Being an American attorney.

So what did I just get hired for in Israel? Being an American attorney.

For almost 20 years, I have hated the practice of law.

But after finding out that so many people my age and even younger do not have fulltime jobs in Israel, or any jobs, I figured I had better take what I could get.

I sent them my resume when I was still in the U.S., and I figured the part-time position would help me as I settled here.

I was interviewed by phone while still in the States. Then they asked if I were still interested in working for them part- time.

New-Fangled Work Week

Yesterday I had a personal interview at the main office in Jerusalem, and they hired me for a fulltime position instead of part-time.

Here, the work week is Sunday through Thursday.

I was hired by an American company.

Major U.S. law firms that do not want to pay their attorney, paralegal and secretarial personnel good money for reviewing documents, therefore not really practicing law, outsource through my new employer, and we do the work for them at slave labor wages.

And those of us who are desperate to have a job, any job at all, will jump at the opportunity to be slaves.

A History of Slavery

I wonder if it comes from our days of working as slaves for Pharoah in Egypt before Moses took us out.

Has this slave labor mentality been passed on from generation to generation, from one end of the world to another, until reaching its final destination in Jerusalem?

Or am I like the rest in my generation who feel lucky to be working because we all know that there is such a thing as age discrimination in the U.S., Israel, and most of the world.

According to U.S. standards, I will be getting paid less than some receptionists I know.

According to Israeli standards, it is a decent salary. I figure after health insurance, heavy, heavy taxes, and whatever else comes out of my paycheck, I might break even.

Breaking even is a lot better than getting into debt.

Yes, I Change Buses

Another downside is I have to take 6 buses a day for work and the commute ends up to be about 5 hours a day between buses, waiting for buses and walking to bus stops.

But I have a job. I am a happy person.

I got back late at night (after the train had “technical difficulties” with the smell of smoke and an hour delay) from Nahariya where my good friend and her son are staying with family.

She is Israeli but has been living in the U.S. for years. They have been staying at her brother’s apartment that is within walking distance to the beach, but without air conditioning.

My hotel had air conditioning. Needless to say, they spent much of Shabbat with me inside my hotel room in the air conditioning. The thermostat was set before Shabbat to a nice cool temperature. So cool that I had to wrap myself in blankets to warm up.

I am “shomer Shabbat” (observant), so I cannot adjust the air conditioning during Shabbat. Considering it was such a treat to be in air conditioning, I should not complain, especially since it did not take long for me to thaw out once I stepped outside the hotel.

Still, Closer Than Los Angeles

Nahariya is so far north that it is almost at Israel’s border with Lebanon.

Israel is so small that taking a train anywhere is like commuting daily to work in the city.

It actually took less t­ime than when I used to drive to court in Los Angeles.

The scenery was beautiful. It reminded me of California’s coastline on my left and the unusual rock formations on my right reminded me of driving from Los Angeles on the 14 Freeway toward Palmdale and Lancaster. Add the banana and palm trees along the way, and I felt like I was in the Caribbean.

The hotel was kosher, and had wonderful buffets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

My friend’s brother, sister and nephew joined us for Shabbat dinner on Friday night at the hotel.

People were seated as families, and every table celebrated Shabbat on its own time schedule as they do at home, with kiddush, hamotzie, songs and prayer.

The hotel provided tea lights at the entrance of the dining room so we could light candles and bring in Shabbat.

I guess they were afraid of having fires with unsupervised candles in people’s hotel rooms. Even the non-religious in Israel seem to observe Shabbat. In some ways, it is hard not to since the entire town shuts down for 25 hours.

L'hitraot, Shachar