This is an old post from when I first arrived in Israel in August. I was so naive then. Well enjoy.

Arrival.
Actually before I say anything about coming I should start by departing. One thing every savvy traveler should have is a scale to weigh their baggage. One of our bags was nine pounds overweight (~ 60 metric tons) and Continental was going to charge us an extra $450. Luckily we were able redistribute the sink and put it in with the 75 dictionaries Suzanne was bringing for the yeshiva. I don't know why they will need the Sanskrit dictionary, but I have learned in my nine short months of marriage not to ask too many questions.
Continental has heavily trained their security in the finest models Monty Python has to offer. Their service desk was designed to make Israelis feel at home to lessen the culture shock. So after standing in line for two hours and having our luggage sniffed by an attack chinchilla, we were able to get to the gate...frazzled and in fear for our lives. I slept like a baby on the plane…a baby with cholera.
When we arrived at Ben Gurion around 4:00 pm the next day, service actually improved. After getting our bags (45 suitcases, three valises, and the box Houdini used for his famous disappearing act), we took a sherut down to Jerusalem. The sherut is the way to go. It will cost you about NIS 40 from the airport to your doorstep in Jerusalem. The service is very good although you might be the last person dropped off and if you’re not polite they might drop you off at one of their central locations in East Jerusalem. Actually I was dropped off in East Jerusalem one time, but that was because my hotel was there, which is a whole different story.
Our apartment is great. I will try to put some pictures in once we are online at home. Our landlord is very patient, since our money transfer is taking a little longer than expected, which brings me to my next subject
Banks:
One word...OY said about three hundred times. Setting up a bank account took us around 1.5 hours once we even got to the front of the line. In fact the first time we got there the woman told us to come back in the afternoon because the process took so long. In America the bank is practically transparent and everything can be done by computer. This is not the case here in Israel. I was actually getting depressed thinking that I had chosen the worst bank in Israel, which might indeed be the case, until a friend of ours who is also here for the year related this story. He went to the bank and after some considerable amount of time filling out forms was given a twelve page document written all in Hebrew. Now his Hebrew is pretty good, but not up to twelve pages of Hebrew Bankish with smatterings of Legalese, so he said to her “I can’t read this what does it say?� Her reply? “Don’t worry its all bullshit anyway.� I love this country.
I finally got my money wired last night (I will refrain from explaining how to find a fax machine in Jerusalem) but when I went into my bank the woman told me it hadn't arrived yet. I will try again tomorrow, but if it isn't there then I will sit there until they figure our where my money is!!!! The banks are also crooks. I went to pay my Ulpan fee at the bank (which is what they told us to do) and the lady said she could pay it but there was a NIS 5 fee?!?!?!? This is the city Ulpan! All thieves…grrrr.
We have had our first Shabbos...excuse me Shabbat (this is Israel) here. We davened at Yakar for Kabbalt Shabbat. They have a lot of ruach and I really enjoyed myself. We then went by some of Suzanne's colleagues for dinner. It was a very nice Shabbat, but I have to say I miss our San Diego crowd. Roy I'm sorry to say that the crowd that evening was young and left of center politically but at least right of center in observance. I had a “We need peace now� conversation with a guy wearing a beard and tzit-tzit. Many of the members of the Conservative Yeshiva wear tzit-tzit, including at least one woman (to the consternation of many Charedi and to my delight).
We also davened at Yakar in the morning. This was different to what I am used. Kiddush is after Shachrit and before Torah and they also do a shiur. Interestingly, they still end at a reasonable time. I got to do hagba which was a nice honor, but I was terrified of making some sort of gaff. I managed not to drop it or anything, although I did show the printed side to the women's gallery. I didn't hear any hissing or gasps of breath, so I guess I will be allowed back next week. Interestingly although the service was lead of course by a man, women made all the announcements and at least one point a woman suggested that the Shaliach Sibbur have a certain member of the congregation lead a certain prayer, which lead Suzanne to remark that women are still in control even if they are not allowed to read Torah.