A new way to "sell" Israel

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told olim who arrived in Israel from North America that Israel "is not an easy country to live in as it has security problems in addition to bureaucratic problems."

Well its not anything that I didn't know before. I am sure most olim also know it already. If they don't know it, then they must be living in some dream world. In fact in the video the Jewish Agency shows you to prepare you for aliyah they show a clip about a guy trying to go to the Interior Ministry (Misrad Hapnim) and the office just happening to have decided to close with the narrator saying that this is a common occurrence which will most likely happen to you.

Its nice to hear an Israeli politician being honest. But I wouldn't try this as hasbara to anyone except Olim.

At least Olmert said he was proud and happy that the olim wanted to settle in Israel. Becuase after all where else besides Israel would Olim settle?

(Hat Tip: Israellycool )
(Source: Ynet )

In Israel electronically doesn't mean instant

I get my Teduat Zehut (identity card) on Sunday by picking it up at the NBN offices in Jerusalem. Without it I can't go to the Misrad Ha'klita or open a bank account. I do have a document called a Teduat Oleh, which looks like a passport, but is something that a new immigrant gets. I keep on hearing about its importance, but all I really know that it does is give Bnei Akiva money from the sochnut because I am a boger. I'll soon see what it actually is good for. Meanwhile with it and another piece of paper I went to the post office to get a form that lets me join a kupat holim(lit. sick fund, basically medical insurance). That is the only thing I can do in the bureaucracy chain that doesn't require a Teudat Zehut. I arrive at the post office and of course it is siesta, so I wait until 3:30. The post office workers get back earlier than that, but there is no way they will open it up until at least 3:32 at the earliest. To get free medical care for the first 6 months as an oleh, you need to pay 13.72 shekel. NBN had written down 12, I guess they need to tax you even on the fees you pay for your "free" services. The post office worker entered some information on a computer, scanned a printout had me sign something and that was it.

With the voucher from the post office I went to the Kupat Holim. I had chosen Klalit, purely for its location. There siesta ended at 4:00 so I waited around a bit. After some people pushed in front of me, I finally got to the desk armed with everything I needed. I lay it all out and say I want to join the Kupat Holim. The clerk starts to enter some data into her computer, and then enters some more information. Finally she looks up and says sorry you are not in the computer, did you go to the post office yet? I point to the form from the post office. I tell her I just came from the post office 45 minutes ago. Her response left me dumbfounded:
"Oh that was too soon, try coming back next week."

This was done by computers, it should be instant. Ok, if not instant, then at least overnight. How long could it take to transfer data, at worst there should be a nightly dump of data into the different systems.

Hey, at least I am Israeli now.

Aliyah in 27.5 hours with Nefesh B'Nefesh from JFK

I haven't blogged in a while. Too busy dealing with Aliyah preperations and seeing friends and family.

There have been so many things I have wanted to blog about and have written out whole posts including links in my head, but they have remained there.

I should get back to blogging soon. Meanwhile I am still packing and somehow 210 pounds just isn't enough.

100 lbs for a set of Talmud Bavli
and about another hundred for a green mini set of kehati mishnayot, a rambam, a large set of Kehati, an english midrash rabbah, and more
then some clothing.

What most annoyed me is finding out that most suitcases way a bit over 10 lbs. Isn't there a better way to construct suitcases so that they don't take up a fifth of the weight that you are often allowed

Anyway, if anyone wants to meet me at the airport on May 1st at 1:15PM.

And to add another link to a Jewish site that has enough links:
http://onlysimchas.com/galleries/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewsimcha&simchaid=60385&simchatypeid=11

Apparently, Jdate gets 135% more traffic than the second most trafficked Jewish websites, or all other major Jewish websites put together, don't know if that's true. Maybe someone can verify that.

Of course I will be wearing my Hultza/Tilboshet for the flight.

You too can fly Nefesh B'Nefesh. Unless you are already Israeli or live outside the US & Canada & UK. If so then at least there is the Global Aliyah Centre which is a free call from almost anywhere you might live, or at worst a free skype call. They will help you with just about anything Israel & Aliyah related
http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Aliyah/Contact+Addresses/GCI/

In New York for Pesach

I am in New York for Pesach and until my Nesfesh B'Nefesh flight.

I am going to the New Voices conference which so far has been interesting. Looking forward to blogging about it and actually, you know, writing something. But that will happen, when I am actually thinking straight and its not 5am Israel time after a jetlag inducing flight.


Just a thought that you wouldn't expect from an oleh:
You know how some people talk of loving everything about Israel and how even the hoy dirt of Israel is beloved unto them. Well for me New York is the same in a way. I love the sounds and smells of New York and on the MTA Subway even the dirt covering the walls in the grimy stations remind me of my love of this city.

And a Did you know?:
The longest subway ride with a transfer is the 2 train from 241st Street in the Bronx, with a transfer at Fulton Street/Broadway-Nassau to the Far Rockaway-bound A train (more than 38 miles). - The MTA

I almost did that today. I took the AirTrain from JFK Terminal 4 to Howard Beach station of the A train and from there eventually ended up at 231st st of the 1 train. Not as long, but still one end of the line to another

Aliyah Confirmed!

Good news, with all the different confusions I am having, I just got this in my inbox!

Your participation on the April 30, 2007 Nefesh B'Nefesh block of seats has been confirmed (1 seat).

Along with lots and lots of documentation and instructions, but its nice to know I have been doing something right!

Not Real Aliyah yet

Hello and welcome to:

Seraphya’s Aliyah.

I still have not yet opened a tik aliyah, but I am on the airplane that will bring me to Israel permanently. I am in Hong Kong, a hub of international ship and air traffic. All paths lead to Israel eventually, but some paths are more direct and faster than others. Although I might later make Aliyah wit Nefesh B’nefesh from America, or make Aliyah from Israel, I consider this flight my return home.

I left Sydney for the last time as a ben hutz laaretz, maybe one day I shall return on Shlichut. Bnei Akiva gave me a farewell at Seudah Shlishit that I will never forget. I know some people think they have said goodbye to galut for the last time, but eventually find themselves back I the fray and mundane life of the Diaspora. I am not worried about this happening to me, I have no place to return to(never end your sentences with prepositions by the way). I think the best time to make aliyah is for university, for many reasons. First and foremost, you see many people who plan to make aliyah for many years, some in the end do, and some don’t, but putting aliyah off off and setting down roots, is a sure way to get stuck. Secondly, most people need to improve their Hebrew after having lived with Laaz for so long, you brain learns languages better when it is younger and the university years are the final cut-off for most people being bale to learn a language with ease. Thirdly, you are planning to work in Israel; So you want to get the training in Israel; Israel has good universities. Oh, and you get free university when you make aliyah.

I arrived safely in Eretz Yisrael at Ben Gurion Airport. While waiting for my luggage I charged my phone and went online with the free wireless at the airport terminal. I had Shekel in my pocket, an Israeli phone with a sim car, I felt like I was arriving without a worry. I told my family which I had just left 24 hours ago that I was fine and headed for a sherut to Jerusalem. I ended up in one where the 9 other people spoke French and barely spoke Hebrew, but I was on the phone and it was nice to know that people are coming to Israel in general. It’s time for me to check out Nefesh B’Nefesh. There are so many different little technicalities and options, so I am hoping they can help me through them

The directions they give to their office is a good example of how something seemingly so simple suddenly gets complicated.