The Saga Continues...

Bookcases...unpacking boxes...setting up the kitchen...ordering closets (aronot)...all are activities that have puncutated our past few days. I have never been so happy to be so sore in my life!

The weather here is easy to summarize: HOT. We live next to Midbar Yehuda which, as the name suggests, is in fact a desert. We are not crawling around seeing mirages, but it gets plenty hot here. One interesting thing is that on our side of the mountain it is much less windy and dusty, yet as soon as you walk around the curve near our house and go to the other side, the wind could be going at 30 miles per hour! This occurs every single day late-afternoon till early evening.

I found a short-cut today that saves me 10 minutes in walking to the Makolet (grocery store). Each day is a new experience, which is what has made the first two weeks (yes, two weeks, can you believe it??!!) so enjoyable. I actually wrote a short piece about our first two weeks thus far, and it is printed below.

Neighbors: We have such amazing neighbors both in our building and in the neighborhood in general. We feel that we are truly blessed to have found this community.

Not much time to write today as much to do...hope to check in again soon!

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(SENT VIA EMAIL TODAY)

Before we made Aliya, we heard all kinds of horror stories of how difficult the transition would be and how impossibly tough all of the red-tape would be to cut through. While it is now two full weeks since our arrival, I am writing to say that (thank G-d) these stories were GROSSLY exaggerated.

Even though there is a very long road ahead of us, our first two weeks have been MOSTLY incident-free and a pleasant experience. After going to all the requisite governmental agencies, getting appliances delivered and installed, starting to get the house set up, learning the ins and outs of the neighborhood, seeking employment and just trying to maintain day-to-day living, I could not be any happier! The visits to the Post Office (where it seems ALL "official" business is transacted), Misrad HaKlitah (Ministry of Absorption) and all other places in between, the response time of all places and the efficiency with which the work was done was outstanding. I had no (bli ayin hara) horror-story- type experiences at all. (This does not preclude them from happening in the future!)

I write this to encourage others. While many people feel the task at hand is too daunting, we are living proof that one CAN take the first few steps after Aliya with confidence that things do indeed work how they are supposed to (but, obviously, not always!) One of the greatest modes of help has been Nefesh B'Nefesh as their having taken care of many things on our behalf (Teudat Zehut etc) definitely smoothed the way! They are always ready, willing and able to help those of us who are post-Aliya and those of you who are PRE-Aliya!

Will everthing be this smooth from here on out? Certainly not! But if we go in with our eyes wide open (I always expect the worst and hope for the best) and not filled with naivete, then things can only get better. Life here is not simple or easy...but it is life in the Land that Hashem has given to US.

As always, I invite ANYONE considering aliya to contact me with any questions or comments. (It is very gratifying to have received FIVE emails since I am here from people telling me that they are now seriously considering aliya!! Keep those cards and letters coming).

Wishing you all a pleasant day and may this period of the Nine Days end with all of us joining in rejoicing ON TISHA B'AV dancing with the Melech HaMashiach in Yerushalyim!

Zev M Shandalov
Maale Adumim
ISRAEL

Erev Shabbat and Shabbat in Jerusalem

Andy and I arrived in Yerushalayim 9:30am and by 10:30am we were already in a meeting. However, while we were indeed meeting with our engineer (who had surveyed our home) it was in a relaxed atmosphere in an outdoor cafe off of Emek Refaim. The temperature was about 24 (gotta start thinking metric!), there was a beautiful light breeze and the aroma of a nearby tree was intoxicating. Not a bad way to hold a meeting! We were very gratified to find that there was not a single "major" issue with our home from the view of the engineer (Chaim). While there are issues that need to be addressed (some more critical than others) none were "deal-breaker" type of issues...Baruch Hashem.

After meeting with Chaim, we took a nice stroll from Emek Refaim towards the center of town, stopping along the way at a few small shops. We also had the opportunity to meet up with a delightful couple living currently in Yerushalayim, who will be living in the same building that we will be living. It is amazing to me how nice all of the people are who will be living with us in the same building.

(By the way, we actually have an address now! We will be living at Rehov Mitzpe Nevo 114/1, Maale Adumim. When I saw the address, it felt sort of like a baby-naming, as it became OUR identifier here in Israel as to where we will be located)

Shabbat...in Yerushalayim...need I say more? What a glorious, restful and spritual day it was! Between the three different places we davened (no, not because, "I would never walk into that shul" kind of attitue!) and the company, the food, and the aroma of Shabbat in Yerushalayim...all of that added up to a picture perfect 25 hours.

And now that Shabbat is over, the business of business is starting again! We are off to the stores tomorrow to explore various models of appliances that we will need to purchase (after returning on Aliya, so we can take advantage of the Rights of the Olim). A lot of thought needs to go into this step! We will end our day at a wedding here in Yerushalayim for the son of a friend of our's from Chicago. (I can not believe that in all the years I have been coming and going here I have NEVER been to a wedding here!).

Well, best be going now to rest up before the next two days of intensive "work." (While I term it as work...it is a TRUE labor of love!)

Oh, one last thing..over Shabbat, when we met any people whom we did not know, and they were told that we were making Aliya soon, they all were SO happy to hear this and gave us both tremendous "chizuk."

Hard to believe that we get on the plane to go to JFK 42 days from tomorrow. The tick...tick...tick...is getting louder and louder.

Warsaw is nice this time of year...

So, here I sit on the way to Israel via Warsaw. The last time I was in this country, it was freezing and snowy. At least it is nice to look at from the windows in Spring. BUT...I certainly can not wait to get out of here (and LEAVE Poland!) and get home to Israel!

This trip holds a special significance...Assuming all goes well in July, this is the last trip to Israel that I wil make that I am not a citizen of Israel. NEXT trip, B"H, I will become a citizen and start a new chapter in the life of our family. How great is that!?!?

Our personal Sefirat HaOmer of 49 days until Aliya began yesterday. I almost feel like I should be counting with a Bracha!!!

Monday, May 18th...48 days...tick...tick...tick...

Finally, imagine the contrast: today I bring you greetings from the land that murdered millions of Jews and B"H tomorrow I will bring greetings from the one place on Earth that all Jews are welcome (once they get used to the red tape!!)...Baruch Hashem...

Tachlis, tachlis, tachlis...

One of the downsides of planning Aliya for TWO years (actually longer than that) is that there is a lot of hurry up and wait moments. A lot that needed to be done early on was taken care of and then there were stretches of time that not a lot could be done. But, now that we are 75 days away from boarding a plane, everything we do needs to take into consideration how it affects our timeline....what is the TACHLIS of that action and the time consumed. So, if we have choices to make between various options, we MUST choose to do those things that will help us to meet our goal of the LIFT being picked up (ie, packing items that WE must pack) or the goal of selling the house or finding a job, etc etc. In addition, there still is quite a bit of paperwork that needs to be done. I just spent about 3 hours filling out all the paperwork for VISAS to Israel. All the main forms need to all be originals, meaning that while the info is the same, I must fill it out all by hand and not just photocopy the originals.

We are told that "Eretz Yisrael Nik'neit B'Yisurin," meaning that the Land of Israel is acquired through tests/trials/tribulation...but, in the end, it will be IYH all worth it.

Everywhere I go now, people are asking me "So, how many days until you go?" I do not mind the question at all. The FUNNY thing is that many are surprised when I reply with "how many days" until we leave. People are surprised that I am keeping a count. Truth is that for every single trip I have taken over the past many years, I have ALWAYS kept a count-down sheet (usually beginning around 125 days). I have kept each and every one of those sheets as well for my Aliya Diary. I began the diary about this since 2003. At the time I began the diary, I did not yet have true hope that we would be making Aliya, but I used it as a personal vehicle to keep it on MY radar screen. I write in it occassionaly, but the one entry I look at often is the one that I made the day we made a family decision to make Aliya....seems like just yesterday....

Well, gotta run as we have someone coming to look at the house...Maybe this will be "the one" !! (We only need one buyer...who knows!?)