January has been a month of milestones, challenges, and unforgettable moments. I made it to my 7th continent! After years of dreaming, I finally set foot in Antarctica, surrounded by breathtaking ice, whales, seals, and thousands of penguins. Sailing with Quark Expeditions on the Ultramarine was an adventure of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to share more videos and stories from this incredible journey.
I’m honored to have now won nine journalism awardsbetween the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards (NAEJ) and the Southern California Journalism Awards. It’s not always easy being a Jewish author in today’s world, especially with the wave of online hate, but I remain committed to telling meaningful stories and amplifying voices that need to be heard.
Another exciting milestone? My memoir, BRAVE-ish, is now in the library aboard Quark’s expedition ship! Knowing that my story is sailing through the icy waters of Antarctica—just like I did—feels surreal.
500 Days of Waiting: A Moment of Hope
While I celebrate these achievements, I can’t ignore the weight of the world. It has been nearly 500 days of waiting for the hostages to return home. While some have returned, too many are still being held in dark tunnels.
The LA fires have also been devastating, another reminder of how fragile life can be. Through it all, I hold onto the belief that small steps lead to big changes.
Join Me February 13 at The Adventurers’ Club
One of the most exciting events coming up? My talk at The Adventurers’ Club on Galentine’s Day, February 13! This legendary institution has gathered every Thursday for 103 years, and in a long-overdue shift, women were finally allowed to become members in 2024.
I can’t wait to share stories from my travels, my 7th continent adventure, and what I’ve learned about pushing boundaries—whether in exploration, storytelling, or breaking barriers.
Here’s to new adventures, bold steps, and making 2025 unforgettable.
Wondering where to travel next?
I loved celebrating Heather’s birthday at TWO Velas Resorts in Mexico! Check out both Casa Velas and Grand Velas–it is a direct flight to Puerto Vallarta from Los Angeles.
I had the most relaxing time at SECRETS BAHIA MITA! It was the Ultimate Unlimited Luxury Experience by Hyatt!
I loved my adventures on Ruby Princess for a California Coastal Cruise. It was so much fun I had to make TWO articles about it: Part 1 SF & Santa Barbara and Part 2 Los Angeles & San Diego. Thank you Princess Cruises!
See you on Feb 13, 2025 in Los Angeles. I will also be speaking in Dallas and Oklahoma. Want me to speak at your book group or conference? INVITE ME!!
Do you LOVE my book BRAVE-ish? PLEASE WRITE A REVIEW!! Click here to go directly to rate or review BRAVE-ish on Amazon (now at 61 reviews. Help me get to 75) You can find my book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, Post Hill Press, Target, Walmart, BookShop, BAM! and wherever you get your audiobooks!
People always ask me where is it best to buy my book. I recommend you go into or call your favorite local book store and ask them to order it for you and pick it up IN THE STORE! You never know what other treasures you will find. Any bookstore can order my book because my publisher is Post Hill Press and it is distributed by Simon and Schuster. My book is now in store at Dubray bookstore on Grafton in Dublin, Ireland! Brave-ish is available all over the globe!
THANK YOU for watching my award-winning podcast, Make Your Own Map! It has now been seen and heard in 55 countries on 7 continents.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?
Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I have over 2.25 Million views on YouTube! (now at: 2,290,000).
Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 4,470 subscribers? I hope you will join me and subscribe! For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HERE
The novel is set in 1952 and centers on Jay deVenezia, a 23-year-old, six-foot-five-inch Italian Jew from the Bronx, and his older brother, Eric “Bud” deVenezia.
“Bloody Murray,” whose first season is available on ChaiFlicks, stars Naomi Levov as Mo, better known as Murray, and Rotem Sela as her best friend and roommate, Dana.
In addition to Best Feature Film, “The Wedding Entertainer” received nominations for Best Actor for Rand, Best Supporting Actor for Tal Friedman, Best Supporting Actress for Malky Goldman, Best Screenplay for Rand and Best Cinematography for Giora Bejach.
Everyone has a direct stake in knowing that one of the most-cited evidentiary pillars in the international campaign against Israel is far shakier than its footnotes suggest.
It is a challenge for which various solutions have already been tried and failed. Most of all, it is a challenge that doesn’t seem to have any prospect of being addressed anytime soon in a way that leads to a final resolution.
Presidential security machinations, like presidential vacation time and decorating budgets, often serve as partisan Rorschach tests: rivals mock, while supporters defend.
Maximizing Jewish life, learning, practice and belonging remains nonnegotiable. However, when a halakhic ruling fails to achieve its purpose, we must reexamine the ruling.
My Bucketlist 7th Continent: Niver’s Jan News 2025
Lisa Ellen Niver
Milestones, Memories & Change in Motion
January has been a month of milestones, challenges, and unforgettable moments. I made it to my 7th continent! After years of dreaming, I finally set foot in Antarctica, surrounded by breathtaking ice, whales, seals, and thousands of penguins. Sailing with Quark Expeditions on the Ultramarine was an adventure of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to share more videos and stories from this incredible journey.9th Journalism Award & Standing Strong as a Jewish Author
I’m honored to have now won nine journalism awards between the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards (NAEJ) and the Southern California Journalism Awards. It’s not always easy being a Jewish author in today’s world, especially with the wave of online hate, but I remain committed to telling meaningful stories and amplifying voices that need to be heard.500 Days of Waiting: A Moment of Hope
While I celebrate these achievements, I can’t ignore the weight of the world. It has been nearly 500 days of waiting for the hostages to return home. While some have returned, too many are still being held in dark tunnels. The LA fires have also been devastating, another reminder of how fragile life can be. Through it all, I hold onto the belief that small steps lead to big changes.Join Me February 13 at The Adventurers’ Club
One of the most exciting events coming up? My talk at The Adventurers’ Club on Galentine’s Day, February 13! This legendary institution has gathered every Thursday for 103 years, and in a long-overdue shift, women were finally allowed to become members in 2024. I can’t wait to share stories from my travels, my 7th continent adventure, and what I’ve learned about pushing boundaries—whether in exploration, storytelling, or breaking barriers. Here’s to new adventures, bold steps, and making 2025 unforgettable.Wondering where to travel next?
I loved celebrating Heather’s birthday at TWO Velas Resorts in Mexico! Check out both Casa Velas and Grand Velas–it is a direct flight to Puerto Vallarta from Los Angeles.
I had the most relaxing time at SECRETS BAHIA MITA! It was the Ultimate Unlimited Luxury Experience by Hyatt!
I loved my adventures on Ruby Princess for a California Coastal Cruise. It was so much fun I had to make TWO articles about it: Part 1 SF & Santa Barbara and Part 2 Los Angeles & San Diego. Thank you Princess Cruises!
Did you hear me on iHeart Radio? Click here to listen in!!
More events for BRAVE-ish are coming in 2025!
See you on Feb 13, 2025 in Los Angeles. I will also be speaking in Dallas and Oklahoma. Want me to speak at your book group or conference? INVITE ME!! Do you LOVE my book BRAVE-ish? PLEASE WRITE A REVIEW!! Click here to go directly to rate or review BRAVE-ish on Amazon (now at 61 reviews. Help me get to 75) You can find my book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, Post Hill Press, Target, Walmart, BookShop, BAM! and wherever you get your audiobooks! People always ask me where is it best to buy my book. I recommend you go into or call your favorite local book store and ask them to order it for you and pick it up IN THE STORE! You never know what other treasures you will find. Any bookstore can order my book because my publisher is Post Hill Press and it is distributed by Simon and Schuster. My book is now in store at Dubray bookstore on Grafton in Dublin, Ireland! Brave-ish is available all over the globe!Learn more about my events: click here and my articles here
Want to travel more? I have a Travel Writer 101 class on Udemy. CLICK here for a coupon to take my class for FREE!
WATCH my podcast, “MAKE YOUR OWN MAP: Are YOU ready to be BRAVE?” on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Podcast, Google Podcasts, Audacy, Audible, Anchor, Pandora & iHeart Radio
THANK YOU for watching my award-winning podcast, Make Your Own Map! It has now been seen and heard in 55 countries on 7 continents.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?
Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I have over 2.25 Million views on YouTube! (now at: 2,290,000). Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 4,470 subscribers? I hope you will join me and subscribe! For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HEREFind me on social media with over 150,000 followers. Please follow me on social @LisaNiver TikTok, X Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, BlueSky and at LisaNiver.com.
Have you heard my recent podcast episode? Explore WILD IRELAND which I filmed on location when I was in Ireland for my TV special on The Jet Set. I am GRATEFUL beyond words to the entire team at THE JET SET TV who have made my TV dreams come true. THANK YOU!LOS ANGELES: See you FEBRUARY 13, 2025 at The Adventurers’ Club! Register TODAY!
SO MANY PHOTOS from Crossing the Antarctic Circle with Quark Expeditions. Click here to see all of my videos so far!
Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.
Editor's Picks
Israel and the Internet Wars – A Professional Social Media Review
The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC
What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
You’re Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House
No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center
Latest Articles
When You Go Out To War — A poem for Parsha Ki Teitzei
“Jerusalemites”
The Other Side of Shlomo Carlebach: New Documentary Revisits Allegations Against the Beloved Rabbi
Did Josephus See Jesus as a Rebellious Son?
A Moment in Time: Looking Back, Moving Forward
A Bisl Torah — Repairs Reopen
Print Issue: The Silent Boycott | August 21, 2026
How Israeli academics are being shut out of the international academic world, and how UCLA professor Judea Pearl is fighting back.
Jacob and Esau Clash on the Cross Bronx Expressway in New Book
The novel is set in 1952 and centers on Jay deVenezia, a 23-year-old, six-foot-five-inch Italian Jew from the Bronx, and his older brother, Eric “Bud” deVenezia.
Israeli Rom-Com ‘Bloody Murray’ Balances Life and Art
“Bloody Murray,” whose first season is available on ChaiFlicks, stars Naomi Levov as Mo, better known as Murray, and Rotem Sela as her best friend and roommate, Dana.
Elon Gold’s ‘The Wedding Entertainer’ Up for Best Film at 2026 Ophir Awards
In addition to Best Feature Film, “The Wedding Entertainer” received nominations for Best Actor for Rand, Best Supporting Actor for Tal Friedman, Best Supporting Actress for Malky Goldman, Best Screenplay for Rand and Best Cinematography for Giora Bejach.
The Bad Data Behind the ‘Genocide’ Charge
Everyone has a direct stake in knowing that one of the most-cited evidentiary pillars in the international campaign against Israel is far shakier than its footnotes suggest.
In This Season: Renewing Our L.A. Jewish Community
In this, the season of our renewal, I am proposing a transformational agenda for our Los Angeles Jewish community.
There’s a Leek in the Bureka
Deliciously flaky and crispy with a satisfying creamy filling, these burekas are really easy to prepare.
Table for Five: Ki Teitzei
A Lost Sheep
The Silent Boycott
How Israeli Academics Are Being Shut Out of the International Academic World
Hit the Pause Button
The pause isn’t the absence of action; it’s a sanctuary in time.
Rosner’s Domain | The Repressed Question of Judea and Samaria
It is a challenge for which various solutions have already been tried and failed. Most of all, it is a challenge that doesn’t seem to have any prospect of being addressed anytime soon in a way that leads to a final resolution.
Presidents Have Always Lied — When Threatened by Assassins
Presidential security machinations, like presidential vacation time and decorating budgets, often serve as partisan Rorschach tests: rivals mock, while supporters defend.
Why I’m No Longer a Democrat
It is about refusing to allow partisan loyalty to make us silent when our own community is threatened.
Why I’m Staying in the Democratic Party
Nowhere is it written you have to agree with every position taken by every candidate running as a member of your party.
We Must Fight Antisemitism By Solidifying Our Connection to America
America needs the Jews as much as the Jews need America.
Debunking the Lie of the Century
Investigative journalist and bestselling author Gerald Posner offers a primer to debunk the “genocide” libel against Israel.
Leaning Toward Love: Expanding What Counts as a Jewish Home
Maximizing Jewish life, learning, practice and belonging remains nonnegotiable. However, when a halakhic ruling fails to achieve its purpose, we must reexamine the ruling.
Seeking the Sanhedrin and What It Means to Be a Rabbi
Sitting on a Three-Legged Chair
Every morning I convince myself that if I could just find the right system, the right schedule, everything would finally balance.
A Minyan in a Garage
The minyan included mechanics, replete with the mandatory oil-stained hands and grime beneath their fingernails.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.