It wasn’t in order to get away from Australia that Ben decided
to move to Israel. It was rather because he wanted to remain true to what he and his
friends of the Zionist youth movement
had decided once, long ago – to go and live in
Israel. Most of these friends now
laughed at him for really doing it. “Why not make money here and donate every
year to the JNF, they reacted. "In Israel , it seems
to be hard to find work, start a family, buy a small apartment even, and especially when you did not grow up there.” But the hardships didn’t frighten Ben. He
took his Zionism to heart. He had always been a bit naive, concluded the
friends.
So, at the age of 24, after finishing Law School Ben went to Israel on a one-way ticket, and, after a short Hebrew course he became a soldier in the IDF. He was rather lonely there. Not only the
language was a barrier, also the age difference. It was painful to think of what the friends
had said. He decided only to go back to Australia if he could show them that he
was successful in the new life. So, after the military service was over, he refused the offer of his family to come
home at their expense for a holiday.
At a bar in Tel-Aviv – after a few beers – he sometimes told
to total strangers how he missed Australia. That he didn’t have the money for
going there and visiting his family. On
one such occasion somebody reacted “maybe there is a solution for you.”
Ben was offered free trips and even much more if he would every now and then go to Australia
for some months, and make use there of his right as an Australian citizen to once
a year change his name and get a new passport. Back in Israel he would then occasionally
lend his passport to a contact
person. “But that is illegal” said
Ben. “You are not doing anything illegal
in Australia, and here in the Middle East… ah, you know, you don’t get far here
with cleanliness.
Ben did acquire an appartment, and he also did not remain
alone: he married and life was good again.
With the Australian circle he met frequently. Sometimes, there were questions: “You seem to have made it! What are you doing
exactly?” He then smiled vaguely and spoke of a good job. “But, don’t ask too many questions. I work with, you know... I better don't tell”
