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!
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