Last Updated on October 12, 2021
By: Sylvain Blumenfrucht
Some two years ago after having at long last made “official’ Aliyah (after 14 years here – but that is another story), I was getting ready to travel out of the country with a 16.00 flight that same afternoon.
When packing I discovered at 10.10 that morning that my Teudat Ma’Avar was nowhere to be found.
Panic station was in order, BUT I decided to call the Misrad HaP’nim “Help” line. They advised me to go to their nearest offices and to see what could be done.
I set out ready to beg, plead or do anything that would allow me to get out that same afternoon.
I got to Shlomzion Hamalka in downtown Jerusalem at about 10.55 and there the story really gets interesting.
As soon as the Pekida (clerk) at the information desk heard my predicament she pulled a sad face (that boosted my confidence no end!) and told me to go to room number …..
As soon as I got there they took one look at me, listened to my problem and told me: “go downstairs and on the other side of the street there is a good coffee place that serves very strong coffee (you can imagine by now what thoughts went through my mind), get one, sit down and drink it and come back in 1/4 of an hour and we will meanwhile try and work out if and how we can help you.”
No need to try and describe my state of mind by now – I needed to be at the airport in less than two hours.
I came back after my coffee (that was, I must say very tasty) and was first asked why it took me so long as I had been gone 17 minutes (2 minutes longer than the 1/4 of an hour they had suggested!) and then handed a new Teudat Ma’Avar!!!
Nothing like Israel when it really matters!
Mi Ke’Amcha Yisrael
