From the same cloth

About 6 months ago, when I was telling my therapist about the vision for this journey, I exclaimed emphatically, "I want to adventure and explore and test myself. I do NOT want to end of on a beach with some fucking Israelis!"

LOL. I just spent 5 days with 2 awesome Israelis on an amazing Thai beach, and it's exactly what I wanted.

Oren and Gabi are salt of the earth peeps, and they welcomed me in with vigor. We ate together, swam, lounged, kick it at night, played backgammon (big game in the Middle East)...

We even sang Passover songs together! Classic wandering Jews.

I loved hanging out with Oren and Gabi, loved the authenticity and vigor and love of life and generosity that has always epitomized this culture I identified with. Sharing food and time and money and hammocks for them is a no brainer. Humor rolls off the tongue. And they tell it like it is, or, at least, how they see it.

For so long I, like many Israelis, have judged and sometimes shunned other Israelis. And yes, the culture has traits I don't think are healthy, and out of balance, some can be annoying or worse.

But there is also so much beauty in the culture I come from, a passion and generosity and authenticity that to me feels like some of the best of what it means to be human. Like if you need food or a place to stay, there is never a question you will get it. Never.

I told Oren and Gabi when I left them today how much I enjoyed spending time with them. It felt good to be with people who are made of similar cloth as me.

I also told them they renewed my faith in Israelis, and really in certain parts of myself, those audacious, vibrant parts that sometimes get me into trouble but that are really a big part of who I am.

Much love,
Roni

ps - Check out this Seder plate I got our bungalow place to whip up. I tell you this was not easy on an isolated Thai beach. I don't think I'll soon forget the image of the head cook and three employees lined up listening to another employee try to explain that it was Passover and I needed certain foods on a plate. She explains. Blank stares. So she takes a step back and explains, "Christians...Muslims...Jews." Blank stares. Anyway somehow the plate came together, and it rocked. We used nori crackers for matza, and Oren even made charosset out of dates and cashews he brought from Jordan! So yum.

pps - Also Gabi is hot. Argentinian Jews...god damn.