Gichon Nightmare Part Three

So, here's the final installment- slightly anticlimactic, but some interesting things happened along the way.

To recap, I headed out to meet my Israeli neighbor in Geulah area, and from there, we would take a bus to the water company in order to sort out our various problems.

I left my house, on time, but rather late in the day- at around 4:30. The Gichon actually closes at 6:00, but I remembered from an earlier visit there that the place is still functioning, even at late hours.

I met my friend, and by the time we actually met up, it was around 5:00. We started to get nervous. After all, to take a cab would cost money, but we would probably make it on time. If we waited for a bus, we might not make it on time, but we would save money.

We started to search for a cab, but the only ones without passengers had no company sign on them. Now, I have my own policy not to take a cab without a sign, because it is possible they are an Arab- and as 2 women alone, I wouldn't want to take a taxi who wasn't Jewish. That's just my personal position on the matter.

As we were searching on the street corner, a bus with a number I recognized pulled up.

"Quick, " I yelled to my friend, "Let's get on this bus. It heads to the Gichon."

We jumped on the bus, and barely made it. And, immediately, I started to worry.
What if we didn't get there on time- all the effort for nothing.

As if the bus heard me- we had Kvitzas HaDerech- a miraculous shortening of the way. We sped through traffic, hit every single green light, and picked up minimal passengers- so by the time we got to the Gichon, it was only 5:10. Miraculous, no?

We headed inside, past the beautiful waterfall sculpture, and up to the top floor to take a number and wait.

There was practically no one there- and I started to get nervous. What if we were the only ones there, and they would close, because two people aren't enough to justify being open?
Just then, 3 families, complete with kids, walked through the door, and started taking the numbers after ours.

I went to go feed NBD, while my neighbor waited for the next available person.
When I returned, she was at the desk, and I waited patiently next to her for her case to be concluded, assuming the same person would take care of both of us.

Just then, the head of the entire office looked around, and saw me waiting.
"Come," he said, "I'll take care of you personally." When I protested that I don't know Hebrew well enough- that's why I brought along my friend- he answered with a smile. "I speak all languages- Kol Safot."

Within minutes, he understood the gist of my problem, and told me I didn't have to pay a thing- it was all a mistake. He typed the entire problem up, recorded it, stamped t, and asked me to not pay a thing until an updated and correct bill came.

I couldn't stop thanking him- he shrugged it all off. "This is my job," he said. "I'm happy to help."
I went to go check on my friend- who wasn't so lucky. She failed to negotiate a plan, and decided to come back another day.

I pointed her to the head of the office who had helped me: Efraim, and recommended she should go to him when she would come back. She agreed.

We left- and thus ends my adventure with the Gichon. Bus ride home took a nice half hour, showing that Hashem was doing miracles for me all along. After all- we only have to open our eyes to see, that everything- especially the wonderful rainfall we've been getting lately- is all from Hashem.

Water Company Form

Sheesh- you would think I would know about such things ahead of time.

It seems the Gichon, water company, is asking all Jerusalem residents to send in a form with the number of people in their household to update their records, and if not, then they get a large fine, and they get charged much more for every cube. Oh, and this has to be done by the end of October...which is in TWO DAYS!

It can be faxed in, emailed in, or mailed in.
Here's the form with all the information.

Now, if someone could help me in the comments- how do I fill in a PDF like this one?
Thanks!

President- Elect number 44

And so, we have the 44th president of the United States of America- President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama. I wish him much luck in dealing with the myriad problems in today's global world.

To name a few:

The economy- in most countries- is in a recession, if not a depression by now.

The political situation in the Middle East- Abbas wants him to get the new PM of Israel (whoever that will be) to agree to divy up Jerusalem- hand over East Jerusalem to the jurisdiction of the PA, and possibly Gaza as well. Not only that, but Ahmadinejad has threatened to wipe Israel off the map- so we might be seeing a war with Iran soon, if they continue to produce a nuclear bomb.

The political situation globally- he'll now have to deal with the UN and all that it stands for. Enough said.

The war in Iraq- we'll see if he withdraws, and how that actually plays out.

The state of healthcare in the US- he wants to socialize (sort of) the health system- I hope that it works, as insurance in the US costs a fortune, as compared to here.

That's enough for any president to handle, even with a trillion dollar debt hanging over them.

So- good luck to you, President-Elect Obama! You might need it.

Misrad HaPnim- Ministry of the Interior

Okay, I admit it- there is one thing that will drive me off the wall in Israel- the Misrad HaPnim- Ministry of the Interior.

I can't imagine that American bureaucracy is as hard to access, hard to get in, and hard to deal with.

I had to renew my visa to stay here in Israel- and it took me four days of staying on the single phone number, with single operator, in order to get an appointment for a month away.

New Olim that go there have been told to come back 6 months later for their first Teudat Zehut, (Israeli identity card), and the number system there never seems to call your number, only the number 100 digits away.

Enough griping though- this is supposed to be positive- so here goes. During my last two experiences at the Misrad HaPnim, I actually did not have such a soul-wrenching time.

I went to get a visa for me and my husband- and I only had a copy of my marriage certificate, not the real thing.
But they let me get one anyway!

I then tried to make a visa appointment for someone else- and I actually got through after 8 rings on the telephone line!

So- there is hope in the darkness!

Pnim means interior- the inside workings of the government. I think that how you handle yourself in the Misrad HaPnim tells a lot about the 'inside' of the person. Are you going to scream at all the employees there when you're told that because you're missing a document you have to come back in 3 months- or are you going to choose to accept, or quietly argue, without causing a scene?

It's a test of character- one I hope to pass!