I'm making Aliyah!!!

This is a letter to all my friends, especially many of those that have made an impact on my life; I hold all of you dear and close. I want to start off with an apology; Sorry that I didn’t tell you or send this message earlier. I have many reasons to as why I’m telling you now, mostly so that I could make absolutely sure that I was making the biggest decision, thus far in my life, on my terms and to make sure I was going to stick with the decision.

Over the past two years, I have been contemplating moving to Israel and even perhaps making Aliyah. I have been doing quite a bit of research and planning recently for a move to Israel. My draw to Israel is intense and everything leading me to Israel has been falling into place. I feel as if Aliyah is my next step in life. My Job came to an end, my housing contract is up, and I have held some important roles on campus to leave a mark. I still have three semesters left of college, but I am really not enjoying my degree. Its not the people.

In January, I began my application through Nefesh B’Nefesh, a great and very helpful Aliyah agency. I feel as if I am being called to Israel. This is a very critical time for Israel, and my greatest contribution can be to immigrate and defend the Jewish state. If I plan to start a career in Israel, there are many benefits to going to college there. I have already met a vast amount of descent from my teachers, friends, and mentors. All of them keep telling me to stay in school and just get a degree. There influence did affect me and I really tried to make plans to stay in school, but affording living expenses here is getting difficult without my campus job…leading me to really start working on my Aliyah application, to plan for my future.

Just a few weeks ago I was in New York City and met with an Aliyah advisor from the Jewish Agency. This means that I was approved for a grant and fight from Nefesh B’Nefesh. At the Jewish Agency I had an interview, to make sure that I wasn’t just jumping without a plan. I passed and got approved to make Aliyah! My visa is on the way and the next step is to get on the free flight. I will be finished at camp on August 17th and driving to NYC for the night. *Big party to come. On the morning of August 18th, I will be going to JFK with a one-way ticket to Israel. *Big welcome ceremony at the Tel Aviv Airport. So yes, I won’t be coming back to Colorado…

My current plan is that I will spend a few days at some friend’s houses and travel a bit until my Kibbutz Ulpan begins August 28th. *If you would like me to visit you, let me know. I’ll then be traveling to Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan, just a few miles outside of Haifa. It’s a really beautiful place with mountains and a beach near by. The Ulpan is five Months and then I plan to fulfill my two-year service in the Israeli Defense Force. After the IDF, Israel will pay for me to finish my education. Letting me search for a job soon after, without an interruption for having to go back to the Army for the two year period.

So once again, I’m so so Sorry for just leaving and not really telling you my plans. I really didn’t know that I was 100% going to make Aliyah when I left Boulder. I will try my best to stay in touch and feel free to write and call whenever you can. I will miss you and please come to visit sometime in Israel.

With much love,

Tzvi Darling (AKA, Jeremy)

The Decision

I have bought a ticket to Israel and I'm going to go live there for awhile. I really need a break and I need to go do something for myself as well. CU is a great place and I love Boulder and the people here in my life. I also love Israel very much, as I have the Jewish connection. Some of my best friends live in Israel. The Israelis I have met are from Taglit (Birthright 2007) Soldiers, Camp Staff '07/'08, campers (Camp CPLV), and the other random and sweet Israelis in Colorado. My experiences in Israel are some of the most meaningful and important experiences I have lived, thus far in my life.

Leaving CU has been a decision I have not taken lightly. Yes, I know that its stupid. "Why Don't you just Graduate first?" "Why give up what you have here?" "Where are you going to be most effective?" "You can move there after you graduate..." "You have to have a degree, to go far in life..." blah blah blah, I have heard it all. *For those that don't know, I have almost made Aliyah twice in the past 2 and half years.* I wasn't ready then, I didn't have a plan, I just almost got up and left. It was not right at the time and I did play a ton with all the advice from friends, mentors, and family.

So why is the third time, the right time? Well I have a plan, I have a pull to Israel and I can't resist it any longer. I am not making Aliyah, but going for three months to learn Hebrew in Ulpan (Hebrew School) and then I am volunteering in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) for 10 to 16+ Months, thru Mahal. I will be a full Solider serving along side Israelis, as an American. After the service, I will enjoy all the benefits of a discharged solider. My steps after the IDF is still up in the air, but currently I plan on returning to CU Boulder and finish up my degree, maybe theatre or get one of the 1st degrees from the Jewish Studies Program (That would be exciting!). I have a ton of options and I might stay in Israel and finish a degree there.

--Next Blog, Deciding what Ulpan to Study at: