This sucks.
As it gets closer to when I planned on leaving, it gets harder to be here...I had wanted to go at the beginning of July-- about a week before Etzion starts the summer session. That would have been the July 6 flight. And now I'm not.
I miss it...6 more months, that what I keep telling myself...but it feels like it's been 6 months for ages and ages...which it has...since I decided to push it off by 6 months! That doesn't change!
I don't get it...why do I miss it so much? I never missed NY this much when I was in Israel-- and I'm from NY!
I was interviewing somebody yesterday, and he said something about Israelis being tough. I said Americans aren't always so easy to deal with either. But then I said, "But Israelis will help you." And that's what it is. I miss the sense of family, of caring, of everybody looking out for you and being willing to help you.
One of the amazing things that I am discovering is that the second I identify myself as in the process of making aliyah, it's like-- "Mazal tov, when?" And then I ask a question and get answers and references...I mean, I went to get stuff translated and notarized. I was talking to the lawyer who did them (because in Israel only lawyers are notaries-- and the fees are insane, but that's another story) gave me the name and number of her friend who is a veteran olah and also an occupational therapist. I have somewhere around 10 occupational therapists that I am in touch with. I have met most of them once or maybe twice. And all of them, both the native Israelis and olim, are willing to answer any questions I have and give me other people to contact-- even the lawyer I went to for document translation and notarization says, "Oh, I have a friend who's an olah vatikah [veteran immigrant] who's an OT-- here's her name and number, call her." Really? That's amazing. It's a country made up of immigrants that did not exist 62 years ago.
People say, "You're making aliyah? From America? You crazy?"-- and they say this in English. Translated it means, "You're crazy-- welcome home, you'll fit right in to this place. When are you coming for dinner? [if you're single, this next sentence applies as well] I have a boy/girl for you."
It's a jumbled mix of emotions...hang on
On the way to the "beach"-- lots of people already
The sun trying to come out, sort of. The rain held off until the event was pretty much over. Thanks, G-d!
Dana and Ilana posing by the giant arrow (it was right before you entered the event...in case you missed the people or music or got lost between there and the entrance 10 feet away)
The skyline
Obligatory NY protesters-- at least there were no Neturei Karta this time
A small version of the plane I will be on when I make aliyah
The Tel Aviv 
In case you thought you might actually be in TA (you know, with the skyline and beach), they put up a sign to let you know where you are
One of the early bands
Classic photo-- middle-aged Israeli woman sitting in a beach chair under an umbrella, holding a cigarette
they had no chocolate-banana anything :(
The girls-- Me, Dana, Ilana, and Vered
This was cute-- my popsicle dripped in the shape of a smiley face. Could not have done it if I wanted to or had tried.
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