Happy New You
I recently went to Dizengoff mall with Liat to shop for my new job. I have never really liked the mall, for reasons you can probably guess. The horribly strong perfume-y smells, the unquenchable yearning for material items, the inevitable exhaustion that ensues after walking endlessly—-I can think of 11 better things to do with my time. But surprisingly, despite all of these unchanging factors, on this occasion I was happy I went.
Firstly, on the way to the mall, we found a pocket of vendors selling second-hand clothes (“Yad Shniyah” in Hebrew). I had been saying how I wished I could just go to Banana Republic for work clothes when a sign, better than I could have ever imagined, came in the form of second-hand Banana Republic sweaters. The whole operation was run by an Argentine man named Alejandro, who happened to have a son that lives in Miami, of all places. Another sign. I instantly felt connected to this man’s business, his purpose. We spoke in English, Hebrew, and Spanish, which connected all of my worlds at once in the most wonderful way. My past, present, and future, all intertwined together instantaneously, effortlessly, synchronously. Before we left for the mall, Alejandro asked if our parents were here, to which we said no. He replied “You have a father here, if you like,” to which we of course cheered, “Papi!” Jaja.
The second reason I was happy I went to the mall is because while there, I noticed a change in myself. In the past, shopping has always given me anxiety. I felt this pressure to prove myself with what I wore, always competing to look my best. And for who? Boys? Other girls?
This time, however, I was very calm. This is because the only person I have aimed to please since I have been in this country is myself. At the end of the day, this is the only approval that matters. I did not end up buying anything at the mall, nor did I feel the slightest urge to buy things that I know will do very little to enhance my happiness.
Since I have been in Israel, it has been my goal to refrain from supporting fast fashion. Which is funny, because I realized very quickly that despite how it might seem, Israel as a whole doesn’t care that much about protecting the environment. They certainly have enormously successful agriculture, as much of the produce is a lot fresher on a national scale than in the U.S. (which is easier to do in a small country), but the general population seems to care very little about global warming. I was very confused about it for a long time, until I realized that it is because Israelis deal with more immediate safety threats than Americans do on a daily basis. There actually has not been a real war on U.S. soil (with the exception of 9/11) since the Civil War in 1865. With this in mind, it is a bit more understandable why greener issues are not as pressing for Israelis. They have bigger fish to fry. But this is not the end of the issue for me. This understanding is just the beginning.
Even with this newfound understanding of Israeli priorities, it still deeply bothers me that I see plastic bags floating around on Burgrashov Beach. I find the blatant disrespect toward the environment to be ferociously ignorant from such an educated and diverse population, and even contradictory to some of the core foundations of Judaism, specifically the one that encourages uplifting the community around us.
Despite the amount of trash I may find on the ground, I don’t want to trash-talk a country I love so much. And while thinking about ways to improve, it is always important to first acknowledge what is already good. So let’s focus on some of the positives, shall we:
1) The amount of vintage and second-hand shops here is very high. It is wonderful to see so many pieces from all over the world getting repurposed and re-cherished in new homes.
2) Another cool thing to point out is how many Israelis ride bikes or scooters instead of using cars. This is definitely because the traffic is so bad and probably has very little to do with the environment, but it is still worth mentioning.
3) Lastly, many tech companies in Israel are focused on green technology, and finding renewable energy sources, which is admirable both for their innovativeness as well as their creativity.
Initially, I intended for this post to be a new year’s post, but when I started writing under this pretense, it just felt generic and inauthentic. In general, I have been contemplating the idea of writing down my new year’s resolutions, which I typically do every year. But this year, I felt myself actually living my resolutions instead, achieving the goals I had set out to do long before I decided to put pen to paper. Maybe we don’t always need to write these things down before actually doing them. Maybe focusing on doing more now rather than focusing on doing more in the future is, in fact, most effective. It may seem obvious, but I have realized that in doing this, I am subconsciously bettering myself every single day, instead of consciously reserving how I want to better myself specifically on January 1st and the rest of the year.
In turn, instead of focusing on the ways I can better myself this year, the main goal I have decided to write down for 2022 is this:
To better and uplift the community around me.
Like Alejandro, who was not born in Israel, but who lives here and runs a business here selling pre-loved clothes. Who makes his community better in this small way. Who gave two Miami girls living in Tel Aviv a piece of home simply by offering his neighborly kindness.
It is true that I came to Israel to grow as a person, to absorb and listen and be nurtured by all of the amazing experiences this country has to offer me. But like anything in nature, nothing is one-sided. I am not just here to learn from others, but to give back a piece of myself in return. Symbiosis. I care deeply about the environment because I know that none of us could be here without it. And I intend to continue staying true to myself, my intuition, and my beliefs. There is just no feeling like having absolute trust in yourself.
To all of you reading this, Happy New You. May you find comfort and strength in being exactly who you are, and remember that you always have the power to change, to become new, at any given moment.