How time flies

So I figured it would be appropriate to write something in honor of my one year anniversary of making aliyah.

The time has flown by as it always seems to do in life, but this time its a bit different.

When i look back and think about things i have done over the past year its amazing. from making a home on the kibbutz to grinding out tough days in the army. I have done a lot of things i never thought i would do or could do or even knew existed in some cases.

I have moved to a new unit in the army and that has delayed my flight home. Its going to make the first eight months seem like they were the easiest thing in the world. I have doubts if I can really do this because its more demanding mentally and physically with added responsibility. But I know this is something I can do and talking to my family friends from back home on skype or facebook on the weekends helps me recharge my batteries and give me that little bit more of motivation you need on those tough days.

I feel like I want more people to know what i’m doing so I can help spread the word about lone soldiers and the Israeli Army in general. I feel like when I go back its not just gonna be an opportunity to see family and friends but to share my experience with everyone and anyone who is interested and/or has questions. I honestly think I have things to say and a perspective to offer to the jewish community in the twin cities. But I can sometimes be a bit modest so I dont really seek attention when maybe I am deserving. 

I just want this part of my life to worth more than just stories I tell my guy friends about the crazy hard things I did, the guns I shot, the vehicles rode in and so on. It will always be a special time for me but if I can turn it in to something greater and maybe use it to help others somehow that would be something truly great.

This year away from all the family and friends I grew up with has really opened up my eyes. It has caused me to want to reconnect with old friends and strengthen the bonds with the ones I have have. I still dont know how my story is going to unfold but I do know I am going to be the one who is going to write it.

I can’t wait to see everyone when I come back in October/Novemberish See you soon!

A little update...

I figured it might be time for new blog post. Its only been about 3 and a half months since my last one. I just finished Imun Mitkadem. Which means i have received all the required training to considered a combat soldier. I still have 4 more months with the same people and after that we will be split up as people go to courses and such. Honestly I thought the imun was going to be a bit more interesting. It did have some real cool moments for sure but also some frustrating ones. 

The most important thing is that i’m moving off of my base that was about 6 and a half hours away to a much much closer base at least for a few months. Also the equipment is going to be a  lot better now because its not just some training base.I’m looking forward to these next four months. We will be doing exercises and stuff while also some experience of what its like being an actual combat soldier in the battalion.

I’m hoping to home sometime in August. This week I am going to ask for my vacation so we will see how that goes. I really do miss home. When I think of the people and places that I have waiting for me at home it makes me wonder why I ever left, but sacrifices had to be made in order to do what I wanted to do. In the hard moments mentally and physically I think my family and push through it because i know they are there with me.

Also anybody who reads this should know that i love to get mail. Letters, pictures, drawings whatever it all means more to me than you can imagine.

Love you all and see you all soon!

סוף טירונות רגילה!!!!!!!

Well its about time to write down some thoughts and feelings. At the moment I am on my “regila” basically a vacation you get from the army every 4 to 6 months. I finished “tironut” or basic training. Its a period I’m glad is over for lots of reasons but will always remember because of the people and the moments. So what does Jordan Ray Shaw have to say about the army? First of all I want to say its not easy to be a combat soldier and definitely not for everyone. The right to defend this country is not just given to you when you join the army you have to earn it. Weeks of barely enough sleep and over 20 mile marches are things that now are not foreign to me. Never in my life I thought I would shoot assault rifles, throw grenades or blow up plastic explosives but in the last few months I did all those things! It all sounds cool...mostly because it is cool but also scary at the same time. I have 3/4 months of advanced training and after that I will receive my warrior pin and basically be trained to do more things I never thought I would. I still dont know what I’m gonna do after my first year is over. I can maybe to this commanders course or medic or stay with the battalion wherever they are positioned. I figure after a year I will have a full taste of what there is to offer and will make a well informed decision.

One thing I do want to say is how great the feeling is to be in public in my uniform. When you are on the base for weeks at a time you are in a bubble and can forget what you are doing but it comes back clearly every bus ride home. Next time I come home it will be with my gun for the first time so now besides looking cool (if only haha) I have lots more responsibility which is exciting and once again scary at the same time. Sometimes at night on guard duty when I’m alone I’ll think how did this kid from South Minneapolis end up here doing guard duty on an Israeli military base not so far from the Egyptian border. I don’t search for an answer I just laugh because its crazy/amazing to think about. 

I don’t want to write so much because thats not my style and it would just be random ramblings. So to end this post I want to reflect and say that its now been more than half a year since I moved to Israel. I have been blessed with a great kibbutz, great garin (love you guys!), great host family, great friends in my unit, and other great new friends from all over. I just want to let everyone know I appreciate everything they do for me, have done and will do. I have learned to appreciate every little moment and thing as much as you can because our lives are fragile and short. The army has already put in perspective how amazing a life I have. My amazing family and friends back home...I love, miss, and think about you every day! No matter where I am in this world Minneapolis will always be home. 

PS. I think I decided what I want to do for my after army trip, at least part of it anyways

Tzav Rishon and Stuff

            Well I'm long overdue on updating my blog so I apologize for that. Lots of things have happened since I last wrote. The first thing to say is that I met my host family for the first time right after my last blog. They are an amazing family. The parents are Rotem and Yankele, the kids are Shahar and Lior. One of the girls in my group's host family is related to mine and they eat together on shabbat so that made it easier to be with someone I know the first time. This is how it went down. All the host families came over to our building and we had a pot luck style shabbat dinner. Then I went over to their house we picked up some wine then drove over their relatives house (with the girl from my group) and drank wine and ate cake it was all in all a nice first meeting.
            The next week were were at Gadna גדנ''ע its a five day army experience that lots of israeli high school students go through. We were on a base in Sde Boker and it was really hot so we didnt do too much exercise type stuff but we had lots of discipline stuff and such. We also had lessons about the M16 and went to the shooting range and got to shoot. There isn't much else to talk about it was just a long week.
           Lots of people went and spent time with family and friends the weekend after Gadna because we had a free weekend. Only about 5 of us stayed on the kibbutz. I was invited to my host family's for shabbat dinner so I spent like 5 hours over there on friday night. The father really likes to cook and we had an awesome meal and desert. The grandparents also come and they are also fun to be around.
          When its been so long between posts I forget what things have actually happened so I'm sorry if I missed some things. Tomorrow i will get the sim card for my phone and I will finally have a real phone to use which is sweet, and also a lady from the absorption office is coming and i can give her my bank paper so they can start my sal klita payments which will aslo be awesome. Tomorrow I also have to go to the eye doctor which leads me to talk about today because I had my tzav rishon.
          The tzav rishon is the first call to the army before you enlist. Its nice that we live close to Tiberias and didn't have a long trip to get to the army office. We arrived and after waiting for about 15 minutes I was the first of the guys in my group to get called. First I had אימון נתונים which is where the just talk to you and check all the information they have about you is correct and also the do a short hebrew exam in order to check your hebrew and decide whether or not you will take the computer exam in english or hebrew. After that I went upstairs and was called right away for a urine test. Then not too long after that I went and waited outside before they filled out some paper work in front of me about being a lone soldier and asked me if they had any questions. Then I went back upstairs and had my check with the doctor. Everyone jokes about the russian doctors at tzav rishon but its true haha. All is good but i didn't receive my profile number (which determines whether or not you are healthy enough to serve in elite units or just combat or whatever) a 97 is the highest. He said because my eyes are worse then -4 I need a fondus test on my eyes otherwise all is good. So Danielle already has an appointment set up for tomorrow which is nice.
          There is probably some stuff I am missing but thats good for now and i hope to update more often with more pictures!

Step One

As I sit out here in the sweltering Bat Yam heat it really puts in perspective what I just did. I am on my own far away from home. For a full day now I watched people from all the country stuff their lives into between 3 and 4 bags all in order to move to Israel. It makes me wonder what all these other people see or feel that makes them want to live here too. I feel like when I was at home it was hard to explain why I want to live here but once I landed it wasn't hard to remember why. The people and families just living their day to day lives. Those are the who I want to fight for and protect.

I will back up a second and explain how I got here. I arrived at the airport sunday night and met up with Alon. His father was super generous and put us up in a hotel for the night. We stayed at a Days Inn a 5 minute free shuttle ride from JFK. We got up the next morning ate a bit for breakfast then caught the shuttle back to JFK. I knew there would be lots of people but I was still surprised at the number of people. Even with all the workers and volunteers everything still seemed crazy and unorganized. We all had to go through a few lines. The first was just to receive our seat assignment and matching t shirts. Also we signed or teudat zehut paper on the fancy tablet things while waiting. The next line we got a short interview by an el al employee before having our bags go through a security checkpoint. We then got our bags back and finally checked them and got our tickets.

While all of this was going on people were getting interviewed left and right by all sorts of people including one of the guys from my group by some tv cameras. Also so so many pictures by family members and press and everyone in between. There was a ceremony at the airport before we left. I was really close but i couldn't hear or see anything so if anybody saw it on the internet they know more about it than I do. On the flight there were 127 soon to be IDF soldiers. The flight was around nine hours and we processed some paperwork on the flight so it went by rather quick actually. This was by far the most social flight I have ever been on. Everyone was going around talking to everyone and just being very excited.

We landed at the older terminal at Ben Gurion. As we got off the plane we were greeted by dozens upon dozens of press with photographers and camera men. They were taking shots as we dramatically exited the plane down the stairs right onto the tarmac like movie stars or professional athletes. After that we all got on these bus type things and we taken a ceremony/party where the entrance was lined with family/friends/soldiers and all sorts of people. The ceremony had a whole bunch of speakers and such along with a live band. Netanyahu showed up and said some words. Then we all took a photo with him and I just really by chance before the picture was taken I was below him and he was asking people where they were from and he asked me and we shook hands.

After all that we were able to go up stairs and finish our processing. We sat down on bench type things as they called everyones name one by one into little rooms where we received our teudat oleh first sal klita payment and a taxi voucher. I was not kidding the second to last person to get called in out of the 127 people. After that I gave my taxi voucher to the people organizing the taxis and then got in my taxi to Bat Yam. I stayed with my good friends Sam and Ashley in Bat Yam for one day before I went to the kibbutz. We went out to eat with our mutual friend Miri and then hung out a bit after but I was so tired i couldn't stay up for long. I woke up took a shower Ashley mad me breakfast then I got a taxi to Smolarsh Auditorium at Tel-Aviv. There I put my bags on the bus marked with my kibbutz name then met with Daniella our Mom on the kibbutz and our two soldiers who are organizing our program.

Once we were all there we had another ceremony with speakers and such. We then got on our bus and headed to the kibbutz. So far its been about 2 and a half days here on the kibbutz. We have had lots of free time to get to know the kibbutz and hang out. Today after shabbat we start the program for real. I'm going to post some pictures so everyone has an idea of where I'm living.

Short little update

Well we rebuilt the wall yesterday and did two more on the other side of the entrance. It was really windy while we were doing it and my hands were not a fan of the cold at all. the wind continued until tonight so its been a cold few days.

Uri had his last work day on Friday. We went to the Gamalia last night as a sort of goodbye thing but it was just nice to get out of here for a bit. 

Days like today when its cold and windy and we don’t work its extra hard to find the motivation to get out of bed. 

Well not much to say right now, I think I will have my test results from the ulpan exam sent to the owners here so I just need to ask them what there adress is I guess. My mom received something in the mail but it was just said that i completed the ulpan on these 5 months as an official thing. Bedtime soon gonna have some fruit then lay in my warm bed.

New Peoplez

Well After a few days of only 3 or 4 people we are now back to around 6 people. Its Me, Anya, Uri, Dvir, Michal, and Hadas. Its different feeling and atmosphere than before. Its not a good or a bad thing at all just different. 

Today after breakfast we got to work on this mud structure we are building by the gate. We built an L-shaped structure 4 hay bales high and after we got the first layer of mud on Dvir tried to adjust the smaller side the whole thing just fell. It was like slow motion and I thought Yair would be really mad. Obviously its not ideal but what are you gonna do and we only lost 3 hours of work which isn’t a whole whole lot considering we have all the tools and material up in position to go at it tomorrow and such.

Well there is lots of time to think in the desert to just....be. I like to go out to this hill not too far and sit and look at the cliffs and the valley. Here I have experienced a lot actually. Living with Israeli hippies in the desert has been enlightening for sure.

I am here till March 11th and after that I don’t know whats in store for me. To return home or not? I have a Visa till the first week of April and friends willing to host me so idk but either way I enjoy my time here besides the compost stuff which may be the most disgusting thing I will ever do. Well good night and this weekend we might go on a hike in a canyon and a jeep trip so that would be rad...