Living in Israel (where sometimes plans and reality converge, but sometimes not) By Miriam Feigelman Despite being greeted by a bevy of girls singing and dancing to welcome our arrival on a Nefesh B’Nefesh flight, making Aliyah has been a humbling experience. In a good way. We have learned to live life day by day by day. Outside of Israel we conceptually understood we were not in charge. But given that there was an apparent cause and effect between our plans and the expected outcome, we were hard pressed to realize how little control we actually had. We have learned not to take anything for granted. Here, we make plans and then, whatever actually happens, happens. Sometimes plans and reality converge, but often not. The repairman actually shows up within the expected timeframe? A gift! The correct appliance is actually delivered? A special surprise! Mussar lessons abound in the most unexpected places: • Girls in mini-skirts and low cut blouses kissing the mezuza as they walk into a public building • Cab drivers giving us hearty welcomes and brachot for an easy yishuv; not complaining when we’re short a shekel or two, telling us it’s OK (we ran out of change) • Repairmen with uncovered heads lauding our decision to make Aliyah and emphasizing how we should thank G-d we are able to live here 18 |Pesach 2020
• A t a restaurant, a loud and hearty Amen coming from men, gold chains dangling around their necks, who look like they belong in the mafia • T he waitress in skinny pants concerned that we are mixing fish and dairy (a Sefardi custom, not ours) • T he bareheaded waiter telling a friend who is obviously wearing a wig that she shouldn’t be having coffee at his café since it is open on Shabbat • T he Egged bus driver, who, after the bus breaks down TWICE on our way to Jerusalem, says, “It’s all in Hashem’s hands, not to worry. Let’s get out and daven maariv while we’re waiting.” And the bus proceeds to empty of all the men. We have undergone a cleansing process for the ego, tossed about like the laundry in our front loaders, to ensure that it is crystal clear just WHO is in charge. Certainly not us. I find myself too easily intimidated by some cab drivers and delivery men who overcharge; do they see an American and think “Now is my big opportunity”? Part of me views this as my contribution to the Israeli economy. A strange highlight in this saga is my very humbling encounter with Varda, the Russian Israeli ozeret. She is somewhat of a cross between a Soviet colonel ferociously attacking any smidgen of dirt (dislodging shower
