From 2016 - 2018, I was on pilgrimage to connect with the lands of my ancestors. Through Siberian mountains and forests, the old Jewish shtetls of Ukraine and Eastern Europe, the Carpathians, the Rhineland, the Balkans, the Greek mainland, and the sacred lands of Israel/Palestine and Egypt. Through epic landscapes and majestic seas. Witnessing beauty and hardship. Interacting with intact, traditional cultures and assimilated peoples. Confronting historic trauma and grief. Tapping into a deep well of love and praise. Receiving so many blessings and gifts. Weaving so many heartful and soulful connections. Saying hello, falling in love, and saying goodbye, again and again. Discovering grandeur. Encountering mystery. Following synchronicity. Uncovering deeper and deeper layers of remembering.

You can read about my journey at: www.rootsjourneyblog.wordpress.com

Now I'm back in Eastern Europe travelling with and supporting and guiding friends who have also come to find their Jewish roots in Eastern Europe.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm a traveler, not a tourist. I prefer culturally immersive experiences rather than simply visiting and observing as a spectator. Staying with locals while traveling rather than staying in hostels or hotels allows for cultural interaction and exchange. It's the people, not simply the sites, that make the heart of a place. I like to get to the heart.

Interests

I love getting out into nature as much as possible. I use to work for nature conservation, environmental protection, climate justice organizations. Now I spend more time learning how to facilitate peoples' reconnection with nature.

I am learning ancestral earth living skills and love them. I am spiritual and love the power of ritual. I love dancing, singing circles, community, pot lucks, camp fires, the ocean, researching family history, traveling, and more.

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: The Matrix, V for Vendetta, Cloud Atlas, Avatar, Star Wars, epics like those.

Books: The Fifth Sacred Thing, Dune, Harry Potter, The Golden Compass.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Burning Man--an experiment in radically self-expressed and self-reliant community and culture.

Teach, Learn, Share

I speak Russian at a conversational level, and am looking forward to getting a lot of practice and learning more so I can hopefully get near fluent in it.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I know some basic ancestral earth skills like making fire with a bow drill. I'd be happy to teach anyone this sacred ancient skill.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Spain, Ukraine

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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