Some more oldies but goodies

As the de-cluttering rampage continues, I also found this from back in '07 when I started to roll out my aliyah plans:

I'm taking the values my parents gave me and using them to become the most complete version of myself that I can. These are values such as the importance of social action, persistence and strength, as well as the importance of education that I will, G-d willing, pass on to my children.

Staying here is turning my back on my true self, not listening to myself. In order to be true to myself, I need to follow my dream.

Reflecting in a sea of paper

In the midst of an intense de-cluttering dash, I ran across my Nefesh B'Nefesh application from back in 2008 before my aliyah.

"I aspire to attain fluency in Hebrew, earn a Master's, then work in Senior Housing Management."

4 main reasons for your interest in making Aliyah:

1. I want to pursue a career serving the older adults who came to Israel with nothing and built the country.

2. I want to set family roots in Israel and raise children who yearn to serve the country in the I.D.F.

3. I will build a special connection to Israeli family and friends, especially once attaining Hebrew fluency.

4. I am truest as a Jew in Israel: surrounded by Jewish learning, scheduled on Jewish time.

Taking one step farther back, I found the notes I took during a coffee date with my dear Rabbi Lopatin in Chicago, right as I was deciding to give aliyah a shot:

I'll be able to say 5 years later, "I followed my values, my conscience, and I acted on it." The only way I'll be happy is to do what's meaningful and follow the dream. Women there will share my values.

Workplaces want me to be a success, so that other people will want to come.

I can invest in Israel by attending an Israeli graduate school, also a wise investment in my development. I will get everyone rooting for me in school.

I'm "Living Lite" here. There are Life or Death issues there. Children talk about those issues there in serious discussions.

I can display my Judaism proudly there.

Talk about some inspirational de-cluttering, and a better use of these words here than in a pile of papers! Going back to my roots and remembering my motivation to...get these last two papers done for spring term! Take care folks,

אריק/Eric

Beer Sheva Bound!

Hey everyone,

Please join me in voting for my friend Ali's dad Mark Brand (of blessed memory) here as a Jewish Federations Jewish Community Hero.

Here's my Michigan friend Rabbi Micah Peltz's profound lessons 10 years later and the inspirational story of the first 9/11 victim, American-Israeli Daniel Levin.

As for me back in the press, this one's off the beaten path: a piece (scroll to page 6) that I wrote for the newsletter of the Jewish Federation of Southern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and Western Kentucky.

Thinking South

"It has become vital for Israel to think south." -David Ben-Gurion

So I'm heading down south to Beer Sheva at the end of next month to spend my last semester in grad school at Ben-Gurion University living on campus. As John Hiatt sings in Drive South, "it's hot down where we're going!" So I'll make sure to take full advantage of the pool and volleyball court across the street. Not to worry, I'll also be across the street from my campus (Health Sciences), and five minutes away from the campus synagogue, not to mention the student union and its opportunities for student involvement (look out, Green Campus initiative). Needless to say, I'm ecstatic to be moving to the city of the Seven Wells (direct translation of Beer Sheva), where Abraham watered his sheep and Moses in exile found a bride. David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first Prime Minister and the namesake of my university, said that "Abraham accomplished a consecration of this land (the Negev) to his people, and our work follows in his footsteps...Such a move won't be easy. But it will bring the satisfaction of creation...Israel is a very special place with special demands on everyone who dwells on its soil." I'll be sure to soak up the holy Jerusalem in the meantime--that holiness is especially palpable during the quickly approaching holidays.

Take care folks,

אריק/Eric

10 years

A decade has passed since the day that changed the world.

I woke up late (like I usually do) and ran to class without catching any morning news. In my Business French class, we paired off and discussed current events. My partner and friend Amy told me what had happened, in French. The university shut down before I could go to English class. I then caught my sister by email to make sure she wasn't at the WTC, went to work, where I sat and listened to NPR with my head in my hands for several hours, and then joined my entire Michigan campus at a beautiful evening memorial in the comforting setting of the Diag.

So ten years later, I'm hearing radio news coverage of the memorials, this time in Hebrew. I'll catch the Israeli tv news tonight, also in Hebrew. I never thought then that I'd be where I am now, Israeli and fluent in Hebrew (not to mention that my eight years of French would have been forced out of my head by all that Hebrew).

I'm finding myself speechless, but this post is in honor of my friend Leehe's best friend, Joshua David Birnbaum, along with all of the unfathomable 2,977 victims. It is also in honor of two other WTC employees who survived: my fellow OTZMA participants Jessica's brother Russell (here is his haunting post recalling that most frightful of hours 10 years ago) and Molly's dad.

Russell's story brought me back to my 2004 Hustle Up the Hancock Building and 2007 climb up the Sears Tower, both in Chicago. Firefighters made those climbs up 94 and 103 flights, respectively, in full gear in memory of their comrades who fell ten years ago.

May the memories of the victims be a blessing, and may we know no more terror.

באהבה/with love,

אריק/Eric

Check me out

Hey guys,

My Israeli TV debut is online here. Or you can see the full episode of Tzhok Me'Avodah (we're on a bit after 7:00--click on the 3rd bookmark: 7:13- רועי לוי מדריך תיירים בארץ הקודש-comedian Roi Levy guides tourists in the Holy Land). Bummer about that annoying ad right in the middle of our bit.

I recommend the full episode: the show's intro has some fantastic jokes--one of my favorites ever is at 2:30. There's some more hysterical stuff from 34:00. If you need help understanding, let me know.

Thanks for watching!

אריק/Eric

My Israeli TV Debut

After making it onto the Israeli airwaves via Reshet Bet and Galei Tzahal radio stations, then into print in Haaretz newspaper, tonight I'll make my Israeli TV debut! Look out for me as dumb tourist/Masa participant on "Tzhok Me'avoda" (a huge comedy show in its sixth season on Channel 2--this is the 15th episode this season). Stream live at 21:00 here in Israel, 2PM ET, 1 PM CT. Our segment is in English for your viewing pleasure. While I didn't know during filming that this would get aired during a Rangers game at Fenway, I proudly represented Texas with my hat--GO RANGERS! You can also find a fellow J.J. Pearce alumnus--my friend Benji.

Yesterday's Ann Arbor weather (boiling, then thunderstorms that ended the game early) made it a nice evening to listen to the game on Michigan radio from home. We'll take the W to start the Brady Hoke era--Hail to the Victors!

Other than that, just working and writing away here in Jerusalem (got one of the last papers in on Friday, two more to go!). And a great era of two and 1/2 years in the same Baka neighborhood apartment came to an end last week. I recall the epic run we had with great fondness--endless tons of laughs, kube dinner time, Monday Night date night, fundamentalist Zionist water conservation, priceless original artwork, Marcia's bellydancing skills, the time Dave locked himself out for the Shabbat dinner he hosted, the time Josh and I forgot to take the fish to Shabbat lunch, middle of the night couscous to watch the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup, 5 am beers + 6 am champagne for the sweet joy of my Mavs NBA title, a lot of YouTube goofiness, sushi Shabbat, an awful wakeup call and trip to the hospital on July 5, 2009, then touching generosity and support when I flew off for the beginning of a terribly difficult 21-month journey when I got to Dallas for Dad's surgery, the apartment where I made a ton of great calls home, the place from which I prepared for my most difficult journey ever in April, the place to which I came back changed forever in May. The place may be a dilapidated shikun (housing complex), but it treated us darn well...

With that I'll go get some work done before I look for myself on TV! שבוע טוב/have a great week and a nice Labor Day,

אריק/Eric