Favorite site or activity to guide and why? Masada. The unbelievable story, along with the fantastic state of the findings in and around the site, and the backdrop of the peaceful desert and the blue dead sea- all combine to create one of the most incredible sites in Israel. I draw a line between expulsion and diaspora, to the resurrection of the jewish people in their land, and regrowth of the life severed 2000 years ago, through the story of metushelch, the date tree sprouted from the 2000 year old seed of a date eaten by the last defenders of the mount. It too was presumed gone, extinct, but through faith, hope and a lot of hutzpa has grown into a live tree in Israel today, one which created others, that now bear fruit.

What’s your best tip for first time visit in Israel? To truly come open and ready for new impressions. Israel is always on the news and many people come with so many expectations and preconceptions about it, many times bringing social and political understandings from wherever they come from, to try and understand Israel through. I highly recommend preparing for an entirely different experience. Israel is unlike anywhere else, with its mixtures of religions, ethnicities, old and new, inherent contradictions and resilience.

Favorite Jewish/Israeli historical figure and why? David Ben Gurion: DBG had the audacity of hope, the fitness to run long distances on the road to a jewish state, and mostly the ability to make difficult, sometimes unpopular and downright scary decisions. declaring a state despite imminent invasion by 5 armies is only one such example. In his modest style of life and choices, like retiring from office and becoming part of founding a kibbutz in the desert at age 67, he exemplifies the values and virtues that shaped this state from the beginning.