Life and Family: I lost my first husband Ted in 2000 after 25 years of marriage. We had left St. Louis in 1977
and moved to New York, where he was a stand-up comic and I was a court reporter, and then to Phoenix, where
he was a rabbi and I continued to be a court reporter. Our two sons, Danny and Ari, were born there. I met my
current husband Mordechai on JCupid (!) and we've been married four years.
After making several trips to Israel since my college days, two years ago we both fulfilled a lifelong dream and
moved to Jerusalem, the center of the universe. We traded in our nice house in Phoenix for an apartment half
the size in the center of the city, a 30-minute walk from the Western Wall. We gave away our three cars and stay
in shape by walking everywhere. It's such an exciting place to be, and we're still awed by the fact that we live
here. We're busy with ulpan (Hebrew classes), learning, traveling around the country, exploring archaeological
sites, and learning every inch of this fascinating city by foot. Mordechai is a former bacteriologist who now studies
Torah full time with some well-known kabbalists (real ones), and it's my job to keep him anchored, which can be a
challenge in this most amazing city, where the laws of physics don't apply.
Danny is in his 6th year in yeshiva and is learning to be a scribe. He's also a guitarist, and when he was 16 he
played the National Anthem at an Arizona Diamondbacks game in front of 40,000 people. Ari has had a public
access show in Phoenix and Tucson since high school, and it's still on in reruns. He's now working here and is
also planning to stay. We are constantly running into people we know from the "old country" and still hope to visit
every year.
Next 10 Years: I hope my Hebrew lessons take and that I'll be able to speak fluently. I will be taking as many
tours as is humanly possible. There are hundreds of shops I've never been to, and I'm making it my mission to
support the Israeli economy by visiting as many of them as possible. I hope ten years from now I'll still marvel at
my surroundings. And lots of grandchildren!
Favorite Memories: One day in chorus Dr. Pro called me (I was an alto), a soprano, a tenor and a bass down
to the front of the room and said, "These people can carry a tune." Leaving early with Merry and Nancy to go to
Steak & Shake. Being accepted to college in November and not doing any homework after that. Walking at
graduation with my cousin Leslie while our fathers, who did not graduate high school, watched together. And Miss
Doyle.
|
