One Fine Land

22/01/2026

What a wonderful yeshiva-week it's been! 7 fantastic families, 3 Dead Sea dips, and back to back Old City and shuk tours!

But also, a career first:
I have been voted best Israel guide by families of 10 year old girls - by Gemini-AI!

What next?!

08/05/2024

For his bar mitzvah, Hersh read Parshat Noach.
For months ahead, not only did he prepare his Torah portion, but he swam.
And for each kilometer that he swam, he collected sponsors.
He raised money to help others; to build a well in Africa.
Now it's our turn to swim to help Hersh.
So Ella and I have teamed up with Dasee Berkowitz and Ilana Nelson to swim for Team Hersh: Swimming to Bring Them Home.

Will you sponsor our swim?
.
And so so many others who need to come home.
Now.

Hersh, keep remembering that rainbow.

Rehabilitation Daycare Center

23/04/2023

From the desk of a :

This document presents some Independence Day recipe suggestions from Israel's early days, proposed by the young government.

Menu items include wild mallow leaf pancakes in memory of the food scarcity during the War of Independence, kreplach to represent pocket-foods that had come to symbolize an enemy strike (ref: Purim hamentashen), a stuffed meat dish to represent the blending of eastern and western Jewish traditions, and finally a seven-species cake to celebrate the renewed connection to the Land of the Bible.

Here is one beautiful sample of the early Israeli folklorization process activated to create one nation of the newly gathered Jewish diasporas.

Food in fact is a classic folk tool to manifest our hopes, dreams and deepest concerns.

In fact, just last week, the traditional "Schlissel" or key challah, baked the first shabbat following Passover to symbolically open the heavens to "parnassa" (income), was joined by a heart-shaped challah intended to offer to a neighbor in loving kindness, an act designed to honor the memory of the three Dee women who were recently lost in a tragic and brutal terror attack.

These days most people barbeque on Israel's Independence Day.
However, if you were to offer up a new menu to encapsulate 75 year old Israel's deepest challenges and loftiest visions, what might it include?

Please comment below!

23/03/2023

When traditions converge in a rare, cosmic folkloric eclipse, perhaps we may offer a glimmer hope:

This evening is a most extraordinary one.
In various pockets of this land we at once celebrate Rosh Chodesh Nissan - the 1st of the Month of Kings, Lilat Al B'sisa - the North African Jewish Night of the Mixing, the month of Ramadan commences and the clocks in Israel spring forwards.

The North African Lilat Al B'sisa tradition brings together all members of the family under one roof; windows and doors are shut so that the blessing shall steep within the home as the father blends the mixture of toasted wheat, nuts and fragrant spices with a metal key - the key to the gates of "parnassa" - while the mother pours the oil that will allow the mixture to adhere and distributes it by hand, one by one, to the mouths of each of her children and grandchildren.

This "mixing" in the Arabic is the very "basis" of the world in the Aramaic. Thus, in that very mixture that we bury the key to our success in the future. On this night, "the dew of goodwill, blessing and generosity from the upper worlds is showered upon the lower worlds."

There is so much to learn from folk traditions.
At this profoundly complex moment in Israel, wishing this one fine land and her many fine folks the wisdom of our forefolks to savor the blend and make it our blessing.

In the words of the ancient Libyan tradition: "He who mixes shall lick his fingers."






Photo credit: kanisrael.co.il

29/12/2022

After a rare week spent away from my kids exploring Israel's desert and sharing her frigid winter glory with one remarkable three-generation family, replete with extreme elements, extraordinary encounters and new challenges at once foreign, fascinating and fabulous, as we parted ways I was told the following: "Rishona, you have obliterated my comfort zone - in a good way."

And at once I knew it was all worthwhile.

09/10/2022

Decorating the Sukkah has always been a highlight for me. Although I am not building a Sukkah of my own this year for the first time in some 15 yrs, I have enjoyed a rare privilege to hang a decoration in .
A beautiful Indian Jewish tradition holds the belief that the Ushpizin (saintly guests) who visit each eve of the festival bestow their blessing upon the space and upon the fruit hung from within.
At the close of the festival the fruit are brought down, and people who have brought their true heart's desire will eat an apple in it's entirety and the blessing is taken in, the wish will come true.

What are your own family's folk traditions surrounding the holiday?
What special foods do you enjoy and why?
What do you do with your lulav and etrog at the holiday's close?
Please share in the comments below!

Along with our people, and in the spirit of the Sukkot festival, I am looking forward to leaving my home for the next seven days to explore and share the enchanting and ephemeral beauty that lies just beyond our doorstep.

15/08/2022

Beware:
The Ein Gedi wildlife has never been wilder...

26/06/2022

It is always a blast to - but a special treat when you get to host old high school and camp friends - *and* their gorgeous kiddies!

10/06/2022

Today we spent discovering some of the most beautiful hidden treasures that The Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Givat Ram campus had to boast.
We were blown away by the National Library of Israel 's ancient manuscripts to personal archives of reknowned musicians, composers and scholars, evocative sculptures by Henry Moore, Sigalit Landau, Yigal Tomarkin and beyond.
However, what may well have thrilled me the most was the vintage college classroom, that we wandered into, sliding chalkboard, colored chalk and all, still in use.
Clapping those erasers was an absolutely thrilling trip back in time.

25/05/2022

While running my fifth consecutive tour today for the Birthright Experts module, one of the frat boys I was guiding said the following:
"Wow - I never knew Judaism was so cool!"
And all at once I remembered why I do what I do and .

24/05/2022

Thrilled to launch my baby with the Birthright Israel's experts module -
is live.

DM me for details.

But : not for the faint-hearted.