My Pilgrimage Begins

Before I embarked on my journey to Israel, Rabbi Rossoff from Temple B'nai Or, said to me,"כל התחלות קשות (Kol hatchalot kashot); All beginnings are difficult" (Midrash).

     I knew what he was saying was true. What I did not know, was just how hard it would be. I had lived away from home for school, at Brandeis University. I had even lived abroad in Israel before, on the NFTY-EIE High School in Israel program for one semester. Still, these experiences were not even comparable.

     After a ten and a half hour plane flight, I arrived at Ben Gurion airport on Sunday, June 3rd, 2012. For my first genuine Israeli experience, I took a sherut (in Hebrew ‘monit sherut’ – service taxi). This is a shared minivan-style taxi that seats 8-10 people. While this means of transportation is inexpensive, it is quite an experience. At first, no sherut driver would take me because of my 3 over-sized and extremely heavy suitcases. After assertively telling the driver where I needed to go (my new address, my new home), and agreeing to pay a bit extra for the suitcases, I was on my way! The sherut drops every person off at their exact address, following the most convenient route to cover all stops. Of course, two hours later, anxiously awaiting to see my new apartment, I was the last stop. I was greeted by my landlord's son-in-law who gave me the keys and carried my luggage in for me. After he left, I immediately called my mother to let her know I had arrived safely. About 10 minutes later, I was greeted by two of my best friends from Brandeis, twins Ilyana and Mara Rosenberg, along with their mother. Having their familiar and warm faces with me was exactly what I needed.       

     The next few days were very challenging. At night, all I could think about was turning back or how great it would feel returning home after completing the year. Most of all, I had never wanted to be hugged by my mother more, than during those nights alone in an unfamiliar land. Israel was supposed to be a "home" for me, but I was not feeling the warmth. Nevertheless, the twins kept me busy. They took me shopping for food, toiletries and even school supplies. They also showed me where to get the best foods from in shuk (a market place for fresh produce). What I am most thankful for, is that they made me learn to stand on my own two feet very quickly (no pun intended)---They bought me a map and after showing me once, made me find my own way to my new school Hebrew Union College. Thanks to them, after only 2 weeks, I now know my way around Jerusalem to all of the essential locations! Israel was slowly but surely becoming my new home, whether I was ready for it or not.

     This past Shabbat, my mother told me of how my rabbi blessed all those going on the congregation's pilgrimage to Israel. She said he explained why it was purposefully called pilgrimage and not merely a trip. Going on a pilgrimage is going on a trip, YET when you arrive you feel like you are HOME. Since I have been in Israel, I have done a lot of introspection. I realized that I can't begin to feel like Israel is my home unless I embrace it all -- its beauty and its imperfections! Even more, I quickly learned that getting used to a culture so different than the one I have grown up in is very challenging. Yet, I can either stay looking at Israel from an outsider's perspective or try to see it from an "insider's" point of view. By learning to speak Hebrew, dress modestly on Shabbat and learn the societal norms, Israel has slowly become my new home. While it is the homeland of the Jewish people, my homeland, learning to blend into Israeli culture will be an ongoing process, a learning experience.
     Rabbi Rossoff said it as it was: All beginnings are difficult. As much as I didn't want to hear that, there was something so comforting in knowing he understood what I was about to experience --that it would be normal for the start to be challenging, but that down the road, things would be okay, more than okay.

The beginning was hard, but today will mark exactly 3 weeks here in Israel. Time is going fast, and I am no longer a newbie. Jerusalem IS my new home.

   
     While sitting in Saturday morning services yesterday, I happen to come upon this reading in the Mishkan T'filah by Rabbi Norman Hirsh. I couldn't help to think it was about my own journey. It read:
                                              
                                                         BECOMING

                                           Once or twice in a lifetime

                                           A man or woman may choose

                                           A radical leaving, having heard

                                           Lech lecha — Go forth.

                                           God disturbs us toward our destiny

                                           By hard events

                                           And by freedom's now urgent voice

                                           Which explode and confirm who we are.

                                           We don't like leaving,

                                           But God loves becoming.

After later researching it, I learned that the passage was exactly about my journey.

Genesis 12:1-9 tells of Abram's leaving so much behind to begin the journey of the Jewish people. Lech lecha are the fifth and sixth Hebrew words of Genesis 12:1:

The Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you."

Abram will become Abraham in Genesis 17:5.

[I too have had a name change living in Israel: from Alli to my Hebrew name, Chana!]