So it turns out I am not the best of blogger in terms of updates. I think the problem is that I don’t update for a while and then I am overwhelmed with every thing that happened since my previous update and then I don’t do it. So, in an effort to combat this problem of mine, I hope to have shorter yet more frequent updates, until I get into the army anyway.

Firstly, let me start by conflicting with what I just wrote and warn that this might be a rather long update, to make up for all the time between updates, which is about two months now! For starters I am writing from New York, (actually this was written in New York but I have since returned to Israel) but don’t get alarmed I am only here for the holidays.

I guess it’d be best if I backtrack a tad and explain what exactly it is that I am doing. I am going to just explain it from the beginning because based on the questions I’ve been asked, even by people who’ve alleged they’ve read the blog, we all need a refresher course. So here goes…

My move to Israel is based on a few reasons of which I will be able to relate using words and additionally based on reasons that I am in no way capable of putting into mere words. The closest that I have come to relating the later reasons is in conversations with people who have undergone a thought process similar to mine and have consequently moved to Israel.

First and foremost, I moved to Israel because, in short, I felt like it. I say this reason first because even if I felt all the sentiments that I am about to explain to you it would be meaningless if I was unable to up and move from what has been home and actually take this big step. Additionally I say this because I encounter more people than I prefer to who are critical of my decisions and it is very difficult for them to argue with me when I say “because I felt like it”.

I grew up in a Jewish house that has always been supportive of Israel and is undoubtedly Zionist. So there was always an interest in Israel, however, this interest turned into a full fledged passion after I took my first trip to Israel with my family when I was fifteen.

I remember feeling a sense of normalcy and belonging as I traveled around Israel for the first time. I grew up in New York City so I was always surrounded by a large Jewish community; however, coming to Israel was a whole different story. I remember looking around the lobby of the hotel we were staying in and thinking to myself that not only was every patron of the hotel Jewish, but also the front desk clerks, the security, and even the people just walking by the hotel.

Upon returning to New York following my first trip to Israel I immediately began planning a return trip, but this time for much longer than two weeks. After some research I found a four month trip to Israel enabling me to complete my fall semester of junior year. In addition to learning all of my mandatory classes such as English, Math, etc, I took a Hebrew language course and a double credit history of the Israel course. The wonderful part about the history of Israel class laid in the fact that we were able to learn about a certain event in history and then visit the actual site. As I completed my semester I reached the conclusion that I had found my place and I would move to Israel upon finishing High School.

As the time counted down until I finished High School, I realized that this big “move” would entail much more that just moving. Arriving to Israel at the age of 18 with the status of a “new immigrant” obligates me to serve, just as any other Jewish citizen of Israel, in the Israeli army. It wasn’t easy relaying the message to my family that not only was I going to move 6,000 miles away but I would also have to enlist in the Israeli army.

As I planned each step of my move it dawned on me how difficult it would be to complete my army service as a lonely soldier (a soldier whose parents reside outside of Israel) but additionally how difficult the pre-army organization period would be. How could I ensure that I would be accepted into the unit I wanted? What if I didn’t understand something because a lack of Hebrew? Essentially who would help me at all the difficult stages that begin even before the army starts?

I searched to see if any groups existed that could help people like me and tried to speak with other lonely soldiers about their experiences. A friend of mine who was doing the army with the help of Garin Tzabar (she was released from the army this past August) suggested I look into the project. I think I explained what Garin Tzabar is in my previous update but I am not sure I did the best job so I’ll try again.

Garin Tzabar is a program designed to help young Jews of North American, European, and other backgrounds with their army service. Many participants have some Israeli background, although it ranges from one parent being Israeli to the participant’s family having lived outside of Israel for two years (we have someone like that in our garin). It varies largely from year to year and group to group. For example in my garin (group) there are about 20 plus kids (out of 30) who spoke Hebrew at home. We, however, are an exception because I don’t think there are normally that many Hebrew speakers.

We started the “program” in December 2007 (although I was still in Israel at the time and did not join the group until February 2008 when I came back to New York). When I say we started the program I am referring to the five seminars that each program participant must attend before moving to Israel. The goal of the seminars is to introduce the participants to the group they will be living with, have the participants get to know one another, and most importantly (from the perspective of Garin Tzabar staff) to understand the commitment each participant is about to make. Although participants live on a kibbutz for three months prior to their army service and Garin Tzabar helps with a lot of the logistics and paperwork of being drafted into the army each participant, regardless of age, must serve in the Israel Defense Forces for at least two years.

This years Garin Tzabar is made up of 160 kids split into six different garins (groups). This is the largest number of garins in a single year since the beginning of the program in the early 90’s. There is an “East Coast” Garin (my garin), a “West Coast”, a “Mid-West”, a religious garin, an “Israel” garin, and a last minute garin for kids who signed up late. The East Coast, West Coast, etc. refer to where the seminars took place.

Each Garin moved to a Kibbutz that “adopted” them. We moved to our Kibbutzim on August 14^th and live here throughout our service in the army but we have about three months together as a group before we will be drafted into the army.

This was the initial blog entry that I had written but could not access until now. I hope everything was explained clearly so I don’t have to answer the same questions again and again! And, as always, if anything was unclear don’t be shy to e-mail me with any questions.

Aaron

Okay, so I guess I am not the best blogger out there. This is not entirely my fault. I don't have a laptop and sometimes I don't have internet access. I almost updated the blog the other day but then I could not access the document. I will work on posting that in a few days. For the time being let me fill you all in...

I am still living on Kibbutz Yiftach, located almost as far north as it is possible, as the time until I get drafted slowly counts down, well not so slowly actually. I went to visit New York for a few weeks during the holidays. It was very nice to see my parents and I tried to see as much of friends and family as I could. To all those who I was unable to see I am sorry and I hope it will work out better next time.

Not much has changed at the kibbutz since I moved here about two months ago, partially because not much changes on a kibbutz, let alone in two months! I got very lucky because there was hardly any work for my garin but then the second I went to New York I heard that everyone had to start working, and a lot! Then I come back to Israel and we (my garin) are preparing for the hachrazat garin, which means the declaration of the garin. We are preparing skits and movies about our three months here. The whole kibbutz, other garins, and friends and family are invited. So we are very busy but we don't have to work in the factory or anything, I guess I lucked out.

So another bonus about doing Garin Tzabar (don't worry the next post, which should have been the previous one, will fully explain what Garin Tzabar is) is that we receive soldier status before we are actually drafted into the army. This is good for a few reasons. Since we receive soldier status before we are actually drafted the two and a half years that I have to serve starts counting before we actually start our service. I was "drafted" yesterday so even though I do not start basic training until November 16th it is as if I started yesterday. Another reason is that public transportation is practically free and most bus drivers don't actually read our ID card anyway so it usually is free. Additionally the Israeli college academic year starts in November (because of all the holidays) so we are released from the army in time for the academic year. Well this can't be that interesting because I am bored writing it, but at least now you can't ask me questions about it if you claim to read my blog!

Okay, so as I said yesterday I was "drafted". What a fun day that was! (in the most sarcastic sense possible!) I was in New York when everyone from the garin was drafted on the 6th of October so me and a few other kids went by ourselves yesterday. My day started at 6:00am, what a wonderful time of day! We got a ride down to the nearest bus station at 6:45am and got there around 7:00am. It was a shame no one informed us that the bus would arrive at 7:30am. The we (me and four other kids) took a bus to Tiberias. In Tiberias is our "local" drafting office despite it being about an hour away! Already, early into the day, I realized how little sense the army used because from Tiberias we were just going to be transported to a base just north of Tel-Aviv. Why we could not have just taken a bus to Tel-Aviv is beyond me.

So my friends and I arrive at the drafting office in Tiberias at about 8:30am. There were already a bunch of other people also getting drafted who were waiting there. I guess it was practice for the army because we then proceeded to wait in Tiberias for about four hours! Luckily there was music. I enjoyed all three songs that they had! Finally they announced that we were to be leaving for Tel HaShomer (the name of the base where everyone in the country gets drafted) very shortly. It is too bad that in Hebrew "very shortly" means about forty five minutes.

We finally left for Tel HaShomer. There were a few other Americans on our bus who were also being drafted. We asked them why they didn't do garin tzabar. They were pretty vague but explained they didn't really want to live on a kibbutz. Within five minutes, my friends and I were not in the least bit disappointed that these kids did not do garin tzabar because we had just met the four most obnoxious Americans that any of us had ever met! My friends and I just wanted to sleep on the bus ride but these kids were right behind us and did not stop talking the entire bus ride. Maybe they had something good to say I would not have been so annoyed, but I have never heard such stupid conversations in my life. I recall overhearing, during one of the many times they woke me up, how one kid wanted to join Givati (a brigade in the Israeli army with a purple beret). This kid reasoned that Samuel L. Jackson is very badass and in the new Star Wars movie Samuel L. Jackson had a purple lightsaber, so he had to join Givati.

Finally, at around 1:00pm, we arrived at Tel-HaShomer. We were instructed to remove all necklaces, piercings, and put our cell phones away. Yesterday a girl from my garin and a few girls from other garins were actually drafted, as in they started basic training. All new draftees must go to the Tel-HaShomer base so once we got to there we saw the girls who were drafted and we started talking to them, which we of course got yelled at for.

After eating a lovely army lunch we began with the actual drafting process of getting immunizations, filing paper work, receiving supplies, etc. The first station was quite uneventful. We dealt with paperwork regarding our salaries. The next station however was not fun at all, at least for me. We were all waiting in line to get our army ID picture taken when a commander called over to me and told me to follow her. I realized immediately where she was going, to the barber! I don't know how many of you have seen me recently but my hair is pretty gigantic right now. Since I wasn't actually getting drafted I was not required to actually get a haircut. Unfortunately the commander didn't know what Garin Tzabar was or how I could even argue with her about a haircut! After screaming my head off, which is the only way to accomplish something in Israel, I convinced her to at least let me speak with a higher commander. Of course I made a huge scene the whole time and initially refused to follow her. I get to a higher commanders office and started to explain that I didn't need a haircut, unfortunately he also had not heard of Garin Tzabar and had no idea why I was even arguing. Luckily a General who had spoken to my garin at the seminars in New York happened to walk into the room. He asked where he knew me from and why I looked so familiar. As I explained that I was from Garin Tzabar and that I didn't need a haircut that day he began to remember and almost even called the director of my garin, who he apparently knows. The other commander, in order to avoid problems, immediately changed my status so that I would not need a haircut!

Thinking I had finished and received the proper approval I went back to have my picture taken for my ID. I was entirely wrong. The people taking the pictures did not believe that I could have approval for so much hair so I had to run back and forth again to show it was okay. Then they yelled at me because they said my hair was to messy. I tried arguing but in the end I had to take my picture with my hair pulled back in a pony-tail. At least I got to keep it! There was some other kid who had at least shoulder length hair, ten minutes later I saw the same kid with a bag and no hair.

Finally I finished with the ID and proceeded to go station to station getting x-rays, finger prints etc. I was received at each station, following the photo ID station, with the same perplexed look from the army clerks, which was followed with the same question. "How did they let you keep you hair?!?"

Anyway, once I got to the immunization station I had more arguing to do. As I said earlier, one of the commanders changed my status in order for me to not get a haircut. Unfortunately, he changed my status to the wrong one so I didn't receive the proper number of immunizations so I had to go back and forth to the office to get permission for the right shots.

I finish running back and forth between the office only to find out my ID wasn't printed out correctly so I had to run back and forth to the office once again!

Finally I finish with all of the initial processing and go to get my uniform. I get a Kitbag fool of supplies, two pairs of boots, two army uniforms. Then you go into a room to put your uniform on. When you just get drafted you are known as a tzayir (youngster) and I felt why. As you're putting on your uniform there are soldiers walking around making sure you put everything on correctly. A soldier walked by as I was tying my boots and explained that I was tying them all wrong! I didn't even know how to put on my boots! I felt so humbled as if I knew nothing at all. This feeling only worsened when I realized that in a few weeks I wouldn't be going home and I would just be totally clueless, or in Hebrew a Shockist. Shockist comes from the word shock and means someone who has absolutely no idea what is going on!

I finished tying my boots, correctly this time, and arranging my shirt and pants and glanced up at the mirror. It was weird looking at myself in the mirror with the uniform that I have only watched other people wear for so long. Finally it was me that was wearing the uniform. I felt a mixture of confusion, pride, anxiousness, and disbelief.

Once you finish putting on your uniform you exit the building and check that you have all the supplies you're supposed to in your kitbag. The people giving out the supplies could not care less about who or what they gave out. So I realized that I should probably take advantage of this opportunity. Seeing how hard it was to do things in the army I thought ahead and realized I should probably take extras! What if some where along the lines I lost something, it would be difficult to get a new one. So I explained that I didn't get this pair of shorts, that bag, and this belt. Finally, with a much heavier bag, I went upstairs to wait with the rest of the kids from Garin Tzabar to leave.

Mati, one of the kids from my garin, is from Holland. He is a character, to say the least. Anyway, unsurprisingly, he is the last one to get all of his stuff and is not finished by the time everyone else is, even me. We must've waited for at least an hour. No sign of him. Everyone who was not from Garin Tzabar began to form lines and wait to be loaded onto a bus taking them to army ulpan (Hebrew lessons during basic training), which is one of the worst places to go! A commander explained to us that we, from Garin Tzabar, also needed to line up and that we would also be going. We immediately sat down and said we weren't going anywhere until a higher commander came to talk with us. We were supposed to go home and not to some base for people who don't know Hebrew!

Everyone who had been drafted was lined up and ready to be loaded onto buses, except for us. Their commanders were yelling at them for this and that and finally we see Mati come out of the supply building, kitbag open, one pant leg tucked in, his shirt half-tucked in, very unorganized. Everyone from Garin Tzabar, to the dismay of every commander in sight, began singing, as loudly as possible, about how late Mati was. We sang to the tune of soccer chants. Immediately every commander started yelling at us to be quiet but we knew we were about to go home, now that Mati had finally showed up, so we just kept singing away!

We left the base at around 7:30pm, walked to a bus station and took a bus to Tel-Aviv. As I have tried to stress my Kibbutz is in the very, very, northern part of Israel. We caught the last bus to our Kibbutz. Unfortunately this bus made nearly every stop possible between Tel-Aviv and our Kibbutz. Believe me, Israel is a small country but there are a hell of a lot of stops between Tel-Aviv and my Kibbutz! We arrive to the kibbutz promptly at around 2:00am. Quite a day. Oh and the army is just amazing!

Alright it is pretty late and I can't concentrate enough to proof read this. For the sake of actually posting something I am going to post this as is before I lose it, don't have internet access, or any number of other things happen that prevent me from posting this. So, please pardon my lack of writing skills.

I love hearing everyone comments and questions so don't be shy now!

Although it is a little bit late, I hope everyone has a happy new year and enjoyed the holidays.

Aaron