Gabi Zohar from Haifa - "a person who is interesting and fascinating to live with"

Gabi Zohar is a person with a free soul, interesting and fascinating knowledge, with a sensitive soul and the ability to do a lot in different fields. That is, as the people around him say: "A person who is interesting and fascinating to live with."

A kibbutznik and a great man of the world

Gabi/Gabriel Zohar/Sternfeld was born (1954) in Kibbutz Evron, continued his adult life in the city of Haifa and his existence is as a man of the great world.

Gabi is a journalist, broadcaster on local radio and television stations, editor and presenter of the cultural program "Northern Zohar" on Radio North, doctor of education, clinical social worker and psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of victims of mystical cults and a tour guide in Israel and abroad. Indeed, a cluster man.

His friends, acquaintances and admirers believe that he is "the most interesting and fascinating person to live with". Those who wish to get to know him and understand his character as a whole - would do well to do so by reading the collection of stories in his fifth book: "Tell me, Kublinar, have you gone mad?" (Ofir Bikurim Publishing House 2023).

"I live here too"

Here is the section that brings you fascinating Haifa characters in their homes where the introduction is through the stories, the charges and the unique point of view of the people who make up the human mosaic of our city Haifa. That is, these are the people who live and live here, just like the name of the section - "I also live here".

As part of this section we will get to know Haifa characters and their place of residence. The introduction is not through the square footage of the apartment, or a real estate evaluation or a design description only - but the essence of this introduction is to get to know the hosts' house, the stories, the emotional charge and the unique personal point of view.

Flight book randomization

Until the age of 23, Zemach grew up and grew up in Kibbutznik Gabriel without any hint that he is a second generation Holocaust survivor. His childhood in the kibbutz was saturated with nature, horses, sheep, oranges, vineyards, crop fields, hot corn and a mythical company of female volunteers from abroad - and then something happened, precisely in the midst of his puberty.

As part of his studies in an anthropology course at the School of Social Work at Haifa University - he had to prepare a 'roots work'. On one of his many trips, during a flight to London, he read a book documenting testimonies of Holocaust survivors from Kibbutz Evron. Thus, for the first time, he was exposed to the true story of his parents, who, according to their understanding, all these years tried to protect the souls of their three children and did not say anything to them about this painful subject.

The four brothers of the Sternfeld family - 'We came to a land to build and to build in it'

Gabi's grandfather, his father and his five brothers escaped from Poland to a detention camp in Siberia and barely survived there. They were saved thanks to Gabi's father, Aryeh Sternfeld, who already at the age of 13 was the village baker's assistant and hid leftover bread in his ragged pants pockets for his grandfather and his younger brothers.

In 1948, after the terrible war period, with the help of the 'Youth Aliyah Movement', Aryeh Sternfeld and his brothers boarded an immigration ship to Israel - however, they were deported to the detention camp in Cyprus.

The grandfather was very angry with his father because he set out without his blessing, since at the age of 15 he took his three younger brothers with him and they set out to immigrate to the Land of Israel. Since they arrived in Israel, the Jewish Agency believed that the fact that the four brothers, Holocaust survivors between the ages of 10 and 15, would live together in the same kibbutz was inappropriate from a pedagogical point of view.

The father-brother, Aryeh Sternfeld, who was only 15 years old at the time - screamed and shouted and vigorously beat on the table - but the brothers, whom he kept a watchful eye on during three years in Siberia, were separated into different kibbutzim: Nachshon Givat Oz, Ma'afil and Evron.

'The Queen Mother': Judith-Yochved-Yonchi

Today, Gabi's mother, Judith/Yocheved Sternfeld (née Hartman), 93 years old, lives in Kibbutz Evron. She is an independent woman whose height is less than one meter sixty - but Gabi maintains that "she is a huge woman in her soul and the best mother can be wished for".

Yochaved was born in the city of Kisvarda in Hungary - with a Jewish name, but in Israel her name was changed to Yochaved, and her friends used to affectionately call her Yunchi. Kisvarda is a large city in northeastern Hungary near the border with Ukraine and Slovakia, which lies on the main transport arteries between Hungary and Ukraine.

When she was 4 years old, Yunchi her two sisters and brother were orphaned by their parents. During 5 years they were cared for by the grandfather and grandmother. However, after this period of time - the grandmother passed away. The grandfather was only able to raise the son, so in 1941 Judith was transferred to the orphanage in Budapest.

Yehudit/Yonchi went through many hardships in the orphanage for frightened and hungry Jewish, Hungarian girls, until she was one of the crew members of the ship 'Exodus'. When 'Exodus' docked in Haifa - the British, in shame, deported the ship on its sails to Germany. At the end of another year in exile, Yehudit/Yochved finally arrived at Kibbutz Evron near Naharia. In this kibbutz she met Aryeh Sternfeld, and here she began her new life.

Agriculture, military and journalism

Gabi grew up in Kibbutz Evron, worked in the agricultural branches of the Kibbutz. He played volleyball in the top league, and at the beginning of 1973 he enlisted in the IDF and served in the Intelligence Corps in Unit 8200. In this unit he fought in the Yom Kippur War in the Syrian border sector.

Starting in 1978, Zohar has been working as a journalist, reporter and broadcaster on Al Hamishmer, Channel 104.5 of Kol Israel, Radio North, 1989 FM. Between the years 1992-1992 he served as the spokesman for the Ministry of Health, and between the years 2000-1992 he was a reporter for the Haaretz newspaper. Since 2013 he has been a tour guide in many destinations in the world and since XNUMX also a tour guide in Israel.

'The Storyteller'

As a native of Kibbutz Evron in the Western Galilee where he lived until the age of 32, Gabi brings to his tours a kind of personal connection to the regions of his childhood. During the guidance on his trips, Gabi combines the stories he has collected from his fields of work as a journalist, as well as the broad knowledge in the field of treatment and specialization in mystical cults, as well as a great deal of knowledge he has accumulated from the Western Galilee region, meetings with people, places, stories about members of different ethnic groups and diverse settlements.

His wonderful ability to weave and tell stories in a fascinating way has already produced 5 books:

• 'Longings' (Kibbutz Evron Publishing House, 2009), a poignant story that describes, teaches and concerns all families whose loved ones are dealing with Alzheimer's disease.
• 'Happiness has no end', about mystical cults, new religions and psychological marathons (Sa'ar Publishing House 1992).
• 'Say Kubliner, are you crazy?' (Ofir Bikurim Publishing House 2023), this is a collection of stories from his personal life.
• Also as a road instructor and radio reporter, he wrote the tourism books: Athens and the Greek Islands, a traveler's guide (Shihor Publishing), and 'Holland, a traveler's guide' (Shihor Publishing).

Academic studies and military service also in the reserves

Today Gabi is a social worker with clinical specialization and a psychotherapist. This knowledge was acquired in the studies of B.A. School of Social Work, Uni. Haifa, MA Clinical internship at the School of Social Work, Uni. Haifa and a doctorate in the Faculty of Education, at Lorand University, which is in Budapest, Hungary. As well as his specialization as a psychotherapist was at the center of change, on behalf of the 'Institute for Change'.

Zohar began his career as a social worker specializing in mental health within the 'Family Treatment Station' (FAM) located in the Kibbutzim Seminary. He was a therapist within the "Mabarim" Institute for Family Therapy in Kiryat Haim and an individual therapist at a private clinic.

In 1983, after graduating with a bachelor's degree in social work, Zohar was asked to retrain for reserve service as a mental health officer. This is due to a lack of mental health officers specializing in mental distress and post-trauma of many soldiers in the IDF - a situation that existed after the Yom Kippur War and the First Lebanon War.

He served as a reserve officer in the Armored Division, and in various units in the Northern Command. Zohar continued his voluntary reserve service until the age of 57, and was discharged with the rank of major. It should be noted that recently, during the 'Iron Swords War', he volunteered to serve as a soldier.

About Dad - 'Longing'

Gabi describes the character of his father, Aryeh Sternfeld as a strong, knowledgeable, warm man with an impressive appearance who was engaged in a long series of jobs in the kibbutz. He served in the field works as well as in the factory in Hevron. In the kibbutz, Aryeh Sternfeld was a beloved and well-liked central figure - and unfortunately, in his old age he fell ill with Alzheimer's disease.

As a writer, who likes to tell stories, and to deal with the loss of his late father, Gabi wrote his first book 'Nostalgia' (published by Kibbutz Evron, 2009). In this book, Gabi uses his skills both as a journalist and as a social worker - but most of all as a son whose father suffered from this disease.

In his book, Zohar describes the family's coping with the father's illness. This is a book that touches the heart and is actually a story from life. A poignant and difficult true story that describes, teaches and concerns all families whose loved ones are dealing with Alzheimer's disease.

'Happiness has no end'

In 1992, when Gabi was looking for a name for his book discussing cults, a translated song that discussed the feelings of sadness and happiness played on the radio and then in his mind.

"Sadness has no end,
Happiness has and there is.
Happiness is a light feather in the wind
that moment flies in the air -
on the wing of the wind,
carried until you rest,
Her life is light and short like a song."

(Words: Viniceus de Moras, music: Antonio Carlos Jobim, translation: Ehud Menor)

The title of the book emerged from the melody: 'Happiness has no end - mystical sects, new religions and psychological marathons', (Saar Publishing House, 1992).

The book follows the development of the mystical groups and sects in Israel. In his book, Zohar explains how complete control is created over the believers who join the sect, and describes the lifestyle unique to these sects and groups.

During his therapeutic and journalistic work, Zohar exposed cults and was even a partner in the treatment of cult victims and their families. During his work as a clinical attorney, he met a group of parents whose sons had become attached to Rina Shani's sect and had cut themselves off from their families.

Thanks to his work as a reporter for the Voice of Israel in the Haifa area - he was able to make contact with Rana Shani and the members of the cult and thus was able to bring the parents and their children together. Following the meeting, some of the members left the sect. Despite Shani's ideological message - one of them even decided to enlist in the IDF. But 'to her and thorn in her', that soldier was already traumatized and during the enlistment the young man went home and shot himself.

After investigating the case and the events surrounding it, an article was published in Kol Israel's 'Weekly Journal' and the story about Rana Shani's cult was distributed everywhere. Over the years, Zohar authored many professional opinions on this subject for courts, and even today he continues to treat the families and victims of cults in Israel.

 Loves traveling and especially people

Gabi not only likes to travel with people, but also to connect with the cultural and human landscape in every corner of the world. The saying that is in the forefront of his mind is the saying 'A good trip is a trip where the word experience repeats itself and appears in the words and emotions of the travelers'.

In 1991, he completed the course for accompanying groups abroad, and since then has served as a certified road instructor on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism. In addition to being a guide, he also lectures in courses and trainings for accompanying groups abroad in the areas of management, itineraries and guidance methods.

From his vast experience he wrote two tourism books: 'Athens and the Greek Islands', a traveler's guide, Shichor Publishing. as well as: 'Holland, a traveler's guide', Shichor Publishing.

Stories of the Corona time: anecdotes from family life in the kibbutz, a guide and a radio reporter

Anyone wishing to get to know the man Gabi Zohar and understand his character as a whole would do well to do so by reading the collection of stories in his fifth book: "Tell me, Kobliner, have you gone mad?" (Ofir Bikurim Publishing House 2023)

The book is a collection of 65 short stories, in which Gabi tells with sensitivity, pain and great humor about various topics: anecdotes related to his many trips abroad as a tour guide, he often tells about his childhood in Kibbutz Evron, about his family and his roots as well as about events that happened during his military service And also about Israel's wars.

It goes without saying that his stories are intertwined. The past mingles with the present, the stories of the army and the war touch the essence of the joy of guiding trips abroad, when scattered throughout the collection are thoughts about the time the book was written: the period of the Corona epidemic.

Members of the 'Saba Gabi' Zohar family

Gabi's brother, Nitzan Sternfeld (born '59), lives in London and her sister Dr. Galit Zana-Sternfeld (born '68) 'keeps the family embers' and lives in Kibbutz Evron.

In 1978 he married Ayla Livna from Kibbutz Ein Hasofet and they have two children. Daughter Inbar (born in 82), a lawyer, lives in Pardes Hana and from her 3 grandchildren (ages 9, 7 and 3) - and son Amir (born in 86) who is an educator who specializes in night trips related to astronomy. In 1992 from a relationship with Rachel Garnot - was born His son Tom, a Heitkist who lives in Haifa and has a one-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter named Nega, married Zohar Zahabetov in 2002.

The views of childhood in Kibbutz Eli, the city of the mountain and the sea

In 1987 - due to his hard work as a reporter for 'Al Hamishmer' in Haifa and the North, in 'Kol Israel' and in parallel with his studies at the School of Social Work - Zohar moved his residence. He left the landscapes of his childhood in Kibbutz Evron and moved to Haifa, the city of sea and mountain views.

He first lived in the Ramot Sapir neighborhood and later in the Sabioni Towers of Dania, in an apartment where the view was like a 'picture to the wider world'. The desire to live closer to the urban center brought, in 2006, Zehavit and Gavi to their current residence.

The house and its 'own section', quiet and green landscape

The building, which is located on a quiet and peaceful street, behind a main thoroughfare, was indeed built about 50 years ago - but in 2020, the TAMA renovation process was completed. An excellent developer and contractor, receiving many compliments, succeeded in creating a handsome apartment with a lovely view, in which there is D, an elevator, covered parking and even two balconies... and all this, close to a cultural urban center.

Usually our home is not just a place of residence; It reflects our inner world. The space in which we live is not only a reflection of our aesthetic taste, but also a window into our mental and emotional state, and even serves as a mirror to the happenings within us. The residence of Zehavit and Gabi Zohar is a house in an eclectic style, functional, fun and relaxed.

The balcony facing the open view

Every balcony has the potential to become a green and blooming corner, the one that will affect both the interior of the apartment and the mood of both the tenants and the guests. Today, the design of the balcony is one of the strongest trends in home planning and design as it is the combination of the interior and exterior. On the terrace of the Zohar Hospital, the sense of invention is: "to sit at home and feel outside or alternatively to sit outside and feel at home".

Every night Gabi makes sure to stay on the spacious balcony and meditate in front of the view. This mental practice, which is designed to enable and develop peaceful states of mind, clear thinking and mental balance - helps to reduce stress, tension, anxiety, depression, pain, anger and improve physical and emotional health. The view from a distance will be revealed to him in all its glory, and the feeling of the airy and open space creates an attractive and special feeling.

the study room

Gabi's study has 'three hats'. First of all, this is the room where the personal computer of the writer, journalist and author Gabi Zohar is located. The best of his articles and books are brewed and cooked on this computer. This is where the itineraries and tours in Israel and the world come together.

Also, this is the room where there is a radio studio from which you can connect to the various broadcasts. In addition to all this, this room is used as a clinic where Gabi receives his patients in extreme privacy.

A significant chair for the patient's well-being

As mentioned, the room where Gabi receives his patients is in the office space. The psychotherapy clinic does not require more than two chairs, four walls, a tissue box, a clock and a lot of willingness on both sides. Nevertheless, Gabi was very careful about the design and physical space of the room where the psychotherapy takes place. Furthermore, according to him "there is a supreme value of respect regarding the importance of those who come through this gate". This is why in the garden he bothered, chose and bought a unique armchair in which his patients sit.

The desire to give the patient a meaningful place, from which to relax and "pour out one's heart" - is realized in the form of an armchair close to Gabi's heart, which he bought in an antique shop in Dalit El Carmel. Gabi maintains that "don't let a person who is not being treated sit in this red chair, since you are afraid of assigning him to this seat."

the living space

Designing a living space is considered a task that requires personal and optimal adaptation to the dreams in it. Of course, the goal beyond the design is to allow the tenants to feel the atmosphere of a home and the adaptation of the space to their needs. The meaning in the process of planning and designing such a living space, is the precise creation of the intimate environment step by step, while choosing the right design style, an exact adaptation to the personal needs of each and every one of the residents of the house - in a way that will allow them to move in all parts of the house with maximum comfort and feel the peace and security that is position on them.

The living space in the residence of Zahabit and Gavi meets all the above characteristics. It is an open space consisting of several corners. On one side is the kitchen of the house and on the other side is a functional "island" consisting of storage cabinets and a dining area, which adjoins high bar stools - and on the other hand, in its continuation, a spacious dining table, on which meals are held Family holiday meals and hospitality dinners in this space are also the TV corner, the sofa corner and other items suitable for the Zohar family. 

The corner has a TV armchair

For many years, Gabi opposed the issue of the 'Archie Banker armchair'. Until a period of back pain decided the matter, and when he returned from one of his trips abroad - he found the armchair, which his golden wife had bought for him... and so it happened, that now he lives, this is precisely his favorite corner.

Above the spacious armchair hangs the painting 'Mas'em in the Carpet' which was painted by Zahvit, also opposite it hangs a diptych (or diptych which is a term for an object, which includes two flat panels joined together. It usually refers to works of art, a relief or a painting) - which is also the work of golden

Buddha statue - as an inverted mirror

The colorful statue that was bought in Thailand is on the table in the living room of the house. The statue of Buddha is placed calmly in a position of distinct relaxation, in a state of rest or sleep and is the antithesis of Gabi's bustling life. Therefore, it is a kind of tangible symbol for him to slow down his intense life, look into some kind of imaginary mirror and reach a certain way of calmness.

According to Buddha's approach, it doesn't matter what your situation is or where you came from, because in the end you will lose everything you love and in your life you may be sick and even old. But the dilemma is that we have to figure out how to make the whole period of life be 'okay'.

With the help of his different view of things - Buddha claimed that life as a whole is blessed, and that there is joy everywhere. You just have to look for the light, the joy and the good - thus Buddha taught to open to the happiness of life.

The turntable from Budapest

On one of his many visits to the city of Budapest, Gabi bought at the flea market the record player shown in the entrance of the house. It is likely that some of the younger readers have not come across this item, as it is an ancient item: the gramophone is a device for playing flat records.

The first gramophones included a mechanical mechanism for turning the record as well as an arm that followed the grooves of the record. The arm mechanically amplified the sound with a shofar (a kind of trumpet) and thus they heard the sounds that were embedded in the record.

The origin of the generic name 'turntable' is in a brand of phonograph models produced in France. The word 'turntable' probably came to the Hebrew language from the Russian language, where the brand was accepted at a certain time as the name of the device. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda suggested that the device be called 'Makolit', but this new word was not absorbed into the Hebrew language.

The time of creation of this representative item, which is located in the house's foyer, is at the beginning of the 20th century. Besides the beauty and uniqueness of the turntable - it was a tribute to Gabi's mother on the one hand and on the other hand also a reminder of the hardships of her life in the city of Budapest, where, as mentioned, it was bought.

'Books, gentlemen of books'

A radio program called 'Books, Gentlemen, Books' has been broadcast on GLAZ for many years. New writers participate in the program, contemporary stories are published, and above all, many reading recommendations for the weekend. It appears that Gabi's library probably had a very large part of this set of books.

In the past, Gabi's library had about 2500 titles, but with the move to the current apartment, due to space constraints, he had to part with some of them. Gabi donated many books and even their shelves to the 'Retired and Retired' library in Kiryat Motzkin. He also greatly enriched the library in Kibbutz Evron and even the library located in the parking lot of the building where he lives, where the books are arranged on shelves according to different subjects - this is for the benefit of all the neighbors, who are invited to pick up a book and enjoy themselves.

Despite this, there are still mostly books in the Zohar family home, and they are placed in several cabinets. These are books that Gabi uses, or simply likes to see.

Una città d'arte e di cultura - a city of art and culture

In his dream, Zohar wishes that Haifa would be a city of culture and art. In his vision, a limited group of professionals from the fields of culture and tourism will be formed, who will diligently and diligently publish a master plan that will make it possible to turn Haifa into a 'city of art and culture'.

And even more, Haifa will be a 'city of tourism' Una città turistica like the best cities in the world. In his imagination, the 'Haifa city map' with arrows, routes and road mirrors to murals, restaurants, museums, festivals and other various attractions around the city will be formed and realized - because according to his version: "Culture and art walk together".

Abundance - in the sense of taste and meaning

Some of us dream of a huge and big lottery win, some ask for an abundance of health from higher powers, many others ask for an abundance of love or blessing or additional prosperity in the sources of livelihood, etc. - everyone wants abundance.

Gabi explains that for him the definition of 'wishes of abundance' is in the sense of "what fills life with flavor and meaning", in terms of the definition: to celebrate what is - when all this is in a family, environmental and even national aspect.

In his mind's eye, a trend in which Haifa will be able to implement and realize the immense beauty contained in it and will be a city that has countless events in the port, in the Talpiot market, in Hadar and in the center of Carmel. A city where there will be a festival of 'international architectural buildings' on the one hand and a 'choir and music festival' on the other. All this, while continuing a life of urban coexistence and national social resilience. May it be