6 months and the start of a New Year

I would like to wish a Shana Tova to all my readers and hope the new year is sweet and successful.

As we approach Rosh Hashana and another new year, now is a good time to look back on the 6 months since aliyah. It is hard to believe that yesterday it was 6 months since Sonia and I landed in Israel to begin a new stage in our life. These six months have not always been easy, and starting a new life in any country including Israel can be challenging but to anyone who is contemplating aliyah (or even not yet considering it) I would recommend it.

In order to absorb ourselves into Israeli life here in Modiin we have there have been a number of challenges but like the vast majority of olim we have overcome them.

We are starting to get a little better at speaking in Hebrew. I can now understand what most people ask me and get by in Hebrew. However, there is always more that can be done and so this week we began a new term of ulpan in Modiin, and it is nice to be in a class of brand-new olim and see their early excitement of life in Israel. It also helps to remind me why we came to Israel when life begins to become routine.

As I have mentioned in a previous post, I am also now working at the Jerusalem Post and am pleased to be working with nice people in a job which is helping to grow Israel's economy and spread Israel's message through the Jerusalem Post newspaper. After two months working in Israel, it also makes me feel that I have settled here and am able to learn from veteran olim and sabras about what life is like here in Israel. While the money is a lot less than I was earning in England, it is enough to ensure we are able to lead a nice life.

I have also been reading Daniel Gordis' latest book and in his words, the reason the Jewish People need Israel and should live in Israel is because, it allows the Jewish people to determine its own lives and laws and to lead freely and unthreatened, something which until 61 years ago was not possible for 2000 years. I am therefore be pleased to be entering my first full year in Israel and to be part of Israel's and the Jewish People's future. Life will not always be easy and we will face challenges both on an indiviual and national level, but we will overcome these and be able to have a successful future.

Happy new year