Born on a kibbutz, Raphael Block spent his boyhood playing on the hills of Haifa. His family returned to London as he turned nine, where learning British English shaped his ear for sound. In 1993 he moved to Northern California with his American wife, Deborah Simon Block, and their three-year-old daughter, Theadora. After Deborah passed away from cancer in 2002, it became Raphael's privilege to raise their child. As a teacher, Raphael worked with children under five for many years in London's inner city. In California he taught all grade levels, including teaching Waldorf, and also worked with kids with disabilities. A Sufi meditation practice and two life-threatening illnesses, Crohn's and MDS, a form of leukemia, have played major roles in intensifying his appreciation and gratitude for the moments of each day.