Forget Georgia, I got Arkansas on my mind!

It's been one week exactly since I finished my speaking tour with StandWithUs. The last week I've spend recuperating at home with my family in Arizona. Two weeks of non-stop touring and 27 speaking engagements will do that to you! I've wanted to post this last week but just didn't have the brain space. I'm sure you all know how that goes. I'm still determined to finish writing about my tour! In continuation from my previous post, I'll start where I left off- Nashville.

Me at the Arkansas State University

After our final speaking engagement to high school students at the Gordon Jewish Community Center in Nashville, we drove in to Jonesboro late at night. We must have arrived at the hotel close to 1 AM and we were scheduled to speak at Arkansas State University the following morning. A CUFI (Christians United for Israel) chapter had scheduled that event for us, and it was truly an honor to meet the people who support us without conditions. You can follow CUFI on twitter at @CUFIatASU or visit the national organization's website here. I met some wonderful people- true believers- they called themselves. The 'true believers' are Christians who have taken it upon themselves to observe Christianity the way they believe it was before the time of Constatine the Great (a notorious Roman Emperor) back in the 300s. If you'd like, you can read about Constantine's impact on Christianity.

Despite the heavy rains, we forged ahead!

After finishing at ASU, we had to get on our way because our next speaking event was in Hot Springs. The drive was about three hours long and the rain was horrendous! At times we didn't have any visibility but thank heavens for Vida- she got us there safe and sound! On our way we talked about our next speaking event at Congregation House of Israel, a small reform congregation with 60 member families. There must have been at least the same amount of people in the room to hear us talk, and the wonderful buffet of pot luck goodness settled my stomach before I was to share my story with a new group.


While everyone was still eating, I walked around the room with a few packages of delicious Medjool dates that I brought from Israel. By this time I must have 'dated' at least 150 people in Texas and Tennessee, but the Jewish community in Hot Springs stole my heart (sorry, babe). The people were so warm and genuine, and the history of that congregation lined the walls in endless black and white photographs. I was told of the rabbi who flies in every month from Florida, and I shared my interest in coming back to lead a Shabbat service. After I finished speaking, I met many interesting people, including a Finnish version of James Bond. He was super awesome and I hope to hear more of his adventures as I continue to be in touch with him and his lovely wife.

Adam and Millie at Ambrosia Bakery 

I was introduced to our hosts- Yossi and Kim, who graciously opened their home to us. It had seemed like an eternity of hotel stays and driving, and the prospect of having my own room with a proper bed was just sublime. Yossi's son helped me to my room with my suitcase and after freshening up, I came out to get to know our hosts. Yossi had moved to America about 30 years beforehand. His wife Kim had such a knack for decorating and I felt like I was in an oasis of peace and harmony and I immediately felt right at home. They even gave me a bottle of Hot Spring's famous BBQ sauce, which apparently is President Bill Clinton's favorite! I can't wait to try it when I get back to Israel.

View of Hot Springs from the Mountain

The very next morning, Kim took us on a tour of Hot Springs. We drove through downtown and up the mountain, and back down through the race track, where Kim and Yossi work. We concluded our tour with some sweets from the Ambrosia Bakery (which I highly reccomended!) and began our drive into Clinton, Mississippi (from one Clinton to another, I guess!). I'm going to include the photos I took on our tour of Hot Springs with Kim. After such a wonderful visit with Kim and Yossi, Congregation House of Israel, Ambrosia Bakery, and the wonderful horsies at the track, I will be sure to be back- and sooner rather than later!