Reggie - A Life of a Reluctant Pioneer

My name is Reggie and I was born in Cairo in 1937. My familyinsisted that I should write my story, but my excuse was alwaysthat for that I would need plenty of time. Then in 2020, therewas a Coronavirus Pandemic, which lasted until 2022 and gaveme plenty of time to write. So here it is. And now that it iswritten I have to thank them all. First, the main man in myfamily, Jason, who had to patiently and lovingly share our only7Reggie Pearlsoncomputer, and helped me to remember all the shared incidentsin our life. And then Rotem, our daughter who believed this bookshould be completed and made sure that it was, by coming tovisit us from California, and sat with me for many, many hoursediting and searching through piles of random photos until it allmade sense.And thanks to all our children, Avishai, Nir, Oren, Rotem, Inbal,and Raviv, who having heard these stories over the years fromme and Jason, endlessly encouraged me to write them, as theywanted to be able to read them to their children. And thanks toall our 13 grandchildren who have also heard many of the stories,and are still interested in hearing more. They will also be told toour great-grandchildren, Itai and Noa, and the many more tocome!As Anias Nin wrote: “We write so that we may taste life twice.Once when we live it, and once when we remember it”. Relivingmy life through writing it has made me realize what a great life Ihad. My idyllic childhood in Egypt, growing up with lovingparents and my beautiful sister, marrying the most handsomeand handy husband ever. Joining Habonim, moving to Israel tohelp build a kibbutz, and having six talented and wonderfulchildren. What a life! Living it once, and remembering it everytime I reread and edited the stories. Thanks to my children thisbook came to be written. Thanks kids! I love you all to bits!