The front door to Racheli's house is no different from a million other doors I've already seen. But when you take one step forward and enter her house - you enter another world, a kind of 'parallel world', literally. Something similar to the rabbit hole in Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, or the quarter past nine platform at King's Cross train station in the book by J.K. Rowling 'Harry Potter'.
The house - as a peaceful section
At first glance, the spacious living space looks like a period museum from the last century and perhaps the one before it as well. But already at the second glance it is clear that this is not a museum, since museums are cold and alienating, but rather a warm, living and pulsating living-cultural-artistic space, combined with a designed kitchen and furnished with eclectic objects and furniture items, which perfectly express and are in full harmony with the entire complex that bears the name: Racheli Orbach .
Even my minor hospitality as an interviewer, sitting at the corner of the kitchen table, was characterized by a refined intimacy and coffee served in a unique mug. The upright sitting of the tall hostess, her face-lighting smile and her green eyes were perfect - and felt like a well-designed and precise frame for the overall work of art. And yes, there was also classical, quiet and high-quality background music that served as a silk wrap for the meeting and the interview. One that touches-doesn't touch, but also one that doesn't allow you to ignore it.
Reporter of Haifa News Corporation of Haifa and the surrounding area
So who is Racheli Orbach? The readers of Hai Peh News Corporation of Haifa and the surrounding area know her well in recent years as a prolific, curious-exploratory and intelligent reporter, one of the pillars of the wonderful group of over forty writers of the site. The amazing article with eloquent and rich writing, but easy and pleasant to read, of many in-depth articles and on many diverse topics.
resume
In Racheli's 'CV' you can find the following stations:
- Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Orientalism at the University of Haifa;
- Master's degree in remedial teaching for special education at the University of Jerusalem;
- 'Mass Communication Studies' at Bar Ilan University;
- Art at the Midrash for Art during his time in Ramat Hasharon;
- Music at the 'Music Department' at the Enav Center for Culture in Tel Aviv for 14 years;
- A professional course for the evaluation of artefacts and antiques led by Yariv Agozi:
- Volunteering for many years as the coordinator and manager of the deaf club at Neve Erazim in Holon, and currently volunteers at Beit Borla - the deaf club in Haifa;
- Escorting and guiding groups of travelers abroad through the company "Natur" and others - also for hard of hearing and deaf groups;
- She held various positions in the education system, including a supervisory and training position at the Ministry of Education in the "Division for the Integration of the Heritage of Eastern Judaism in the Curricula";
- She held various positions in the departments of education and special education, in the municipality of Givat Shmuel.
Born and raised in Tel Aviv
Racheli is actually a foreign import - a "reinforcement actress" who arrived in Haifa not long ago, in March 2020, right at the outbreak of the Corona epidemic and the lockdowns, following her daughter's family and grandchildren living in the city.
She was born and raised in Tel Aviv. "Northern", she admits herself to me, and her eyes sparkle. There she absorbed her various family and educational bases, where she became aware of studies, education, culture, music and art which are such an important part of her life. There, in Gush Dan, she started her family - and lived and flourished there.
The decision: to emigrate from the state of Gush Dan to Haifa
how long? Until, as she said, she knew every stone and every bush on the way, beside the road leading from Tel Aviv to Haifa, while driving back and forth, to her visits to her daughter and grandchildren - and then she got tired. At that time, the thought began to percolate, and the decision was made to "immigrate from the state of Tel Aviv to Haifa", as she said. The decision was by no means easy or simple. Most of her friends and acquaintances told her: "You!? Will you leave Gush Dan!? Leave everyone you know and everything you know!? And who and what do you know in Haifa"!?
"The decision has already been made," she replied to everyone who cared about her, "I have my family, my daughter and my grandchildren who are in Carmel - and I completely feel and believe that I can find at least one open door in Haifa, or maybe find one "fulcrum", as Archimedes said, so that I can turn to Haifa and feel at home"... she said, and I'm not sure she really believed her own words... although it seems that fate actually listened...
Exploring Haifa's special architectural gems
After landing in her new home in Haifa, she and the piles of boxes and cartons in which her life, her belongings and the art she had collected and accumulated for many years were packed - Racheli took advantage of the closures to physically organize her home, as well as to reorganize her new life routine in the city.
Among the other things that enchanted and appealed to her, were the special architectural gems of Haifa in general, and the churches of the city and its surroundings in particular. Rachel decided to get to know, discover and research all sixteen churches, and perhaps also write a human-historical-cultural-architectural research article on each of them. And so it was: Racheli set out to get to know her new world from the same angles of view and angles of life that characterize her so much.
'Brother, such a meeting'
In 2021, in the midst of the Corona virus, while the prohibitions were loosened a little but we were still required to wear masks, Racheli and Nega Karmi, the founder and director of the Haifa News Corporation of Haifa and Surroundings website, met for the first time.
It seems that each of the two has a story or a different version of the circumstances of their first meeting: the hand of chance at a social event in a women's circle, or on the initiative of a mutual acquaintance. Either way, "something" hidden but too strong to be ignored, brought the two of them closer to each other and a warm and intimate conversation began between them.
Some call it "chemistry" ... and some call it "the intervention of fate" ... but, the fact is that this is how the two met and have not parted ways since. Racheli introduced herself and her status as a "newcomer" in Haifa, and told Nega about the idea brewing in her head to write a series of articles about Haifa's churches, and about her love for architecture, music, writing and research.
Nega simply "turned on" because as part of her role as manager, she constantly strives to add to the website, 'Here Lives the News Corporation of Haifa and the Surroundings' and to the professional teams that operate it and write for it - new and high-quality human forces, as well as interesting and fascinating content for the benefit of the readers-surfers.
Haifa and surrounding churches project
Nega immediately understood and noticed her feminine and professional sensibilities in the wonderful opportunity for both of them: Racheli will be able to join the site's team of high-quality and loyal writers, where she will be able to find a unique platform with the largest audience of readers-surfers in the region - and she herself and the site will be enriched by a new talented writer.
And so it was. Nega gave her consent and encouragement to the idea and the contact details required for the matter, and the wonderful project was launched. The series of spectacular articles written by Racheli about the churches of Haifa and its surroundings can easily be found on the Haifa and Surrounding News Corporation website. It is impossible not to be impressed and amazed by Racheli's work and talents. The articles and Racheli received countless praise and heart-warming comments and reactions from the hundreds of thousands of readers-surfers on the site. "The huge number of responses and the warm and supportive words surprised me. I did not imagine such interest and success" Rachel is excited.
'Live here' - is a home as well as a family
When I asked Rachel what the website and the Chai Pe group mean to her and what Nega is to her - her face lit up. She searched for the exact words to describe the context, the meaning and her feelings: "Living here for me is a home as well as a family. And when I say "home" I mean, first and foremost, the feeling of freedom and the ability to express and write everything I feel and want. Through 'Hai Fe', an interesting and meaningful life was created for me in Haifa, and this in such a short time after I arrived from Gush Dan, where I was born and where I lived all my life.
Through and thanks to 'Hai Fe' I met a lot of new people, from Haifa and the surrounding area. Amazing people with fascinating and thought-provoking life stories who accepted me and opened their hearts and homes to me, by virtue of their familiarity and the respect they acquire for 'Ether Hai Fe' and Langa Karmi. Thanks to 'Hai Fe' and thanks to Nega, I know the city and study it. I feel like a Haifaite, I love the city and fall in love with it, I speak in praise of its people"...
"Aren't you getting a little carried away?" I asked her.
"Absolutely not! That's exactly how I feel, and I could go on and on with words and superlatives... but I'll be content with these... and I must expand a little on my relationship with Nega, and not only with her but also with her husband Yaron. Nega immediately accepted me as an old friend or as a dear and beloved relative who, even during illness, cared for and helped me just like a sister or a mother."
"Nega listens and is completely open to hearing and examining my every idea and suggestion. The same was the case with the idea of developing a new section where we will publish interviews with residents of Haifa and its surroundings. People who, in their personal stories, in their actions and in their works, are of interest to the residents of the city. This is how the "I also live here" section, which is so successful on the website, was born and built up.
The section that is the multicultural human mosaic of the city
Yes, the section "I also live here" is in their eyes and a source of justified pride for Racheli and Nega. During the short time that passed she interviewed and wrote over sixty-five articles about sixty-five men, women, families and their actions and stories, who live in Haifa and form the basis of the city's multicultural human mosaic. The articles published in this section receive great interest from the readers and surfers of the site, who also often comment and compliment.
And of course we will not forget to mention several dozen other fascinating articles written by Racheli that were published on the site, on various social issues, which are mainly about unique exhibitions and concerts - but by definition not only.
Loves Haifa and is proud of two children and five grandchildren
I asked Rachel to say a few words to end and summarize the interview. Rachel chose to talk about love - about her love for the site and Langa, her love for her city, her new life and her love and pride for her family: she told me about her great appreciation and appreciation for Langa, her personality, her work and the welcome and help she showered on her. "She gave me Haifa as a gift. The majority is thanks to her"!
Haifa, she told me, is the most beautiful of all the cities of Israel - it offers a sea, a bay, a port and the green of the mountain. It has a multicultural, sectarian and religious diversity that lives in a respectful and free coexistence, it has an architectural and cultural richness and offering that does not fall short of that of the "Tel Aviv State" - and it even has some wonderful restaurants that are also not among the best of Tel Aviv's restaurants... "I am in love In Haifa" she stated with a smile and pride. Although it should be noted that her special pride is in her private and close family: a married son and daughter and five grandchildren.
I had the honor of getting to know Racheli Orbach and her very special occupation, and I must point out that after Racheli prepared the investigation about my special past, I felt that I was in such a life program, because the style of the investigation and then uploading it
On top of the Haifa newspaper, I was really fascinated by the completely professional and so perfect editing for which I received so many praises from all those who are associated with me as friends, acquaintances and acquaintances.
From here I can send many thanks to Racheli Orbach for such a perfect performance, and to my friend Nega Karmi, the newspaper's manager, you have found the right person who will be able to raise the prestige of the "Haifa" newspaper, which in my opinion is currently measured as a leading newspaper and so unique in our city of Haifa.
From here I wish you a happy new year and much success in your future.
Maozi Av-Ram (Abraham)
Dear Uzi,
Thank you for all your kind words!!!
You managed to get me emotional enough.
Great appreciation
And with the blessing of a good year
Love it, you're cheerful, dear.
in honor of
I will think that you think these things about me!
Happy and sweet new year and a good signing
I am fascinated by Racheli Orbach's personality and happy that she chose our city of Carmel, the most beautiful city in the world
http://Www.rachelgitai.co.il
On this occasion comes the amazing Langa
Many thanks!
You like it,
About your words.
The lovely Racheli manages to open hearts and diagnoses well who hosts her and very sensitively opens up to her readers the world of souls working in the city and some of them are well-known but there is always an added side and therefore manages to "capture the moment" in her articles. God willing, keep it up. Thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of your loyal readers.
Dear Haifa,
You managed to move!
Thanks and hope for good days!
The article about Rachel reflects the style of the articles that Rachel herself created. But this time the subject is herself. An amazing and fascinating woman full of action and giving. Has a sense of beauty and sensitivity to people. As a northerner who came to Haifa and discovered it, she is now revealing to the Haifaites the beauty of the unique city. We were blessed to meet a wonderful woman.