New Israel Connection

Late last night I was online and I get a message in facebook from someone in Israel. She writes that she grew up in Columbia and went to the same high school I did and was now living in Israel and that she was surprised that someone else from the same place was moving to Israel. She is a few years younger than I am and also told her about Josh Sussman, who grew up in Columbia, who is the same age as her being in Neve Daniel. (No, she is not in Neve Daniel... but that wouldn't have shocked me anymore) I see they are now facebook friends....

We continued a short dialogue to play Jewish geography and she knows a lot of my family and her grandparents and mine were friends. Then I picked up on another family name and found her aunt married my cousin. So not a blood relation, but a connection none the less. We grew up with many of the same people and going to the same places. We still have more stories to share, I'm sure.

Paperwork receiced and being processed

I received an e-mail from the Aliayh office, yesterday (Friday) afternoon, that I sent my paperwork for processing. This was a response to an e-mail asking for the status.

I have a tik aliyah (aliyah file) number. So, I guess I feel like something is happening. However the e-mail informed me that they will not actually process my paperwork until after the coming Jewish holidays as they are overwhelmed with applications for individuals making aliyah around the holidays. Even though I want things to progress rapidly I can't be unhappy that so many people are making aliyah that they have to prioritize the processing.

So, I guess on this issue I won't be posting an update until October. But progress is progress.