Haftm Yizhak-Heathwood was born in Ethiopia in 1987, made Aliyah in 1990 and grew up in the Northern Israeli city of Beit She'an.  She moved to New York City in 2011 as an au pair and worked as a nanny for her first years in the United States. Her love for children and helping others eventually led her to join and become involved in many non-profit organizations such as the Jewish Women's Foundation, of which she's a board member, Be'chol Lashon, JOC, and JFREJ.  She now is a full-time Hebrew teacher at Harlem Hebrew Charter School.