Aliya- Living the Reality of a Dream

The Reality
Now that I have been in Israel for over three months, I can say with a full heart without any doubt that there is nothing in the world like living in Israel and I am very glad that we made the move. At times it is hard and I still go through my "ups and downs" but the good times that I am having here definitely outweigh the harder times and I have learned to put aside the harder times as a part of settling in. It could have been very easy to dwell on the negative parts of Israel and constantly think about what I am missing in America, but I have trained myself not to.

Politics
There were a few of things that worried me before I came and here is how I dealt with them so that now, they are not issues at all. Let us start with the political situation. The truth is, and many new people here will agree with me, is that Israel seems a lot more dangerous when you are in Chutz LaAretz (out of Israel), but once you are here, it isn't such a major concern. People still worry about it but it is a part of daily life. Here, you can actually feel the extra blessing that Israel has from Hashem, that He will watch over us. All of the problems just melt away when you realize that the ministers of the government are just puppets in the Puppet Master's hands doing what He wants them to do which is, the best for us.

Missing My Friends
Leaving my friends I think, was the hardest part. The truth is, that I don't know why it was, because with communication what it is today, it is so easy to keep in touch. I was pleasantly surprised at the speed that mail reaches us in Israel. With mail, faxes, telephones, and e mails, I manage to keep in touch with my friends perfectly well and I sometimes forget that there really are several thousands of miles separating us.

Dealing With School
School was another topic that worried me. The schools here must be so different to what I am used to in America. The level of the Jewish subjects is much higher and I had heard that the Math was also on a higher standard. We decided that I wouldn't worry about it until we would come and that is what we did. I tried to completely ignore the school aspect of the move. Once we got here we enquired into the best school possible for me and registered. Now I am very happy with the school I am in and am working hard to keep up with the level of the class. I think that the secret to keeping up with the level of the class is to try to do as much of the work as possible, even if you have no idea of what you are doing. Eventually you will know what you are doing, but this way the teachers see that you are doing your best and they will try to be understanding. Your fellow classmates will also respect you for the fact that you are trying to work hard and not just taking the easy way out. I found that my classmates were more than happy to help with studying for tests and doing homework. Of course I would also have my bad days when I would come home very discouraged, but after the first couple of months I was more or less settled and very satisfied.

Dealing With Daily Dilemmas
That dealt with the worries that I had before I came. What about the little problems that cropped up daily? These were easier to deal with because they didn't last for too long. Usually, they were the small problems like homesickness, frustration over not being understood and things like that. I would just remind myself and think what I was gaining by living in Israel, and the few things that are a bit difficult, well, no one promised that living in Israel was easy. Also, what I am gaining by living in this Holy Land definitely outweighs the minor problems of day to day living. There are so many nice aspects to living here. And Shabbat is definitely one of them. Ask anyone who has ever been in Israel - especially in Jerusalem for a Shabbat and they will describe it to you using one of the following adjectives: wonderful, special, exhilarating, elevating, extra calm or peaceful. There is nothing like spending a Shabbat in Jerusalem, there is a certain feeling in the air that cannot be described.

This Is Where I Belong
Just knowing that you are living in the land that our Forefathers were promised, and that everywhere you look, you see fellow Jews walking, gives one such a good feeling. You really feel as if this is where you belong.

Even though you can't say that Israel is a "utopia", it is a wonderful land with a lot in it. Anyway, where can you find the "perfect" place to live? There is no place in the world today that is totally safe.

I highly recomend this wonderful country of ours and wait with open arms to welcome "olim chadashim" - new immigrants! B'hatzlacha!
Devorah