Reflection on the internet installation

A Russian man named Constantin installed our internet. He was perfectly kind and pleasant, worked quickly and efficiently and even refused the tip I offered him at the end. Throughout his work, I gave him water and we joked and chatted about his life. He has been in Israel for 7 years, having moved here from St. Petersburg. He came by himself at age 20. He served in the army and now has a wife, here, a Russian woman who came at age 6. He is trained as a computer programmer, but has not been able to get a job here in that field, so is stuck installing internet access for people here in Beer Sheva, as his wife is a student at Ben Gurion University. He jokes that he spekas English "Cmoh Kelev," like a dog, understands everything but can't speak a word. He has family in Toronto, and in Montreal, a sister who speaks French. When his wife is done school, he wants to leave Beersheva, and preferably leave Israel, but it will be difficult for him to get a green card. Why does he want to leave? "Ein Atid Poh," he said, "There is no future here." And he has no attachment at all to the land or culture. For many of the so-called "New Russians," (the most recent wave of immigration) Israel is but a stop-off on their way elsewhere. They know nothing of Judaism or Zionism. I come here a wide-eyed North American Jew, indoctrinated with an idealistic vision of the great state of Israel, the land of milk and honey. But a nation of idealists cannot function and Israel's economy and security must improve to make Constantin think he has a viable home here, whether he cares about Zionism or not.