The setting is a hotel in Netanya. The day is Monday. It is evening and dozens of young men and women disembark from six buses and demonstrate the sound of pure joy. In Hebrew, of course. The T-shirts are pro-Israel, the songs are in Hebrew, and the hugs are of the group variety. These are the graduates of the latest Taglit-Birthright group, and they are about as enthusiastic as one would expect people visiting Israel for the first time to be. Everyone is enthusiastic, that is, except for Alex, who is sitting in the lobby quietly, modestly. At 30 years old, she is considered the tribal elder. She reaches for her mobile phone as though looking for refuge from the joyous ruckus all around. Her new friends do not know her true identity. They have no idea that the name "Alex" is all but an alias. It is just one of the many details she is keeping from them. But had she arrived in her old uniform -- sequined, hypnotizing attire, hair pulled back with the utmost care, dramatic make-up and ice skates -- they would have recognized her immediately. And if they hadn't recognized her, she could have broken into an impressive routine right there in the middle of the lobby -- and no one would have remained indifferent. At that point, they would have made the connection: The "Alex" they know is actually Sasha Cohen, a top athlete and Olympic medalist, who, for years, was the face of the U.S. figure skating team. Looking for a clean slate Alexandra Pauline "Sasha" Cohen was born in Los Angeles to Galina Feldman, a Jewish immigrant from Ukraine and a former ballet dancer, and Roger Cohen, a Jewish-American business consultant. She first became acquainted with the world of figure skating, which ended up turning her entire world upside down, at the age of seven at a birthday party for one of her friends. She fell in love with the rhythm and the glamor, and swore she would one day win championships in what she thought was the most elegant sport in the world. She fulfilled that vow -- she won a U.S. championship, placed second twice in world championships, and won a silver medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Two years ago, at the end of a glorious international career, she hung up her skates. She is now making up for what she feels she missed out in efforts to achieve her athletic dream. As a retired athlete, does a visit to the "promised land" help you get your head straight? "I have always wanted to come to Israel. It was a dream of mine for years. I promised myself that I would visit when I had time. My sister participated in Taglit several years ago and she couldn't stop talking about it, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I believe that every Jew has to know his past in order to live his future." Why did you decide to hide behind the name "Alex"- "Here, in Taglit, this is a social experience for people from all over the world. If they know about your past, they look at you differently -- the test you, judge you, bombard you with questions. You don't really get an opportunity to show your true personality. "I was afraid that I would feel like I was being tested, and that they would look at me as the 'skater'. I don't conceal what I used to do, I just want to start off fresh. The trip to Israel is an integral part of my beginning as a private individual, not an athlete." What do you think of the Israeli spirit- "I really love the Israeli passion. It is so powerful and self assured, just like you have to be on the ice. Israelis aren't afraid to speak their minds, and they are very outgoing and very loving. The Israelis are warm people, open and direct and they don't hide anything. "Here in Israel, everything is said to your face, directly. In America there is a feeling that people are more distant. Anyone who is not familiar with the Israeli temperament could mistake it for impoliteness, but very quickly you realize that it is just a part of the culture. Israelis are more like the Italians and the Greeks. I have been to all the corners of the world, and I can say with authority that the Israelis are the most authentic." At the age when Jewish girls normally celebrate their bat mitzvah, Cohen made a clear and brave decision -- to dedicate her life to sport and to becoming the world's greatest figure skater. Unlike her younger sister, who attended a Jewish day school, Cohen was home schooled and gave herself over to the sport. Her mother, who quickly understood that it was impossible to stop her daughter's ambitions, quit her banking career to help her achieve her goals and to document her journey. "I went to my first competition with my mother," she recalls. "I remember she bought me a little dress and sewed a lot of sequins on it. I didn't quite grasp the implications of the competition. When I saw all the prizes, I just wanted the trophy. My mother told me I had to skate for it, but I didn't care. I wanted the trophy and that was that. I can say that as a young child I already knew that I wanted only to be at the top. It motivated me along the way." Growing up on the ice An average day for a professional Olympic athlete like Cohen includes six training sessions. The daily routine is strict: an hour of pilates, a half-hour run, stretching, two hours training on the ice, an hour break, another two hours on the ice, weightlifting at the gym, sprints, and for dessert, physical therapy. Even after coming home from a grueling day of training, she would watch videos of herself (filmed by her mother) and dole out ruthless criticism, all in the name of improving her form. In the title of your autobiography, "Fire on Ice," does the fire represent you- "Absolutely. I wanted to get to the Olympics and to win it. The most important thing to me was perfection, like any other top athlete. I went from country to country looking for different coaches who would push me and make me better in every aspect of skating. I never thought that I was good enough, I always wanted to be better. In order to be huge at something you have to have a passion for it that is stronger than anything else. It has to be the reason you wake up in the morning. It made me a little crazy in my personal life, but for my athletic career it was great." Your burning passion for skating didn't flicker for 20 years- "It flickered quite a bit, but those difficult moments are where you grow. One of the hardest times for me was at the Turin Olympics in 2006. I had a an excellent routine in the short program and I was ranked in first place. The next day, I got hurt, and I only had 24 hours to get myself together and perform the free skate -- the skate of my life. An entire team was there to make sure I was on my feet. They injected me with cortisone and made sure to boost my confidence because I was furious for having gotten hurt at the precise moment that I had been working for my entire life. I made some mistakes, and from there I had to move forward and try to learn how to even deal with such a loss. It was very difficult for me, but it also made me stronger. When you're winning everything is great and you don't look back. When you lose, the test is how you deal with it." Winning a silver medal is a loss to you? "Yes, and to this day I have a hard time with it. I invested 20 years of my life to get what I wanted, and I didn't get it. I did not become an Olympic champion. I came in second. I wanted the gold, the perfect score, and it didn't happen. But I believe that you need to draw strength from disappointments and draw the necessary conclusions. We can't control everything that happens, but can control the way we react. My biggest lesson from the figure skating world is that I can take a beating and still be a winner." Passover and Christmas Even though she was raised by Jewish parents, Cohen says that at home, the family celebrated all the American holidays, including Christmas. Once in a while they would celebrate Hanukkah or Passover with Jewish friends of the family, and thus, she says, she got to enjoy the best of both worlds. Upon retiring, she moved to New York where she became acquainted with the Jewish community, and she was smitten. It was this feeling that ultimately led her to visit Israel with the Taglit program, which enables young Jews from the Diaspora to visit Israel on a 10-day trip. The biggest donors to the program are Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson (the Adelson family is one of the owners of the company that holds Israel Hayom's stock). One of the program's key objectives is to create a network of ambassadors around the world to promote Israel. Normally, the program accepts young Jews aged between 18 and 26. This time, due to Sasha's potential reach, the rules were gladly bent. "The move to New York opened my eyes to the wonderful Jewish community there. Many of my closest friends are Israelis, with whom I spend the Jewish holidays," she says. "I even dated an Israeli guy. All that made me want to visit Israel even more -- to learn the history, see the sights." People say that the Taglit experience, as its name suggests, is a journey of discovery. Did you feel that way? "Absolutely. For 10 days we traveled all around Israel. I saw Tiberias -- it is lovely, but too calm for me. I am a city girl and I like a faster pace. I enjoyed climbing Masada and camping out under the stars, with a campfire, for the first time in my life. It is more exciting for someone like me, who was cooped up just with herself in skating rinks all her life. Jerusalem is amazing and moving, and the food here is just incredible: hummus, baba ghanoush, sabich and the vegetables you can get everywhere, not to mention the markets with the spices that arouse all your senses." What would you say was the most powerful experience during your trip- "The tour at Yad Vashem [the Holocaust memorial and museum], obviously. It was difficult to hear, but important to know. It is hard to believe that it happened, and not that long ago either. It gives the sense that it could happen at any time, even today, despite the establishment of the State of Israel." Now we have the Israel Defense Forces protecting us. "Right, and it's a good thing. We had the opportunity to talk with Israeli soldiers and to get to know them a little. I was amazed to see how mature they are, and to think that they are only 18. We Americans have a completely different perspective at that age, unlike Israeli youth, who grow up dealing with suicide bombers, with being a soldier at such a young age and with living among enemy states. "I heard a lot about the IDF from friends in the U.S. who served. It is wonderful suddenly to meet soldiers in uniform, so charming and dedicated. I salute them." Despite the strong impression that Israel has left on Cohen, she does no plan to make aliyah any time soon. On the other hand, she makes a point of emphasizing how much she has learned to love Israel, and that she is not ruling out a move in the future. Cohen has not entirely abandoned the elegant, icy sport. Even after retiring, she still skates sometimes "for the soul" or as part of showcases for retired accomplished professionals. In addition, she works as a sports commentator on "Good Morning America." Cohen is also excelling in her international relations studies at Columbia University, works in finance at Morgan Stanley, and has a successful figure skating clothing line. But despite all her success in her new interests, her happiness is not complete. "I don't know if anything will ever be as important to me as living my entire life for that Olympic moment. I am in constant battle with myself in search of the next thing that will thrill me in that way, but so far I haven't found it. I need to learn how to free myself of that feeling, get a different life and let people into my life. As an athlete, you push people away. I am working on myself to learn how to live with other people, not just alone as a focused athlete. It takes time to change these habits." Your last name gives away your heritage. Did you ever feel that being Jewish hurt you in any way- "Even though there is a lot of politics in the sport, I never felt that I was treated any different. Maybe there were those who felt anti-Semitic sentiments, but it was never communicated to me. I have to admit that there were times when people heard that I was Jewish and raised an eyebrow. I didn't look at it as racism or anti-Semitism, just ignorance. As long as they were polite and didn't make me feel like I was out, I let it go." You said earlier that Israelis are direct, so I'll ask you directly: What did you write on the note you put in the Western Wall- "Am I allowed to say? Isn't it like birthday candles, that if you reveal your wish it won't come true? If not, then I'll tell you: I asked for the strength to confront the unknown, and to challenge myself outside of my comfort zone. I am learning that life is not like sport, where if you are focused and you fight then you win. When this stage is over, you have to find something meaningful to look forward to; you can't be spoiled and bitter for the rest of your life over what didn't go your way. You need to leverage the sadness as fuel for joy, for the next endeavor. In other words, I asked for the figure skater Sasha Cohen to be remembered fondly and for Alex to become more real in my new path."
טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו
