Efrat Simhi-Aloni (Effie)
Efrat grew up on the shores of Israel, where her playground was the beach. She moved to California in 2001, again finding a home on the shore, this time in the East Bay. Efrat studied at Ben Gurion University, earning her BA and Teaching Diploma in Hebrew Literature and Language, as well as her MA in Management and Educational Policy. In 2008, she received the (national) Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education, and in 2020 she was granted the (regional) Diller Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. She has taught Hebrew for over 29 years to various ages as both a native and secondary language. Her mission is to revive the Hebrew language and make it accessible to all.
As an educator, coaching students came naturally to Efrat. She pursued formal education in life coaching, and passionately uses her expertise to support others. She believes that everyone can live their lives fully -- finding the driving force, creativity, and intuition to make decisions that are true to themselves. Sometimes people need an ally by their side, to encourage them if they falter and champion their cause. Efrat is that ally.
Caring for the soul and the body is important to Efrat. A number of years ago, after suffering from chronic pain for several years, she found both acupuncture and Pilates to greatly reduce her pain. Efrat decided to honor her body with knowledge and the right form of exercise, and furthermore, to give this rewarding experience back to others. She is a fitness and movement instructor who tailors her sessions to each individual.