Israeli for one week

We just turned one week old as Israeli citizens on Tuesday. Many things have happened in this last week including lots of paper work, meeting family and just getting to know the area we will live in. We now have our Tehudat Zehut (Official Citizen ID).

We will be moving to the home we are renting this Friday and we can't wait given that we are still living from our suitcases.

Last Friday we made it to the Kotel (Western Wall). As always tears come down from my eyes as I feel a stronger connection to G'd. This time there was a lot of thanking for how things have turned out for us and how He has showed us the way.

We spent our first Shabbat in Israel and it was beautiful. Thanks to the Friedman family for hosting us. I visited 4 different synagoges (Kabalat Shabbat, Shacharit, Mincha & Arvit at the park) and met many people. I was honored with an Aliyah to the torah and afterwards they started to sing for me V'shavu Banim L'Gvulam (the children will return to their borders) from Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah). They sing that at the synagogue to anyone who made Aliyah that week. Well, that Shabbat they sang it 3 times. Most of the people at the synagogue made Aliyah within the last 4 years or so. After the services it was hard to leave because of all the people congratulating us and wanting to meet us. We went to one of the countless parks with the kids late in the afternoon, it was very enjoyable and incredible to see so many kids and young couples.

During this last week we were also able to see some family that lives here as well as visiting. We are so happy that we will be able to see a lot of family now that we are here and we thank you all for your help and hospitality.

We are starting to understand a little better the Israeli way and when we encounter something that can potentially frustrate us, well, we just look at it with humor. All the paperwork feels like we are part of the "Amazing race" and we need to go from one office to the next one and hope that the published open hours are respected and go to one place, pay in the other, get the document signed to go back to square 1. Getting a drivers license in Israel deserves an entire blog to itself. Regardless of the bureaucracy, people want to help you navigate through it.

Have I mentioned the food around here? This is Kosher paradise!

Please wait a little longer for the photographs until I can get internet on my computer.

Thanks for your comments.