My writing is coming from my life
experiences. I care about the future of
the world. I care about people and I
believe our planet can support us all in peaceful productive lives. If I was a preacher, I would preach for
knowledge, science and art, imagination and music. I would preach for respecting all traditions
but against ignorance.
Here are the highlights of my life story:
The Jews of Mashhad were forced to
practice Islam for one hundred and fifty years. They kept their Judaic
traditions in hiding. My parents were married in Mashhad then moved to
Tehran where I was born. In 1951 the entire family immigrated to Israel.
The Mashhadi community in Israel kept their specific traditions for decades
throughout the world: New York, London, Milan.
I was a quiet shy girl always curious and
studious. I excelled in school and were fascinated by the laws of nature
as early as second grade. Growing up in Tel Aviv we lived with both my
grandparents and three uncles in one small house for eight years. I
started reading books when my uncle bought his first set of books. My
high school teachers were the ones who guided me throughout my studies and
ultimately my future career as a research biochemist. I married a man
from California who had a similar background of the Mashhadi community.
We raised our two sons in California, while our respective parents had the
continuous influence of keeping the Mashhadi traditions. To this day I am the
only scientist in my extended family.
This is the story of my journey from the
Jews of Mashhad to the study of protein chemistry. Proteins that
pump acid into your stomach, balance sodium and potassium in your kidneys,
proteins that control your metabolism and proteins that turn into amyloids and
cause neuro-degenerative diseases.
