After my first month here, I am finally feeling a little bit like a true Israeli. I have now been all over the country and have stayed at two different Israeli households, one conservative and one orthodox. I have noticed so many differences between America and Israel, ranging from the food, language, weather, daily schedule, clothing, and overall mentality. We have talked to so many people everywhere we go, and many of them had made Aliyah to Israel from America. While listening to them describe why they made the choice to move here, many of them gave similar responses. They felt that they weren’t connected with America, and many of them had felt like an outsider because of their Judaism. Israel gives a sense of belonging, community, and pride for the Jews, which is something absent in most parts of America. Many kids, including some attending Mosenson High School right on our campus, chose to come here so they could avoid the traditional “American” path of going to high school, then right to college, then getting a job. Many wanted to come to Israel to join the IDF before going to University. 

One of the main Israel-American differences is their mentality. I’ve noticed that Israelis tend to not “sugar-coat” things, and are more direct with you. It’s harsher but also nice to know that they are always telling the truth and giving you a genuine response.

One of my favorite things about Israel is the food. Everything is so fresh and delicious. I love going to the street markets, the shuk, and even the streets of Hod HaSharon because you know you will always be able to find a good falafel or some hummus and pita. The spices here are also amazing, I can’t wait to go home and buy a huge bag of za’atar!

The daily schedule is also very different in Israel from America. Here, the work week starts on Sunday and ends Friday afternoon, for Shabbat. I’m still getting used to having school on Sunday! The weekend is so different. There is a rush Friday afternoon that halts right at around 3:00, where everything closes and the whole country slows down. This is the opposite of America, where people fill up their weekend with activities and social gatherings, rather than using it for a day of rest.

The biggest “culture shock” I have had here was when I stayed at my friend Natalie’s orthodox aunt’s house. I can’t say whether this experience would be any different from staying in an orthodox neighborhood in America, but it is definitely different from how I live. Almost everything about their lifestyle is different from mine: their clothing, food, family life, and more.  They have so many children, but Americans consider having more than 3 or 4 kids a lot. I had never had a traditional, religious Shabbat dinner before so that was really interesting. We went for a walk through the neighborhood and everyone was dressed up in their Shabbat outfits playing outside, it was really cool to see everyone celebrating together, whereas, at home, Shabbat is barley even acknowledged.