This past week has been a busy one in Neve Yakkov. Between all of the running around for Rosh Hashanna and many many many phone calls to the shipment people (AKA shipment pirates - we know their whole office by first name,Sharona, Ronan, Albert, Loli, Danny, Solly). IT CAME! It finally arrived!! All 20 boxes came, with everything intact, hurrah! Now with our box gemach, we have been unpacking and putting things away.
So, the shipment was suppose to come August 19th. So we called August 5th to find out what the deal was. Yet, they told us to call next week. So the following week, we called, they told us that they had no idea what we were talking about (!). Instead they gave us the number to Eldan Cargo. They told us it is still floating in the sea. And it was coming in August 23rd to Haifa, and be unloaded for a week and then be sent by truck to Ashdod. Sruly told them that there is no point to send it to Ashdod, yet, they didn't really care, and wanted to do it anyway. So August 23rd came and went, and we called Albert the customs man, which was provided by Tattie, and he told us to call tomorrow.
Then, they sent us Loli who sent us to Donny who would answers all of questions, but of course wasn't in the office until Sunday. Sunday came, and Donny sent us to Albert again. Albert sent us to Avi Grinfeld from a different company. They Avi told us we need to pay lots and lots of money, he told us to wire it to his account. But, he was lacking the total amount. But, Tattie told us that most of the stuff paid for but taxes (they wanted to charge us again). Then we had to go back to Albert and Eldan Cargo and convince them that we paid. So, apparently (in case you need to know) there are two types of shipments. A "pre-paid" and a "DDU". The pre-paid shipment mean you didn't pay for shipment charges (how'd ya like that one?) Than we had to tell Tattie to tell Fred to tell Eldan to tell Albert to tell Avi that it was a DDU. Because of this conversation Albert and Fred are not on speaking terms anymore (that delayed us another day). In the end, they agreed not to send it to Ashdod. So, finally on August 29th Avi gave us a bill. But, he still had the shipping charges. So, back up the ladder again, with a call to Albert to Eldan to Fred. Adina started her one of five trips to the bank. First Tattie transfered dollars to our Israeli account, but you cant's access it for three days. Which was then a Friday, and the bank isn't open in Friday. (note, Israeli banks are only open in the 8-1 and 4-6 in the afternoon twice a week) Then Adina went back on Sunday. But, the bank doesn't change dollars to shekel on Sundays. Therefore, Adina returned on Monday to change the money. Once it was transfered to Avi, he called us back for the first time (every other time we called him, he was usually in the car). Apparently, he issued us a new bill, but failed to send it to us (oops!) therefore we were 400 shekel short. (Apparently "amalah" doesn;t mean labor, but rather commission- but whatever). So another trip to the bank was in order (they also remembered Adina by face) and another 400 shekel was transfered. The next day we get a phone call from Solly who works with Albert (getting all of this?) who took care of custom clearance. And then an Arab came the next day a plopped the boxes down in our parking lot. Sruly had to borrow a dolly to shlep all of the boxes inside. And if finally arrived Tuesday, September 14th!! And thats that!
Included is also a picture of pre-Rosh Hashanna, with our silver honey dish from Shoshana and Bebe.
