A new year is a time of new beginnings. And yes, if we are to be politically correct involved Jews we are not supposed to really acknowledge, let alone celebrate the beginning of the Gregorian calendar, but… what the hell. Now I admit that I commemorated the beginning of 2006 by promptly falling asleep at least an hour before the clock struck midnight. Whoopee!!! However, it is a change, an opportunity take stock, reprioritize, and dust off long put off resolutions.

So one of my resolutions is to actually stand up to a goal I set two months ago in November and that was to keep a blog. So here we go, the first entry 2006. Promptly written on January 11. The first ten days of the year were spent warming up. But then again, living the Zionist Dream is tiring and does take its toll.

January did begin with yours truly three weeks into a new job. Yes, indeed, just when I thought I was out they drag me back in. I am back working for Young Judaea. This time as the assistant education director of Year Course. In the beginning of December there was a mini-staff shake up allowing an opening to surface. I was hired by my friend, the director of Year Course, Keith Berman to take the place of someone who was promoted to assistant director of Year Course. Now, before you start screaming nepotism, let me just say that I am very, I say, very qualified for the job. So there. Not to mention that I am going to be really good at it.

So I find myself walking down the hallowed halls of the Hadassah Youth Center-Beit Riklis on Mount Scopus once again, this time as a full time staff member. My office is just two doors down from my old Year Course room. Now it is the office of three faculty members. Luckily, where the two Orthodox instructors are sitting they can still study Torah.

It is comforting and familiar to be back and there are lots of faces that I know, plus, after five months of unemployment I am back working. The job could be a little more challenging, but I’m assuming that that will soon change. March first starts a new semester in which there will be 200 students. A little different then the 82 we have now. Next year they are hoping for 500-600 students. I have a feeling that there will be a little more work. I will also start teaching, come third semester.

The New Year also brings us six months into our Reut living experience. We are acclimating to the place. Adar and Nadav enjoy the school, their teachers, and have made lots of friends. Zoë is the star of her day care class. Joyce is getting used to being more and more out of the kibbutz. And I am getting used to being a workingman and to the 2 ½ to three hour commute between Reut and Jerusalem. Oh to have a car. Oh to be able to afford the gas for the car I wish I had.

Building the Zionist Dream does take patience (read money). At the moment, we are still not meeting our monthly expenses. Almost, but not quite. But, slowly, slowly, as they say we are getting there..