Can I see some ID please?

August 19

I had written previously about the fact that life zooms by and it is sometimes hard to catch it before it eludes you. Somehow, over the last week of mine in Israel, my first one as an official citizen, thing have slowed down to a speed where I could really savor everything that was going on around me, the good and the strange.

My first Shabbat as an Israeli was just that – Israeli. I grew up in Hebrew school much like any other Anglo-American Jew and were always taught that Israel is the Jewish state and everyone is Jewish which therefore means they celebrate holidays or things of that nature. I have come to learn that isn’t remotely the case as most Israelis live secular lives before Jewish ones. This is certainly not a bad thing, just interesting due to the fact that my whole life in America I had to seek out to practice Jewish events and here, on this wonderful and beautiful kibbutz in Israel, I still have to do the same.

We spent Friday and Saturday camping and hiking essentially in our backyard – a richly green forest with numerous trails, valleys, and rolling hills. We spent Sunday becoming more acquainted with the kibbutz, and Monday I took my Hebrew test to see which ulpan, or Hebrew class, I’d be placed into. Throughout it all, I being probably one of the only people on the entire kibbutz who wears a kippah, I’ve had to come to grasp the idea that I still need to make a place for Judaism in my life. At first I was slightly upset about it but now I’m happy to continue representing many things from my religion which only makes my connection that much stronger. Having had this slow time I’ve been able to dissect my feelings over the past week that much better and I am really grateful for that.

All of that thinking of my place in the Jewish people, especially in Israel, seems like it dominated my week, but it did not at all. Because I also became Israeli and that part of me was somewhat tested this week and revealed. My first full day as an Israeli, in a taxi, the driver said what I was doing and I explained I was moving stuff to my new kibbutz. He asked if I was Israeli and I didn’t hesitate to say, “Yes,” and he questioned it immediately. I had no problem telling him that I was just as Israeli as him, no matter where we were born or our native tongue. I stuck it to the man.

Throughout the week, besides ordering a phone, I waited and waited for my teudah zehut, my I.D. card, which was really the next step in being an Israeli citizen instead of just a new immigrant. Today was the day I received it, with my picture, smile and all, and only Hebrew writing – Israeli identification I had in my possession. Next was another step to being a citizen and that was opening up a bank account. After signing many papers which I am still unsure of what I signed, I had opened the account and got an Israeli credit card on top of it. I stared at the card and kept laughing and smiling because it was so cool to see my name, in Hebrew, on a card like that. “Now,” I mumbled to myself, “ I don’t have anything a native born Israeli doesn’t have.” I was on my way.

That brought us to tonight where we had a welcoming ceremony with many of the kibbutz members in attendance. This was to meet and greet, receive a blessing, and let them see what we are all about. For a reason I am still not too sure of, I was asked to deliver some words on behalf of our group to the whole kibbutz. I was going to be speaking in Hebrew and I wasn’t nervous. I had already taken risks to get to that point and having that honor was an extra bonus I was very happy to receive. I said what my friends Danna and Mika helped write and the kibbutz members were very impressed and I was satisfied with myself and the whole group.

When finishing the night by meeting many new people, it was clear to me that this was the place for me. Regardless of religious observances, language barriers, or the smell of cow **** every morning, the people reinforced to me why I made the decision I did; I felt as if I was in a welcoming place, a home. This was a shavuah tov, a good week. I’m sure it will be the first of many to come.