Ani Po or Hineni?

After months of anticipation the day finally arrived; I was leaving everyone I knew, family and friends to go and live in Israel to start rabbinical school. I said by goodbyes and began my journey to Jerusalem – Ir HaKodesh (the Holy City). After taxiing on the runway at JFK for about 1.5 hours we finally took off. The flight was going well and I was getting ready for my gluten free meal. Well wouldn’t you know that the mildly attractive girl sitting next to me was also a celiac. After much conversation and a small amount of flirting I realized that she was not a member of the tribe. Who would have thought that the cute girl sitting next to me on my El Al flight wasn’t Jewish? The conversation stopped after we both ate our gluten free meals and I went to sleep for a few hours. When I awoke I realized that I would be landing at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv in about 2 hours.

We finally landed and I went through customs quickly. I was reunited with my 3 large suitcases, which were overweight, and made my way to the Sherut or Shared taxi which would ultimately take me to Jerusalem. The ride was extra long and in true Israeli fashion the driver made a big deal about the amount of luggage the “American” brought. Of course he spoke Hebrew and assumed that I didn’t understand him. I finally arrived at 19 Keren Kayemet, the Rehavia neighborhood that I am calling home for the next 11 months. I got out and started taking out my luggage only to realize that my small rolling black suitcase was missing and in its place was an imposter. Upset, nervous and pissed I asked the driver in broken Hebrew what I should do. He told me to take that piece of luggage and his number so that both parties could be reunited with their luggage. Josh, my roommate, met me at helped me take my luggage up to out apartment and then I started my detective work. I found a book with a bunch of phone numbers on it. I took and a guess and called one of the numbers. It was the daughter of the person that took my luggage. She apologized for her mom and offered to meet me outside my apartment. 20 minutes later I was reunited – rak b’yisrael (only in Israel)!

From our apartment it was off to Ir HaAtikah, the Old city and the Kotel. After davening mincha it was time for my first Shwarma dinner. On the way back to the apartment we stopped at the supermarket and I bought a fan. Bottom line – this country needs more A/C! Got the Internet to work on my computer but still working on Vonage. Started to unpack and went to bed.

After this fun filled, exciting and emotional day I am trying to decide if Ani Po (I am here) or if Hineni (Here I am, I am ready). Many of us remember the words Ani Po from Hebrew School. Lets practice – Teacher says: “Shmuli are you here?” Shmuli responds: “Ani Po.”, but Hineni is much more powerful. The most famous example of Hineni is when God speaks to Moses in the form of the burning bush and Moses responds Hineni. Hineni not only requires ones physical presence but ones emotional and most of all spiritual presence. I have been in Israel for less than 24 hours and in that time I have seen a lot, contemplated even more and have begun to search for meaning. I am ready to say Ani Po but am still waiting to say Hineni.