Lisa Saltzman Mishli

Ups and Downs on the Israel Trail

23 November 2010

Segments 23 - Shoevah to Even Sapir * Although November is almost over, Israel has not yet received any significant rainfall this autumn. Our weather concern for this hiking day was not if it would be cold and wet, but rather how hot it might be. Faced with such conditions, I decided the best segment for today's hike on the Israel National Trail would be the ascent to Jerusalem. I hoped to enjoy the greenery and shade of the forests, and to find water in the spring-fed pools marked on the map. Since this segment is the closest the Israel Trail gets to Jerusalem, it was a natural decision to hike the trail in an "ascent to Jerusalem". But we had plenty of descents as well. We began our hike in Shoevah, the same place we began a hike…

I’ve Joined the Club

26 October 2010

Since I first learned that the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure [for breast cancer] would be held in Jerusalem on October 28th, I have had the date marked on my calendar. But a couple weeks ago I realized I would not be able to participate. I recently went to see the dermatologist for my annual check of moles and spots (I’ve got lots, but nothing has ever raised a flag). I also wanted to ask the doctor to remove what I thought was a fatty deposit on the side of my nose near my eye, since it was constantly irritated by the nosepad of my eyeglasses. Earlier this summer my ophthalmologist had identified a small bump on my eyelid as a trivial fatty deposit, so when this similar-looking (in my mind) bump appeared on my nose later…

Insights of an MTBO Amateur

12 October 2010

Now that I have biked in about 20 mountain bike orienteering (MTBO) events, 17 of which were Israeli MTBO league meets, I've reached some conclusions about my relationship with this esoteric sport. Insight Number 1. For me there are two kinds of events: the ones that make me say, "That was beyond my ability. I'm not going to do another MTBO event again"; and the ones that make me say, "That was a great challenge. I'll be back for more." It would be wonderful if every event could evoke the latter response, but that's not the case. I've taken stock, and have counted 5 of those 17 events made me want to quit. In those instances, a combination of two or more factors were to blame: (A) The trails and terrain were beyond my riding abilities, meaning I had…

Turn, Turn, Turn – A New Season on the Israel Trail

3 October 2010

Segment 19 - Tel Afek to Tel Aviv, along the Yarkon River * September 25, 2010. Officially it's now autumn. Our clocks have already been switched to winter (standard) time. But judging from the extreme and unbearable heat, it is still summer. That made it tough to be on the Israel Trail during the week of Succot, but we were eager to get back into the hiking mode. To begin our hiking season I selected a easy segment close to home, along the Yarkon river. I gave Yuval the choice of direction. He prefered to end the hike in Ramat Hahayal where ice-cream and frozen yoghurt shops would await us. Our group comprised just 10 hikers, mostly core members and a couple guests, after several last-minute cancellations. We began our hike just outside the Tel Afek National Park, at the Rosh HaAyin train station, shortly before 8 a.m. The sky was overcast and the air…

Nahal Anabe and Municipal Megalomania

19 September 2010

I am trying to save a sliver of nature and history. I am hoping that sanity will prevail over megalomania. In the not too distant future, when you see the natural landscape of Nahal Anabe and Ben Shemen Forest obliterated by 4- and 6-lane thoroughfares, remember this blog post. Remember how some citizens-who-cared tried to convince the bureaucrats and elected officials of Modiin that preserving the city's "backyard" habitat is just as vital for city residents as creating commerce and jobs. Until recently I had never been involved in environmental activism. That changed this past spring when I was enlisted by my friend Alon Tal to join a group of petitioners in an effort to divert a road leading from Highway 431 to the Business Park in Modiin (Ligad). [Alon is one of Israeli's leading environmentalists. He founded Adam Teva V'din - the Israel Union for Environmental Defense and the…

Four Generations Meyer-Saltzman-Mishli 1989

Truths My Mother Taught Me

30 July 2010

I did not write this post. The title's "Mother" is my grandmother, Ruth Radman Meyer; "Me" is my mother, Bernice Meyer Saltzman. My mother wrote and delivered this speech in February 1995. Fifteen years later, I am still impressed and inspired every time I read it. This tribute to my grandmother is also a testament to my mother's outstanding abilities as a scholar, writer and parent. I am publishing it this week to honor my mother's memory on her 10th yahrzeit (anniversary of her death). Truths My Mother Taught Me Presented by Bernice Meyer Saltzmanto the Jewish Women's Club of Richmond VATuesday, February 28, 1995 Bernice Meyer Saltzman 1994 One of the blessings of being sixty-something is that you are in the position of learning from people both older and younger than you. Recently the young 39-year-old Rabbi Simeon Glaser of…

לכביש יש חלופות – לטבע אין

20 July 2010

For the English version of this post, click on Modiin Road 4 Alternative in the menu bar above. שלחו מכתב לרה"ע חיים ביבס, מהנדס העיר רמי זיו, ולאנשי מפתח נוספים בעיריית מודיעין-מכבים-רעות. תדרשו מהם לפעול לשימור שטחי הטבע תוך כדי פיתוח ובניית העיר. (1) קלקלקו כאן כדי להתחיל את המכתב: שלחו מכתב לראש העיר (במקרה והטקסט בשורת הנושא אינו קריא, העתיקו טקסט זה לשורה: לכביש יש חלופות. לטבע אין.) (2) העתיקו והדביקו את הטקסט שלמטה לתוך גוף המכתב. תשנו את הטקסט אם תרצו. (3) תחתמו. תשלחו! לכ' מר חיים ביבס, ראש העיר מודיעין הנדון: תוואי כביש 4 עירוני חלקו הדרומי של כביש 4 העירוני, בין כביש 431 לבין צידו הדרומי של אזור התעסוקה מיועד לחצות בגשר את פארק נחל ענבה שמתפקד כשמורת טבע המשמש אותי כמו גם מטיילים ורוכבי אופניים ממודיעין וסביבתה. הנחל הוא שטח פתוח טבעי וציבורי עשיר בערכי…

Israel Trail 2009-2010 Recap

4 July 2010

Despite a 2-month suspension of hiking due to my retinal detachment in November, we completed 10 hikes on the Israel National Trail this (academic) year for a total of about 140 kilometers. It's hard to be exact on the distance measurement. I activate the GPS recording when we commence walking, and stop it when we reach the end of the hike. Sometimes our hikes include a kilometer or more on a "connector" trail to the point where we pick up the Israel Trail. I've also accidentally paused recording a few times, and have had to estimate the length of the unrecorded segment. It's really not critical. Eventually we will have bragging rights to 940 kilometers - the official distance of the trail. So far, we've done about 200. Three of our regular hiker couples went off -- independently of…

MTBO – A Marketing Idea

24 June 2010

Listening to the discussion at the ISOA general assembly this week, I heard a lot of good marketing ideas. Driving home, I began to formulate an idea, inspired by a non-riding friend who said, "why don't you go where the bikers are?" Yes, indeed, we need to bring MTB orienteering to the bikers. Like the hostesses at supermarkets who offer shoppers a sample of new foods, we need to give bikers a flavorful taste of MTBO.

MTBO at Gevaram

21 June 2010

Prior to the mountain bike orienteering event at Gevaram, I had begun announcing my intention to quit doing MTBO. Having tried it for 2 years, I still don't have the expertise or confidence to go out without a riding partner (Yuval). I'm happy to do MTBO in the fields of Yizrael, but not in the hills of Alon Hagalil. I do not have the skills or fitness of a serious trail rider. I prefer "KKL" trails to "singles", flat routes rather than climbs and steep descents, soft paths rather than rocky roads. Riding conditions at Gevaram were exactly the kind I prefer. I actually got to ride my bike -- rather than push it -- for practically the entire course. Makes me have second thoughts about continuing in the sport