Maggie Rennert

At first, I didn't think I'd be able to read this whole book. It turned out to be the author's diary starting from 1973 when she began her life in Beer Sheva, Israel, as an "oh-LAH cha-da-SHA" (new immigrant). I found her extremely detailed story almost uncannily paralleled my own 1972 arrival to Israel as a Sherut LaAm (service to the nation) volunteer.

This book was quite accurate in its depiction of an American's adjusting to life in Israel at that time. By the time I got to the part about how to do a "sponga" (you have to read the book to find out what it is), I couldn't help but laugh out loud and remember with love my experiences in learning to how make myself feel more comfortable in Israel. As the author explained, it was quite a challenge. Rennart's book chronicled the process through which Israel's subtle, yet thorough, integration into her soul eventually happened.… (meer)