Here I Go

That's one big issue down: I now have a place to live. I was invited to Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi for Shabbat and for them to decide if they'd want me to stay there. After hearing about various kibbutzim, Tirat Tzvi had sounded the best; it's a bit larger than the last one I was on, is in the north, and they have a Garin Tzabar there. Garin Tzabar is a program for people from Americans and Canadians to move to Israel and live on a kibbutz together, and go to the army. So there are 14 other North Americans going through a a very similar experience to mine.


The kibbutz is beautiful. Even after a year on Beautiful View Rd, I spent a long while just walking around and staring. They had apologized several times beforehand saying that they didn't have a proper room open yet, so I'd have to be in one of the smaller and not-so-nice rooms for Shabbat and a week or two. I was expecting something like my room on Be'erot Yitzchak or maybe a bit worse, but instead I had a room about that size to myself (instead of with two roommates), a private bathroom/shower, a kitchenish area, and air conditioner. I can't imagine what their "nice" rooms are like.

Everyone there seemed much friendlier than at Be'erot Yitzchak, although I get the feeling that soldiers (especially lone soldiers) are held in higher esteem overall than Hebrew students. And I was quite proud of myself - aside from when I was with just the Americans, all my conversations were in Hebrew (of course, with some English thrown in for words I didn't know).

The only drawback was that it's a lot more isolated than I had thought. If you go down to the map I provided a few weeks ago, it's next to Beit She'an, by the Jordan River and near the Kinneret/Sea of Galilee. It doesn't look so bad, but let's try this map:



The kibbutz is basically on the Jordanian border and 1.5km from the West Bank. There is a direct road to Jerusalem, but otherwise you have to go all the way around the West Bank.

I don't yet know when or how I'll move all my stuff from Haifa to the kibbutz, but I've been told that the army gives extra days off at the beginning to move and some friends in Haifa offered to help and drive (I've also heard rumors that the army will transport my things for me, but I'm not sure on that).


And of course, the other big event and purpose behind this blog. In 9 hours, I have to be at the main bus station of Haifa to begin my service. I still don't know much of what will happen - I expect we'll go to the Bakum, the huge base near my first kibbutz where every soldier spends their first and last day in the army. We'll get our unforms, IDs, and various other items and forms. From there, we'll see. Some people have told me I'll do a Hebrew course (anywhere from two weeks to three months long), others have said I'll find out my unit and go directly there.

As for the unit, the common unofficial opinion is that I'll be put in Golani. If not there, perhaps Givati or Nachal. Basically, one of the infantry units. Again though, these are just estimates from people not currently in the army, based on my call-up date.

The plus side to being in the Hebrew course is I'll have more time off in the beginning, so it would be easier to move and get somewhat settled into the kibbutz, plus I'd be able to take advantage of the free public transportation for soldiers to visit people. On the other hand, I've heard horrible things about the course. Well, not the course itself, but the people who are in it - mostly your typical asshole teenagers who just want to look cool and piss everyone off, plus they don't speak Hebrew.

In any case, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough, and I'll let you all know when I can.


I'll leave here with a quote from the most famous Israeli soldier:

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; those who love you will be serene. May there be peace within your walls, serenity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and my comrades, I shall speak of peace in your midst."