Our family of five arrived in Milwaukee in mid-August.
We had just left our kibbutz community of 800 and were very tearful and filled with many emotions, stirred up by the recent war, the heat, saying goodbye to our work places, our families and friends (including the kids with their classmates, youth movement peers and kibbutz friends).
It was an endless set of farewell events, gifts, wishes and photos. My eyes were wet all month.
In between we were busy packing, finding homes for our cats, filling out forms, buying, selling, throwing out — and then we were on the plane. I have never slept so well. It must have been the emotional fatigue.
From the plane, we watched the green lawns and Lake Michigan from above. The lake is said to be larger than Israel itself. Soon, everything would be larger…
We collected our 10 suitcases and made our way toward the Israel emissary’s house, all perfectly set up for us with much attention to detail by Sue Strait and Suzie Weinstein.
It was amazing. The fridge was full of goodies, the beds were made, there was a list of the first two weeks: who is bringing us food or inviting us over, who would be available to drive us, babysit, point places out, advise, keep us company, keep us happy…
The doorbell and phone rang constantly. People kept showing up with treats.
So, here we are a few weeks later, pretty much settled into our new routines and I was inspired to write our “A to Z First Observations of the Jewish Community of Milwaukee”:
Yamim (the days of remembrance of the Holocaust and Israel’s fallen, and Israel’s independence) are important to them
We say in Hebrew, “Ore’ach lerega ro’eh kol pega,” which means, “A short term guest notices every flaw.” Even though we are guests here for two to three years and not a rega (moment), instead of flaws, we have only seen goodness.
Nir Barkin, a former emissary to Milwaukee, called to ask how it was going. When I described the amazing welcome we are receiving, he said: “It won’t wear off. It’s for real.”
So thank you for all you are doing. It’s making the transition (which was supposed to be traumatic) quite smooth.
As opposed to the bank, the insurance, the DMV, cellular, immigration, and all the rest of the official bureaus, you aren’t asking for our credit histories. You gave us automatic credit and keep telling us how much you love your shlichim.
It shows and we feel loved and blessed and look forward to our time together here. The shiduch (match) seems like a good one.
“What can you do with your days but work and hope? Let your dreams bind your work to your play.
What can you do with each moment of your life, but love till you’ve loved it away?”
As we say on our kibbutz (Tzora, in the Mateh Yehuda region, not far from Jerusalem): “Lehitraot bashvilim” (See you on the paths).
Note: I can be reached at the Israel Center of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, 414-390-5705, AmitZ@MilwaukeeJewish.org.
Amit Yaniv-Zehavi is the new Israel emissary to Milwaukee. See the September and May Chronicles.
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