My name is Kika Kahana‭. ‬I am 56‭ ‬years‭ ‬old‭, ‬have been married to Ofer for 32‭ ‬years‭, ‬mother‭ ‬of two biological daughters and one foster daughter‭. ‬We live‭ ‬in Pardess Hanna‭, ‬a small town just east of Caesarea‭.‬

Throughout my childhood my parents took us to Sinai twice‭ ‬a year on Sukkot and Passover‭, ‬for three-week camping‭ ‬trips‭, ‬in tents by the beach‭. ‬These are my most‭ ‬beautiful memories from my childhood‭. ‬That’s where it all‭ ‬began‭.‬

After serving as an officer in the army‭, ‬I worked as a Community Worker in the‭ ‬“Hanoar Haoved‭ ‬ve Halomed”‭ (‬Youth Movement‭) ‬and as a tour guide in‭ ‬the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel‭. ‬When‭ ‬I had saved enough money I left to travel the‭ ‬world‭. ‬I climbed to Everest Base Camp and spent a‭ ‬great deal of time travelling around the Far East‭. ‬When‭ ‬I returned to Israel I studied for an undergraduate degree‭ ‬in Archeology and a Master’s degree in Criminology‭, ‬worked as a counsellor for youth with emotional‭ ‬problems and later as Deputy Director in a home for‭ ‬girls in distress in Jerusalem‭. ‬

At one point Ofer’s‭ ‬work took us to Paris where we remained for a‭ ‬period of 3‭ ‬years‭. ‬We really enjoyed our time there‭ ‬and I took many opportunities to walk the length and‭ ‬breadth of Paris and other parts of France‭. ‬After three‭ ‬years it was time to go home‭. ‬We realized that‭ ‬as our parents had come from Europe to Israel just‭ ‬one generation previously‭, ‬it seemed only right to choose to‭ ‬return to Israel‭, ‬having enjoyed the experience of spending time‭ ‬in Europe‭. ‬

When we returned I had planned to take‭ ‬up my previous work with girls in distress‭, ‬but my‭ ‬daughter’s kindergarten teacher offered me a partnership to work‭ ‬with her and assist in the day to day running‭ ‬of her kindergarten‭, ‬called‭ ‬“Olam Katan”‭ (‬Small World‭). ‬I did‭ ‬this for 13‭ ‬years and recently retired‭.‬

I learned a‭ ‬great deal from my work partner who also became a‭ ‬close friend‭.  ‬I also found my time with the children‭ ‬extremely rewarding‭. ‬Throughout these 13‭ ‬years I counselled and mentored‭ ‬both children and their parents dealing with everyday challenges‭.‬

Throughout‭ ‬my working life I spent‭ a great deal of my‭ ‬spare time hiking in the countryside‭, ‬that’s what I‭ ‬love most‭. ‬I’m the happiest and most fulfilled when‭ ‬I’m outside‭. ‬

When we returned to Israel I took‭ ‬the opportunity to go camping with friends‭, ‬and so we‭ ‬began organizing regular camping weeks during various holidays‭. ‬It gave‭ ‬me a taste of what I used to love so‭ ‬much during my childhood‭.‬

My friends and I hike regularly‭ ‬in any weather‭. ‬We rambled‭ ‬across the Golan Heights‭, ‬we’ve done the famous Israel‭ ‬Trail‭, ‬we walked from near‭ ‬the Mediterranean to Jerusalem and took up various other great‭ ‬routes‭. ‬Family and‭ ‬friends are laughing at me that I will meet myself‭ ‬on the Israel National Trail because I am doing both‭ ‬directions simultaneously‮…‬

Having now turned this into‭ ‬a business‭, ‬there is nothing like working at something about‭ ‬which you are passionate‭. ‬There is a saying‭ – ‬“If you‭ ‬work at something you love‭, ‬you will never have to work another day in your life”‭.‬