Shalva del Castillo shlvaleh@actcom.co.il Posted: October 15, 2000 (from an online aliyah discussion list) Now that I am connected to the internet through the phone lines at the MK in Ra'anana, I can begin to contribute once again to Tachlis.. only one full week and I'm back online!... Shosh, I am glad you asked this question, because I had planned my first post, other than to say I arrived with my children, to be one dealing with exactly this.... First let me say that we arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday the 5th of October at 3:00pm. We (myself and two kids, girl/boy) were the only ones in the "upstairs" room at the time to process in as Olim, other than the people who worked there. We were in and out of that office in about 15 minutes. The only bad (or nerve wracking) experience I had with that was the AACI guy that met us at the airport (we also had a friend meet us just inside passport control who went upstairs with us..asked to see my passports and then wouldn't give them back to me... I do NOT like giving my passport to anyone, having lived abroad before... So I had to try and stay on his heels until we got upstairs and I FINALLY got them back from the p'kid who processed us... Personally if I were to have to do that part again (thank G-d I don't!) I wouldn't give him my passports to see at all, but rather would have him just show me where to go... After that we went downstairs to get our bags.. they were just coming off the plane...everything other than a carry on bag that El Al insisted we check arrived.. so far I only had one thing broken in the boxes and that was easily fixed. Though we are still trying to hunt down the lost bag that has my daughter's clarinet in it. Now to the Mercaz klitah... I have two things to say about this...other than we arrived after the offices were closed, but the guard knew we were arriving and we had no problems getting into our flat... and this is..1) It is NOTHING like apartments in the Unites States.. unless you have been to "free housing" even for a visit.. though much cleaner than said "free housing" in the United States...very small, very plain very no US standards.. and 2) Thank G-d I've lived abroad before and have seen apartments close to this and even lived in apartments similar to it... My first reaction was to cry... but that was the exhaustion of so much travel with two children by myself, saying good bye to my oldest in Chicago who is not joining us, but instead going into the United States Air Force a week from today (12.10.00)., the next day after having had some sleep, seeing the sunrise and starting to unpack and make this my home, it was much better.. and gets better every day, though I'm still grateful it is only temporary.... To your question Shosh.. paperwork and offices...I have taken the position that if I can accomplish one thing a day, I'm doing very well and should be pleased... so here are my accomplishments to date. 05.10.00 - Arrive in Tel Aviv 3:00 (30 minutes early)... process through all the paperwork, leave with Teudat Oleh and The slips with our Teudat Zehut numbers as well as the kupot chlim papers.. arrive at the MK at 6:00pm. Fall dead asleep after schlepping 9 boxes, 3 carryons and two sleepy children upstairs, unpack enough to make beds... 06.10.00 (Erev Shabbat) Friend arrives to pick me up at 8:30am, off to walk to the bank... arrive at 9:30 (we had coffee at home first) leave the bank with checking account and dollar account at 11:00am (to return in a week because of Yom Kippur to pick up debit card and checks). Take Teudat Oleh, as well as any bank papers you might get at the MK, my friend did pick up the papers that Bank Idud wants filled out by your personal bank so you can have money deposited. If someone can't pick up for you prior to your arrival, ask Dalia at Ra'anana MK if that is where you are going or the comparable person elsewhere.. Went to hardware store to pick up things for the apartment. Back to the apartment in time to install some things (shower head since the old one was not so nice..etc) and go to Jerusalem for Shabbat with our friends..asleep at 1am and up again at 12noon, no shul for us...but that's ok.. the jet lag was about to wipe us out... out for Swarma Motzee Shabbat, home and in bed at 10:30pm, everything peaceful that we saw in Jerusalem and in Ra'anana.. amazing as a matter of fact since my kids would never be allowed out that late alone in St. Louis... 08.10.00 (Sunday/Yom Rishon/Erev YomKippur), off to the Post Office, in line for 15 minutes, with the clerk for 10 minutes, paid my 11 shekels for the Kupot Cholim of my choice..Take Tuedat Oleh and the form given to you at the airport... Done... Home to get ready for Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur...Out of shul at 7:30 (7:45?) pm..onto Auhuza for a stroll, I have NEVER seen anything like what I saw on the streets.. absolutely not one car moving and people as far as the eye could see walking up and down the street. We'd been told about it, but words fail to describe it, it is a MUST SEE... 9.10.00 Yom Kippur...slept again until noon, (we appeared to be on a sleep 12-15 hours up for 24 cycle..KILLER.. but I think we are finally out of it)... to Shul for Neliah services and once out the traffic is back to normal on Ahuza....what a change!.. 10.10.00 (Tuesday) off to Macabbi at 8:20am, made it in about 25 minutes with a stop to get a newspaper (be prepared for a real news blackout in the MK unless you can follow the hebrew news...).. waited 15(?) minutes at Macabbi, signed papers, walked out with all three insurance cards (temporary, the regular ones mailed in 45 days) and signed up for the supplemental insurance...very nice people, speak English MUCH better than I speak Hebrew... bring Teudat Oleh, form from airport that the Post Office stamped as well as the Form the post Office gives you. I didn't need to bring the kids. Back to the MK by 10am, spoke with Nava the "Cultural and Education Director".. she can order a Bezek card for you so that you can use the internet connections at the MK, but plan on it taking approximately 3 weeks to arrive. Until then, no internet connection here.. you either have to have someone who will lend you their Bezek card or go to the netcafe, or find someone you can hook your computer into their phone line... Also got names of schools for the kids and some information on the ulpan for kids.. apparently the schools "pool" young Olim hours from the Ministry of Education/Absorption to give the kids more hours.. they also have a twice weekly ulpan for school kids, two hours each for 30 shekels a month per kid. Upstairs to sign up for Ulpan, registered and the next class starts right after Succot "around the 23rd", I'll find out what *that* means later... Back to the apartment for lunch and then down to see Dalia at 12 when she arrives to work (the staff at Ra'anana rotate start/end working hours throughout the week so someone is always there until 8pm, Tuesdays Dalia is there from Noon to 8pm.. She processed the lease for the MK flat, figured out the money to be received monthly from Bank Idud.. etc..put together a nice packet of everything you need to take with you to Bank Idud, etc..tells you where Bank Idud is, what bus to take, where Misrad H'Pnim in K'far Saba is what bus to take etc.. was *very* helpful... take Teudat Oleh, all forms from airport as well as your bank account number... and one picture.. though I didn't have a picture so got it the next day... this is for your "security pass" saying you are indeed a resident here... 11.10.00 up at 8:00 breakfast, took my youngest to the photo store for my pictures, then to catch the #47 bus to Tel Aviv, Allenby Street and Bank Idud... we left Ra'anana at 10:00am and arrived at Bank Idud about 11:00 (you do have to walk about 6 blocks, give or take...), DO bring a book.. and if you bring a child, no matter the age, something to entertain them...we arrived and our number was 173 and they were "serving" 68... we went out to lunch and shopping, got back at number 130, sat and read books until our turn.. all total about 4.5 hours, once we saw the clerk, no problem we were in and out in about 20 minutes. Bring Teudat Oleh, 3 copies of the lease for the MK, unsigned (you'll sign them there), bank account number and bank slips sign by the bank that you get from Dalia, and a couple of other forms that Dalia stuffed in the packet (all hebrew mostly containing the amounts to be deposted over the 6 month lease period)..I am fortunate, I was in the Army in the United States and thier motto is "hurry up and wait" not a problem... I'm used to that....back on bus 47 to Ra'anana (about 3 blocks up from Bank Idud) and back about 6:15pm, walked home...the offices were closed at the MK. 12.10.00 (Today, ok yesterday since I'm writing this after midnight)... up at 8:00am with the kiddies, dressed, fed, teeth brushed, out the door at 9:00.. stopped at the MK office, gave Dalia the lease copy that is hers, the picture which she attached to the "security pass" and returned to me... off to the bank... debit card and checks are here, pick them up, one quick easy lesson in using the funny writing in the ATM machine and out the door. We decided to take a taxi to Misrad H'Pnim for the fun of it.. Asked for the meter.. (the "book" price is 24 shekels) got there for NIS 22.10 (Thanks Sara Lev-Ami!) but then traffic wasn't too horrible... we had number 204, they were serving 128, went outside, looked around bak inside to read (we all had books) we waited just about an hour, then up to the clerk, Bring Tuedat Oleh, passports for all persons involved (don't know if the kids really had to be there or not, according to Dalia no, but didn't want to take a chance so they came... YMMV), all marraige/Divorce/custody documents, proof of Jewishness, and the TZ slips they gave you at the airport... do be aware that there is a form to fill out at the Misrad H'Pnim, requesting the TZ, I didn't know that, but when I went to the information booth to make sure I was in the right line with the right number and not in line for something else, the woman there told me about the form and helped me fill it out...(Ulpan will NOT start too soon, don'tcha know).... I only had to show the slips from the airport, the passports, Teudat Oleh... and give them two pictures.. chick chock, I signed a couple of papers, took a form to another clerk at a booth, he ran them through a laminating machine and I have my Teudat Zehut! All official and everything, no waiting for it in the mail... So, in 7 days, including a Shabbat and Yom Kippur So we'll say 5 days, I've done all but get my driver's license, gone to Betuach Leumi for the Ketzat Yeladim and enrolled my kids in school.. (oh yes and rented or bought a house)...I only really had 3 waits of more than 45 minutes... Bank Idud, 4.5 hours, Dalia 2hours (she was swamped that day) and 1hour at Misrad H'Pmin, I walked out with everything I needed... I do have the name of some schools I'm going to visit right after succot, and talking to some friends of my friends in Jerusalem who live here in Ra'anana, before hand, but soon the kids will be in school... I would have to say this was one of the most painless experiences I've ever had.. and other than the news being on everywhere I went (mostly I'm oblivious to the news since I can't understand a word of it) everything seemed to be running fine..at least here in Ra'anana... I know it is crazy elsewhere...in offices and general safety...but I know it can be done.. and in less than a month.. granted, next week is going to be insane.. but I think that setting your goals to one real accomplishment a day (if you are done early and can squeeze something else in, good, if not, good too.. get over your jet lag..).. and being patient with the waits... will help greatly.... Sorry for this being so long.. but I've done a LOT in the last few days...and I've also been without an internet connection as well...so I've got a lot pent up words to get out... Hope this helps someone... I know that a lot of the patience was gleaned not only from my Army days of hurrying up and waiting, but also from the forewarning I got here over the last two years... thanks!!! and it IS good to be here.. "situation" or not... Shalva