About
Storia

In my early childhood, growing up after my father gave his life at the Yum Kippur War was not easy. My mother didn’t remarry until I was eight. However, because of my father’s missing presence, 

I developed a very close relationship with both my grandparents. My grandmother was a vegetarian, practiced meditation, and loved nature. By example, she showed me how to appreciate the beauty in the morning silence, and observe the details of the nature around us. She was a talented sculptor in the medium of stone. I always thought she possessed magic to carve away pieces of stone in order to design an animal figurine imbued with love. This small, elegant woman was so powerful in her silent moments, and conducted her life with gravitas. My grandfather was very different from her, yet he was also a big influence in shaping my character. He was a self-taught carpenter who loved to create things for his home and family members. This was his main hobby in life. We spent many hours in his carpentry workshop creating together, the start of my unofficial training as a furniture designer. I was truly fascinated by the process of creation, planning your steps to bring a form into reality. 

At night, my grandparents would see me to bed. Grandfather would tell me a bedtime story which always began, “Once upon a time, there lived happily in the woods a grandchild with her grandparents. In the morning, the curious child always wanted to explore the world. So her grandfather gave her a magical ring that sensed danger. She would simply imagine what she would prefer to have happening instead of the danger and make a wish while rubbing the magical ring, and ‘poof’ that was what happened.” Then grandfather would turn to me and ask, “So, where did you go and what happened?” I would present all kind of endings, each night different, but each gave a good outcome to the story. Then my grandmother would sit near me until I fall asleep. This was my first “training of thought,” to be creative in problem solving, and always think positively in any situation. Both my grandparents trained me by living what they believed. Little did I know that all this would lead me to approach my son’s healing path as a creative adventure. That way, his healing path would have a good and positive impact on him. Later in my life as I grew up, my mother had a big influence on me as well. She always encouraged me to follow my dreams, even dreams she herself did not necessarily understand. Still, she would say to me, “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” 

After completing the mandatory army service, I took my mother’s advise to follow my dreams as I moved to New York City at the age of twenty-three to become a Furniture Designer. I felt I could help shape peace through the creation of objects. I eventually graduated with a BFA with honors from Parson’s School of Design. However, in the beginning I hardly had money for one semester let alone four years of studies, but my mother’s faith that “if there’s a will, there’s a way,” gave me the strength to persevere. In a remarkable turn of events, I was awarded a scholarship towards my school’s tuition from the Jewish Foundation for Education of Women, for which I am forever thankful. I realized then, if you have a vision that is greater than yourself, and is beneficial for others as well, keep that torch alive. Do whatever is necessary to make it happen. The universe, with God’s grace, will come to your aid, every time!