In the early morning hours of October 2, 1999, at the old Ben-Gurion Airport, I boarded the flight that would change my life.
Of course I had no idea what would happen at the time. I also didn’t understand just how much my life would change, but that’s where it all started.
On October 2, 1999, I flew to Belgium.
I had already known that I would be traveling to Belgium for family reasons, and that I would be there for a few years, so I was looking for something to do with myself during that time.
I completed my BA in African Studies and Latin-Hispanic Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (and please don’t ask “what’s this degree for?” or “what will you do with this?”, because between you and me it’s possible to be an excellent chocolatier with these degrees!), so I was looking for something fun to do, something to pass the time.
The word “chocolate” suddenly popped into my head and would not budge. I didn’t know what the significance of it was, or if there were even courses available, but when I arrived in Belgium I discovered a brand new world and I just fell in love.
I discovered a world of amazing raw material filled with flavors, desires, feelings, stories, and fables. And in myself I discovered a world of creativity, imagination and love that I never knew I had before.
The chocolate shaped me and I shaped it too – with my ability, my creativity, my thoughts and my actions that I now knew I had inside. It was so sweet, because I was achieving my own sweet dream.
My studies continued for three years – three amazing years where all day long I did nothing but think, dream, touch, and taste chocolate. The studies included 1,000 hours of internships each year, where I went to work in wonderful chocolate factories in Belgium.
I completed my studies with honors in two subjects: Chocolate and Ice Cream. After three years I happily returned home to Israel, full of purpose.