Shalom Hevrea Ani Mitzsteret

Shalom Hev'rea. I am sorry to do this but I had absolutely no time to write this break. But trust me I have so much to tell. Know I am good fine healthy strong happy enjoying life struggling but happy with my stuggles. I have amazing people in my life now. In the army and when I return home, so life is beautiful. I will come home next week and promise to write something more than this. Please everyone be well and have a great week.

The Life Of A Soldier........

This is Sharony and me at the good-bye party we had at Mike's Place in Tel Aviv. She is from Australia and made Aliyah with her family.
Here is the bulk of everyone that came to the good-bye party. From left clockwise: Daniel (Gila's boyfriend. His parents are American but he was born and raised in Israel. BTW his dad is from Syracuse!!!), Gila from Canada, I forget this next girls name but she is the one who is 24, then me,then Sharon, Brit from Australia, who has Israel parents, Inbar, whoa lso has Israeli parents, Chile (I actually don't know her name, cuz everyone just calls her Chile, Rebecca from France,and Dinah from the US with an Argentinian mom and Israeli dad.

Yah, yah us again.


OK I'm going to try something new, that being actually writing!!!! It is Satrurday morning and I will start, unlike what I usually do which is scribble a few things on Saturday night at like 12 when I am tired and packing my bag for the week.

My week:

On Monday, on 3 hours of sleep I woke at 5am and schlepped my two bags (they told my friend Julia that we would be on the base for two weeks, not true, so I brought everything but the kitchen sink so I could leave things there, which turned out to be a bad idea on so many levels! First because it was so much to lug around all over Israel, second we didn’t stay for two weeks, third we are living in tents and we can’t leave things on the base, forth because I got another bag from the army so I had three bags to figure out what to do with!) I was supposed to be in Tel Aviv at Tel HaShomer at 9am. And thank God Israel works late and not thank God because you end up wasting so much time for no reason. I didn’t get to Tel HaShomer (the base that does all the processing of soldiers in Tel Aviv) till 10:30 and didn’t get to the actual place I needed to be till 11:130 and when I showed up, nothing had been done, there were just a million girls all sitting around waiting. I met a really nice girl that is also in my course named Bat-Chen (which translated means: daughter of beauty. Great name.), and Julia who was from my Hebrew course. We sat around and talked, slept and just waited. At about 3pm we finally began doing stuff to get ready to leave. We got new uniforms. It’s so cool because now I have the guys uniform!! OK, girls that are in combat or semi-combat situations get the boys uniform. Now all this time I thought to myself: self, I like the way that uniform looks so much more and it looks so much more comfortable to me. And well, I was right. It doesn’t give you constant wedgies like the girls and everything just hangs better. Plus I got combat boots that to my surprise are incredibly comfortable. The pants fit like a glove the shirt is huge so sometime I will get it fitted. But having the guys uniform is one of those things here that is cool because it gives you a status. I mean as an Israeli you are seeing soldiers in uniform EVERYWHERE. And you are always looking at their tags and uniforms because you can figure out what they do and what not. So to be a girl with the guy uniform you get some props and respect, because well, it is cool. I had to give back my girls uniform, which was a bit of a pity because I just got it tailored for me, but luckily it was not expensive. But still.

At about 5pm we left for the army base that is south of Be'er Sheva. So it took a long time to get there. The land is so different in the south. I am used to looking out and seeing mountains, or hills, or something that is land. But everything is so flat there and very colorless. All you can see basically is the sky. And the sky seems so big there. I don’t even think the sunrises are as beautiful as in the north. We slept on the bus and also filled out some paper work about ourselves. Except for a handful of girls like me, all of them are new to the army. And wow, all of them except for a handful are truly Israeli. I think I am the newest to the country and for sure the worst Hebrew speaker.

After a just a week, I feel like my last two months were not really in the Israeli army but in this weird holding cell of the army; a kind of Russian army within the army. I shouldn’t be so critical and judgmental because I did learn so much Hebrew, but I really realize how much Russian I was hearing everyday. Now all I hear is Hebrew 24/7 and to be honest it is a bit overwhelming. I feel for the first time in the year and a half that I have been here that I am truly immersed in the language and culture. At this moment it is hard, but I know this will only lead to really mastering the language because frankly for the first time I will have to. Its do or die at this point. Meaning, if I can’t swim in this pond I will be sent back to the processing base and given a much lesser function. And that is not what I want at all. Because this seems to be such a cool role in the army.

OK so basically what ever I said last week about what I would be doing in the army, this is the updated version. Because now I know more and I can correct myself on what I said. First of all I am not in a harder basic training. I will not learn to throw grenades. I am in the same basic training as before. Which kind of sucks because I feel like at least if I have to do another basic training I would like to learn something new or do something harder. With training and the course it will be 10 weeks. And what am I really going to be doing? Well, maybe we should be amazed because for once someone listened. I mean Israel is notorious for not giving a fuck about what you say. But actually I was heard (I think) I will be doing photography in the army!! But not in the way I am used to. I will be learning a whole new kind of photography, with special cameras and other equipment. Let me explain because I will not only be doing photography, it is just a part, but I am really excited.

The name of my role is Titspitanit (tit-speet-tan-eet), which is Observer, remember. So the role of the Titspitanit is to be on a boarder; if that will be on the boarder of Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, or the boarder of the West Bank, like Jennin. And I will be using all this equipment to “observe” the boarders and find people (terrorists) coming into the country and report it, so that the real fighters can get those bad boys. My officer said that because of Titspitanot (plural) they on average stop four potential terror attacks a day!!! Do you understand? What a cool job to have in the army. I will be in part of the army that is the eyes of/for Israel. I can’t tell you how proud, honored, and humble I feel.

And I think it is considered semi-combat because of the location I will be in. Probably I will be in the North because of where I live. But that is not guaranteed. And they told us that we would probably go home every week or do 10 days on 4 days off, which would be nice I think. Oh and after the course, when I am really in the job I will have a gun, M-16. Which silly as it may sound is one more of those things of having a status. It will suck though because then I have to lug it everywhere in the army, on the bus and what not. And when I go home I have to be very careful because well, I will have a weapon in my house.

They showed us this really brain washing/educational short film this week called: Where is the gun? In this film you see this soldier get on the bus and instead of leaving his gun on him he hooks it to the handle in the seat in front of him. Then an annoying girl soldier gets on and starts talking a mile a minute and he falls asleep. When he wakes up, he jumps off the bus (forgetting his gun). Of course he realizes it to late and then they show the question again: where is the weapon? And then they show footage of Palestinian terrorist holding a M-16 talking into the camera, like they do before they go blow themselves up. It is on the one hand probably true that this is one way that they can acquire weapons but on the other hand it seemed like such a propaganda film. I mean yes, terrorist must get weapons from Israel and no soldier should be so careless with something such as a device to kill people, but it was just the way it was portrayed that bothered me a bit.

Anyway, on to other topics about the army, because frankly that is all that is going on my life. There are over 100 girls in my company. We are all living in tents with about 13-15 soldiers in each one. And there are 3 toilets for over 100 girls. Yes, you heard me right, 3 toilets, and 6 showers. And remember we all have an hour to shower. That’s an average of 4-minute shower give or take. The good thing is that I figured out the secret in my first basic training. That is, that people are stupid and everyone tries to cram in to the showers in the first 30 minutes. If you wait for about 30 minutes there is almost no one and you don’t have to fight the crowds. And if you just saw some of these girls on the street you would think, “wow they are so self-confident and grown-up.” But put them in a bathroom with 3 three showers and no shower curtains and 20 other girls and they are such babies. They will all wait for the one shower that is around the corner so no one can see them, or they will shower in their underwear, or they will have a friend hold a towel up in front of the shower so no one can see them. They may look older than 18 but they act like little girls sometimes. The Russians were not like this at all. They are very open and confident with their bodies, sometimes two of them showering together to save time. Cultures are so interesting. Shower culture!

The food is better. Well maybe in three weeks I will hate it too. But it seems to be less oily and salty. And more variations and tastes. It just got to the point on the other base where everything tasted the same. And also they would use one ingredient over and over, like carrots in everything for a week. And they have tuna in my new base and a lot of avocado, and hot cereal in the morning, which is great because the nights are really cold, especially when you are sleeping outside in a tent.

I can tell you now I am so happy I bought a sleeping bag in the US, it really has come in handy and good use. The army provides you with a sleeping bag but God only knows what is living in that thing. And it ain’t no down sleeping bag from REI. What a spoiled brat I am!!! The nights are really cold but usually in the day it gets pretty warm. But by about 4pm it is getting cold again.

At night there are a million stars. Really the most stars I have ever seen. I mean you can see those stars that are just like white fog in the sky, there is no definition but you know they are stars. At night I can see the lights from Be'er Sheva in the distance, but other than that there is no huge light source. And it is so quiet.

I still don’t have security in my Hebrew skills so I am not really talking much, just listening. Which can be hard at times because I am sort of living in my own world. I am confident that this will change soon. My officer pulled me aside and told me that she can see I am new to the language and asked me how I am doing and if I understand everything. She told me to make sure to ask questions if I don’t understand. I think just on first impressions that out of all the officers mine is the nicest. Some of them seem so bitter, like they are really mean and it isn’t just an act. Also I notice all these officers look so much older in comparison to my last officers.

I am closing Shabbat, which means I won’t be home for 2 weeks. In the army we are so cut off from the world. I don’t hear the news, radio, and life outside. And because of the lack of electricity I am not using my phone very much at all. So bare with me but these next two weeks I will be very hard to reach and missing Thanksgiving :(

Oh My Darlin' I Have Grown With You, But My Roots Are On Both Sides Of The Sea

Let's take a look at some pictures first. Please note I didn't take any of these lovely photos, they are all from my friend Gila:
Below: A nice shot of The Kotel and one of the two famous mosques in Jerusalem.

In this one picture you have Americans, Canadians, Frenchies, Russians (and to be quite honest I know that at least one of them is not from Russia, but I don't remember where, and sadly we just group them all together. Eventhough she told me that she had to learn Russian when she came to Israel, because they don't speak it in the country she came from!), and a Holland chick.

This is at The Wall where we had a little ceremony. Everyone gathered around to see and listen, it was a bit embarassing and cool at the same time. I remember coming to the wall and seeing groups from the army and waiting and photographing them and now I am the one being watched and photographed!

This is at the look out point where Israel fought to regain Jerusalem. Walking through the trenches this time I had a whole new feeling than I did 3 years ago when I went there. Now after having to wear just some of the army gear I can't believe how skinny they built them, without the gear you could barely walk through!!!
This is me, Susy, and Gila.

Gila and the Latina's. BTW the girl in civilian clothes beat me in the oldest person in our group to volunteer....she is 24!

Goofing around!!

The second from the left was my Hebrew Officer/Teacher, Neta-Li. She is such a sweetheart. At the end we broke the distance and really got to talk and be normal, she told me how much she liked me and I told her the feeling was mutual. She made me a CD of Israel music that we had studied in class and we had a little cry over my finally getting Hebrew. When I told her how much it meant to me she was like: Oh god I am going to start to cry. Which made me cry! And then she did cry!

And just as we were sitting crying the Mem-Mem (I have no idea how you say her title in English, but she is two ranks higher than an ordinary officer) came by and said: Oh little Elizabeth, you are so sweet don't cry. You were always so quiet (then mocking me kindly) 'Ken ha Mem-mem'

And this is the Semelet who is one ramk below the mem-mem. She is from the Ukraine orginally and I liked to think of her as The Ice Queen. She was so good at disipline because she was quite scary. But I always thought she was so beautiful and I would have loved to photographer her. She just looked like what an officer should be: tough and stone cold. Even when we broke the distance at the end, she had more distance and self restaint than all the other officers.


Well my darlings I finished my basic training/Hebrew course this week and tomorrow I am moving on to bigger and more challenging things. I have recieved my job in the army. It is something within Intellagence called Titzponit. To be perfectly honest I know very little about it but it has mostly to do with guarding the boarders using computers and other instuments, by seeing if people ar trying to tunnel into the country or what not, entering illegally.

My neighbor and both my officers said this is an excellent job and they all have friends that are in it and really enjoy it. It is a lot of secrets, but they say it is a lot of fun too. In the dictionary the definition for my job is observer.

Meanwhile right now I have to take another basic training, this time one level higher which means it is a full 2 months of training. And I was informed that I would learn how to throw grenades. Mom said this isn't something she will tell most people, but I think she should. How many mother's in the world can say their daughter knows how to throw a grenade??!!

Anyway I will be gone for two weeks, unless there is some kind of miricale and we get to go home earlier.

ITS OK YOU CAN ADMIT YOU'VE BEEN WAINTING FOR THIS!!!!

That's right, little Lizzy in uniform!!!

OK I am here at home and its the night before I return for another two weeks and I can tell you I am kind of dreading it. Last week, or should I say last two weeks was the first time I had to "close Shabbat". Meaning stay all weekend. And Wow, I have so much more admiration for soliers (usually guys) who have to do this every time. It is really hard to be away from hom for such a long time!

I don't know how to describe everything that happened during the two weeks so I will try to make some highlights. But first, I will try to explain how you feel after staying for such along time. It may seem dramatic, and maybe it is, but it feels like you really loose a part of yourself. Like you have somehow morphed into a piece of all these girls, chaos, experiences. Like you are not trully you.

Its not to say it was hell or all bad. Actually some really nice things happened and I got to meet some really nice girls because of this weekend stay. I really got to know a girl named Gila, who is from Canada. She is in my platoon. She is a very special girl. She really wants to be a fighter, actually that is all she wants to do in the army. But she has family problems that are making it not possible for her to do this, and it is really stessful. She is the only girl in our company that I think could really be in combat and flourish. We went on a trip to Jerusalem at the end of the 2 weeks and she and I sat together and secretly listened to her ipod (we pretended to be sleeping). She introduced me to this new Matisyahu song called Jerusalem. It really feelsl like he wrote it when he was on the bus on the way to Jerusalem. There is this bus ride feeling to it and the words are stunning. It ties 3000 years to 60 years ago. These are the words but you really should hear it for yourself:

Matisyahu - Youth - Jerusalem

[Chorus]
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do.

In the ancient days, we will return with no delay
Picking up the bounty and the spoils on our way
We’ve been traveling from state to state
And them don’t understand what they say
3,000 years with no place to be
And they want me to give up my milk and honey
Don’t you see, it’s not about the land or the sea
Not the country but the dwelling of his majesty

[chorus]

Rebuild the temple and the crown of glory
Years gone by, about sixty
Burn in the oven in this century
And the gas tried to choke, but it couldn’t choke me
I will not lie down, I will not fall asleep
They come overseas, yes they’re trying to be free
Erase the demons out of our memory
Change your name and your identity
Afraid of the truth and our dark history
Why is everybody always chasing we
Cut off the roots of your family tree
Don't you know that's not the way to be

[chorus]

Caught up in these ways, and the worlds gone craze
Don’t you know it’s just a phase
Case of the Simon says
If I forget the truth then my words won’t penetrate
Babylon burning in the place, can’t see through the haze
Chop down all of them dirty ways,
That’s the price that you pay for selling lies to the youth
No way, not ok, oh no way, not ok, hey
Aint no one gonna break my stride
Aint no one gonna pull me down
Oh no, I got to keep on moving
Stay alive

[chorus]

So yeah, thats the song, but you really have to hear it get the full experience.


Then I met a really nice other girl named Dinah, who kindly provided me with this picture. She is in my company but I rarely see her cuz we just are in different circles and doing things at different times. She actually had to close Shabbat for 3 weeks!!! And therefore she was with our team. She is such a cool chick. She is organizing a finishing basic training and Hebrew course party at Mike's Place in Tel Aviv soon.

She had a crazy thing happen, where another girl who is from her team had to stay also. And the girl, who sleeps right next to Dinah, desided to get drunk and smuggle her boyfriend into the building and to the room. Where they proceeded to begin to...well, you can imagine what they were doing. So Dinah went out and told the officer. And then next door to our room we had 5 officers sceaming at 2 drunk kids trying to get him to leave. After so much yelling and fighting and things that I can't believe any guy would say and live it down, the officers called in a male officer to remove him with force, because they can't touch him.

Later that week we also saw another guy being walked out with handcuffs!! But these bad seeds are not completely removed, just for a time. And then you see them back with us, or they are kept for day before they are taken to army jail.

I did guarding with my group. It was a long 5 days. Little sleep and bordom. I studied when I could, called my dad, write Nancy a long letter. But at times I couldn't do these things that help to pass the time.

My best memory from the guarding will be from this place that is a base within our base. It was 3am and I was trying not to fall asleep and suddenly I saw a soldier coming. He came and was writing something. He asked me how everything was. Checked the walkie talkie. And left. Then he called me. I could see him. "Do you want cafe? Tea?" OK thanks cafe. Ten minutes later he returned with coffee. I thanked him and he handed me a sandwich. Now realize I had been craving tuna for days. And he told me take it its hot. I thanked him and opened it and it was a grilled tuna sandwich!!! With cheese and tomato and even some fries inside. it was sooooo good. I called him on the walkie talkie and thanked him. I love Hebrew. The answer was: to your health.

The other great thing that happened is I finally go the verb structure in most of the verb categories. This is hard to explain but it is such a break through, I think my life will become a lot easier. I was literally in tears when I realized that I understood it. By learning this I can now really learn verbs and hopefully speak better and not such a broken Hebrew. I thanked my teacher and wow am very excited.

Well boys and girls I must get some zzzzzzz's and you won't hear from me for another 2 weeks. But I should have a lot of news soon as to what is next and where I go. At the end of these two weeks I am done at Mikv'ah Alon and I will find out what direction is next.

I'll see you around Novemeber 10th. Till then keep well!

I'll let you in a really great thing....

I have spent more than I year living in a lie. Why? Because I desided it was too much inofrmation to tell you. Maybe it would be too shocking. You would worry to much. Well you know what, get over it!

I am about to tell you about one of the most amazing parts of Israeli society. One of the things that I love doing the most and that I have had the most fun doing. A thing that has helped me learn Hebrew. And learn life in Israel.

I HITCH-HIKE.

There I said it.

And unlike in America, hitch-hiking is a legal and common practice here. And it is so much fun. So much.

Some rules of hitch-hiking:

1. Its not called hitch-hiking here its called: tramping, taking a tramp and if you are a hitch-hiker then you are called a trampist.

2. Don't think that you can tell anything from the people that pick you up. Like "oh that guy looks Arab so I won't take a ride from him."

Example: One night i was coming back to En HaShofet from Ma-Agan Michael with Noa and Jessica. We were on a junction with an ISrael-Arab village trying to get a ride and a guy stopped. Jess was like, no he is Arab I could hear the music. I said I don't care but we all have to be comfortable. The guy just say there. Then he started to back up. So Noa said lets just ask. He was going almost the whole way to the kibbutz so we got in. The air was think with uncomfortable-ness. He had the music going and was drining pretty fast. No one talked. Then when he got to where we were to get off, he kept going towards the kibbutz. And he said, "its just a few more kilometers to your kibbutz so I will take you. After all it is dangerous for you to be out waiting for a ride at night."

Example: I got a ride two weeks ago from Meggido Junction when I wasn't even trying. I was waiting for the bus and a guy stopped. He looked so Arabic when I asked him where he was going he said get in. We were driving along and he asked me something and I didn't understand so I told him talka bit slower because I don't know Hebrew so good. "Oh do you speak Russian?" He was Russian.

Tramping really makes you stop having these huge ideas that you can tell what a person is like just by looking at them, or by what car they drive. And yes it is a gamble. But so is eating. Maybe you will choke on a piece of meat and die.

3.Always try to talk with the people.

You never know who you will meet, what they will say, what you will say to them to not only effect your day, but theirs too.Once i got a ride from a guy whose girlfriend was just going to be moving from the US to be with him and he was really nervous and was so excited to here how much I love Israel. When I got out of the car he said, "I am so happy to have meet you because you put me at more ease about her coming."

4. When tramping expect to get things:
I have had people give/offer me candy, soda, cigarettes, water, food. Phone numbers. Everything. They like to leave you with a memory of them.

5. Don't expect to have a bad experience because they are really few and far between. Most people arr true and nice people that only want to help you.

6. Always lie and say you have a boyfriend, it will save you from a lot of annoying questions. Unless of course you get a ride from a hot local kibbutznik who is going to the mountains to ride his bike. Then hit yourself for not giving him your number when he asks if you have a boyfriend.

7. It is illegal to hitch-hike as a soldier in uniform: so do it anyway. As a friend said, people love to pick up soldiers, it is even easier to do. And it is true. I got picked up last night on my way back to En Harod and it was a full car, kid, dog and couple. And the driver asked me you need ot stop in the gas station to get anything before Shabbat begins? Nice!

8. It is your safest bet no to go with truckers alone. This can be a bit dangerous. Eventhough I have done it and I am fine.


OK, and its not like I tramp everywhere. I do take buses. But there are a lot of places that buses don't go. And its not like I went form never doing it to doing it. Slowly slowly I started. Like first I just did it into the kibbutz on the kibbutz road. Then with friends. Then I started alone. Now it is fine. And it is the best time to practice my Hebrew. I used to make up stories of where I was from or what I was doing, or how long I had been in the country just to practice saying things in different ways!

My Space

I feel a bit foolish to post these, because my room looks a little bit more lived in these days. So maybe I should take update pictures. Plus I planted a garden now!! Its so cool how it happened. My neighbor Dora and I have been talking about it for weeks. And suddenly it just happened. I went to En HaShofet last weekend and bought some plants and when I returned Dora had turned all the earth, which I can only imagine how much work that was, because the earth was so bad. But now I have a nana (mint) marva (I don't know what that is in english. Oh I just looked it up: sage) And I got lemon grass. And then two kind of iceplant things. I have to take some pictures of that too.

Tzahal: part 1

I can’t explain how it seems so daunting to start this. I could have written something last week or earlier today, but I don’t even remember where to begin. Now that I am on week 4 of the army and I have not kept you up daily or weekly, so where do I start.

Slowly, slowly this will be a project to bring you up to speed.

OK. To start with the army is not soooooo bad as I first thought. I mean in the week before I was having bad sleep, upset stomach and well, diarrhea (sorry to be so honest). But the first day, I realized it’s not so bad. And that feeling grew on me as the time passed.

The first day was so long. Gani my friend took me to the bus station in Haifa where I was ordered to report. The night before I came to En HaShofet and my friends made a special dinner for me. It was so nice. We just hung out had good food, laughs, and wine. I went to bed pretty early and the slept amazing well considering. The next day as I was putting on my clothes, I just kept thinking this is so surreal, what am I doing.

I am so happy and grateful that I didn’t have to go to the bus station alone. Gani took the time off in the morning from the factory to take me. And it was great he had coffee for me when he picked me up and he sat with me in the big room where we all, new soldiers to be, sat glassy and wide-eyed. At this point, I don’t know why but I was not nervous.

They called my name as one of the first and Gani and I walked down stairs to the bus I was to board. We stood there for a few minutes and then I told Gani –OK go. Thank you, but go now. And I boarded.

We went from Haifa, the top of the country to Tel Aviv to a place called the ba-coom. That is the place that they process all the soldiers coming in. It was long day of lots of girls, waiting, do this, do that, sorry I don’t understand, can you say it in English. I gave bank info, got a phone card, They took the most extensive pictures ever of my fingers and hands. Head x-rays, teeth pictures, face pictures for my ID (that took 2 hours of waiting because the first time didn’t work for some reason), interviews of all kinds, blood sample for bone marrow donation match (optional), vaccinations (only two shots and I don’t think anything too horrid, tetanus and some booster thing) and, and, and.

We got a break to eat. Army food. Yummy.

And then finally got our kitbag and uniform. So much in one day. We tried on the uniform to make sure it was fitting semi-OK. (BTW now I got it fitted because it was so huge and ugly. I wore it for 2 weeks till I got a good look in the mirror and was like –Oh God! I look like I am in a potato sack, I must fix this. Now it fits and looks good! Sexy soldier girl maybe?) Sorry I still don’t have pictures.

And then waiting to see where we would be sent. Because I was not processed with just new immigrants. So all the new immigrants boarded another bus and back up North we went. When we got to the army base it was twilight already. We didn’t do much at that point. We got another kitbag. So you picture us with 3 huge bags! And we ate and got some of the processing there done and then went to bed.

So day one was done. Day two at this point I don’t even remember as something clear. So I will just talk now about the army experience.

First of all, my base has some amazing views. I can see Tzfat and for that matter the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and for that matter Jordan. Yes another country. The sunrise is so amazing and beautiful. I am not happy to wake up before it, but it is a nice present or consolation prize for the sleepy eyes.

There has been a lot of running, push-ups, sit-ups (this is funny: The word they call for these exercises is matsav, which means situation. So push-ups are called matsav 2 and sit-ups matsav 3. So think of how funny it sounds when you are translating from the commander- give me 30 of the second situation. Don’t sound right, right?)

In a lot of ways the most tiring thing was just the plan fact that we have so little sleep and we are up doing so much shit, bullshit for so long. Yeah bullshit. twenty seconds to run to this spot and be in order. 4o seconds to this spot.

Hearing the same things over and over, repeating things over and over. I think for the most part the food is horrible in the army. Its is just drenched in oil and salt. And we are only given ten minutes to eat each meal. And this is hard for me. I have had some tummy problems due to this stress on the body. What can I do?

We have shot two days a total of 8 or 9 times. And one thing, so when you get the gun you are like wow I’m carrying around a M-16 gun. Wow. But very soon after when the reality sets in it is not glamorous at all. Take it to the shower with you. Figure out how to go to the bathroom with it. Sleep with it under your pillow. Not to mention the fact that it weighs almost 7 pound or 3 kilos. I know that really isn’t a lot of weight, but very soon it becomes heavy. And my legs were covered in bruises from the gun.

But it was fun and scary to shoot. I did really good lying down and pretty bad on one knee and standing.

I have learned so much and I want to continue but it is late and I am really exhausted so I am sorry but this is going to have to wait till next week for a continuation.

Stay tuned. Same bat time, same bat channel.

Har Gilboa

Some facts and history:

District: Northern

Altitude: 508m/1,667ft

Situation and characteristics

Mount Gilboa, an outlier of the hills of Samaria, bounds the Jezreel plain on the southeast. Rising to a height of 508m/1,667ft above sea level, its summit is 628m/2,060ft above the town of Bet Shean, which lies 120m/393ft below sea level.

From the Afula-Bet Shean road a winding track runs up to the summit. The summit itself is a military area closed to the public, but there are good views on the way up.

History

Mount Gilboa was the scene of a tragic event in Jewish history. Here King Saul assembled his army for battle with the Philistines, who were encamped at Shunam, and consulted the witch of Endor. As the witch had foretold, the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines. Saul's sons Abinadab and Malchi-shua were killed; Saul, in despair, fell on his sword, and the victorious Philistines hung his body from the walls of Beth-shan (1 Samuel 31,1-12). David lamented over his death: "Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you..., for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away" (2 Samuel 1,21).

Lets Begin With Some Pictures

Woke up one morning in En HaShofet and had to take this. Of course it does the sky no justice but it was a beautiful morning.

Remember the pictures a few weeks ago of Ziggy and Ziggy Junior her baby. Well these first three are of Ziggy Junior and he is as big as Ziggy now. The look the same and they both sleep in this weird yoga-ish style and he has his tongue out all the time like this!






Then about three weeks after I returned we all thought, "Ziggy is getting fat she must be eating good?" Till the same night she was running into Hannah and Nina's room all the time. Then her water broke on Hannah's bed. The the babies were born on Nina's bed. And we sat a watched the whole thing. I never saw cats being born. Now they are so cute but here they are ugly.

The one on the right was the first born and I called it Alien Baby because well they really are so ugly when they are born. Its like the cat gave birth to alien mutant cats.

Ziggy Junior Junior (as you can see she had another clone made) is hugging his siblings

This is Avi-El. He is a great guy and I feel so lucky to have met him. And he lives on a moshav right down the road from my new kibbutz. No he is not Irish or Scotish. We do share a passion for bagpipes, him and I. No his mommy is Hungarian. And Avi-El spent a year of service before the army in the US talking to all kinds of people about Irael and Zionism, etc. And now he was just excepted into the Navy in Israel. He is a really cool guy.

And this is Ben who now is back in Canada. Our boss (who looks like the Israel Bruce Willis)in Mivrag called him you-fucking-Israel-Canadian. That means Edi likes you when he calls you names or makes fun of you. Ben by the way is not having a medical problem but performing our favorite song of the summer hoshev aleh (thinking of her)

My house mates. From the left: Phillip the wild eveangelical Christian from Canada, Sibastian from Colombia who always says, "Sweetie, Sweetie" in his little accent!! Nina from Sweden who I think is trying not to leave Israel. She just had a b-day. And Israel who left Israel and went back to Equador. Que rico!

And a view of my new view. The Gilboa Mountain! So pretty. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Hey finally I am writing something

So I have to say sorry because I haven't written in so long and this will not be long because there are 3 people waiting for the computers. I am supposed to get internet at my new home by next weekend but I won't be going home from the army so that will be another two weeks till you hear from me.

I do have so much to say. First of all the army is not as BAD or as hard as I thought it would be. We are doing a lot and I am very tired, but lets just say it isn't like hell or something.

In my corner of excellence I would like to note to you that I came in 6th place in our running test out of over 50 girls and I am the oldest. I think I shot really well, since I fell very hard on my right hand which is were you hold the gun. It is a strange feeling to shoot. I also shot at night and got 4 out of 5 off the bullets on the target and we were shooting completely blind.

I hate walking up at 4 in the morning everyday, but I do get to see amazing sunrises so that is something.

And the gun. Well you are so excited about it when you get it and than it is just a pain in the ass really soon after. Because you have to take it to the shower to the toliet in the bed with you , my legs are covered in bruises. So the glamour of that is over.

I hate having only 10 minutes to eat. And the truth is the food is pretty good.

And when you finish the army, and go home you feel things very strong and much. And all you want to to sleep take a long shower and eat soemthing really good.

I went with my friend Roie to his family for Rosh HaShanna. It was amazing food and I had a huge tummy ache afterwards cuz I ate far too much. And the next day I had a nice relaxing day and went up to the top of the Gilboa Mountain which is right in front of my new kibbutz. And that was beautiful and meaningful I could see everything israel jordan who knows maybe even part of lebannon. Anyway, it was very meaningful. like this is what you are supposed to do on the new year. Really thank god and say wow, "God you did a good job here!"

Anywho I am going back tomorrow. I had a lot of fun last night in a party in a kibbutz close by to En HaShofet.

But I am happy and good and I promise as soon as I came I will write a lot more, but I just can't now. So I am wishing everyone a wonderful new year or fall or whatever, day. Be well. be happy. keep smiling!

The Night Before

Dear Family and friends,

Well this is the count down, the night before the big day. Hard to believe. I will tell you more of what I know.

I had a great experience at my new kibbutz. I was there for 2 days and it is absolutly beautiful. It is set on a hill right in front of Mount Gilboa. The valley is just stunning and I couldn't be in a better place.

When I arrived the room was freshly painted, not starile white, but a pretty yellow cream. I have air conditioning, a fridge, a gas hot plate, toaster, water heater (coom coom) and much more. There is hook up for internet and I have to pay 5 dollars a month extra, so hopefully next week that will be set up for me. The director of the soldiers had put milk, butter, fruit, chololate milk, and rolls in the fridge. She bought toilet paper, sponges, coffee, tea, plates and silverware. And cookies! It was so nice.

I don't have pictures right now but hopefully next week or the week to come. I live in a block with five other people. 2 are soldiers, Shlomi, and Dora and 2 are Russian men renting the rooms, and one is a lady who is not here now. I talked briefly to Shlomi who seems like a nice guy, he offered to show me where to put the laudry. And I talked for a long time to Dora, who is very sweet. She was in a combat unit guarding the peace boarders, but hurt herself. She only has 5 more months and now is working in social work in the army. We talked about why someone like me would want to do the army. Our love for Israel and travelling. She gave me here number and told me to call her and she would see how my first week was next Friday.

Today (the day after we talked) she sms me: LIZ WHAT IS YOUR LAST NAME? Mind you I don't know still what my profile is, which is a very important number. So I send her my full name because after all I really am not just Liz. She called me in 5 minutes.

-whats up?
-I'm good how are you?
-fine. So are you my secret agent?
-Yep. Liz do you want to know your army ID#?
-Of course.
-(gives me the number) and your profile is 82.

That is a great profile by the way. The highest is 97 then 82. The only reason it is that is because of my eyes. If I had a 97 profile I would be able to do any job in the army. With 82 there are some limitations. But it is exciting to know.

So now I am back in En HaShofet and my friends are making me dinner (nice huh?) And tomorrow morning Gani takes me to the army.

I know more because my friend from the ulpan that is already in En HArod told me some stuff. He said it will be hard, but it does get fun. He is in his second week and he just got his M-16. He said you even have to shower with it!! He is up where I will be which is a place called Mickva Alon. It is up between Akko and The Carmiel. He said the sunrise is amazing there. For the first month I will be in bootcamp and then after will be two months of ulpan. After this I am pretty sure that I will have to do a more real boot camp depending on what I am doing in the army.

And that is what I know. So You will not here from me for a week. Have a great week to everyone. BTW, I got two wonderful emails from both my Dads. Thank you very much. It is so encouraging, especially since I know you both think I am a bit crazy for doing this (And you know what? I am crazy) But that you to everyone for all your support.

OK I'll tell you how it is in a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BYE..................

Gilboa

OK, OK I swear I am really leaving. Thought I would be leaving 2 days ago. Oh I left. I went all the way to my new kibbutz. And then there was a huge miscommunication. The director was not there, the room was not ready, so back I went with all my stuff. Luckily the director of my Ulpan, who took me there wasn't too mad about it.

So I had another day to relax and now I leave. On Sunday I return to En HaShofet and stay here over night with Irit and then in the morning my friend Gani is taking me to the bus station in Haifa and then the fun begins.

I will write as soon as I can, but bare with me as I don't know what my internet access will be like on the new butz.

All my love. Shabbat Shalom

i'M rEAdY FOr tHe GoOD tIMEs

Well it is a crazy time what can I say. But trully, really, very, exciting. Eveyone here on the kibbutz is so supportive. They tell me things like, "Liz you are crazy!!" But then they follow it up with,"wow you are doing something very special and we are so proud. You are giving yourself for the sevice of others, because you choose to." Then I blush a little bit, because well I don't think about it exactly like that, but I guess they are right.

So at 6pm today I will be leaving my old kibbutz. Packing has not been as bad as I though it would be. I just have collected more things. I still have very little, but spices, sheets, a pan, towels. And I bought a few things for my new home. Like a toilet brush, and clothes pins, and one of those thing-ies that doesn't let the big pieces of food go down the drain. It is very exciting.

Noa gave me a pillow case she made with a wolf on it. Lerone bought me a shesh besh board for the army, cuz I have to learn. And Craig got me a wrist band for covering my watch. It has been so sweet.

I had a nice time in the pub last night. Didn't drink too much, but had fun.

Wow, well hurray for new beginnings new experiences and life. That is what it is all about.

Moving On

Hey All,

I am writing at 2am after 2 glasses of wine and a half liter of beer. Tonight was my last night on the kibbuzt and it was time to celebrate a bit. I am leaving tomorrow for my new kibbutz and on Monday the 11 of September I am starting the army.

I don't know how the emailing situation will be. But I will keep you posted.

I am scared and worried and nervous and all that. It feels like my body is full of butterflies. Maybe this the bravest, or biggest thing I have ever done. I am sure it will be so hard at the beginning, but I will get used to it, I know.

I have everything I need. Lerone bought me a shesh besh board and my friend Craig got me a sweat band to go over my watch. I have sweat pants, sneakers, thick socks. I am ready.

Wow. Big stuff.

Israeli Men

It is time for a minute to bitch alittle bit. I don't get what the problem is with Israeli men. It seems to me they are pretty much crazy, possibly psycho, definatly weird.

Why? Why? Why?

And it is not just me. Almost every girl I know has the same problems.

I guess I had this strange fantasy in my head that coming to Israel would make the whole dating-finding-the-right-one-getting-married-at-some-point easier. After all consider this: If you are a Jewish single girl and feel that it is important to marry a Jewish guy, what better place than to find him in Israel. Chances are almost every guy you come in contact with will be Jewish. And that is one big pressure taken off right there.

Problem is, they (Israeli men) are sooooo weird. I have not meet one guy who I would consider a "normal guy" they are either playing the field, interested but not that interested, so good looking and they act like they know it, feaky and you want at least 3 meters between you two, or I don't know what.

Very agrivating. As for the date that I went out on. Eventhough he said he would like to see me again, he seems to be avoiding me like the plague. Why not say, "I'm just not interested", if you aren't interested. Why lie. It won't hurt my feelings that much.

What the heck is going on here? I feel like I am living in an episode of Sex And The City!

Trip to the US in pictures

Here you will see, some of my pictures from the US. The first picture is of my teacher in Ulpan, Eyela, me and a friends from Colombia, Stephanie. That was on our last day, we went to a really nice middle eastern restaurant.

The next ones are from NYC. I guess I felt a bit like Borat from Ali G!!! Stupid me I didn't take a picture with my friend Daniel, after we had not seen each other for 3 years!!!





The next ones are from Cato. Beautiful sunsets, family and friends, I had a wonderful time.






Now we travel in on picture to my 5 hour lay-over in Chicago (such a cool city) and on to a place that I still can not spell Minneapolis, Minnesota (I had to look it up). You find Ben and I in Ikea goofing around, a beautiful sunset from my parents new house and a little look at Hugh's new store.









We went one evening for a really nice drive to the boarder of Minnesota and Wisconsin for a dinner on Still Water. Although there was a big storm and the water was not very still. It was a rerally nice time.






Next Jonathan and his girl Diane came. The first picture was from the night they arrived and Jonathan was very tired. The next day we went to Mall Of America. I am glad we only stayed for a few hours, because it felt very overwhenlming to me. While everyone else went and saw a fish and shark show, Mom and I went to Barnes and Noble and looked at books! At least it was quite there.




And Jonathan and Diane have become avid bowlers so one night just the kids went out bowling, once Nancy had arrived. It was her first time.




And we did go on a lot of nature walks around all the many lakes.


Now the goodbye's began. This was the day that Jonathan and Diane departed back to Arizona.




And then I had a few days with Nancy. We went into the city and took a trolly tour of the city that was very intersting and had great views. Our tour guide (and I can't remember her name and she said it all the time) was very crazy lady. By the end we were the omly ones on the bus.
This city used to me the flour capital of the world. On the lakes you still see today, signs for Pilsbury and other less famous companies.


This is a famous view in MN from the sculpture garden.





We went on a drive to the Laura Ingles Wilder "Little House On The Prarie" house in Wisconsin. It was not the actual house, but it was the actual sight, of the house with a house similar to what people in those days lived in. We sat for so long just taking in the breeze and view. I have never had such a feeling of calm and peace. I could have sat there all day.





We also had a really nice meal on the water near there. I just ate off of everyone elses dishes because I wasn't very hungry. The food in MN is suprisingly funky and wonderful. They mixed a lot of flavors. I thought it would be very sinple country food, but it wasn't at all.

And this is bored Elizabeth, sitting in JFK for hours and my view!!

And when I returned to the kibbutz, the mommy cat, Ziggy had had a baby!



The End.