World
ON THE COVER
it's a tornado warning. Then a
cousin explains this is a Shabbat
siren.
The evening of erev Rosh
Hashanah, Mom and I walk to
our cousins' home for a tradi-
tional holiday dinner. In the
morning, I go to an Orthodox
synagogue across from my flat. It
is a small, elderly congregation,
but hearing the shofar here con-
nects us with the past, present
and future.
When Yom Kippur ends, I
think I can continue with my
absorption steps. But Israeli gov-
ernment offices are shut down
for most of October for the holi-
days. Israelis joke that you have
to wait until after the holidays to
die because only limited health
services are available during the
holidays.
Riding and Talking
Public transportation, in com-
bination with affordable taxi
service, takes me just about
anywhere I want to go and gets.
me there on time. The problem
is that buses and trains do not
always run as frequently as I
need them, and they are not
operational during Shabbat and
many holidays.
Waiting for public transpor-
tation in Israel is one of many
times when strangers strike up
substantial conversations as if
they are lifelong friends. People
ask me why I chose to live here
of all places and why I gave up
the U.S. lifestyle. But people also
ask me why a Jew would want to
live anywhere other than Israel.
I say every country has prob-
lems, but the specifics are differ. -
ent. I ask Israelis" whythey think
I should have stayed in the States,
and they say there is no place
like the United States. I say that
is true, but there is no place like
Israel. They laugh and say they
never thought of it like that and
thank me for making them feel
better about where we live.
Shopping Choices
It's great to live in Ramat Gan,
which is so close to everything
that I can live without a car. If
I lived farther from Tel Aviv, I'd
need a car to do most activities.
I walk five minutes to kosher'
shops or take a 10-Minute bus
ride to the shopping mall.
- The produce and meat are
local, fresh and plentiful. There
are many organic options to
select from.-Most packaged foods
have MSG, so I buy fresh items.
Istael has a problem with salmo-
nella, and I have to go to the mall
to buy refrigerated eggs.
I can find most things I buy in
the United States, from electron-
ics to clothes to food, but I do
miss Mexican food.
Many small stores lack prices
on items. The owner quotes a
price, and you counter with a
lower price until a bargain is
made. Even in big chain Wires,
negotiation for discounts is com-
mon.
Navigating The System
Nefesh B'Nefesh provides a
poster listing the 13 steps of ali-
yah to complete during the first
few weeks in Israel. The steps
appear to be straightforward, but
then reality sets in. The provided
phone numbers are usually busy,
and the public office hours may
be only a few hours a day a few
days a week. The Tel Aviv office
of Americans and Canadians in
Israel (AACI), a nonprofit group,
helps us with more-numbers and
Why Aliyah?
The shortest answer is because
I can, so why not? Another
short answer is that I am a
romantic, idealistic Zionist.
The long answer is a list of
passions and values. I love the
United States, and I love Israel;
making aliyah contributes to
bridging those places together.
I grew up reading nonfic-
tion and fiction books about
24
April 27 • 2006
Israel in the Beth Abraham
Hillel Moses (now Beth Ahm)
synagogue library in West
Bloomfield. The librarian gave
me a beautiful Israel postage
stamp for every book I read.
This reading gave me a deep
love and respect for the land
and people of Israel. I decided
then I wanted to contribute to
building the State of Israel so
Joanne and Amanda Sue Niskar visit the synagogue at Israel's Hadassah Hospital to see the name of
late husband and father, Marvin Irwin Niskar, listed in a book of those honored by eternal yahrtzeits.
addresses and other logistics.
During my pre-aliyah visit in
August, I rented a flat in Ramat
Gan. I needed an Israeli co-sign-
er, a three-month rent deposit, to
be refunded if all is.OK when I -
move out, and checks for rent for
the next 12 months, to be cashed
every three months.
Finding a flat is usually by
word of mouth and through Web
sites, and, sure enough, I found
my flat with help from relatives
and a Web site. This same site
yielded a small place in Ramat
Gan for my mom.
In Israel, renters pay property
tax (arnona) every month. For
the first year, as olim, we get a
substantial tax discount. I have
to gd to city hall to complete the
arnona paperwork.
Olim are eligible for sal klita,
a "basket" of financial assistance
to help make it through the first
year. It is a grant paid in eight
installments, starting when we
land at Ben-Gurion Airport.
A busy counselor assigned at
the Misrad Klita (Ministry of
Absorption) monitors its use.
our people always have a home
where we are welcomed.
Ever since I can remember,
I dreamed of world peace, the
elimination of human suffering
— and travel. There are plenty
of opportunities in Israel for
me to contribute to those wor-
thy causes.
I spent the first part of my
life gaining knowledge, skills
and abilities to be an inter-
national public health prac-
It takes us several months to
receive the correct amount.
To receive a basket, you must
have an Istaeli bank account.
Opening a bank account takes a
lot of patience, documentation
and half a day or more. Banking
in Israel is expensive and limit-
ing. The credit cards actually
are debit cards. Once I have an
Israeli bank account, I can open
accounts with utilities and other
services needed for basic living.
Many of the aliyah steps
involve getting forms at the post
office, taking forms from a gov-
ernment office to be stamped at
the post office or paying fees at
the post office. The post office .
is the initial place to sign up for
government-provided health
insurance, get driver's license
paperwork, pay utility bills and
more.
Road Rules
Getting an ISrael driver's license
has been very challenging. A
valid U.S. driver's license is rec-
ognized in Israel for one year.
I have to take driving lessons
titioner, and I visited Israel
when resources allowed. Now
I live in Israel — a location that
facilitates travel to Africa, Asia,
Europe and other parts of the
world. I am planning innovative
public health efforts in Israel in
collaboration with international
partners.
I am bonding with Israeli rela-
tives from my father's family
and making new friends.
On my first visit to Israel, I
and a driving test to receive an
Israeli license. The driving les-
sons are confusing because I am
instructed to drive as I would in
the United States, then I am told
I am making mistakes. I do not
understand why it is wrong for
me to stop at a stop sign.
On my third lesson, I learn
that traffic lights have stop signs
to be observed only in the event
the traffic light does not work. So
I should ignore stop signs at traf-
fic lights when the traffic lights
are working.
A book in English that
describes Israeli traffic laws and
signs makes me realize American
logic and Israeli logic are not the
same.
On The Job
I made aliyah for many reasons.
One was .to build environmental
public health efforts in Israel,a
country with too - much pollution.
I was supposed to start work
Nov. 1, but there are changes in
the Ministry of Health. I start
full-time work Dec. 1, only to
learn my new colleagues had
found a solidarity among the
people that is comforting and
a pleasure to experience. Each
visit confirmed that spirit of
community.
I want to become fluent in
Hebrew, and living here is a
good way to do that.
For all of those reasons and
more, I made aliyah.
- Amanda Sue Niska