If I hadn't had my accident in Israel, I would have never met the Muslim man who directed me to a deeper understanding of Judaism. I met him in Syracuse, New York and because of my injuries he knew I had gone to Israel. I sensed that he was a traveler, too, and asked where …
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Israel-The Iron Dome
Picture courtesy of wisemoneyisrael.com The Iron Dome is a mobile missile launching system using a specific algorithm that can calculate if an enemy missile is about to strike a populated area. With 90% accuracy, the launcher sends out its own missiles to explode the enemy missiles in the air. Israel is a country surrounded people …
Israel-Remembering The Holocaust
I was raised in the rural part of Western New York State and never knew any Jewish people. But growing up in the 1950's and1960's, my teenage imagination and heart was pierced by the life and death of a Jewish girl named Anne Frank. During my childhood, the impact of WWII was still very vivid. …
Tel Aviv, Israel
I've never been so excited about going on a trip as I was about going to Israel. Friends on Facebook were looking forward to my posts and pictures but many cautioned me to stay safe and be careful. One friend went as far as asking why I wanted to go to a place "so,so dangerous". …
Wearing a Fuzzy Pink Bath Mat to the Prom
My last post, "Everybody Must Get Stoned" was a bit dark and discouraging. I guess my intention was to sound the alarm about where we are headed as human beings if we don't get our act together. I'm really an optimist and I owe my resilience to my mom who repeated the same mantra over …
“Everybody Must Get Stoned”-Traveling with Forrest Gump
I'm very scared! "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" written by Bob Dylan, released in 1966 "Well, they'll stone you when you're trying to be so goodThey'll stone you just like they said they wouldThey'll stone you when you're trying to go homeAnd they'll stone you when you're there all aloneBut I would not feel …
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“The Land of a Thousand Dances”-Traveling with the Forrest Gump Soundtrack
One, two, three!You gotta know how to pony like Bony MaronieMashed Potato, do the AlligatorPut your hands on your hips, let your back-bone slipDo the Watusi, like my little LucyNa, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na. "Land of a Thousand Dances" written by …
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India-Celebrating Indian Style-Part 3-Blowing Up Evil
Picture from indiamarks.com The Hindu holiday, Dussehra, symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Rama, a major deity, kills Ravana who has kidnapped Rama's wife, Sita. Sita is a revered goddess for her virtues of good character, good fortune, success and happiness. Rama's skill as an archer brings down not only Ravana but his brother, …
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India-History Speaking through Art
As part of my tour, I was taken to the Qutub Complex in Delhi which was built by Muslims in 1192 who conquered and then occupied Hindu Delhi. During this time they constructed a mosque and a tower, The Qutub Minar. Picture by zeenews.india.com The tower is 220 feet tall and made out of variegated …
India-A Muslim Friend
Travel opens us to new worlds. I have lived my whole life in rural areas in New York State, quiet places that have little diversity. I have really never known a Muslim even though there is a mosque in my area. Like many Americans, I know very little about Islam. Unfortunately in my country there …
The Autonomous Traveler 