Oscars Mistake and My Non-Mistake

The Oscars. Red carpet. Crazy dresses. Weird glasses. Couples who are generations apart, sometimes the same gender, and many times both famous.

Since as far back as I can remember, Oscar night was a night I stayed up late (the good stuff was always at the end!), sat on my mom’s bed and gave my predictions and gasps throughout the evening.

What’s funny is how the Oscars became a benchmark for my aliyah growth over the years.

When I first made aliyah, I would cry the night of Oscars that I was missing out and figured out a way to see it live. The next year I was still sad but waited until the next night to see the recording. The next year I watched the highlight clips. The next, I just googled who won each award and looked at every picture. The next, I asked my mom who won and gave my opinion. The next year, I asked who won and had no opinion. The next year I didn’t even ask.

Then this year I reached a whole new level: I didn’t even know the Oscars was happening until my Facebook feed was inundated with “THE mistake.”

What mistake? Wait, what? The Oscars were last night? And there was a mistake?

First of all, the mere fact I had no idea the Oscars had happened is sheer testimony to my adaptation (and elevation?) in my aliyah process. Second, I did not recognize any of the movies mentioned and I barely recognized the actors/actresses.

And then after reading about THE mistake it dawned on me. Never in history of the Academy Awards had there ever been a mistake as bad as this… Stating the wrong best picture! I mean, c’mon, it doesn’t get much worse than that. And I missed it. The drama. The shock. The buzz.

And I couldn’t care less.

Lately when someone goes to America and asks me what I need, I actually can’t think of anything. I used to have long lists. Then they became shorter. Now, between Next and Osher Ad, I don’t think I am actually missing anything in this country. Even the only product I used to buy and stock up on from the US is now sold at SuperPharm (I bet you want to know what it is!)

This is not only the country of startup nation, it’s the holiest country there is in the world. I think my ongoing, never ending, aliyah journey has happened partially through osmosis but I think I had a bit to do with it. What I do know is that living here is the biggest possible gift I could ask for.

2017 will mark my 10-year anniversary of aliyah (although I cheated a bit in the middle) and I can truly say that the Oscars has become a benchmark of my growth and detachment from the aspects of non-Israeli/Jewish life that I don’t feel I longer need.

The Academy made a mistake. But if the most perfect, rehearsed, expensive, and glorified night in Hollywood could make a mistake, it only deepens my appreciation that there is nothing so glamorous on the “other side” and I’m grateful that I didn’t make a mistake in living here.

I moved to Israel. And not for one minute do I regret it.