Is Israel Safer Than America? Hillel Fuld | Behind the Bima

The world lies to you about Israel. On October 7th, I shut down a multi-million dollar consulting business. Open miracles happened to me every month for three and a half years. There's never been a time in Jewish history where Jews were as safe in America as they are today. >> There's noah. There's no kamas. There's no Iran. We're not Nazi Germany in 1935. What hasn't happened? Name one thing. We are living literally in [music] biblical times. You just flipped the sea before our eyes. Holy cow. We should make [music] aliyah because it's right and it's righteous. >> [music] >> Welcome back to Behind Abima. Our new season after a summer break. We are back and better than ever, I'd say. >> First of all, summer break makes it sound like you and I have been sitting around eating bon bons for the last few weeks, which we have not been. >> Few months. [laughter] >> Time flies when you're having fun. >> Can I just interrupt you for one second? I've never eaten a bon bon in my life. >> It's a phrase. >> What's a bon bon? >> I don't know. >> Okay. >> I don't know. But someone who's eating it will let us know. >> Okay. >> It's a phrase. How was Yantiff, Rabbi Goldberg? >> Y was amazing. >> I think this is our nicest one ever. >> Y is beautiful. It's a gift. It's a beautiful thing. Um my immediate family, our Shul family. Things went smoothly, wonderfully. We have an incredible community who are a part of it, leaders, volunteers, and it was great. Now it's in the rearview mirror. >> Is there one moment though that sticks out in your mind like when you look back at it? >> Um there are many one moments, but I would say the nila this year. Um, thank God our expansion is almost complete. Incredibly exciting, our new campus. And before NLA, we spoke about this is our last time in this place and encouraged people to look around this sacred space, this room, how many times they've dive into Nila here, who was sitting next to them, at what age, where are they now, what are things they've asked for, what are dreams they've realized, what are and just how do we make this our most powerful Nila yet? And leave the space absorbing those sounds. And I felt like the community responded to that. >> They did respond. And you've been milking that line. For those who are listening, every single time anything happens in our show now gets up there and says, "This is our last time in this room." >> I'm first I'm a nostalgic guy. Like I'm one of those people. >> You know how long it took me to get over my parents leaving selling my childhood home. >> I'm well aware. Sure. >> I'm just getting over it. >> I'll tell you a powerful moment for me. >> Yeah. >> It's kind of private and I'm ruining it by saying it out loud because it was always like a very private moment. But it was ruined already this year cuz there's this amazing person who's sitting next to me on the Beimma now. was there at all adavings and so he was there and he kind of saw it which is the vah of Marav of Mozra I I I literally cry it's like an internal quickly gather myself we move on it's Marav but I've never I've never run a marathon I've never done a half marathon but for the runners the y of season for anyone but particularly for Robum >> is a marathon 26.2 2 miles. How long is a marathon? >> Yes, >> it is a marathon. It's a long marathon. And this is the equivalent of running through that tape, the finish line, that is the it's a powerful feeling. It's strong. It You don't get a long time to enjoy it, >> right? >> Um I love our community. I love our people all over the world. But for everyone who is waiting to bother the rabbi till after sukus, can we redefine after sukus as like >> 24 hours after? I agree. A week, but I'm being realistic. 48 hours. I love people, but it's like just a little Could you imagine like somebody who trained for a marathon? You knew they were very busy the week of the marathon. You couldn't talk to them. They ran the marathon and there you were with them on the other side of the tape as they're on the ground clutching their side. Marathon's over. You're like, "Great. Now, can we have that meeting that I wanted to?" So, give us a little buffer, but >> am I allowed to talk about your Simka? >> Sure. >> You could talk about it. I don't know if I can. >> What What What are What might interest some of our listeners? What might be fascinating? I was at a wedding recently of someone who's a very prominent rabbi in New York, >> married someone from our community. And I was just as an observer watching what it's like as a rabbi of a very large community to be running a Simka where you're both the father, you're also the rabbi and you have to balance a lot of different things at the same time. You referenced putting lists together and planning for an upcoming wedding. Um, what is that like as a public rabbi of one of the largest shows in America? >> This is Wasow's way of pointing out that we forgot to invite him to the wedding. Um, [laughter] >> that's actually a fact. we didn't forget to invite you to the wedding. But it's actually indicative of exactly this, which is it's complicated when you're a public person or when you're a rabbi of Ashul, whatever size. Are you entitled to make private events? Are you entitled to decide who in your community are also members and also friends? How do you navigate that without offending people? Um, every community, every shul, every rabbi figures that out differently. We gladly, this will ble be our fourth wedding. And from the first one, we invited the whole shul to the whole thing. One of them was a corona wedding. We had limitations, but um we invited everyone, not the whole shul to the whole thing. We invited the whole shul, first wedding was in Florida and structured the wedding around everyone being able to be there for the and the smorg and and the first dance. Um then the weddings have been in New York where people were invited to the whole thing. Um which we're glad and excited and eager and grateful and it's wonderful. The shul is our family. um not the same as a biological family, but it really is I think we bring both of us share and I hope that's how they feel about us a family. So the first thing is to always give the benefit of the doubt and then uh the second thing is to say I'm only going to look at who's there who's not there. That said, the one thing I'll I'll challenge people to think about is and I don't I don't blame anyone. If I got an invitation from the rabbi and I'm a member of a shul, even if I'm friends, acquaintances, consider myself one of the closer people, somewhere in your mind, you say, "Well, there's a thousand families in the shul. I invited the whole shel. Does it really matter if I'm there? Will I really contribute? Will it even be noticed? Will it be appreciated? Should I spend the money, take off the time from work, make it happen? I totally get that. I totally get that." To which my response to anyone thinking about it is, "It means the world and it's noticed and it's appreciated." And I think rabbis often rebbitsons fairly unfairly are expected to be at everything to the best of their ability. It's the given, it's the assumption, travel halfway around the world, change schedules, miss things with family, show up, stay, do. That's where you are. And then you spend your life or your career or your time and you impact your health, your other priorities, time with your family, and you hope people appreciate your presence and also want to therefore contribute their presence. I understand why they think it's not equal >> in the case of the rabbi being there. Maybe there's a kibb, maybe there's like your presence is felt much more whereas I understand why someone would feel I'm one in many. What difference? Who will notice? And I'm saying it not as a criticism, a judgment or complaint. I'm saying it as an invitation. We we love you and you're noticed and you're appreciated each person. I I I'm not tracking like we we sent out the invitation. But every response that comes in, there's a joy. There's a gishmach. There's a you know, oh, I'm sorry they can't be there. No judgment. I appreciate that they got back to us at least. Or those who can like, "Wow, they're coming. It's going to be amazing." That adds that adds a lot. So that's not putting pressure on anybody whatsoever. It's not easy. We do it often. Takes time, takes money, takes effort. You have to have a place to stay. It's all complicated. Zero00 zero. As as a dear friend of mine likes to say, maximum invitation, minimum pressure. It's it's whatever. But but the one thing I want to just make sure people are clear on is don't think that you're invisible. It doesn't matter. It's not noticed. It doesn't contribute. Every response, every person who comes, the one thing I'll say is don't say you're coming and not come because it's >> right because then you spend the money. >> Yeah, that's the one thing I'll say. Anyways, was that okay? Am I in trouble? >> No, I think that was actually very beautiful because it shows that you care and and I I I've been in that position obviously not having made a wedding, but I I even events that I've done. No, like I'll give you an example because I remember when you were when you when you were making Raali's wedding, Rabbi Gor's eldest daughter. Um, and people either RSVP that they were coming, didn't come, whatever. And and you were walking me through >> the back of the scenes of what happens when someone RSVPs they're coming and that they don't come. I don't know that I fully ever appreciated that. Like being sensitive to stay for the meal that if I said I was staying for the meal to stay for the meal and that totally changed my perspective. >> I proposed this policy and we'll end with this because it's a great conversation. I'm excited to bring it to you. Long time coming and really excited. I I have a proposal for the Jewish people, a social contract we sign with each other. If at the end of the event your place card is still on the table because you didn't come, you pay for your meal. Now, that is only if the meal was served at a reasonable hour. If the wedding was structured so that dinner first came out at 11:30 at night, >> then it's okay if you didn't stay for the main meal. But if you said you're coming and you're seated and you never showed, barring maybe even with a hospital note, but barring a hospital note, I think, and I'm prepared to do myself, if I said I was coming with the best of intentions, I wanted to, whatever reason I didn't, whether a genuine emergency or a manufactured one, we should, you know, >> but I think that's an invisibility thing. People assume that, oh, no one's going to notice. It got busy. My kids >> Yeah. Yeah. We're all guilty of this. I'm only I'm only half joking. But just think about like imagine I said to you, I'm taking you out for a steak dinner, right? >> It's over $100 this dinner. can be served with fine wine. I've made a reservation in the res in the restaurant. The meat is sitting on the plate for you at the restaurant. They're looking for you and you're not there and they throw that piece of steak in the garbage cuz that's what when we say any of us were coming to a come that's the equivalent of what happens. We don't think of it in that way. >> No, that's why I think this is an important conversation. You said does it have to get edited? There are things I didn't appreciate until I saw through your eyes. So I think it's really important for people to commit to it myself and I'm calling on a social contract among the Jewish people and non-Jewish people the whole world. >> We honor our commitment. it here behind the beimma postontiff it 5787 >> Fold is a phenomenal fighter for the Jewish people for Israel become a dear friend our mothers actually went to school together our families go back but our friendship has only blossomed and grown over the last couple years met with our amazing group when we took the flying to Israel here in BRS last year was here in BRS uh recently last year spoke with you and was back here again traveling the globe fighting for aliyah the Jewish people and um amazing conversation we agree on almost everything disagree and some and that's the best part because when you could disagree agreeably and call someone a brother that's the the best part so grateful Hill made the time this was recorded late at night one night and um excited to bring it to you so without any further ado the great Hill fold [music] welcome back to behind the beimma the privilege to sit down late at night with my dear friend Hill fold hill you've been on behind the bea before but it was virtual you were in Israel we were here and we've had the opportunity to be in Israel together several times times um just after October 7th in Beamesh and you spoke to Arvra on an incredible mission, a beautiful machin fly in we took. Thank you for coming out early to Shallayim and to host you in Bokeh as you're doing your holy work recruiting for the Holy Land and uh to have you here in BRS is a great honor. So, it's good to see you, my friend. >> First of all, my my wife's like now she's going to think I'm the coolest guy ever because she's a big fan, as you know. Uh, but jokes aside, you know this, but I I'm gonna You're gonna forgive me for embarrassing you. I don't listen to many podcasts. I don't. It's the truth. I'm We're all very busy. I I'm I get very upset at you when you don't do a partial perspective. I have to tell you, I don't need excuses. I don't care if you're traveling. It's unacceptable. But really, you know, I I as you know, I love, you know, your Torah. I quote you pretty much on a weekly basis. It's truly inspiring. And um I love that we disagree on things respectfully. >> Absolutely. >> That's that's my favorite part. >> And we're probably going to do it tonight. And I think, and I know you posted, I didn't get a chance to watch it, you and Jake Turks, but I think modeling disagreeing agreeably, I think modeling how to care about >> the mic or him. >> Okay. >> I I think [clears throat] um >> I think modeling whether we're going to do it now, I suspect we will, or you just did it, or you do it with others to be able to show that we we can love each other and care about each other, we have so much more in common that divides us and go headtohead on things we care passionately about. That's the Jewish people. That was our history. >> 100%. I think that the art of conversation is lost on the internet and the art of nuance. Gray area, life is gray. It's not black and white and that's okay. And uh you know, I recently read something that really resonated with me is that people talk about the division in Israel and the fighting and it's terrible. There's no doubt about that. But you know what would be worse? There was no fighting cuz people are fighting because they care. We should fight better. We should fight nicer. Shouldn't be, you know, this amount of unfortunate, >> right? >> But it would be much worse if there was no fighting. people care and we all look at look at things differently and we all want different things, you know, for the future of the Jewish people. That's fine. But I I view that as a gift, you know, and again, we got to we got to learn to do it better. For sure. >> It's interesting you say that because I do a fair amount of marriage counseling. I'm not a therapist and I always refer to a therapist. Um I just play whatever role I can to contribute. When a couple's sitting on a couch, they're both quiet, they're both checked out, there's no energy, there's no anger, there's nothing there, it's sort of the kiss of death. You know that it's over. They don't even care enough to fight. you know, when they're fighting, there's hope. Passion is good. Passion. There's Yeah. So, that is a that can be that can be an indication. I saw recently somebody posted something that got to you >> and you even shared it and directed people towards it. This hateful message accusing you of being in this whole thing for the wrong reasons, essentially being a griper. I don't know if they use that word or not. Um, it was interesting because instead of your uh the criticism of which you get an incredible amount of hate, you know, from anti-semites, it's almost easy to disregard that part. I also you get the trolls online. They might even be bots, not even people. But no matter what you do, I was just teaching a shear tonight while you were having this meeting and in real time I saw as I'm streaming it, you know, somebody's flooding the YouTube comments. I had to sort of delete them while I'm giving the shear with, you know, baby killer or whatever. It's easy because you know that's a bot or that's an anti-semite and it's almost but you know but sometimes it could be a fellow Jew or it's somebody that's when it really gets into your skin but um you don't delete it or you don't ignore it. You'll even post and call attention to it. What's the thought process behind that? >> It's a great question. I mean truth be told you know after all these years you would think most people think doesn't get to you. Come on after all these years it does. And uh you know I recently saw an interview with BB and uh you know he was I guess vulnerable. I hadn't seen him this vulnerable in a long time. He said and the interviewer said to him like what this really bothers you and he said yeah and not that I'm comparing myself to be but yeah after all these years 20 years of doing what I'm doing it doesn't make it easier especially when it comes from a Jew. Uh so that's first of all I want to just address that and say that you know people think it's it's not easy doesn't the pain is it's it's a real thing. Um, but yeah, I, you know, it's, I'm always torn on how to react and respond to different things. Um, you know, I'm sure you've seen like in the beginning in the first two and a half years of the war when I'd get all the crazies at my Facebook, I, you know, get so angry and then I'd block them and I'd report them. And I was like, why is why am I letting this get to me? Let's flip this. So now when everyone comes at me, I I have a shortcut on my iPhone and says something like, oh, thank you for your nice comment. I donated money to the IDF in your name. Instead of me getting angry, they're getting angry. So that that helps me psychologically. Uh, but when I read this thing on on Reddit, you know, again, it was Jews talking that way and I I just I honestly I'll be honest. I don't there wasn't a thought. It was an emotional reaction saying like look look how sad the situation is. It's like why? I'm just a guy who's trying to do good. Like, you know, yeah, am I a human being? Do I make mistakes? Do I? Sure. But but why? I don't know what I I I'm not going to pretend this was a strategy that I set and what am I going to accomplish if I post it? That was >> my emotional Yeah, it was my impulses. >> That's also real. It's also raw. It's also showing your human side. I >> don't know why I did it. That's probably wasn't a smart thing to do, by the way. >> It's it's mindboggling. You know, it's wrong, but it's one thing if someone over coffee says, you know, hello bothers me or it's wrong. It's on a pillow talk saying someone's that's all that's wrong, too. But like for a person to take the time and the energy to compose a message and post it online just to just to add hate to the universe, you know, it's really it's really troublesome. I I mean we can sit here for three days straight and I can tell you stories of I'm not again the free Palestine I can deal with that right like you said the the lengths that people go I mean I'll just I'll just tell you one story you might have seen it it is it is a remarkable story I'm in uh Venice Lassocus I believe with my family I'm getting on the plane back to Israel and I get an email from a Jewish woman clearly Jewish woman hi love your work I live here I went to the school You're okay. I'm in Starbucks, she says to me. And in the Starbucks app, I put my name as Amai and the barista gave me my coffee and it said, "The Jews killed Charlie Kirk." And in the email, she the cup was there, the picture of the cup. I said, "That's terrible. You know, do you want me to post it?" And she said, "Yeah, I think you should raise awareness to this." I said, "Okay, should I tag you?" And she said, "No, I closed all my social media on October 7th. I don't have any social media, but please feel free to tag." I said, "Which Starbucks did it happen?" And she tells me. I said, "Okay." I I wrote the post. It went viral. And then I get an email from this woman. Turns out it's an anti-semite who made an entire fake identity just to make me look stupid. And they say, "Now you have to go tell your followers that you believe some stranger on the internet. You reported this as if it was you reported fake news." Like what what did you get maybe? In other words, just to make me look stupid. This wasn't the first, second, third, or fourth time the same person tried to do a trick. They the same person, they they sent me a a country song that they said, "Oh, I'm a pro-Israel country singer. I gave you a shout out in the chorus. Here's the the song. It's a beautiful song." So, I shared it. Three hours later, I start getting bombarded with messages. Why are you sharing anti-Israel songs? I was like, what are you talking about? I go in there. I don't even know how this guy did this. Technically, I don't know how he did it. He went into the link that he shared with me, swapped the good song for the anti-Israel song. I just shared an anti-Israel song to 900,000 people. >> The links that people go like, what do you gain? Just make me look stupid. It's un and that's not even scratching the surface. It's unbelievable. >> Wow. What do you Well, I I'll come back to the next question, but what interests me about that post was fascinating. First of all, you know, the level of depravity that somebody would take the time and compose and put that up with hate. The fact that you posted it, fascinating. But you were asked or you shared whether you were ever going to go back, maybe I don't know if it was in the context of that post or another, whether you'd go ever go back to your tech career, tech way of life, and you said, "No, this is it." And I'm curious why. Um, you've tasted the taste of a life of meaning and purpose. Your calling is to fight for the Jewish people. Certainly the response to your heroic brother who you know came to our community and was close with our community and I have a poster that hangs in my suka every year we think about him. Um people don't know our moms went to school together and we didn't have to school with your brother but yeah but but our families go back. Um why not why not say I've tasted this and I always will do it. I've done it full-time but I'm going to I'm going to continue to do it as a passion on the side as a calling. But you know what? I love tech. It's a career. Got to take care of my family and I want to go back to that. Why? Why' you say so definitively you're not going back to that? >> Would you go to Hollywood and be an actor? >> No. >> Why? This is your calling, >> right? >> You wake up every day with meaning and you know this is what you put on earth to do, >> right? I'm speaking on your I think. >> Yeah. >> That's how I feel. And if I have any any question, sure, there are days where I say I just can't do this anymore. Hashem, I listen, you know me. I'm not aid. Okay. But when I tell you that open miracles happen to me every month for three and a half years, that is not an exaggeration. And I want to I just want to elaborate a little bit on that. On October 7th, I shut down a multi-million dollar consulting business. Wasn't even a question in my mind. That's what I needed to do because I have access to a very unique audience, a tech world that not many people have access to. I realized I needed to leverage that. So, I shut down the business, do advocacy, and I shut down any source of income literally. So, how am I feeding my family for three and a half years? Every month for the last three and a half years, I go into my bank account. This is getting very personal, but it's okay. I look at my bank account. I'm in the red. I'm like, where? What? A week later, I come. There's money in the account. Masak Nasa, Israeli IRS paid me. My car insurance paid me back because I paid too much taxes 5 years ago. A American lawyer contacts me. He says, "We sued Iran for the full family. Here's money." Uh last last month, a a a guy I know from the neighborhood. I think I've had one conversation in my entire life. He says, "I'm running for primaries. Here's money. I need you to help me with market." Every month for three and a half years, Hashem says, "I got you." Wow. Literally, I'm not exaggerating. What What happened? So after 3 years, first three years, I was freaking out every month. After three years I say I show my wife I'm like look she's like what are we I'm like I don't know but come back in a week. She said what do you what does that mean come back come back in a week. Week later boom every single month for three and a half years. So if I have any doubt and again there are days like keep doing I got you lit literal miracles. It's unbelievable. >> What do you credit your imprint fingerprint whatever the tech term is for your influence online when you add up your views your followers across platforms is astronomical. every now and then you'll compound it and post it and I know you're not doing that out of ego but really out of gratitude for the impact that you're having. What do you what do you credit to? Why are the people jumping on is it because there are a lot of components to what you do. >> Yeah, I think >> one component of what you do, correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, you know, I'm not following super closely, but I do follow I I enjoy and I benefit, right? One component of what you do is news. You know, you're often helping people. I don't get my news from any websites anymore. I certainly don't watch the news and by the time a newspaper's printed it's old news. Um on Twitter there are certain accounts where there are people who are reliable who are in real time before the news even knows reporting and you're one of the people who's who's sharing news. There's a spiritual component of what you do whether it's your meeting with the big boss every morning or often with your fillinon and sharing the importance and the centrality of that in your life. Whether it's your weekly dvarra and your sign off there's the spirituality component of what you're doing. There's the advocacy, right? Taking on anti-semmites, fighting, not afraid, speaking your mind. There's um I hope I'm not leaving out any of any of >> the personal stuff, the car, the tech, right? There's the ali part. Then I wonder what role you think >> the fact that you do share about your cool new I don't know if these glasses are recording us right now. Or I don't know which watch you're choosing. I guess I see it matches your shirt, so it's from the collection. Or the car that you're blown away by. You you let people in. You're really open and you let them into your life. And including the example I just said where you were really hurt by something someone did on Reddit and you know maybe it was impulsive but you didn't take it down. You said I share who I am with the world. I wear it on my sleeve. Which of all those or is it the combination together that you think is responsible for this incredibly large following? >> So I think the answer is first and foremost this is what I tell entrepreneurs in my previous life of marketing is consistency. Right. I think you know people like consistency right? People like patterns, right? You do something, they come to expect it and you deliver it, they're happy and then it continues, right? So, I'm consistent. Maybe a little bit too consistent. I post a lot. Uh, but I think that people appreciate that so long as it's a good balance and it's not all gosh meas and it's not all, you know, I try to balance it. But I do think there's the vulnerab vulnerability aspect that people appreciate that and the authenticity. But I think if I had to sum it all up in one word and again you mentioned Ari left many legacies but if if you ask me what his main legacy is this one word it's truth right you know I'm starting this podcast now and the tagline is the world lies to you about Israel this podcast won't right and the good news bad news good news is that I didn't take money from anyone the government any so that I can remain independent so that I can speak my mind and nobody's going to tell me that I can't call Judea and Samaria and many have tried take our money just call it the West Bank >> it's just a word just call it the West call the Palestinians. I'm not playing that game. So, I can say whatever I want and I can speak my mind and sometimes that annoys people, sometimes a lot, but I think that you can disagree with me, but I think that many people appreciate the raw truth. And in today's highly political world where you have to think about everything you say 15 times, they appreciate the fact that I just say what needs to be said. And yeah, do again, I'm a human being. Do I say things that maybe are a little bit over the top sometimes? Sure. Do I offend people sometimes? Yes. I don't mean to offend people sometimes. But I think that appreciate people appreciate truth because we're living in a post-truth world. This is just, you know, you know this better than anymore. It's an oler. Like >> what are the trends you saw when you saw your audience spike? What happened that made them spike? Were you the first to break a story? Were you letting them in on something vulnerable? Have you seen because I'm sure you, you know, maybe you didn't analyze or study too deeply, but you know, sometimes when you say, I'll give you an example, right? I I don't even manage. There are other people who help me put the stuff um up, but but every now and then I'll take a video and put it on. We do a hula for the Bubba Sally every year. Did a hula for the Bubba Sali and I'm dancing with Schlom Legassi. Schlomassi, you know, if you know this community, you can not know Schlom Legassi. Amazing. Moroccan Israeli incredible Jew we love. So at the Bubba Hila Babasali, I'm wearing like the Moroccan I don't even know what they're called and I'm dancing with him and it's like a 30 second video put up Instagram. Also, I don't often but a little bit like let in on the other side of of the railway. This this thing went like viral in Morocco. >> It's at like I mean not for you impressive but I don't know 600,000 views of like >> impressive objectively but it's impressive whatever it is but I mean again to me it's like I'd much rather you listen to my parish class read like not watch me dance for 30 seconds wearing a Moroccan outfit. Um so but but I can clearly see that that spike. So are there things or trends that you see in what you're using these platforms for that will result in bringing that outcome? So on October 7th again once I decided to shut down the business I sat and I said okay what what does the world need from me in other words you know everyone in their mother's doing and due respect we don't need more hazar people so what what does the world need and I realized the world needed two things one is a source of real-time accurate information about Israel real time and accurate are mutually exclusive generally speaking if it's real time I can't verify it and if it's verified it's not real time but I'm getting feeds from you know do it from the spokesperson's office and the kesset and from formal feeds and so I'm able to cross reference and make sure that whatever I post is accurate. And I have to say I'm very proud of the fact that in the last three and a half years, I think there were three maybe four instances where I posted something that wasn't inaccurate. It was early. So, for example, when we got Muhammad def, I was told by the government, we got him and I it's confirmed. Got it. I think I was probably the first on the internet to report it and I found out it wasn't confirmed afterwards and so I had to take it down. Three or four times that happened. Other than that, I've been accurate, which is a lot harder than it sounds in a world of disinformation. So that's one thing and I think people appreciate that to to be told to to to hear the real truth, unfiltered truth, not what they're hearing on BBC or C, but the real truth on the ground. Here's what's happening. Um, and the second thing I realized we needed that nobody's doing as far as I can see is that, you know, there's a lot of loss and devastation and mourning. Obviously, there's a lot of incredible things happening and there's enough people focusing on the loss and devastation. I try to be a source of positivity, right? You know, yes, there are a lot of people focusing on this pigu or this and I'm not diminishing the importance of reporting. Those things are important, but that's other people do that. Me, we got a we got a we got a kamas guy. I'll be the first to report it. We, you know, broke a record in tech. I'll be the first I I if you're following me, I give you a reason to get up in the morning. I want to give you a reason to smile because there's a lot of reasons to smile. Again, objectively speaking, there are incredible things. We are living I don't need to tell you this. We are living literally in biblical times to the we're seeing miracles of biblical proportions on an hourly basis. And people don't, you know, realize this because >> just like init miracles are all around us and we just take it for granted. But every time we intercept a missile, a ballistic missile with a missile, we should stop what we're doing >> and we should look up to Hashem and say, "You just split the sea before our eyes. Holy cow." But what do we do? We say, "Oh, we we got a missile. Great. What's for dinner? Come on." But this is what we do. This is what we did back then. What we do today? So I I I try to keep my eyes open and see things hopefully that maybe other people's don't people don't see. And so I try I try to focus on the good and there's a lot of good. So I think that people appreciate that in in a in a world in a dark world a lot of sadness. When I give people a reason to smile, I think they appreciate that. >> So on an average day when you're deciding what to post, how often to post, do you feel a pressure like I haven't been visible? I need to write something or I need to post something. Do you have certain in your mind spoken or unspoken rules of how often, what content, how you diversify what it is? So, I'm a little bit I'm not going to lie, I'm a little bit OCD with this stuff. Uh like if I can't post my Shabas picture with my Vartra, I it's not good, >> right? >> It's not good, >> right? >> Um and and it's easy when I'm at home, but when I'm traveling, it's not always so easy. It's it's not good. This this coming job is I'm going to be in Manhattan. I don't know what I'm going to do. Like, it's it's I'm already thinking about it. Like it's uh so there are certain things that I post daily like obviously my my fill-in picture and if I miss that day like for example this morning I ded I'm not going to whatever a big person that you know in his opinion in his house and uh it was a very very quick you know it's fine whatever I don't judge but but chauffeur like it was about a second and a half by the time I clicked record on my glass it was done I was like oh my god I didn't post chauffeer I've been post shower every single day of now you think anyone's life changed because of No, but but but but it weighs on me. Again, it's for sure an OCD. Um but uh but so there there are consistent things that I do on a daily or a weekly basis and I stick to that. But no, I I you know, again, there are many marketing people out there who have strategies and they plan. I don't I don't I never did that. I have a piece of content. I will say that um especially when it comes to my Dora, like it's it's a little bit of an out-of- body experience cuz again, specifically my Dora, I don't even know where this stuff comes from. Again, I get inspiration from you. I get some, but like I just mentioned this Kisavo thing. I don't know where it came from. It could be that subconsciously I read it somewhere. I remembered it. I don't know what, but some it it really feels in a very weird way. I'm becoming a at my old age. It feels in a very weird way that Hashem's like through me, you know, and so often times I I'll just I'll I I'll stop. I have a post. I have a thing in my I just got to do it. I can't push it. I got to do it. Uh I write freakishly fast. That's the truth. Like I all on my phone. I never I don't touch a computer. Really? I don't touch a computer literally. Uh I it's a you'd see me type on my phone. It's freakishly fast. Like for real. Um but uh so so yeah. So so it's the consistent ones that I do every day or every week and then it's it's in the moment inspiration. It could be a stupid thing like a car. This morning I saw an Aston Martin. I love Aston Martin. So I posted a picture, right? There's no there's no more. >> So take us through the thought process. cuz you see an afterstine and you like it and then you post it cuz you say other people might like it too or other people might like be curious to see what I like or >> I I don't think that way at all. I like this car. I'm going to post a picture of it. Period. >> You go to a sim with your wife. You'll post a picture. Friend's kid got married. We're at the simka. Yeah. Walk us through the thought process. >> I'm not criticizing. >> No, no. I I wish there was a thought process. There's no thought process. Literally a simka. My wife's beautiful. She dresses nicely. I'm in a nice suit. Some custom guy made me a custom suit. Post a picture. There's no, again, I'd like to pretend, you know, as a marketing professional, everything should be strategy. There's no strategy. Some some things there are, but you know, if I'm promoting something, that's a different discussion, but if I'm posting a picture of my wife, just come post a picture of my wife. There's no there's no uh you know, and by the way, the annoy shouldn't. There are a lot of people who are upset about this. They're like, well, gosh me your watches. Leave me alone. You don't like my watches? There's an unfollow button. >> The amazing thing about all this is that would you like your money back? Like, what do I owe you? Exactly. If you don't enjoy, you don't like it. % >> don't watch it. >> Okay. You know what? And I'll be honest with you here. Carry them. My father hates it. >> My father he hates all the gosh. When I I not I'm not dumb enough to mention the watches to him, right? >> Because the once or twice that I've had, he almost killed me. He hates this stuff. Whatever. So, >> you know, so I I do I do think about that sometimes. I know he sees my stuff, but uh again, the gosh, it bothers a lot of people. It does get a lot of push back from that. But again, it's me. It's who I am. And yeah, I like cars. I like tech. And I love Israel. I love Judaism. It's all, you know, and like I'm starting this podcast right now. I was sitting with someone a couple hours ago, a big investor. He's like, "So, what? So, what's the focus? You have this podcast that does this, this podcast. What's your focus?" I'm like, "Me? It's worked." I mean, it's the content I've been doing for 25 years. People like it. So, I'm going to continue doing it in an audio format. That's all. >> How do you deal with the diversity of your audience? Right. So, you still have tech people who follow you who might not be Jewish and they're reading at Torah. They're seeing you check out for Shabas. They're watching you wear felactories. Yeah. >> Do you worry if I post too much sort of religious or intense or inaccessible to them, they'll drop out and if I post too much there, they'll drop. How do you >> So, two things. First of all, I don't again I don't I never think about this. I just don't think, oh, someone unfollow me. Just it's a little manote, as we say. It's just not on my radar. I don't care. If someone's unfollowing them, unfollow me. Again, clearly something's working. It's been working for 25 years. Um but um the most gratifying thing out of all of the incredible messages that I get from people whether it's I started wearing fillin because of you whatever are the Christians and the non-Jews who say to me I love your Torah stuff. I love I'll tell you a quick story amazing story. I never I don't think I've ever told this publicly. So when I was in KBY back in the day it was clear to me beyond any shadow of a doubt. What did I just do? >> You went to KBY. I went to Ky. >> It was clear beyond any I love I I love Torah. I love Gomar. It was clear to me beyond any shadow of a doubt that I'm going to be co team. It was no question in my mind. I love I love it. Then life happened tech and startups and I life happened. I just wasn't co team. So at one point I just I just got fed up and I'm like this is crazy. Like it's not even like you you don't like you love it do it. So I reached out to a neighbor of mine wrote Mosha Raymond who was a tremendous I said rabbi come on make some time for me. So we started doing a kabusa started being a shas we do it. So what did I do? So I said, "Okay, so to keep me accountable and maybe to help others, let's live stream this this uh this kabusa." So I would live stream it and you know, hundreds of people would tune in. It was always very nice. Fast forward maybe 3 months after we started the kabus and I'm at Google Israel Tel Aviv. A woman walks over to me full Muslim garb. I'm talking eyes. She says, "You're hella fold, right?" I said, "Yeah." She goes, "I love your Torah lessons." I'm like, "Come again?" She goes, "How could I be a good Muslim if I don't learn Torah?" So she says to me, blew my mind. the people that watch and the people Christians that come over to me I love your Torah I learned so that to me is I'm not saying about myself it feels to me like I did something good today like you know so you know I I don't again I don't concern it doesn't concern me diversity if it doesn't speak to someone there's an unfollow button that's fine but I you know I do try to speak to a wider audience in other words I'm not when I write my different I don't write it in a from way that people who aren't from don't understand I try to write in a global whatever but um but getting that kind of feedback from people is the most amazing It drives you. It's beautiful. >> 100%. >> It's beautiful. Talk to us about Israel. Um, you know, October 6th was unprecedented divide, the judicial reform. Uh, I think it's been proven that Hamas leveraged it. They attack when they did because they thought we were most vulnerable, which has always been our story in history. Ham did the exact same thing. October 8th, unprecedented unity. Like nothing I felt in my life. I don't know about you, and yours. And now 3 years later, it just feels over the gu over other issues. I was in Israel for an extended period over the summer and this concern you on the one the average people among the people themselves right I'm not flexing but the shabasan band were here and we had a conversation shabas afternoon publicly and I asked a similar question and and yes said and and the band members agreed and he has incredible diversity among his band they're an incredible staff it's the second time that they all came for Shabas we have beautiful shabas with them and he said you know it it's the headlines talk all about the division of the makas because people are making money off of inciting it but when you talk to the people there's There's a lot of love. There's a lot of unity. There's still disagreement. There's still strongly held opinions, but underneath it is this feeling we're one nation. We're one people. So, is it is that right? Is is it the headlines? Is there really a divide? Are we fracturing? Do we have to be worried? What what's happening these elections? Are they going to just make things worse? Exacerbate? >> If you want to know the truth and not the algorithms, go to Isharibo concert. My first concert ever. Now, I'm a huge fan. First, it was in Quesaria. And you know, I was I knew his music a little bit. I wasn't when he started to sing the avoda >> and 20,000 Israelis with tattoos and earrings and started singing the avod forget the algorithms they're full this is this I've never experienced anything like in my life this is the bas this is what it felt like to be it was unbelievable so we have to understand how the algorithms work the algorithms show us what they know will engage us that will stay what will engage us something that angers us so so what we see we see the anti-Israel right the anti the other sees the opposite, right? It's what's going to engage. Um, so you know, we have to remember that the algorithms do not reflect reality. That's number one. Number two, if I put you in a room with again a super duper sec, you know, tattooed earrings and the works with a hardcore karate guy from Ben Brock and I gave them a list of a thousand core values. How many of them would they agree on? 980. 20 of them they disagree. And that's what we focus on because that's what gets clicks. But that's not reality. The reality is go stand on the side of the road in Israel. See what happens. That's reality. And I and I'm speaking from experience. Literally, I I had I broke down one time. I was never experienced anything like in my life. We had I had six Israelis fighting over who's going to help me. Let alone Yiddi. It's unbel That's Kal Israel. That's the real Kali Israel. Are there challenges? >> Of course there are challenges. I think I told you this this this vort that I heard that I every time I tell it I get chills. So I have to repeat it. It's unbelievable. As we know, the first thing that we know about our nation basically is one of the first things we know about. So, Rashi uses I told you this, right? I tell you this, this is unbelievable. If I didn't, oh my gosh. Rashi used the word, right? So, if you think about an event that united the Jewish people like never before or at least since October 8th that happened the last couple years was the day of the Bibas family. The Bibbas family came back in those coffins. There was no politics. There was no division. There was pure unity and love. Unfortunately, we were mourning together which is problem in general. We wait to to fight, you know, to unite over mourning. But that day there was no division. And the names of the Bibbas family is Kafir, Ariel, Yard, Shiri, Kafir, Kaf, Ariel, Alf, Yard, Yud Shir, Kish. >> Someone told me this this board when I was I was driving back from telev. I had to pull over to the side of the road. I was like shaking. I was like that is un it's a nice concept. But but [clears throat] on a deeper level, unfortunately, this is what we do. We wait for tragedy to unite us. And you know, it's true. On October 8th, I remember I'll never forget it. I'm driving to Tel Aviv on I was like, "Oh my god, this is it. That's it. Mashia's tomorrow." And then 3 weeks later, >> you know, this is what we do. It's it's terrible. It's sad, but but again, like I said before, I I prefer this over over no fighting. I prefer this over, like you said, you know, like you said, a couple if there's no, then it's done. So So we fight We don't fight in the greatest ways, but but at least we care. >> You mentioned BB. I don't want to get into I I know you're a fan and you you post that. You're not afraid to post that. You know, in America, there's a sense that the haters seem to always they don't just hate Israel, they'll attach it to BB, right? BB BB BB as a representation of all that they hate. And he's become such a polarizing figure. And I suspect I know you're going to answer this, but I'm going to ask it anyway. It feels like, and I'm not weighing in about BB, but it feels like at this point there can't be a reset until there's someone new. Meaning, right, the anti-semites and the haters are always going to hate. And the people who get us and understand us and stand with us, please God, they'll continue to do so. But there's a significant number in the middle and they're believing and they're buying into this Israel perpetated a genocide or they're killing innocent children. They don't say Israel, they say BB. and and they may giving them the opportunity to come back might require Israel moving on from BB. He's not going to be the prime minister forever. He's not going to live forever. Nobody does. So, do you think he's polarizing? Do you think that for Israel to have the opportunity for a reset and a reboot and for again not the haters but some of the middle ground who used to and want to maybe come back to be able to say I can come back because oh those policies or the things I spoke about even though they were not true or or as the pendulum has swung that it doesn't matter who it is they're going to hate no matter what and it's not about BB. >> I think the answer is a combination of a lot of things that you said and I think it's very nuanced. First of all to be clear I never voted for BB. I didn't vote for B. What I voted for is not the point, but I didn't vote for BB. And and and you spoke about the tech world. One of not the reason, but one of the reasons I wouldn't go back even if I wanted to is because I am in the tech world labeled a fascist. Why? Because I'm not on Kaplan screaming BB and I didn't vote for BB, but I'm a beast. It's that's a that's a topic for another. It's a ridiculous thing. But so I didn't vote for BB. That being said, I guess you can't say objectively. To me, it's objective that he is a generational diplomat. I think there there's not a politician maybe in the world at at the level of of Benjamin Netanyahu. I think he's a phenomenal talent. Is he perfect? Of course not. Uh should he be replaced eventually? 100%. Tell me who. That that's what I ask my friends in the tech world. They said great. Fine. I'm with you. Who? Tell me who. Give me a name. Laid going to run this country. Can you imagine Laid standing up to Trump? What? What are you talking about? Who? Give me a name. You know, and and I got to tell you again, get a little personal here. I love Napy Bennett as a friend. He's entrepreneur. Great guy. I love him. He's a good friend. I speak to him once a day. And I I I confronted him once and I said to him, you know, what were you thinking? You told Israel on TV you're not going to sit with the Arabs and two weeks later you sat with the Arabs. And I got to tell you, I don't agree with what he told me, but I respect him for it and I believe that it's authentic. He said to me, "You don't think I knew I was committing suicide when I did that? You don't think I knew that if I just two weeks ago declared on TV that I'm not going to sit with them. I You don't think I knew that I was?" I said, "So, why'd you do it?" He said, "Because at that time, I thought what Israel needed was a unity government." Now, again, obviously, I don't agree with him. I don't think sitting with people that are anti-ionist makes any sense whatsoever. I don't think he should be in parliament. It's a crazy thing. But I I people think I'm naive. They think he did it because he wanted to be prime minister. Maybe maybe I am naive, but I I I do believe that he did it for the right reasons. But at the end of the day, his politics are ridiculous. I don't think he has a single thing that he stuck with. So I have no problem with someone replacing BB. In fact, I think near Bark could replace BB. I think he could. I think there are people who can replace BB. I mean, Fageland's not going to replace him because of his opinions, but I think he's a talented, you know, politician. There are people who could potentially lead the country, right? Find me one. Give me a name. Give me a name that's running for prime minister that can do this. And and by the way, you know, the claim that people say is, "Yeah, but BB doesn't, you know, doesn't train people to replace him. Anyone around him, okay, maybe maybe that's true. I don't know. I don't I don't know. All I know is that when I see him speaking in Congress, I get chills. I get goosebumps." Right. And I the thought of again laid or any of these clowns yay golan saying that we kill babies for like who you know. >> Yeah. I you know you're just wondering where I'm coming from is just wondering that if a person becomes so polarizing that their mere n the mere mention of their name >> splits a room or evokes eye or takes away people's objectivity to even evaluate the truth in the news because even if it's undeserved it could be that it's undeserved but I mean you said it before but I think do do we believe for a second that if BB's replaced that that the hate won't just transfer >> I don't think Bernie Sanders is going to turn around and say you know now Israel's good we got rid of BB and now I'm behind him on >> whoever it is they'll trash next. >> I agree they're not. But I just wonder as the numbers are swinging and as the concerns are rising and as we need to win people back, I think there are decent good people out there and they want the opportunity themselves to even reset. I'm not talking about Miss Rachel and Bernie and whoever else. Um and I don't know what will give them that chance to say, you know, let's do a reset. You know, the challenge is that Israel's in the news every day. It's a huge challenge. I did um Amid Sega was here for Shabas this year. It was fascinating and fantastic and such a great source of information and we did a conversation on mot shabas with Ben Shapiro and and him and I wasn't able to yet share it online. Um but they sort of both agreed that the challenge has been Israel's been in the news for three years sustained. If they would have done everything they need to do in the first three weeks of the war, well, they had the sympathy of the world, that would have shifted quickly also and the criticism would have come and come fiercely, but it would have been done in three weeks and then everyone's back to using all the technology and taking advantage and investing in open office there and whatever. And instead, it's just been three years and it doesn't seem there's an end to it. It's like every day the headlines. That's the real strategy is not winning the headlines, it's getting out of the headlines. I mean, as long as Israel's in the headlines, it's going to lose. >> So, how do you get off the headlines? >> I That's what I'm saying. don't think that it has anything to do with BB. I don't think I don't think there's anything we can do to get out of headlines. I, you know, I don't mean to sound like the anti-semitism is a constant. It's built into the DNA of the universe, but it's the reality. And the reality is that it doesn't matter. We could have literally golan running this country and they'll still find a way, you know. So, I I don't think it is. I think BB is just the excuse. I think, you know, I don't think that that's the real issue, but but you know, I know I know that we're we're running out of time here. And you you mentioned text. I I have to say something about this. Okay. I heard from you. I quote this all the time. I'm not going to say the whole thing over right now, but you know that that puk I think 90% of Jews and 90% of Christians are familiar with that puk. Those who bless the Jewish people will be blessed. Those who curse the Jewish people will cursed. So so people talk a lot about the cursing part, right? Those who cursed Jewish people will be cursed. But but let's talk about the blessed part for one second. And you know I can't help but merge my two worlds. >> I can't help but look at the intersection, right? And this is I don't know how one can deny this or debate this. You look at the top 10 most valuable country companies in the world. Top 10 most valuable companies in the world number one Nvidia. Nvidia just tripled their presence in Israel. They are the CEO of Nvidia is more more binist than me put together. Right? Then when we have Apple, Apple builds their chip in Herzelia and they're you know just acquired a company the second biggest acquisition in their history just now. They buy an Israeli company QI who I met this weekend is phenomenal. Probably for another time, right? And after that we have Google and Meta. These guys are they're all over Israel. everyone. I think nine of the 10 top most valuable companies in the world are hardcore Zionist companies that are doubled and tripled and doubled down and tripled companies there right now because they're smart and good, but it could change if the wrong people boycott the boycott. >> I don't think so. I don't think so. I think some of them, for example, Microsoft did did pull back a little bit, but again, Nvidia, these people, I mean, the guy they're they're not they're not small presence, right? And you know, you talk about Google, biggest acquisition in their history. That's a big freaking deal. in the middle of an existential war on eight fronts. We saw the biggest acquis insane things going on and so I I believe that I believe that these guys have blessed the Jewish people and they are blessed as a result. Not to say you know don't have great products they have great technology of course >> but I I I genuinely believe that today in today's you see that those that stand with the Jewish people are blessed and those by the way who stand against the Jewish people take any country you want. Name any country that's against the Jews and look what their country looks like. Pretty much without exception. >> Yeah they're Muslim. >> Yeah. But it's not only Muslim. It's not only in Europe. You say this >> is a Muslim country. >> You Muslim country. >> But you see pretty much across the board, anybody who stands with the Jews in pretty good shape. Anyone who stands against the Jews is in pretty bad shape. It's a real part of the conversation. >> The word aliot didn't come up once. >> Love it. >> Problem to do it again. >> No, the truth is it's an easy thing to talk about because we both believe in it. Encourage it, promote it, support it. Maybe the tactics of the language different. You live it in our example of it. And I'm pushing on this. >> How long does American jewelry have? >> We're going to we're not having the conversation. >> How long? Give me Come on. A number. >> I don't know. A lot of people went down trying to predict these kind of things in history. So I don't think this is the fundamental part that you and I disagree on. There are enough amazing, incredible, compelling reasons to make aliyah to be drawn to Israel that you don't need to talk about where you're running from. That's my opinion. >> But both why is it mutually exclusive? Both. >> It doesn't have to be. But I don't think it's good when people go cuz they're running from something. >> So So I know we're not going to get into this, but we two minutes on this, can we? >> Sure. >> So here here's my question. Okay, let's play a little game here. I'm my grandmother. >> Yeah. >> You're me. 1935. I'm saying to you, you want me to leave? Talk to me about why it's great to go to America. >> The whole comparison. >> Okay. I'm not Forget comparison. I'm asking a real question now. If I'm my grandmother and I say to you, stop fearongering. Stop being hysterical. We're fine. This is Germany. We're good. You know what's about to happen. What do you say to me? Forget comparison. What you would say to me is what I'm saying to you. And and people are saying you're fearongering. Stop being negative. Stop poking. And I agree with you. >> I don't say that. I say there are a lot of reasons to be concerned. There are a lot of signs. There are a lot of problems. But it's not Nazi German 1935 by any stretch. Now you can't begin to compare a country that passed Nuremberg laws whose own government turned on its people um who had this underlying hate all along and a country who the president is the best friend ever had in history together with most of his cabinet overwhelmingly a governor Republican members of Congress. We have friends among the across the aisle of Democrats in the great free state of Florida. A governor and uh elected officials and sheriff's office and you can't compare. Are there reasons for concern? other signs a thousand% ask your name. Can I ask you a name? So Nuremberg laws once the Nuremberg laws passed that's holocaust legislated against Jews were there done >> I would love to know a single thing the real question I mean this genuinely give me a single thing that happened in Nazi Germany that led up to the Nerburgg law that has not happened today being vandalized Jewish businesses being boycotted not being Jews not being allowed to go to businesses. as Jew is being hunted down and ma and and and killed and murdered and what what what windows being shattered, graffiti, what what hasn't happened? Name one thing. >> I'll ask you this. There's never been a time in Jewish history where Jews were as safe in America as they are today with everything you just said. There's never been a time in in history where Jews are as safe in America as they are today with all the problems that we have. >> Okay. So, it doesn't mean that we don't have issues and people should make aliyah because that's our homeland. It's where we belong. It's where we should go. Even if America was safe, thriving, loving us, and and desperately wanting us to stay, we should still make Ali%. >> So, I just believe the danger threat. It's much dangerous to much more dangerous to be a Jew in Israel than it is in America. Statistically, >> that's not true. I'll show Can I read Can I read you one piece of stat? >> Were there millions of Jews running to bomb shelters over the last 3 years in America? >> Can I just read to you one one thing and then we'll I know we have to end. I must cuz you you read this book also and I I took a screenshot of it because it blew my mind. >> Okay. So yes, it's true that we read on the news that they're bombs. >> Quit while I was ahead. >> There's, you know, we read on the news the rockets and of course we see this. Now, now I'm going to read to you this the data. Teenage mortality rates, >> right? >> Okay, this is hard data. Okay, out of every 100,000 teens in America, 14 die of road accidents. In Israel, four suicide in America, 11.6, Israel, 3.1. Violence in America, 15. In Israel, 1.1 school shootings in America, 0.1, Israel, zero. Terrorism in America, zero. In Israel, 0.2 too. In total, out of every 100,000 teens in America, 40 of them die in Israel, eight. That's data. >> That has nothing to do with being Jewish. All that data, none of that had to do with being Jewish. >> But it's danger. It's more >> That was mortality, health, healthc care, road accidents. I'm not discreeing. No, but I'm having a different question. Where is it? Where are you more in danger as a Jew? In America or in Israel? >> Infinitely more danger in Israel. Israel surrounded by enemies who wanted demise. They've shot ballistic missiles. They've attacked. They stormed across the border on October 7th. We >> have an army there. >> Agreed. None of that's a reason you should continue to make aliyah. But my point is that's why that's not a winning argument. >> I don't agree that it's safer here than it is. >> It's much more it's much safer >> based. I don't know. >> How many Jews have been killed in America for being Jewish? >> So now with the hate crime, 60% of all hate crimes being Jewish hate crime. That's cuz someone yelled dirty Jew or my daughter was at the gas station and someone yelled free Palestine. Another one of those is registered hate crime. How many Jews have been killed in America for being Jews? How many Jews in Israel have been killed for being Jews? Okay. So, the question is >> it's a silly debate because I'm not using that as an argument to explain why we shouldn't go. I'm arguing absolutely we should go. I'm so glad you're here. Come every week and when you said use the use the shul every week for free. We'll promote it. We'll advertise it. Nothing because I am all in on encouraging and promoting and supporting and celebrating and 20 families from Ali this summer. I'm with you. You're buying the moarmas. I love it. You met a group of them with me in BB. I'm all for it. >> I have to address this one thing though. I have to. But the reason to go is to go not to become a or because of comparison of words. >> My friend says we should you should choose not to run 100%. Okay. But I have to cuz I don't want >> and any other decision you make in life any other decision. Yeah. >> Do you look at the trajectory? You look at what's ahead or you look at what's happening right now. If you're walking in the street and there's a pit in front of you for sure. >> Okay. So now where's Israel heading? Where's America headed for Jews? That's what you need to look at. You want to look at what who died this week? More Jews. M Jews died in Israel. Is that the way you make any decision in life? Even even that argument again and I hate making the argument because I don't believe it. I believe we should make aliyah nonetheless. But if you ask me the trajectory, there are a lot of people who are talking about America is not going to go all the way through with Iran. Iran may end up getting a nuclear weap. I mean, you we don't know. The trajectory is not clear in either direction where really >> Yeah. You don't think Israel is getting safer and America is getting more dangerous for Jews? >> Is Israel have gotten safer over the last 10 years than it was 10 years ago? >> Are you kidding? There's nobah. There's no kamas. There's no Iran. What are you talking about? There's no less Syria. Israel is infinitely safer than it was a year ago. >> Earlier today, there were rockets from Hezbollah into the north today. Today, >> how many people died? >> I I understand that. But my point is to defend ourselves or Florida. I I we should make aliyah because it's right and it's righteous. We agree that because either of us can predict where it's going to be more dangerous. I don't know for the next 10 years or 50 for my children where they'll have to flee more for being a Jew. I know that they can't protect themselves from Jew in America, but they can in Israel. You know the army is made up of predict we can't predict right so that's why I'm saying the reason that's why my point our starting point and our end point are the same which is we should talk aliyah promote aliyah celebrate aliyah push aliyah encourage aliyah and I can't wait to turn the lights out and everybody go our strategy and methodology how we do it is where we disagree and we do it with love >> I don't think there's again I I we're together I 100% agree with everything you just said I just don't think that it should be mucus I think both of them are important points we should focus on the good 100% I'm with you out the things to concern I'm I'm deeply deeply concerned. Let tell you the truth. I'm deeply concerned having, you know, opened the history book. It's never gone back in the bag. It's never happened. An anti-semitism has not got better. It's only gotten worse. We open history. We know what's about to happen. So, I'm looking at the trajectory. I say there's a pit in front of me. I'm not going to walk into the pit. I'm going to I'm going to get the heck out of the way. So, you know, I think Israel is constantly working at getting safer and safer, getting rid of more and more enemies, and anti-semitism is getting much much worse by the day here. So, to me, the trajectory is clear. >> There are signs. There's no question. There are signs. But I think the reason to go the average person the sad facts are that promoting aliyah is hard hard work. I mean I don't tell you it's what you dedicate your life to. I I learned that the organization that eases aliyah actually avoids promoting it because if they tried to explicitly they wouldn't be allowed in to sh I was shocked to hear that and learn that. So if they can't encourage aliyah who is supposed to and I was on a call with rabbis talking about this and some of the rabbis were like I can't talk about it. I would lose my most important balab what I would do. No. So, and and this is a year I'll leave you with this thought. This year, for the first time or first time in a long time, more people left Israel than moved to it. And so, we need to continue to talk aliyah, but we also need to figure out a retention plan. And there's no judgment of some who left because of the war, but retention is also a big >> 92% retention aliyah through Nef. I'm not talking about the same Israelis. There were more Euras loss, which is deeply troubling and concerning. Is it? >> It's not. >> I mean, it's it's >> the goal is to move Jews to Israel and grow its population. >> But but we're fighting an existential war on eight fronts and people are a little tired. I get it. >> I'm not happy about it, but I not I'm not concerned. I don't think it's a trend that I should be too concerned about. I don't think it's an ongoing thing. It's not >> that stat that doesn't concern you. >> No, because listen, don't please don't misunderstand what I'm about to say. At the end of the day, >> like if I have a doubt and I'm not sure, Torah tells us quite clearly like where we're supposed to be. Like I don't you know at the end of the day that's okay. So we can argue in the face safe not safe at the end of the edition's like good Israel period. >> My everything I point out is not to point it out as a reason to not make aliyah. >> I get that. I know >> at all at all. It's just in my mind not an argument for aliyah >> right >> highlight all the incredible amazing everything about your life your lifestyle the opportunities to mention our obligations. >> When do you raise a red flag? Do you ever raise a red flag? Do you raise a red flag if you knew was about to happen in Germany? When do you raise a red flag? >> I personally don't feel or do experience that it's Germany and I don't think it's important. I don't think it's coming >> ever like you would never raise a red flag time. Get it. What has to happen for that for you to raise that red flag? Is there anything that could happen? You'd say that's it. We're done. Cuz if I Rabbi again, please forgive me. If I told you 5 years ago, 10 years ago, if I told you 10 years ago in the United States of America, half of Congress would be anti they they'd try to stop the funding of a defensive tech to save Jewish lives openly, proudly, and synagogues would be vandalized and everything. If I told that 10 years ago, what would you have said to me? You would have said to me, there's no way that's going to happen in America. I said there's major issues with one party and there's a enormous issue with the extreme of the other party. Um but at the end of the day, Congress keeps passing bills. The administration has never been more in favor of Israel in history. Of course, again, the polls among young people in America are very concerning, but the on average Americans are still supportive of Israel and the Jewish people. So there are enormously concerning friends, but on the whole we're not Nazi Germany in 1935. >> Forget the comparison. But if I told you these specific events, I told you in America these are going to happen. You would have said to me there's no way that's going to happen in America. Listen, in our own I worked tirelessly to try to eliminate there was a candidate in the primary for Congress for our seat who was blatantly anti-Semitic anti-Israel, accused Israel of blood livelihood of genocide. And thank God we were successful in in having him not be our nominee for Congress in the Democratic ticket. But our our congressional district was redrawn that now includes parts of Broward and Date County as well. In Broward and Date, he got 44% of the vote. >> Wow. You know that Randy Fine's opponent, Bazerian, whatever that psycho's name is >> got 19% [snorts] of the vote. >> But Rabbi, >> so that that you haven't brought up that point, but that's the most troubling to me is that 19% of my neighbors voted for this insane guy. >> And you know who else they said was insane? >> Mustache man. >> I understand. >> So it's not a question if they won or not. The fact that we just we just move we just we just achieved a new level that someone can say, "Let's make camp for Zionist." While while some While some were celebr while Wh while while many were celebrating that they were defeated, I'm actually saying they got too way too much of the vote. What does that tell us about our neighbors? What does it tell us about the work that we have to do? >> Yeah, it's good. >> Anyway, we agree the bottom line is everyone of course needs to come and I agree with you. Israel, listen, Israel is I mean like I was talking, you don't have to lower your quality of life anymore. Israel is paradise. We have challenges of course, but Israel is incredible. It's infinitely easier to move move to Israel than it's ever been in my in our ever. And uh yeah, >> you know that I have the privilege of having an opportunity to spend more time in Israel now. I packed when I went for the summer duffles and I I literally pulled my siblings all who live in Israel and their family like what should I bring from here to set that up and if I short the list is >> because what it used to be used to be >> cereal and touch and >> I don't know who I don't know if I heard this from you but I think I I didn't hear I think I remember Rosner I'm not sure though that some god I don't remember who it was made alyah and a student said to him rebi what do you miss most from America said I miss a longing for Israel >> yeah know you know I don't I quote all the time I don't know what was about but It's an unbelievable story. It's an unbelievable story. >> Yeah. >> On that note, >> thank you for all your work. Thank you for fighting for the Jewish people. >> I I should say publicly, I hope offended my my harshness about I don't have to, you know, a whole lot more than listen, you're lashim everything that you do. And I know you mean it from the bottom of your hearts and if you saw a building on fire, you wouldn't be yelling fire to save the people. And I know that's what you're doing. And we don't disagree about the conclusion. Like I say, the methodology, but it's all out of love and respect. And it's always great to spend time together. Thank you.