Day 2 on the Job
Not as good as day 1. It is interesting that I have no idea if I am going to be good at this job or not. It does not really fit my personality, as you have to be a real jerk on the phone and continually very aggressive. It is also highly confrontational, and high pressure. If I can do it, it will really help me in the future, as this is probably one of my weaknesses, as I sometimes do anything I can to avoid confrontation.
In any case, if you are not doing a good job, they fire you pretty quickly, so I will either do well, or three months from now be looking for another job.
In any case, if you are not doing a good job, they fire you pretty quickly, so I will either do well, or three months from now be looking for another job.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
I got a job
I went on my first interview last Wednesday, which i thought went well. On Sunday they called me letting me know I got the job, and I just finished my first day. I will be working American hours, which means that my hours could vary anywhere from 3PM to 7 AM. While at first I was not to happy about that, I now think this may be a good thing, as if I can get my schedule to be 10 PM to 6 AM, then I will be able to see my kids as much as I did when I was unemployed. In any case, it's a job, and I am happy about that. i am working for a debt collection agency. It seems to be a really cut throat industry, so I will either succeed and make a decent living, or I will realize that this industry is not for me. The fact that I like to talk definitely helps.
For the first 30 days of training, my hours are 3-11 PM. After that is completed, they will likely shift to a later time. The location is great, in Jerusalem, at the intersection of King George and Ben Yehudah (which means I will be eating a lot at Melech Hafalafel (at least while I'm working in the afternoon)).
Overall, I am relived to be working, as another major milestone on our Aliyah journey has been accomplished. Next on the list is converting my American driver's license to an Israeli one. After that, the next big step will be getting a car, but for now, I'm just happy to be working.
For the first 30 days of training, my hours are 3-11 PM. After that is completed, they will likely shift to a later time. The location is great, in Jerusalem, at the intersection of King George and Ben Yehudah (which means I will be eating a lot at Melech Hafalafel (at least while I'm working in the afternoon)).
Overall, I am relived to be working, as another major milestone on our Aliyah journey has been accomplished. Next on the list is converting my American driver's license to an Israeli one. After that, the next big step will be getting a car, but for now, I'm just happy to be working.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Update #4
Hi everyone,
I hope everyone is doing well, and enjoying their December. For the Brodys in Israel, all I can say is there is nothing like a 70 degree Chanukkah. We recently completed our first Hanukkah here in Israel, and we all enjoyed the holiday. If you would like to read more about the Brody Hanukkah experiences, you can go to our blog at http://www.zumibrody.blogspot.com/. The whole family is continuing to learn Hebrew (except Eitan). Ilan actually yelled at Tiki in Hebrew, which was very exciting (except that he used masculine instead of feminine, but it was exciting nonetheless). Gali is singing Hebrew songs to herself, and Tiki is also singing some Hebrew. I also believe Gali is starting to get a greater comprehension of what her teachers are telling her. Eitan is crawling around like crazy, and now has six teeth. Ilan has two big teeth coming in (not straight unfortunately), and Gali is eating so much sugar that I'm sure it won't be long before her teeth fall out as well. The kids jsut returned back to school from their Hannukah break, so we are all trying to adjust back to the school routine. The Jets continue to disappoint, which is not really an Israel update, but I am just as frustrated with them from Israel as I was in America.
Besides that, we are doing fine.
Please feel free to keep in touch by phone, e-mail, facebook, smoke signals, whatever works for you.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
I hope everyone is doing well, and enjoying their December. For the Brodys in Israel, all I can say is there is nothing like a 70 degree Chanukkah. We recently completed our first Hanukkah here in Israel, and we all enjoyed the holiday. If you would like to read more about the Brody Hanukkah experiences, you can go to our blog at http://www.zumibrody.blogspot.com/. The whole family is continuing to learn Hebrew (except Eitan). Ilan actually yelled at Tiki in Hebrew, which was very exciting (except that he used masculine instead of feminine, but it was exciting nonetheless). Gali is singing Hebrew songs to herself, and Tiki is also singing some Hebrew. I also believe Gali is starting to get a greater comprehension of what her teachers are telling her. Eitan is crawling around like crazy, and now has six teeth. Ilan has two big teeth coming in (not straight unfortunately), and Gali is eating so much sugar that I'm sure it won't be long before her teeth fall out as well. The kids jsut returned back to school from their Hannukah break, so we are all trying to adjust back to the school routine. The Jets continue to disappoint, which is not really an Israel update, but I am just as frustrated with them from Israel as I was in America.
Besides that, we are doing fine.
Please feel free to keep in touch by phone, e-mail, facebook, smoke signals, whatever works for you.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Peace in Israel
Now that I am officially an Israeli, I wanted to share some of my insights on the country from an insiders point of view. For the most part, my insights on the country have not changed since I have moved here. I always used to tell people back in the states that the news that people around the world hear about Israel, is not what the overwhelming majority of Israelis experience on a day-to-day basis. After living here for four months, I see how true that is.
The press coverage outside of Israel focuses almost exclusively on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Even within Israel, the Arab/Iranian-Israeli conflict receives most of the major headlines. As many of you know, last month the Government of Israel decided to place a 10 month moratorium on any "new" building with Judea and Samaria (West Bank). Supposedly, this was done to try and jump start the stalled Israeli-Palestinian "peace process". However, it seems quite apparent that this was done to try to gain favor with the American administration. Whether this was done in order to get some kind of agreement on how to proceed with the Iranian Nuclear threat is unknown. However, it appears that the diplomatic benefit to Israel for this settlement freeze is marginal at best. I do not want to go into detail as that is not the focus of this blog.
What is likely not reported or under-reported in the foreign press is how divisive the settlement freeze is becoming. An overwhelming majority of Israelis who live in Judea and Samaria have been forced to put their lives on hold for no apparent reason. More importantly, the move is creating a crisis of faith in the government and army for many of those Israelis who have been extremely loyal to these institutions. It is dividing the Jewish People, which I am inherently opposed to.
It is the unity of the Jewish People that should really be the focus of our peace process. I live across the street on two sides from Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox Jews). As a friend of mine, who I greatly respect, recently said to me, it is like they are from another religion. This is coming from someone who would be labeled as a very religious person from a non-religious point of view. I had a heard time disagreeing with him, which is really a shame. 8-9% of Jewish Israelis are Haredim and their numbers are growing. This is a community that continues to set themselves apart from the rest of the Israeli population, and this problem will only get worse. If the other 90% of Jewish Israelis does not address this issue, it will become a major issue for the Israeli people int he not too distant future.
If our government can devote so much time and energy to our external adversaries, then surely it can begin to address the problem of our internal adversaries. The fate of the Jewish People just may depend on it.
The press coverage outside of Israel focuses almost exclusively on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Even within Israel, the Arab/Iranian-Israeli conflict receives most of the major headlines. As many of you know, last month the Government of Israel decided to place a 10 month moratorium on any "new" building with Judea and Samaria (West Bank). Supposedly, this was done to try and jump start the stalled Israeli-Palestinian "peace process". However, it seems quite apparent that this was done to try to gain favor with the American administration. Whether this was done in order to get some kind of agreement on how to proceed with the Iranian Nuclear threat is unknown. However, it appears that the diplomatic benefit to Israel for this settlement freeze is marginal at best. I do not want to go into detail as that is not the focus of this blog.
What is likely not reported or under-reported in the foreign press is how divisive the settlement freeze is becoming. An overwhelming majority of Israelis who live in Judea and Samaria have been forced to put their lives on hold for no apparent reason. More importantly, the move is creating a crisis of faith in the government and army for many of those Israelis who have been extremely loyal to these institutions. It is dividing the Jewish People, which I am inherently opposed to.
It is the unity of the Jewish People that should really be the focus of our peace process. I live across the street on two sides from Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox Jews). As a friend of mine, who I greatly respect, recently said to me, it is like they are from another religion. This is coming from someone who would be labeled as a very religious person from a non-religious point of view. I had a heard time disagreeing with him, which is really a shame. 8-9% of Jewish Israelis are Haredim and their numbers are growing. This is a community that continues to set themselves apart from the rest of the Israeli population, and this problem will only get worse. If the other 90% of Jewish Israelis does not address this issue, it will become a major issue for the Israeli people int he not too distant future.
If our government can devote so much time and energy to our external adversaries, then surely it can begin to address the problem of our internal adversaries. The fate of the Jewish People just may depend on it.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
חנוכה Chanukka 2009
In Hebrew, there is only one way to spell Chanukah, as opposed to English which has many different variations. Just one more advantage to living in Israel. We have just concluded our first Chanukah here in Israel. The kids were off of school the whole week, so we had a bit of a vacation (sort of). We tried to tone down the presents this year, and fortunately the kids didn’t seem to notice for the most part. I lit an oil channukia for the first time, which was kind of cool, although it kept going out. It was kind of like a reverse Chanukah miracle; I put enough oil in there to last 2 hours and it went out after 5 minutes. Hopefully I’ll figure it out before next year. Since the fist night of Chanukah was Shabbat, and it is our Tradition not to give presents when Chanukah coincides with Shabbat, we gave the kids large cardboard dreidels filled with candy. They were all pretty happy about that, although Ilan was the only one who actually saved some of it for later on. The kids all lit their own Channukias (except for Eitan) and they even said the brachot (blessings) before hand. Ilan said both and the girls did one. Tiki kind of scared us with her lighting, but fortunately she did not burn anything or anyone. For the most part, the kids were happy with their presents. There were a few disappointments initially, like when Ilan got an Incredibles costume and said that he wanted that for Purim not Chanukah. (he obviously felt that a present for Purim should not count as one of his Chanukah presents). However, by the next night, he was wearing the costume to a little Chanukah party that we had at my bother Jonny’s house. Jonny even made the latkes. Fortunately, Diane made the pizza. We all had a really nice time, and it was very special to light Chanukah candles in Israel with the other Brody family.
We ate a ton of greasy, oily, fried foods. Really unhealthy, but really good. Caryn made latkes, Sufganiyot (jelly donuts (although in our case without the jelly)), cookies, more cookies, pizza (of course), and lots of other yummy food. We all were feeling a bit sick to our stomachs. Gali informed us on Tuesday that she would be throwing up the next day, and sure enough on Wednesday evening she kept her promise.
We also took a few day trips during the holiday. On Sunday, Jonny took Caryn and the older three kids to some caves. They seemed to like it. On Monday, the whole family took the train to Tel Aviv. We went to the Azrielli Towers, which has a mall at the bottom. It was fun, but way too exhausting. I’m not sure why I thought it would be fun to go to a mall with four small kids. Anyway, we went to the top of the towers (49 stories), which was very cool, as we could see all of Tel Aviv. On Tuesday, we took the train to Jerusalem to the Biblical Zoo. It was a beautiful day, and we got a 50% discount for being new immigrants. Plus, the zoo train only costs 2 shekel a piece( about 53 cents). We had a lot of fun and stayed at the zoo for almost 5 hours. After the zoo, we walked to the Malcha mall, about 1 mile and a half away, up a hill (it looked a lot close on the map). We met the Zimands there, which is always a treat for us.
On Wednesday, Tiki had a fever, so I went with Ilan to the Old City of Jerusalem. I took him to the Western Wall, which he really liked, and we walked around the Old City walls, which was a lot of fun. We then went to Machane Yehudah (the open air market), and bought tons of candy and more Sufganiyot. We had a great father-son day.
Overall, it was a very nice Chanukah, and once again it was very special to be celebrating the Jewish holidays in Israel.
We ate a ton of greasy, oily, fried foods. Really unhealthy, but really good. Caryn made latkes, Sufganiyot (jelly donuts (although in our case without the jelly)), cookies, more cookies, pizza (of course), and lots of other yummy food. We all were feeling a bit sick to our stomachs. Gali informed us on Tuesday that she would be throwing up the next day, and sure enough on Wednesday evening she kept her promise.
We also took a few day trips during the holiday. On Sunday, Jonny took Caryn and the older three kids to some caves. They seemed to like it. On Monday, the whole family took the train to Tel Aviv. We went to the Azrielli Towers, which has a mall at the bottom. It was fun, but way too exhausting. I’m not sure why I thought it would be fun to go to a mall with four small kids. Anyway, we went to the top of the towers (49 stories), which was very cool, as we could see all of Tel Aviv. On Tuesday, we took the train to Jerusalem to the Biblical Zoo. It was a beautiful day, and we got a 50% discount for being new immigrants. Plus, the zoo train only costs 2 shekel a piece( about 53 cents). We had a lot of fun and stayed at the zoo for almost 5 hours. After the zoo, we walked to the Malcha mall, about 1 mile and a half away, up a hill (it looked a lot close on the map). We met the Zimands there, which is always a treat for us.
On Wednesday, Tiki had a fever, so I went with Ilan to the Old City of Jerusalem. I took him to the Western Wall, which he really liked, and we walked around the Old City walls, which was a lot of fun. We then went to Machane Yehudah (the open air market), and bought tons of candy and more Sufganiyot. We had a great father-son day.
Overall, it was a very nice Chanukah, and once again it was very special to be celebrating the Jewish holidays in Israel.
Monday, December 7, 2009
First visitor from the states
Yesterday, we had our first visitor from the states come to our apartment, and it was our old friend Marcy. We had a great day with her (especially Gali, who really seems to love Marcy, and CAryn who got to go shopping without the kids). It was a really great visit, and it was wonderful to see her. While Marci was our first visitor to our place, Lori Tesser (happy birthday by the way, was the first visitor we saw from the states back in October. However, that was only ZUmi and Tiki and we met Lori (and the Zimands) in Yerushalayim. THat was also a lot of fun. The honor for the first visitor to sleep over is still up for grabs.
By the way, Caryn wanted me to tell everyone that we got vitamins for our kids, that look a lot like chocolate coins. Leave it to us to find a vitamin in chocolate form. One problem, Ilan actually thought it was candy and sharedit with his friend. At least his heart is int he right place.
By the way, Caryn wanted me to tell everyone that we got vitamins for our kids, that look a lot like chocolate coins. Leave it to us to find a vitamin in chocolate form. One problem, Ilan actually thought it was candy and sharedit with his friend. At least his heart is int he right place.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Shabbat
Shabbat was mostly uneventful. We went to the Dukers for lunch (Ilan's best friend's family). The kids had a good time, and any time there is food for me to eat, I'm happy.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Good day today
I was supposed to wake up at 3:15 this morning to watch the Jets play the Bills. I must have ignored my alarm, as at 3:45 my cell phone rang. It was my brother Jonny, who was waiting at my front door, so we could watch the game together. Unfortunately, the phone startled me and I kind of crushed Caryn's leg in the process, and woke her up. I then tripped on her again on my way out of the bed. Fortunately, she didn't remember this in the morning. We enjoyed watching the game, as the Jets came out on top 19-13.
On Friday Mornings, I usually play basketball with Jonny, and some other guys around Bet Shemesh. It rained a little overnight, so it appeared we wouldn't play, which was quite a dissappointment. However, at 9:15 I got a call from jonny, saying the game was on and we were playing inside a gym. It was a lot of fun to play inside, and I am fianlly in good shape,a s my stamina has dramtically improved. My basketball playing has also improved over the past few weeks, so I am happy about that too. I have been riding my bike a lot lately, and I often carry a trailer on the bike with one or two kids inside. It is tough work, but it is getting me into good shape. Also, everyone who we pass stares at us, since no one in Israel has seen this. THe kids ahve a great time riding, and it is great excercise for me. THank you to Bobby, Shana and Ariana for buying for us when Tiki was born. THat's all for now. Shabbat SHalom.
On Friday Mornings, I usually play basketball with Jonny, and some other guys around Bet Shemesh. It rained a little overnight, so it appeared we wouldn't play, which was quite a dissappointment. However, at 9:15 I got a call from jonny, saying the game was on and we were playing inside a gym. It was a lot of fun to play inside, and I am fianlly in good shape,a s my stamina has dramtically improved. My basketball playing has also improved over the past few weeks, so I am happy about that too. I have been riding my bike a lot lately, and I often carry a trailer on the bike with one or two kids inside. It is tough work, but it is getting me into good shape. Also, everyone who we pass stares at us, since no one in Israel has seen this. THe kids ahve a great time riding, and it is great excercise for me. THank you to Bobby, Shana and Ariana for buying for us when Tiki was born. THat's all for now. Shabbat SHalom.
Fun facts and funny occurrences
I thought I would share some odd things about Israel as they occur to me. In doing my CV (resume), I was advised that it must contain my birthday, so the potential employer will know my age, my family status (i.e. married and how many children I have).
I finally got my health insurance this past Sunday. There was one clerk to handle all of the people calling and coming in to ask questions or register. The phone was ringing off the hook, so she had a clever way of resolving the constant ringing. She turned the ringer volume down, so it could barely be heard. I got quite a laugh from that. Just another example of the exemplary customer service attitude that exists in Israel.
I finally got my health insurance this past Sunday. There was one clerk to handle all of the people calling and coming in to ask questions or register. The phone was ringing off the hook, so she had a clever way of resolving the constant ringing. She turned the ringer volume down, so it could barely be heard. I got quite a laugh from that. Just another example of the exemplary customer service attitude that exists in Israel.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
November 21, 2009 Update
Hi everyone,
I hope everyone is doing well. We have been here almost 3 months already. The holidays have been over for more than a month, so everyone is settling into their normal routines. I am happy to report that I have officially been recognized as a new immigrant from the Absorption Ministry. The bad news is that just because one part of the Government recognizes that, doesn't mean that other Governmental ministries or offices recognize that. As a result, I am still waiting on the National Insurance Office (Bituach Leumi), to recognize my status in order to get health care. I suspect I will continue to experience some surprises in the future regarding my status, but for the most part, I think that is behind me. I have begun to look for work and I am continuing to learn Hebrew.
Caryn is doing well, and is also continuing learning Hebrew. I think she is enjoying it more than me, as she generally stays awake during class, and I am not always successful. The kids are all adjusting well. Ilan has lost his first tooth, which was very exciting. He was disappointed in the morning, when he thought he didn't get any money from the tooth fairy. After looking for 20 minutes for the money we knew the tooth fairy put under his pillow, Ilan indicated that the only thing he found under his pillow was this piece of paper. The piece of paper happened to be 20 Shekel, which Ilan did not realize was the money in Israel. Once we told him it was worth more than 5 dollars, he was happy. Gali is continuing to make friends, and seems to be enjoying school more. Tiki is as crazy as ever, and Eitan gets cuter by the day. He has two little teeth now, and has started crawling, which always keeps life interesting.
Our big trip the past month was to the mall in Jerusalem, which we took the train to. We ate Pizza Hut, and everyone had a good time and had fun. We are planning another trip this Tuesday to buy Channukah presents.
That's about it for now. Please keep in touch and you can always feel free to call us at 646-875-4073. If you are worried about calling at an inappropriate time, don't worry about it, as the line will only ring if the computer is on. I hope everyone is well.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
I hope everyone is doing well. We have been here almost 3 months already. The holidays have been over for more than a month, so everyone is settling into their normal routines. I am happy to report that I have officially been recognized as a new immigrant from the Absorption Ministry. The bad news is that just because one part of the Government recognizes that, doesn't mean that other Governmental ministries or offices recognize that. As a result, I am still waiting on the National Insurance Office (Bituach Leumi), to recognize my status in order to get health care. I suspect I will continue to experience some surprises in the future regarding my status, but for the most part, I think that is behind me. I have begun to look for work and I am continuing to learn Hebrew.
Caryn is doing well, and is also continuing learning Hebrew. I think she is enjoying it more than me, as she generally stays awake during class, and I am not always successful. The kids are all adjusting well. Ilan has lost his first tooth, which was very exciting. He was disappointed in the morning, when he thought he didn't get any money from the tooth fairy. After looking for 20 minutes for the money we knew the tooth fairy put under his pillow, Ilan indicated that the only thing he found under his pillow was this piece of paper. The piece of paper happened to be 20 Shekel, which Ilan did not realize was the money in Israel. Once we told him it was worth more than 5 dollars, he was happy. Gali is continuing to make friends, and seems to be enjoying school more. Tiki is as crazy as ever, and Eitan gets cuter by the day. He has two little teeth now, and has started crawling, which always keeps life interesting.
Our big trip the past month was to the mall in Jerusalem, which we took the train to. We ate Pizza Hut, and everyone had a good time and had fun. We are planning another trip this Tuesday to buy Channukah presents.
That's about it for now. Please keep in touch and you can always feel free to call us at 646-875-4073. If you are worried about calling at an inappropriate time, don't worry about it, as the line will only ring if the computer is on. I hope everyone is well.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
October 16, 2009 Update
Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone enjoyed the chagim (holidays). We enjoyed them a lot, especially Succot. We are just getting back to regular life now, as the lids have restarted school this week, after being off for more than a week for Succot. The house is staring to get organized, and Caryn has already moved the furniture around 3 or 4 times, but I think we are close to final setup. I’m sill waiting for them to decide on my immigrant status, but they told me today that I would have an answer on Sunday, so I will hope for the best.
For Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year), I davened (prayed) at my brother Jonny’s Shul, which was very nice. Ilan came with me too, although he spent most of the time playing outside. On the first day, we had lunch at Jonny and Diane’s which was very nice. On the second day, we got invited over to a family who lives on the same street as Jonny and Diane. The mother of the family, Haley, is in class with Caryn and we like both her and her husband Gavin. They are British, not that that is important, but I like the accents. They have been very helpful to us, giving us a lot of lifts and just generally helping out. Overall Rosh HaShana was very nice, although I was quite nauseous the second day, and didn’t eat much. On the plus side, they skip a whole bunch of stuff in the davening, so we got out at about 12:15 both days.
The week between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (day of atonement) was uneventful. The kids were off on the day before Yom Kippur, so we didn’t have Sunday free to ourselves. I also davened by Jonny on Yom Kippur, which was really nice, although both me and Jonny agreed that we miss David Ritholtz on Yom Kippur night. I was able to find a Succa (difficult to translate, but basically a little hut or booth that we eat all our meals in for a week) including everythingfor NIS 500, which is only about $135, quite cheap by American standards. It was very easy to put up, although when I put it up, it came crashing down. It was very easy to put up a second time by Caryn, and it was much more stable as well. I have to remember to leave all handy work to Caryn. On Erev Succot (the day before the holiday of Succot), I went with Jonny, my nephew Itiel, and Ilan to Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem ) to by Arba Minim (4 species that you need to own on Succot, See Leviticus CH 23). We went to Machaneh Yehuda, which is a huge open air market. It was lot of fun, and we got a whole set for NIS 35(about $9).
The first day of Succot, we went to Jonny and Diane’s again, which was really nice. I also davened by them and I inadvertently got a really good nap during the reading of Kohellet (Ecclesiastes). Since there is only one day of Yom Tov (days which we are forbidden to do work), we did not actually bring the Arba Minim on Yom Tov, which was quite weird. On Sunday, we went on a hike up the mountain behind were Jonny lives to the Monestary, Bet Gemal. We had done that nine years ago, and there was ice cream at the top of the mountain in the monestary, so the kids were expecting it. All of my kids went, and Jonny, Avidan, Amalya and Shai-El went. It was a fun hike, although there was a fair amount of whining on the way up, although most of it was not from my kids. Ilan loved hiking. Unfortunately, when we got to the top, it seemed deserted, so the ice cream place was not open. After sulking for about 15 minutes, someone came and opened up the ice cream place, so everything worked out.
On Monday, we rented a car and went to the beach on Rishon Lezion with Avidan. We had a great time and we got to see the sun set over Mediterranean , which was beautiful. After the beach, we went to the mal in Mevaserret Zion to eat at the kosher Mcdonalds. The kids all got ahppy meals and there was a succa outside for us to eat out, which also had a beautiful view of the hills outside of Yerushalayim. We enjoyed the meal, but I think the whole concept of McDonalds being cheap is lost on Israelis, as the meal was not cheap by any standards.
On Teusday, we went on a Tiyul (trip) with my bother and his whole family. We went to some caves in Gush Etzion, that you can hike in water, but it was freezing, so we decided not go in once we got there. Freezing by the way, was in the sixties. We decided instead to go to Herodian, which is a mountain fortress where king Herod built a castle inside the mountain. The inside of the mountain was really cool, but the outside was ridiculously windy. That site got mixed reviews. We then went to pizza in Efrat, which was great, as you can tell this pizza was clearly made by Americans, which is the first time we had good old fashion American pizza. We then went to a sandal factory, and then home.
On Wednesday, we took a bus to Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem ) to see Rabbi Zimand and Esther. We had a wonderful afternoon with them, and we found this great playground in Gan Hapa’amon, which the kids really enjoyed. It was wonderful top see them and catch up. The Zimands took us to dinner, which is always a challenge with the kids. Fortunately, the restaurant was empty, so that helped. It was quite a tasty dinner, and we had a great day with the Zimands.
On Thursday we went to a farm just outside of Beit Shemesh. We stayed there for three hours, and the kids had a great time. We also got cotton candy, so me and Gali were happy. The rest of the day we went home and relaxed, as it was an exhausting week.
On Friday, I woke up at 4AM , and went to the Kotel (Western Wall), with Jonny, Avidan and Itiel. It was a unique experience and it was very cool to see the sunrise over the Kotel. There was also tons of Minyanim (prayer services of 10 men or more), so it was really cool to see and hear everybody daving at the same time. We were near a Carlebach minyan, so we got our own nice quick davening, while being able to listen to a loud long Carelbach davening. They were hopping and dancing around like crazy and one of them had like a 6 or 7 foot lulav. Jonny then treated us to American bagels, which was also really good. On Friday afternoon, Jonny, Itiel and Shai-El, took me Ilan, Gali, and Tiki to some caves. They enjoyed it, but I am little to old and big for these caves, so it was quite a challenge.
Shmini Atzeret /Simchat Torah was a lot of fun. Ilan and Gali went with me to shul, and got lots of candy. The services Saturday morning took forever, actually longer then Rosh HaShana. We got invited over to another person’s house who is also in Caryn’s class. They have a really nice house, and we had a nice time. The kids were also reasonably behaved.
This week, we are back to regular life. Gali got sick and missed two days of school, which she was quite happy about. We are getting ready for Shabbat, and even though we have all day to get ready, things are still hectic. I hope everyone is well.
Kol Tuv (all the best),
Zumi
I hope everyone enjoyed the chagim (holidays). We enjoyed them a lot, especially Succot. We are just getting back to regular life now, as the lids have restarted school this week, after being off for more than a week for Succot. The house is staring to get organized, and Caryn has already moved the furniture around 3 or 4 times, but I think we are close to final setup. I’m sill waiting for them to decide on my immigrant status, but they told me today that I would have an answer on Sunday, so I will hope for the best.
For Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year), I davened (prayed) at my brother Jonny’s Shul, which was very nice. Ilan came with me too, although he spent most of the time playing outside. On the first day, we had lunch at Jonny and Diane’s which was very nice. On the second day, we got invited over to a family who lives on the same street as Jonny and Diane. The mother of the family, Haley, is in class with Caryn and we like both her and her husband Gavin. They are British, not that that is important, but I like the accents. They have been very helpful to us, giving us a lot of lifts and just generally helping out. Overall Rosh HaShana was very nice, although I was quite nauseous the second day, and didn’t eat much. On the plus side, they skip a whole bunch of stuff in the davening, so we got out at about 12:15 both days.
The week between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (day of atonement) was uneventful. The kids were off on the day before Yom Kippur, so we didn’t have Sunday free to ourselves. I also davened by Jonny on Yom Kippur, which was really nice, although both me and Jonny agreed that we miss David Ritholtz on Yom Kippur night. I was able to find a Succa (difficult to translate, but basically a little hut or booth that we eat all our meals in for a week) including everythingfor NIS 500, which is only about $135, quite cheap by American standards. It was very easy to put up, although when I put it up, it came crashing down. It was very easy to put up a second time by Caryn, and it was much more stable as well. I have to remember to leave all handy work to Caryn. On Erev Succot (the day before the holiday of Succot), I went with Jonny, my nephew Itiel, and Ilan to Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem ) to by Arba Minim (4 species that you need to own on Succot, See Leviticus CH 23). We went to Machaneh Yehuda, which is a huge open air market. It was lot of fun, and we got a whole set for NIS 35(about $9).
The first day of Succot, we went to Jonny and Diane’s again, which was really nice. I also davened by them and I inadvertently got a really good nap during the reading of Kohellet (Ecclesiastes). Since there is only one day of Yom Tov (days which we are forbidden to do work), we did not actually bring the Arba Minim on Yom Tov, which was quite weird. On Sunday, we went on a hike up the mountain behind were Jonny lives to the Monestary, Bet Gemal. We had done that nine years ago, and there was ice cream at the top of the mountain in the monestary, so the kids were expecting it. All of my kids went, and Jonny, Avidan, Amalya and Shai-El went. It was a fun hike, although there was a fair amount of whining on the way up, although most of it was not from my kids. Ilan loved hiking. Unfortunately, when we got to the top, it seemed deserted, so the ice cream place was not open. After sulking for about 15 minutes, someone came and opened up the ice cream place, so everything worked out.
On Monday, we rented a car and went to the beach on Rishon Lezion with Avidan. We had a great time and we got to see the sun set over Mediterranean , which was beautiful. After the beach, we went to the mal in Mevaserret Zion to eat at the kosher Mcdonalds. The kids all got ahppy meals and there was a succa outside for us to eat out, which also had a beautiful view of the hills outside of Yerushalayim. We enjoyed the meal, but I think the whole concept of McDonalds being cheap is lost on Israelis, as the meal was not cheap by any standards.
On Teusday, we went on a Tiyul (trip) with my bother and his whole family. We went to some caves in Gush Etzion, that you can hike in water, but it was freezing, so we decided not go in once we got there. Freezing by the way, was in the sixties. We decided instead to go to Herodian, which is a mountain fortress where king Herod built a castle inside the mountain. The inside of the mountain was really cool, but the outside was ridiculously windy. That site got mixed reviews. We then went to pizza in Efrat, which was great, as you can tell this pizza was clearly made by Americans, which is the first time we had good old fashion American pizza. We then went to a sandal factory, and then home.
On Wednesday, we took a bus to Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem ) to see Rabbi Zimand and Esther. We had a wonderful afternoon with them, and we found this great playground in Gan Hapa’amon, which the kids really enjoyed. It was wonderful top see them and catch up. The Zimands took us to dinner, which is always a challenge with the kids. Fortunately, the restaurant was empty, so that helped. It was quite a tasty dinner, and we had a great day with the Zimands.
On Thursday we went to a farm just outside of Beit Shemesh. We stayed there for three hours, and the kids had a great time. We also got cotton candy, so me and Gali were happy. The rest of the day we went home and relaxed, as it was an exhausting week.
On Friday, I woke up at 4AM , and went to the Kotel (Western Wall), with Jonny, Avidan and Itiel. It was a unique experience and it was very cool to see the sunrise over the Kotel. There was also tons of Minyanim (prayer services of 10 men or more), so it was really cool to see and hear everybody daving at the same time. We were near a Carlebach minyan, so we got our own nice quick davening, while being able to listen to a loud long Carelbach davening. They were hopping and dancing around like crazy and one of them had like a 6 or 7 foot lulav. Jonny then treated us to American bagels, which was also really good. On Friday afternoon, Jonny, Itiel and Shai-El, took me Ilan, Gali, and Tiki to some caves. They enjoyed it, but I am little to old and big for these caves, so it was quite a challenge.
Shmini Atzeret /Simchat Torah was a lot of fun. Ilan and Gali went with me to shul, and got lots of candy. The services Saturday morning took forever, actually longer then Rosh HaShana. We got invited over to another person’s house who is also in Caryn’s class. They have a really nice house, and we had a nice time. The kids were also reasonably behaved.
This week, we are back to regular life. Gali got sick and missed two days of school, which she was quite happy about. We are getting ready for Shabbat, and even though we have all day to get ready, things are still hectic. I hope everyone is well.
Kol Tuv (all the best),
Zumi
September 18, 2009 Update
Hi everyone,
I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year, a Shana Tova U'metukah. If you are not Jewish, then hold on this e-mail until December 31st. We have been in Israel for a little over 3 weeks now, and are starting to settle in. Before we left America, we had very nice visits in Memphis and New York. Our flight was ok, although Gali and I did not sleep at all. The Star Trek Movie was on, so I was happy about that. The day before I left, I found out that the Israeli Government has a record of me living in the country as a baby, so I may not be considered a new immigrant, but a returning minor. If that is the case, I would lose some of my new immigrant benefits. At the moment, it is still to be determined by the ministry of absorbtion. Besides that, we had no other major surprizes. We arrived in Israel a little after 8 AM on Wednesday August 26th. We had some processing to got hrough at the airport, and by the time everything was done, we got back to our townhouse at about 1 PM. We were all exhausted, but we managed to survive the first day. THe next day, the kids got to see their cousins and Aunt and Uncle, so that was exciting for them. We had a very nice first Shabbat with Jonny and Diane. It was a very special and meaningful Shabbat.
The kids started school the following Teusday. Ilan is adjusting better than Gali, but after the first week, they went to school without any major hysterics. Caryn and I started Ulpan (Hebrew Language class), and we even found a neighbor who drives us back and forth each day. We are slowly getting used to life here, and little by little figuring things out. Some things we just ask Jonny and Diane to translate, like when the kids bring home something from school. Overall, we see a lot of potential here, and after a few months, I think we will all be very happy here.
I hope all of you are well. I'll try to send an update a t least one a month.
Kol Tuv (all the best),
Zumi (which by the way is now my official first name)
I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year, a Shana Tova U'metukah. If you are not Jewish, then hold on this e-mail until December 31st. We have been in Israel for a little over 3 weeks now, and are starting to settle in. Before we left America, we had very nice visits in Memphis and New York. Our flight was ok, although Gali and I did not sleep at all. The Star Trek Movie was on, so I was happy about that. The day before I left, I found out that the Israeli Government has a record of me living in the country as a baby, so I may not be considered a new immigrant, but a returning minor. If that is the case, I would lose some of my new immigrant benefits. At the moment, it is still to be determined by the ministry of absorbtion. Besides that, we had no other major surprizes. We arrived in Israel a little after 8 AM on Wednesday August 26th. We had some processing to got hrough at the airport, and by the time everything was done, we got back to our townhouse at about 1 PM. We were all exhausted, but we managed to survive the first day. THe next day, the kids got to see their cousins and Aunt and Uncle, so that was exciting for them. We had a very nice first Shabbat with Jonny and Diane. It was a very special and meaningful Shabbat.
The kids started school the following Teusday. Ilan is adjusting better than Gali, but after the first week, they went to school without any major hysterics. Caryn and I started Ulpan (Hebrew Language class), and we even found a neighbor who drives us back and forth each day. We are slowly getting used to life here, and little by little figuring things out. Some things we just ask Jonny and Diane to translate, like when the kids bring home something from school. Overall, we see a lot of potential here, and after a few months, I think we will all be very happy here.
I hope all of you are well. I'll try to send an update a t least one a month.
Kol Tuv (all the best),
Zumi (which by the way is now my official first name)
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