nachus (happy) making

the following is a wee bit of something I wrote that will be published in my synagogue's monthly news letter - I just had to share (it may be a bit repetitious of earlier posts), and there will be photos - right now am working on photo shop skills to put together a collage of 'people'



" this is not so much a reminiscence, but rather a telling of how the past year, and my first at Darchei Noam has been quite instrumental and pivotal in helping me come to/clarify a goal and a future for myself

it has been a life long dream to return to Israel (I was born there in Dec. of  '49), I tried it out for 9 months in '77-'78, unfortunately (or perhaps not) it was a stillbirth, Israel and I were not on the same page at that time and I choose to complete my studies and have a career as a psychiatrist here in Toronto

the desire continued unerringly to flicker, and while clearing out a bookshelf recently I discovered Aliyah applications from the mid eighties, for the life of me I do not recall - how odd yet true to the urging within

then just over one year ago a major change in my life - my mother died, there has been sadness but also gradually a "lightness of being", my last major responsibility had been discharged, I could now chart my own course unencumbered, perhaps an enviable position

the second serendipitous event was finding Darchei Noam - I was on my way Home - how could I know this?  there was tremendous warmth and welcoming and I heard Hebrew spoken with an Israeli accent, how wonderful

it became evident in short order that not only the congregation as a whole but also it's  members have close ties with Israel

this upped my awareness and then I started to dither, most uncomfortable, knowing of the necessity to make a trip to assess my relationship status with Israel; and I was so loath to do this on my own - did I not come to Darchei Noam  at a fortuitous time? a Rabbi led trip was on the table, I jumped as high and as fast as I could to nab this opportunity

then came the cautionary words - Israel has changed a great deal, yes I expect so, and I had chosen not to stay before

for me; after my two weeks there, I learnt that the essence of Israel, something I am still having a tough time articulating, had not changed, yes there are modern highways, and there has been a construction boom throughout the country;

the people though, the people I observed were as they ever were, and I fell in love with a sweetness as I have never known, I am continuing my journey Home

thank you Darchei Noam for being the supportive one as I pursue my dream ! I am blessed, and may I be able to “pay it forward”! "

networking

have spent the last few days doing what feels like way too much 'surfing' and sampling of all kinds of sites, two have stood out so far and the "Anglo-list" for Haifa I am sure is most promising - now if only the municipality of Haifa would send me a map of the city that I requested, I'd be all set for my next phase of checking out neighbourhoods and real estate

the other - also relatively new, is one that connects Anglo newcomers/potential comers with those who have been in Israel awhile, so far lots of 'stories', including a lawyer, whose posts to my mind are pure melodrama, hardly convey an inspiring image, ah well, to each his own....

YEAH !!!

finally the chits and such have been deposited at the accountants and I can get back to what I want to do and put aside for a bit what I have to do
did take a  brief detour yesterday to listen to a WEB seminar, which is also posted on Utube concerning purchasing property in Israel - the bottom line - find yourself a very competent lawyer

a slight change of focus

great distraction this evening - went to see a show "The Jersey Boys", it was spectacular !


and now for a little promo spot for a dear friend - Eliane, a truly, marvellously talented illustrator   - check out her blog here and then have her do your portrait or better yet of another whom you would like to present as a gift - Mother's & Father's Days are coming up!


and not to veer too far off - I realised (as I walked my young dogs) doing this blog is actually my first step in my wish to network, so my readers do you know any friends of friends six times or less removed who would be happy to pass some tips along about making Aliyah or have anyone in Haifa who would enjoy 'chatting' about their town, thank you

progress?

like father, like daughter
father's photo is circa 1948; mine is circa 1978,  
both of us posed over looking the port of Haifa
his arrival had been on a boat called the Altalena, mine on an El Al flight


in the meantime I had a one on one with a NBN   
representative - a pleasant chat which essentially clarified how much more research I needed to do and that NBN really prefers to hear from those who wish to make Aliyah within a year, and my minimum is 2 years, note this is less than the 3 years I mentioned some days ago, which until I sort out my  professional practice, and other business and personal affairs here, is still more likely, for as much as I want to have all the pertinent information 'yesterday' my progress on acting on it is at a much slower pace - it is a major decision/change and I don't care to be rushed - as it is my original community list included Tel Aviv & suburbs and Ber Sheva, and by internet research alone it has narrowed down to Haifa


the key word from NBN was - network - something I am not terribly good at, perhaps this 'old' dog can learn new tricks................ ha!

a continuing touch of chaos

my mind continues in overdrive, and speech is at times pressured..............

anyway, my research continues - flitting from topic to topic -  landed on Aliyah to Haifa recently and I like what I saw, at the moment Haifa heads the list of communities I might choose, actually it is the only one on the list, which means I better get over there and check it out

if the roll I am on holds I will come back being ecstatic 

NBN aka A Three Ring Circus

well, tonight was my first and if I have anything to say about it, my last "Mega Event" 

it may suit some, but left me with a headache - I won't bore you with the details, I want to forget them quickly

my advice to others who may be on the same path and prefer a calm atmosphere - read their web site - all 500 + pages - the general overview is all there & that is what they recommended themselves, as well as doing a whole lot of other internet surfing to find out anything including the cost of groceries in Israel

did I learn anything useful ?  

primarily,  I will really need one on one's with those in the know - my first one is coming up on Sunday, though again that one may just skim the surface as it is with a NBN staff - I really need to figure out what their area of expertise is

I did get some clarification on the state of my status form the JA who had a booth there - so despite having been a 'temporary resident' there in '77-'78 and doing a five month ulpan then, I can/am allowed to start with a fresh page, & so entitled to do another ulpan, I am pleased about that

Veronica (of the JA) almost threw a spanner in the works though when she said I would need a letter form a Rabbi to prove that I was Jewish, I wondered how a Rabbi would know any better than I - fortunately my Hebrew birth certificate states it clearly.

This raises a political hot potato I have read a bit about - the acceptance of converts is coming under question - which considering I know several (one was there this evening) who would consider making Aliyah, I find this distasteful for them.

p.s. have ventured to greater blog exposure.........................

JA versus NBN

this article offers some explanation to my confusion

and another......

surfing results - this one is an entertaining read, even if at times abrasive - the impatience of youth, she hasn't yet acquired "savlanut" , though in reading hers -  does give me courage to go public with mine sooner then later

and of course now I am becoming a maven at this search - as if I didn't have info overload by now, and a challenge to sift through to find common agreed upon threads that illustrate the challenges ahead

thank you Matt

I found one! Yeah, now the gates will open to more. Toda raba Matt, he doesn't know me from a hole in the wall but no matter. Thankfully some are not so shy to open up their blog to everyone. Me, well soonish. 

I have registered for a NBN seminar this coming Wednesday (three sleeps and counting) hoping to get a much better sense of everything. Curious about why go through this particular organisation rather than a more direct route, such as with the Jewish Agency of Israel. I asked this the other evening at a "Jewish" gathering and it was suggested that NBN had the gelt/money. I suggested I don't need assistance - "take it anyway"- hmmm!

Alright ( an aside - spell check always tells me this is incorrect and I always correct it, today I decide well I must have learnt this somewhere, so I look it up in the dictionary - and there it is 'a frequent but incorrect spelling of all right', now to decide whether to just go ahead and be incorrect because the artist in me likes the aesthetic of it, so there).

All right, all ready - now one of the principle reasons for this blog - une aide de memoire - (learning another language, always has me using the others I know, a sentence could come out quite a polyglot), things I would like to learn sooner rather than later in this process -

• will I be able to work in my field in Israel i.e. as a psychiatrist
• will they allow me another five month ulpan at minimal cost (yes I would accept that one), I did one in Kfar Saba some 33 years ago, and I have reawakened my "kitchen Hebrew", now I would be a much more studious pupil !
• will Samson & Miss Delilah be welcomed
• there was another.............

I anticipate this will be at least a three year process for me ( my dear readers be prepared) and after Wednesday I am hoping to have a much better idea of my time line.

information highway

Couldn't sleep, so surfed looking for other blogs, after all I am not the first to want to make Aliyah, so ............ if I really want to know I will have to buy the book - how enterprising!
If it is about the time after arrival in Israel, there are several, but that is not where I am at. Will need to come up with a different word/phrase to search. Now off to walk the dogs. How about Aliyah for Samson and Miss Delilah? She is the black and white sweetie, he is in need of getting his winter coat shorn. 

paper work

searching for documents, filling out application forms as requested by Nefesh B'Nefesh (NBN) is almost entertaining, if it weren't such a 'serious' undertaking 
with a bit of a start there is a realisation - this is not a vacation I am planning, this is a major undertaking that is different from my childhood experiences of moving and living in different countries (England, Germany & France), when my parents and/or the Canadian Army took care of the details
so I don't have Mummy and Daddy's expired passports (do I even have mine? hmmm, where would I have put them?)- what to do ?

challenges

a little bit of Ivtrite/ Hebrew, a little bit of history

never mind that it means learning a new alphabet, feminine & masculine vocabulary, the conjugation of verbs, and the writing there of does not include vowels…….
French was difficult enough for an agile young mind, now a bit “older” Ivrite is proving to be quite the challenge; then, I have always enjoyed such……………..

The information kept on coming - during the 10 day tour, with little time to absorb it, now with a bit of rest and my curiosity in full bloom I get to go back over things and come across ‘neat’ stuff while surfing and learn some more
to the right - mine - as viewed from the "Women's" room
to the left, from a little bit of reading - the history is quite phenomenal, to this new initiate

                                  

http://international.aish.com/seminars/tunneltours/overview.asp

the mundane

having to refocus for a bit, as it is that time of the year - doing a whole lot of receipt sorting...... need I say more