Imprisoned in the Past, Unable to Reach a New and Better Future III
In Spite of all the Hardship, Don’t Give Up
If you are constantly choosing to live in your past instead of adapting to the new reality of Israel, you will get tired very fast and start having second thoughts about your decision to come here.
Art Buchwald once said, “We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don’t think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you’re hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time.”
The present
As I have written in my last few articles on this topic, I cannot prevent you from getting into trouble, as I am not able to predict every difficulty you may have in Israel. However, if you really want to succeed in your mission, in your Aliyah, you will have to learn how to adapt well – and fast.
The Hard and True Reality of Immigration, Part III
Here are a few more challenges most olim face in Israel:
1. Labor Law – Employee’s rights: I can assume that you had or will have issues regarding your workplace or your rights as an employee. I know because in Israel, unfortunately, employers keep disregarding laws. The situation today is far better than 10 years ago, but in general an employee should occasionally verify if s/he is receiving what s/he’s entitled by law.
There are many rights and benefits that don’t have to be in a contract such as: vacation, sick days, etc. (read more here: http://lawadv.com/category/labor/
However, most other employer promises simply don’t exist if not specified explicitly in contract or in other written documents, though this excludes verbal promises!
2. Driving in Israel: This can be quite challenging and dangerous, but you don’t have to become a typical “Israeli driver.” Israelis have a small problem respecting “space” on roads, thinking they own the road. Since January 2013 there is a new policy in the District Attorney’s office. Any driver involved in a car accident, even with only very minor body injuries, will have his license canceled for a 3-month period in addition to a fine determined by a judge. This 3-month period is the shortest a judge will be allowed to impose on such drivers, but it may be longer and will be if the body injuries caused by the accident are serious. Please note that the definition of “bodily injury” applies even when ONLY the driver injured.
3. Do you speak English: It depends in which city you are located, though you can usually find a clerk where you’re shopping that speaks English or at least s/he claim s/he does! Do not assume that they truly understand you. The problem is the Israeli mentality. These guys will never admit they don’t have a clue to your question. They will smile and make that “Of course I know what you are talking about” face, while they don’t really understand your question or understood it only partially.
4. Banks Fees: This is a very important topic, but there is no way I can explain how these fees work. Laws are changing, regulation protecting clients are created every year, but still the bank’s lobby is one of the strongest so changes are slow and for every improvement the banks find another way to take your money.
A word of wisdom:
So many times I am approached by a new immigrant trying to coordinate the country’s reality with his own reality, which so frequently results in the most famous syndrome for new immigrants, “The La La Land” syndrome.
Stay away from this syndrome. Stop trying to fight the system if you don’t have the strength, the tools and the money. Instead, try to work with the system and I promise you will achieve our goals easier and faster.
