Start Dealing with the Army

In order to get into sherut leumi, they told my I needed to get my ptor (exception) from the army. What should have been a very simple procedure is much more complicated simply because it's "the army." Everyone I speak to seems to tell me the same things. I need to push to get what I want, I can't take "no" for an answer and the army is a real pain. Great.

It took me reading an article that Rabbi Meir Kanane of blessed memory wrote about women serving in the IDF to finally decide wholeheartedly that I didn't want to join the army.
If anyone wants to see the article email me.

This past week I walked in to the army recruitment office in Jerusalem to try to work out getting my ptor, and they told me that they couldn't help me and that I had to go down to Tel Hashomer for it. That was pretty unfair because my Israeli ID card had a Jerusalem address so the Jerusalem office should take me. It's all because the army got my grandmother's address in Rishon Letziyon, which is closest to Tel Hashomer. So fine, as annoying as it was I had no choice but to go to Tel Hashomer. The lady that I was talking to told my before I left that it wasn't guaranteed that they would give me a ptor, but I could try. How rude! Since when does a religous girl get drafted into the army against her will? I haven't heard of it ever. But as far as I'm concerned either way, the army has two choices. They can either give me my ptor so I can serve the country or draft me and waste their time and money because I'll be sitting in the jail.
Not that I will be doing that because they will be giving me my ptor. They just better give it to me fast because I'm pretty annoyed with them already! Chutzpah!

To get a ptor from the IDF I first needed to get a letter from a rabbi that I'm religious. It was a really funny experience. My relative's father-in-law is a dayan (judge) for the rabbinical court in Jerusalem. He told me to come to him and then made sure that I got special treatment for everything there. It was really nice of him. I had to sign a document that stated that I kept shabbat and only ate kosher, and some other things but I don't remember what they were. Then the document got the official stamp on it. That was awesome. I felt like I got my kosher sign. I was kosher. Hahaha, not every day someone can show that they're actually kosher. ;)
I need to show the army that document to prove that I'm religious.

The army recruitment base in Jerusalem was enough of an experience to push me far away from the army as a female with self respect! I only had to walk up one flight of stairs before some guys tried starting up with me. I was so unimpressed I didn't know what to do with myself. I really felt like telling them to grow up. It made me realize the truth of how our country is being protected largely by little kids. The revelation was eye-opening. On the one hand some of these guys are so obnoxious but on the other hand they are here to protect the land and its people. I only hope that more soldiers would realize that being a puppet of the goevernment isn't protecting the nation. What happened with the last disengagement should NEVER happend again. The government tore us apart from the inside out. It turned us all against each other. the government corrupted the very thing the army stood for. That cannot be forgotten or forgiven.

My experience at Tel Hashomer recruitment office was a different style. I basically got there, waited in line outside, and was told I had to go home and come back on Sunday. Wow! Think it sounds REALLY stupid? Yeah, that's because it was! I called them and they just told me to come. I mean, they couldn't just tell me on the phone!? But the people weren't there and there was no one to take care of me and nothing the person there could do so I had to go home. Fine, I went home. But Sunday is it. I'm really not in the mood to let them make me crazy going back and forth twenty times just because they say so. We'll see come Monday.

Oh no, so sick!

I Woke up this morning not feeling well. Many people would probably like to blame it on the fact that i don't sleep enough. I think they might be right this time. :(

Last night my roommate from P'ninim got married in a beautiful wedding hall near Jerusalem. So many girls that I knew were there. Besides girls that were in Israel that I had been in school with, I also saw some old friends that I had worked with in a day camp in Baltimore. They live in Israel so I'll be seeing them more when I get settled. A lot of the girls that were at the wedding from my seminary were married and wearing their wigs. It was kind of funny and cute. Now I have two roommates from P'ninim married, one engaged, and two more that I'm still waiting to hear some good news from. I think it's really cool.

As far as how I'm doing here, I still have a lot to take care of. I wasn't feeling well all day so that kind of burnt my Monday. Tomorrow I really hope to feel better and go to the army and get my exemption. Then I can stop at the bank and open an account. Once I have my bank account I can go get a cell phone. (Very excited about that!!!) Then I need to get placed in sherut leumi (national service) and make an appointment with the department of internal affairs to give them my bank account number so that they can put money into it. Yeah that's one bonus to aliyah, getting free money and other benefits just because you're new. Haha!

Anyway, I'm hoping to go to sleep soon and feel way better tomorrow. I think that my laptop is actually causing me to not feel as good as I could be because of the electrmagnetic energy it's giving off. When I start sherut leumi though hopefully I won't be around it as much, but still manage to blog often enough.

I'm really happy about living in Israel and am very excited about what the future will bring.

First Shabbat in Israel

It almost feels like I never left Israel. I remember a year ago when I was in seminary I spent a large portion of my nights at my cousins in the Arab Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It's no surprise to me that I ended up there again for my first shabbat back. And I'm really happy about that. It's like home in a way...

I told my cousins that I wanted Rabbi Nachman Kahane to be my rabbi in Israel so Friday night we stopped him as he was leaving his shul and my cousins made intoductions.
I originally found out about him because of his famous brother, Rabbi Meir Kahane of blessed memory. David Appletree, a very successful Jewish activist on the web, founder of the Jewish Internet Defense Force first exposed me to Rabbi Meir Kahane and I realized that I shared many similar views. Although I don't know everything there is to know about him, I greatly respect and admire him. After meeting his brother, Rabbi Nachman Kahane, I am very thankful to David Appletree and his efforts in the JIDF because I have finally found a perspective I trust, and a rabbi that I can go to here in Israel.

Rabbi (Nachman) Kahane told me to come to shabbat morning prayers at around 7:30/8:00. Yeah you bet I was there! I haven't been "on time" for morning services since I can remember, so this was quite an experience.
The shul is located on the main street in the Arab Quarter that leads to the kotel. It's also the same street that my cousins live on, so it's not a far walk at all. Being that it's Ramadan the streets are packed with stinky Arabs that don't use deoderant, and spices and stuff that make you wish you had a gas mask. At peak times getting through the street means getting squished in between everyone and slowly moving through the crowd.
I was lucky and when I walked to the shul because the street wasn't too packed that early in the morning. The shul has a Young Israel sign above the door and when you first walk in you need to go up stairs. Then there's a library and I think also a daycare, and then after walking up more stairs you get to where the actual shul is. there's a small courtyard, washrooms, a kitchen, and the sanctuary. Inside the sanctuary it felt homey and friendly. Being a bit shy it was nice that there were few women there that morning. I absolutely loved the rabbi's speech which was unusual for me so I'm very happy about that.
After prayers were over I went outside to the courtyard and was talking to one of the ladies. When I told her that I made aliyah, she got very excited for me. A man walking by heard and came over.
"Did I hear right? You just made aliyah?" Then there was only a few words between us before another man heard and came over, and then another, and another lady. Wow, it was a lot of enthusiasm for such a short moment.

The rabbi had a kiddush honour of my aliyah and everyone turned to look at me when he introduced me. I was soooo embarrassed, I didn't know what to do with myself. Everyone was so happy for me though! And after I had a short conversation with Rabbi Kahane before I left.
It was a really nice experience and I highly recommend it.

Later that afternoon I had a long nap (of course!). :)
My cousins and I went to visit other cousins that were staying in the David Citadel Hotel. Their father is the mashgiach there every other shabbat (supervises the kitchens to make sure the food is prepared according to Jewish law). So it was also really nice seeing more family. Last time I saw them, their little baby girl was a newborn. Now she's walking and even talking a little. Oh, best part; she has soft curly hair!

WWII Allied Planes Reached Auschwitz, But Didn't Bomb the Camp

I just read some recent news on the U.S. Air Force during World War II.
For anyone interested, click here to read the article.

pics?

I think I got this right.
http://s438.photobucket.com/albums/qq104/shiraprez/
Hopefully you will be able to see pictures through that link.

Jewish Students to Protest

Check out this link, it's nice to finally see some unification of Jews around America, and some activism! http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=75046
I really hope it's a big success and will be an inspiration for more Jews to take initiative and stand up for Israel.