It's official: movin on UP!

You read correctly, it's now OFFICIAL. I will be making Aliyah to Israel next month! I received confirmation on Monday from the Boston shaliach, Daniel, that my application for Aliyah has been accepted by the Jewish Agency! And not only that, but I have been accepted to Ulpan Etzion for the January 15th session.  (I will study hebrew there for 5 months.)  In a day or two I will have final confirmation on my flight, but I'm almost positive it will be December 28th.

In just over 4 weeks, I will be an Israeli citizen.  Just typing that sends chills down my spine and makes my head spin.  Israeli citizen, while it can be said so simply it has so many implications for me.  Life in Israel will certainly be a dramatic change from my life here in the US... and that's an understatement.

Whether you have been to Israel or not, whatever your opinion or idea of the country may be, I'm sure many of you reading this may think I'm borderline insane. While I agree that I am just a bit crazy, I haven't completely lost it...yet. Let me try to explain...

Earlier this year, while trying to figure out my "next big step" in life, I was having many discussions with many people concerning past experiences and things I am passionate about. Inevitably, each of these discussions ended up in my recounting experiences of the past 6 months in Israel, bursting with emotion about all that I had seen, who I had met and what I had learned. After weeks and months of having these intense discussions, it became obvious where my passion lay.  I realized that I had been spending all this time sitting here talking and talking when really I should be doing.  To paraphrase my good friend Abe, "Who the hell do I think I am..." to sit around and blab about these issues all day, from my comfortable, unchallenged position here in the US.  As a Jewish person, I not only have the opportunity but also the responsibility to go and do something about all of these issues which are so obviously a part of my consciousness.  I want to be a part of the Jewish state so that I can be involved in helping to create a better Israel for the future.  I truly believe in the need for Israel to exist as a Jewish state.  Israel should and does strive to be a "light unto the nations" and in that respect, I think there is much work to be done.  This is why I am moving to Israel and becoming a part of the Jewish nation- to do my part in building an Israel that not only Jewish people are proud of, but that the rest of the world can look to as a role model.

I know that this is all quite lofty and idealistic, but as Dr. J said, "If you're not idealistic when you're in your 20s, there's no hope for you as an old person."

I'd just like to note that I'm not posting this because I expect any of you to support me in my decision after reading this. Hell, you don't even have to like my reasons!  They are my personal convictions and you are entitled to your own.  I simply wanted to share with people what has propelled me to make such a drastic, life-altering decision.  Also, I am writing this partially for myself, as this is the beginning of a long road which is certain to have its fair share of bumps and roadblocks.  When I reach those difficult points (of which I am sure there will be MANY), I want to be able to look back on how I felt at this moment - with so much anticipation, energy and passion.  As Erez said, I too hope that I will continue in this way of thinking once I have lived in Israel for a while.

For the next 4ish weeks I will be all over the place. If you'd like to see me, give me a shout and I'd be glad to meet up somewhere! Stay tuned for updates on the exciting and arduous task of packing my life into three 50-lb suitcases by the end of the month...