This is an ode to a wonderful weekend filled to the brim with seeing friends and getting to know their families. In an attempt at organization, here we go...
The Serious: Last week I had several talks with great people, and each and every time the topics of converting to Judaism and living in Israel came up (who knew that I would incite such conversations?). Whenever people ask if I'm ready to live here and become Jewish, the answer is slightly...complicated. The last two months have really opened my eyes to both aspects of Israel and Judaism I love and value (i.e. family, tradition, lifestyle) and aspects I do not always understand or accept (i.e. immigration, politics). No place is perfect, indeed. But as many friends have point-blank told me, "Israel is not an easy place to live." A friend from Cornell, a Jewish-American, told me that after two years here she still grapples with being a foreigner at times. I tell people all the time that I love Tel Aviv, since it is the best place in Israel for a liberal non-Jewish Asian-American to live. True fact, but a city isn't representative of an entire country. Most days I am happy with my life here, surrounded by some of the most loving and warm people I have ever met, doing satisfying work that I am passionate about. But sometimes I am still very bothered by the fact that the country, in its foundation, sees my presence as a threat to the Jewish people. While Matan, his family, and our friends are as supportive and encouraging as possible, I need to come to terms with the fact that some people (in Israel and out) will always think that I have no right to be here. Yes, there are probably racist Americans who think that I am not a "real" American. But there's a difference between being born into a country (the US) and then actively choosing to establish a new life in a new country (Israel). And I haven't even gone into the related topics of conversion, religion, God, the army, war...so. I told you it was complicated...:)
The Less Serious: This is the first time I've lived in a city, and I adore it. Next week will be my last in Tel Aviv, which makes me a little teary already. For years I've been jealous of my city-dwelling friends. I'm glad I ended up in rural upstate NY for college, but I'm equally (if not more) glad that I moved out of there and found myself here instead. There's just this buzz that I feel so energized by, the constant movement of people, the density of individuals in one space. The overwhelming number of fascinating streets and corners, cafes, stores, galleries. It is like one big treasure hunt all the time. The apartment is located in such a central spot--I really feel the pulsing of the heart of the city. Plus, Tel Aviv just has this young, liberal, eclectic vibe, with beach-side yoga, vegan restaurants with names like "Buddha Burger," tons of NGOs, and a disproportionate number of people with tattoos of Chinese characters. Tel Aviv won my heart very quickly. BUT despite my love for this city and its beach, art, and culture...I am quite ashamed of how "loose" I've been with my wallet lately (mainly with food, honestly). URBAN LIFE IS EXPENSIVE. I want to keep living in cities. Cities are expensive. I want to keep working with NGOs. NGOs do not equate big salaries. What a dilemma.
The Not Serious: Thursday night I saw
500 Days of Summer at the Haifa International Film Festival...hehe,
international American movie! I also spent a lot of the weekend with my friend Amir, meeting the family's two new kittens (one named Pascal), two new puppies (half St. Bernard), chickens and roosters, frogs, birds, garden hedgehog, Amir's awesome family, and more cats and dogs. And seeing the lychee, mango, cotton, guava, pomegranate, fig, pecan, grape, orange, etc. trees/plants on their land. Amazing. Kittens and puppies and babies (Amir has a new nephew) make the world fuzzy and happy. In another life, I really wish I could go around distributing baby animals and spreading joy and love. In case the whole NGO thing doesn't work out...I also got to have Shabbat dinner with my friend Kesem and her aunt, uncle, and awesome cousins. Dinner started with prayers and ended with chasing each other around with foam swords. Very cultural, indeed...
A funny pic I've been meaning to share--the sign, and then me, Amir, Matan and Kes.
A new campaign to protect the children of migrants. These posters are everywhere--car windshields, restaurant and store windows, street corners, building walls, back of bikes...
"גירוש עכשיו" means "Deportation now!"
A new campaign to protect the children of migrants. These posters are everywhere--car windshields, restaurant and store windows, street corners, building walls, back of bikes...
"גירוש עכשיו" means "Deportation now!"
