Life in Ra'anana

For the last month, I have been living at the Mercaz Klita (Absorption Center) in Ra'anana, studying Hebrew with the Garin Tzabar Ulpan. Ra'anana itself is quiet, for the most part, but has been a welcome home to us, with many friendly (often South African or American) people.

Countless times during a walk on the street or a trip to the store, I have become the recipient of all sorts of meal invitations and words of advice. While we were always told that it is the Israeli way to be so hospitable, it is really something different to experience it. Families we have never known or met have been more than willing, even insistent, that we call their homes our own.

We have developed a routine, here, too, and our lives have slowly started to become more and more "officially" Israeli. The steps have been marked with small symbols, like bank and health insurance cards, and other little things like the familiarity the local restaurant owners greet us with. We really do walk into one of our favorites and ask for "the usual," even though they start preparing it before we can ask, as soon as they see us arrive.

The bus system is an art that needs mastering, so it is as natural now as it could possibly be after a month, but we know how to get where we need to go. We should be familiar with the whole city by now, having walked its length many times on Shabbat with everything closed.

There's our gym, which has some hilarious characters and typically plays the most ridiculous music. For all of the "Zohan" fans out there, the first time we walked in to sign-up, they had an Israeli techno song on whose lyrics were literally, "Disco! Disco! Disco!" And if you ever have the opportunity to take a spin class in Israel, I give my wholehearted recommendation. Imagine a pregnant Israeli woman with a headset microphone screaming and shouting instructions in Hebrew, in-between singing along to both the lyrics and instruments of Middle Eastern electronic songs and remixes. Certainly something not to miss!

It has all become familiar. When our weekends finish and we return back to the good old Mercaz Klita from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, or wherever else we've ventured, it does feel a bit like home!

Although we pack our bags in a few weeks and head north to our Kibbutz, Ra'anana has been a great first city for us.
  

          -    Darren