I am a Full Fledged Israeli!

I AM A FULL FLEDGED ISRAELI AND I WILL TELL YOU WHY!

Can you believe it?! After ten and a half years, I can claim that I am ISRAELI.

You know, I have been working on this for quite awhile and it feels really amazing. The fascinating aspect of this extraordinary feat of CHUTZPA is that it came less than one week before I turn 65 years old. Wow, I have really made it and it feels remarkable.

When we first came to Israel, I actually parked the car in between the lines. I actually drove the speed limit when I could find it posted.  I actually got a stop sign violation ticket……how un-Israeli! You know why? Israelis either talk their way into everything they want or they talk themselves out of most everything they don’t want. I have never confessed this to you before but since I turn 65 on Wednesday, I intend to just throw caution to the wind and tell you the truth. When I first made Aliyah, I was a people pleasing, politically correct Anglo who parked within the lines. OY! Vey! I know it sounds shocking because to be honest, I DO NOT RESEMBLE THAT PERSON ANYWMORE, THANK G-D.

Anyway, here is what happened.  I was on my way with my twin (in somewhat matching outfits and hairdo), to introduce her to my students at a girls’ seminary where I teach a course in life skills (you know how they say teachers teach what they need to learn…how true!) The area of the road near the seminary was under construction and there was a policeman directing what little bit of traffic had accumulated.  I found a nice little spot out of the way but definitely one I created and lo and behold the policeman comes up to me and says, “You can’t park there, you have to go back down the road.” So, in my most obedient voice I said, “OK fine.” The old people pleaser reared her head. Now, I began to drive down the road when I spied a perfect little spot not far from the seminary and REALLY, it wasn’t in the way of anything at all, in my humble opinion, so my twin and I parked and walked towards the seminary. WELL, along comes this cute little policeman and he says, “I told you to park down the street.” So, in my best Israeli voice, I said, “first of all, I am taller than you and second of all I am older than you and thirdly, I am married to THE SHERIFF OF TZFAT and I CAN PARK WHEREVER I LIKE.”  And what do you think he did? He laughed and said ok but don’t be long.

Now, I had no idea how he would respond but with my 65^th birthday just around the corner, I did not care. I was on a mission and we had big plans for the day and that did not include driving far down a road and walking back when there were perfectly good parking places so near my destination.  Oh, friends, it feels so good to use my voice and personal power. I am glad however, that he wasn’t a big cop with a mean face but I still would have spoken up for myself.

Well, that’s the saga and NOW, I do consider myself a full-fledged Israeli and it’s about time.

I am sure I have peaked your curiosity about saying my husband is THE SHERIFF OF TZFAT BUT I will save that story for another time. It is a doozy.

Stayed tune for the further adventures of Ariella Bracha and her sidekick—THE SHERIFF OF TZFAT.