Learning the ropes
This is the third entry in a series of Aliyah Stories by Darrell Ginsberg. To catch up, read his first entry The Landing followed by A new home in an old home. I decided to make a trip to the grocery store to get some food and see about getting a phone to call home . I walked over to the Joseph Meyerhof Mini-Mall/Retirement Home and the store owners were quick to pull me into their stores, give me tea, and tell me stories of their late-uncles who also came to Israel from the old-country. Joseph Meyerhoff mini-mall was similar to the old country only with futuristic prices. The city had placed the retirement home in the middle of mini-mall three years after the mini-mall opened since the supermarket lines moved too quickly and there was too little haggling over prices to comply with Israeli Municipal Buy-laws. The people from the retirement home were happy to be giving back and after some time felt comfortable enough with the locale to have naps in the aisles of the stores. A new home in an old home
For Part I of Darrell's arrival in Israel, click here. After sifting through the joyous celebration on the tarmac, I made my way into the terminal to begin the bureaucratic balagan [chaos]. The time spent running between immigration offices at the airport gave me my first lesson in traditional Israeli folk-dancing. Participants move swiftly, impatiently and irately between government offices looking for a non-existent person, form or stamp. The dance is performed to differing simple melodies but the customary refrain always includes 'we don't handle this type of work... we are closing in 10 minutes....come back tomorrow...(sung in Hebrew, Yiddish or Russian).' A Mossad situation
Because nobody's ever questioned me about my involvement with Israel's top-secret spy agency, the Mossad, I'm now ready and willing to talk. It all began while I was still living in Toronto and planning my escape to Israel. One day I stumbled upon an advert in a national Canadian newspaper inviting people to join the Mossad by applying via their new website. Yeah, I was also very surprised to discover the rather unclassified ad. Anyhow, I applied but hadn't heard back from them by the time I had left for Israel to make Aliyup. This, incidentally, would be my second attempt at settling successfully in Israel. My very own "Second Aliyah" if you will. The non-accent
When I made aliyah, I didn't give my accent very much thought. I have a near-perfect Israeli accent when I speak Hebrew, which, I have learned, is both a blessing and a curse. When I go out with other olim chadashim [new immigrants], they're all sure that Israeli vendors are trying to rip us off. As we approach booths in the shuk [market] or at the Nachalat Binyamin art fair, my friends' voices drop to hushed tones. "Ask him, in Hebrew, how much the necklace costs," someone will whisper, then stand hunched behind me, listening for an answer and hissing demands as I try to negotiate the price. Life as a Jewsician
Some folks make aliyah for religious reasons, others for nationalist reasons. And then there are songwriters like me who come to Israel for no apparent reason, and decide to stay, until they're asked to leave. Being the wandering Jewsician that I am, I've recorded in a number of major studios in Toronto, Montreal and New York. But there's no place like Tel Aviv for making music as I, an immigrant from Canada, was aboot to find oot. (So like that's how they speak in the Old Country, eh?) Faking aliyah
When I first 'made' aliyah way back in 1992, I didn't even know what the word aliyah meant, let alone how to pronounce it (a-LEE-ya? a-LIE-ya? Eliza?) The truth is, I didn't come to Israel for any Zionist reasons - another term I was unfamiliar with, although I did hear somewhere that it's the same as racism. Funny, I thought racism was a bad thing. In fact, I was merely bent on getting the heck out of Quebec, Canada where Anglos were deemed too un-French - particularly by the province's "French Language Police" - and encouraged to leave their native land SVP ASAP. The Indians, oops, I mean 'Aboriginal' people, oops, I mean 'First People of Canada' were welcome to stay, albeit with some reservations, merci beaucoup. And what a beau coup it was. Here to stay
It's been a world-wind journey over the past few days. The feeling of being an 'Oleh Chadash' is not going to sink in for a while, and certainly will not until the Rally is over in a few days time. Having said that, there's an immediate affinity that I do feel to my surroundings and with the people we meet and talk to along the way. And even on the simplest level, following road signs written in Ivrit after travelling so far and seeing signs in so many other languages has a nice feeling. I've been an Oleh for a little over 24 hours, and I'm not sure there are many Olim who have started off their stay in Israel as we have. We have a jam-packed schedule until the finale on Wednesday, so I'll just tell you a little about what we've done so far. Some inspiration
I write to you now on board our overnight ferry from Italy to Greece, the last country on our voyage before we arrive in Israel. On Monday we traveled from Siena to our evening stop-over in an amazing castle just north of Rome. Tuesday, we drove down to Naples driving through the winding hills of central Italy. As promised, I'll take this opportunity to share with you some experiences that we have had with a particular individual on this trip. The big day
Friday May 16, 2008 Being the last full day before the start of the Rally, Friday was bound to be a crazily busy day. I spent most of the day packing, chatting at various points with Dudy (Starck) and Louise (Angel) from Nefesh B' Nefesh to coordinate the afternoon activities. And off we go. . .
Twenty Five classic and historic cars will drive the 2,500 miles- on a route that trails through France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and finally Israel. This year, two of the Rally's participants - Aly Singer and Yan Cohen- will be making Aliyah upon arriving in Israel. The young Brits will be driving a 1948 Rolls Royce to Jerusalem where they will be welcomed as new Olim on June 4th. The cars will drive right up to the Knesset and be welcomed by the heads of State. At the end of the rally, when all the drivers will return to their homes, Aly and Yan will begin life in their new home in Israel. Follow the two young pioneers on their amazing adventure - read about the passing scenery, the hotels they stay at and their feelings through this life changing journey. |
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Anniversary, is departing London Sunday, May 18th. 
