The new year is approaching and in this country it's closer to the end of the Gregorian calendar. Having been here for a little over a month already, with about half of the time with a proper job and routine, sometimes I forget where I am and don't really think about it. The JLIC rabbi here in Herzliya spoke for a little bit right before maariv on Friday night last week and like him and his family, I am also a fresh oleh. He spoke about how he is still in his "honey moon" phase. It got me thinking (slightly) and I wondered if I am even in this "honey moon" phase. Don't get me wrong; I am in no way miserable or upset. Although I complain to others a lot, it's not complaining about major things that make me regret or double-think my decision. Rather they're just small complaints that mostly resolve themselves at the end of the day or I do things differently the next time. Sometimes though, I don't "feel like I am in Israel."
What do I mean by this? Well, it could be that because I commute to work every day and then come home late in the evening, I'm just too physically exhausted to appreciate or think about that I am living in a modern day dream and/or miracle. It could be that I am surrounded by modern skyscrapers and not ancient ruins or Jerusalem stone like other parts of the country. In fact, these feelings don't exist during my times in Jerusalem or Ramat Beit Shemesh. It could be that on Shabbat here in Herzliya, you see a lot of people walking on their phone and driving their cars. Not that I would want to live in a theocracy, but as a religious Jew it's sometimes hard to divorce halacha and being Jewish and the ideal image of how Shabbat should look like in a Jewish state. Twice this week, once during the week and once on Shabbat, I was with others who told me that when they're in the merkaz (central Israel), they get similar feelings - so I'm glad I'm not alone.
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| Not a relevant picture but, one of my co-workers brought in their dog to work and it liked those belly rubs |
This past Shabbat (Nitzavim), I was speaking to these two people at lunch. One of them had one of the best attitudes I have ever met. He was talking about opening up your eyes through out your daily life and you can see the acts of G-d guiding you and helping you. Although such a simple idea, it isn't something that is done so often. I think back on the past couple of years and see what happened that led me to this year of making aliyah and living here. Wanting to stay in Israel at age 18, being persuaded (?) to do university in Toronto, working as a landscaper for a summer, getting accepted into my program's co-op program, getting a job offer at this large architecture firm in their commercial department because I made a connection with the interviewer that we were both landscapers at one point of our lives, a world-wide pandemic hit and I then got let go of this job, a couple months later the same company re-hired me but in their transit department where I worked for a year, because of this job experience I was able to land a job before making aliyah - which is something that I've been told by many which is extremely difficult - and then hired by my current company and working on a transit project here in Israel! All of these events separate seem like no big deal, but when drawn out in a timeline and looked at from afar, you can see how each event led to another and possibly see the hand of G-d.
When I have a bad day or I have the "feeling like I'm not in Israel" feelings, I remember all of the many small moments that make me smile and think "wow, I am so lucky and happy that I am living here." These just a few thoughts that I thought I'd share before Rosh Hashana. I hope for everyone who is reading this (and not reading this) has a fantastic chag, and a healthy new year filled with bracha and simcha and all of the good stuff!!
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