The First Month

My first month as an Israeli has been one of the more fascinating, memorable months of my life.

The best word to describe trying to settle down in the first week is probably confusion. The typical Israeli “bureaucracy” was expected and certainly not surprising, but trying to navigate it has been difficult. Even the simple tasks like opening a bank account or signing up for a phone plan are not so simple in Israel, so it's certainly been an adventure getting it all figured out.

Because all of that may sound a bit vague, I'll give a small example of how a seemingly easy task on the checklist can turn into a multi-day mission: When we landed in Israel on June 19^th, I was given my Teudat Oleh (new immigrant ID). That small booklet contains my Israeli ID number, indicating that I am indeed an Israeli citizen. My first attempt at opening a bank account was unsuccessful on the grounds that I hadn't yet received my Teudat Zehut (Israeli ID card), even though the Teudat Oleh contains the same information.

That led me to the Teudat Zehut distribution ceremony for new immigrants two days later where a bank had set up shop to help all the new Israelis set up accounts! Eagerly, I sat down in front of the bank official with my new ID card in hand, anticipating an easy meeting and an accessible bank account within the hour! But that would be too easy...

While the official informed me that she had opened a bank account for me, she also gave me instructions to report to the branch in Ra'anana, where we would be living the following week, and sign “just a few papers” to access the account. After moving into the absorption center and settling down a few days later, we headed off to the bank, took our numbers and waited. We waited some more...

Eventually, my name was called and I sat down with the bank official, showed her the slip with my account number, and proceeded to do piles of paperwork for the next hour. Finally, the account was opened and I waited a few more days before a representative from the Ministry of Absorption came to collect our account numbers in order to distribute our benefits. Naturally, I wasn't given the form at the airport for the bank to sign that I was supposed to be given, but after some persuasion, the representative agreed to take the papers I had and make it work. All in a week's work!

Frustration certainly hasn't been the dominant feeling so far since I've been here. After moving into the absorption center where I'll stay for the rest of of my summer Ulpan, I've met some incredible friends from different groups within Garin Tzabar. They come from all over the U.S. as well as England, France, Brazil, Russia, Hungary, and South Africa. I've worked hard in my classes: five hours a day, five days a week, running for a total duration of about six weeks. After the first month, my Hebrew has improved drastically, and I'm eager to keep learning.

I've explored the country and met a Garin from last year on their beautiful Kibbutz close to where mine will be. I've spent weekends out in various parts of Israel with some of my closest friends from my Garin and the Ulpan. I've managed to sign up for a phone plan and learned to successfully navigate the bus system, even at strange hours of the night. As I finish off the last two and a half weeks of Ulpan, I'll prepare for the opening of the Garin Tzabar program and the move onto the Kibbutz. Within the next month, I will have taken my first tests with the army (which I'll explain more in depth later.) It's all happening.

The confusion of the first week has turned into satisfaction, joy, a sense of adventure as well as accomplishment, and excitement for what the future holds.

Signing off for my first time as an Israeli!

-Brett