I’m sitting in a coffee shop on the corner of 50th and 2nd, newly without a passport.
I had to wait over three months for this day, between all my traveling (when I was away), Pesach (when everyone else was away). Finally, I bit the bullet: I handed my passport over to the Jewish Agency, and in two weeks I’m going to get my passport back with a special stamp and will be an official Olah!
My aliyah date is currently a month and a half away, on June 20th, 2016. So close yet so far.
A lot has happened since I last wrote. Who would have thought aliyah would be so complicated? But it’s a good kind of complicated, because there are so many grants offered by the Israeli government. Since Pesach ended, every morning at exactly 8am, I get woken up by a call from some department within Nefesh B’Nefesh. I’m usually happy about this, because it typically means more free money.
“So we heard you are moving to Haifa! Did you know you are eligible for a $2500 grant?”
“Oh, you haven’t booked your flight yet? Here, now you can!”
“You said you want to be a student? Cool, did you know you can get your degree for free? If you do it in Hebrew, that is. Oh, you’re uncomfortable with Hebrew? We have special classes just for that, Taka, and that’s free too!”
I know, I know, I’ve been telling people I want to go into the army. But my plan changed.
My parents, unhappy with my decision to join the army, made a deal with me that if I take advantage of the free degree, they would pay my living expenses.
Without that type of funding, I wouldn’t be able to survive, and the jobs simply don’t pay here.
I plan to work part-time as a student and save up money while gaining connections.
I’ve applied to one university so far: Hebrew U, because its MPH program is mostly in English. I applied for the English and Hebrew tracks. I am considering also applying to Tel Aviv University, although I think I need a teudat zehut (ID card) which I don’t have yet.
My summer program gave me an opportunity to do a highly subsidized summer online ulpan. I tested in Level 4 of 6 (ramah dalet, or high intermediate). This is the minimum to be allowed to attend University in Hebrew. I’m very hopeful that with this ulpan my score will go up, and hopefully I’ll be more prepared when the time comes.
I still dream of the Spokespersons Unit, so I’m considering applying to volunteer on the condition that I get placed in that unit.
My plans for now are to finish my degree (well, to become ABT – all but thesis – which will happen in a week), study for MCAT (for future medical studies in Israel) and ulpan all at once, and to finish my thesis by August (ideally June, when I move).
One of the great new developments is that two of my friends are making aliyah at the same time as me! One of them is even moving to Haifa. I’m very excited to have two women to go through the experience with.
Finally, I’ve been making it a point to invest in networking. I went to several Israel-themed conferences and events in the last three months, and have had a set of business cards made. I received several contacts, which I will contact when I land. I hope they will bear fruit. Stay tuned on how my efforts unfold.
