Introducing...Noa Swisa!

This month the Galil community is thrilled to welcome in the newest addition to our professional staff: Noa Swisa!  Noa is Galil's Israeli Emissary (shlicha).  She will spend the next year working for Galil, planning and running our year-round activities and bringing Israeli culture and history to the greater Jewish community.  Get to know Noa below...then send her a message at shaliach@campgalil.org to introduce yourself and welcome her into the Galil family!

Name: Noa Swisa
Hometown: Jerusalem
Current Location: Philadelphia
Have you ever been to the United States before: This is my first time.  I'm so excited to be here!  I really want to go to Disney World and the Grand Canyon.
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I have a B.A. in Business Management and International Relations at the Hebrew University.  My focus was foreign policy, including a lot of coursework on the United States.  It's exciting to now be here in the place that I studied for so long!  In the army, I was in an air traffic control unit.  I love to cook and to read.  I spent one year studying in a culinary institute in Israel.  My specialty is grilling and, of course, Middle Eastern food.

Tell us about your family: My parents are the most amazing people on earth.  They're from Morocco.  I have a sister who is two years younger than me.  The last member of my family is my dog, Marley.

Why did you want to become a shlicha: I wanted to be a shlicha because it's an opportunity to meet a lot of people and work directly with the campers.  This is the most important thing for me.  I love Israel very much.  It makes me feel very good to be able to share that with others.

What are you most excited about for living in Philly: The people and to have the chance to really know the city in a way that a tourist can't.

What's your favorite...

Book: Harry Potter.
Holiday: Shavuot because of all the dairy food.
Camp tradition: I love the fact that everyone gathers together in the morning and the evening.  It reminds me of the good old days of the traditional kibbutz.
Music: Classic jazz like Ray Charles and Billie Holliday.
Sports: I love to swim and I root for Maccabi Tel Aviv!
Food: I love the cous cous my mom makes.  She puts in vegetables, meat, and the most important ingredient: love.
Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate, without a doubt.

Fun Fact: I can't whistle.  I don't play any instruments, but I hope to learn guitar at Galil this summer.
Secret Skill: I know Spanish.  One of my good friends is from Argentina so she taught me.
Are you going to jump off the zip line this summer: I have a fear of heights, but I'll do it anyway!

If you could meet anyone alive or dead, who would you choose: Elvis.  

If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go: Argentina.  The food is amazing - lots of chocolate!  Also, it's beautiful there.