Creative writing by women and men of joy and wisdom

Edited by Toby Klein Greenwald

The English-speaking senior citizens of Gush Etzion, many of whom have made aliya to Israel in the footsteps of their children, have brought with them a lifetime full of stories, professions and experiences. Now these former teachers, business owners, sales people, community activists, dancers, actors, soldiers and raisers of successful families meet several times a week to study, exercise, learn new skills and discover latent talents.

The fruits of their labor in a class on creative writing are brought here. We thank them for sharing their wisdom with us. May they continue to grow, and to light the way for us all.

In addition to being good reading for any age, this book can be used as a guide to other teachers of creative writing who are seeking writing prompts for writers of any age. It is currently being used by a teacher of English as a new language to recent immigrants to Canada.

SOME EXAMPLES:

The Swans Glide

Ilse Landau

The swans glide gracefully on the lake
A picture that I wish to take
Into my mind whenever I'm lonely
And want to cry, but this is only
A passing fancy, for comes the spring
I want to be happy and dance and sing
But the swans continue to glide along
So life must continue, like a song.

The Family from the Blue Ridge Mountains (Excerpt)

Julia Mati Jonnard

… I miss the Blue Ridge Mountains, the farm, and the home of my mother and Charlie in Danville, Virginia. But most of all, I miss my loving, emotional, fun and full-of-life family.

However, as I’ve taught my granddaughter, Gabriella (Gaby), now eight years old, our family will always live in our hearts and we will remember the stories as the generations move on.

Ten Measures of Wisdom

Sylvia Feigenbaum

1. Remember your youth and where you come from. All the little happenings will bring back pleasant memories which you can learn from.

2. Believe in yourself and don’t become a defeatist regardless of what you have not achieved.

3. Try to weigh this against what may appear contrary.

4. Listen to others even if you don’t understand everything. It's reassuring to them.

5. Love yourself as well as your family. You are a gift from G-d and this is your mirror.

6. Important thing in marriage: sharing, understanding, companionship, and having a loving partner.

7. Learn things that interest you and do not hesitate to teach others.

8. Always wear clean underwear in case you are in an accident.

9. Keep your sense of humor. There's always something to cry about.

10. Thank G-d for all you have in life, both happy and sad.

From Shlomit ben Michael, editor:

In “The Golden Pens of Gush Etzion”, our local seniors bestow on us a lasting gift—an eloquent mosaic of their wisdom, experience and rich inner lives. As an Olah from the US who misses her grandparents dearly, I savored each and every word of nostalgia for the cherished past, wry description capturing the modern challenges of senior Olim, and powerful expression of faith and optimism. Take a few hours and enjoy this remarkable book which will leave you yearning for the honor of meeting these extraordinary individuals whose talent and wisdom grace our region.

To Purchase

The book is soft covered, 250 pages long and a bit larger than the standard pocket book. The price is $40 includes shipping and handling.

All proceeds from the book go to support the activities of the Golden agers of Gush Etzion and Efrat.

$40 including shipping and handling

Allow 3 weeks for delivery

To purchase now: