Renée Perlmutter
By Katherine Leslie
Growing Up in Israel
Renée and her twin brother at age four
Renée and her three siblings grew up in a small town called Ramat HaSharon, which is near the big city of Tel Aviv, Israel. She went to school, camps, had friends, and was involved in extracurriculars. She explains, “Back in Israel it was very different. I grew up there so I knew everyone and I played like different sports and I had different hobbies before I moved." Her family also loves to travel, so they explored the country of Israel thoroughly, going to beaches, hiking trails, and cities.
Formerly, Renée's grandparents immigrated to Israel from America so her parents both grew up in a heavily Western-influenced home in Israel. As a result, Renée and her siblings grew up under that same Western-influence. Renée explains how her parents grew up speaking English and celebrating American holidays. Her grandmother still hosts Thanksgiving every year. "In Israel, nobody does Thanksgiving of course, it's very American. But she hosts all her Israeli friends, it's so funny, and they're like ‘What are we celebrating here?' but it’s food so no one complains." These familiarities with American culture allowed for a more seamless transition to America for the Perlmutters.
Renée's grandfather and Thanksgiving-loving grandmother
Family Excursions in Israel