Meet Meshi: dog lover, world traveler, and native Californian!
Alyssa: Tell us about you! Where are you from and how did you end up in Houston?
Meshi: I was born in Israel, but I moved with my family to Los Angeles, California and grew up in the San Fernando Valley when I was 3 and a half years old. When I was 13 years old, my family took an RV trip from California to Houston, visiting locations in between. We weren’t planning to live in Texas, but my dad liked it here and he decided to move and start an additional business in Texas.
Alyssa: So if you moved to Houston around 13, did you have your Bat Mitzvah here?
Meshi: I actually had my Bat Mitzvah in Israel when I was 12, since my whole family lives there. It was fun to have it with my whole family, especially with my great grandma, who got to participate in my Bat Mitzvah before she passed away. I also had a party in California with my friends.
Alyssa: Do you go back to Israel often?
Meshi: I have been to Israel many times to visit my grandparents, uncles, and my cousins. I enjoy seeing them all. My grandparents from my mom's side
lived in a moshav (Until they passed away in the recent years) and two of my uncles live in the moshav as well. They are within walking distance from each other, which is very nice. My father's parents used to live in Tel Aviv. In recent years my grandma has been traveling in India. I met her in Israel as well and she visited us here in Texas. We want to make plans to go back soon.
Alyssa: You mentioned that your grandmother is traveling in India. Do you get your adventurous spirit from her?
Meshi: I admire that she travels. I have traveled quite a bit in the US, Europe, Canada & Mexico. I love seeing new scenery , museums, and exploring new food.
Alyssa: I hear that you have a really special story about how you adopted your dog!
Meshi: Yes! my dogs name is Shadow. I got her when she was a few weeks old. I found her during a freeze in my neighborhood while I was walking with my mother. I heard a noise, but we thought it was the neighbors chihuahua, so we went and knocked on their door, but they told us it wasn’t their dog. So I walked over to where I heard the noise and found this tiny puppy. My mom was concerned when she saw me pick it up because she thought it was a skunk due to the white on Shadow’s stomach! We took Shadow home and put her in a heater blanket. My dog, Moon, accepted her right away, while we gave her some milk. Now she is 9! She has a fear of water, but we had a breakthrough over summer which is exciting!
Alyssa: How do you stay busy in Houston?
Meshi: After graduating from UH, I started working in my family businesses in Texas; real estate investment and property management. I also enjoy scrapbooking, going to musicals, going on nature walks, and visiting art museums & gallery.
Alyssa: When Jewston comes together we…
Meshi: Learn
Email Alyssa (asilva@houstonhillel.org) to nominate your friend to be our next Jewston Mensch of the week!