Page 31 - HaMizrachi Yom HaAtzmaut 5782 USA

Tehilla and friends.

a terrible mistake. Which brings us to priceless moments that make us stay. making history every day just by living
the next question. Now what? The first time you order something here. You may never learn what a long-
Here, the real fun starts. Every oleh in Hebrew, and you hold your breath form unabridged birth certificate is,
experiences a moment (or two!) when and the waiter just nods and doesn’t but the day will come when people
they secretly wonder if they should automatically switch to English. will ask why you made Aliyah and you
turn around and go home. My moment Seeing store vendors huddling in an will respond simply “because I belong
came when I realized no one spoke alleyway to daven Mincha. Buses that here.” You do, and they’ll accept it – no
English in the immigration absorption say “Shana Tova” on the side, secular questions asked!
center and so they couldn’t tell me I Israelis effortlessly quoting obscure Tehilla Katz has fulfilled her dream
was in the wrong building. It was a passages from the book of Zechariah. of Aliyah and is completing a year of
Your first Yom HaAtzmaut when you
moment of absolute helplessness, mechinah at Hebrew University. Originally
when I realized that nothing I had experience the unadulterated joy from Johannesburg, South Africa, she has
ever learned would help me now. Yes, pulsating through the streets and you a passion for exploring each neighborhood
realize that you are the fulfillment of a
we are the people of the book, but I of Jerusalem, one category of street names
realized that I am now a citizen of a prophecy. It’s being in shul on Shabbat after another.
when you say the prayer for the IDF
place where the inhabitants routinely and the State, knowing that you are
throw that book out the window.
praying for your own country now, and
Then there are the questions that for the army that protects it.
people will ask you. Israelis are Life in Israel is a glorious paradox. The
fascinated that you grew up in a same bus driver who yelled at you for
country with Trader Joe’s, and left holding up the line will stop to help
anyway. “Why are you here?” the old ladies cross the road. A crowd that
bank teller, the taxi drivers, and seemed so impenetrable will scatter,
your suspicious elderly neighbor will in seconds, to let a pregnant woman
frequently ask you. And of course, your sit down. I have had cab drivers give
limited Hebrew vocabulary will only me relationship advice, strangers
let you respond that your notebook is offer to pay my bus fare when my card
pretty and you are a girl.
wouldn’t scan, and been scolded by my
Is it worth it? The eternal bureaucracy, neighbor for not putting on a sweater
leaving our families behind, breaking in the cold.
our teeth over Hebrew, struggling Every time I throw my hands up in
to feel like a pioneer, and failing. despair and swear “that’s it, I can’t do
Sometimes it’s easy to forget what it’s this anymore!”, something minor and
all for. But to this question, there is magical will occur and I am humbled
one answer, and one answer only: YES!
and fall in love with Israel all over
For every difficult moment, there are again. The very fabric of this country
a host of other reasons to celebrate is woven with magnificent stories of
every day in this country. And while compassion and sincerity, with people
the big questions and answers are who know they are part of something
what brought us here, it’s the small, bigger than themselves, who are

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