Meet Guest Blogger Karen Zivan!

Karen Zivan is the amazing Israel coordinator for OTYF.  She and I are soul sisters, bonded by laughter, long car rides, sweaty yoga classes, and beautiful Shabbat dinners. Her family adopted me last year, and no matter where I go in the world, they live with me in my heart.


You can read her wonderful blog posts about her life in Israel with her beautiful family at http://zivansinisrael.blogspot.co.il/

Here is what she had to say about our powerful post-yoga dinner and meeting last night:


Taking no sides...
by Karen Zivan
Finally Ruthie arrived, which is funny because her plane landed an hour early and she was forced to wait for me.
I was so anxious to see her, as I never really got to wish her a Mazal Tov on getting married, but personally for me, our Olive Tree work takes me quickly to a place of purpose....I help Ruthie navigate the roads, but honestly she is my human GPS, emphasis on HUMAN. She finds people and situations, not on any map, I like to think that together we create and find our own new terrain, Manifest Destiny in The Middle East....Thelma and Louise Israeli style.
Last night was no exception, as we gathered in Chaya Bracha's Power Flow Yoga studio in Jerusalem, for Ruthie's class.  We met a woman studying Judaism, Anthropology and Women's Peace dialogue as it relates to Jewish and Palestinian woman.  Could this be me with a spunky curly haircut and a confidence level that has no height limit?  Nope, this is Rachel Feldman, a woman who we are sure will be initiating change and peaceful communication in this world.  A woman full of hope and spirit to make the world a better place.
 After class, together with Rachelle Tratt, a friend from last years post yoga class schmooze and brainstorm sessions at Aroma on Emek, we went to Derech Hebron, (how fitting....the. Road to Hebron....signifying of course all of our desires to be on that road of peace our Fathers and Mothers laid out for us) wine and salad and conversation which I hope would make anyone proud....non stop discussion of ideas on how to help people come to the simple realization that we are humans living in this world, and better to do it peacefully....final conclusion of the evening, peaceful dialogue is powerful and can be delivered powerfully by women...not only by using peaceful verbal communications, but to include what brings everyone together- movement of bodies to the grace of the message.  Yoga is an excellent example of that power.
We clicked glasses and said LChaim with conviction,  I am sure there was no exception in our group of mixed backgrounds, experiences and ages....LChaim, means life, and how much better to live life with peaceful thoughts.
Thank you again Ruthie for being here and being my HUMAN GPS, I remain in the clouds even before I leave  to teach yoga to Jewish youth in America...my message is stronger and clearer....no matter what side of the world, or the fence, or the road to peace,  peaceful communication-combining  verbal dialogue  and the tender release of the physical body  increases the power to change.
I salute Olive Tree and may we all live to have the blessing of seeing Olive Tress growing everywhere in the Middle East.