Or grew up in Hod Hasharon in a secular Israeli home with Iraqi and Ashkenazi Jewish traditions. She is a certified Israeli Tour Guide, has an MA in Israel Education through the George Washington University and The iCenter, and a BA in Israel Studies from the University of Haifa. Before moving to the States, Or lived in Jerusalem, where she was involved with several social initiatives, focusing on LGBTQ+ life and feminist culture. She then spent three years as an Israel Fellow at the University of Michigan, where she played a key role in engaging students and fostering a deeper understanding of Israeli society, politics, and culture. Today, Or lives in Deerfield, IL, with her wife, Tilly, and two children, Maya and Yonatan.
Tell us about your name:
When Tilly and I got married, we merged the Hebrew letters of our previous family names (Vichnizer and Shames) and created a new name with a Hebrew meaning. Shemer (שמר) is the root of lishmor (לשמור) and leshamer (לשמר), to protect and preserve. It is also the Hebrew word for yeast, which adds a meaningful layer of nourishment and growth to our familial identity.
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