Shilo Work, Art, Crafts, and Play

There is much going on at Shilo. Things to do, places to work, even things to learn. The best ways to give you a sense of Shilo, is to get to know the people. Shilo ultimately is the people who live here. This page will give you a glimpse at some faces, and even offer you some addresses to contatct people directly with questions you may have. Some faces are missing- apologise up front. You can even purchase some special things.

This is not a comprehensive list of the talents of Shilo. But it is some of the goodies.

By Occupation:

Education
Industry
Agriculture
Health Care
Computers
Transportation
Craftsmen
Writers
Artists
Musicians
Independent Professions
Wild Cards

Education
A significant part of Shilo's population work in one of the many educational institutions. The primary school, Ohel Shilo, teaches 700 students, and a large part of the staff comes from Shilo. The Hesder Yeshiva includes close to 200 students, including an English program for students from outside the country, and employs a number of Shilo residents. After school there is a Talmud Torah program for boys, and another one (Or Rachela) with a special bent just for girls. There are also a number of private and public nursery schools, and numerous extra curricular classes.
Rav Elchanan Bin Nun Rav Elchanan, in addition to being the Rav of Shilo, is Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Beit Orot of Jerusalem, overlooking the Temple Mount. He gives weekly shiurim in Shilo, and is the local halachic authority for most questions. His commentary on The Book of Judges has recently been published. He is married to Malka, who teaches in the girls elementary school in Shilo.
Rav Michael Brum Rav Michael was the first Rosh Yeshiva and is the spiritual advisor of Shilo's hesder (army) Yeshiva. He is married to Efrat, who is a social worker responsible for families throughout the Binyamin Council.
Yakov Libi Yakov is the head of the Education Department of the Binyamin Advisory Council. He founded Miclol, a junior college for technology and Jewish studies, in neighboring Maale Levona. He is married to Vered, the advisor of the girls school in Shilo.
Dov Berkovitz Dov has a long-term interest in Judaism and the Arts, and is currently the director of Beit Av, dedicated to renewal through Tora. Perhaps he should be listed under Artists, not Educators, as his creative study of the sources qualifies him as an artist . He is an oleh, and is married to Tzippi, who works in special education in the Shilo schools. Contact him at dovtzip@zahav.net.il
Ely Merzbach Ely is a Professor of Mathematics and Computer Sciences at Bar-Ilan university. He has served as department head and as the Dean of the faculty of Exact Sciences. He is the chairman ofthe Ph.D. Committee and editor-in-chief of the journal :"Higayon, Studies in Rabbanic Logic. An oleh from France, he is married to Miryam, past principle of Shilo's school. They have 10 children and some sort of progression of grand-children. Contact him at merzbach@macs.biu.ac.il.
Yisrael Medad "Winkie" is the Educational Programming Director at the Begin Heritage Center, and the past director of Israel's Media Watch. He was founding editor of the Yesha Report, and part of the Gush Emunim/Yesha Council information team. Past Shilo "Mayor", Winkie is a volunteer guide at Tel Shiloh and is active in Temple Mount affairs. His blog can be found at www.myrightword.blogspot.com. Write him at ybmedad@netvision.net.il.
Yehudit Welis Yehudit, earth mother, famous for her Mint Brownies, takes care of infants in her home, and is mother to four of her own. Coming from Herkimer New York, she is married to Yakov, meat expert.
Penina Seigel Penina operates a small pre-school program for small people. Ten two year-olds learning to sing and play. She comes from New Zealand, and is married to Shimon, a sofer.
Miryam Merzbach Myriam was the principal of the Ohel Shilo elementary school and is currently a pedagogic supervisor for the Ministry of Education. She is a mother of 10, married to Ely, a mathematician , and grandmother many times over.
Chava Kleinman Chava is a social worker working in Maale Efrayim. She is married to Daniel. She can be reached at chavak@netvision.net.il.
Bob Heilborn Bob is the principal and a teacher of English at Yeshivat "Bne Zvi" in Bet El, though currently a shaliach in Holland, which he made aliah from in 1990. He has four wonderful kids, Tehila, Naftalie and Asher plus, and is married to Mazal, a future interior designer. They can be contacted at heilbron@jazo.org.il.
Yechiel Yaish Yechiel, like many in Shilo, arrived here as a young hesder army/yeshiva student. He not only stayed in Shilo, he stayed at the yeshiva, eventually becoming one of the Ramim, a teacher of the next generation.
Malka Bin Nun Malka has for many years taught in the schools in Shilo. In addition to regular classrooms, she has often been involved with special projects, such as helping now Olim acclimate to their new school, language, and surroundings. She is married to Rav Elchanan Bin Nun, Rabbi of Shilo. They can be reached at binnunel@actcom.net.il.
Reuven Spero Reuven is an escapee of Louisville, Kentucky, and a teacher at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, a special program for American students to spend 2-5 months learning in Israel. Not being satisfied with that, he also married a teacher (and artist) Tamar. They can be contacted at spero@013.net.il.
Nissan Ben-Avraham Nissan comes from Majorca. He has taught extensively in the Talmud Torah in Shilo, as well as in the school. In addition he has written a number of books about the Conversos, of Majorca. Curruntly he is teaching in the elementary school Ohel Shilo. He is married to Shaula. Amongst their eleven children, are both twins, and quadrupelets They can be contacted at nissanba@gmail.com.
Tzuriel Viener Rav Tzuriel has taught gemorra where they said it couldn't be done, including in elementary schools, to the resounding enthusiasm of his students. He is currently Rosh Yeshiva of the new and exciting Bet MidrashRa'ava in Yerushalayim. He is married to Yoela, a nurse in Shilo.

Industry
Shilo has three industrial areas, covering crafts to light industry.
Eli Bar-Asher Eli has the largest factory in Shilo, and one of the largest aluminum door and window plants in the country. He has outfitted one of the large housing projects in Shilo, as well as in cities throughout the country. A number of Shilo residents have worked for Eli. .
Avraham Krishevsky Avraham has a tefillin plant where he processes animal hides as the inital stage in working and shaping the leather boxes. He also does special orders making finished tefillin, perhaps the finest available anywhere. He employs a number of Shilo residents, and was raised in Mea Shearim. He can be reached at a_krish@netvision.net.il
Moshe Avraham Moshe manufactures and sells a patented device that repairs damaged threads on almost any screw imaginable. He has a site for Shilo Technologies.
Avraham Silvers Avraham has a metals reclamation/recyling factory, EMS Metals, where he extracts precious metals from obsolete computers and machinery. He harks from the U.S. and can be contacted at asilvers@emsmetals.com.
Avi & Elcya Weiss Avi & Elcya are a husband and wife team who run Laser Pages, a small printing/publishing house. They took over four Israeli scientific journals a few years ago, and are looking into publishing special Jewish works. They can be contacted at elcya@bezeqint.net

Agriculture
Over 100 dunam of orchards, nectarine and cherry, are already bearing fruit in Shilo, both for local consumption and local markets. New vineyards have already given first fruit , both for wine and table grapes. Land is available for additional growers.
Yakov Sharvit Yakov grows nectarines and peaches, as well as peonies for export to Europe
"Moshko" Moshkovitz Moshko is one of Shilo's earliest resident's and served as a career officer in the IDF. He is now retired, and in addition to tending his cherry and nectarine orchards, is now free to pursue woodworking, and other interests. For the last several years he has also been growing peonies for export to Europe.
Yona Tzorif Yona grows organic table grapes, and raises organic chickens which lay organic eggs. Some 2000 a day. His wife Ofra is Shilo's doctor .
Nadav Nitzan Nadav grows organic grapes with which he then produces one of Shilo's finest wines to date. His HaShiloni winery currently produces about 1000 bottles a year of Cabarnet and Merlo for a private label. Organic, and very good.

Health Care
Ofra Tzoref Ofra is a general practicioner who works in Shilo and the surrounding communities. Though she of course has standard working hours, it is a comfort when living outside of the city to know that emergency help is always available. She of course has done a number of nighttime births, as well as other surprises. Her husband Yona is Shilo's organic specialist.
Yair Even-Haim Yair is an alternative health practicioner, using energy and folk medicine, often based on medicinal herbs, fruits, and vegetables. He also runs Shilo's fruit and vegetable store. He can be contacted by telephone at 02-9941850 or at yairevenhaim@walla.com.
Yoela Viner Yoela is a nurse who has worked in Shilo for many years. Her husband Tzuriel is a Rosh Yeshiva in Yerushalayim.
Eliezer Spetter Eliezer is a Masterpractioner in NLP, internationally AMT licensed Meridian Therapies Trainer,TAT and Emotrance trainer and practitioner for healing of all kinds problems like learning problems, shalom bay'et, depression, pain , anger, allergies, all kinds of traumas like terror attacks, childhood , incest and all kind of abuses, fears and many more. He has a website www.eli-ezer.com, and can be reached at eliezer@eli-ezer.com.

Computers
The dream to create a computer hothouse in Shilo is yet to be realized, but a large number of Shilonim work from these magic machines.
Jacques Blomhoef Jacques worked managing the computer department of the Jewish Agency for many years. Today he runs his own small business helping companies set up eCommerce. He and his wife, Aleen, a psychologist, are olim from France. Contact him at jackb9@hotmail.com
Ora Shalev Ora is a software programmer in Jerusalem. She married her husband Yair, in the Shilo vineyards, recapturing the spirit and memories of 2000 years ago, and they have been living happily in Shilo ever since. Write her at orshalev@gmail.com.
Yoel Ben-Avraham One of the pioneers in Personal Computing. Yoel sold and installed the first MacIntosh network in Jerusalem. He now does double duty as a trainer and consultant to software development projects. To learn more, visit http://ca.geocities.com/ybainc/ . He also has a blog at http://yoelba.blog-city.com.
Dror Eldar Dror programs in Jerusalem. His wife Avital teaches in the girls school in Shilo.

Transportation
Many people work outside of Shilo. About 2/3 of Shilo residents own cars. There are regular buses to Jerusalem, as well as morning and evening buses to Kfar Saba, Netanya, & Tel-Aviv. Many people rely on the catching a ride with the outgoing traffic to Jerusalem or elsewhere, on a daily basis. Visitors from other parts of the country are often surprised to see that almost every car leaving Shilo or passing the bus station in Jerusalem to return, stops to see if there's someone waiting for a ride.
Shlomo Toren
Shlomo works in Transportation planning, and has been involved with the design and layout of the future Jerusalem Train System. Currently he is working on the future of the Tel Aviv area public transit plan. He is an oleh from the U.S., and married to Nira, a weaver. You might get him at shilotoren@netscape.net.
Saadya Roi
Saadya drives one of the large yellow school buses that bring students to and fro, as well as providing transportation for all sorts of special events.
Beni Dayan
Benyamin is part of the aliya from Peru that found their home in Shilo and nearby Alon Moreh. He works privately as a driver, available for all occasions, including schduling a pickup from the airport when you make aliya.

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Transportation
Many people work outside of Shilo. About 2/3 of Shilo residents own cars. There are regular buses to Jerusalem, as well as morning and evening buses to Kfar Saba, Netanya, & Tel-Aviv. Many people rely on the catching a ride with the outgoing traffic to Jerusalem or elsewhere, on a daily basis. Visitors from other parts of the country are often surprised to see that almost every car leaving Shilo or passing the bus station in Jerusalem to return, stops to see if there's someone waiting for a ride.
Shlomo Toren Shlomo works in Transportation planning, and has been involved with the design and layout of the future Jerusalem Train System. Currently he is working on the future of the Tel Aviv area public transit plan. He is an oleh from the U.S., and married to Nira, a weaver. You might get him at shilotoren@netscape.net.
Saadya Roi Saadya drives one of the large yellow school buses that bring students to and fro, as well as providing transportation for all sorts of special events.
Beni Dayan Benyamin is part of the aliya from Peru that found their home in Shilo and nearby Alon Moreh. He works privately as a driver, available for all occasions, including schduling a pickup from the airport when you make aliya.

Writers
Hana Ben Yochanan Hana, who publishes under the name Ann Johnson, has recently published articles in the Jerusalem Post 'Spring Passover/Good Friday,' 'Wrong Time for Christians to Riot' of the entry of Jews into the St. Johns Hotel (misnamed the Hospice by Faisal Husseni), in Jewish Action Magazine 'Liat, You Belong To Me,' the story of a severely handicapped child adopted by a family of one of the founders of Kiriat Arba. In addition she has written books, including 'A United Jerusalem: The story of Ateret Cohanim,' a study of the history of Jewish familes in the 'Moslem' Quarter of Jerusalems Old City, and a book written in 1980, reworked and republished in 2005 in the catagory of Notre Dame University Classics, is a continuing work to change the churches teachings on the Jews. It is a study of a Second Temple period religious Jewish woman entitled 'Miryam of Nazareth. Hana can be reached at anng@netvision.net.il.
David Rubin David is a longtime resident, educator, and a former mayor of Shiloh. He is the founder and president of the Shiloh Israel Children's Fund, established after he and his three-year-old son were wounded, but miraculously saved in a terror attack. He frequently welcomes groups of visitors from around the world to tour Shiloh, both ancient and modern. David is the author of the recently-published book, "God, Israel, and Shiloh", which can be obtained through his book website www.godisraelshiloh.com . You can find out more about the children's projects of the Shiloh Israel Children's Fund at www.shilohisraelchildren.org and can contact David at david@shilohisraelchildren.org.
Ester Silvers Ester Katz Silvers and her family have lived in Shilo since 1987. She is a full time homemaker and a part time free lance writer with articles in Horizons, The Jewish Observer, Aish.com, and various anthologies. Her first novel, Sondra's Search, was published by Devora Publishers You can contact Ester at aasilv@netvision.net.il.

Artists
Greta Lulvee Greta is Shilo's most prolific artist. Her works can be found in many houses in Shilo, and she teaches painting for children and adults. She is an olah from Russia, and has the distinction of being part of the only family in Shilo with 4 generations of residents represented.
Dafna Bazer Dafna works with silk painting. She designs and produces challa covers, mizrachs, and wall-hangings. She also, in conjunction with her husband Joe, raises their seven children ,and does some wood-turning. They can be contacted at daphne1@netvision.net.il
Marc Provisor Marc is an oil painter, who does large dramatic works. He also does silk-painting for clothing. You can see his work at http://pro.pic.co.il. He also is involved with a start-up company doing security work. His wife Suri is a weaver. They can be contacted at mspro@netvision.net.il.
Shimon Seigel Shimon is a Sofer. He has smicha, has achieved one of any oleh's dreams, by helping his in-laws make aliya (they live with him). His wife Penina runs a private pre-school program for 2-year-olds, and they can be contacted at shimmy@barak-online.net .
Tamar Spero Tamar is a teacher and an artist. She does illustrated works in both Hebrew and English. Her husband Reuven teaches high school in a program for American students. They can be reached at spero@013.net.il
Suri Provisor Suri spins and weaves. She has developed an all-natural babysling, which makes and sells. She is married to Marc who is an oil painter. They can be contacted at mspro@netvision.net.il
Nira Toren Nira is a weaver. She designs and creates her own pieces, including mezuza covers. She is married to Shlomo , a man of the roads.

Musicians
David Lev Banister David Lev is a previous wandering Jew. Comfortably settled in the heartland of the Jewish people, International songwriter, guitar-player, leader of the Shilo Band. Loves the Jewish people, especially at home in Israel
Yoni Becker Yoni is a rock-and-roll guitar player of some renown in the Jerusalem area. Just comleted his first CD. He is an escapee of West Virginia, and can be reached at mudskipper100@yahoo.com
Yehuda Glantz Yehuda has come to Shilo with a rich musical history, and created opportunities for Shilo's youth to experience performing, and learning, from a master of the music and the stage. For more information, see Fruits of Shilo page or his own website. He can be reached at jmn@netvision.net.il

Craftsmen
Shilo has two carpenters doing traditional woodworking,and one wood craftsman who designs and builds specialty pieces, including several units for Shilo's synagogues.
Joe Bazer Joe is an unusual cabinet-maker. His range and style put him more in the artist range than the traditional carpenter, though he is that too. He does many special design pieces, one-of-a-kind items, for synagogue, home, or whatever. Among his pieces in Shilo at the moment are an Amud Tefilla and large double-doors in the Shmuel HaNavi synagogue. He also plays a mean bass, makes one of SHilo's finest wines, and teaches wood-working with his wife Dafna , a silk artist . Contact them at daphne1@netvision.net.il
Eldad Cohen Eldad is a welder. He specializes in custom made built-in fireplaces and grills. He also makes mobile grills which can be seen all over Shilo, wherever you can smell meat cooking. See his website or contact him by email or by cell phone at 054-5649154.
Meir Stein Meir is a carpenter who has been doing fine cabinetry in Shilo from its earliest days. He is the father to five children, and is an avid student of the mystical. His wife Yaffa is a labor judge.

Independent Professions
Era Rapaport Era is a tour guide, doing long or short, trips all over the country. He is one of the original members of Shilo, and is an olah from America. He has planted many acres of grapes in Shilo, to rebuild the fine wine industry that existed back when the Israel first lived here, 3000 years ago. He can be contacted, to arrange tours, of for questions, at eraorit@netvision.net.il He is married to Orit, one of Shilo's busiest women.
Haim Katz Haim is a financial director, for a variety of organisations over the ages. He is married to Sara, who sells headcoverings for women. They can be contacted at katzklan@netvision.net.il.
Daniel Kleinman Daniel is a sofer with certification from Mishmeret Sta"m in Yerushalayim and a student of architecture and is an Oleh from Canada,. His wife Chava has recently been part of the absorption committee, governing body of Shilo, and committee for developing programs for infant care. He can be contacted at archdan@gmail.com
Mazal Heilborn Mazal is 24 years old. She made aliah with her family in 1982 to nearby Eli. She has worked as a secretary in Shilo, studies interior design, and is married to Bob, a high school principal. They are currently on shlichut in Holland. They can be contacted at heilbron@hotpop.com
Yehudit Nitzan Yehudit is a co-partner in Platin Architects Inc., a small firm who's expertise is creative planning and design, and responsiveness to clients needs. They have designed open gardens, expansions of existing houses, and are planning a mall-light industry-office complex. They can be contacted at platin_arch@hotmail.com orplatina@zahav.net.il. Yehudit is married to Yakov, a mortgage banker and business ethicist.
Yaffa Stein Yaffa is a judge in the Labor Court situated in Jerusalem. She has written a children's book, and also is the traditional song-writer on the occassion of marriages or other smachot in Shilo. Yaffa is married to Meir, a carpenter.

Wild Cards
Yakov Welis Yakov is a Chabad hasid and an expert butcher . He also is a fine baker, decorating special occasion cakes. Hailing from Australia, he is married to Yehudit , who takes care of infants in her home.
Yakov Nitzan Yakov is a mortgage banker, and previously managed the department of business ethics at Machon Lev, the Jerusalem Institute of Technology. He is married to Yehudit, an architect. They can be contacted at platina@zahav.net.il.
Natan Natanzon Natan is the head of the Benjamin Religious Council, and has been active in national politics. He is on the directorial board of the Tekuma party.
Orit Rapaport Orit is the social director of Shilo. This means, in addition to scheduling activities, she keeps her ear to the ground, and is in touch with young and old, new and grounded, and is generally in the heat of things. She is married to Era, a Tour guide. She can be contacted at orit@shilo.org.il.
Ncoom Gilbar A little bit of this, a little bit of that. A sometimes therapist, writing a book on parenting, a dancer, built this site, translates, massage, parenting workshops, who knows what he'll be doing tomorrow. His wife Chaia does couples therapy and works in a special needs kindergarten. Contact them at ncoom@shilo.org.il and chaia@shilo.org.il

For more information about Shilo,
you can contact Ncoom at ncoom@shilo.org.il,
or come visit,
or write us at:
Klita Shilo
D.N. Efraim
Shilo
44830
ISRAEL

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