I was born in South Africa and graduated as a Clinical Social Worker (M. Clin. SW) from Cape Town University. Back in the old days, I was the principal of the Orangia Children’s Home and headed Beit Issie Shapiro’s Outpatient Clinic in Johannesburg. Later I managed the Israel desk of their international Resource Development Department.
In 1986 I came to live in Israel with my husband Matanya and daughter, Debbie. I have been a daughter, a wife, a mother and a widow and each stage has posed its own challenges.  I used to wonder whether I was strong enough to cope with all the vicissitudes of my life but I am encouraged that so far, I am resilient and strong.  I feel, I hurt, I am happy - I am all the things that human beings are.  And I survive and am relieved to know that I've been able to let go of past identities and recreate myself anew and anew and anew.
 
I have been a student, a social worker, a psychotherapist and a group worker. When I made came to live in Israel and found that I did not learn Hebrew well enough, I became Beit Issie Shapiro's English staff writer and worked there for 22 years.  I wrote newsletters, brochures, a website and mostly I wrote fundraising letters and grant requests.  I also had a few books published: A Book of Life for an Adopted Child (Howard Timmins, Inc. 1974) and Snoezeling – Controlled Multisensory Stimulation: A Handbook – co-written with Dr. Michele Shapiro and published by Beit Issie Shapiro in 2002. I also co-authored with Naomi Stuchiner and Israel Sykes, "From Darkness the Dawn", (Rotem 2011).
 
I’ve enjoyed creative writing on the one hand and therapeutic work on the other and was fortunate to find outlets for both during my working career. I love working with groups and have led many women’s empowerment and study groups, which have been a source of interest and of friendship –most of my best friendships grew out of these groups. I have been a volunteer for ESRA as a counselor, trainer of befrienders and personal development programs for women, and writer and I’m always grateful that ESRAmagazine has published my short pieces. I tend to write creative non-fiction and like to make people think, feel and laugh. These stories can be read on the website – https://magazine.esra.org.il/esramagazine/look-into-it/our-authors/sharonbacher.html

When I retired I took up singing, which has been my great interest for many years.  At present I sing with Musicanto, under the direction of Revital Monetta (we sing songs from the musicals) and the Kfar Saba Classical Choir, under Moshe Rasiuk.  I also have voice lessons with Lena Grinberg, a lovely Russian  immigrant - which is my best lesson of the week.

I stopped writing for many years - I felt all written out and couldn't bear to put pen to paper.  However, a while back, I started writing my journal again.  This has become a meaningful part of my life and I try to write for a couple of hours each day.  I am part of an online journaling group and correspond with hundreds of journal writers around the world.
 
Finally, as a volunteer today, I run an English conversation group with five Hebrew speaking ladies.  We have been meeting regularly for two years and speak about everything under the sun.  What's fun is that they fill me in on the latest gossip in Israel. We have become good friends.
 
I enjoy ESRA lectures and listen to lots of Podcasts.  I am also an avid 'reader' of audible books