Meet Your Staff: Asaf, Mike, and Rony
Asaf Weiss
Where are you from originally and where do you live now? Originally from Jerusalem, currently living in Champaign, Illinois.
What do you for a living? I'm the Israel fellow (Jewish agency shlicha) at the Hillel at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
What's your favorite Israeli food to eat and favorite place to eat it at? Stekiyat Hazot on Agripas st, next to the entrance to the Jerusalem Shuk.
What's a fun fact about you? Even though I'm from Israel, I have already visited to more then 25 states in America (26 to be exact).
What's one thing about Israel that you wish you could bring back to America with you? The good food (at most places).
What's your favorite place to visit in Israel? The dead sea (but in the winter). I also like the rafting in the Jordan river.
What's your favorite place to bring Taglit-Birthright Israel groups? Mt. Bental because it's the best place to talk about the North of Israel.
What's the #1 reason that you recommend that your friends and family should go on Taglit-Birthright Israel with Shorashim? Because Shorashim really cares about their participants and give them personal attention.
Anything else you want to share? Have a great summer!
Mike Schreiber
Where are you from originally and where do you live now? Originally from Herndon, Virginia, but currently living in Champaign, Illinois.
What do you do for a living? I work for Hillel on University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus.
When did you go to Israel for the first time? When I was younger, I went with my family through a synagogue program.
What's your favorite place to visit in Israel? I love the beautiful scenery and culture of Tzfat.
What's a fun fact about yourself? I love the beach and marine life. I have experience working with and training marine mammals.
What's your favorite Israeli food/favorite place in Israel to eat it? Rugelach from the Shuk.
What's the #1 reason that you recommend that your friends and family should go on Taglit-Birthright Israel with Shorashim? Shorashim is able to offer a birthright experience unlike any other. They have an amazing staff, both here and in Israel, that work so that these trips see the best of Israel, get to be with the Israeli's for a longer time, and the participants in general the most meaningful Israel journeys and more ways to return to or continue to work with Israel.
Where are you most looking forward to taking your group? I'm really looking forward to bringing my group to Tzfat. The layout of the city is really unique with the narrow, sloped walkways. You feel like you've stepped back in time. Since I studied art in college, I love seeing all the artist's galleries and pieces being sold right on the street!
Rony Kaufman
How long have you been a tour educator? Two years!
What's a fun fact about yourself? I started a project (that i invented) to photograph myself in front of every sign of a city/village/kibutz/town in Israel. I haven't finished it yet!
What is your favorite place in Israel and why? My favorite place is Kibutz Maagan Michael because of its beach.
What's your favorite place to take participants on Taglit and why? The old city of Jerusalem.
What's your favorite Israeli food? Where's your favorite place in Israel to eat it? My favorite Israeli food is kube and the best place you can get it is called "Between Gaza and Berlin" (בין עזה לברלין), which is a restaurant in Jerusalem.
What's your favorite thing about Israel? It's a small country that hold a big variety of people, landscapes, and cultures.
Why is it important to you to have Israelis on the trip for all 10 days? I believe that five days is not enough time to build the group dynamics that we are aiming for, and that in five days you can't reach the mutual acquaintance and recognition that is important to make the trip become a significant trip for both sides!
If you could say one thing to future participants, what would it be? Keep an open mind, seize evey moment, and leave your sarcasm behind.
