And I am off, folks! Yes, in a mere matter of hours I will be leavin' on a jetplane for ISRAEL. It's amazing to me that after all these years, I am finally going to see the place for myself. You'd think that after eight years of Solomon Schechter Day School, five years of camp-counselering at Camp Shalom (where I worked with dozens of Israelis), two years of teaching Hebrew School, and 26 years of being Jew-ish, I would have visited by now. But finally ... I will make my long-awaited debut in the Holy Land. They won't know what hit 'em.
It really is a long time coming. I mean, all through elementary school, I learned all there is to know about Israel - its cities, its culture, its history. Half of my teachers were Israeli, a fact that taught me at an early age that Israelis can be a prideful bunch who don't like to be messed with and who don't like when kids talk in the classroom. Hmm, okay, maybe that's not all Israelis, just Mrs. Schmidt. Yikes ...
But seriously, I am curious if all that random information I have stored somewhere in the deep recesses of my brain will surface when I finally step foot in Israel. The last time I used Hebrew regularly was when I taught it at the third-grade level, circa 5 years ago. Ani lo yodeah eem ani zocher harbeh ivrit. Most likely, I'll start to attempt to speak Hebrew and inadvertantly transition into some form of broken Spanish.
And yeah, sure, there is some craziness goin' down in the Gaza strip. But don't worry, I'll be packing a cammo-colored tanktop and red, Rambo-style headband just in case I have to throw down with some terrorist scum. So watch out, Hamas, the Hebrew Hammer will soon be landing in your backyard - so watcha' gonna' do?
Okay, to be serious for a second, thanks to everyone for their well-wishes and concern. Honestly, I think this is going to be a fun-filled trip and an epic adventure. Birthright is known for their emphasis on safety and security, and we will be far away from trouble spots like Gaza. Personally, I'm excited to walk among the old city of Jerusalem, check out the soothing waters of the Dead Sea, and rock out in Tel-Aviv.
So wish me luck. I will be back in LA on the 18th. I've got my iPod loaded up and my DVR set to record the 24 season premiere. Facebook status updates may come sporadically pending availability of wi-fi. Now all I have between me and Eretz Yisrael is a 14 hour flight. Oh man ...
Alright, Israel - here I come.
PS - If you haven't already, check out my HUGE Best of 2008 posts - you'll have plenty of time to read 'em, as the blog will likely be on hiatus for a bit, unless I manage to find a find a computer and update live from Israel. In any case, stay tuned for the full Israel report - coming in 10 days! PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
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