Newcomers in an Ancient Land: Adventures, Love, and Seeking Myself in 1960s Israel

Paula Wagner

Jul 2019 · She Writes Press

About this ebook

At eighteen, Paula is already a seasoned traveler, having begun life in England, crisscrossed the US as a young child, and survived a year in a London boarding school, immersed in her mother’s heritage. But when, at eighteen, she leaves home for Israel to explore her father’s Jewish roots and learn Hebrew on a kibbutz ulpan (a work/study program on a collective farm), her quest will change her life forever. Seduced by her love of language, she continues the journey to France for several years before returning at last to settle to Israel. As she navigates her odyssey from vision to reality, she will learn much more than two new languages—and realize that if she is ever to forge her own identity, she must also separate from her twin sister and follow her own path.

About the author

Paula Wagner and her twin sister were born in London to an English mother and a Jewish-American father. Arriving in the US, they grew up moving across the South and Midwest before the family finally settled in Northern California. Bitten by the travel bug at an early age, Wagner has also lived in Israel, Italy, and France. She holds a master’s in career development and a BA in women’s studies, and has studied languages at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She divides her time between creative writing and career coaching. She and her husband currently live in Albany, CA. Their blended family includes two cats, four children, eight grandkids, and an extended family worldwide. When not chained to her laptop, Paula enjoys travel, swimming, singing, hiking, biking, river rafting, yoga, cooking, and building community.