“Today is the Tomorrow that We Longed for Yesterday” The words from one of my favorite songs could not have been more appropriate as we waited to disembark from the Aliyah flight. After years of longing, we were finally about to step off the plane as citizens of Israel. I thought of all the pain of leaving the family and… Read more: July 14, 2005: First Thoughts

It felt strange. Just two months ago, I was living with my family in the Maryland suburbs, driving carpools, coaching baseball, watching football. Now, I was standing in an Israeli army base holding an M-16 rifle. My family had made Aliya to Neve Daniel. A requirement of living here is that you do shmira twice a month. One Wednesday evening,… Read more: September 20, 2005: Firing Range

Much to our children’s delight, my wife and I are now full time students. That’s right, just after they go to the bus station, daycare, and Gan, my wife and I are on our way to the Ulpan in Alon Shevut. That is where we spend 4 days a week in 4 hour Hebrew classes. Our kids are amazed that… Read more: September 25, 2005: Back to School

I used to have an interesting ornament on my Shabbos table in Maryland. Actually, it wasn’t really an ornament, and everyone had one. Between October and January, there was no avoiding it. We would gather in each other’s homes for Shabbat meals, and invariably, someone would make a comment about the two liter Coke bottle with Santa Claus on the… Read more: October 6, 2005: Shana Tova

Before making Aliyah, I considered myself fairly knowledge about the current situation in Israel. We would often discuss the government’s disengagement plan and how it would affect Israel’s security in the long term. But these were just philosophical discussions. Suddenly, I was sitting in Neve Daniel, which (like most of Israel) is just a few hours drive from Gush Katif.… Read more: October 13, 2005: Shuls

Last week, Stella and I went to Jerusalem for our “Yishuv Test.” This is an all day psychometric examination that is required for anyone who wants to purchase a house in one of the yishuvim. The purpose of these tests is to make sure that you are “sane” or perhaps “insane” enough to live here. My favorite part of the… Read more: December 15, 2005: The Test

I think there are two types of Israelis. There are those who love the creation and implementation of rules, and those who enjoy finding ways to get around these rules. Whenever faced with strange and somewhat arbitrary regulations, an Israeli friend will always explain to me how I can go ahead and just do whatever is needed by being a… Read more: December 21, 2005: Sufganiot

The first time I heard it, I was shocked. Upon mentioning that I had in fact just moved to Gush Etzion directly from America, the Israeli I was talking to made this bizarre noise that sounded like air going out of a punctured bicycle tire. I wasn’t sure whether the person I was conversing with had just suffered some sort… Read more: January 5, 2006: PSHHHHHHH

We have passed yet another milestone. My wife this week received her drivers’ license. Much like a Bar Mitzvah, the process involved a great deal of money, anxiety, and prayer. The first step was to visit the office of MEMSI. (More Entertainment Makes a Strong Israel). After having our picture taken and our money collected, we were told to have… Read more: January 27, 2006: Driving Up a Wall

There are really only two types of people in America today who will stand by the side of the road and get into the car of a stranger. The first are axe murderers. Now, to tell the truth, I don’t really know if axe murderers hitchhike all that much. An axe is a pretty hard thing to hide in your… Read more: February 9, 2006: Going My Way?

I have just achieved a personal victory in my step towards becoming an Israeli. I yelled at someone in Hebrew and won. I have already mastered the art of drinking milk from bags, and my car has a generous layer of pumpkin seeds on the floor (although to be honest, I still can’t figure out the sunflower seeds, I always… Read more: March 2, 2006: Fighting Words

A few years ago, my wife was visiting Israel. A friend was driving her around when he needed to get gas for the car. He pulled into the gas station and told her to just wait a minute. While the guy pumped the gas, he went into the station. She was somewhat surprised when he came out with a bunch… Read more: March 9, 2006: Look Inside

Welcome home! This morning I went to the airport to greet the latest Nefesh B’Nefesh flight bringing Jewish “refugees” from America to Israel. It was not all that long ago when we were stepping off that plane into such an unknown life. I remember feeling physically and emotionally exhausted as we stepped out into the bright sunshine of our new… Read more: August 18, 2006: Yes, It’s Worth It

Last week, our phone and Internet connection stopped working. I made a quick call to Bezeq and was assured that a technician would be speedily rushed to the scene that day. I was pleasantly surprised when a Bezeq guy did indeed show up not much later. He climbed a ladder, used some tools, and told me to wait “five minutes.”… Read more: September 8, 2006: Not a Problem

.Last year, my wife and I watched with a great deal of nervousness as our children got on their buses for their first day of school since making Aliyah. Although we knew that this was the only way, and that many, many kids had successfully managed to integrate, we were still worried that they would not be able to breathe… Read more: September 15, 2006: Shalom Kita Aleph

Let’s face it, being an Orthodox Jew is pretty weird. I say this with no disrespect intended for the traditions that are thousands of years old and that I believe are a set of rules that our Creator has “chosen” us to follow. But you know, we still do some pretty weird stuff. I just came back from shul after… Read more: October 20, 2006: I’m Not Weird

Before making Aliyah, my views on Arabs and Israelis were fairly black and white. Years of watching newscasts of Egged buses blown to smithereens along with all the men, women, and children inside had led me to the conclusion that all Arabs were really, really bad. On moving to Israel I would do my best to have absolutely nothing to… Read more: Ocober 18, 2007: Jar-dan, Give Me a Knife!

I’m riding my bike and am only halfway up a seven and a half kilometer climb from the Kineret. My lungs are burning. I can feel my heart thumping and my legs are on fire. The sun is scorching my skin as I make my way up this beast of a hill. It’s only the second day of the International… Read more: November 8, 2007: It’s Really Hot

Disclaimer: 1) The following story is not true. It is a complete work of fiction. 2) Even if it was true, which it isn’t, it didn’t happen to me, it happened to my friend. 3) But it really didn’t. Last week, I had to take my car for the annual inspection/failure process, something about as much fun as a root canal, but more expensive. This particularly unpleasant process begins with a notice in the mail that says you have to go to the Post Office and pay a fee equal to half your life savings for the honor of having your car inspected/failed. (Does anyone else think it’s a bit odd that most of the Israeli finance system flows through the post office at some point? When you think dependable model of efficiency, the words “post office” rarely comes to mind).