May 2007

Thanks to all of you who have written lately, and I look forward to hearing from all of you when you have time!

This week I helped the Partnership 2000 people greet the latest Columbus Jewish Federation Family Mission. We planted more outside the Kfar Saba Stadium, then hd a great meal together. I presented the families with their tree-planting certificates and had a chance to talk to nearly everybody. I knew only a few people but they all knew me! I had great talks with Rhoda and Aaron Edelman, who were with Koleinu on the trip in 2005-2006, and Leah Salis, with whom I studied Hebrew before I came here. And it was a pleasure to get to know a lot of other folks from Columbus.

So, here’s the latest news, not in any particular order:

I got the car loan—I was proud enough of myself to have conducted the telephone interview all in Hebrew, but then getting the loan—wow! (I am still easily amused…)

So next is a job. I get a monthly stipend of support from the government, and today I signed up for 2 more, because I am unemployed at the moment. With the car I will be able to visit synagogues and find my next job.

I'm in the process of applying for status as "musician", which will give me another monthly check, for 2 years. I have to first apply, and then my info is sent to a committee. They decide if they want to meet me for a sort of audition (2 pieces, max. 7 minutes.) To that interview I take all my clippings and my demo CD and resume. At the end they decide if I am or am not a musician. (I am.) We’ll see what happens.

Here there are many (thousands) of choirs, all with different levels of ability, but all of them pay their conductors. The conductors occasionally are composers, but far more often are arrangers. I have done this, with both adult and children's choirs. And I will have a perspective different from the native Israelis. If I can get a part time job at a synagogue and one or 2 choirs I can make a living.

Most people get frustrated very quickly, but I have been lucky. The one thing I was perfectly prepared for when I came was to spend a lot of time and energy on the bureaucracy. I have not had any problems, unlike many of my friends. It's all about my attitude. I have had unheard-of customer service from my bank and cell phone company (people are amazed at my stories!)

I know the place is dangerous. But I live in a place that has been untouched by the violence since the wall was built. Something always could happen (anywhere) but I feel better being here. I am not afraid at all. I am where I want to be, and where I am needed and really appreciated for who I am. I love it here! I always wanted to live in an interesting house or an interesting place—now I am doing both!

The language is the hardest part, but I'm managing that too, improving every day. I'll continue to attend classes until work interferes.

And every time someone wants me to sing, I do.

Last week I attended a Hebrew study session with a group of Spanish speaking immigrants (Israeli citizens for 5-12 years) hosted by the Reform synagogue in Ra'anana. My purpose was to study with them and then when the national Minister for Immigrant Absorption and Mayor of Ra'anana came for a sort of "town meeting" on the subject of immigrants' needs, to sing one song and lead the group in another. OK. I went, but by the time it came to sing we had been studying for 2.5 hours and I for one was tired! So I led the song, skipped the solo, handed my resume to one of the Mayor's staff who wanted it, and went home, feeling that, except for the studying, I had pretty much wasted my time.

But this week I got a call from the municipality office of the Mayor of Ra’anana, the woman to whom I gave the resume. Again the conversation was in Hebrew, and when she asked if I wanted to be paid, I of course said yes! No idea how much (didn't seem polite to ask, and will be more fun just to see.)

Today I went to pick up my payment—and to my surprise got 200 shekels, about $50.00. Not to sing a solo, not for a show—but to lead the group in one song. They could tell that I was a professional, and decided to pay me as such.

So I earned my first money, singing. Just what I had in mind at the beginning of this adventure!