A little bit about myself

To understand me and my worldview I suppose it would be best to go back in time a little: I grew up in a family that took in all sorts of stray animals. My sister would bring home every homeless dog she saw, and I would take care of and feed the wandering homeless cats. Of course most of the animals ended up staying with us, and my parents welcomed them all, sometimes with a sigh or two, but no questions asked.

Our home was also a safe and loving foster home for many children over the years. I grew up alongside these amazing kids, who stayed with us for days, weeks, months, and sometimes years. My parents never had much money but were sensitive people and taught me the importance of listening and giving to others.

I vividly remember the day I found my calling, as an acupuncturist. As my military service was coming to an end, I was flipping through the newspaper, looking for possible studies to pursue. I knew that I wanted to help people, but I wasn't sure which therapeutic field was right for me.

Intuitively I knew that many diseases had their roots in unprocessed emotions, and I was determined to find a field that would combine this with my desire to heal. As I was scanning the newspaper for the perfect profession, I saw an ad for a study program in Chinese Medicine. I knew immediately that this was what I wanted to do.

The year was 1994. Complementary medicine was in its early stages in Israel, and most people here had never heard of it.

“This is it!" I declared with conviction. "This is what I'm going to study."

My friend, who was sitting next to me sipping coffee, looked at me with an astonished expression, raised an eyebrow, and asked in all seriousness, "What is Chinese Medicine?"

And with the same seriousness I answered her: "I have no idea, but this is what I'm going to do"!

To be frank, it was quite challenging. Back then, Chinese Medicine was viewed as very unconventional healing. Once my parents comprehended its concept, their initial query was whether it was an accredited program with a formal degree. Unfortunately, both counts were negative. The efforts to sway me back to a conventional path proved fruitless. I was resolute that this was my calling.