Nothing can really prepare you for the differences although they do try, you really need to be here to live it. The payments for everything from your medical services to your car license are all at the post office as is your TV, water and phone bill, there is no such thing as sending a cheque. Strange but true.

The language is painful as I don’t understand anything, but the kids are getting it so hopefully one day. But the weather is great and you feel happy when the sun shines.

Every night for 6mths you knew what we were doing what our pleasures were what our frustrations were, what disasters had occurred. But now life has settled down into a routine most of the time it is fine our outings are always amazing and school has had its ups and downs.

Yoni went from school, to ulpan in Jerusalem on a bus with Eli G but who would have thought! Then it was back to school, armed with tutors and more tutors school began. initially on the basketball field but finally in class with tests being written and all. And then he had to have a Barmitzvah in between all this but he did and amazing job and our memories are with us always. He says he wouldn’t go back but would love to play some hockey and spend time with Cody and family. And hopes his old friends remember him. While he has made some new ones.

Eli finally has admitted he would stay although he has taught Ori and Kovi to say “we want to go home”.i.e  CANADA

He says he misses the seasons like walking to shul in the fall and crunching the yellow leaves, and of course he is in constant hockey withdrawal mode. He went to school never missed a class wrote tests with tutors on hand and had a very nice year. And made some very good friends.

Alan what can I say, he has taken on a humongous task of starting all over again, his career his life security left behind him with family to support and all the stress of finding a car. But thank G-d he has done it all and with huge success, my only complaint he hogs the car.

Reality sets in pretty soon, the “high” everyone talks about does not last long, it was gone after a couple of weeks as we knew we needed to make a living we needed a car we had school books to get and our house needed organizing, The Hebrew which we thought the kids had was nothing compared to what they needed and the math oh that math…. And then the revolving tutors in and out on a daily, nightly basis it was so confusing. But in reality we did it, we managed and we all want to stay, so it couldn’t have been that bad and in actual fact it was defiantly easier than I thought it was going to be.

Ori despite not putting him in gr 1 which I regret every night of my life he learnt to read, he became social able and independent walking and biking to the park and friends and he went to school with out crying. Most of you will now that in itself is a miracle. And his brother Kovi leant to speak as all other 3yr olds finally do and he got rid of the diapers in the last couple of weeks and despite being so sick he his cute funny and a pleasure to have around,.

Freedom from snow, this for me is huge but for my kids it’s the worst thing I could have done. The want there hockey snow fights, tobogganing, but will leave the shoveling up to al.

Aliyah yes or no?

It is a struggle

It is a huge sacrifice

It is an adventure

It is stressful

It is scary

It is worrisome

But it is joyful,

It is freedom

It is exciting

It is happiness seeing all the places you learnt about and more

It is wonderful to experience holidays here

It is wonderful to have family and friends come to visit

It is fun

It is an experience

It is Israel

Leaving you all behind has defiantly been the hardest thing of all, my house was always full of people for holidays and bday celebrations and any excuse to have company with the kids in the basement playing hockey for ever and ever and then on our backyard rink and the cottage weekends with the snowmobile, the fires and roasted marshmallows the boat with no fish to catch but the kids learning to ski and swimming all day and days and hours spent on the beach which took days and hours to prepare but oh what a place. These are the things I would come back for in a minute.

Internet. Thank you who ever invented the internet and email I would never have survived without it.

You who have replied to my emails sent letters of inspiration and support, bday wishes and barmy wishes and holiday greeting and have just made us still feel connected please don’t stop even though i can't get back to you all.

A land for the Jewish people to live in. A land that’s beautiful with so many places to go to learn about our history and who we are. And a land full of nature to remind you of the seven species, remember pomegranates grown in my garden, and olives. A land full of promise for the Jewish people.

HOPE

A hope for peace

A hope for the safe return of all the kidnapped soldiers

A hope for a day when no more rockets, no more kidnappings, no more bombs, no more war.

A hope for continued health to everyone I know and to all those who have been injured in terrorist attacks, bombs, defensive operations and who are ill.

A hope for a world full of prosperity,  a world of love and kindness,  and a world where people learn to love each other

A hope to be able to get my act together to learn and daven more.

A hope to be a better parent and kinder to my children and a loving wife.

And a hope you will all get a chance to visit this awesome place and then make a stop to us.

Happy Anniversary to the Sherman’s, the Geralnicks, the Sanders, the Bienstocks, the Bems, Zecie and family and to the Brudners, Jacobs Family and the Goldbergers who have shared this year with us.