We Go to Ulpan

One week after the kids went to school, Chaim and I packed up our book bags with notebooks, pens, pencils and highlighters (Chaim didn't pack highlighters as that would be uncool), and off we went to school in Alon Shvut. We have a carpool with Yarden and Stella Frankl and Aleeza Stavsky. We all drop our little ones off to gan and meet in the middle of the yishuv between 8:00 - 8:15. We usually stop at Shiffon, the delicious bakery that has put Neve Daniel on the map. We load up with goodies and coffee and off we go. Yarden, Gd. bless him, usually starts warming up for ulpan with his hebrew only policy. He speaks in his New York accented, somewhat loud hebrew and if we are lucky he gets the sentence out before Alon Shvut. Don't worry Yarden, Chaim also has this thing about yelling when he speaks hebrew. Do you guys think we will understand better when you yell the broken hebrew?! The truth is both of the yeller's hebrew has improved because they keep plugging away and speak it NO MATTER WHAT!
Our teacher is Sara.. a very short, Yemenite, Apple doll sort of figure who happens to be a powerhouse. The first day she went on and on about what a Z'chut it was to teach olim and how special it was for her and the country that we joined them. She believes it is our job to fix what ails the country and bring seder to the holy land. She is a wonderful teacher, I must say that I have never learned as much hebrew in other ulpans. She has a systematic method that just works. I wasn't sure in the beginning if I was going to stay as I didn't think the level was high enough for me. Sara, pointed out that my hebrew was high but that it was missing some basic grammer and it might be worthwhile to stay and rebuild so to speak. Her dramatic teaching style and zest for the language convinced me to remain and I am glad I did. Sara is a very smart and wise woman and we have all learned much from her and not just about hebrew. Her stories about when her family came from Yemen and what happened to all her aunts, uncles and cousins upon their arrival are fascinating. She is passionate about Israel and Yahadut and I really admire her. She lives in Kiryat Arba, previously she lived in Chevron, so you can imagine where she lies politically, and she is not shy about sharing her viewpoint. We all chuckle when she makes up sentences to demonstrate usage of a verb form or to define a word...she's very, let's say....creative!
I was put in a class with ...you got it..Chaim!! Has anyone here ever gone to school with their spouse? Chaim and I share a desk and let's just say it has been an eye opener. First of all his notes drive me crazy.....some here some there a page here, a page there...wow! Then there is the shaking thing, leg shaking pens tapping...Just stay still Yonatan, I mean Chaim!!! Remember I told you chaim wouldn't take highlighters , you know to highlight and organize notes with ...well since we started binyanim, he borrows all my colours all the time!!!! Once Chaim was bothering me in class and I had to tell on him...Mora who mafrea li! She said she thinks it is time to separate us, but only at school she added. I told the kids and they thought this was absolutely hysterical. When it is my turn to read, speak or answer and I have any difficulty chaim tries to whisper the answer which is not only annoying but usually the answer is wrong! Have I told you about the homework, we get a lot of homework. Now this is in addition to the homework we have to do with the kids. The truth is the homework is to solidify what we learn in class and put the information words, verbs etc. at the front of our head and tongue so we can access them readily. There is just so little time to do it. I get home in time to collect Sara from Gan, do housework, lunch, supper and the kids are home before you know it, homework , clean up from supper, more homework and suddenly it is 10:00 and I still have to do lunches and then HOMEWORK. I don't get much done and it is a pity because I would learn more. Chaim got in trouble once for not doing homework. Chaim, efo ha avodah shelcha? uh, uh, Chaim, chaval, ata sarich leasot hashiurai bayit shelcha! Beseder Mora. I told the kids, they thought this was also hysterical.
We have a new student in our class. She's cute, sweet, bright and she happens to be our daughter! Yes, Avital has joined our ranks. She felt her school ulpan wasn't efficient, she saw what we were learning and asked to join our class. She got permission from her school and now there are three Shermans in our class...Avital is my classmate. She comes to ulpan the four mornings and we drive her to school afterwards...in Bet Shemesh! She sat with Chaim on the first day and kindly requested that it not happen again. She sits with me now and Chaim sits behind us. We still lend him our colours and when there is group work we let him be a part of ours. Avital and I like to see who writes nicer, neater and more organized notes...it's close!! It has been most interesting being in class with Avital and has given me a whole new perspective on her. I am very proud of her!! She pursued this class in order to progress her learning in school, she was not intimidated by being with us or other adults and really only wants to learn. I guess this is what happens with maturity. Israel and the challenges of aliyah have really brought out the best in her! Thank G.d.
Our ulpan is made up of mostly new olim, some are already here a few years and want to improve their hebrew, there are young folk like avital, and golden agers who couragously try to improve their language skills. We all share an "old country" from which we came and the "new country" in which we are trying to integrate. We have similar struggles, frustrations, triumphs and "only in Israel" wonderful moments. We have all left behind family and friends we miss desperately and at chagim we all have that spot in our eyes that says it all! Before Rosh Hashana we had a little ulpan party. We sang songs. Hashana Habaa was one of them, neshev al hamirpeset be nispor tziporim nodedot...Avinu malkeinu was another...I looked around the room at the students' faces and really I had to catch my breath....here we were sitting next to derech avoth , the path where Avraham and Yitzchak walked, singing about our all forgiving father , our king amongst people who had left perfectly wonderful lives for hopefully much better lives and really what is there to say. We sang about the coming year, and really there is so much up in the air here now, and it is OUR now, decisions and events are no longer there , they are here in our backyard and effect our everyday life! I had to stop singing and once again blink rapidly to prevent the downpour (I do that a lot here). I once again found myself thanking hashem for the z'chut he has given Chaim, myself and our children (I also do that a lot here)!