So most of my preceding posts were written before we began work and school. In other words, we were tourists pretending to be olim. The crazy bus drivers were still a novelty. The baruch habim's were coming fast and furious.
And so, the land was beautiful. It still is, but then it dominated the day. And the miracle of building a society on the sand continued to impress. It still does, but then it dominated the day. And the thrill of fulfilling the mitzvah of yeshuv ha'aretz was the exciting mitzvah of the moment - or at least a lessening of the guilt issued by aliyah rabbis provided some guilt relief. And for Jews, that is happiness. Ah less guilty feelings today. How sweet it is.
Now, we have moved into a new phase. We deal with work and school and Israeli society in general in a real way.
Are you bracing yourself? Do you feel it coming?
I won't rant. That's a contemporary Jewish trait I have learned to reduce. But I will tell you that the stories of frustration in dealing with this society are completely legitimate.
One of the biggest challenges of living here is the fear that one's children grow up to be like the people here. Is that worth the yeshuv ha'aretz schar? I doubt it, despite what the fanatical aliyah rabbis say.
What are the people like? Well there are all kinds. And I have met some very enjoyable people. And I have met some ones who are not so enjoyable. You know the cliches. I won't be the one to publicize them.
What is the definition of an aliyah rabbi? He's a person who lives in Israel off of American money (tuition from American baal habatim) and sees himself as a chalutz, ie pioneer of the 1st aliyah.
Speaking of the 1st aliyah (19th century) I wonder if they had it as hard as people do today. What do I mean? I mean they didn't have to deal with the Israeli personality which, I would imagine, didn't exist yet. They were mostly Europeans. In that way, they had it much easier.
And in a score of other ways they had it much harder. I know. I spent a few minutes today outside without air conditioning. Yikes.
So we'll have to see how much more bloom comes off of this rose.
And so, the land was beautiful. It still is, but then it dominated the day. And the miracle of building a society on the sand continued to impress. It still does, but then it dominated the day. And the thrill of fulfilling the mitzvah of yeshuv ha'aretz was the exciting mitzvah of the moment - or at least a lessening of the guilt issued by aliyah rabbis provided some guilt relief. And for Jews, that is happiness. Ah less guilty feelings today. How sweet it is.
Now, we have moved into a new phase. We deal with work and school and Israeli society in general in a real way.
Are you bracing yourself? Do you feel it coming?
I won't rant. That's a contemporary Jewish trait I have learned to reduce. But I will tell you that the stories of frustration in dealing with this society are completely legitimate.
One of the biggest challenges of living here is the fear that one's children grow up to be like the people here. Is that worth the yeshuv ha'aretz schar? I doubt it, despite what the fanatical aliyah rabbis say.
What are the people like? Well there are all kinds. And I have met some very enjoyable people. And I have met some ones who are not so enjoyable. You know the cliches. I won't be the one to publicize them.
What is the definition of an aliyah rabbi? He's a person who lives in Israel off of American money (tuition from American baal habatim) and sees himself as a chalutz, ie pioneer of the 1st aliyah.
Speaking of the 1st aliyah (19th century) I wonder if they had it as hard as people do today. What do I mean? I mean they didn't have to deal with the Israeli personality which, I would imagine, didn't exist yet. They were mostly Europeans. In that way, they had it much easier.
And in a score of other ways they had it much harder. I know. I spent a few minutes today outside without air conditioning. Yikes.
So we'll have to see how much more bloom comes off of this rose.
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