Aliyah Memories: 13 years later

This week marks the 13th anniversary BA”H of our aliyah, or to put it in blogspeak, our “aliyah bar mitzvah.”

In honor of the occasion, here’s one of the Shiputzim kids singing a bar mitzvah song:

I should explain that the young singer recorded the song to send to his/her grandparents in the States – about a year or so after we made aliyah.

And on a related note, less than three months after we arrived in Israel, a different one of the Shiputzim kids dictated the following email for the same American grandparents:

November 9, 1998

Dear Bubby and Zaidy,

I'm learning about aleph in gan.

I know some Hebrew words. Like I know "bayit," and I also know "eich korim lach?" That means: what's your name? And I also know "geshem," and I also know "at rotzah lesachek?" That means: do you want to play?

Let me tell you about my gan - what order it goes in.

First, we play a little bit. Then, we daven. Then, Morah talks. [Ed. note - “Morah” literally means “teacher,” but in Israel, the gannenet is never referred to as “Morah.”] Then, sometimes, we eat lunch first, and sometimes, also we first play a game.

Then, we go back to reekooz without our chair. “Reekooz” means circle time. Then after we do reekooz, we go to eat lunch. [Ed. note – Actually, they ate “aruchat esser” – literally, the “ten o’clock meal” – not lunch.]

Then after, all the boys go outside to play in the sandbox. The girls stay inside and play with the dolls.

Then when all the boys come in, then we go to do our projects. How projects is called is “yetzeerah,” and I also know that already.

After, if it takes too long, we go to get our knapsacks. What knapsacks are called is “teek,” and I also know that already. Then we go to sit on our chairs in reekooz.

Then after we sit down, we sing songs and then we go home. First we learn a little before we sing songs. After we sing songs, we go home.

I have to go to sleep now. Good night.

Love, [CENSORED]

Have a great week!