A new Jewish year started today. The year 5772 to be exact. Like most people I know, I don't closely follow the Jewish calender throughout the year, and could not tell you on a given date what the hebrew date is on that day. However, the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana, is a special day, and one I love to celebrate. So, the Jewish new year is as good a time as any to reflect over the last 12 months. I kind of feel compelled to write this, perhaps as a cathartic exercise, who knows...
The last 12 months have been somewhat of a roller coaster ride. Incredible highs, and difficult lows. I have had some amazing, memorable, experiences and some challenging times too. What has there been?
12 months minus 9 days ago, on 8th October 2010 to be exact (as I said, not so good with the Jewish dates), I graduated from university. It was a fun day and I was very lucky to have my Dad, his girlfriend and my half sister come all the way from Israel, as well as my Aunt from Italy, to celebrate the occasion with me. This was important to me and meant a lot. While I have made my choices and have no regrets, and that includes enduring the distance between myself and my family (for now..), family is still VERY important to me. To my family, if you're reading this, I know I am not always the best at keeping in touch and am perpetually busy, but I do love you all very very much. When I moved to Australia nearly 5 years ago, I didn't know whether I could last without having family around, and while I have managed, it has definitely been one of the hardest things for me. So having family here for my graduation was a big thing.
On GRADUATING....looking back 12 months on. I feel I have learnt a lot, but still feel like I am looking for the opportunity to take my first step into a career pathway. Unusually for me, I have had 2 jobs in the past 12 months, and have realised neither were the right ones for me. I have learnt from this though and I think I am now at least slightly more sure about what I'd actually like to do professionally. The two positions I have held have helped me get to that and for that I am grateful. Last year, as a 27 year old university graduate, I could not help but look at others my age who've been there and done that to try and "study" what the next stage - the professional, careerist stage- of my life SHOULD be like. What I have learnt is there is no one way. Some people know all along what they want and are able to pursue it down to the last detail, almost flawlessly. I admire those people, who know what they want and and just go, go, go till they get it. Others, like myself, are not so sure, have several career interests and have to go through the process of picking one before heading down the career path.
I have had to remind myself, repeatedly, that latest research shows that people will change careers an average 5-7 times in their working life (!!) I always thought that was surely wrong, unusual and not something I can imagine actually happening. Truth is though, again looking at friends my age who finished their studies some 5 years earlier than me, I can already see the first career changes taking place. Realising this is actually quite comforting. While I do plan on hopefully following one path for a while yet, knowing that things are not as fatal as they seem, that it is ok to make changes if you feel things aren't what you wanted is reassuring as I try to navigate my way through the early stages of my professional life.
TRAVEL, of course. What is a year in the life of me without travel. There has been the usual domestic travel - twice Melbourne, once Canberra, pretty much an annual routine by now. This year I have added the Hunter Valley to that mix, a first for me. However, most of you who know me, will know by now that it's all about international travel for moi. I have been VERY fortunate to have been able to travel internationally at least once a year, every year, and this year has been no different. What has been different is destination. For the first time since I moved to Sydney, I have not been, and have made no plans, to visit Israel this year. This has been hard, I miss it very much, but circumstances have dictated it to be so.
Instead.....this year I went to Vegas! I was incredibly lucky to have been sent there on a work conference in April this year. Yep, work. Not to worry though, plenty of time for play too. Vegas, what can I say. Surreal, fun, incredible, everything you can imagine it is and then some. 3 days of conference plus clubbing, drinking, partying with workmates who are friends and a helicopter trip landing inside the grand canyon too, for good measure. Just amazing. The grand canyon is huge, rugged, and stunning. That, and not somewhere I ever thought I would get to go, so again, I count myself lucky.
The most meaningful thing that came out of this business trip for me, however, was what came after. Kind of like a two-in-one epic WIN experience. Following Vegas, I got to fulfil a long time DREAM and fly to New Yorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkk, concrete jungle where dreams are made offffffffffffff. The second part of how fantastic this was is that it just happened that it was Pesach (Passover for the non-Jews). You may think, why is this fantastic, when it means that the one time I've finally made it to New York the rules of Pesach meant I could not enjoy all the food NYC is known for - the bagels, New York style pizza, sandwich bars, etc. This is all true, and was kinda frustrating, albeit as good a reason as any to ensure that I must return there one day. Well, the reason that the time was fantastic is that Pesach in Israel = week long holiday for the students (my little sis) and the teachers (my Mama). So, off they went, my Mum and two sisters and met me in New York for the week. This meant, for the first time in 5 years, I was able to spend at least one of the Jewish holidays with my family. Jewish holidays are important in my family. We always get together and celebrate them together, and it's always a special occasion. One I had not experienced for a long long time. Holidays without my family never gets easier, no matter how much time passes. So spending Pesach with family.....I do not have the words to express just HOW MUCH this meant to me. Whenever I hear people belittle the holidays, say it's not a big deal, who cares, etc., I feel a little pinch in my heart. How easily some people take for granted what they have, and others don't.....but maybe that's just me.
SMACHOT - Hebrew for Joyous occasions. I love them. Can't get enough. In the past 12 months, I've been to 3 weddings, 1 engagement and 3 of my friends have had babies. I love sharing in the happiness of others.
FRIENDSHIPS. I love people...Some might say I'm too social, as I almost always prefer the company of others over being alone - a rare occasion for me. Not because I am not comfortable being in my own company, just my extroverted and social nature to always seek to spend time with others and meet new people. It has been an interesting year for friendships. I have made some incredible friends who I hold very near and dear, and experienced some hurtful let downs too..I've come to realise I've lost close friends I thought I'd have forever, and also regained close friends I thought I'd already lost forever. I've met some very special, beautiful, warm and inspiring people, and some people I thought may be a big part of my life, but turned out not to be so. In the absence of family nearby, or a long term partner, friendships mean a lot to me and I work hard to develop and maintain them. My friends are my rock, my support system, my source of smiles and laughter. Sometimes they are also a source of let down and tears being shed. My friendships bring out a range of emotions, mostly good, sometimes bad, but they are what keep me going in life.
COMMUNITY. Something I find increasingly important as time goes by. I believe everyone needs to be a part of a community of some sort, whatever that may be. I believe myself to be a part of two. The Jewish community, and the Inner West community. I attend a lot of Jewish events and volunteer a lot of my time within the community. It gives me a sense of pride in my identity, and a comfort in being accepted for who I am without the need to explain who I am and what it's all about. Being one of only 0.5% of Jews out of the entire population, the sense of familiarity is comfortable. The more I learn about our Jewish community, the more I learn about what different individuals and organisations within the community are doing, for the good of our community and for the greater good, particularly around social justice and charity, the more inspired I am to be a part of it. When I experience all the opportunities the community creates for enrichment through spiritual, intellectual and cultural events and experiences, the more I count myself lucky to be able to take part in it.
I love the Inner West too. I love the diversity, the quirkiness, the individuality - even when the individuality is expressed uniformly. I love the casualness and the lack of judgement, the live and let live attitude which you just don't get in Bondi these days, where I used to live. I love the art and the culture, the never ending creativity and passions people have, what others refer to as the "inner city trendy lifestyle". It is a wonderful lifestyle and I make no apologies for it.
This year, through an almost comical, adverse, chain of events has also seen the creation of a real sense of community of INNER WESTERN JEWS. A previously disparate group of individuals who have made the Inner West their home, and all happen to be Jews. It is often the case that a sense of crisis tends to bring people together, and this is what has happened to Inner Western Jews this year. We banded together to oppose BDS, and came out not only victorious in our initial aims, but came out stronger and more cohesive as an actual community. Call us hippies, lefties, fringe-dwellers or whatever you like, it is an open, accepting and wonderful sprouting community and I am a lot richer for being a part of it.
LOVE. Ever elusive....it's a rocky road, but I still believe in it, still looking... :p
CONCLUSIONS. Always look on the bright side of life, it's my motto. My hopes for the next year: Keep enjoying the positive moments, the friendships and the good experiences. Cherish the small things that make me happy, if it's a free Ben & Jerry's ice cream at Broadway shopping centre, a sunny day spent at the beach or a lazy day spent sleeping in, whatever it is. Learn the lessons from the low points, expectations unmet, let downs, heartbreak, may they keep making me stronger. Continuing to pursue my passions - personal, political, social, whatever they may be. Keep challenging myself to new experiences, striving for success - professional, social, romantic....And the usual - exercise more, rest more etc.
If you have bothered to read this far - well done for reading my self-indulgent rant. I am thankful for what I have, what I have lost and what I am yet to work to gain,and if you are reading this, chances are you have played some part in all of that, in a small or big way.
SHANA TOVA!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment