The Story |
About Me |
In 2019 I spent several months living in Azerbaijan, documenting Jewish history for the Diarna Geo-Museum. I'd always heard about the Mountain Jews in a mythological way from my father, a rabbi and outdoor adventurer, but how did a Jewish guy from Northern California become an authority on Jewish history of the Caucasus?
In 2016, I was hired at Tel Aviv University's Porter School where I was placed in charge of a Columbia University - Tel Aviv University joint study tour to explore environmental management issues in the region. At the end of every trip I found a deep sense of satisfaction at having created a meaningful travel experience that went beyond the superficial ways we normal tour. It was at TAU that I also became connected to a group of Muslim and Jewish students who received an invitation to attend the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. Having read that a Jewish village still existed near the mountains, I went with a small group of friends on a free day to see what we might find. Standing in a Jewish town, founded by a Muslim ruler, at the foot of 4,000m peaks, I became enthralled and decided then and there to use my experience in tour logistics from TAU to begin creating meaningful travel experiences that take people to hear unique cultural stories and experience the sublime beauty of off the beaten path natural wonders. |
Born in Israel, raised in remote Northern California, currently based again in Israel. My whole life I've been going into the mountains and exploring. From a young age my family took me on what were, in retrospect, fairly extreme mountain adventures: multi-day wilderness trips in some of America's most remote wildernesses in all seasons and remote backcountry multi-pitch rock climbing trips. These all form the foundation of my safety-oriented skills, knowledge, and intuitive capacities.
I have lead groups of all ages and skill levels in a variety of international professional settings. From adventure camps in Switzerland to private clients in the Caucasus and the USA, easy treks to alpine adventures, my passion is helping people to encounter experiences they might not have accessed otherwise. |