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Rachel's Timeline

  • My Father

    My Father
    My father who was in his 20’s immigrated to Israel from Romania and joined the IDF’s forces who fought to open the road to Jerusalem in the Independence war.
  • Immigration to Israel

    Immigration to Israel
    As a child, my mother age 9 and my grandparents immigrated to Israel after surviving the Holocaust as Partisans. Activist of the Jewish Agency reached them, as well as many other survivors, in a DP camps in Poland and called them to make Aliyah.
  • The 60’s me and my brothers were born.

    The 60’s me and my brothers were born.
    The 60’s me and my brothers were born.
  • The first war I remember

    The Six Day War
  • Yom Kippur War

    My sister was born
  • My Bat Mitzvah Year.

    Growing up in a traditional orthodox family the only thing I remember is a class party. Israel was still in the aftershocks of the Yom Kippur war. This was a war that almost ended its existence. It was not a time for big celebrations.
  • Bar Mitzva -big celebration

    Bar Mitzva -big celebration
    My brother celebrates his Bar Mitzvah.
  • Zohar was born

    Zohar was born
    My oldest daughter Zohar was born. As living secular life we made a “Brita”, the Israeli version for Simchat Habat. The picture is from her wedding, last year. You can see on my face how I am proud of her.
  • Steve Wesley

    Steve Wesley
    Second marriage to Steve in Israel. A man who changed my life, and the reason I live in America.
  • Ronen

    Ronen
    Our son Ronen is born in Israel. At his Brit - Mila we named him after Steve’s father Roy and my beloved grandfather Arie z”l , my hero Partisan. Arie means lion a symbol of power.
  • Moving to Atlanta,GA USA

    Our young family moves to Atlanta, GA. I started my first job as a Hebrew teacher at Yeshiva Atlanta High school. Moving to United States was not only a cultural shock; it was in a way my rebirth of being a Jew. Understanding very quickly that the orthodox community in Atlanta is very different from the way I grew up plus the expose to pluralism and the freedom to choose if I want to live Jewish life and how I want to live it, were a milestone in my growth as an American Jew and a Jewish educato
  • Life in Atlanta

    Become a Judaic teacher at the Epstein Day School Solomon Schechter of Atlanta. Join the JCC. Joined Temple Bet – Tikva (reform) as a member and a Judaic teacher. I joined the Israeli House which is part of Israeli Consulate in Atlanta.
  • Education

    I took classes at the Emory University and studied teaching Bible and Israel Studies, Tal Sela and Tal Am institutes for teaching Hebrew. These courses helped with my professional development.
  • Sharon 1999-January 17 2001

    Sharon  1999-January 17 2001
    I was uncertain if to include this tragedy in my timeline. It is still a challenge for me to answer the simple question: How many children do you have? Eventually, I decided to include this milestone so I can inspire other people that with strong belief there is hope. Although I read therapy books and joined different therapy groups I found comfort in our Jewish text especially in the daily prayers. As written in Parashat Nitzavim, Deuteronomy chapter 30, 19 “therefore choose life”.
  • Moving

    Moved to West Hartford, CT. Joined Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford.
  • Adam

    Adam
    Our son Adam Samuel is born.
  • Jewish Educator

    Joined Beit Israel congregation. Become Team leader for Hebrew curriculum and Family educator.
  • Heritage Academy

    Heritage Academy
    Start to teach in a pluralistic community Jewish School in Longmeadow, MA. I created the Hebrew curriculum and Israel Studies curriculum for the Middle School. I was part of the team that revived the Judaic curriculum as part of the process of the school transfer from an orthodox school to a pluralistic community school. I created many Judaic courses as Jewish life cycles, Women in Judaism, Leaders and leadership in the Bible, Women of Valor and others.
  • Moving to East Longmeadow, MA

    Moving to East Longmeadow, MA
    Ronen’s Bar – Mitzva . We choose to do Ronen’s Bar Mitzva in an Orthodox synagogue in Springfield MA. In a way his Bar Mitzva was a family reunion from Steve’s side.
  • Ronen’s Bar Mitzva trip to Israel.

    Ronen’s Bar Mitzva trip to Israel.
    Celebrating with my core family in Israel near the Kotel and Masada was an experience of “From generation to Generation” מדור לדור
  • Ronen’s school trip to Israel.

    Ronen’s school trip to Israel.
    Although we have been many times before in Israel for family visits, this trip with my students included my son was a very emotional and special milestone. It’s hard to describe my student’s emotions when everything I taught came to live and it is above what words can say. It was also first time that I was a tourist in my own country.
  • Award

    I got the Grinspoon award for excellence in teaching, practice and positive impact on children in Jewish schools of Western Massachusetts.
  • Zohar and Haim's Wedding

    Zohar and Haim's Wedding
    My daughter Zohar got married in Israel.
  • Joining Hebrew College

    After years of uncertainty I decided “I can and want to do it”.
  • Teaching Hebrew

    Back to teach in Solomon Schechter in West Hartford ,Ct. Teaching Hebrew in the Middle school ,EC4 and Kindergarten חלב ודבש a conversational interactive program made by the Jewish Agency for Early Education.