Vacation from a Vacation

Although we haven't been working too hard here on the Kibbutz the last couple of weeks, the program still decided to give us a week off to do as we pelase with. Most people are getting ready to enlist into the army ether this week or next week so they wanted to give us time to travel a bit if we chose to do so before we signed off the next two years of our lives. We didn't have to work on the Kibbutz or even stay there for that matter but I decded to still go to daycare a couple days of the week since I really didnt have much else to do instead. Until last Wednesday all I did was relaxed, went to the daycare, ran, watched a lot of movies, and of course ate- all the necessary elements of a great vacation. On Wednesday, though, a couple of friends and I decded to take a short trip up to the north of Israel to visit some wineries, spend a night in a cabin, and just travel a bit. We rented a care which was awesome and took a road trip on up to what some would call the most beautiful part f the country. The North of Israel is ridiculously gorgeous and taking a visit reminded me just how true that statement is.

We started early Wednesday morning by driving up to the North which took a couple of hours. When we got there we stopped at a couple of look outs to really soak up the beauty of the Israel and it's surrounding countries in that area including Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. We then stopped in an area called Rosh Pina for lunch which is a beautiful residential area with restaurants and shops. After lunch we headed to some small wineries we had heard about. The first one was 3 person owned that had amini factory to tour followed by a wine tasting which was delicious. We bought a couple of bottles there adn then moved on to the next winery. We got the address to a winery that we had hearda bout from the first winery but as we drove up to the address we noticed that it was leading us to a house with a woman outside. We asked the woman if this was the winery and she respons with "you want wine?! No problem!". This winery was a small room next to a beautiful house overlooking the amazing north views of Israel. The wine was amazing and to knwo that this was a one man business made the experience that much more awesome. We also bought wine from this place and then moved ont o go to where we would be staying that night. My friend Ariel had found a deal on this place way up North called Sde Eliezer and thought it would be a good idea to try out. All we knew about this place was that it was a cabin and there was supposedly a jacuzzi. We got there and were amazed...the cabin was beautiful, clean, and new looking and the courtyard outside was peaceful and calm with a jacuzzi and sauna in the middle. We were so excited to drink our wine and relax in the "spa" after a long day of driving.

We decided to go back to Rosh Pina for dinner since one of my friends knew of a cool restaurant in that area. The ambiance of the restaurant was really awesome as it was made to look like you were eating in a cave. The food was delicious and we were the only ones there so it was a nice quiet couple of hours to just eat and chat. After dinner we headed back to the cabin and enjoyed the "spa" and wine we had bought earlier that day.

Thursday morning we woke up, packed up our things, and headed out of the cabins. Since we didn't have to be back at the Kibbutz at a specific time we decided to make random stops along the way home at places we thought looked or seemed worth our while. We made our first stop at a place called Ein Camonim which is a goat farm that produces goat cheese, milk, and yogurt and has a restaurant and store for people to enjoy the farms products. We decided to enjoy a nice breakfast there and were extremely happy with our decision. Cheese being my favorite food, I was in heaven. The goat cheeses were amazing and again, the atmosphere was really nice. The restaurant had an outdoor section overlooking the North which was a perfect place to start our day. We had heard about another goat cheese place that does some sort of performance about goat cheese and then presents the cheese to you to try but we unfortunately didn't call enough time in advance...so that's on the list for our next trip up north!

After breakfast we decided to take a drive to the Kinneret which is the body of water located in the North of Israel. We walked a bit along the border of the Kinneret in a town called Tiberius and visited a cemetary which is built along the Kinneret as well. Since we knew we had a long drive back we decided to make our way back but we went the scenic route so we can see Jordan along the way. Although it was short, it was an amazing trip and made me realize how much I really loved the North of Israel. I will definitely be making more trips there as much as I can.

Catch Up Time!

Okay so I guess I should first apologize for long hiatus I took from writing a blog post. My break doesn’t mean that nothing happened because A LOT has happened since I last wrote so bear with me because this is gonna be a long one!

I’ll start where I left off. Last I wrote I explained how the army process for girls works and how we have a day called Yom Hameya where we are tested on different skills so they can decide what jobs are most fit for us. After we complete this day we get what is called a Manila about a week or so after. Our Manila is a list of jobs that we are eligible for based on all the tests from Yom Hameya and Tzav Rishon. On the Manila there are two list of jobs. The first list includes jobs that are eligible to you that don’t require more tests or interviews and the second list includes jobs that do require more interviews/tests. We then have to fill out the top three jobs that we would want to do from each list and then we get invited to more interview or tests if we want a job from the second list. In my case, I wanted to go for a job from the second list so I had to go for more tests. The job I was trying for is called Hadricha Sport or Madasnikit in slang terms, which is a fitness instructor. Each soldier no matter what unit they are in has sessions with a Madasnikit a couple of times a week to stay in shape. The job of the Madasnikit is to plan fitness/work out sessions for the soldiers. In order to become a Madasnikit we had to pass a physical test and then have an interview. So I went to the try out or what they call the Miyun here. At the Miyun we had to do a specific amount of push ups, sit ups, and a running test to make sure we were in shape enough to do the job. If we passed the physical section we would be sent off to be interviewed where they asked you all sorts of questions including how often you exercise, why you want to do this job, if you have had any instructing/teaching experience, etc. I went to the Miyun on October 24^th and then had to wait a while to find out whether I made it or not. Luckily, I found out this past Tuesday that I got the job and I will be enlisting into the IDF on December 17^th! It was amazing news and I am so happy to finally have a plan of when I will be enlisting. Now I can just relax, work out, and soak up my last month and a half of my very much extended “summer” before I become a soldier.

Just to explain a bit more about what I will be doing once I enlist, starting on December 17^th I will be in basic training for about 2-3 weeks and then I will start my course which will be at a fitness and physical education institution north of Tel Aviv where I will be physically training to become a fitness instructor and learning related topics such as anatomy and physiology. The course will be around 2-3 months and after I pass I will be given a placement as where I will be instructing. Although it might be too early to say, I would like to be placed in a combat unit so I can help train combat soldiers to stay in shape as they serve in the army. So that’s my plan for the next two years…I’ll let you know how it goes!

Besides all of the army balagan (mess in Hebrew) everything has been great here at the Kibbutz. Instead of continuing to learn Hebrew I decided to volunteer in one of the day cares on the Kibbutz so I am now working at a Gan (day care/kindergarten in Hebrew) for the cutest little babies between the ages of 10 months-20 months. For anyone that knows me you probably could imagine how happy I am playing with cute, chubby, little babies all day long. So until I enlist I’ll be volunteering there for the mornings which will keep me semi busy.

Last week I had a really interesting experience with an amazing group of people. Project Return Ministries is a Canadian Christian organization that strives to help new Olim financially in order to make their Aliyah experience easier . Once you apply they set you up with a sponsor that is there for you to be in touch with for emotional support and also provides you with financial support. It is an amazing organization that has helped me and a lot of my friends in my group smoothly adjust to our new lives in Israel. For about two weeks many people from their organization have been touring Israel on what they call the Destiny Tour Experience. They invited the people who they have been sponsoring to come join them on their tour to meet the amazing people that make up their organization and to learn about this amazing country together. So I went last Saturday night with two other friends from my group to spend a night in the most incredible 1100 year old house in the old city of Jerusalem and then tour the regions of Judea and Samaria the next day. Judea and Samaria are located in what is now called the West Bank and is the place that most biblical stories took place. We started our tour at an amazing winery where we learned about the land and, of course, tasted delicious wine. We then went to a beautiful area for lunch in what the owner calls “the shack” with a ridiculously incredible view of the land in front of us. Our last stop was a settlement called Elon More where we were joined by a tour guide who explained the stories that came with that land. During the entire time I spent with our Project Return friends I just couldn’t help but think how lucky we are to have people who care so much about us and who greatly appreciate the big step in life we have taken. It was great to be surrounded by such people and I truly enjoyed me time with them!

Last week we had our Tiyul Giyus (enlistment trip) since most of the group will be enlisting within the next couple of weeks. We went to Eilat which is a vacation spot at the very bottom tip of Israel right next to Jordan and Egypt. We relaxed on the beach, rode ATV’s which was AMAZING, went on an afternoon boat ride that included a nice lunch and time to jump off the boat into the water, and just time to walk around the boardwalk and chill. It was nice to be with the whole group and relax for a couple days.

This week we have vacation where we can travel or hang out in Israel where ever we want. I decided to stay on the Kibbutz for most of the week and then I am going to head up north for one night on Wednesday to visit the winery and just enjoy a night off! Until then…so happy to catch you all up!

Yom HaMe'Ya aka The Day of Stress

We returned back to the Kibbutz from our Rosh Hashanah festivities on Wednesday and didn't have much time to get back in the groove of things as the girls had to start preparing for Yom HaMe'ya which we had the following day on Thursday. Yom HaMe'ya is a new step in the army process that has been active for only a few years so far. The goal of the day is for girls to be able to show their teaching skills to see if they are fit for certain instructor positions in the army. The day is meant for girls because most boys are interested in combat units in the Army but in special cases some boys also go to Yom HaMe'ya.

We woke up early on Thursday and after waiting quite a while for the bus, made our way into the city of Beer Sheva for a long day of stations. When we got there they split us up into small groups as these would be the groups we would spend the day with and go from station to station with. My group was made up 7 girls most of which from different Kibbutzim so I didn't know them but I was lucky enough to be put with my roommate Sarah and was happy to have a familiar face to ease my nerves while participating in the activities at each station. Each group had a leader who administered some of the stations but also was there for us to ask questions and guide us as needed. The first station was a teaching station to test our skills at teaching a specific subject. We had 5 minutes to choose a topic that we would want to teach the group and write some notes down that we would be able to refer to during our teaching. Of course while everyone else was busily writing notes on the topic of their choice, I was taking 4 and a half out of those 5 precious minutes to just think of a topic. In last 30 seconds I wrote down one sentence on my chosen topic and of course freaked out when I realized everyone else had pages of notes. Considering all the nerves and the fact that I had no notes I felt like I did okay when it was my turn to teach. We had 3 minutes to speak. We had to take the first minute to explain why we chose the topic that we chose and then 2 minutes to teach it. Remember that we had to do this in Hebrew of course, so on top of just being nervous of speaking in front of a group I also had to speak in a language that I am not yet 100% comfortable with. I felt that it ended up going okay and was thankful to have gotten that station over with so early in the day.

The second station was a physical team work station where they test how you work with others. They gave us a bunch of different physical tasks we had to do as a group and would throw some challenges at us along the way by giving only 3 out of 7 girls the ability to talk to the group while the others just had to listen to what the leaders were telling us to do. This station was fun and stress-free as it wasn't something that put the spotlight directly on me for a period of time like the previous station. The third station was to test our ability to deal with various kinds of situations. This was an individual station test so it was just me and an administrator who role played as a specific character with a problem and I had to deal with the problem accordingly. For example, the first situation was that I was a worker at a Theater and I had to help customers with whatever problems I might have but I had 3 restrictions: 1. I wasn't allowed to change seats after tickets were given out 2. I wasn't allowed to give people their money back after they bought tickets and 3. I wasn't allowed to give discounts. So considering these restrictions it was hard for me to think of a solution to certain problems when I couldn't help in the way I normally would if I was allowed to do these things. Again, another challenge was the fact that I was doing this in Hebrew so you could imagine how much stuttering and stalling took place in that conversation. The second situation was more in my comfort zone and there for I felt like I succeeded more in solving this problem. The situation was that I was the coach of a volley ball team and while one specific girl really wanted to be captain the team didn't want her to be and I had to be the one to tell her that her dream of becoming captain was not going to come true this year. It was easier for me to come up with a solution because of my background experience in dealing with campers and teens with similar problems. The goal of this station was to see if you are fit to be a social worker or some kind of office worker that deals with the problems of the soldiers in the army. Although I don't really want one of those positions, I still wanted to succeed to give me a higher chance of being eligible for as many jobs as possible.

The fourth station included reading a passage for 8 minutes and taking as many notes as you possibly could on the subject and then giving a 4 minute speech on what you read. Doesn't seem too hard right? Wrong, since ya know...there is ALWAYS a trick. During your 4 minutes speech one of the two administrators that were in the room would interrupt you in some way that a annoying student or in this case soldier would while you are teaching a lesson. So for some of the girls one of the administrators would start talking on their phone and see how the "teacher" would deal with it. In the middle of my speech on reality television one of the administrators walked across the room, took a chair and started dragging it to the other side of the room back to her seat so she could use it as a foot rest. I had to stop in the middle of my speech and explain to her  (in Hebrew) that this wasn't appropriate for right now and that she was interrupting the learning of the other students. These administrators must be very well trained because they wouldn't take no for an answer. When I explained that it wasn't fair that she had an extra chair for her feet and the other students only had one chair to sit on, she responded with "Oh they want also? take, take chairs there is enough for everyone!". So I had to continue to explain that each student gets one chair to sit on, and that's it. I think it was safe to say that this was the most stressful station of the whole day and I wasn't sure how I felt about how I did after I finished.

The fifth station was another sort of team building/team work station which in theory isn't difficult to succeed in but of course, there's a twist. We were split up into two small groups and had to think of a problem that faces high school teens and then try to come up with something we can make or build to help solve this problem. While we quietly discussed as a group the administrators would watch us and take notes on how we each worked in a group, so of course everyone wanted to be seen as the leader to show the administrators that they would succeed in a leadership position in the army. It is hard to shine as a leader in a situation like this and unfortunately I felt overshadowed by the other girls since everyone was so eager to be the spotlight. Needless to say it was a frustrating station and I had hoped that the administrators noticed that it was hard for all the girls to show their leadership skills when everyone was so eager to be the leader.

The last station was a loooooong 2 hour computerized exam that included the most ridiculous types of tests I had ever seen. For example, one test was a black screen with different colored kinds of shapes popping up one at a time and you had to press the space bar whenever you saw the red colored square and only for that color and shape combination. If you know me well you could imagine that these kinds of tests drove me crazy and that I was fidgeting throughout the entirety of the exam. As soon as the exam was over I raced across the street, got an iced coffee, and let out a long and necessary sigh. I was so happy to be done with this day whether I had succeeded or not because at that point I was exhausted and way too stressed.
They told us that we will be receiving our manilas in a few weeks. A manila is a form that you receive after all the necessary army prep tests have been done. The manila includes a list of jobs that the army feels you are eligible for based on all the tests. When I receive the manila I will then choose my top three choices of jobs out of the list I received and soon after will be given the final decision and my placement in the army.

Although the hardest part had passed the most annoying part was still to come...the waiting. More posts about the army to come as soon as I find out more info!

A New Year Introduces a New Life

After living in Israel for a month as a citizen of the country it was finally time to celebrate the High Holidays the right way, in Israel. The High Holidays for those that don't know are the a series of holidays that fall in September-October and start off the new Jewish Calender year as Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and is the first High Holiday celebrated in the Fall. At home, I am used to having delicious Rosh Hashanah meals with my family, going to synagogue all day, and relaxing at home. High Holidays for me consists of taking a break from the world and observing a Jewish Holiday without the normal activities such as going to school, going out with friends, and sitting on the computer all day. This year, although it still involved delicious food, was quite different.

Before the Holiday started I spent the weekend at Itai's house (my co staff from the summer I staffed wheels). It was amazing seeing him again and being able to spend the weekend with his family! I was also lucky enough to spend the weekend with Elkana, his wife Sara, and their amazing and adorable new addition to their family, Yarden! It was a fun weekend including, of course, eating, shmoozing, and relaxing. On Sunday I made my way back from Jerusalem to Ramat Gan to spend Rosh Hashanah at my grandparents. The last time I was in Israel for Rosh Hashanah was when I was on Nativ so I spent the holiday in Jerusalem. Spending Shabbat or a holiday in Jerusalem couldn't be more different than spending it any where else in Israel. You can compare the difference to spending Christmas in America and Christmas in Israel. Clearly when you are in America on Christmas you know you are surrounded by holiday spirit. With all stores being closed and most streets cleared, it is obvious that a large percentage of American Citizens are celebrating a holiday and with that brings a certain spirit in the air that gives off a feeling of happiness, tradition, and cheer.   In Jerusalem on a Jewish Holiday, you get the same feeling in the air. There is a holiday spirit that is clearly present; stores and restaurants are closed, hardly any cars are on the street, and everyone is out walking through the streets of the city. In other places of Israel, like Tel Aviv (where I was over my Rosh Hashanah) a lot of places are open, cars are all over the streets as if it is like any other day, and people are doing daily things. People don't work on Rosh Hashanah anywhere in Israel but people still do things they would do on a normal weekday. For me experiencing my Rosh Hashanah in Israel, but less observant than I normally am on a holiday was a culture shock for me and quite the learning experience. I realized that although Israel is the Nation of the Jewish people there are still all sorts of levels of observance, tradition, and religion even if most of the citizens of the country share the same religion. I enjoy observing holidays in different ways and learning the different customs of all Israeli's as I acclimate to the world of Israeli living.

On Sunday Night (the first night of Rosh Hashanah) I enjoyed a holiday meal at my grandparents with my great uncle. It was a quiet night but really nice to be with family and it made me feel as close to my family at home as possible. Of course it is hard everyday to be apart from my family, but on Holidays the feeling that you are missing people multiplies as you know your whole family is together and only you are missing. Although it was difficult, spending the holidays with my family in Israel was the best option if I wasn't going to be home and I was so happy to be here to be able to do so.

On Monday I was lucky to be able to go spend some of the holiday with my dad's first cousins family who I have become very close with throughout my many trips to Israel over the past few years. My cousins Gali picked me up on Monday morning and brought me to her house in Hod Hasharon to be able to be part of their holiday meal with their family. Besides the delicious food and great company, it was nice to experience the way others celebrate their holiday. After lunch, Gali and I went to meet a friend of hers at the movies. Remember when I said holidays outside of Jerusalem our different? It was also really different for me because usually when I am at home for holidays I would never go out to the movies or the mall on the holiday. I would go to synagogue and spend time with my family at home. But here, in Israel, after celebrating the holiday, I went to the movies and noticed that a lot more people did as well. I love that the personality of Israeli's shines through their culture. From experiencing a Rosh Hashanah like this I noticed that a lot of Israeli's feel that going to the movies or the mall doesn't take away from a holiday, as long as they observe in their own way. Everyone has their way of doing things and Israel is a perfect example of how different traditions can be observed within the same cultures or religions. After the movie we went back to the house, ate dinner, and went out to a pub with a couple of her friends.

On Tuesday I also had a different kind of holiday experience. I went with my newlywed cousins, Reut and Asaf, to the port in Tel Aviv. Its a beautiful area with restaurants and stores right next to the water. Although it was still holiday the port was filled with families eating at outdoor cafes, walking around, or shopping. All stores were open as well as the restaurants. We sat down at a nice cafe for lunch, walked around, got ice cream (of course), and watched a fun game of footvolley ball that was set up on the port. It was nice to spend time with them as always and it was a beautiful day, although again different way of observing than what I am used to at home.

Wednesday morning I headed back to the Kibbutz. After a fun filled Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat it was nice to go back to the group and share stories from the break. More to come soon on Army prep!

I Can Hear the Wedding (and Birthday) Bells a Ringin...

After a stressful week of Israeli bureaucracy and red tape I was relieved and excited to spend a weekend with family and friends celebrating my cousins wedding that I've been waiting for since I arrived! Not only was I attending the wedding but I was lucky enough to be included in the events leading up to my cousins big day!

I left the kibbutz on Thursday and arrived at my grandparents just in time to join the in the first wedding related activity! It is customary for a Jewish Bride before her wedding to purify herself at the Mikvah which is a ritual bath. I was aware of this tradition to visit the Mikvah before you get married and more religious Jews visit much more often but my cousin did something very different that I have never heard before. She invited her female family members as well as her fiance's female relatives to accompany her to the Mikvah (of course we waited in the lobby as she entered the Mikvah) and afterwards we enjoyed a festive meal together just the women. For me, this was not only fun but also a culture shock as I have never heard of someone doing this for their pre-wedding Mikvah visit. It was really cool to be there and I felt honored to be included in such a unique experience!

On Friday, after a nice breakfast with my grandma at a near by cafe, I went to Reut's (my cousin who is getting married) bachelorette party which was planned by her two sisters and sister-in-law! It was such a beautiful party which included fun bridal games, a chocolate lesson which I obviously loved, and just hanging out with Reut and her closest girl friends. Again, I was so happy to be included in this as well as beign around to be able to attend all the wedding festivities. Although Reut and her family are distant cousins, every time I visited Israel I grew up hanging out with them and her family has become amazing friends of my family and it is so nice to have such incredible people here with me in Israel.

Saturday was a relaxing day as I was already exhausted and had to save my energy for the wedding the next day. After spending the entire day in my pajamas I finally became a real person at night as I attended a show with my grandparents and their friends which was a performance honoring a former popular Israeli singer. Although I had trouble understanding the entirety of the performance I enjoyed the upbeat music and talented dancing.

The day of the wedding finally arrived and I couldn't have been more excited! I hadn't been to a wedding since I was a flower girl when I was 7 so I was thrilled to be able to attend my third wedding and that it was in Israel! Not only was it the wedding day but it also happened to be my birthday. Although maybe not as excited as most Americans 21st birthday, I had an amazing day spending it with great people. Since the wedding wasn't until the evening I decided to go into Tel Aviv and meet up with a friend, Julie, who happens to be a relative of best family friend's of ours from home. She made my birthday very special by taking me to a beautiful city of Yaffo right outside of Tel Aviv to a restaurant of her friends. We ate in the calm and quiet streets of the beautiful city and were treated to birthday cake thanks to Julie and her friend! After more walking and making our way back to the center of Tel Aviv I headed back on a bus to get back to my grandparents.

After getting ready we finally made our way to the wedding. It was the most beautiful and elegant night filled with dancing and celebrating an amazing couple! Not only was the place absolutely gorgeous but the newlyweds happiness was glowing from a mile away and it was an honor to celebrate with them and their friends and family! I decided I love Israeli weddings as they have an amazing energy to them that is simply indescribable...maybe its the Israeli music or the Israeli mentality, I don't really know but it was truly an amazing night. Sending another Mazal Tov to my beautiful cousin, Reut, and her amazing husband, Asaf!

Although I was glad to return back to the Kibbutz and see my friends it was hard to pop out of the vacation bubble as the weekend had been filled with exciting and unforgettable moments!

And Now Begins the Reason I Came

I know it's been a while since I've posted and I have a lot to share so bare with me! After a fun and relaxing free weekend spent at my grandparents in Ramat Gan visiting with cousins, spending time on the beach, and of course, eating, it was time to get down to the real reason I made the move to Israel. Tuesday September, 4th we had what is called our Tzav Rishon. Tzav Rishon is a day filled of tests and interviews with soldiers in the army to help determine what units we are eligible for. Leading up to the day I was extremely nervous and anxious as I heard that the results from the Tzav Rishon have a huge effect on our future position in the army. I also knew that it was important to speak the best Hebrew possible and since I am still learning the language I knew I would have some slip ups.

If I were to choose one word to describe what we did during our Tzav Rishon it would be: waited. If you thought the line at the DMV was bad...just go to a Tzav Rishon and you'll be wishing you were at the DMV instead. The day consisted of a bunch of different stations including a physical with a doctor to determine your physical profile (more on that in a bit), an interview with an army social worker to establish your status as a lone soldier (which allows you to have more benefits than usual), an interview with a soldier including a Hebrew language test, and an IQ test. Because there were many of us there and not enough soldiers doing the interviews and administering the tests, the day dragged on and took about 9 hours to complete. I started at the doctor where I received my physical profile. The highest physical profile a soldier can recieve is a 97. The profile helps determine what units you are eligible for in terms of physical health. Some soldiers might have certain health issues that might lower their physical profile in which case would eliminate the eligibility of certain units for them. After the doctor I waited for about 2 and a half hours to go on to the next station. Both interviews went well except I definitely struggled with my Hebrew a bit. The Hebrew exam was tough and I am still awaiting my results of that. After I took my IQ test which included two different sections that took about 25 minutes all together I was relieved to be done for the day. After the bus ride back we enjoyed a hearty meal and wiped out from the exhausting day of mostly waiting. Tzav Rishon definitely gave me a good and accurate taste of Israeli bureaucracy and what I am in for as being a citizen of the country!

I was happy to have started my army journey and was nervous and anxious to continue. Our next army related day is something called Yom Hameya which is a day just for a girls that consists of more interviews, team work related activities, and a speech I have to deliver. This day helps the army determine if we are fitting for specific jobs such as an instructor or teacher of some sort. More on this day when it actually happens!

The rest of the week went by quickly and led up to an amazing and fun filled weekend which you'll be hearing about in my next post...until then!

Gadna- Preview to Ilana as a soldier

If you were all getting bored of hearing about my experiences on the Kibbutz, then you are in luck because this blog post focuses on the happenings of my last week…something very different than what I have been up to on the Kibbutz. This past week we went to the south of Israel to a place called Sde Boker. We spent the last week at what is known in Israel as Gadna. Gadna is a 1 week army simulation where different groups get to experience what a week of basic training in the IDF would be like. Gadna was first created in order to give Israeli high school Juniors and Seniors an idea of what their life would be like once they joined the Army since in Israel all Israeli’s are required to enlist into the IDF at the age of 18 or whenever they finish High School. Once Gadna became well known tourist groups that were visiting Israel from all over the world started sending their programs of Non-Israeli high school students so they can see what it would be like to enlist in the army.

 Before I continue on to how my week at Gadna was, let me first say that from the minute I heard that Garin Tzabar was sending all of us to Gadna I was DREADING it. Not because I didn’t think I would make it or just didn’t want to go but when I was in Israel for the year on Nativ I chose to go to Gadna during a week where we had options of what to do. I absolutely LOVED the week at Gadna that I had experienced and I would be lying if I didn’t say that it definitely played a role in the idea of enlisting in the IDF pop into my head. The reasons for my lack of desire to go again this time was two fold: 1. I had been already and didn’t feel the need to go back as much as I enjoyed it 2. I didn’t see the point of going to Gadna when we were all people who volunteered to come here and enlist in the IDF so I assumed that we all knew what we were getting ourselves into and didn’t need a fake week to help us have an idea of what to expect. With that said I knew that I didn’t have a choice in the matter so I tried to enter the week with an open mind and enjoy a new week of Gadna with different people and a different mind set.

We got to Gadna on Sunday in the middle of the day which meant it was brutally hot. Once we got there we were split up into groups which would act as our unit for the week. In Hebrew this is called a Tzevet. My Tzevet consisted of 14 kids including myself all from my Garin so I was happy that I was with friends so I was gaurenteed to have a better time. The other half of the people from my Garin were put in a different Tzevet with half of the kids from another Kibbutz. We met our mefakedet (commander) and from the instant we got off the bus we were treated like soldiers in basic training. The mefakdim (plural commanders) started ordering us around by giving us a certain amount of seconds (usually ten) to form two lines in front of them or to run to a specific place and form two lines there. The first day just consisted of things of that nature and an opening ceremony with our Machklaka (which is the Hebrew word for Platoon and is made up of many separate Tzvatim (plural of Tzevet) where we met our commanders commander and the people that held a higher rank than our own commanders known at the Samelet and the Memem. Every night at Gadna before bed time we get what is called a Sha’a Tash which is 1 hour that we get to do what we want- eat, shower, hang out, talk on the phone, get ready for bed. This is what we will get in the Army while in basic training. Although it had only been ½ a day at Gadna I was already exhausted and fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.

The next day of Gadna was definitely more eventful than the first. We woke up at the excruciatingly early hour of 5:45 to have our open ceremony with our whole Pluga which is literally translates to company in terms of the military so it’s an even bigger military unit made up of two separate Machklakim which has 8 or 9 Tzvatim in each. After the ceremony we started learning about the gun that we would be shooting from just a day later—the M16! We had to learn the 10 rules of the gun, the parts of the gun, the positioning of the gun while holding it to shoot, and the commands that we would hear and need to follow when at the range getting ready to shoot. Although I had shot an M16 last time at Gadna  I was still excited to do it again because it is obviously one of the most exciting parts of the week.

 After a long morning and afternoon of Neshek lessons (Hebrew  translation of the word Gun) we got on buses in order to get to the Shetach (field). We learned the day before that we would be going to the Shetach, pitching our own tents, and sleeping overnight in the field. I am sure most of you who know me well can imagine my reaction to this news…I freaked. I did NOT sleep in the field last time I did Gadna nor was I upset about not doing so. I was especially freaked out because everyone was talking about how many snakes and scorpions we would encounter in the Shetach…so not my thing. Once we got to the fields we were instructed to pitch the tents. This literally took about 3 hours since the tents fit two people and we were about 150. We also had to place the tents in a specific shape because in the army everything is perfectly organized and placed. After we finally got all the tents up we had dinner which consisted of beef jerky, bread, and canned vegetables…nomnom!!! (jokes). After dinner we were taught how to act in the field. Everything is different including how we answer the mefakedet. Usually when the Mefakedet gives us orders we have to answer by screaming “ken hamefakedet!” which translates to (yes, commander) kind of like “Yes, sir!” and “No, sir!” in the American Army. In the fields we had to call our commanders “codecode” instead of Mefakedet. We were also given count of numbers so they could keep track of the whole unit. When our commanders came around to give us our numbers they would give us a nice hard punch in the shoulder which I found out later is just part of the whole Army experience.

After learning a bit about how soldiers act in the field we played a game even though the commanders yelled at us when we acknowledged it as a game. What we had to do was climb a huge mountain to try to get to a green glow stick that the Memem was holding at the top of the mountain. It was already dark outside so all you could see was the green glow stick hovering in the middle of the mountain. The trick was we needed to crawl on the ground and go slowly as the commanders were spread out across the mountain with flashlights and if they caught us we would have to go down to the beginning of the mountain and start over. Although I am ashamed to admit it I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I was probably crawling all over snakes and scorpions so once I got caught once I didn’t try again…once a girl, always a girl. After the “game” we were able to go to bed which I was so not excited about since I was convinced I would be cuddling up to some desert creatures during the night. Luckily I fell asleep pretty easily despite the huge rock that my sleeping bag was placed on top of.

The next morning we woke up and started a whole new day in the field. Our Mefakedet took us out in the field to learn different exercises that are used in the field like army crawls (which I have elbow scabs to prove that I did it), camouflaging ourselves which consisted of pouring water on the ground and rubbing the mud on our face (natural facial, if you will), and learning how to react when a grenade is thrown (rimon, in Hebrew). After an eventful morning we had our last Neshek (gun) lesson as a Machklaka before heading to the shooting range. We had a Masa to the shooting range which translates to Journey in English and is something that many of the combat soldiers will be experiencing during basic training. The Masa is usually excruciatingly long but ours was just a short version to give us an idea of what a real one might be. We had to walk in two straight lines during the whole Masa. When the Memem (who was leading the walk) started to run, we had to run, when she ducked and started crawling on the floor, we had to do the same. In the scalding heat of the mid day sun it was pretty brutal but also really cool to experience something like that. Since I don’t plan on being a combat soldier I probably won’t be part of a Masa so it was awesome to be able to experience something like it. Once we got to the shooting range we ate another delicious lunch of chocolate spread sandwiches and canned food. After that we basically waited under a shaded tent for 3 hours in order for everyone to shoot and of course my Tzevet was last. We finally got to shoot which was exhilarating and eventful but I was so ready to head back to base. The rest of the day was light as we had free time, dinner, and some Tzevet discussions.

The last full day at Gadna consisted of lessons on the jobs in the army, Tzav Rishon (the day of interviews and tests in order to figure out what units you are eligible for, and some Tzevet team building activities. Although I was getting sick of standing up straight with my hands behind my back, screaming “Ken Hamefakedet” every time the commander gave us an order, and doing push ups everytime I moved in the two lines or didn’t have my uniform buttoned, I was starting to realize and appreciate why the program sent us to Gadna. First of all, it was clear that although all the commanders yelled at us and gave us orders that they highly respected us for what we were doing and truly wanted to help us by answering any questions we might have about the army or Israel. By the end of the week I was happy we came back because it was extremely different from my first week at Gadna and I ended up having fun with the people in my Tzevet.

It was definitely a tough week but it really prepared me mentally for what to expect during basic training. Even though I found out that the person who was bossing me around all week was my age (actually a few months younger) I was still glad that we did Gadna and I am sure that this preparation will benefit me once I am in the army. Although I enjoyed the week I was so thankful to have a free weekend to be able to spend at my grandparents, relaxing, and hanging out with family…more to come on that soon! 

יאללה זמן ללמוד עברית!! (lets go! time to learn Hebrew)

It’s crazy to think about how I have only been here for a couple of weeks as it really feels like so much longer. I am happy to say that I am enjoying every minute of my time at the Kibbutz especially because many people have said it will fly by and my enlistment date will be here before I know it.

                Since I last blogged so much more has happened on the Kibbutz. We took a trip to Beer Sheva which is the closest main city to our Kibbutz and about a 30-40 minute bus ride. We went in order to buy some necessities for our rooms and to get our phones working so I needless to say that I was happy camper when I finally got my phone up and running. Not only did I miss having a phone but it was also a reminder of how real this whole experience is. Setting up my phone and my bank account which I did the day before are small steps that really make me feel like a citizen in Israel instead of just a guest. I love every little thing that makes me realize how real this is and that is not just a dream.

                On Tuesday we had our Hebrew test to see what level we would be in for our Ulpan classes on the Kibbutz (Ulpan is what we call Hebrew classes in Israel and is also a word used to describe Hebrew classes in America as well). On Wednesday we all had Ulpan together which was tough because we all fall into different Hebrew levels so some people who are more advanced in the language were bored with what we were doing while others had trouble following along and keeping up. I got lucky as I happen to fall right in the middle so for me it was a useful and much needed review. Thursday they split the groups into two levels which was still hard because all 27 of us fall into much more than just two different levels. Although for me my class is a bit challenging I really enjoyed it and felt it to be beneficial for me since it was a bit harder than what I am normally used to when it comes to Ulpan. We read an article from an Israeli newspaper so we learned a lot of higher Hebrew vocab words which is perfect for me. Unfortunately this was the last Hebrew Class we have had since then so I am hoping that as soon as it starts up again I will continue to improve.

                Thursday evening we went for a sunset walk passed the border of our Kibbutz. As cliché as it might sound, saying that it was absolutely beautiful is a huge understatement. I feel so grateful to be living in such a different, unique, and breathtaking place especially because it is so out of the ordinary for me. We walked along a sandy path admiring the views and sunset as we went along. My favorite thing about the walk was that we passed an amazing open field that had nothing but one tree standing alone in the middle of it. Our madricha (Hebrew word for staff or counselor) explained that this tree is called העץ הבודד which translates the lone/lonely tree. As I stared at the scene admiring its beauty I couldn’t help but compare this tree to myself and the position I am in life today. In Israel a soldier who comes from out of the country to serve in the IDF and has no immediate family in the country is referred to as החייל הבודד which translates to a lone soldier. Here is this Tree that is the only one of its kind standing alone accompanied by other natural objects. Although it is not completely alone it is seen as a lonely tree because there are no others of its kind around it. I, here in Israel, am a young person who is not physically alone as I am surrounded by family and friends that I know and love yet in my situation I am one of a kind. Yes, there are 350 other people who made Aliyah and are enlisting into the army with me but as an individual I am alone accompanied by other people doing their own thing. Staring at this tree helped me realize my position in this country as well as reaffirmed my decision as I saw how the tree’s confidence was still observable despite its lonely status. I took a picture of this scene in my mind and feel myself thinking of it often when I think of the big life change that I just recently made.

                This weekend was a closed weekend on the Kibbutz which meant we were required to stay on the Kibbutz and spend Shabbat together as a group. Friday was a cleaning and relaxing day so we didn’t do much but Friday night we met our host families. On the Kibbutz all 27 of us are assigned to a family that is known as our adoptive families. Their job is to include us as part of their family for the years that we will be in the army. They can invite us to meals or over to their house to say hello and include us as a part of their family in any way they see fit. Friday night I went over to my family’s house for dinner. The Marcus family was so welcoming and inviting that I automatically felt like I would enjoy my time on the Kibbutz because of their warmth and kindness. My host father is originally from America (Wisconsin) and made Aliyah to Israel and served in the IDF as well so it’s really nice to be able to relate to him as we share this prominent similarity in our lives. My host mother was born and raised on the Kibbutz and still has a lot of family that lives on the kibbutz. They have 3 children 1 of which has her own family on the Kibbutz and is also hosting another boy from my group so it’s fun to have a lot of family on the kibbutz. I am grateful and excited to be part of their family for my time on the Kibbutz and I look forward to spending more time with the Marcus Family. Their house is also a 2 minute walk from my living area so that makes it convenient and easy to visit!

                The rest of the weekend was low key as it included a night at the pub, a day at the pool, and more relaxing. My next post will explore the life of a soldier in basic training as we spend the week at Gadna—to be explained in my next post!

Ilana the Kibbutznik...Who Woulda Thunk it??

Since my last post, my Garin (what we call the group of us from America planning on joining the IDF in a few months) has been settling in and getting used to life of a Kibbutznik (slang term used by Israeli’s to identify citizens of a Kibbutz). Saying that life in the Kibbutz is far different from what I am used to in Oradell is the understatement of the century. Although it is definitely a life that needs getting used to, I am already in love with the Kibbutz. Physically, it is such a uniquely beautiful place and exploring more of it day by day gets me so excited to spend the next three months here.

                We arrived here on Wednesday evening after a long bus ride from Tel Aviv (around two hours from our Kibbutz located in the south of Israel). We were dropped off in the area of our rooms which I like to compare to my apartment back at Rutgers as it has a very similar layout. Our area is a courtyard with two strips of small garden looking apartments facing each other. One side has two long buildings of two floors and the other side is just one long strip of one floor rooms. My room is in the two floor building so my roommate Sarah and I are upstairs which we really enjoy since we can make use of the nice mirpeset (balcony) right outside of our door. Sarah and I were so pleased to walk into our room to find a huge space with a great closet and even better air conditioning! It is a great size for two people and we have really enjoyed making it our own.

                The first night we just enjoyed some pizza and had a small talk with Gila and Ami (the two people in charge of us here at the Kibbutz). Sarah and I unpacked that night and went to bed since we were exhausted from all that had happened since leaving the airport. Before I tell you how my first full day at the Kibbutz was I will tell you that I took 4 showers that day. Yes, four full showers…so that might give you an idea of how hot it is down here in these parts. We woke up at the lovely hour of 6:30 am to go for a run through the Kibbutz. Instead of me telling you how the run went let’s just say…I am screwed for basic training. So yeah, the run wiped me out since it was still boiling hot at even an hour as early as 6:30. After a shower and breakfast we had more time unpack and chill out. Half of the group had to go to the nearby city of Beer Sheva to deal with the government while some already did that at the airport. I unpacked some more and then went  outside to help the boys lay out grass for our courtyard area. This included rolling up individual pieces of already grown grass and laying it out on the ground. Needless to say this is what motivated my second shower of the day. It was really cool to be able to lay out our own grass though and I am excited for when we are able to lay out and enjoy the courtyard!

                After lunch we had more free time and were able to enjoy our first time at the pool! The pool is so so so nice and felt amazing in the heat of the desert. I am hoping that a couple days at the pool will finally give me that tan I’ve been hoping for all summer so…fingers crossed! The rest of the day was low key as we were given a tour of the Kibbutz, ate dinner, and enjoyed a medura (campfire) with baked apples and of course smores—nomnom! We also played a game called “ha yaad ha ba ze…” which translates to “the next direction is” and for those of you who ever played the line game, im going on a picnic, or green glass doors it is very similar and just as frustrating as those games.

                Friday was nice because we don’t run on Fridays or Saturdays so we were able to wake up and just head straight to breakfast. After breakfast we had a couple talks with Gila about security on the kibbutz, geography of the area around us, and played a scavenger hunt around the Kibbutz to help us get to know the vicinity and get to know some people as we had to as citizens of the Kibbutz questions about specific places. After a yummy lunch of homemade felafal and some free time we met with the director of Garin Tzabar in Israel who just wanted us to introduce ourselves and get to know her. She also played a roommate game with us to see who knew their roommates the most and Sarah and I won! We obviously enjoyed that game. We then had a bunch of free time so we went to the pool (duh) and hung out. We then had a Shabbat Circle with Ami where we went around the room and discussed something we are missing from home but also something we found at the kibbutz that we are happy about. I said that although I miss everyone back home I am missing my sisters as it is so hard to not be able to see them and talk all the time. I also said that I found such an amazing community and home here at the Kibbutz and I am so happy to live in a different place and with different people. I am so excited to broaden my horizons and expand myself from what I am used to a bit. After Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday night services) and dinner we had free time and then went to the Pub on the Kibbutz! It was actually so much fun with music, dancing, and casual drinking. I was surprised to see more people other than our group there because we had been warned that there are not many people around our age group living on the Kibbutz.

                Saturdays are so nice because we basically have the whole day free. We were allowed to sleep in since we didn’t have any programming until 11 so obviously I took advantage of that and slept until 10:45…woops. The meeting was to go over our schedule on the Kibbutz which was helpful as I had been wondering that ever since arriving on Wednesday night. It also made me nervous as we started talking about how important knowing Hebrew is in order to get the job I would want in the army. I realized I really need to start speaking Hebrew ALL THE TIME sooo we will see how that goes. After hanging by the pool and chilling in my room Sarah and I decided to go for a walk through the Kibbutz and take pictures since we haven’t seen too much of the area. We walked through the cactus garden right across from our rooms which is so cool. It has areas to sit throughout and an awesome huge bird cage with all different species of birds inside. I loved walking through and hearing the different bird calls…seems like a great place to read or just relax. Our walk got side tracked a bit so we still have to finish exploring the our new beautiful home but so far I really love it.

                This next week includes a trip to Beer Sheva, meeting our host families, and of course more running (can’t decide if I am happy about that or dreading it…probably a good mixture of both) so more to come soon!

And So It Begins...

Although it's been 3 days, 2 nights, 2 ceremonies, and 1 exciting flight later, it still has yet to sink in that the long awaited day has finally come and passed, and that I am a proud citizen of my favorite place in the world. One word to describe my feelings over the last couple days: Wow. As cliche as it might sound these few days have been some of the most exciting, memorable, meaningful, and exhilarating I have ever experienced and I know that there are many more like these that will soon follow. I'll take you through my journey that although has just begun, has been the most incredible beginning chapter to my new life.

I'll start by relaying my feelings and thoughts that were reeling inside me as I was at JFK airport, only hours away from saying goodbye to some of my favorite people in the world and embarking on my own new life. The excitement was beyond anything I could describe to you although I will say that the level heightened as a boarded the plane and even more so when landing. Although I knew that saying goodbye would be the hardest part of this whole adventure, I was still so much looking forward to start this long awaiting chapter. Theoretically speaking, the flight was just the same as any other. What was different, though, was the energy that I am sure every person on that plane felt throughout the whole 10 hours. Just by sitting in my seat and looking around me I could tell that I was on a very special plane. As I gazed around I noticed that every person was different; They looked different, acted different, and spoke differently. All these people, though, had one thing in common that was shining right out of them that no one could miss: Their love for Israel. It was so obvious to me that through this common thread we all had a special connection by sharing this amazing moment together that would probably end up being in my top 5 moments of my life list. While I sat surrounded by people I had hardly known at that point, I felt so warm and welcomed because of the special connection we shared that I knew would never break, even if I never speak to some of these people in my life.

Landing was probably one of the most exhilarating things I have ever experienced. All of the 127 of us who are joining the IDF once here all sat together so right before take off we decided it would be a good idea to have a pillow fight with the pillows they give out. The only thought going through my head was "only on a Nefesh b'Nefesh charter flight". Walking onto the tarmac once we landed in Tel Aviv was really a dream come true. It was  even better than I imagined, a moment I had been playing in my mind for months before. What was even more moving was the amount of people who came to welcome the new Olim. When the buses drove up to the airport there were hundreds of people with cameras, Israeli flags, and signs welcoming us. That was what made me realize how appreciated we are and how much the citizens of Israel care about their new people. 

Once in the airport I was greeted by a great friend, Keren, who woke up at 4 am just to come welcome me! It was much appreciated and so nice to see a familiar face in an overwhelming crowd of people. I then spotted my grandparents walking in and automatically felt at home. Seeing them made me realize how much support I have here and I appreciative I am of that. The ceremony finally begun and it is safe to say that I was on cloud 9. Hearing the Prime Minister of Israel, Binyamin Netanyahu, salute the new olim and especially the ones who were to become soldiers was a once in a life time opportunity and I was so thankful to be part of this experience.

After the ceremony I finished at the airport and met my grandparents back at their apartment in Ramat Gan. I caught up on sleep and saw family which always makes me feel at home even more. The next day was the Garin Tzabar ceremony for the 350 American young adults who came to Israel to serve in the IDF (like me). Although the ceremony was long and included lots of Hebrew speeches I never lost my smile because I had such support who came to watch the ceremony. My grandparents, dear cousins/family friends, directors and staff of my gap year program, and even relatives of family friends back at home came to show their support and watch the ceremony. Just knowing that I have these people surrounding me gave me the confidence I need and reassured my decision of moving to Israel. I always feel at home here but familiar faces always helps.

After the ceremony we drove to Kibbutz Urim!!! So much to tell about that so stay tuned for the next blog post all about my move to a Kibbutz. Sorry for the babbling...just so much to share!