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February 06, 2007

Just call this number

This is how it all began.

I arrived in Israel five months ago on a three-month tourist visa. In October, a month before my visa expired, I called the Ministry of Interior to make an appointment, only to hear a brief message, some cheerful music, a click, then nothing. I tried again, again, again. More message, more cheerful, more click, more nothing.

I walked downtown to the Ministry of Interior, stood in line and told the gum-chewing child behind the window that I needed to extend my visa. She said I had to call for an appointment. I told her the number didn’t work.

"Of course the number works," she said.
“Have you ever called the number?” I asked in a tone approximating assertiveness.
“Why would I call the number?” responded the gum-chewer in a tone approximating an apathetic shrug.
“It doesn’t work,” I asserted.
“Yes it does,” she shrugged.

I returned home and tried calling again. Message, cheerful, click, nothing.

Several weeks later, I returned to the office.
“The number doesn’t work.”
“Yes it does.”
“Have you tried calling?”
“Fine, give me your number and we’ll call you.”

I gave her my phone number and returned home, feeling foreign and gullible. But, a day later, I received a call advising me to come in on November 21 at 8:30 a.m. the day the visa was to expire.

A month later, I walked up to the Ministry of Interior's door, which was closed and surrounded by people speaking every language but Hebrew. What’s happening? The Ministry of Interior is on strike--AGAIN. What are we to do? Call this number to make an appointment.

I let some time pass and returned to the office. I stand in line and find the same gum-chewer. I tell her I need to renew my visa. She tells me I have to call for an appointment. I tell her the number doesn’t work. Yes it does. No it doesn’t. She tells me if I walk to the right and right again and then left I’ll find a list of names on a door. I should add my name and phone number to the list and someone will call me.

By the time I returned home, someone had called to give me an appointment on February 6. This morning, I filled in a form handed over 145 shekel (about $36) and my visa was renewed. Easy!

Bus stop on Yaffo Street.

Posted by Ilene Weismehl  at 10:11 AM | Permalink

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