From the Oleh Chadash

Following my trend of bandwaggoning, I have joined the Zacks in Israel and became Israeli today. Although since I was the first one to actually move here and the only to go to the army, I dont think I'm really following anyone, I just never had a reason to actually Aliyah til now. I also went to the Siyum HaShas with Sim. I already wrote about that in detail on my blog. i just want to discuss one point I discussed with Sim. Whether we relate more to the American Charaidi crowd that was there or the Dati Leumi crowd we associate with more. I think that although I grew up American Charaidi, I have outgrown it. From joining the army to making Aliyah, my lifes path has taken me in a completely different direction then all the people I've grown up with and known. I saw old friends of mine at the Siyum tonight, one that I was very close to and even came to our house and got drunk with me one Purim, and I had nothing to say. Nothing. They dont go to college, they dont understand why someone would go to the army, they would never make aliyah even if they would live here forever, they dont care to "waste their time" learning Hebrew or being part of the country they live in. Even though there are many things I disagree with about the Dati Leumi theology, there are many more ways I relate to them. One of my army friends was in the Misrad Hapnim waiting to change his address to a Gush Katif address so that after they stop allowing visitors in, he can still go and protest. Even if I dont agree with his politics (I'm still not clear on that issue) I still understand why he feels that why and I can still talk to him. That is why I align myself more with Dati Leumi and not Charaidi.