Varda Epstein was a Zionist from early childhood, dreaming of moving to Israel before she ever stepped foot on Israeli soil.

Though she lost her father at the tender age of 13, she felt a connection to him through her renewned sense of her own Judaism.

As soon as she graduated high school, she made plans to come to Israel, come hell or high water.

Varda's well-made plans backfired as she found herself accidentally engaged to marry an Israeli stranger, and booted from her program.

A number of months, a new school, and a new boy later, Varda married and moved to the Old City of Jerusalem.

Now living in Efrat, Varda is the mother of 12 children, whom she supports with her pen.

A freelance writer and popular blogger, Varda writes about a very wide variety of subjects.

Tune in to meet a warm, postive woman who is still totally in love with her homeland, Israel.

To read Varda's work, visit her blog: http://www.judeanrose.blogspot.com/