No deposit, no return

July 16, 2007 - 11:18 AM by David Brinn

Once in a while, something takes place that reminds me that after over 20 years in Israel, I’m still really an immigrant that just doesn’t get it.

On Friday, after much buildup and fanfare, I took my 13-year-old son to the local branch of Bank Discount to open an account for his bar mitzvah money (thanks, Aunt Sophie!)

Lots of talk about his future, getting interest, having a nest egg… all the usual excuses to dissuade him from blowing it all on Yugio cards.

shekels

We proudly walked up to the ‘new accounts’ desk, and announced that we wanted to open up a savings account in Koby’s name.

“You can’t – how old is he?” asked the clerk in a disinterested tone. “You have to be 18 to open an account.”

Alrighty then, we can open it in my name, and we’ll just know that the money is really his.

“No, you don’t want to do that – you should go to your own bank and do that. It’ll cost you money here,” he responded.

But, I told him, my daughters have similar bat mitzvah savings accounts here. Can’t we just deposit them in a separate track there?

“Tell them to come in and deposit the checks – you can’t do it,” was his response.

Stymied at every turn, I calmly summed up the conversation. “Are you telling me that I can’t deposit these thousands of shekels into your bank for my son ?”

“That’s right – that’s what I’m telling you.”

Speechless, I turned around and Koby and I walked out of the bank, contemplating digging up a living room floor tile and burying the booty there.

For this Israeli bank, at least, it was a sure case of no deposit, and definitely no return.

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