Lori Palatnik
Director of the Jewish Women's Renaissance Project
Lori grew up classically Jewish in Toronto, Canada — going to synagogue twice per year, spinning dreidels at Chanukah, and at the annual family seder in Canada enjoyed not just the four cups, but five: the four cups of wine and the Stanley Cup.
She majored in Communications at The University of Windsor, and did a special degree in Advertising at St. Clair College of Applied Arts. After graduating, she worked in radio, winning a national award for creative excellence in radio copywriting. Then it was off to Europe for a backpacking adventure that would eventually lead her to Israel. There she was deeply moved, and wanted to stay, but didn't understand what she was feeling, so she left.
Back in Canada, Lori worked in public relations for McDonald's Restuarants in Ottawa, and a year later was awarded a fellowship to study in Israel. Once back, the feelings returned, and this time she understood them, and so she stayed, establishing a private aerobics business and studying at EYAHT and Neve Yerushalayim. A year later she met Yaakov, and the rest is history.
Today Lori is an author and Jewish educator who has appeared on television and radio and has lectured in North America, the U.K., South Africa and Israel, illuminating traditional practices and life-styles for our contemporary world. Her weekly video blog, "Lori Almost Live" can be seen on www.aish.com and is viewed by over 50,000 people per month. She is currently the Director of The Jewish Women's Renaissance Project, inspiring women all over the world to embrace their precious heritage.