About myself – Sharona L.

My parents made Aliya= emigrated from Philadelphia to Israel in 1963. So I was born in 1970 and raised here as a "sabra" – that’s what native Israelis call themselves. I grew up hearing both English and Hebrew in my home.

My family – parents, 3 siblings and myself – always liked travelling and nature. Camping and hiking are a good part of my best childhood memories. As a teenager I joined a youth hiking club which was based in the Judean Desert. The club belonged to the SPNI – Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. During our hikes we also learned about the geology, biology and history of the places we visited.

I knew already back then, that this is what I wanted to do with my life – hike in nature and visit interesting sites and places.

After graduating high school I did my mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces. I was a gardener, and fiercely fought against all weeds in the army bases I served in…

When released from service, I went to study "Land of Israel Studies" at the Beit-Berl Teachers College. I received a B.Ed in geography and my official Tour Guide certification from the Ministry of Tourism in 1995. I have been a tour guide ever since.

I love my job, and I love my country. I named both my sons after mountains in Israel – Tavor (20), and Bental (17).