Learn something new! The Olam Tikvah Membership Committee is proud to present a new monthly series called OT Talks to bring you fascinating stories and interesting ideas from our members. Enjoy a 15 minute talk, followed by moderated Q&A.

This month, join us for our talk, "Being Jewish Around the World: Our Top Lessons About Practicing Judaism in Strange Places" with Linda Recht & Bob Watts.

Linda Recht & Bob Watts will share far flung Jewish experiences during their careers with the U.S. Department of State spanning four decades, serving in South America and Canada, Central and East Asia, and Europe. They were part of a variety of communities and congregations, and hosted various seders and Chanukah celebrations in which they introduced local friends and Embassy staffs to Jewish traditions, and were often called upon to represent the U.S. at Jewish and Israel events. 

In most posts, Linda & Bob worked on trade, investment, finance, and other economic issues. Linda in her last overseas posting was Chief of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Section of the Embassy in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and Bob in his last overseas assignment was Regional Environment, Science and Technology Chief for Central Asia in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Bob retired from the Foreign Service in 2010 as division chief in the Office of eDiplomacy, and continues with State as a consultant in eDiplomacy. Linda retired in 2016, and continues to work as a consultant at State. Both Bob & Linda received the Secretary’s Career Achievement Award, and many Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards.

Born in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, Linda moved to Cherry Hill, NJ at 6 and grew up in the Temple Beth Sholom congregation. Rabbi Albert Lewis z”l was her Rabbi, and the author Mitch Albom was her bat mitzvah tutor. She graduated from Georgetown U. with a BS in Foreign Service, and worked for 2 years as a CIA analyst before joining the Foreign Service.

Bob grew up in Connecticut, and received his BA in International Relations from New College of Florida, in Sarasota. He attended Columbia University and received a Master of International Affairs degree, and later earned an MA in Economics from Stanford.

Linda & Bob have been members of Olam Tikvah since 2004. Bob is past President of the Olam Tikvah Men’s Club, current President of the Seaboard Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, and on June 13 will become a member of the International Executive Committee of the FJMC. He also was recently elected to the Board of the Alumni Association of New College of Florida.

Linda & Bob are the proud parents of Vega and Zachary Watts, who both attended Gesher and had their b’nei mitzvah at Olam Tikvah.

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