Aliyah Diary: Part 9

Life

Hey y’all! It’s been a little while… Sorry about that… A lot has been going on and I haven’t really had the mental capacity to sit down and write to update you. It’s a weird thing… Part of this still feels like a dream, like we are here on vacation, and are going to be returning to America any day now! You know that feeling? Like where you need to get everything done in x number of days or else you will be missing out! It still feels that way. But at random points, it hits me that no, this is not a dream, this is real life. There are jobs to find, bank accounts to set up, appointments to be made, and cars to research. There are taxes, and buses, and oh, a whole new language to learn. There is so much to do!

The truth is, I am overwhelmed… I miss my family and friends in Baltimore… I miss the smell of the firehouse, the kitchen table, and all the conversations that happened around it. I miss being able to comfortably speak and relate to people.

Don’t get me wrong… I am happy to be here! I love having access to the holiest places in Judaism. I can hop on a bus and be in Jerusalem in less than two hours. Israel isn’t just a place I think about anymore. It is where I live! I am here!

But I miss my people, my places, and my things. I know it will get better with time. My Hebrew will improve, and our lift will arrive from America with our belongings. But right now, I’m having a hard time.

Love you all!
-Yoni