News From Helen Frenkley

"But Paula, why do you want me to write something for the Rosh Hashanah newsletter?  It's two years since I retired from Neot Kedumim." 

"Helen, your old friends among the readers of NK News want to know what you're doing."

Well, dear friends who remember me, I've got to admit I was flattered.  You know the adage "Out of sight, out of mind"?  
I figured that when Frenkley stopped Speaking, that would more or less be the end of my contact with you.  But thanks to Paula's insistent suggestion, here's my chance to share the new chapter in my life.

By the time you read this newsletter, I'll have been living in my dream house in the northwest corner of Israel for a bit under two years.  For the first time in my life, I'm living in a house with a yard that I'm turning into a garden.  To tell the truth, I don't know a thing about gardening.  Everyone expects me to be an expert: "Come on, you spent over 30 years at Neot Kedumim!"  How do I explain that planting the seven varieties and choice products, transplanting cedars of Lebanon, sycomores and olive trees, digging and lining reservoirs on a palette spreading over more than 27 million square feet (Neot Kedumim's 625 acres) is hardly relevant experience for planning, planting, and maintaining a colorful, low water-consumption garden on four thousand square feet.  And besides, I have a "black thumb"…  But slowly I'm learning and I hope that in a couple of years my little patch of land will be quite beautiful.

Besides caring for a rather large house and garden, doing a lot of entertaining of old and new friends from Gesher Haziv, from the rest of Israel, and friends from abroad, I'm involved full time in the community: I'm active on several committees, volunteer in the local hospital, the local library, and teach conversational English at the local equivalent of a JCC.  In short, if I ever had any notion of retiring to a life of laid-back laziness, it hasn't materialized.  My days and evenings are so full, I need a diary to keep track of my schedule and commitments – just like at Neot Kedumim.

Which, of course, brings me to the love of my life.  I took myself out of Neot Kedumim but have no intention of taking Neot Kedumim out of myself.  I was asked to remain on the Board of Directors¹ and when needed, come down to guide tour groups.

When Shlomo or Nogah seek my advice or opinion, I try to be of help. I'm grateful to them for keeping me out of the loop of the daily struggle of survival, but I'm very much aware of the enormous, sometimes overwhelming challenges that Shlomo has to deal with as Neot Kedumim's director.  And I know without a shadow of a doubt that American Friends of Neot Kedumim under Paula and Howie's miraculously dedicated and capable hands, plays an ever-increasing role in keeping Neot Kedumim going.

Yes, I've planted myself in another place, but my roots stretch firmly to Neot Kedumim and my heart is always there.

¹ Helen Frenkley has been a vital part of Neot Kedumim since 1969 until her retirement from the directorship at the end of 2003, and a member of the AFNK board since its establishment in 1970.