The First Few Weeks

My first day in the army was very long and frustrating. It started at the recruitment center in Tveria, from there a bus to the Drafting center in Tel Aviv. We spent about 5 hours doing absolutely nothing, and then started the recruitment chain. Each person bounced around from station to station in a completely illogical way; fingerprint scanning, picture of my teeth, X-ray of my jaw, vaccinations, finger-pricking for DNA sample, picture for army ID, short interview, DNA sample for bone-marrow registry, etc. At the final stage we received our IDs, (which let us ride the bus for free), and received our boots, a set of uniforms, and other stuff. (We have nicer uniform that we leave/come to the base with, and a different set for day to day work on base. After more time wasting, we drove to our base and settled in.

The first two weeks of the army are called Trom Tironut (Pre-Basic Training). This is a grace period of sorts, meant to get us accustomed to army life. The commanders are almost done with their service, and don’t really care about anything. One day we had 6 hours of free time, and I took a two hour nap, on my second day of the army! The rest of the week was spent doing nothing and signing for different gear that we will need.

The second week was much more serious. On Monday we started a three day gibbush (yes, another tryout) for the Gadsar. In each infantry brigade (such as Nachal) there are four gdudim (battalions). Three normals ones and an elite one, the Gdud Siyur, hence Gadsar. Within the gadsar there are four units, each gibbush opens up three of them. The first-Palsar, which had a heavy emphasis on navigations. Palchan-engineering and explosives. Palnat-anti missiles. Palchik-communications. This gibbush they opened up one palsar, two palchan, and a palchik, so the odds were better than ever to be accepted into one of the units. The gibbush consisted of three straight days of sprinting, crawling over rocks and thorns, digging holes, going on marches while carrying stretchers with 70 kg on it. (It felt like much more). All of this on very little sleep and combat rations (corn, beans, tuna, that’s basically it). Needless to say it was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.

If you want to see some pictures from the gibbush click this link: gibbush pictures

The first two weeks of real basic were very different than the first. Our long days were filled with classes about health, rules, guns, communications, etc. we wake up around 6 and go to sleep at 12. We have physical training, Krav Maga (Israeli martial arts of sorts), masaot (treks/marches in full combat gear), and shooting practice. We spent this whole past week in the shooting range, trying to perfect our scopes’ aim. We did this by shooting three bullets at a time at a target 25 meters away, our goal being to place all three bullets within a 2 cm radius circle. anytime our aim was off, we adjusted “clicks” on our scopes.

A huge difference between being a civilian and a soldier is time. I have almost no free time at all. I have one hour a day before we go to sleep to do whatever I need. This includes showering, organizing all your bags and equipment, and if you have any time left, maybe talk to your parents for a few minutes. Everything in the army is timed. Two lines, next to the steps, twenty seconds. Everyone wash your hands, one minute fifteen seconds. Shave and brush your teeth, seven minutes. Polish your shoes, 4 minutes. Go to sleep, 6 hours. Change from your uniform to sports clothes, three and a half minutes. If you haven’t gotten the point yet, EVERYTHING is timed. We are constantly being watched and scrutinized. Laces not tucked into your boots? Twenty push-ups- good luck. Everyone is wearing their hat but you aren’t? Twenty seconds touch the flagpole and back, good luck.

But there is one command that is hated by all. It sends shivers down your spine just to think about it. People actually have nightmares and wake up sweating from this. “SEVEN MINUTES KRAV MAGA!!!” A commander can tell this at any time during the day, any day. After barking out this command, our commanders chase after us screaming-FASTER FASTER, Why are you in shock?! MOVE!” We have seven minutes to stop whatever we are doing, sprint to change into sneakers and green t-shirts, take off our watches and bolt to the gym for an hour of push-ups, sprints, and Krav Maga training.

I think that the switch flipped for me between being a civilian and a soldier was the moment when I got my weapon. At this moment, you are instantly capable of taking someone’s life. There is immense responsibility that comes with having a weapon. The weapon is ALWAYS on us. For the first few days we didn’t have straps so we had to carry it non stop. Our gun is on us in the dining hall, in the classroom, in the bathroom, in our bed. We had a conversation with the commander of our whole battalion about gun safety. He asked the question, “Why do we have guns?” Answers were mostly along the lines of “To protect Israel” etc. No, he said. The sole purpose of using our weapons is to kill. If we need to use our gun, it will be to kill our enemy. Not to protect Israel. Not to slow someone down, to kill. It was a harsh, but true, reality we needed to hear from someone who knows what he is talking about.

This past weekend I “closed” my first weekend on base. Shabbat on an army base is awesome. From 2PM Friday until 6PM Saturday, you have no obligations. We could wear whatever we wanted, wake up as late as we could manage, talk on the phone the whole day, and we didn’t even have to carry our guns around. But as commanders love to say, (translated from Hebrew) “Every Shabbat has it’s end”. Let’s say Saturday night we paid for coming late to the dining hall on Friday night.

Something I was told about the army, but didn’t understand until now, was that I would meet all types of people that I’ve never met before. Just my “Class” of 14 people has an incredible variety of people. Three 18-year-olds, eight 19-year-olds, two 20-year-olds, and one 23-year-old. Three lone soldiers. Six religious kids. One Ethiopian immigrant. One kid who lives in a settlement in the West Bank. One kid who decided to live alone in an apartment  (after also living in France and Spain). One kid who decided to work between the ages of 15-18 instead of going to high school. 

As I’m writing this, a massive storm is making it’s way to our base. Last night everyone spent an hour digging ditches and pouring gravel onto the bottom of the tents, anything to reinforce the old US Military tents we sleep in. Our commander told us last year he woke up where his tent was when he went to sleep, except the tent was twenty meters away, rolling across the base. There are the inevitable holes in the tarp, one lightbulb, and one measly heating oven placed in a corner, so it only heats about three people who sleep near it. I sleep right next to it.

Pre-Storm, Post-Storm you could not recognize it as a tent.

Update: The storm hit harder than anyone expected. Wednesday night we left our shaking tents and ran to take shelter in an auditorium, where we slept on the ground. In the morning we went to see the aftermath; almost all of the tents were knocked down. Anyone who left gear in the tent was welcomed with a bag full of water and soaked clothes. The poles that hold up the tents were bent right in half, chimneys broken, tents torn. Since the tents were in no shape to sleep in, everyone was sent home for a surprise, coveted “chamshush” (three day weekend). 

On the six hour journey back to my kibbutz I had a few very Israeli moments. One moment came at a train station coffee shop. A pregnant lady noticed a bag lying near a trash can, and asked everyone around her if the bag was theirs. After getting a few “no’s,” she nervously looked around for someone to whom she could report the bag. Luckily a soldier picked it up and claimed it, but it was very interesting to see how even in times of relative peace, your every day person stays vigilant and keeps his eyes open.

A second experience was once I reached Tveria. I had to run from the bus station to the Ministry of Absorption to set up my status as a lone soldier (so I can get money of course). Of course once I got there it was closed, but my Rakezet Alison called the lady who works there, and used her “protektziot” to let me in. After I set things up there, the lady told me I also had to go to the Ministry of Housing (for more money), but it was also closed. More “protektziot,” fifteen minutes more of running in my uniform and with my heavy bag, and I was let into the second office. Once I started talking to the guy there, he told me I was missing two forms, so I had to go to the Officer of the City, a brisk ten minute run away. After going to the wrong address twice, I finally made it, sweating, and managed to fax the necisrary forms to the Ministry of Housing. Then I wanted to go home finally, but I hadn’t peed since Beer Sheva, (about 7 hours). I walked into a bakery, luckily they let me use their facilities, and then on the way out they insisted that “the tired soldier take a pastry to go.”

As ridiculous as Israeli bureaucracy can be at times, (fine, always), people in Israel really appreciate soldiers and try to help whenever they can.

While I miss the Boston winters, I got my own little snow fall today at my grandparents house, respectable to say the least.

Stay Warm

Shaul

The Final Countdown

As usual I have been incredibly busy, and the craziness just continues.

The week before the Hachrazat Garin, we all worked and rehearsed furiously, as we had to learn three dances, three songs, a few skits, and make a few short clips. It was a lot of work, and very frustrating work most of the time, but in the end it turned out very well. During the week I also build a Mifkad Esh, which is a big sign that you light on fire and it reads something. We built it by tightly wrapping  strips of burlap sack around a metal grate, and soaking it in gasoline. We wrote Garin Tzabar Tapuach 2013 and had a big apple in the middle. It turned out really awesome in the end and was totally worth all the hard work. At the end of our performances, our Rakazim surprised everyone by playing short clips that each family filmed for us secretly. It was an awesome surprise.

The next week was filled with Garin Tzabar-wide events. One day we had a Yom Clal Garinim, where all the Garinim from this year (14), as well as many soldiers from the past two years gathered and had an opportunity to meet and ask questions. Another day was dedicated to touring museums about the pre-IDF Israeli militias, such as the Lechi and the Palmach. The last day was filled with all sorts of group work, team bonding, game type things, you know, trust falls all that good stuff. At the end we had a Masa Alunka, (March carrying stretchers with sandbags), something I will get accustomed to very quickly in the army. All these days were fun, but we were all exhausted after so much activity. We had one day to come back to the kibbutz and not do anything, but then we were back in action for our Tiyul Giyus (Enlistment trip).

On Wednesday morning at 5 AM we woke up and drove down to Masada. Masada is a mountain in the middle of the desert. It is very difficult to get up or down, pretty isolated. It was originally developed as a fortress/winter castle for King Herod. Once he died, the Romans used it as a military base. During the destruction of the second temple, around 70 CE, a group of rebels ran away from the sieged Jerusalem and captured Masada. They lived there until the Romans had them surrounded. The Romans spent a few months building a ramp to the top. Once the group of roughly 1000 men, women, and children realized the end was near, they decided to take their own lives and not give the Romans the satisfaction of killing them. Each man was tasked with killing his family, then killing his friend. The people also burned down the whole settlement besides their food supply, to show that they did not die of starvation, rather by choice. We walked around the remnants of King Herod’s palace scattered around the top of the mountain. The most impressive part of the Masada tale is the amount of water King Herod had for such a dry place. He had tunnels dug in the mountain so that when there was a a rare rain and flash flood, all the water would funnel into underground cisterns and could then be collected. There are remains of massive and deep swimming pools and steam rooms. Very cool but also makes you realize how much work had to be done to move all that water. From Masada we continued to swim in the Dead Sea. If you have never done this, you are missing out. The salt content of the sea is so high that it feels like you are swimming in oil and you float effortlessly. That night we slept outside under the stars.

The next morning we went to a national park called Timna. Timna has all sorts of natural phenomena caused by the Afro-Syrian Rift. There are huge valleys and canyons, which were once carved by an ancient ocean, and are continually being carved by the wind and sand. The place was originally used for its huge amount of copper in the stone, there are some 8,000 mine shafts dug underground into the soft white stone. Every few feet you see a blue/green layer of natural copper. There are big picturesque arches, massive columns of stone, and a big “mushroom” stone. This effect is caused by the wind that picks up sand to a certain height and carves the bottom section of the pillar. Since the wind cant carry the sand very high, the top stays wide, creating a mushroom.

From Timna, we went to an aquarium on the banks of the Red Sea in Eilat. I really love marine biology, so I could have spent hours watching the sharks, sea turtles, and all the colorful fish swim around. This place even had a staircase the leads to an underwater structure with windows all around so you could see the coral reef ecosystem at eye level in the actual ocean and not in a tank. We then roamed the Tayelet (boardwalk) of Eilat for a bit, went to the hostel to shower, then went to dinner with the whole Garin and out to a pub. The next morning we started the long drive home, though we stopped at Yotveta, the place where the famous Shoko BeSakit (chocolate milk in a bag) is made, and drank way too much shoko. We also stopped for a short hike in Ein Gedi where you can walk into small pools and waterfalls.

Avi is in Heaven

Now some juicy stuff.

When we were in Eilat I received a call from the Air Force asking me if I had received a letter inviting me for more testing the next day. I said no, and that I couldn’t get there in time. So once I draft I will have to ask permission to miss a day and continue my testing. At least that means I passed the two days of flight simulators. The next round involves an interview with a psychologist and dozens of checks with doctors.

I had my gibbush for the Tzanchanim (paratroopers) last week. Like I expected it was very difficult. We had a 2 kilometer run on the first day. Sometime in the middle of the night we were woken up for the real stuff. Hours of sprinting, crawling, carrying sandbags, stretchers, group challengers. The whole time the commander is telling everyone they can quit whenever they want. “The first few are making it in time. Only the last ones are holding us back. Look at the back- see who is holding you back”. Everyone’s teeth are covered in brown dust, while their shirts are stained through with blood at the elbows. At the end of the day we had a short interview and then we went home. I thought I did fairly well in almost all the sprints and crawls, and I thought my interview went fairly well. I thought there was no reason why I shouldn’t pass. A week passed, and we received our answers. It was a no. I was devastated. What did I do wrong? Why did that kid get it but I didn’t? Is he better than me? All these self doubting thoughts ran through my head for days. Of course it is dumb to think anyone is better than you, the army made a decision and that’s that. I am trying I accept it, learn from it, and move on. To make things worse, I was informed of my placement in the Kfir infantry brigade. While there isn’t anything necessarily bad about Kfir, it was my last choice. I was pretty upset. Luckily Garin Tzabar was able to switch me into the Nachal infantry brigade, my second choice. While I am still slightly upset, I am excited about Nachal. Everyone says there are very good guys there, which is probably the most important part. As I write these last words, I am procrastinating packing for the army, as I am drafting TOMORROW! My bed is covered with wools socks, plastic bags, white t-shirts, and tape. Next is the inevitable buzz cut, not as big of a deal for me as it will be for Roey with his coveted, blonde, Zeus-esque mane.

So for the final time as a civilian, thank you for reading.

Shaul

Couldn’t Think of a Title

Forgive my laziness.

Another two weeks have passed, and it still feels like I arrived to the kibbutz just last week. Although every week something else happens, the routine is consistent. Breakfast, ulpan/work, lunch, rest, activity, run, dinner, cleaning, activity, sleep. Here and there we try to break the monotony with a trip to swim in the Yarden. We find pipes and ropes to swing off of, hoping the water beneath us is deep enough.

Tomer jumping off what is likely a sewage pipe into partially polluted water

          This week we had two trip days, which is unheard of! On Tuesday afternoon we drove to “Gesher HaAtika” (ancient Gesher). Gesher was a kibbutz along the banks of the Yarden, right on the border with Jordan. There were three bridges across the Yarden: one built by the Romans, one by the British, and one for the Haifa-Damascus railway system. On the eve of Israel’s independence, 5000 Iraqi soldiers descended from the Gilad mountain range, with the hopes of marching straight across Israel to the ocean. The 150 residents of Gesher fled at night and the kibbutz was no more.

          The second trip started off in Haifa. We visited the famous Bahai gardens. Everything I’m there I’m very impressed with the precise mess and symmetry of the gardens. I also learned a lot more about the Bahai this trip than I had before. I was also able to enter the “sanctuary” for the first time which was a very cool experience.

          From Haifa we went to Akko, a city where Arabs and Jews live side by side. We walked through the Turkish fortress, and then descended into the Crusader fortress which had been filled with sand by the Turks to built their castle on top. At the end we were given some free time to walk around and eat in the shuk (market). I ate a delicious kebab lafa which was prepared in a way I’d never seen. After grilling the kebab to a juicy medium rare and stuffing the lafa to the brim with vegetables, he put the whole thing back on the grill to give it a crispy finish.

          We also found a guy making fresh pita with zaatar. Nothing like it. From Akko we continued north to Rosh HaNikra, a site on the Lebanese border where the rock cliffs go straight to the ocean. The water has been carving the rock and forming caves over millions of years which makes for spectacular views.

          The entire trip we were accompanied by an elderly tour guide. Before the trip he sent us a comprehensive 5 page historical explanation and said that we should read it on the bus in the morning, because if we read it the night before we’d forget everything. Clearly he hadn’t dealt with 18 year olds recently. Every time we got on the bus he would give a lengthy explanation. Every. Single. Time. I guess he thought we were far more interested than we really were. In Hebrew we call someone like that “chofer”, which means dig.

          After the trip, a few of us ran into an old enemy here is Israel, public transportation on Friday. In Israel there is a weird relationship between religion and state. One of the outcomes of this is that busses stop running around 5:00 this time of year. As lone soldiers, we all rely on public transportation to get to or relatives. From Rosh HaNikra  we were supposed to be dropped off in Haifa, where there would be taxis for whoever needed to get to Tel Aviv or wherever. But the bus driver didn’t want to drive an extra half hour so we were dumped in Nahariya, where we had to scramble to find our way to Haifa to catch rides or taxis. I was with a few friends, and this was one of the first times I really saw that it is hard to live alone in a different country. We didn’t have the option if calling our parents to come get us.

          With the “absorption process” drawing to a close in the next few weeks, we have been working on our Hachrazat Garin, or declaration of our Garin. This is basically a big performance with speeches, videos, songs, and dances, in front of our host families and any real family that can make it. I chose to be on the overseeing committee, which means I’m in charge of making sure everything runs smoothly. I, along with a few others, set up a schedule of each day and which teams need to run a rehearsal. I am also on the Writing committe, so we are in charge or writing the scripts for all the different skits and speeches. Needless to say we have been very very busy. Along with the Hachraza we voted on a name for our Garin. We are now Garin Tapuach (Apple). The name started from an inside joke, and we later came up with a few corny BS meanings behind the name.

          There have been a few exciting updates for some girls in my Garin recently regarding their service. A few girls found out their positions and when they will be drafting in. One girl will be working in Foreign Relations.  Another girl will serve in a combat unit called Chilutz VeHatzala in Pikud HaOref, which means Search and Rescue on the Home Front. The unit responds to natural disasters and events different disaster scenarios. These three girls are drafting November 11 and 14, so unfortunately they will miss our final trip. A third girl will be a Madasnikit, which is an abbreviation for Madrichat Sport, or fitness instructor. She is basically a fitness trainer for any unit in the army. Another girl will be a Madrichat Chir. Chir is an abbreviation for Chel Ragli, or Infantry. She will be an instructor for any one of many types of weapons used in the infantry brigades. All of these positions sound really interesting and I am very excited for all the girls. Six others in my Garin will draft into Michve Alon, which is the army ulpan. They will study Hebrew as well as go through basic training, and at the end of three months they will have the opportunity to draft into any unit. I am looking forward to when everyone else will know their positions.

          As for me. Last week I had a test day for pilots course which involved eight straight hours of various tests, questionnaires, and a basic flight simulator. At the end of the day I was told I passed and I had to come back the next day for more testing. The next day was six straight hours of more complicated and comprehensive flight simulators. By the last hour my right hand was twitching from activating all the buttons, joy stick, and throttle. All in all it was a fun experience, basically two full days of playing a very stressful and high-stakes video game. I do not yet know the results of the second day. But to remind you-all of the pilots testing is not for my immediate draft. I have to draft somewhere else first and wait until the gibbush for pilots course. Next week I have a two day gibbush for Tzanchanim (paratroopers). If I pass the gibbush, I’ll know I’ll be drafting into Tzanchanim. If I don’t pass, I’ll know where a few days later.

          I spent this weekend with my mother, brother, grandmother, and no other. It was awesome.

Peace love and hummus.

Kibbutz Life and More Army Tests

I hope where ever this post finds you the weather is great, because the weather in Kibbutz Bet Zera is finally bearable. The days are sunny and warm, but the nights bring a cool breeze that I have missed ever since I left America. But I do terribly miss the New England autumn. Israel is pretty in its own sense, but there is nothing like the reds and oranges and yellows that cover the ground. We have been taking advantage of the more comfortable weather by spending our evenings and nights outside. Last Friday we went to a party at Kibbutz Maoz Haim, where the New York 1 Garin from last year is located. They invited a bunch of garinim from the north so it was a cool chance to see what our lives will be like in one or two years from now. This past week we built a bond fire and cooked potatoes and made marshmallows. A different night we did something called Poyke, a classic Israeli tradition. Poyke is basically a big cast iron pot that is placed in glowing red coals. The recipe? There is no such thing. Common Poyke ingredients include meat, rice, potatoes, carrots, onions, wine, cola, and any and all spices and seasonings in one’s cabinet. We stuck pretty close to this recipe, but since most of us had never made Poyke more than once, if at all, we panicked. We poured in a decent amount of rice, but it immediately disappeared into the bubbling concoction. Instinctively we kept adding rice until we saw it reach the top. Well there was way too much rice and we had to keep adding water. The next one will be more successful.

The Poyke in action

The final product, rice.

Last week I started my official job instead of Ulpan three days a week. I, along with Doron, work (without pay of course) at the Jungle Kef (Fun Jungle) which is basically a zoo. They have a huge variety of animals living there, ranging from parrots to monkeys to ostriches to tortoises. The monkeys like to walk around and pluck feathers from the chickens back to make them angry. I even got to see an act of God today, two tortoises getting busy. It was truly moving. Our job mainly consists of maintenance and upkeep of the zoo. We move stuff from one place to another. One day we took apart three giant compost bins, filled with rotten matter from over a year ago. The best part of the job is getting to drive/ride in any type of motorized vehicle. Twice a week we drive with our boss in four-wheeler/ranger to pick up corn to feed all the animals, and sometimes we get to drive a tiny, three-wheeled thing called the KolNoit, which is basically a tricycle with a baby-sized engine. The work is definitely demanding and takes a lot of effort, but I enjoy being in the fresh air, even if that air smells like chicken poop and compost most of the time.

On Saturday we did a scavenger hunt around our kibbutz and the neighboring Degania Bet, ending up at the first house built in the area, a place called Um Juni. A dozen or so pioneers came to the desolate Yarden Valley and built two structures: a wooden hut, for the people, and a small barn, for the cows. We got dressed up as if we were the first settlers, but there wasn’t enough clothes for men so I had to improvise with an apron as a shirt.

Me, as a pioneer man/woman at the bottom of the stairs

From there we continued down to a clean-ish portion of the Yarden river. Much of the Yarden is polluted with sewage, so the country built a dam in one spot, and filters the water up till there, and then pumps it back up. So it was a natural lazy-river of sorts. We swung off rope swings into the water, made tea on the fire, and got one of those dead-skin-eating fish pedicures for free!

Fish eating my feet

Now for some updates on army stuff. When I originally started the testing for pilots course I hoped to be able to finish all the phases in time to make it to the tryout, and enlist in January. Unfortunately I didn’t have time, and the tryout started this past Sunday without me. There simply wasn’t enough time because pilots testing is the most rigorous and expansive of all courses in the army. However that doesn’t mean I can never do the tryout. My plan is to enlist into a different unit, but complete all the testing before my enlistment date. Then I would serve in the other unit, and after a few months fill out a request form to participate in the next tryout for pilots course. In Israel the Air Force takes precedence over everything else so I should be able to do so without a problem. If I succeed and pass the tryout I can leave my unit and start a new service in pilots course. I may even stand a better chance then because I will have been in the army for a few months, and be in better shape and in the army mentality.

If you remember, from Yom Sayarot I got an invitation to test for Chovlim/Tzolelot (Naval captain/submarines). On Sunday I went to the test day. My friend and I got there half an hour early thinking we’d have plenty of time to park and find the correct building. However, in classic Israeli fashion, we were sent to three different gates and two parking lots, until we finally found the gate and parked the car in a tow zone. It then took us twenty minutes to find the building because of course there were no signs. The day consisted of many, many tests in Hebrew and a group activity at the end, where a psychologist watches and asks questions. In the end I was invited to the tryout for submarines, though I was hoping for naval captains. I don’t think I will go to the tryout because I do not want to serve in a cramped, pressurized metal tube without seeing the sun for weeks on end. Another part of the service I don’t like is that I would have to give up my American and Swiss citizenships. Not gonna happen.

So as of now I am not going to be able to draft into any elite units. My plan, which can obviously change, is to try to go to the tryout for the Tzanchanim brigade (Paratroopers). It is considered the most elite infantry brigade, as it requires the tryout to be accepted. If I am accepted, a few days after basic training, I can go to another tryout for the elite units within Tzanchanim. Until then, I am continuing to train to be in the best shape possible for the gibushim.

A thought about growing up in America vs Israel in relation to the army. Now that I have had a chance to talk with, train with, and be tested with Israelis, I’ve realized there are differences between myself and those who grow up here. One thing that has stood out to me is the fitness culture before the army. Countless kids that I have talked to have told me they are part of Kosher Kravi groups. Not kosher like food kosher, kosher as in fitness and Kravi as in combat. Many pre-army Israelis join these fitness groups as a way to prepare themselves for the physical rigors of the military. The trainers are usually ex-special ops guys who know exactly what will be in the tryouts, and what each unit looks for in a soldier. The guys can train in almost identical scenarios like the ones in the tryouts, which gives them an upper hand in the tryouts themselves. If you’ve run up and down a sand dune five hundred times before, numbers 501-530 won’t be as much of a shock. When I got to the elite unit tryout day, I had never run up a sand dune. It is sort of like running up the down-escalator at the mall, only if the steps were made of pudding. Any forward momentum you gain is quickly negated by gravity and lack of traction. Before I got here I thought I was in fairly good shape. However now that I’ve had the chance to see Israelis who’ve been training in Kosher Kravi groups, they definitely have the upper hand.

Another difference I have noticed is in the culture. Obviously I knew there would be a cultural gap between my life and the average Israelis life, but I didn’t think it would manifest itself in the army as much. In one of my recent test days, there was a group exercise in which each person had a chance to be the leader of the group. In the US I would have gladly taken the leading role. I always thought of myself as a leader within my friend group, in school, on the basketball court, etc. However, that day I found myself trying to avoid taking the lead. While I am confident in my Hebrew when talking to friends, I felt uncomfortable taking charge and giving out commands in Hebrew. The rest of the group was confident, bold and loud, as Israelis are. I felt nervous that I would make a grammatical mistake, maybe forget a word, and the group would not take me seriously. I hope and expect both of these “disadvantages” to slowly fall away as I become more immersed in the Israeli culture and Hebrew language. And as much as I try not to make any excuses, it is certainly frustrating.

Much to the disappointment of all my relatives , I spent this weekend with Ori and his cousins. I slept for twelve hours straight for the first time since I’ve been in Israel. We just came back from a trip to the beach with very little swimming and much more running up sand dunes. I hate sand dunes.

Shaul

P.S. This week’s shout-out goes to Josh Lange for being my most dedicated reader. Honorable mention to Jackie, because she asked for it.

Sukkot, Ramat HaGolan, More Army Tests, and Family!

After a short break, I’m back at your service.

Most of this post is not army-related, so if that’s all you care about, exit now!

As I mentioned in my previous post, we started Ulpan a little while ago. They moved me up a level in Ulpan, which means that I am only learning in a class two days a week. This level is more about literature, poetry, and things of that nature, rather than the previous level which had a heavy emphasis on grammar and writing. The other three days a week I will be working somewhere in the kibbutz. Probably one week on avocados, one week on bananas, etc. Last week, as the kibbutz was preparing to celebrate Sukkot, four of us were tasked with passing out date branches to different areas in the kibbutz so people could build their Sukkot. We collected date branches that had been chopped down from the trees, piled them high in a trailer, then I got to drive a pick-up truck around the kibbutz, showing the Thai worker, Nantawat, where to stop the tractor so that we could unload the branches.

Me passing a branch to Doron on the trailer

The next day our job was to build a Sukkah for our Garin. After searching throughout the whole kibbutz to find the right pieces, and of course not finding enough of the right pieces, we made a makeshift Sukkah with various pieces of pipe, string, cardboard, etc. But I think it turned out pretty well in the end.

Our Sukkah, with date branches used as walls, and the tree as Schach

On Erev Sukkot, the whole kibbutz gathered for a celebration in the kibbutz Sukkah. The week before a few girls from the kibbutz came to us and asked if we would be willing to dance in front of the whole kibbutz. Unfortunately, we agreed. We started with about 4 guys and 8 girls, and ended up with 3 and 3. The dance was basically an elaborate “Hora.” It was not too difficult, but still we managed to mess it up enough to get some laughs from the crowd. No doubt that the dresses/aprons that we were forced to wear also helped bring out some more laughs.

Ori enjoying wearing a dress

The next day we had a trip with a lot of families from the kibbutz to a beach on the Kineret. It was nice to get out of the kibbutz for a few hours and swim. Tomer and I also spent a decent amount of time trying to throw rocks at the date trees to get fresh dates. We were surprisingly successful. The day after we had our first trip as a Garin. We drove all around Ramat HaGolan (Golan Heights) in a bus and stopped at different spots to hear about the nature and history. We went to a lookout where we could see the entire Kineret, a water-less waterfall, a lookout where we could see the Syrian border, an old army base on top of Mount Bental, and finally a short hike through a few natural streams and pools at Tel Dan. It was cool to go to a few of these places because I had been there two years ago with my class when we were in Israel.

Old army fortress on Har Bental, complete with dark tunnels, bunkers, and turrets.

A little weird, sentimental bit for you. I always knew that Israel was hot and mostly dry, that rain was a cherished commodity. But very recently it hit me, literally, that I hadn’t seen or felt rain in a very long time. On a run in the late evening, I felt my first, and only, rain drop since I had been in Israel. The next day on a bus ride to Hod HaSharon, I saw big white, billowy clouds. I hadn’t seen those beautiful balls of condensed water in so long. It was a cool moment, realizing how little I appreciated something as clouds forever, and now it was a big moment when I saw some good ol’ clouds.

Now I’ll throw in some army stuff for you. All week we had been preparing for Yom Sayarot. Yom Sayarot is the tryout day for the IDF’s elite units. I, along with two other friends from my Garin, made sure we were ready the whole week. We went on short jogs to stretch out our muscles, and ate lots of pasta. The night before we slept at my friend’s uncle’s house and had a carbo-loading pasta party. This day involved lots and lots and lots of running up and down sand dunes on very little sleep. The whole time you are constantly being judged for your performance and behavior. Many people say that this day is all mental. The commanders break everyone down to the point where physical conditioning has no effect anymore. If you are mentally strong enough, you will tell yourself that you’re going to finish. About 500 kids started the day, and about half finished. At the end of the day, after everyone is absolutely exhausted, the commanders take a few hours to deliberate about who passed and who didn’t. There are four possible outcomes. You can either be invited to a gibbush (week-long tryout) for Sayeret Matkal (like the Green Berets), Shayetet 13 (Navy Seals), or Chovlim (Captain of a ship in the Navy). The fourth option is that you don’t get anything. Although I was hoping to get gibbush Sayeret Matkal, I ended up with Chovlim. At the time I was very disappointed because I had been hoping for it for a really long time, and just like that, it was taken away from me. However, as more time passes I am realizing that it was still an accomplishment to have been invited to Chovlim. The next step will be to hopefully pass a test day for Chovlim. If I pass that I will get an invitation to the gibbush. However, since I am still in the testing process for Pilot’s Course, I can’t get participate in any gibbushim until I fail a test in Pilot’s testing. But hopefully that won’t happen…

This past weekend my parents and sister came to visit me! My dad came a day early, and so I stayed with him in a hotel in Tel Aviv. I was very thankful to eat some food from a restaurant and not only kibbutz food everyday. My dad and I also went to a memorial for my great-grandma, Dina. I had never been to a memorial so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to see that people weren’t sobbing, but rather sharing funny stories that they remember about her. It was also very weird for me to think that three of the people at the memorial, my grandpa and his siblings, were talking about their mom. It was very surreal to see them talking about someone who was buried in front of them without showing much sadness. It made me appreciate that my parents were visiting even more. I showed my family my kibbutz and we stayed with both sets of grandparents, of course. We spent Thursday-Saturday in Kibbutz Malkiya, with about 30 other family members to celebrate my sister’s 10th birthday. I alsogot to meet a few members of Garin Tzabar Malkiya from 2012, including my grandparents’ adopted daughter. It was awesome to see all of my cousins, uncles, aunts, family, etc. Unfortunately my sister has to get back to school, so they left a few hours ago. Very short trip, but well worth it I hope.

Happy Birthday Inbal!

Well that’s all for today… Hopefully this week will bring some interesting stories for you to enjoy in the next post.

Miss you

More Relaxation, Then Back To Action

Hello everyone

Over the past two weeks or so I have been taking it fairly easy. There has been a lot of time off to go visit families. I spent the week of Gadna at my grandparents kibbutz in the far north. I joined into the kibbutznikim weekly basketball game on Wednesday night. One team was made up of 40-year-old kibbutznikim, and the other was made up of Filipino workers. The average height of our team was probably somewhere around 5’9″, while our opponents all struggled to reach 5’5″. I expected a blowout, but little did I know that those guys could play. They were deceptively quick and clever, yelling out plays that we couldn’t understand. But the thing that surprised me the most was that they didn’t sweat. These guys are used to ridiculous temperatures, while I was swimming in my own sweat. In the end, we won 3 out of 5 games. That weekend I moved to Haifa to visit my other grandmother, and I also got to see three of my friends from home which was very nice.

Then we had three days back at the kibbutz. Our coordinators finally managed to buy us passed to Afikim’s pool, so we spent a lot of time there. I also got a bike from my aunt, which made getting to the pool much easier. We also found a big hill that is perfect for hill sprints, which is an important part of the tryout process to get into elite units. I also spent a good two hours on the phone with the bank and cellphone company trying to sort out my internet accounts. Israel…. it never fails to amaze me how inefficient some of the bureaucratic processes can be here.

During the three days we also had our first “Roomie Fight”. When I studied in Israel during junior year with my class, my friend Avi liked to call these arguments “World War 3, 4,” and so on. This argument was probably one of the more amusing ones I have witnessed. Ori wanted to play “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show. The second the song started playing, Roey, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, jumped up and pulled the iPod out of the speakers. Roey claimed the one and only version of “Wagon Wheel” that can be played in our room was there version by Darius Rucker. While it seemed funny to me, there was a little bit of tension. Maybe this wasn’t a “World War,” but more of a “Civil War,” Massachusetts versus North Carolina, like in the good ol’ days.

On Wednesday we were allowed to leave to visit family for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. I traveled by bus to my grandparents in Kibbutz Malkiya again, only this time I was joined by my brother, Amos, and five of his friends. They are on the same program I did as junior, studying in Israel for the next three months. It was awesome to see him and his friends. Another fantastic part of visiting grandparents is the food. My grandpa cooked an obscene amount of food. Chicken, steak, hot dogs, kebabs, fish, stuffed vegetables, the list goes on. One morning I woke up at 6 AM to go on a run with my uncle. It was the first time I had been cold in Israel, which was unexpectedly incredible. It was so early that when I got back, I managed to watch some football live from America. 

Now for some army business. I got a letter in the mail with a password that allowed me to check my KABA and DAPAR online. To remind you quickly, the DAPAR is the score based on your performance on the psycotechnical tests, and the KABA includes aspects such as motivation, personality, and the DAPAR. I was very happy to learn that I got 80 for my DAPAR, which is the second highest, and a 56 for my KABA, which is the highest. The site also said my scores were good enough to be tested for Pilot’s Course, Elite Units, and Ship’s Captain/Submarines. A little overwhelming but nonetheless exciting.

The first testing I had was for Pilot’s Course. The first day is called Tzevet Avir, which means Air Unit. On Sunday morning I showed up at the Recruitment Center at 8:45, for the test which was supposed to start at 9:15. There was a “light delay,” so we started at 11:15. The first tests were a series of psycotechnical tests. Then we waited for a good hour while our tests were checked. 4/10 of the kids were told they didn’t pass the first round. Then we waited some more. and some more. Finally we were brought into a room with a test that involves taking apart a machine and putting it back together. Then we waited some more. Then each one of us was taken into another room one by one, for a test involving a machine attached to a pencil. I can’t really explain the machines in much detail, it’s more of a “you had to be there” type of thing. One by one we waited to be tested and for our tests to be scored. Once everyone was done, we waited some more. Every ten minutes or so someone would come out of an office, all of us would look up with hope in our eyes, only to be asked if we had all finished. You would think they realized we were all done by then. Finally after two kids left without learning their fates to catch the last bus home, a soldier came out and told all of that we passed! I really wanted to be excited, but after 9 hours of being in the Recruitment Center (only about 1.5 hours of actual testing), I was too tired. I made my way to the bus and rolled into the kibbutz half asleep.

The next phase is called YARPA Aleph, which stands for Yechidat Rephua Avirit – Medical Air Unit. That day involves 6 hours of psycotechnical tests, and a very basic flight simulator. If I pass YARPA Aleph, I move to YARPA Bet, which involves thorough medical examinations and an interview with a psychologist. If I pass that day, I get to participate in the 5-day Gibush, or tryout, which involves running a lot, sleeping a little, teamwork, etc. If I somehow manage to pass all of these phases, I get to start my army journey in Pilot’s Course. But that’s a long ways away.

Today, my first day back on the kibbutz, I started Ulpan (Hebrew Classes). We have Ulpan from 8:30 – 1:00 everyday from now on. I thought I was done with homework for a while when I graduated high school, apparently not. I am hoping to improve my reading and writing skills while I have the chance. In the afternoon a guy from an army-prep group came to workout with us. He put us through the “Bar-Or” test. The test involves a 2 kilometer run (1.24 miles), push-ups, and sit-ups. This test is used by the army to see how soldiers strength and conditioning improves throughout their service. The test is also done on the Elite Unit tryout day, which is my closest concern. The test gives you a score out of 100, 70 for the run, and 15 for the push-ups and sit-ups each. The best time for the run is 6:48, the push-ups 75, and the sit-ups 86. If you get all those scores, you would get a perfect 100. I ran the 2K in 8:19 (51 points), did 46 push-ups (9 points) and did 87 sit ups (15 points) which gave me a 75 overall. I am pretty pleased with this score, but I definitely have a lot of room to improve in the run and push-ups.

This weekend I am hopefully going to Jerusalem for Yom Kippur with Ori and meeting up with my friends Sam and Hannah, and possibly Amos and his entire class, who are staying in Jerusalem as well.

Much Love

Post Tsav Rishon Relaxation

Hello everyone- hope you’re all having a lovely day. Big good luck goes out to all my friends starting college this week!

After a very busy day of Tzav Rishon on Wednesday, the rest of the week was much more relaxing. On Thursday evening a few of us went for a run with our counselor Idan. Since we didn’t know the area too well, we had previously been running along the main roads. Little did we know that right behind our kibbutz was a beautiful trail between fields and hills.

Credit to Ori

The end of our run brought us to our next door neighbors kibbutz Afikim, who actually have a pool. We played a surprisingly physical game of keep away in the pool against the Garin from Afikim that ended with noticeable scratches and maybe even some blood. We then had dinner next to the pool, as the local water polo team practiced. The moment the team stripped down to their speedos, we were all instantly embarrassed and self conscious.

Thursday night we did the unthinkable. Someone, somehow, pressed the wrong button on the remote for the air conditioning. We slept with the heat on, in one of the hottest places in Israel. I guess it built character? No it just kinda sucked.

Friday afternoon, my roommates and I went with Alison to Tveria to buy meat for the barbecue we wanted to do later that day. We stopped for falafel on the way home, and basically went straight to Kabbalat Shabbat. We had a small performance by Ori and Petra, singing a popular Brazilian song that, if translated, probably shouldn’t be sung on Shabbat.

Later Roey and I went to find the mangal (grill) buried in some storage room on the kibbutz and had a kibbutznik drive it to our house for us. We spent a good hour trying to light the coals, but finally succeeded with Idan’s help.

Roey being macho

On Saturday, almost everyone had family come visit them. My grandparents, aunt and cousins came and took me out. We drove to the eastern side of the Kineret, up the Golan to see an incredible view of the entire Kineret.

Southern tip of the Kineret

Then we went to a fish restaurant where my family sat in silence as I picked apart and devoured the less appreciated parts if the fish (the cheek meat and crispy skin are the best part). WARNING: Some may find the second photo slightly disturbing.

On Saturday night I started feeling very sick, but still had to pack for Gadna. Gadna is a week long “army” experience. Usually kids who participate in Gadna are those who come from schools with relatively low enlistment rates, in the hopes that seeing what the army is like will excite them about enlisting. All of Garin Tzabar was supposed to go to a Gadna base in Sde Boker, in the middle of the desert, from Sunday-Thursday. However Alison decided I was too sick, and since I had already done Gadna two years ago, that I shouldn’t go. I had my grandpa pick me up instead, and I’m spending the week here on Kibbutz Malkiya- a short walk from the Lebanese border. The best part about being here, other than of course seeing my family, is the weather. It is an incredible feeling to walk outside and not be instantly covered on a layer of sweat.

Yesterday morning was very exciting. I was awoken by a telephone call from the recruitment office where I did my Tzav Rishon. She lady informed me that I had been invited to start the testing to see if I am a good fit for the pilots course. I was very very excited to get this news. The route to even starting the course is a long one, with many tests, medical exams, and a week long tryout. Nevertheless I am anxious to see if I have what it takes.

I am spending this weekend in Haifa with my grandma, and three of my friends from school, who are studying in a Yeshiva (Biblical/Rabbinical literature studies) in Israel for the year, are coming to stay with me. Very excited.

Hope it’s nice and cool wherever you are – Shaul.

Tzav Rishon (First Calling)

Today was the first step towards drafting into the IDF!

We were on the bus to Tveria by 7 AM to the Lishkat Giyus (Recruitment Center). I was very, very nervous, as this day determine which units I can and can’t try out for. The first step was a short meeting with a female soldier to make sure all of the facts they have on us are true. She asked about my family, school, things like that. Next was a short but very challenging Hebrew test. I had to answer a question with 6 words that she gave me, and I knew about 4 on each question. I then had to answer questions that she asked in exactly 3 and 5 sentences. Then I had to fill in blanks in sentences with a total of 5 words. This part was the most challenging, as I didn’t even understand one word in a few of the sentences. I naively asked if she could define a word, and of course she said no. I was then sent back into the waiting room. The next step was a short interview with a soldier about my family again, my life, and in short which position I want in the army. She sent me off and said I would later have another longer interview. Yippee. 

More waiting. Then there was the “Psycho-technical” Test on the computer. We had been told that these tests can take up to two hours of sitting in front of the computer screen – pressing either 1, 2, 3, 4, or ENTER. There were supposed to be a wide range of subjects, including Reading Comprehension, Math, Word Analogies, Shape Analogies, Pattern Finding, etc. Luckily we were able to take the test in English, which made it easier. Little did any of us know that the English version took a total of 25 minutes and only included 2 sections, Shape Analogies and Pattern Finding. The simple image of a clock on the computer screen ticking down can really mess with your nerves. I was anxious but believe I did well. 

Next was a trip to the doctor. But in classic Israeli fashion, I was told I was in the wrong place and was sent somewhere else. I found my way to the extended interview. This was one of the weirder ones I have ever had. The soldier asked me the usual family and personal questions. Pretty normal up till now. She asked what I like in school, what I don’t like. How many times I was late to school on average, how many times I was late to class, how many times I skipped class. Still normal, but a little specific. Then she started asking me how many friends I have, what we do when we hangout, when we hangout, where we hangout… Starting to get weird. Then she asked if I have ever been late to meet up with my friends. Um, who hasn’t? Doesn’t everyone know that “I’ll be there in 10” really means “Give me half an hour”? She then asked about how many hours a week I workout. How often do I go camping with my family? I don’t know! I tried to take the reins and talk about what position I want in the army, but she was steadfast on finding out about what chores I do at home. 

Next I was weighed, measured, and my eyes were checked. Then they told me to pee in a cup, except I had just gone to the bathroom. I chugged a bottle and a half of water, waited a few minutes, and dutifully complied. 

All I wanted was for the doctor to see me naked…

Finally I was sent to see the doctor. Each meeting with a doctor lasts about 15 minutes. I waited after a few people went through the doors and got ready to go in. What I didn’t expect was to see the doctor himself leave the office. Apparently it was time for him to take a nice, relaxing break while 48 sweaty teenagers just want to know what units they can tryout for. Here I am reacting with immensely sarcastic laugher. 

 

Eventually I was called into the doctor’s office, where a soldier asked a couple questions, and proceeded to tell me I hadn’t been weighed/measured/peed. I had to go do everything again, classic. FINALLY, I sat down with the doctor and he went through my medical questionnaire, noting I had dislocated my shoulder. I nervously explained it wasn’t a full dislocation and that it does not limit me at all, and thankfully he accepted my explanation. Then I got naked and boys, you know what happens next. 

We have gotten good at waiting…

Then a meeting with a social worker to ask about conditions at home and relationship with parents. After an 8 hour day of waiting, I was DONE! 

Now, why does all this matter? After the Tsav Rishon I will be sent two scores that determine which units I can tryout for. One is the medical “Profile” which is solely based on any medical conditions/issues. If one gets a 21, the lowest possible Profile, he gets an exemption form enlisting. If one gets either a 45 or 64, he can serve in the “General Army”. If one gets a 72 he can serve in the Artillery or Anti-Aircraft units. If one gets an 82 or 97, he can serve in field units. The best one can get is a 97. If you get a 97 you can also participate in the tryout for the Special Forces, and you’re eligible for Pilot’s Course. 

The second score is called a “Kaba”. This score is based on the Hebrew exam, the personal interview, and the “Dapar” score. The “Dapar” is the grade you receive on the Psyco-technical tests. The Kaba can range from 41-56. 

I was very happy to learn that the doctor usually tells you your “Profile” on the spot, and even happier to hear that I got a 97! I was very nervous that the doctor would find that I have some disease or defect that I never knew about, as this isn’t uncommon. The “Kaba” and “Dapar” take longer to finalize, so they will be made available to us soon. 

Tomorrow we will hopefully be allowed to go to the next Kibbutz over, Afikim, to swim in their pool. Which actually has water in it!…not an ostrich and mountain goats. 

Good day to you all. 

The First Week

Hello Everybody

I apologize I have not posted in a week – the internet has not been working.

Here’s a recap of the week that was.

On Monday the Garin Tzabar program officially started with a big ceremony for about 300 soldiers. We waited all day in lines to get forms and our Israeli ID Cards, as well as a check for making Aliyah, and of course the obligatory free t-shirt. The ceremony involved speakers from all sorts of different government departments and organizations that help lone soldiers. Originally, Bibi Netanyahu was supposed to attend, but had a surprise surgery. Instead his wife came in the middle of a performance by the Israeli Scouts Caravan and all eyes were on the First Lady. I also ran into my counselor from when I came to Israel with Gann during junior year which was a pleasant surprise. Once the ceremony was over, we took a bus Kibbutz Bet Zera, our home for the next chunk of our lives! Here are some pictures of the outside of the dorm, the Moadon (common room), and my room, which I share with my friends Ori and Roey.

Outside of our dorm building

Moadon / Common Room and Kitchenette

“The Fort”, Shared with Ori and Roey

On Monday we also met the entire crew that is responsible for us during our time on the kibbutz. We have one lady who is the head for the group from the Kibbutz, Alison. Her and Shula, another kibbutz member, handle much of the logistics. We have a counselor, Idan, who is 24 and grew up on the kibbutz. He is in charge of the social aspect of the group. We also have two “Mashakiot”. A Mashak (or Mashakit for a girl) is an abbreviation for Mefaked She-eino Katzin, or a commander who is not an officer. Ilil and Daniel are two girls still in the army, who serve as our connection to the IDF. They help with the entire process of enlisting and doing all the necessary tests to reach the unit we want.

Bet Zera is right at the southern tip of the Kineret, at about 200 meters below sea level. It is HOT here. Usually it is impossible to spend time outside between the hours of 12 PM – 5 PM. To make it better, the pool here has been closed for a few years. The empty pool is now a part of the Kibbutz zoo.

One of the only Kibbutznikim who get to enjoy the pool

On Tuesday morning a few of us went for a run. We thought we would be able to beat the heat by leaving around 7:30, but by 8 AM the sun was beating down. Since then we have run at night when it is cooler. Tuesday afternoon we were given the task of coming up with a skit for a small party the kibbutz members invited us to. We ended up performing one skit about how the kibbutznikim probably think the Garin acts, and then another skit about an American that makes Aliyah and wants to be a kibbutznik. I played Sam the American who became Shmulik the Kibbutznik through a rigorous wardrobe change. The same night, the kibbutz kids invited us to their end of the year celebrations. It was very fun to play with all the kids and try to explain to them why we were in their home.

Ori, Doron, and “Shmulik” the Kibbutznikim

For dinner, the local pizza guy on the kibbutz called up Shula and told her that he heard about what we were doing, and wanted to treat us all to dinner. We had an awesome time at Pizza Joe, and some Garin members provided live music.

Micha on the guitar, Doron on the keys

On Friday we played a scavenger hunt throughout the kibbutz to get better acquainted with our surroundings. We made our way to the zoo, hair salon, the Thai workers, the first building from 1927, and more. After a nice Kabalat Shabbat in the Chadar Ochel (Shabbat ceremony in the dining hall), we went back to our dorm to have some fun. Later that night we walked to a club in Afikim, the next kibbutz over. Saturday we spent the day swimming and cooling down in the Kineret, which was a ten minute tractor ride from Bet Zera. Sunday was spent in busses and offices. It was “Bureaucracy Day”. We spent four-ish hours in the Misrad HaKlita (Ministry of Absorption) with two other Garinim, about 75 kids. All I had to do was sign my name twice. We then moved to Misrad HaPnim (Ministry of the Interior), where I sat for four more hours and didn’t even have to sign once.

A look ahead: Monday – setting up bank accounts and cell phones. I’ll have a new Israeli number, so anyone who wants to contact me on Whatsapp will have to add the new number. Tuesday – I don’t remember. Wednesday – a BIG day. This is the first part of our enlistment process, our Tsav Rishon (First Calling). On this day we go to a military office for a day of testing. There is a medical exam, a long interview, a quick yet deceptively challenging Hebrew test, and a couple hours of math, reading comprehension, word analogy, and shape analogy tests. All of these different exams give us a few different scores, which eventually determine which tryouts one can participate in / which units one can serve in. Wish me luck.

Till next time,

Shmulik the Kibbutznik

The Flight!

 

 

 

 

On Sunday night, my family drove me down to New York for my flight the next day. I was able to sleep surprisingly well. The next morning we spent hours in line waiting for the moment that made it all real, saying goodbye. I think my mind had blocked out the reality of what was about to happen up until this point when it started to hit me. I was leaving home, my parents, my brother, and my sister. I’ll spare you the details of the emotional goodbye. 

 

While waiting in line for my boarding pass I had a very disturbing moment. All the to-be-soldiers were given a shirt, so we were easily recognizable. A woman approached my friend and said, “When you get there, kill those Arabs!” My friend and I laughed it off, but it truly bothered me. Here is a woman, whose daughter is making Aliyah, and she is going into a new society with a misguided and hateful sentiment towards Israel’s Arab population. It is gross that people educate their children to hate. 

My flight was a charter flight only for people making aliyah. There were 125 kids like me who were going to become soldiers, and 206 others simply making aliyah. I had heard that these flights are a non-stop party with singing and dancing, and I was excited yet  worried because I like to sleep on planes. Most of the ride was spent crowding the aisles and meeting kids from other Garinim. I had a conversation with a girl who went to the University of Michigan which was very cool because had I gone to college instead, I would have attended U of M. Near the end of the ride, the speakers were busted out and the clapping and dancing started. The flight attendants even brought us champagne. 

 

 

 

Once the plane landed and the customary hand-clapping took place, we were ushered down onto the tarmac, where we posed for what seemed like 200 cameras. We were then bussed to the terminal, where reportedly 1,600 people were waiting to welcome all 331 new Olim (immigrants). There was then a lengthy ceremony with a surprise performance by Rami Kleinshtein, and then we were sent to another waiting room to be processed for our Teduat Oleh (Immigrant ID). 

 

 

I am spending the day catching up on sleep lost on the flight, and undoubtably screwing myself over with jetlag, at my relative’s house in Tel Aviv. Tomorrow we have the official Garin Tzabar ceremony, after which we will be on our way to Kibbutz Beit Zera!

 

Yours Truly