11 months

I've been in the holy land for 11 months now, and a lot has changed since I last wrote. I have been at my job for 2 months, and am very happy with the work I'm doing, and my co-workers. I work for a startup company in online advertising. I started my job as a content writer, but have been working on website design, and can now even create my own webpages from scratch! I can't believe how much I've learned, and how lucky I am to have a workplace that I enjoy coming to everyday. My weekly meetings are in Hebrew now. One day, the CEO looked at me and said, "we consider you one of us now. You're Israeli. This meeting will be in Hebrew." I couldn't believe it! What an honor. No I didn't understand every word, but I got the gist.

The other day was my b-day, and I really couldn't have had a better day. My roommate took me for breakfast, which turned in to lunch, which turned into a beach day. My roommate Levi works for a nice hotel in Tel aviv. The other day he messaged me telling me to leave Hebrew class right away and to come to the business lounge, Natalie Portman was going to be there. I knew had to go, when would I have this opportunity again? So I left class, and ended up sitting at the table next to her while I ate lunch.

For my birthday I reserved a table at one of my favorite pubs downtown. I got a table for 15, but by the end of the night, almost 30 people came.. including almost all of my co-workers. Fourt months ago I was new to Tel Aviv. I can't believe how many amazing people I've already met in such a short amount of time.

One of my BFFs is Alina, who I met on the Kibbutz. She's one of the coolest girls I know. Just finished her service in the army, and is going to start "kevah" soon, which mean she's going to be a soldier, but as a career. 

In two weeks I'll be going back to the States for Thanksgiving. It's been almost a year since I've seen my siblings!! I'll be home for almost two weeks. I'll be working from home for one of them. I can't imagine what it'll be like being back. I haven't been to the states since my decision to make Aliyah. I left an American/Canadian, and will be visiting as an Israeli. I have a lot to look forward to in FL (family, shopping, food), but also a lot to look forward to when I come back. Tomorrow night I was asked to do a segment on channel 2 news, one of the biggest news channels in Israel, about my experience as an Olah Hadasha. Can't wait.

Tel Aviv 

Shavua Kef

I woke this morning at almost 2 in the afternoon. The last time I needed this much sleep was probably during finals week in college. Between work and Hebrew studies, my weeks are jam packed! Oh.. and did I mention I get Hebrew homework every night? 

This past Thursday I skipped Hebrew (rebellious I know) to go on a "yom kef" (fun day) with work! It was awesome. Instead of a normal workday, the company took us all (15 of us) to Jerusalem for the entire day! We met at work at 8:30 and took a minibus from there (Jerusalem is about an hour away from Tel Aviv).

On the bus we were offered some drinks. I had never tried choco before (Israeli chocolate milk which people drink here like water) so i decided to have some. After I start drinking it, the girl next to me explained how back when she was in the army, if you got choco, it was a privilege. But, once you had your glass of choco and your cigarette, you were off to the bathroom. I was like great ... I'm the idiot drinking a laxative on the way to Jerusalem! 

We started off the day at the well-known shook Ben Yehuda where we had massive amounts of food for breakfast. (Burekas, eggs, etc). We had a tour guide. And of course she spoke to us in Hebrew. I was happy that I could understand about half about what she was saying, and was able to get the overall gist. 

I had been to this outdoor market many times before when I studied abroad in Jerusalem. This time was a completely different experience though because we got an inside tour of many of the shops. We got to sample Halva, Tehina, candy, fruit shakes...

Havla and Tehina 

After the tour we had some time to do some shopping. We then went to the old shook near the Western Wall where we went into some fabric shop. We saw textiles that were over $400 a yard. From all the episodes of Project Runway I watched, sounded like a lot. 

We then went on a tour of the old city via segways! It was my first time on Segway so I didn't know what to expect. We had two "instructors" who explained to us how to use the machinery... but the directions were given to us in Hebrew. Now was not the time where I only wanted to understand the gist of what was being said! I was handed a release form where I needed to sign. I only signed after I heard the instructions again in English. It was a blast! Only one time I felt like I was holding on for dear life. If you can imagine there's no emergency stop button! 

We ended the evening at a beautiful restaurant at the old train station. It was really great and I felt like I really bonded with everyone. It was nice to spend time with them outside the workplace. Since day one though, everyone there has been so welcoming towards me, which has been amazing. 

I can honestly say for the first time since I've been here, I'm really starting to feel like I'm becoming part of the Israeli culture.

One of my favorite courses in University was called "language and thought" where we learned how the language your'e born with affects the way we see the world. Language is Culture. Now that my Hebrew is improving, I feel like I am able to follow conversations, and even contribute like I wasn't able to before. I've found the most useful way to improve my Hebrew is to speak with people who need to improve their English. Israelis want to practice their English, so it benefits both of us. I had such a confidence boost the other night when I was with two Israelis who told me my Hebrew was good and my accent wasn't that bad! 

Not knowing the language surprisingly has its benefits sometimes. I was out with my roommate Moshe the other night. When we showed our IDs, supposedly I got rejected because it was 26+. I didn't understand what was going on and just walked in liked I owned the place. No one even said anything or tried to make me leave haha. 

I gotta give a shoutout to my roommates. They're awesome. I really lucked out considering I didn't meet them before I moved in (crazy I know). 

Levi (in the picture) works in some business lounges in some nice hotels in Tel Aviv. The other day he got to spend the whole day with Natalie Portman!!!! He said she ate veggies with Tehina and made her assistant go out and get her hummus! (In case you were wondering what Natalie Portman eats when she's in Israel). Supposedly Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were here a couple weeks ago. Guess I live in the LA of the Middle East! 

This was a great week. Shabbat Shalom :) 

J 

These past couple weeks has felt like a series of people coming and going, which has been hard. Israel is a unique place. Some people may come for vacation, but many stay for several months doing post-grad or study abroad programs. My roommate Tamara was here for a couple months, and left last week. It's not the same coming home every day and not having her here. I have other good friends on vacation right now, or back in the army for a couple weeks. It's been the high holidays (Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur) so things have felt a little slow around here. In the states we say the "High holidays." Here one of my Israeli friends got extremely offended when I referred to Yom Kippur as a "holiday." She said holiday sounds like a celebration. This is not. All stores shut under law, and no cars are seen on the road. I guess in the states we refer to days like Veteran's day as a "holiday." But i see her point.

Tamara's last night in IZ.. for a while :( 

Me and my friend Alisa roaming around Tel Aviv

I've dated a couple people since I've been to Tel Aviv. If you even need a confidence boost, come to Tel Aviv. The men are ANIMALS. seriously. They lurk high and low, and come from every direction. K that might have been a bit of an exaggeration. But if things don't work out, it's not that it just didn't work out, you've also lost a companion, which sucks. Especially when you're still settling in and making new friends.

I have been fortunate to meet some really great people since I've been here. For example, my friends Dror and Moshe (here's your shoutout boys). We met one night at a pub, and since then we're like the three musketeers. Ha okay jk. we've hung out like twice. But I always have fun with them. Moshe's friends call him "Moses" cuz they think it sounds more hip and modern than "Moshe" ... hilarious.

Just got back from the shook (crazy outdoor market). Came across this dude who looked like Bill Cosby but from the Matrix. I asked him where he was from because he was speaking in English. He looked at me. Kinda creepy and said "I'm from the LIGHT." Then he tried paying the cashier in all small change (like the equivalent of dimes). The cashier dude looked at him and straight up was like, "NO." That's when I left.

Ok this video isn't too exciting but I finally got a vine. For some reason it's playing like a vine on crack?

Confession of the week: I eat fried food from the shook at least once a week. It's my guilty pleasure. I walk in with no shame and fill up this giant plastic box with fried kosher goodness. Some may think that's gross.. but hey. A girls gotta keep her curves ;).

.... Woa.

Woa is right. The only word I can think of to describe the week I just had! I can't remember the last time I was this busy. Perhaps finals weeks back in uni? (Yea I just said Uni.. all these foreigners are messing with my English!). In all seriousness, I don't know how to speak English anymore. All Olim (new immigrants) used to tell me their English would get worse by the day, and I really didn't believe them until now. Let's start but that awfully embarrassing facebook status I put out the other day. umm... I'm righting a blog? Dear lord. Sorry guys. Let's try that again.. I am WRITING a blog for an awesome startup company in Tel Aviv. Don't worry.. I spend many hours editing ;).
I'm having a blast at work. Day 1 and they were already calling me Shosh (from "Girls")

If you know me (which I'm assuming you do cuz you're reading my blog) you probably noticed I tend to struggle with pretty basic life tasks such as: opening a tuna can (thought I was going to lose my thumb a couple weeks back), cooking anything that doesn't involve microwave (if that's considered cooking), and apparently.. making a coffee. Everyone at work found it incredibly entertaining watching me attempt to use the coffee machine. Oh well. Ain ma la-asot (Nothing you can do).
Imagine... going from 5 hours of intensive language class, to 5 hours of writing. Hebrew -----> fashion. Lolz. Love my life.

Getting my learn on. Photo cred: Creepy Noa

Anyways. Met some guy in my Ulpan today, let's call him Joe, who's never tried a soda in his life! I was even more shocked when he told me he didn't try ice-cream till the age of 35! I ran into him on the street before class today. I was confused why he was going about 10 minutes out of his way and taking the long route. He explained to me how there's a coffee vendor near our class who yells at him when he's drinking a coffee from somewhere else. So he literally sneaks to class so he doesn't have to deal with it. LOL. JFLS. (just felt like sharing).

Trying to contain my enthusiasm. YEAA Hebrew!!
Next to me is Bex. Another American. 

I think it's worth mentioning how things work around here. Customer service. Another word now missing from my vocabulary. Let me give you an example.
Q: Hi. I'd like to change the method of payment for my phone plan.
A: You're no where in our records. You're sure your name is Jacqueline? Come back another time."
One more..
Q: Hi. Can someone please come check out our apartment. Every time we turn on the water heater, the AC goes out."
A: I take cold showers all the time. There's nothing wrong with that."
Somehow I'm getting used to this "Shchoona"...BS way of dealing with things.

View of my walk to work. No complaints.

On a separate note. I'm in dire need of a day off to just chilllllax.. The first chance I get... Saturday, which happens to be Yom Kippur. Super relaxing right? No food, water, or .. yea you get the point.
Looking forward to Yom Kippur though. I hear it's a completely different experience here in Israel than anywhere else. Silence . everywhere. not a single car. Well I'm off to bed. Laila Tov.








(Keeping in my thoughts and prayers the innocent victims and their families, who were affected by such tragedy on September 11, 2001.)




J

Life.

After a two month hiatus of blog writing.. I'm back. 

These past two months have been insane.. full of life changes, adjustments, and some moped rides. 

I moved apartments a couple weeks ago not too far from Shook HaCarmel (anyone who's been on Taglit-Birthright .. it's that crazy market in Tel Aviv where you can buy anything from shoes to an phone charger for super cheap). I live with three roommates at the moment (from Switzerland, France and Israel), but one is moving out in a week. Shame.. Tamara we will miss you. 

I started "Ulpan" aka intensive Hebrew less than a week ago. Class is from 8:15-12:50 Sunday-Thursday. In Israel, the week starts on Sunday. Friday.. vacayy babyy. 

I get to take this Hebrew course for free because I am a new citizen of Israel. (Olah Hadasha). 

There are about 20 people in my class, all different ages coming from all over the globe. 

Each has their own reason for learning Hebrew. Some are fluent but want to learn grammar, some married an Israeli and want to communicate with his/her families. 

I am enjoying class so far. The other day the Mayor of Tel Aviv came to welcome us and raise a toast to the new year. 

I have had these past couple days off because of the Jewish new year (Rosh HaShana), where I travelled back to the Kibbutz (where I studied Arabic for 5 months).

It was GREAT being back. I actually haven't left Tel Aviv since I got here at the end of June. 

Anyone who doesn't live in Tel Aviv claims Tel Avivians have this mindset where they think nothing exists outside of Tel Aviv... umm...guilty. 

It's kinda true. Anything you possibly need can be found here. Even the ..... sea. Apparently the giant body of salt water is NOT an ocean. Shocking .. I know.

I had a great time up "North." (The Kibbutz is only an hour from Tel Aviv.. but Israelis treat an hour like it's across the entire country. Perhaps it's because the entire country is the size of New Jersey). 

I had Rosh HaShana dinner with my host family from my past Arabic program.  I am still in touch with them. This morning I visited one of my Arabic teachers on her Kibbutz across the street. Then I headed to Zichron Yakov (about 15 min away) to visit a different teacher for the holidays. I am pretty sure I consumed my own body weight in food these past 24 hours. 

This coming Sunday I start work! Yes.. I got a job !!! Hallelujah. A great way to start the new year. 

I will be writing a commerce blog part time after I finish my Hebrew in the morning. 

Going from vacation to studying 20 hours a week, working 20 hours a week, and having a life... ain lee meeleem (no words). 

Slowly but surely I am adjusting to the Israeli life. Right now I am focusing on learning Hebrew. Yes I am an Israeli citizen and feel at home in Israel, but a large part of integrating into a new culture is by learning the language, which takes time. I am picking up Hebrew pretty fast, but of course have a lot to learn. One thing I don't think I can ever get used to is the fact that I am living in a country surrounded by nations who want to see Israel wiped off the planet. I have been asked several times in the past week, extremely casually, if I've gotten my gas mask yet. um... come again? What? People here are so non-chalant about it. The gas mask process is quite hectic actually. If you have Israeli citizenship, you get a gas mask from the government no cost. If you are a tourist, or student. well SOL i guess. 

There are 4 post offices that distribute the masks in Tel Aviv. But.. these locations change constantly. By 7 AM there are already 800 people in line. You can supposedly get one ordered to you address, but they're apparently "backed up" at the moment. Ohh life in the Middle East. gotta love it. 

I gotta say. Despite all the craziness here. I'm very happy.

XO 

Qui

Never Settle For Less

A couple weeks back, I was told by an agency designed to help new Olim Hadashim (new immigrants to Israel) to lower all my expectations while pursuing my job search here in the eretz (Israel). This message was discouraging, and put a damper on my positive energy about making the big change. I came here to the holy land with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, and a solid base in written Arabic.  I spent the past 5 months pouring my heart and soul into mastering the Arabic language, specifically the Palestinian dialect. To be told to lower my expectations, regardless of my qualifications, didn't seem just.  For a while, I actually did lower my expectations and standards. But after talking to some friends and family, I regained inspiration and rethought my attitude. Moving to a new country, on my own, starting fresh, has giving me the motivation not to give up, and to reach my highest potential. As my Bubby (Yiddish for grandmother) always told me: You live once, do what you love, and don't depend on anybody. I know she'd be proud of me for working towards my aspirations.

Yesterday while grabbing dinner to-go, I came across a guy, about my age, who made Aliyah three years ago. He warned me how hard it is to live here, both financially, and mentally. I constantly receive the same message: Israel is such a great place to live, but is extremely difficult and challenging. I did not come here for an easy life. Anyone who knows me knows I don't just take the easy way out. I challenge myself constantly.

I moved to the big city (Tel Aviv) on Friday. My last week of IAS (Intensive Arabic Semester) was a series of random events, as usual. We went on a field trip to Tziporri, and Tzvat (one of the four holy cities in Israel). On Thursday, we visited two art Museums, one in the Arab city of Um-Alfhm. Naturally we started the day at a Hummus place for breakfast. We said bye to our host families in Baqa, where of course I ate massive amounts of food.

Onion and toasted almond bread

Coconut cake and fruit

This bye wasn't a real one, since we are still planning on meeting up at least once a month! They invited me to come celebrate/observe Ramadan later in the summer. Not just my host sister, but her cousins, and grandparents. (During Ramadan, those observing do not eat/drink during the day, but wake up at about 3 AM for a large meal. Most people actually gain wait during Ramadan. This is also a time for those to apologize to their friends, and let go of any grudges).

I just saw this ad for IAS on Givat Haviva's webpage :).  (Highly suggest the program).

Since the move to Tel Aviv, I have managed to keep super busy! In less than 24 hours I spent time with friends from Palo Alto, DC (SO to Milad),  Montreal, and Israel. Pretty incredible, eh? (Or as South Africans apparently say, Heh?)

So you might be wondering my future plans. Now what? Great.. question.
My parents are coming to visit Friday. It's been 6 months since I've seen them.
After that, I am hoping to have completed the Aliyah, where I will be able to legally work. Hallelujah.
For now, trying to stay cool. Local weather... 90s. all day, everyday.


P.O.F.N.


J

"We don't have the right to dream it"

Wow. Today was a long day! As usual.. I did not sleep well last night. I'm turning into an insomniac (Thanks mom, I blame that one on you). I woke up with chocolate smeared on my face; apparently I lethargically crave sweets. Okay let's be real, I always crave sweets. But walla himmkum (don't worry pl. - arabic), I have been swimming lots since the pool opened!

We started the day by having class by the pool (rough life, I know). A classmate told us the story why her host mom, a teacher at a local Arab High School, does not wear a hijab (head covering). She explained how she wanted to, and even tried it for a couple weeks against her husband's will. Contrary to the stereotype, it was her husband who explained to her how much he hates the idea of a hijab- how in his mind, it's sexist, ugly, and unnecessary. Because this head covering was now causing her martial problems, she decided to stop wearing it. When she told the principal of the school that she was going to stop wearing it, the principal told her she couldn't. This action would send a controversial, confusing messaged to the students. It would be okay if she chose not to wear it all, or wear it all the time, but nothing in between. The next school semester, the principal let her go without the hijab. But deep down, she still wants to wear it. Below is something to think about. (Of course this can apply to other religions too, like Jewish orthodoxy).

When I went to Baqa today, I was very much effected by what my host family was telling me. 

My host sister's cousin asked me why I am moving to Israel, and if I like it better than the States. I told her (without thinking about it), I love Israel because I don't feel like a minority here. It's the only place in the world I am part of a majority, and feel truly at home. After I said that, I felt almost guilty. Here I am, an American-Canadian, who can become a citizen of this country because I am at least 1/8 Jewish (the same fraction of Jewish descent that Hitler used to kill Jews in Nazi Germany) and be treated as an equal here. Yes of course I will be treated slightly differently, at least at the beginning, but most likely not in a negative way. I was sitting across a table from 3 Palestinians who have lived here for generations and are treated as second-class citizens. When I asked one my host sisters if she ever dreamed of a state with full equality she responded,"We don't have the right to dream, because it's never gonna happen." My heart sank. She continued on telling me how she went recruiting agency to help her find a job. The recruiter was Arab, but told her that if she wanted to find a job in Israel, in a mall as she desired, she would need to stop wearing her "jilbab" (long conservative jacket). She said the hijab was okay, but no one would hire her with a full Muslim outfit. She got so discouraged, she gave up the job search right away. 

Another girl at the table (one of their cousins) further continued on how the Palestinians are a minority everywhere. They are a minority in Israel, but also in the W. Bank, and in other Arab countries. In the W. Bank, where the Palestinians there do not have Israeli citizenship, they look at the Israeli-Arabs differently. I was shocked when the cousin told me Arabs there will even speak to them in Hebrew, even while wearing their head coverings. 

I completely empathize with them, I first-hand know what it feels like to be a minority in a larger society. At the same time, I do consider myself a Zionist. I believe in a Jewish homeland. So what needs to be done to address this idea of second-class treatment? Is it okay? 

After this full politically charged conversation, they still invited me to their cousin's wedding on Saturday :).. and I can't wait!!  

P.O.F.N. (peace out for now) 

J 

Under Pressure

Only two weeks left on my program, which I know will fly by. 

It's been a year since I graduated from UW-Madison, and began my internship with the Madison Police Department. (Still can't believe I spent three months of my life raiding bars, going on drug busts, and riding in a cop car down State Street). If you asked me a year ago where I think I'd be today, I'd say looking for jobs in Washington DC. If someone were to tell me I'd be making Aliyah and establishing myself in Israel, I'd think he/she was crazy. These past several weeks have been incredibly stressful for me. It was/is hard to concentrate fully on my classes knowing that at the end of the program I will be homeless, and unemployed. Thankfully I found an awesome apartment in the center of Tel Aviv for the summer, and cannot wait to move in!

The job search has been ... no words. It's unbelievable how different the job market functions here. I've applied to a couple jobs already, and all have told me I'm applying way too early. They tell me to resend my CV 2 weeks max before I'll be able to begin working. It's hard for me not to have a secure plan for the next couple months, but life is much more in the moment here. 

Another stressor has been the fact that I've been studying (spoken) Arabic for the past 5 months (past 5 years if you include written Arabic), instead of Hebrew. I live in Israel, and speak at a basic level. Thankfully, I find Hebrew much easier to learn than Arabic. I have already picked up a lot considering I only had 2 weeks of formal instruction, which took place over two years ago.

Although I may sound like a complete stressball, I'm surprisingly calm :). Thankfully the pool opened on the Kibbutz, and it is phenoms (Definitely the hidden gem of Barkai). I have made the most amazing friends since I've been here, and am ecstatic that 4/7 people on my program are staying for at least the next couple months. 

I also have a lot to look forward to in the next couple weeks; I have several good friends coming to visit, and my parents just booked their trip to come see me. It's weird knowing that I won't be going back to FL before I "start my life" here. I'm at the point where I don't know what to call home anymore. I was born in Canada, but lived in California until HS, but now my family lives in FL. 

It's crazy to think that in less than three weeks I will be living in TEL AVIV. I guess I won't be taking daily walks by cows, tractors, and haystacks.

I am so thankful for the experiences I've had, and incredible people I've met these past several months. What's ahead... I guess ..נראה

J

Agree to Disagree

Skyping a friend from home, and then taking a second to realize where I am. While she was speaking to me from her bedroom in NY, I was speaking to her from my classroom on the Kibbutz, which happens to be a bomb shelter. Twice today sirens went off, once in the morning, and once again in the evening. We were warned in advance that this week there will be national emergency drills for the next couple of days.  The other day I went swimming on a Kibbutz 10 minutes from mine, and noticed something a bit odd about the childrens' swing structure. It was made out of an old missile. Playing "Call of Duty" (video game) shooting virtual weapons, and then seeing the same weapon from the game in front of me, knowing that this one had the actual ability to kill. Being told that Israeli's won't read a resume if it's longer than one page, "we just don't have time for that. there is always a war going on." A reality that the citizens of this country live in, and that I will soon be a part of.

As my program, Intensive Arabic Semester, is down to the final couple weeks, I am thankful for the invaluable cultural experiences this program has allowed me to partake in. To think I came here to Wadi Ara (a region an hour north of Tel Aviv) 4 months ago, and can now speak hours on end in Arabic, is beyond gratifying. I have been surrounded by the same group of people for the past several months, participating in a program run by an open-minded organization, Givat Haviva  (winner of the UNESCO prize for peace education). I went to Tel Aviv a couple days ago for a meeting for "Olim Chadashim" (new immigrants to Israel). I was in utter shock from the reaction I got when I told the group I was studying Arabic. One girl asked me "if the Arabs are really short." and then continued on to ask me "so they must be talking about Syria right? I'm sure that's all they're talking about right now; their loyalty to Syria." When I told the advisor of the program that I am studying Arabic, she looked at me in disgust, and asked me why. She then told me I should omit from my resume where I live. 

After returning from Tel Aviv, a city with virtually no Arabs, I have realized how just an hour south from my home, people's mindsets are completely different. How could I even go about explaining what I have learned the past several months? I can't. It's something you have to experience for yourself. 

In the meantime, I'm taking advantage of every day I have left here on Kibbutz Barkai. Soon I will be living in the crazy city of Tel Aviv, looking for a job, and studying Hebrew! I still plan to continue my Arabic studies as well. 

Today I am also thankful for the American soldiers who have lost their lives fighting for America. #MemorialDay

As you may know, since my last blog post, I am in the process of becoming an Israeli citizen. This decision came after much thought, and weeks of weighing the pros and cons. Of course moving to a new country, alone, is not easy. I know I will have many challenges ahead of me, but I am ready to take them head-on. I go through phases of being excited, and others of feeling nervous. I have been extremely thankful for the support of my parents, family, and friends since I made the final decision. When I tell anyone from the states I am making Aliyah, they all seem happy for me, and say Congrats. I seem to get a mixed response from Israelis. Many ask me why I would want to live here instead of America, and others think I'm crazy. It is hard to explain to an Israeli the large cultural differences between the States and here. No country is perfect, but if I left now, I know would regret it.

I understand that my life now is a "bubble" in a way. I live on a Kibbutz, in the middle of Wadi Ara, with an amazing group of people that I have grown very close to. I study Arabic, and have it pretty easy. I know when I choose to establish myself here, it won't always be like this.

On Wednesday, I got the opportunity to travel with a 10th grade class from Baqa-Al Gharbiyye (an Arab city 10 min from the Kibbutz) to a High school in Tel Aviv (with Jewish students). Both classes have been reading the same novel, "A time to Kill" for the past several months, in their respective English classes. When I found out this novel was about rape, and murder, I was surprised. For some reason, I did not think an Arab school would teach such controversial topics. This program, called "Book Club" was taking place for the first time. It is a program funded through Harvard, which payed for the books and coordinator. It was interesting to watch the Arab students interact with the Israelis. They sat divided on separate sides before the discussion began.  Perhaps this same thing would have happened if any two High school classes were to meet. I am not sure. Some interesting cultural difference emerged. The hosting school had provided snacks for all of the students. The staff of the Jewish school did not understand why the Arab students would not eat any. Someone from my program explained how the Arab students must be offered the food, they won't just dig in. The staff began dividing the food on plates and serving it. The classes were divided into mixed groups, where they had to answer questions about the novel. It was nice watching the Arab students, and Jewish students exchange ideas and opinions. They all seemed to enjoy it. On the bus ride back, some of the Arab girls were showing me and my roommate pictures on their phones. (They love to show us their iphone pictures. Yes, all of them have iphones.) We were quite concerned with one of the pictures we saw. 

"You know you're in love when that person keeps hurting you but you keep forgiving them and hoping they will change." 

Both of us reacted by saying "mish hiloo, mish sahih!" (not nice, not right). They young girls (14-15) all yelled back "noo, hiloo!" They didn't see a problem with this message. When we told the other students on our program, from America, Australia, and England, they agreed this message was disturbing and could promote domestic/emotional abuse. We further asked one of our instructors who teaches Arabic, and she actually had the same reaction "hiloo"(nice). We determined this is part of the Arab culture in this area. The girls saw this message as a positive one. Who were we to tell them otherwise. When I met with my host family in Baqa (the same city) on Thursday, I was relieved to hear  the response of my host sister (also in 10th grade) on this same picture. She reacted quite differently. She told me this message was backwards, and not right. We ended up having many deep, controversial conversations. We talked about what her expectations were of hosting an American student. Her and her family had no idea I was Jewish, all they knew is that I would be a foreigner. She told me she thought I would show up the first day in short shorts and an inappropriate outfit, like she sees on American TV. She was pleasantly surprised when I showed up dressed more conservatively. I asked her why she wanted to host an American student. Her response blew me away. She said she didn't care so much about learning English from me, but she wanted to show me, and American, that not all Muslims are the same. She wanted me to see that her family is just like many other families. They are 4 kids, and two loving parents. I have grown to see many more similarities than differences since I have started spending time with them. She said she's also learned a lot from me. She was surprised when I said I keep kosher, yet am still interested in learning about her culture. Her dad ended up joining in on the conversation. He was very pleased that we were talking about such political topics. (I was previously worried to bring these up with her, and especially her parents). What her dad had to tell me, was very saddening, but honest. We spoke in Arabic, and it was amazing to be able to have this conversation in his native language. He told me how his family is from this land (Israel) from many generations back. He gets angered that he has to be severely questioned in security checks at the airport like he's a terrorist. His daughters as well. He has been a bus driver for 10 years, yet makes the same salary as a Jewish bus driver who has only been working for one. (Unequal pay). He also explained to me how he thinks it's unjust that Israeli-Arabs must learn Hebrew in school, yet the Jews do not learn Arabic. The daughter too explained how in public school, she is only taught about the history of Israel and the Jewish people. If anything is mentioned about Arabs, it seems to be negative. (Her whole HS is Arab, yet she goes to a public school in Israel). Mai (my host sister) explained to me how she is ISRAELI. She is a citizen of Israel, and likes her life here. She sees what is going on in Syria, and surrounding Arab States, and is thankful to be here. It is true that Arab-Israelis here have much better lives than they might in the surrounding countries, but they still do not have equal rights in many parts of society here. We talked for about an hour. The father was right when he said many Americans think all Arabs are terrorists. I have heard this many times before, even from educated individuals; it is not right, and needs to stop. After this conversation we had a pretty American meal! (Coke, corn on the cob, chips, and strawberry/banana milkshakes) 

Little Deebe. Such a cutie

Oh.. and I made Dolma (grape leaves with rice) from scratch the other day. Was awesome. 

Peace out,

J 

An amazing day in Nazareth

Wow. Today was amazing. At 3 pm me and a couple classmates headed to Nazareth with one of our Arabic teachers. Since the start of the program, we have had the opportunity to study with a couple different groups of students. We used to study Arabic with a group of "Shabbab" (Arabic for youth) who were training for the Israeli army. We also studied with people in their 20s who were merely interested in learning Arabic. Now, every Wednesday, we study with a group of 10 adults who are 30-65. I've noticed that any Israeli above the age of 21/22 (post-army) who chooses to study Arabic, does so for a similar reason; they all have a glimpse of hope that Israel will someday be in a more peaceful situation than it is today. I used the word "glimpse," because many are doubtful.  Especially in these times, I've noticed many people having a sense of lost hope in ever reaching a peace agreement. Coming from America, it's hard to fathom, there are two nations living here. Both of these nations have religious influences on their politics, beliefs, and daily lives.
Back to today.. we met our classmates in Nazareth. We are such a diverse group.. I love it! One woman is a former member of Kinesset (Israeli Parliament), one a pediatrician, one a manager of Cafe Cafe (an Israel Cafe/food chain), and many are retired. Our first stop was a Church. A class full of Jews studying Arabic, visiting a church.. if I haven't made it clear how special of a country Israel is.. idk what more to say.

Apparently in China, mother Mary and Baby Jesus are Chinese

After the visit to the Church, we went to an incredible organization for Arabic-speaking children  with Diabetes. The founder of the organization is only 26, and was diagnosed with Diabetes when he was 19. There are currently over 180 children from around Israel who participate (both Christians and Muslims. Christian Arabs are a small minority in Israel). There still exists a stereotype in the Arab culture that being "sick" with anything is shameful. Many children who suffer from diabetes are too embarrassed to admit it to anyone outside their direct family, and keep it a secret. Such a large part of the Arab culture is being welcoming, and feeding your guests several cakes and other desserts. These children accept the offer, because they don't want to explain why they can't have them. This organization works at decreasing the stigma of being diabetic, and using insulin. These children are taught to be brave, and not fear being open with others about their health conditions.

My classmates, and the volunteers at the organization, introduced ourselves (in Arabic of course), and answered this question. This intro took almost 2 hours.. 

Afterwards, at 9 pm, we stopped at a local Falafel place, and stuffed our faces.. Middle Eastern style. We even went next door and got some Kinaffe (an Arabic dessert which has melted cheese in the middle..yum!). We got back to the Kibbutz at around 10. It still surprises me how much I learn everyday on this program!

Mix of Emotions

It has been over a month since my last blog entry. When I first started my program, everything from cuisine, to the Kibbutz experience, was new and exciting to me. As I approach my 4th month in Israel, most things that were strange or foreign to me have become normal. I feel that I have acculturated even more than when I was abroad two years ago. Commemorating Yom Hashoa (Holocaust remembrance day) and Yom Hazikaron (Remembering the soldiers who lost their lives in Israel) has a much more eerie feeling than in the Sates. Yom Hashoa has always affected me because my Zady (Yiddish for grandfather) was a Holocaust survivor in one of the most horrific concentration camps (Auschwitz). The main difference between Yom Hashoa in Israel, and the rest of the world, is the loud siren that sweeps across the entire nation. Everything stops. Traffic goes to a halt, and everything falls silent. I can't help but get emotional whenever I hear it. Yom Hazikaron had a much deeper effect on me this time than ever before. While living on the Kibbutz, I have become good friends with soldiers from Israel, and also from abroad. Knowing what they go through to defend this country, some without a choice, has been a lot for me to handle. When the siren went off for Yom Hazikaron, I couldn't help but cry thinking about them and what they do every day and how thankful I am they're still alive. 

If you could imagine, there is almost a non existent time gap between commemorating those who have lost their lives, and celebrating the independence of Israel. The holiday's merely blend. 

For Yom Haatzmaut (Israel Independence day) I decided to stay on the Kibbutz. It was a huge celebration with fireworks, dancing, cake, etc. 

It's hard to believe that Israel is only 65 years old. Such a young country, with so much conflict surrounding it. Especially as an Arabic student, I am constantly exposed to many narratives. The day after the Israelis/Jews from around the world celebrate Israel's Independence, the Arabs rename the holiday "The Nakba" directly translating to "The catastrophe." Under Israeli school systems, they are legally not allowed to discuss the existence of "The Nakba." The conflict in this area dominates in all aspects of life here. Whether it be stereotypes learned from a young age, or actual violence, it is imminent. Israel is an extremely young nation, and I can only hope that peace efforts will have more of an effect in the future. After all, neither the Arabs or the Israelis will be disappearing. They live here "side by side," and must be able to do so in a non-violent way. I say this as their was yet another rocket attack into Southern Israel today. I think it's sad that no one even mentions it. The only reason I know is from my Twitter account. As you can tell, these past couple weeks have been a mix of emotions for me. Every week I learn a new layer of the complex situation bearing upon this part of the world. At the same time, I try to see all sides from a neutral standpoint. I have two months left on this program, and I can't wait to further improve my language skills in both Hebrew and Arabic. I am really enjoying my time here, but of course miss my friends and family!! (Shout out to Papa Black for being awesome, and you too Mama Black :). and duh madi. and you too if your'e reading this bro). (and voj. I'd feel like you'd read this). 

J

StandStill

This past week and a half has felt like a standstill. I am starting to realize how intense it is learning another language, several hours a day, almost every day! My brain needs a break. Thankfully, Passover break is coming up soon. Since my last blog entry, there was a giant Purim party at my Kibbutz. My Kibbutz is known as "the cemetery." So.. I was proud when we had the biggest party in the neighborhood! The music was almost all American, there was a smoke machine, and an open-bar. Only in Israel does a party take place in the dining hall. Every other person was chain-smoking cigarettes, in a place where they serve meals during the day. I couldn't imagine this flying in America! Anyways, it was a great party.

Me and my friend Al :)

A couple days later we took a field trip to a place called "Ein Hod." To Israelis, this city is known for its abundance of art. To many Arabs, it is known as a place where Israelis exiled their families during the 1948 war for Israel's independence. The narratives between the Israelis and the Israeli Arabs / Palestinians are completely different. I try my best to take a non-bias approach when learning both narratives. We enjoyed a meal at a fancy Arab-owned restaurant. We ate a disgusting amount of food, as usual.


Yesterday we visited the Green line, separating Israel from the West Bank (controlled by the Palestinian Authority). It was interesting to see the license plates in the W. Bank compared to in Israel. They are different colors. Despite to common belief, the Green line is not a physical barrier. In fact, you cannot even distinguish between the W. Bank and Israel. Below is a picture of my me and my classmates standing in both Israel and the W. Bank. 


Technically, citizens of the W. Bank are not allowed to enter Israel. There is almost no enforcement of this policy though in the area we were in. (We were in an area known as Bartaa). I was pretty surprised at the Graffiti I saw outside a local Arab school. 

The blue writing says "Hamas." Although Hamas is a publicly recognized terrorist organization, many Arab-Israelis/Palestinians support them.

I am starting to realize even more how difficult the situation is between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The Israelis and the Palestinians / Israeli-Arabs have completely a completely different culture, language, and narrative of the 1948 war. Like many others, I am sadly losing hope that there will be a peaceful solution in the near future.

Zaatar!

Helllooo!! I am so glad to be back bloggin :). Unfortunately my computer stopped working a couple weeks ago, but I finally have a new one! (Shout out to Papa Black!) These past couple weeks have been incredible. I am planning on staying here at least through the summer. My Arabic has really improved. All of a sudden I woke up, and could speak! (Well kind of, I still have a lot to learn..) 

Thanks to my program, I have two host families. One Arab, one Jewish. My Jewish family lives on the Kibbutz about two minutes away from me. My Arab family lives in a large city called "Baqa-Al-Gharbiyya," which translates to "Bouquet of the West." I can't begin to explain how much I've already learned about their culture and values. The father, Mufeed, (which translates to "benefit") is a local bus driver. He says he sometimes drives through my Kibbutz! I was surprised to hear his occupation, because his house is HUGE. Seriously, it's a beautiful 3-story home. His wife, faatin, is such a doll! The moment I come into her home, there is always a meal waiting for me! They have 4 kids: Maalak (translates to Angel), Mai, Al-Maas (Diamonds), and Biddih. I absolutely adore all of them! Below are Mai and Malaak. 

When I asked Maalak (18) if I could take a picture of her for my blog, she told me of course, but she had to put her hijab (head-covering) on first. Maalak and her mother wear Hjiabs outside the home, but Mai (15) and her sister do not. Malak explained to me how it is a personal choice. Her parents never pressured her to wear one. Maalak and both her parents pray 5 times a day. The other siblings do not. 

I spend time with my host family 3 hours every Thursday. Lately, I have been going back for a couple hours on the weekend as well. The first hour (on Thursday) is supposed to be devoted to English, and the rest Arabic. Conveniently, Maalak speaks fluent English. She helps translate between me and Mai if we ever can't understand each other. All of us like the show "Pretty Little Liars" (Yes I just admitted that), so we sometimes watch an episode and translate in both languages. The last time I was at their home I made Zaatar bread from scratch! Sooo delicious. 

I swear all I do in this country is study Arabic and eat!!
Last weekend, many of their relatives from the neighborhood came to see me. None of them had met an American before. One of their cousins is an English teacher! I am supposed to go shopping with her tomorrow, which I am looking forward to. I think it's pretty incredible that in the same day I can spend lunch with an Arab, Muslim family, and then have Shabbat dinner with my Jewish family on the Kibbutz. Israel is a truly unique place.

On the move

Thursday morning we started our day at Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek. Mishmar HaEmek is different from Kibbutz Barkai, because it is NOT privatized. All Kibbutz members share their entire salary. Interestingly, members of this particular Kibbutz are considered to be part of the upper-middle class. Because all salary is divided equally, no one has to individually pay for heat/water, housing, or even food! (Breakfast/ lunch/dinner are provided in a dining hall.) Me and my fellow group members could not believe the massive amounts of food in the dining hall. We must've appeared like we've never eaten before! I had 4 types of potatoes on my plate, and may have gone up for thirds... Only thing missing was a dessert bar. Some lady told us the only way to get into Mishmar HaEmek is by marriage, since there is a very long waiting list.

One of our guides, Lydia, took us to her new home. She has been on the Kibbutz for 45 years, and made Aliyah from London.

Mishmar HaEmek has an incredible history. Founder Kibbutz members helped fight for independence in 1948. We conversed with an older man, Aleesha, for an hour about his experience on the Kibbutz. He explained to us how he was good friends with Arabs from the area before they became refugees. He used to play with them when he was young.  One day he went to visit some of them at a nearby refugee camp, and was shot in the head. To this day, he still has a bullet somewhere in his head.
Mishmar HaEmek is also home to the first Holocaust children's memorial.

This architect of the model created the woman with disproportionately longer arms. The reason behind this was because many felt as if they didn't have long enough arms to protect their children during such awful times. The memorial presently has bullet marks in it, from bullets that were shot during one of the wars.













Later that day we went to many tour sites, including a national park with several caves. These caves contained the tombs of many historical Rabbis. It was very cool to see, because it reminded me how far back the Jewish connection is with the land of Israel.

Supposedly the inspiration for the Menorah on one of the Israeli coins 

 

Ran into some Israelis practicing martial arts, naturally.

This morning I went to a birthday party with my Kibbutz host family.  Everyone there was excited to practice their English with me. I found the party to be much different than a birthday party in the states. The only form of "entertainment" was food, and each other. (opposed to a disney princess showing up, or a jumpy castle). The very first thing we did was "La-Chaim" (take a shot) to the 3 year old birthday boy. I had an Amaretto shot at 10 AM. (That's a first). I had some really interesting conversations with many of the people there. When they found out I was learning Arabic with Givat Haviva, there was a unanimous response. All expressed some sort of disappointment that there still isn't peace in this part of the Middle East. One older lady told me she participated in Givat Haviva almost 50 years ago. (Givat Haviva is the program I am studying Arabic with. Their goal is to open a dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis, and face stereotypes head-on.) I was disheartened when she told me she has lost much hope over the years. She used to be extremely active in bridging the gap, but recent times has shed some doubt. I can only hope we see a progression towards a peaceful solution in our generation.