I was flattered and grateful to find out that SerandEz nominated me for the Nefesh B’Nefesh Send a Blogger Contest to cover the Nefesh B’Nefesh flight and JBlogger convention.

If you think Bad4 would do a good job and if you are a blogger, the process of nomination is simple:

1 – Register to attend the JBlogger Convention. You don’t have to attend in Israel – they livestream it online.

2 – Write a post on your blog explaining why you think I’d be the best blogger for the post (send me a link, please)

3 – fill out the nomination form. (edit: my email address is [email protected])

Bloggers who have nominated me:

SerandEz

ProfK of Conversations in Klal

Erachet

A real live Jedi warrior who, apparently, shidduch dates

Jacob da Jew

HaMekubal

A Blob of Something Different

Now, why me? Well, you’re all here, reading this blog. There must be a reason why you like it.

From my personal perspective, this is why I’d like to go:

I love Israel. I love Israelis. My ten months in seminary were, in many ways, the ten best months of my life. I traveled the land from tip to tip with one finger out, and met crowds of amazing people in unique ways. I naturally share my excitement best through the written word, and sent home regular, 14-page (or more) letters documenting the beauty of the land, the generosity of the people, and the new perspectives I discovered every day.  I would love to have the opportunity to do it again.

I love people. I love meeting them. I love hearing about their lives, their thoughts, their goals, their hopes. I love tracing their thread as it twines through the tapestry of life, adding a unique color and pattern to the world. I would love to finally be permitted to share the advice, outlook, and unique contribution of the people I meet with someone besides my journal. A plane full of people is just… irresistible.

People seem to like reading what I write. I was surprised to hear that the neighbors would read my letters from Israel, but by now I’ve gotten used to the idea that a distant cousin has been amused by my description of a county fair.  Or that some 500 people tune in to follow my shidduch musings every day. I notice the little things – the small but familiar things that create our experiences. And I enjoy writing about the things that strike me as intriguing, humorous, or profound.

And from the totally selfish department: I have two nieces and two nephews in Ramat Beit Shemesh, one of whom I’ve never met. And they’re adorable. And I want to play with them and read them books and take them to the park and give them baths and watch attentively while they show off, as children are wont to do. And oh yeah, seeing my brothers and sister-in-law (both olim, actually) would be nice too.

I’ve had my eyes on this ticket for a full year. Every time I think about it I get the trembly-excited-queasy feeling you get when you’re full of hope, but don’t want to be because you’re afraid it will never work out and then you’ll be crushed. A little like before a first date with a guy who sounds like a dream come true on paper. To attend this flight I would very happily miss the first week of class and skip out on the first Executive Board meeting of a student organization of which I’m President. And that’s more than I would do for any date.

There’s a confession that’s probably bad for shidduchim.