Page 53 - HaMizrachi Pesach 5783 USA
P. 53
The phrase ‘marbles in my mouth’ most the optometrist to refill my order of lentils feel unparalleled satisfaction. Words that
accurately describes how I feel as I try (םי ִ ׁש ָד ֲע) instead of contact lenses (תֹו ׁש ָד ֲע). once eluded me now sit on the tip of my
to think of and articulate words on the The second question is more difficult. tongue, patiently waiting their turn to be
spot. My anecdotes are often clumsy, but adorably misconjugated.
my coworkers are patient and kind. They Why am I trying so hard? I will never
be a native, so why not just set the bar
laugh in the right places so I know they lower and aim to simply get by? And There will always be marbles. I will always
ALIYAH DIARIES that they too have perfected the smile- then I remember that once upon a time was last year to once again being an expert
be an immigrant. But I am closer than I
understand me… though it’s also possible
I was an expert in my own life. I knew
in my own life. I know how far I’ve come.
and-nod. They gently correct me, and they
how to navigate unexpected situations,
ask me to clarify when I tell them a whole
my kids do too, though making them say
story about being annoying (ת ֶנ ֶּ ב ְצ ַע ְמ) when how to explain what I needed, and how My coworkers are starting to see it, and
not to unfortunately mistake the word
I was actually describing an interaction snack (ףי ִט ֲח) with the word for kidnapping it would make me as annoying as that
I had with an interior designer (ת ֶב ֶ ּצ ַע ְמ). (ה ָפי ִט ֲח). Increasing my fluency and becom- interior designer.
They encourage me not to get frustrated And while I have not yet mastered fluid
because my mistakes are adorable. I was ing more Israeli will help me to feel more conversation, I do recognize that I have
confident and less anxious. It will allow
already adorable in my second hand shirt. successfully completed this challenge.
me to remember that random conversa-
Being even more adorable is exhausting. tions are not (only) minefields of potential Excuse me while I spit out these marbles
embarrassments, but opportunities for for a bit, I’m off to kidnap some sushi and
I mentioned my failures and successes to a lentils.
friend of mine who was visiting from the friendship and connection.
States. ‘You’ve been here for years now, do I am trying because that’s what immi-
you really still feel like an immigrant?’, she grants do. We work hard. We allow our
asked. Another visitor asked me, ‘Why are children to see us struggle, fall, and get
you trying so hard? Why is it so important back up. They watch as we try to keep
to you to be more Israeli?’ our sense of humor when simple interac-
tions take so much more effort than they
The first question is easy – yes, I still feel should. And they notice when we slowly
like an immigrant when I have to work overcome the obstacles one by one. While
harder than everyone else in the room
to simply follow a conversation, when it they are rewriting the note I wrote to
their teacher to make it sound like it was
takes several moments of heart palpita-
tions and cold sweat for me to discern if an written by a grown up human and not an
undereducated piece of lettuce, they are
unidentified caller is a telemarketer or an also noticing and internalizing my resil-
actual representative from my bank with Kally Kislowicz
important information, and most acutely ience and can-do spirit. Right? made Aliyah from Cleveland, Ohio,
when, despite having rehearsed the cor- I try so hard because as the years go by and to Efrat in 2016.
rect word numerous times, I inevitably ask the marbles in my mouth become fewer, I
| 53