Overjoyed and Overwhelmed

When we decided to make aliyah, we knew that one of the benefits provided to Olim by the Israeli government was a paid flight to Ben Gurion Airport. We soon found out that one of the ways to fly to israel, rather than coming by yourself on a commercial flight, was to join a Nefesh B Nefesh charter flight.  A flight where every passenger on board was making aliyah. We saw some videos on youtube of past arrivals and I immediately thought "if we are making aliyah, we are making it big and we have to get on a charter flight".  It was a challenge, because the flight left from JFK, which meant, our husband and I, our two kids, our dog, our 6 suitcases, a stroller, a pack and play and two car seats needed to make it to JFK from MIA somehow. It didn't matter how difficult it was going to be, the dream of joining this flight and making part of the incredible atmosphere aboard this plane was going to be worth it. And boy, was it worth it... As we arrived in Israel, we realized we were making history as it was happening before our eyes. The atmosphere aboard the plane was amazing. A mix of nervousness and excitement, nostalgia and hope from every single passenger aboard this plane. As we started to descend onto Ben Gurion Airport, passengers started singing Israeli songs, clapping, celebrating. Only on El-Al does the pilot have to ask more than once for people to please stop dancing and take their seats so we can land.  As we landed and the doors of the plane were opened, we descended a flight of stairs onto the tarmac where as Israeli music was playing loud, staff of NBN, hayalim and the families of those arriving, greeted us with signs reading "welcome home" and handed us little Israeli flags. The feeling of joy was so great, tears started to uncontrollably run down my face. The faces were a blur, as we didn't know anyone, but at the same time, they all looked familiar. They were greeting us as if we were family, which in a way, I guess we are. Finally, at the end of the welcoming line, a familiar face; my uncle who had come to greet us. We proceeded to a welcome ceremony, where the fact that it was 2 in the morning in America and we hadn't slept hit us. The adrenaline was starting to wear off and fatigue settled in. We still needed to pick up our teudot oleh and our ride home (or wherever our first destination would be). About 4 hours later, we got to a small apartment in Modiin where we would stay for about a week or two until we move to a more permanent home. Our friend Ethel was waiting for us at the door to the building. She had picked up the keys form the owner earlier that day and had filled the refrigerator with basics which would later that night when our jet lagged stomachs awoke, save us from hunger (not sure if this is an Israeli thing, or a very-special-person thing, or both, but the fact that she went to the supermarket and took the time to buy groceries for us was an incredible gesture).

From that moment on, our few days in Israel have been filled with incredible joy coated by overwhelment. Still feeling like a foreigner while trying to get settled in what is now our home. Trying to use my poor Hebrew to communicate so that I can start practicing turns into an entire new language with too many English words in it. We have so far picked up our teudot zehut, registered for health insurance (very easily done at a fair held by NBN-one more of the benefits of making aliyah in bulk), opened bank accounts (we are yet to see how the banking system takes us for a ride as everyone has advised us of the banking fees they charge, even for depositing cash into your account),  have registered our older son in school, have Israeli cell phones and have applied for a file in customs to have our shipment released. We have accomplished so much, yet there is a laundry list of things to do that grows by the yard after each meeting we have with the different coordinators and advisers.Our shipment has arrived, which means next week will probably be unpacking at our new apartment. My cousin has offered help which I have gladly accepted. We will need to transfer the electric, cable, gas, etc to our names, which we have yet to figure out how to do. We need drivers licenses so we can buy a car, go to the ministry of absorption to register for our sal klita, buy uniforms and school supplies and so many other things that I must not bore you with and that there is no point in writing since I have them already neatly listed on a Basecamp application on my phone :)  . Checking things off the list gives me such a great feeling of accomplishment!

Having been able to make aliyah in one of Nefesh B Nefesh' charter flights was the best opportunity we could have had. First of, NBN is an incredible organization. The red carpet of aliyot. They helped and guided us through the pre-aliyah process from gathering paperwork to recommending vendors and choosing the right city for us to settle in, they greeted us at the airport and helped us through the check-in process, held a farewell ceremony, took care of immigration from aboard the plane and since we have arrived, they have made the entire process of settling in (obtaining teudot zehut, registering our kids in school, obtaining medical coverage, etc) more manageable and less stressful. We have been lucky to have been able to make aliyah with their help.