Dear Dave

Hi Rivkah,

I'm jewish and am wondering how life in israel is. Although i am far from ready to move, so please don't try to give me any compelling spiritual reasons to! I'm just not ready in many ways (:

So, how is it different than living in the US? Or is it so much different?

Thanks,

Dave

Dear Dave,

   It has taken me a few days to respond to you because I really wanted to think about what you've asked. I started to list things that define my life in Israel. I don't pretend to speak for all Israelis (how could I?) or even all olim, or even all members of my own family. Everyone else will have his or her own list. Here's a somewhat random list of what life is like in Israel, but just for me:

• seeing Arab villages and shepherds on distant hills, instead of signs for Target and McDonald's
• living in smaller quarters
• feeling blessed with a life far richer than I could have imagined
• learning to rely on context because I can't understand every word
• although having some is crucial, learning how unimportant having lots of money is
• rediscovering how to cook more from scratch because so many convenience products are unavailable here or just too expensive 
• adding many new recipes to my repertoire because groceries are different here
• welcoming friends and family from the Old Country, either those who are visiting or those whose aliyah followed our own   
• having so many friends who see Jewish history like I do
• living with people who love this place too, even with all its flaws
• learning patience because everything seems to take more time here
• thinking about Hashem more
• wearing sweatshirts all winter because, in a country that's hot most of the year, insulation is non-existent and heat is expensive
• having opportunities fall into my lap
• passing Har HaBayit on the bus every morning and evening
• learning to do everyday things, like shopping and banking, over again in new ways
• appreciating that my neighbors have lived all over the world and come from a dozen or more different countries to be here together
• figuring out how to get English books to read
• learning what I can live without
  
• being happy with crowds and traffic because it means so many other Jews live here
• learning to network
• giving up the illusion that I am able to function independently and learning to rely on others
  
• laughing with other olim about how small our paychecks are, but how big our lives feel
• living on the edge of my seat, really, truly anticipating Moshiach
• feeling proud of myself for every little thing I learn how to do by myself
• understanding Israeli geography
• having access to rabbis and women scholars whose Torah makes my neshama sing
• feeling proud to be a citizen of the State of Israel
  
• passing a wadi while walking to visit a friend
• thinking of everything that happens to me in spiritual terms
• losing my breath at the view from my bedroom window every morning
• driving though barren sand dunes to get to the grocery store
• feeling comfortable negotiating public transportation
• taking pictures of things that only happen in Israel, like this sign on the bus about the importance of not gossiping

• actually knowing soldiers in the IDF
• going away for Shabbat whenever we want
• realizing my everyday life seems exotic to some
• learning to think in kilos, shekels and liters
• constantly clarifying, and often defending, my priorities
• negotiating with friends and family to get the few consumer goods I still value delivered from the Old Country
• feeling very American in Israel and very Israeli in America
• letting Hashem run the world
• being unspeakably grateful every single day