Happy Fourth of July!

Today was last day of conference.  A day dedicated to dealing with the global rise of antisemitism.  Head of Yad vashem Dani Dayan gave an opening lecture and we also had various breakout sessions . Mine was with a German psychologist who is Turkish muslim. Very interesting,  lunch was a huge buffet of Israeli foods - we had sandwiches during the previous days, the afternoon was equally  interesting and at times very emotional for the speakers.  Michal Cotlef-Wunsh talked about Holocaust education In a post October 7 reality, followed by holocaust survivor Aharon Barak who ,in his 90s still gets emotional when he talks about his mother. The last part of conference was  huge surprise. Idan Raichel who I have listened to for years, performed.  Ironically,  Reba and I already purchased  tickets to see him at the Garden in September, Idan Raichel  performed He also spoke about his personal experience with October 7, friends who were killed and he visiting the site only to be asked  to sing. He too got quite emotional.  He shared his whatsapp with us and I actually  sent him a message about loving his music and how appreciative I was about his candor,  he a actually responded with a voice message!   Tomorrow Zoe and I will meet that sweet  girl,Tamar, and her mom.  Its Shabbat tomorrow afternoon and  saturday night I head home 

July 3.

Today was all about social media, Ai and its pros and. Cons. I made some new connections too. . My. cousin Earl came by and he and I and Jakub went for some burgers in the 

Machne market.  We had 

interesting . conversations. I wont go into politics here .  tomorrow is the final day.  Idan Rachel will be preforming! 

July 2 all day learning

today was all about Community or kehilah before, during , and after the holocaust . The second session was about Kehilah in the Vilna ghetto in LITHUANIA  where my dad family  came from and where the Maller family has its holocaust story. The panel discussion was about before and after October 7. All the panel had different  experiences  the photo of the woman by herself is Liat who  was kidnapped by Hamas for 58 days. Her husband did not survive.  She was released  in an exchange. She did not dwell on that but showed us how beautiful the kibbutz was  and how sit ,looked after.  The last on panel is  an israeli who presented art and photos of Gaza in the same light. After the program Zoe Kubi and I walked back. about one hour and now about to meet  them in lobby for some talk and wine .the flags are cor all the countries the conference   

The bus driver was looking for me!  Because we were not on bus lol. We walked.  Tonight as we went to lobby we saw it must be date night! Like in. Shitzel  many orthodox  couples obviously  on a first date. At least  five couples ordering water or juice.  I'd like to know if any are engaged  by end of month. 

Having dinner tomorrow  night with cousin Earl

Old city and the lost girls,!

 Zoe and I had a great day and walked 16000 steps.  We took light rail to  old city but got on wrong side  so we had to rectify that. We went to the Kotel and placed our notes then back on a wrong train to Jaffa center but found our way to my favorite  tchotchke shop. Then to buy Dead Sea stuff and back to hotel of course a wrong turn. Finally met up with Jakub, then on to first afternoon of  conference An in depth tour of the. Main building 2.5 hrs. I actually met someone  I know from NJ.  A lovely reception. Dinner with great hummus, pitas, all kinds of salads , salmon,  chicken ,  cute desserts cups too. There are 140 people from 40 countries.  The opening comments were poignant and there were some tech gaffes that were handled with some humor. Last was a a performance by a group of  musicians and singers who are either blind, autistic  and those with down syndrome.  They were quite a accomplished and had the audience on their feet. On way. Back Jakub put us on wrong  bus and we had to walk 20 minutes. We were together and ,laughing all the way. Tomorrow is early day to start and late end. Enjoy the photos. One with my store friends I hope we dont get lost ! 

Jerusalem!

 I took a cab to airport to meet Zoe and spoke to the driver in Hebrew ! I did the best I could. Met Zoe and we made our way to train. First adventure we , and others, got on wrong train! A lovely female soldier helped us get to correct train then we met 17 year old Tamar what a delight. She helped us with bags and finding hotel. Nust now I got text from ber in inviting us to meet her mom at their home. We had to navigate a lot of steps with luggage once again we had kind strangers to help . The hotel is ok. Not great but will suffice.  Zoe and I walked 6 miles all together to Machne yehuda market tasting 

halavah and eating falafel.  Made our way to ben yehuda where the proprietor of the little shop I like remembered me. Great first day in Jerusalem.

Arrived

  Arrived !

My cousin Amir and Eti met me at airport with a welcome balloon! My first impression was the efficient way I was able to navigate passport control and customs

A few random qu

estions at passport control and I got my luggage everything done with biometrics . It's quite hot and humid similar to NJ . We caught up , while driving to Tzipora new dira(apartment) in Raananna. The apartment is spacious and brand new. A safe room is one of the bedrooms,  actually mine. We had a lovely Shabbat  dinner with my cousin  Liat ,Tsipora youngest daughter. My cousin Roman who connected with Donna through DNA and is a cousin 2x removed but nonetheless a cousin,  will come tonight. Tomorrow, I will meet Zoe at airport and head to Jerusalem to meet Jakub and get ready for conference 

I feel good and I feel safe, from what I have seen so far everyone is living and working and it is quiet.

New Chapters! 2024 Israel and Rwanda

 Onto My Next Chapter: Embracing New Adventures in 2024

After 25 incredible years of teaching in the USA, I am thrilled to announce my retirement and the beginning of a new journey. As I step into this next chapter, my passion for education, travel, and personal growth remains as strong as ever.

First Stop: Israel

I am excited to kick off 2024 by attending the Global International Conference in Israel. This event will not only allow me to reconnect with old friends and colleagues but also provide an opportunity to meet new ones and engage in stimulating discussions. Israel holds a special place in my heart, and I look forward to visiting family and soaking in this beautiful country.

Next Adventure: Rwanda

After a brief period of rest and reflection, my travels will take me to Rwanda. Here, I will continue my commitment to teaching and learning by engaging with the wonderful people at MINDLEAPS! Rwanda's resilience and beauty have always inspired me, and I am eager to contribute to the community and learn from their incredible spirit.

Continuing the Journey Online

I plan to document my experiences and insights on this blog to share what I encounter along the way. Whether you're a fellow educator, or a traveler or simply curious about my travels  I hope my stories will inspire you.

Join me as I embark on this new adventure, celebrating the joys of learning, teaching, and exploring the world. Here's to new beginnings and the endless possibilities that lie ahead!

Stay tuned, and thank you for following along on my journey.