Author Dr. Adina Bar-El in Tucson

After a great visit in Seattle, Adina and Moshe flew to Tucson where they were again quite busy.

About 15 people attended met at the home of Riemke Brakema, had a loely dinner, and saw a presentation of life in Moshav Nir Yisrael from its inception to the present.  They also head about Adina's family life from survival during World War II to growth in Israel. 

The Tucson shaliach, Guy Gelbart, read several of Adina's stories aloud.

 Adina spoke at the University of Arizona Hillil.  Dr. Ediward Wright, head of the Judaic STudies program, introduced Adina.  She spoke about her PhD dissertation on Jewish childrens' newspapers in Poland between the two wars, including her three trips to Poland to gather information as well as travels to YIVO and Harvard.  Students, faculty, and community members attended. 

Some of the local TIPS attendees at events, including Diane and Ron Weintraub and Gila Ben-Jamin.

The Bar-els enjoyed a visit to the DeGrazia Gallery of the Sun and the desert museum.

 Friday morning there was a community breakfast at the JCC.

Some attendees at the breakfast

Gila and Rabbi and Mrs. Cohen at breakfast

Adina at the Projector

Below are some of the photos from Adina's presentation at her moshav, Nir Yisrael, which began in 1949 with immigrants from urban Europe, who were trucked to this site in the northern Negev and given a small home, an outhouse, two cows, and land to farm.

Adina's parents wedding picture is above.  Adina's grandfather had gone to Eretz Yisrael in late summer 1939 to scope out the area for his family but landed too late as Poland had been invaded by the Germans.   The man below knew Adina's grandfather in Poland. 

A great article about their meeting is in the Arizona Jewish Post.  Check it out at:
http://azjewishpost.com/2012/chance-tucson-meeting-evokes-memories-of-poland/

 After the war, Adina's mother Lola/Leah was the only one of her immediate family to survive.  She insisted on going to Eretz Yisrael to be with her father.  The smaller picture is baby Adina with her grandfather.

Olive Street in Nir Yisrael, named for their 700 plant Olive Orchard, on 5 acres.  In the lower left hand corner is Moshe driving their tractor.  Their home is to the right.

Their Olive Trees

 A sample of some of Adina's children's books in Hebrew:  The Kangaroo and the, A Zoo at Home, They Shot Birds Too