The Miseducation of Lydia & Will

This is what happens when your 3 year old learns how to write his name in English and Hebrew at the same time....learned dyslexia.  Who now thinks that writing from left to right and right to left are interchangeable? My son.

And this is what happens when my American, non-Jewish 6 year old daughter is instructed to complete an art project of the Wailing Wall at school....she turns it into a castle with a princess.

Where is that Hebrew Schools for Dummies manual when you need it?!!!

When we moved to Israel, we knew we had to address the school question with our kids: where to send them.  Our options: the uber pricey (but free to us) American International School an hour bus ride away, a local Hebrew school (you know, where they don't speak any English), or homeschool.  After much thought and deliberation we opted to try the local Hebrew schools, while preparing to homeschool Lydia her American kindergarten curriculum on the side.  Our rationale: they could learn a second language (nothing works like immersion!), they could make friends in the neighborhood by going to local schools, and we as a family would really get an inside look at Israeli culture by being part of the local school system.  The fears: it would be too overwhelming and they would fall behind in the American school system.  Overall, we are happy with our decision, and our kids are both now completely fluent in Hebrew.

There was, of course, a long and treacherous learning curve and transition period involving many a tearful morning where we asked ourselves, "are we doing the right thing?!" It has been a day-by-day decision, and it hasn't been without its bumps in the road.....like all the viruses we were plagued with for 8 months straight.  Like Lydia's teacher speaking less English than I speak Hebrew.  This makes for some very interesting convos.  Basically, we were always 2 steps behind whatever was going on.  Late books, missed assignments, & being at the wrong place at the wrong time became our standard.  It is quite humbling.  There was also the time when Lydia was punched in the face twice by a boy classmate for accidentally using the female tense instead of the male tense in the question she asked him.  He thought she was calling him a girl.  So he punched her. In the face. Twice.
Yep, that was nearly the last straw.
But we persevered.

And now here we are - school is out for summer .  We have officially made it through the first year.
I am completely in awe of our kids.  Their parents pretty much conducted a twisted science experiment on them by throwing them into schools with a completely foreign language, foreign religion, and foreign culture.  Now, having reached the other side, I can honestly say that I think they are better off for it.  We all are.  This experience has pushed and challenged all of us.  But man, it was worth it.  They now have the gift of a world view; their eyes have been opened to the world around them.
 And I am grateful.

Does this mean I would keep them in Israeli schools indefinitely if given the choice? Absolutely not, but that's another post for another time...

Now, it's time to brush off those English skills and hit the beach.
Chant with me.....SCHOOL'S...OUT....FOR..SUMMER!

Shalom Y'all,
E