Page 85 - issue
P. 85
Journey to Rechavia 77
and in demand for its central location. In Rechavia, too, hous-
es are very expensive. The Even-Israels rent their apartment,
as do many other residents.
From time to time, shiurim and other lectures are offered
in the community. Liza explains that communities are formed
in Rechavia based on a number of factors, such as children
going to the same schools or chugim. There are a variety of
shuls to choose from. The Mayanot shul, which has the same
Chabad administration that began the Mayanot learning insti-
tutions for men and women, has beautiful Carlebach-style
nigunim. The Gra shul in Sha’arei Chesed is a popular shul
for many Anglos, with minyanim happening all the time.
An interesting feature of life in Rechavia is that the resi-
dents share the neighborhood with the prime minister and
many politicians. Indeed, I was stopped by a roadblock as I
walked onto Balfour Street, as per my Google Maps direc-
tions, to get to Liza’s house. The security guard proceeded to
ask me where I was heading. She then redirected me to take
another route as entry through that road was restricted. Little
did I know that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu lives on
that street. Liza actually saw the Prime Minister and his wife
once taking a walk on Shabbos. “I was walking home from
visiting my mom, and I saw all this action, so I knew some-
body was around. Then all of a sudden in the middle of the
street, I see Bibi and Sara Netanyahu. I yelled out ‘Shabbat
shalom,’ and he responded to my greeting.” Liza adds that
you get used to the daily sirens that are sounded when
Netanyahu is entering or leaving the neighborhood.
Another time, former Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak,
was exiting his car and Liza’s three-year-old son, who was rid-
ing his tricycle on the sidewalk, almost ran him over. She
describes how she quickly caught up to her son and found
everyone standing there laughing at the scene.
◆◆◆
Liza created her own career path in the Israeli workforce.
Back in the States, she worked as the program director for
RZA, Religious Zionists of America, part of Mizrachi Olami,
the umbrella group for Bnei Akiva and all religious Zionist
activity outside of Israel. One project Liza helped plan when
she was in Baltimore was the Baltimore Walks for Israel cam-
paign. Its 20,000 participants raised money for an ambulance
in Israel. I ask Liza how she became so active, and she
responds, “Being part of Chabad, you are always on shlichut,
bringing the community together. Ever since I was little, I was
raised to work for the community, whether to organize a
mesibas Shabbos, a Shabbos party for affiliated or unaffiliat-
ed Jews, to work as a camp counselor. That’s why there are
so many shluchim around the world. Our lifestyle and mind-
set are to give to other Jews and to be there as a teacher or
someone who brings Jews together.”
When Liza moved back to Israel, she signed up for an
event planning course for the private sector. After working for
an event planner for a couple of years, she began her own
u 410 358 8509 u
and in demand for its central location. In Rechavia, too, hous-
es are very expensive. The Even-Israels rent their apartment,
as do many other residents.
From time to time, shiurim and other lectures are offered
in the community. Liza explains that communities are formed
in Rechavia based on a number of factors, such as children
going to the same schools or chugim. There are a variety of
shuls to choose from. The Mayanot shul, which has the same
Chabad administration that began the Mayanot learning insti-
tutions for men and women, has beautiful Carlebach-style
nigunim. The Gra shul in Sha’arei Chesed is a popular shul
for many Anglos, with minyanim happening all the time.
An interesting feature of life in Rechavia is that the resi-
dents share the neighborhood with the prime minister and
many politicians. Indeed, I was stopped by a roadblock as I
walked onto Balfour Street, as per my Google Maps direc-
tions, to get to Liza’s house. The security guard proceeded to
ask me where I was heading. She then redirected me to take
another route as entry through that road was restricted. Little
did I know that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu lives on
that street. Liza actually saw the Prime Minister and his wife
once taking a walk on Shabbos. “I was walking home from
visiting my mom, and I saw all this action, so I knew some-
body was around. Then all of a sudden in the middle of the
street, I see Bibi and Sara Netanyahu. I yelled out ‘Shabbat
shalom,’ and he responded to my greeting.” Liza adds that
you get used to the daily sirens that are sounded when
Netanyahu is entering or leaving the neighborhood.
Another time, former Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak,
was exiting his car and Liza’s three-year-old son, who was rid-
ing his tricycle on the sidewalk, almost ran him over. She
describes how she quickly caught up to her son and found
everyone standing there laughing at the scene.
◆◆◆
Liza created her own career path in the Israeli workforce.
Back in the States, she worked as the program director for
RZA, Religious Zionists of America, part of Mizrachi Olami,
the umbrella group for Bnei Akiva and all religious Zionist
activity outside of Israel. One project Liza helped plan when
she was in Baltimore was the Baltimore Walks for Israel cam-
paign. Its 20,000 participants raised money for an ambulance
in Israel. I ask Liza how she became so active, and she
responds, “Being part of Chabad, you are always on shlichut,
bringing the community together. Ever since I was little, I was
raised to work for the community, whether to organize a
mesibas Shabbos, a Shabbos party for affiliated or unaffiliat-
ed Jews, to work as a camp counselor. That’s why there are
so many shluchim around the world. Our lifestyle and mind-
set are to give to other Jews and to be there as a teacher or
someone who brings Jews together.”
When Liza moved back to Israel, she signed up for an
event planning course for the private sector. After working for
an event planner for a couple of years, she began her own
u 410 358 8509 u
