Meet Your Staff: Ari, Yael, and Lior
Ari Hoffman
Where are you from originally and where do you live now? New York, now Cambridge MA.
What do you for a living? I'm finishing a PhD in English at Harvard, and plotting my next step!
When did you go to Israel for the first time? On a family vacation, in fifth grade. We spent three weeks traveling around the country; what an introduction!
What's your favorite Israeli food to eat and favorite place to eat it at? Mulah Falafel, on Agrippas in Jerusalem and shawarma at any place!
What's a fun fact about you? I've lived in Boston for a long time, but I'm still a die hard New York sports fan!
What's one thing about Israel that you wish you could bring back to America with you? The vividness and intensity of life, an incredible combination of living in the moment and also being laid-back.
What's your favorite place to visit in Israel? Jerusalem.
What's the #1 reason that you recommend that your friends and family should go on Taglit-Birthright Israel with Shorashim? It is an extraordinary experience- vibrant, fun, educational, and unbelievably inspiring.
What is your spirit animal and why? Someone once told me it was a camel. I'm not sure why, and I don't know if it is a compliment.
What's your favorite place to bring Taglit-Birthright Israel groups? There is something really extraordinary about being in the desert at night, just feeling how vast and beautiful it is.
Anything else you want to share? So excited for my trip this summer!
Yael Dadoun
Where are you from originally and where do you live now? CT/Ashdod and now Miami.
What do you do for a living? I'm a principal. When kids get sent to my office because they're in trouble, I give them candy and tell them to cut the crap.
When did you go to Israel for the first time? I lived in Israel as a kid. The front and back yards of my building used to be sand dunes (no joke) but today are other huge buildings....Ashdod became a huge city in the last couple of decades!
What's your favorite place to visit in Israel? My family in Tel-Aviv and hiking in the North. Nothing I love more than working up a sweat in the hot sun then jumping into a natural spring to cool down!
What's a fun fact about yourself? As a Moroccan, I can ululate really well and I'm pretty decent belly dancer. Also, I'm a lefty but write on the board with my right hand.
What's your favorite Israeli food/favorite place in Israel to eat it? Jachnun with resek agvaniot (tomato sauce). I like the sauce a little spicy and super garlicy- hold the egg on the side.
Where is your favorite place to take groups? Tsipori- it's such a unique place that represents a unique sect of Judaism that has been so well preserved you feel like you went back in time.
If there was one aspect of Israel that you could bring back to America with you, what would it be? Israel itself. But if I had to narrow it down, speaking Hebrew everywhere and wishing Shabbat Shalom to all on Friday.
What's the #1 reason that you recommend that your friends and family should go on Taglit-Birthright Israel with Shorashim? To find themselves.
What's your spirit animal and why? Lion, no doubt. I have big hair and love running in the jungle, or woods, or desert, I just love running in nature, really.
Anything else you want to share? Happiness is key and laugher is the doorway.
Lior Chacham
How long have you been a guide? Seven years.
What's your favorite Shorashim memory? I met my wife leading my first trip at Har Herzl. I was guiding Golda Meir's grave, a personal hero of hers. We are married with one child and one on the way.
What's a fun fact about yourself? I'm a twin.
What's your favorite site to go to take participants to on Taglit? I enjoy taking them to Masada. It is physically demanding and they feel very accomplished afterwards. In addition, it's a challenge to bring the story to life, and when the participants are asking follow up questions, I know that I've opened their eyes to an important part of our history.
What do you love most about Shorashim? I only work for Shorashim because it prioritizes the participant's experience over everything else. One of the ways that they do this is by having Israelis on the trip for the entire 10 days.
What is your favorite food and favorite place to eat it in Israel? Hummus. Hummus Bar Sira in Jerusalem.
Why is it important to you to have Israelis on the trip for all 10 days? The Israelis are the heart and soul of the trip. They provide the Americans with the most authentic, honest perspective of Israel. Also, while I hope they will remember what I tell them about the sights, I know that the Americans will treasure and maintain their relationships with their Israeli friends who will continue after the trip to provide them with their point of view surrounding current events and their futon if they come to visit. It is also important for the Israelis to understand the diversity of American Jewry. Many Israelis only think of Americans by what they see on Bravo. The Israelis leave the trip with a broader cultural grasp of who is an American Jew.
