Micha Balf
My blogs
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Industry | Education |
| Occupation | currently visitng Isreli scholar for Israel in DC committee of the Greater Washington Jewish Federation |
| Location | Kibbutz Maagan Michael, D.N. Menashe 37805, Israel |
| Introduction | I was born in the US and made aliyah to Israel in 1978 after graduating from Wesleyan University. I am the product of a mixed marriage. I converted, an Orthodox conversion, as part of my decison to live in Isrel. I have been on Kibbutz Maagan Michael since 1978 with the exception of two three year periods in the US, the first as a shaliach for the Reform movement in New England from 1989-1992 and the most recent period as the education shlaich in Washington DC from 2006-2009. I worked for a number of year in agriculture growing bananas, but have spent the last 20 + years in education, the last five years as the principal of the Hof Carmel regional high school.I have an MA and PhD in Holocaust studies from Hebrew University/Institue for Contemporary Jewry. My thesis on Holocaust memory and commemoration in the kibbutz movements was published as a book in Hebrew (2008). I have been married to Rachel for 29 years. We are the proud parents of Timna (27), Noa (25) and Alon (15). |
| Interests | I am intersted in books, sports, the Jewish world, current events in Israel, kibbutz life and history particualrly of Isrel and the US. |
| Favorite movies | I enjoy so many movies that it is hard to even list them - I think that I am not too selective, for better or for worse. |
| Favorite music | Although I have developped a real enjoyment of Israeli music over the last two decades, the sounds of the 60's, blues and Motwon are my primordial music influences. |
| Favorite books | I have enoyed reading all of the books of Malcolm Gladwell lately. I am intersted in books on history, social issues and the Holocaust. I also admit to really enjoying Dune, the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. There is defintely a place for escapism on my reading lists. |