FOSTERING CROSS CULTURAL DIVERSITY, TOLERANCE, INCLUSION, AND UNDERSTANDING AROUND THE WORLD WITH AN EMPHASIS ON JEWISH HISTORY.
travel
I met Bianca Del Bello by pure chance when searching for experts in Palermo Jewish history. After a few email exchanges, I knew that I met not only a superbly knowledgeable historian but also a friend with a big heart. Bianca and I designed a Palermo Immersion Experience for our small group: my husband and I, and our four friends.
Continue reading “Discovering Palermo and Sicily with Bianca Del Bello”Last May, we visited Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Everything we encountered there looked beautiful; and in spite of the cold and rain, this beauty seemed almost surreal. This short video takes you on a boat cruise through the inner harbor and canals of beautiful Copenhagen. Denmark’s capital is one of the loveliest and greenest cities in Europe and is a great travel destination.
We returned only a week ago from our trip to Scandinavia and have not yet started on either an article or picture gallery, but here is what we wanted to share. It was cold and often rainy (we are in the North of Europe!), but we had a terrific time every minute of our trip, rain or shine (well, it never did shine). We fell in love with this under-appreciated part of Europe. Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Sweden, and Norway – constitute arguably: the most cultural and sophisticated, most educated and prosperous (with the least income disparities), most highly taxed and socialistic (oh well…), least churchgoing and most unmarried – part of the West. People are the happiest we ever encountered, reserved, but very polite and helpful and after few minutes of conversation.
Continue reading “Sharing first impressions from Scandinavia”Take a quick look around Milan famous main square, Piazza del Duomo, with its Duomo Cathedral, Victor Emmanuel II statue, and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Milan is a perfect stop on a European vacation trip.
Look for our in-person and virtual lectures and events you might want to attend: EVENTS
Read useful tips for traveling to Milan, Italy: Milan Tips
Interested in Jewish history around the world? Meet Irene Shaland and her books, lectures, and magazine articles.
Are you an adventurer? Meet Alex Shaland, the author of “Suburbanites on Safari.”
My husband Alex and I have both applied and got confirmed (in less than 30 seconds!) for a 30,000 miles offer from American Airlines MasterCard this past Sunday. How did we do it?
Continue reading “AA MasterCard and 30,000 Miles”
Where to? Kenya? Nepal? Easter Island? No problem: Use your mileage! Fly to almost anywhere for free? Do you think this is impossible? Absolutely not. Alex and I have been flying for free for over twenty years. Well, almost for free: we do have to pay airline and airport taxes. And this is how we did it…..
Continue reading “Do you want to fly for free around the world year after year?”
We were travelling all day: through the exotic strangeness of the Zanzibar Stone Town to the Nairobi airport’s thick mess of people and suitcases, sickening smells and deafening noises. Then again, through the traffic and dust and darkness of Nairobi streets, until all of sudden, like a mirage in the wilderness, we saw a brilliantly lit Jewish star. “Are you meeting with Barbara?” a voice asked. We were.
Continue reading “Finding Home away from Home – in Africa”
While visiting China in October 2012, we had a chance to meet, well, maybe not the Chinese Emperor Puyi himself who is long gone – but his nephew, Aisin-Gioro Yuming.
Continue reading “Where can you meet a real Chinese Emperor?”
October 2012, Again – Kaifeng, China. We are at the oldest Jewish burial place in China – with Mr. Jin in front of his life-long project, his family memorial. Our new friend dedicated his life savings and his entire life to create this marble memorial book which presents – engraved in English on one side and in Chinese on another – the 900-year story of Mr. Jin’s family within the context of Chinese history.
Continue reading “What does it take to preserve Jewish identity if you are a Chinese Jew?”