My name is Reggie and I was born in Cairo in 1937. My family
insisted that I should write my story, but my excuse was always
that for that I would need plenty of time. Then in 2020, there
was a Coronavirus Pandemic, which lasted until 2022 and gave
me plenty of time to write. So here it is. And now that it is
written I have to thank them all. First, the main man in my
family, Jason, who had to patiently and lovingly share our only
7Reggie Pearlson
computer, and helped me to remember all the shared incidents
in our life. And then Rotem, our daughter who believed this book
should be completed and made sure that it was, by coming to
visit us from California, and sat with me for many, many hours
editing and searching through piles of random photos until it all
made sense.
And thanks to all our children, Avishai, Nir, Oren, Rotem, Inbal,
and Raviv, who having heard these stories over the years from
me and Jason, endlessly encouraged me to write them, as they
wanted to be able to read them to their children. And thanks to
all our 13 grandchildren who have also heard many of the stories,
and are still interested in hearing more. They will also be told to
our great-grandchildren, Itai and Noa, and the many more to
come!
As Anias Nin wrote: “We write so that we may taste life twice.
Once when we live it, and once when we remember it”. Reliving
my life through writing it has made me realize what a great life I
had. My idyllic childhood in Egypt, growing up with loving
parents and my beautiful sister, marrying the most handsome
and handy husband ever. Joining Habonim, moving to Israel to
help build a kibbutz, and having six talented and wonderful
children. What a life! Living it once, and remembering it every
time I reread and edited the stories. Thanks to my children this
book came to be written. Thanks kids! I love you all to bits!
