When Seconds Decide Lives | Eli Beer | Behind the Bima #185

[music] Welcome to Behind the Bea. Super excited for our newest episode. A great conversation with the founder of United Hotsella, Ellie Beer, about leadership, about life, about lifestyle, about his upbringing, and much more. But first, Moscow, I'm excited to be with you and learn more about your life and your lifestyle. >> Well, you I'm an open book. You could ask whatever I want. >> Okay. Tell me about your running. My running. Are you still running these days? >> I am still running these days. I'm actually training for a half marathon, the Miami Half Marathon >> with Kai Lifeline. >> And uh you know, it's interesting because I've been running really early in the morning. Specifically, Sunday mornings are the long run. So, I did 10 miles this last Sunday. And it means getting out really early in the morning. With sunrise here now, not until mid7s. You're really running in the dark by yourself for a long time. No, it actually I want you to know it's it's amazingly hypnotic and very introspective experience because it's you in the road in >> you run with other people or just by yourself? >> No, on the long runs I only run by myself. >> By yourself. >> And uh and you're out there listening to anything? >> No headphones. Me. Me and mother nature. >> Stop it. >> Yes. >> How long does a 10mi run take? >> Uh hour 35. >> Hour 35. So you spend an hour 35 by yourself in your head. >> Yeah. And it's amazing. It's amazing. I recommend it for listening. No music, no podcast, nothing. >> There are two sounds that you hear, the sound of your feet and the sound of your breathing. And it puts you into this trance, especially that early in the morning because you can't even see anything. It's pitch black. >> And it puts you into this trance that is it's amazing. I do my best thinking. >> Will you show your root or you don't want anyone to see your cast? >> Are you running the circle? >> No. No, no, no. I need 400 people seeing me. No. I uh I get off the circle and but each rout's a little bit different and I you know you try to mix it up because you don't want it to be monotonous. Okay. >> Um and but it's amazing and I love it and I look forward to it and you know this Sunday >> I want to be you in my life. No, you don't. >> I've tried I've tried so many times to run. I find it miserable, boring. What you described as amazing. All you hear is the sound of your feet and the sound of your breath are what makes it miserable. But >> I could play tennis to the point that I'm passing out and dying on a point, >> but but the same amount like one minute into running, I'm like, "Okay, that's enough. I'm good." >> So, I'll tell you what what I love about it and and maybe we could pivot to this conversation, but there's only one person you're competing against when you're running, right? >> And that is yourself. From the second I step out of my house until the second I get back to my house, it is a constant battle between my body and my mind. And to me, there's something very special about that experience. I think it builds up certain muscles within willpower, self-control, tolerance, and that to me is what it's all about. >> But are you miserable the whole time and doing it nonetheless? Or you actually get to this runner high and I'm enjoying it and the endorphins and I don't ever want it to stop. >> No. No. So, first of all, anyone who tells you that's lying in an hour and 35 minutes that I'm running, it vacasillates. It waves. There are times, there are miles where I feel like I'm gliding and I could just go on forever. And then there are miles where I'm like, "What in the world was I thinking? Get me home. I want my coffee. I want my bagel as soon as possible. And um I think that's part of the fun of it also is it it you know keeps the challenge going. >> Do you take sips? Do you drink? >> Um so once I cross a certain time period that I'm out there to keep sugar levels up, stuff like that. Yeah. I'm I'm eating a little bit. I'm drinking a little bit just to >> Do you pause or you keep running through the eating and drinking? >> Keep running. You don't pause. >> Keep reading while you're eating and drinking. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> In fact, it could be one of my children was supposed to pick up some things for me to use while I was running this week and they didn't and I had to pull an audible pretty early in the morning. >> Um, but uh, yeah, that's part of the fun of it. I >> How does your family feel about it? Like, are they sick and tired of hearing about it or do they miss you the time you spend on it or they're proud of you? >> Unlike I know you think I don't talk about it all the time. I actually haven't mentioned it to you at all that I'm running. >> Um, my family's come around. I would say at the beginning they thought it was a little bit absurd but I think they realize it it has a massive psychological impact on me. It relaxes me. The endorphins whatever psychologically and you know scientifically is happening in my body. It definitely makes me a better person. I think my family realizes so much so every now and then they'll say why don't you go for a run and you'll come back when you're more relaxed. >> Have you been able to recruit any of them to run with you? Do you take your children with you on a run or do you want to keep things separation church? But I do on shorter runs I do run with people in the community. Some people may have seen us out there and that's fun because when you're going short distances and you know Friday afternoons we go out there we're sharing different Torah on the para and it's like a fun experience and and you'll pick up people along the way. So you might not have realized that one of your other friends is out in a run and you'll pass them and you'll pick them up and you know you could have this week we had five guys going out there. It was a lot of fun. And does your sleep the night before impact the quality are like your nutrition, your sleep. Are you at that level that you're monitoring now and watching and training like the right sneakers, coaching, the right steps? >> First of all, 100%. Once you get past a certain mileage, it takes over your thinking because you're either preparing for a run, you're compensating post a run, you're making sure you're getting calories in, carbs in, protein in. And so, yeah, you think about it a lot, but I've learned I don't share it with you. I don't share it with my family cuz I know I know how you feel about runners who share it, but I do my thing. >> No, I I tell you the truth, the biggest issue I have is envy. Like I I wish because >> it cost you, you know, the shoes, but generally you could be anywhere, anytime, and you just put on a pair of sneakers and you're exercising. You don't need a gym membership and you don't need someone to play against and you don't need equipment for it for the most part, >> right? >> So I I wish I wish I was in that what you're describing clearing the >> hang. In fact, I actually think, you know, let's take I actually think you lost a bet at some point that required me. I don't think I made it as far as I was supposed to, but I did. Um, you know, would be amazing for your running for recovery afterwards. >> Yeah. Nice bath. >> Ice bath. Took an ice plunge afterwards. The recovery. >> I should I'm sure that's just what your wife would want is after I come back from my 10 mile run to go into your bathroom and use your ice bath. >> No, no, I didn't say you should use it at my house. What would be great for you would be and No, but I really I wish I I wish I were into that. I've tried. There are things in my life I've tried. I went from what people call coffee, but which is a milkshake to black coffee. And I'm proud of that. Worked my way off of the milkshake. Um, black coffee like a real man all the time. Never concerned about being flakes. Never worried about cautious where I am. Never needing my creamer on the road. And I've tried. There's certain things I've tried. I've tried the running. >> But what's that thing? So for me, running is that thing when I need to blow off energy, when I need to do some thinking, when I need to de-stress myself, running is my thing. Yeah. What is we all know the ice bath. Other than the ice bath, what's your thing, Rabbi Goldberg, when you're having that day and you're like, I just need to blow off some steam right now. Is it a book? Is it learning? Is it tennis? Is it golf? What is it? >> You know, [laughter] first of all, I like I try to go for a walk every day. We live in paradise, although it's frigidly cold. I think it's in the 60s. It's very cold. I just had to take off. Yeah. Um and and we live also in paradise that we're right next to this beautiful lake with all kinds of animal life around it. And so I made a commitment to myself and for the most part I've kept it that in the middle of the day every day to try to find a way to just go for a walk around the lake. It is far from exercise. It doesn't register as running or jogging. It doesn't get up my heart rate. I don't change into other clothing for it. But in this weather in the summer it's a little hot a little harder. But now just just to go for a walk, like you said, just first of all the vitamin D, the sunlight, um the natural air, being outside, you know, hearing birds chirping and and seeing iguanas across in front of you and ducks and turtles and frogs and it's all really worthwhile. I I try to do a lot of meetings that way. So if someone's coming to meet with me about something very confidential or private or emotional, obviously I don't say, "Hey, let's go for a walk." But let's say someone's coming about something we're working on, plan, I don't know, and and I can say, "Let's go for a walk." So we'll go for a walk around the lake. And I find that fantastic. I I enjoy that a lot. >> You know, it's funny you said that cuz I I was we first of all, we run into each other a lot. But second of all, someone asked me to meet last week and I said, "Sure." You know, you can come meet to my office. He goes, "No, when I meet with our Goldberg, we take a walk." I said, "Okay, that's apparently the new standard meeting." >> And I don't do it like I'm proitizing. We should be walking. It's just convenient. Like time passes. I'll tell you the other thing also with it which I found very interesting. Do you remember that we had um Dr. Dr. Gabriel Fagen came here >> and um brought his expertise in a lot of different areas, but one of them was uh teaching fathers how to talk to their sons about the conversation and the talk. And one of the takeaways from that, which at the time I had a lot of daughters, I wasn't listening so carefully, but now I have a son that I actually used was that when you're ready for the conversation, the talk or sometimes what can be awkward talks, sensitive talks, do it, he said, either while driving a car or going for a walk. when you have to sit opposite each other and make eye contact and it's awkward but if you're if you're walking together you know every now and then you look over but you're generally looking outside when you're driving you know person you're having a conversation and that's what happens sometimes on these walks also in these meetings which is very valuable so I like to go for a walk I'd like to listen >> you recommend that for like marital counseling in other words if a couple was fighting would you say go for a walk you're not staring contentiously at one another this way you could >> know each other if they're going to be in the middle of a public place yelling and screaming and calling each other's names probably bad idea but if Actually, sometimes being in public will help you keep it together and communicate at the decibel level that you should. I think it could be fantastic >> cuz I got that advice once when Ariel and I were had had to make a difficult decision at some point. We got advice from someone. They said, "Go to a restaurant and only have these conversations in public, right?" They said, "Because if you're in private, you know, if you're in public, you're going to behave yourselves. Everyone's going to stay calm." And it was the best advice ever. >> For sure. Yeah. So, that I like to go for the walk. I try to play tennis once a week and don't always too many times don't get to it. Um, but I like to listen to comedy as I've said many times in the car. Um, certain podcasts I find very inspiring. It's funny what um, you know, my family will see like you're supposed to be relaxing right now, but I'm listening to some productivity podcast that's getting my wheels going and my engines and my juices flowing. That for me, >> See, I've learned that about you. That makes you different a little. Yeah, most people would find that stressful. >> Throw me weird if you want. >> No, I just did. I actually think I just called you weird because most people if they're reading a productivity book, a self-help book, it makes them a little tense cuz it's pushing them out of their comfort zone a little bit. You love it. Like you go on vacation, you bring come back with the six books that you read and I'm like, "Buddy, did did you relax for a second?" >> That's relaxing cuz like during the year I can't >> obviously we love learning Torah. We have our favorites forum. I don't want anyone to think that we're out there doing we're running reading productivity books, listening to comedy and and whatever else. I'll have an occasional cigar, which I'll sure I'll get in trouble with for mentioning here, but I also find uh relaxing and healthier than Diet Coke, which we [laughter] a long-standing conversation and debate. So, yeah, it's important to build that in. Sleep, I'm working on sleep. >> Got to get enough sleep. >> You you and I have different sleep patterns also, but yeah, >> sleep is my that's my uh Achilles heel. >> My my issue with sleep, I think different than yours, is not going to bed early enough. Meaning I I may wake up, I may not wake up, but my issue is not the quality of sleep once I go to sleep. My issue is that, you know, I wake up early and I'm I mean to go to bed earlier than I used to, but it's hard. I wake up at night and you're finally done whatever you were doing that day and and having the discipline to say I need this minimum amount of sleep, it's hard. >> Yeah. It's not just discipline. I mean, you and I have been in meetings that have gone till 10, 10:30, 11 at night. And I try to like it's hard to just come home and go to sleep after that. Like you need to unwind. Your brain is at a million miles an hour. Yeah. >> And it just takes time to decompress. And then as you said, like you look at the clock and it's late and then you're getting up early the next morning. >> Yeah. But some of it is discipline because about those meetings, we know people who be like, "No, it has to end at this time or I'm not available then or this is my schedule." And of course there can be an exception once every few weeks. But you know, if if 90% of the time you're getting your minimum amount of sleep, you're going to feel different. You're going to produce differently. You're going to serve Hashem differently. And the studies about correlating amount of sleep with dementia later in life, they're they're scary and startling. There's nothing to help you go to sleep earlier than reading those studies and those outcomes and realizing the future. >> Now, what would your advice be to someone? Because we have a mutual friend >> who documents everything. Yeah. >> They have spreadsheets of everything they are working on in life. And if it can't be measured, what what's your line? >> What gets measured gets managed. >> What gets measured get me managed. They have a spreadsheet for everything. And every day they're filling that out. And if there's not, there's that personal shame if I don't have the X. Is that what you'd recommend to people? Someone who's working on whether it's sleep or exercise or learning, whatever. Is it an Excel spreadsheet? >> I've done it for periods for sure. I have a bunch of them. Um, and it's useful because you first of all, forcing yourself to record it means you're reporting it. And if you're reporting it, you're much more aware of it. And again, they're different personalities. I'm a very competitive person and I compete even with myself. And I compete even when no one knows. Like no one sees a spreadsheet. But like the idea that I'm not going to check off I did the ice path. I'm not going to check off that I whatever it is, you know, didn't bring my phone into dabing. I have all these columns and all these things and you see trends and you see what worked and you see how you were feeling and um I I think it's enormously useful even if you keep it to yourself. But if you create an accountability partner where you say we're both going to do it together and now you don't want to be the one who didn't make it or who didn't make it a bunch of days in a row and it didn't >> which is why I mean Judaism was so ahead of its time. That's what a kusa is. You know, if you're not getting up in the morning, then some guy is going to be sitting there by himself, >> and you don't want to be that person. >> I'm past the point of beating myself up about the running. Meaning, I wish I I wish I loved running, but I no longer feel guilty or ashamed I don't. I could have just lean into it and like that doesn't work for me. So, now let me find what does like so as long as it's some form of an exercise or or or cardio or doing something, you know? So, it's true, by the way, for me about running. It's true for other people about other things is like we sometimes compete and compare. We see what other people are doing. We beat ourselves up. We feel guilt or shame. And instead, you have to lean into that's not me and it's not going to be me. And stop wishing and pretending it's going to be you and stop waiting and longing for it to be you. It's not you. So figure out who's you instead. It's not an excuse to not do anything. Just figure out what works for you. >> Yeah. That's what I always tell people. They say, "Rabbi, I can't run like you." I said, "Take a walk. Go for go for a one mile run instead of a 10 mile run." Like to me, there's a value in getting out of the house. There's a value in getting exercise. is there's a value in getting the endorphins major mental health you know benefits physical benefits obviously and 100% you got to figure out what's now is golf a sport >> new topic is golf a sport >> like would you consider golf physical >> exercise you walk no I I don't I don't consider physical exercise unless you walk and there's two types of walking you could decide you're walking all 18 holes so you're not taking a cart but there's also even when you have a cart and another person in it you could be consciously making this effort that says I'll meet you up at the green or I'm walking to the next tea box or I'm you could be incorporating significant walking into it and by the end of the day if you walked 18 holes or even if you do the modified walking if you count your steps to see you walked many miles. So then it was a good use of time and then even if you play poorly at least you got a good walk out. >> Do you remember we had a guest on who was I think 80 90 and we asked him what the secret to his longevity is. Do you remember what he said? He said steps. He always took the steps. >> Yeah. He was over 100. >> Over. Yeah. It was it was the couple. >> The couple. That's right. >> They're both over a hundred and they always took the steps. Well, a secret of longevity is also doing good things for other people. And we are honored to have spent some time with Ellie Beer, a good friend of our community and ours. Uh the extraordinary founder of United Hatsah doing amazing work in Israel and beyond. He's been on many podcasts. You've heard a lot of conversations with him, but this one was different. We went somewhere different with him and that's I think evidenced by the fact that he kept saying that's a great question or I've never been asked that before. So, we hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Without any further ado, the great Ellie Beer. We are excited to go behind the beam again with our dear friend Ellie Beer, the founder and president of United Hatsah. Hat Salah depending who you're talking to Salah >> Hatah >> that's a Syrian community. >> Ah exactly. So we cover all of our bases and grounds. Ellie, this is I don't remember how many times you've been on behind the beimo with us but you were with us from the start when we really began during Corona when we used to stream live. I think you woke up in the middle of the night in Israel. Yes, >> you were wearing the orange vest in the middle of the night, cup of coffee, pajamas underneath, and we spoke to you, of course, >> after the miraculous recovery during Corona >> and uh and after October 7th, we also spoke to you, and here we are again. Grateful to be live in person to welcome you back to Bocarone and Bocarone Synagogue. So, thank you so much, Ellie. >> It's it's incredible to be here. I'm this is my 26th year being here. Not every year, but 26 years ago and to see the growth. Couldn't even recognize the building. It's unbelievable the growth of this community and the shul. It's unbelievable. Really, >> we got a lot going on. And I'll say not only to you and I'll say not only because people are watching, but what we believe in the bottom of our hearts. We're building all of this because it's going to lift up and it's going to come to Israel. We're going to get a great spot right on the beach of Gaza, Boeraton East. And uh we really we're always pushing and encouraging aliyah and we're we're thinking about and making our way there every day. But for now, Jews are making fun though. >> Yeah. >> Come to Gaza. >> We're going to do a fundraiser in Gaza. >> Exactly. No problem. You'll come to >> behind the bea in Gaza. >> Gaza. There you go. >> Do it. We like we like the ring of sadly. Phillis, what's the latest? What's going on? Hatella, Israel, um ceasefire. All but two of the bodies are back. Um, and obviously those two are still on our minds. We're not done until everyone is home. But tell us the feeling in Israel today, the ceasefire. Have we turned the corner? What does it mean for Hatsella in your work? How how are things going? >> Well, I just met Steve Woodco last night, Thanksgiving. I mean, I don't know when this is broadcast, but uh I just met him and uh and I told him like I was showing him live how Israel had to attack last night in Rafa Rafa. And I said, "This doesn't look like Hamas is like giving up." And he said, "Yeah, you're right." I mean, Americans realize that this is not over yet. It was amazing what was done getting the hostages back. I think every Israeli, every Jew in the world felt a relief that our brothers and sisters who were alive and the ones who are not alive, almost everyone are back home. But we still have a long way in front of us. And we we see it in Lebanon now. It's happening as we talk now in Lebanon. Um my son was just serving in Lebanon and he said, "Aba, every building, every home has weapons. They we destroyed a lot of them, but still have a lot of buildings and a lot of homes in Lebanon that are weapons that are aimed towards Israel. Same thing in Gaza. We have We still have a big problem. Hamas is not giving up. They want to hold weapons. They want to rebuild their their power. And I I really hope that American government, President of the United States, realizes that we not we're not done with the job. >> So So can we talk about exhaustion for a second? Because when you tell me that and paint that type of a picture, um it's exhausting for me and I've done nothing for this war. All the more so for the soldiers that we have that are both battling PTSD and their family lives and the interruption of their work life. What's it like for Atala volunteers? Right. You've now it's we're we're almost two and a half years post October 7th. Obviously for that that was a a traumatic day for many of your volunteers. Um what's the mindset of a Salah volunteer who's now two and a half years in they hear all this stuff. They see that there's optimism but also a bleak future. How do you keep people motivated and optimistic despite all of the challenges that we continue to face two and a half years later? >> Well, I I always tell people just go learn history. If you want to be, you know, if you want to get depressed and see the situation and say, "Oh, just see the history of the Jewish people." We are, we're in the strongest place ever in the Jewish history. 3,000 years. Look at us today. Boca Raton, New York, even with Mamani, uh, Israel, Europe, we have a strong presence. And we we we have to remember one thing. And and this week, last week, Ellie Zahira, who was the head of intelligence of 1973 war, the Yumipa war, died, passed away. Ellie Zer, I love history. Ellie Zira was a person who was in charge of all intelligence of Israel in 1973 and he dismissed everything he had. Every time they said, "Oh, the Egyptians are getting organized for war. They will never do it. We just had the 1967 war and six days we wiped out everyone. We conquered everything we wanted. We are now in control. No one's going to ever do it. And look what happened only a few years later. Five, six years after 1967. Boom. They almost wiped out Israel. Eler passed away. Now the same thing happened in October 7th. We had Arun Khaliva then who was a head of intelligence who had all the signs in the world but he dismissed everything. We have to remember that in Israel and the Jewish community has to be strong all the time. We can't relax. We can't say, "Okay, we're taking a break now." And even after a war of two and a half years, and I tell my volunteers in Israel, we have 8,000 members. I said, "We're not done." And I don't think we'll ever be done. We have to train. We have to always be prepared. And now we're doing mass casualty incident training for all over Israel. Why? Because in case we have a war with Iran again, Iran could hit us again. Iran is getting prepared for that in case we have kas shalom or earthquake that could happen too. So you can't say oh hatella okay we just had a war two and a half years guys take a vacation only babies are going to be born now heart attacks maybe babies maybe that we might have another very bad war we should be prepared for I wish Israel will always think this way if we always think this way then we might have another war coming the same way Hatsella thinks and we always thought like that I always if you remember all the years I came here and he always said to me Rabbi why do you still need a fundraise why do you need to do this. >> We'll get to that. >> Yeah. [laughter] But I just wanted to say we always need to have the preparedness and readiness for the next disaster, the next meas. >> Out of 8,000 volunteers, how many do you know personally by name? My mother told me and we give our condolences. You know, Ali, you know, recently suffered a loss and we're sitting Shiva. My mother said, as volunteers came in to pay the Shiva call, when they would leave, you would say to my mother to other people who, you know, oh, that's so and so. That's so and so. You won't believe the story that he did, that she did, what happened here, what happened there. out of the 8,000 volunteers. How many do you know? >> I I think I know not all eight, but I I know a lot of them. I would know thousands of them and I and I care about them. I love them. And I think the biggest donors of Atella are not in Boca Raton. The biggest donors of ATA are these volunteers are the volunteers. Not Miriam add the biggest donor. The biggest donor is a guy called Sammy who's a taxi driver in Shalim and he goes out to five emergencies every day for free. He stops his work. He could kick out a customer out of his taxi. He's driving a customer from the Waldorf to Tel Aviv. And he says, "I'm so sorry. I have an emergency. You have to leave or stay. Just wait. I'm going to go save someone." He's a crazy guy. He's a sugar nut like all of us. Carries this orange vest and he loses money every day by saving people. And these are our donors. So, how could I not know him? I have to know all the most important donors. >> Amazing. So, you know, it's said that when when God needs some money, he calls Ellie Beer. [laughter] So, um, >> you know, it reminds me that they say the difference between Donald Trump and God. God doesn't think he's Donald Trump. [laughter] >> Let's hope he doesn't see this episode. Ellie, >> you won't be invited back. So, um, you're you're one of the great, um, fundraiser of our time. And I don't mean that because you're some salesman. I mean that you believe in what you founded and what you do. you know the difference that it makes and you've been able to get a world of people on board in in in doing that as well. Help us both both as fundraisers and and the audience understand in whatever they're doing because everything in life is sales. It doesn't matter what profession you have and what you're doing. Everybody's a salesman, a fundraiser, everyone's what what's the secret of your success? Um here you are a Karedi kid from Bay Vagan started this organization that you know thank God is incredibly successful by measures of volunteers lives saved and also you know thank God the financial health of the organization you're going to have a gala here in Miami and every year I sit there and I say can't Ellie just give like 10% of this back to BRS you know just just a little bit what he'll raise in one night we don't raise in in 10 years so what's the secret to it >> I think first of all I really believe in siata desmaya. I'm like I can't say this to two rabbis. Like I'm the one who as a simple Jew. I think God loves the organization and I somehow got a good relationship. You know, I think that's uh that's the key. But second of all, believing in the mission. I will never leave anywhere in my house. I would go on vacation without this vest. I would walk around the streets with a brochure or something about United seller. I I I don't go to sleep at night before I think about what I'm doing the next day to help the organization like 247. This is Unitedella wherever I go. And people really fall in love with the organization. Not only donors, I'm saying as I said before, the donors are the volunteers too. And I treat the volunteers the same way I treat the donors and vice versa. So I really think believing in the mission and fighting for the mission, not taking a vacation. Okay, I'm two weeks off. I don't want to talk about United Salah. So really people really feel like even donors who invite me for Shabbat, which you know someone invited me for Shabbat, they know that I'm there. I'm going to talk about this organization, people invite me to their boats, to their you vacation homes, and I'm really I'm not selling because I believe in this. I really think about this. My kids are following my footsteps as volunteers. So I think United atella is an example and I'm not the only one. I think every one of the 8,000 members and you've seen them in Israel. One of them is your brother. They actually love the organization. They feel connected and and it starts with me and everyone else is like that and the donors are like that. Donors keep thinking about it. We were just on the way here and the donor calls me and he's a very important he's he's getting honored. Barry Skolnick. He's one of the biggest donors of the hospitals and here in Florida. He's the head of the chairman of Mount Si and he says, "I need to get more people involved. I need to get uh this guy." He says, "He's not Jewish, but he would love what you do." Like, this is the way we need. Everyone should be connected. Not only Sammy, the the taxi driver, but the biggest donor of the organization should feel the same. >> Is there It's definitely genuine. It's coming from you. You living and breathing it. Um, is there a professionalism or strategy? What would you tell people? Is the matter of touches that you have? You remember the birthdays? You guys do great videos to commemorate an anniversary or celebrate an anniversary and here's all the lives that you >> I'll tell you what I think he does better almost than anybody else I know and then then you'll answer the question. You you are a brilliant storyteller even just listening to you right now when you when you talk about Sammy the everyday taxi driver creates an image in everyone's head of what and and I I've heard you many times from the pulpit here you're always telling stories and I think it's the stories that really resonate and relate to people. Um but I'm wondering if there are other strategies also. I I think the fact and I'll just give a few secrets. I I actually think being very transparent with the supporters or donors about not only the successes also failures, they feel connected when you you're one-on-one. But of course, building a personal relationship is the most important thing. When when a donor knows he's not only a donor, he's a friend and you're there for him and he's there for you and in any situation and being involved with their life and inviting them to your home and being part like a donor is not just once a year come get a check. If you think that's the job, you're going to get a one or two years that's it. But if the donor knows you're there 12 times a year, not only seven, your bar mitzvah, birthdays, you know, Neie Phallic from here. Sure. phallic family, a very big philanthropist. Neie is going to be the chair of our gala with another family, the silver family, Mark and Barbara. So there I'm telling you personal names, right, of people. Neie has great grandchildren already who are supporting United Hutsella and she's a birthday yesterday. Calling her and wishing her a happy birthday makes a very big difference. You know, like think about it. It takes five minutes of your time to call. Well, it's not only p people like her. Even like smaller donors, you call a donor, even a person who didn't give a lot and he gets that attention. I'll give you an example. This weekend, I I was in Miami and I saw a family from from Brooklyn and they're not big donors, but they're nice people. Really, really nice people. And they saw me and they said, "Oh, we're having lunch in this restaurant. Could you join us?" I said, "You know what? Could I come for 10 minutes?" I came for 10, 20 minutes. It made such an impact and they know they're not big donors. Talking about they they some years they don't give at all but they did give and and they saw in the street giving them a little nas a little personal connection. >> They're back on on the back to support their work. >> You ever have boundaries of who you don't take donations from? If if um you find out somebody's indicted, somebody's a criminal, there's questions or accusations or they're sketchy, would you turn down that donation? Um what's Hatella's opinion about evangelical money? Um I I recently was um was sitting next to a pastor who through his evangelical network had has raised tens of millions of dollars for Israel. And even the people who are principled and said they would never touch that money. Little do they know that the medical care they're getting in parts of Israel, if there's a if there's a hospital, it's because they donated it. Or if a a fire engine comes to rescue them, it's because that firehouse was donated by them. So, does Hatala have strict rules on its donors? If they're criminals or alleged criminals, if it's coming from non-Jewish sources, what those sources are? >> Well, that's a amazing question. Every we had these debates many times, and I I just said, and this is a rule we have, if someone has an agenda of hurting the Jewish people, we will not take them because we're there to save the Jewish people. So, we had checks. We return to missionary groups that are come to Israel, not the evangelicals who love Israel, who don't have an agenda of missionary. If they have a missionary agenda, we will not take money and because it hurts the Jewish people when they come to Israel and they and we had a story of a a organization who out of the blue showed up and gave us a very big donation. And I said, "Who are they?" They had a very Jewish name. And I I looked in and I see they are Jews for Jesus and they are in Israel trying to recruit people to join their their group. We gave back the check. We don't want to take money. And a lot of organizations said, "What do we what do we care?" I said, "Look, we're there to save people. I don't think they're saving people. They're hurting the Jewish people. Simulation is part of the problem we have." And but others like uh Pastor Hegy and others who are giving money to Israel, they don't have a an agenda like that. you know, they have their beliefs and and that's questionable also or what exactly the beliefs, but for now they're our best friends and these in, you know, in our gallery honoring now two non-Jews. Oh, sorry. One non-Jew is um Mike Pompeo. He's a religious Christian and he really loves Israel. If he if he wants to write a million dollar check, it's fine. We'll take the money. And we're honoring him because he loves Israel and he has no agenda besides loving Israel. So we have to always check to see what's the agenda behind it. If someone comes to if someone's a big criminal and they're giving us money to clean themsel up to look to show it, we have to check it out. I mean we do a lot of times we have these situations. >> You know Ellie, every time I see you and and I admire you for so many things, but one of them is that whenever I'm talking to you, you feel so present in the conversation. I'm a little nobody. I'm not a big rabbi. I'm not a certainly not a big donor to United Atsella, >> but I feel like yet maybe if I win the lottery. >> We almost we we had >> we almost got I just I was a few numbers off. Um no, but really every time I feel like I talk to you like you see me. In other words, you're very present in the conversation. Is that something that comes natural to you? Is it something you work on? Are you a naturally just relaxed person and able to be present in conversations or are there things that stress you that you have to overcome in order to be present in those conversations? I I I must say these are things I never got asked and I'll be >> we're behind the bea now. That's >> No, this is amazing. I'm going to be open about my my personal challenges I had over the years and I became better and I learned and I think I used to be invited to very important like conferences and years ago world economic forum and I got awarded as a young leadership young global leader which is a big m and you you meet all these very like Bill Gates is right next to you and all these other guys and I learned something very very important there. I really learned something very important and I wrote in my book 90 seconds. I went there and I realized very very wealthy people, billionaires, they want to always meet people who are wealthier than them. They don't want to pay attention to people who are, you know, they don't want to meet a millionaire. They want to only meet someone who's a really bigger billionaire than them. And then I went to an event there in in the World Economic Forum of the Bank of America. They had like a nice, you know, evening event and no one was talking to me because I was like, "What do you do?" I said, "I I build this uh fast response of volunteers who come immediately and how much are you worth?" Exactly. >> And like they listen to Oh, very nice. And they like walk away very fast. And my wife was there with me, Gy. And I and I said to Git, you know, no one really cares about what I do. I could save the whole world. They don't care. They just want to meet richer guys than them. And I said, "You want to see how they do care about me? I'll I'll show you." and they want to talk to me. So, one guy comes over to me and my wife's there and she didn't expect this. And the guy says, 'What do you do for a living? I said, 'Oh, I own a falafel stand. The guy says, "A falafel stand? What do you falafel stand?" I said, "Yeah." I said, "In Madison and 53rd, I have this falafel stand. I sell falafel." He looks at me, he says, "Falafel? Is that the Israeli the Mediterranean thing?" I said, "Yes." He says, he looks at me, he says, "So, how did you get invited to the World Economic Forum?" [laughter] said, "It's a very successful falafel stand." >> Yeah. I said, "We make we sell so much we sell so much volume a year. I made $50 million last year." He says, "How did you do that?" I said, "I don't change the oil. I make [laughter] like I just made up a story. The guy called all his friends over to hear my story because I sell falafel. $50 million of falafel. That's more interesting than motorcycles, ambulances, helicopters, saving lives. That's not interesting. That's not making money. So I told my wife, I have to start paying attention to everyone. Because if you see a guy and you just dismiss him basically, oh, what do you do? I'm a rabbi. Okay, I want to meet I don't want to meet a rabbi. I want to meet the donor of the sh. If you give attention to every person for the long run, it's going to be the best thing. And I started paying attention to people. And before that, I was like them. I used to see someone and talk to them in the face and look above their shoulders to see who's the next guy I want to talk to more importantly. >> And today and I realize that's the worst thing for a fundraiser >> because sometimes you know you get stuck with a person and you see this a lot I'm sure it's like he's just finished speaking in front of a thousand people and everyone's like excited and all of a sudden this old lady comes over and she says oh my grandmother grew up with [laughter] your grandma and you get stuck. What do you do? and you see this billionaire walking around and you want to talk to that person, but you know what? For the long run, it's worth it for you to learn how to give attention to the person talking to you and it changed my life. >> I want to go back to something you said before really struck me. Um, one of the successes of fundraising is that you live and breathe hot 247. The vest comes with you wherever you are. Whatever you're doing on vacation, at home with your family, it's what you're thinking about in a very different scale. I relate to that because you know BRS the work we do here our work and trying to inspire and teach and share Torah to the world also it's it's sort of synonymous with who I am and I waver between that being an asset a wonderful thing to be so intertwined and so connected and live and breathe it to it also being a liability that who am I and what's my identity without it if if it were taken away from me tomorrow what's left of who I am and and do you ever struggle with that um does your family ever say to you you know does gi say Ellie or your children say abba like turn it off. Shut it down. We get it. We love too but like enough. You're an abba. You're a husband. You're an Evid Hashem. You're a friend. You're a a neighbor. You're a child. Like just turn it off. That's not It is a beautiful incredible thing you built. It is a legacy, but it isn't your identity. Who you are? How do you navigate the wonder of it being part of who you are which is part of the secret of its success but also the danger of it being part of who you are that you have to have an identity and a life separate and apart from it. >> That's a brilliant question. I I'll say first of all it comes to I have an answer that have to divide it to two. My family I tell my family stop talking about it. It's funny because we sit around the table. My wife is a volunteer. She's a paramedic. My daughters, three out of my four are volunteers. My youngest, 18, is going to be one soon. My son is finished the army. He's a paramedic. He's a medic in the army and he's joining a cellar now. And my two son-in-laws. So, think about it. I'm sitting around the table. All they want to talk about is first of all, they want to complain. Oh, this this that that this. [laughter] I don't want to hear any complaints. I'm not I'm not in the Hella office now. Like I want to sit and just enjoy a meal, hear about the kids, hear about So I'm the one pushing to stop talking about the organization. They actually are waiting for me. It's like a meeting literally a Shabas dinner. It's like they all have an agenda, >> right? >> This guy didn't get a motorcycle. This guy's complaining. This guy this and that. And they they people talk to them to talk to me. So I actually say nothing in the in in the table. I'm the one and I love it that they want to talk about it, but it drives me nuts. >> And sometimes we I really like get upset. What are you like? It's like I felt like I'm a lynch. They're lynching me, you know, like that's the first part. The second part is I realized something very important in fundraising. Being a friend of donors is not only talking about United and it was very hard for me to learn. I was I learned it in the hard way. I actually I have a I have a big supporter. His name is Bob Book. I wrote about him in the book. Bob Book. I wrote him in my book and he's an amazing person. He does so much. He's a really great guy. At one point he got very upset at me. All I was talking about United like every corner like his like invited me to stay with him for a few days. I stayed with him. I had a great time. But I was like I had to like build conversations about other things understanding other things. I don't know anything about golf. I don't know anything about tennis. So some people oh I paid paddle. What is paddle? Like I had to learn stuff to be in fundraising. if you want to be a friend of donors and we and he really taught me Bob said stop only talking about this this is years ago and he made me a better fundraiser by telling me this because a lot of donors would not tell you they just say I can't have this guy all he talks about is the United States so I had to learn about politics American politics Israeli politics if I'm in Europe talk about the EU and and then talk about like paddle is a new thing now I didn't know I have to learn about paddle now because someone started talking to me about paddle, a big donor of ours. And now I'm like learning what is this new thing. So this is part of being like you're a rabbi. You could only talk about Torah and no one's going to come. But I know that every time I and your shu and I I heard both of you speak, you're brilliant speakers. You start with a joke. You start with something funny. It's not like you make people understand you're not only that rabbi that wants to push Torah, but you want to also push other things. You talk politics a little. It makes people understand that you could be a friend, not only a rabbi. >> That's huge. Can you can you shut off the hatella for yourself? Not only as a strategy in developing relationships with donors, but for you, can can you go away for a couple days and you know what would you do? Read, learn, knock golf, obviously maybe paddle, but can can you turn off the hata? Well, that's very very hard. Honestly, I that's my biggest trouble. I can't even fall asleep at night. I have to take a sleeping pill every night since co since that episode I had I think about it all day and it's everything I have I'm partners in a real estate business in America and my partner says to me Ellie come on you don't call like I forget I'm totally forget that I'm involved with him I never talk to anyone about it and I'm like my life is surrounding this organization so now I have to shut it off so I have once a day I have a rabbi who calls me Eton my good friend from my but he's originally from Newell and he calls me every day to learn with me 90 seconds >> we know him >> you know Rabbi >> sure >> he's amazing and he and he pushed me for it I couldn't do it I never learned before like my whole day is at salah so I'm like saving lives right so I don't have to learn I don't have to do anything I just save lives and he's like every day calls me 90 seconds and I answer him and I learn with him 90 seconds that's really not only 90 seconds. I'm not >> What does that do for you that Torah? Tell the people listening that the great Ellie Beer to shut off learns Torah for 90 seconds. >> It It really helped me remember who I am as a Jew, you know, like some people learn all day. I think that's too much. I think you should learn part of the day. You should I can't commit myself more than 90 seconds. And anyone who knows me knows it's true. Like that's who I am. And I think that 90 seconds really brings me back to the essence of being a Jew to remember the Torah. Like he gives me a V Torah a day every day. Yesterday was about about thanksgiving, you know, connecting to like every day is connecting and uh >> those 90 seconds save your life. >> You're 90 seconds you're saving other lives and the 90 seconds save your life. >> Yeah. I I actually think first of all, a lot of people followed me, friends of mine, even nonorthodox people. I tell them I learn 90 seconds a day. They said, "How do you do that?" I connect them with Eton and they learn with him. >> My daughter works for him. My daughter learns with a group of women 90 seconds a day. >> Really? >> We're signing people up and it's such a beautiful thing because there's nobody on earth who can say I don't have 90 seconds. >> And that way not one day goes by that you haven't learned at least 90 seconds. Like whether it's Hatsala or whether you're a lawyer, whether you're in private equity, whatever you're in, you need 90 seconds where that's not who you are. 90 seconds where you remember who you are. It's an anchor. It's a beautiful program he has. >> And I never thought I could do it. I I made up with him a week and then another week, another week, and I'm doing this for almost two years. >> Wow. >> And I said, I never had a kusa before. Like I couldn't even in yeshiva like I never showed up for kusa. >> Yeah. >> And uh all of a sudden I'm learning 90 seconds a day. And I think as a Jew, you should commit for Judaism. Think put your business aside. So, United sellers is 247 besides 92, >> right? Amazing. >> I love that. You know, one of the one of the things you read about a lot in the news recently is that whether it's millennials or Gen Z's or whatever we want to call them, they are the selfish generation, right? It's a generation of the iPhone and the, you know, it's all about I I I you've somehow broken through that and created a culture where volunteerism is exciting and celebrated. Um, what are some ways that you've done that? In other words, how have you tapped into this very selfish, narcissistic generation and yet you've created this culture of volunteerism? And what have you learned about our generation when everyone else is knocking it? You've seen the best of young people stepping forward and volunteering their time. Um, what gives you hope in terms of the next generation? >> Well, I love that question because I really see the best of the best. The people I hang out with are only good people. So I don't like a lot of people have businesses that they have to negotiate with people and they steal from each other and they they lie and they just I deal with good people in essence of good like people from all sectors like it could be a guy from Mashar told us who wants to be a volunteer and he had to hide the fact that he's in a volunteer organization that is not you know like a hidden and now thank god we have 30 volunteers from to 30 >> and I went to visit him and then he could go to kibuts in the south of Israel in in a place where in Yung Kipur they have a big barbecue and you meet the best of the best of that kibuts and all of a sudden you realize that you are a magnet of people want to do good and in all all like locations that I go to even Arab communities in Israel which is shocking sometimes I had last week in Abu Gos 150 young men and women Arab women Muslim Muslim who came for a yearly event that they came to, you know, celebrate. They're all volunteers and they're in part of United and they are proud of it and they and I had Jason Greenlat there and I'm >> just saw this. I just saw this today. It's great >> and Jason had tears in his eyes. you know, he was negotiating with the king of uh of uh Bahrain and the king of Abu Dhabi and this and that and he's like dealing with all of he sees that in Israel there is an organization that that brings together people who just want to do good and I always thought it was only in the from communities which is really interesting you see here in Boca Raton and in New York and Miami and other places and they're amazing people they do unbelievable work but they they come from the firm community so I grew up in Bagan And that's who who surrounded me from volunteers. And all of a sudden today, United Aellar has eight and over 8,000 volunteers and almost 800 of them are Muslim. Now I was shocked to see what Muslims there to kill us. Yes, they have a small population in Israel who actually want to be part of what's going on in Israel. And we have to embrace it and we have to actually look for these people to bring >> Do you worry? Do you worry about vetting them? may be politically incorrect, but we're living in such a time that you have to be suspect. Do you worry that somebody's going to sign up to be a Hatala volunteer when the truth is that, you know, they're they're from Hamas or they're from even the Palestinian Authority, there's some nefarious plan, they want to get on the inside where they can create that the very event that you're training people to have to, god forbid, respond to, could be created from somebody who who breaks in as a volunteer. Well, I had that issue like 18 years ago when I started joining Arab volunteers from East Jerusalem. I had a guy who was in politics. He's a good friend of mine now, but he was attacking me. His name was Arya King. He was like, now he's like the deputy mayor of Jerusalem. And he was like, Ellie, you're taking terrorists and they're going to they're going to kill people. And he was attacking me even on the on the radio, national radio. I had once a debate with him. And I said, I never heard of a terrorist who wants to go through a year of a course of CPR, delivering babies, um, oxygen and IVs, if he could just take a car and run over people and kill them without a year course. Like, why would someone go through a whole vetting process that we have? We actually check everyone, interview them, they go through the course, they go through at least 10 tests during that year, and then they're not going to go kill people. And I had I think this was the best success we had bringing people from communities that we didn't trust each other into one organization. I think you know people who are very right-wing in Israel were shocked when I did this and then they became the biggest supporters like David Freriedman who lives right here. >> Yeah. >> David Freriedman. You could ask him. He when we had a board meeting he was on that board many years ago and we said and I thought he's going to be against it. He said, "This is brilliant." >> And that's actually one of the reasons he became ambassador because when he was when the Senate were when he had a hearing in the Senate, they asked him about what he does in life. And when he got to United Attella, like everyone lit up, oh wow, Jews and Arabs saving lives together. >> And he had a Democrat vote for him because of that. We needed that extra vote. Um, and that's the beauty about this organization. We actually check everyone no matter if they're Jewish or not Jewish to see who they are and we want to see if they don't have criminal records or anything else. But once they join, they become committed. Their life changes. Same way I wear this vest every day. They have it with them wherever they go and they they jump into the suit and go save people's lives. >> Well, you are amazing at name dropping. You mentioned Marilyn add, you mentioned Mike Pompeo. Obviously, Rabbi Goldber is going to be at the gala. Um >> Oh, yeah. right up there. >> You've met kings and politicians and gazillionaires. Is there anyone that you'd love to get in front of? Is there anyone out there that you say if I could just get >> Who's on your short list? >> If I could get five minutes with that person, I could turn them into a donor, into a supporter, into a lover of Israel. Who's that person? >> First of all, my dream is to go once more into behind the beimma. That was [laughter] one of my >> check. No, seriously, if you think about >> I'd rather be behind the beimma with the real deal. so sweet. >> Instead of like who who am I going to meet? The king of Saudi Arabia. Like come on that guy. I don't want him to chop me up to pieces. Like I don't want like I want to be in the real where the people the real people are and the biggest the biggest hearts. That said, who's on your list? Your team, your amazing team. Who are they working on still getting you? >> Uh we have a list. >> We'll help you get the meeting. Give us some names. Come on. We'll set it up for you afterward. Ken Griffin is a good guy to have. Bring him over to the gala. >> Okay. He's right here. >> He's local. He's right here. >> He's local here. Yeah. So, look, I always want to meet. The truth is meeting people for picture. I used to do that years ago. It's years ago when I was younger. Oh, you meet this guy, take a picture. It doesn't mean anything anymore. It's like, how do you get someone involved? Someone like these names that we always think about. How do we get them into the shel? How do we get you could bring you could bring here uh like Jeff Bezos into the show? He'll speak here. It's going to be great. A lot of people come hear him, but he's not going to donate here. It's like >> how do you translate that? How do you translate someone into a donor? How do you translate someone into a believer? These, if you had Ken Griffin here right now, he would say, "I give millions of dollars a year to charity. I have a line from here to New York City with people who are asking me for donations." when you get in there, how do you turn that person who's got a million organizations, oh, I already support Main DevOp. How do you say, "No, no, but this is different." Like, give me five minutes to explain to you that this is different and I promise you it'll not only change my organization, it'll change your life. How do you make that sell quickly? >> Well, this is the elevator pitch you have to always practice. And I always say like when I meet people like him, I once met in the World Economic Forum. I met Bill Gates and I and I said and I was in actually I met him in the bathroom and he had like >> you had him cornered >> 30 seconds like washing your hands and I was like and I said to him um just to catch his attention I said I have an idea that can make you a rich man. >> So he started laughing and then I said he says what do you do? So I I said I created the fastest medical response paramedics on motorcycles. That was it. And that was interesting for him to have a conversation. Then he gave me his the card of his head of the foundation and I spoke to and he said, "I love everything you do." I spoke for 30 minutes with him and we sat down and he said, "Well, we don't do in Israel anything, but if you ever do it in Africa, whatever, you know, but if you meet a guy like Ken Griffin or anyone else like him and you want to bring him involved, like he needs to feel like this is something that he could benefit from, like this is part of his agenda." Like we love Israel. I will not say Israel is part of my like I want to make Israel strong. That's not his agenda. But I created a network of volunteers who will stop everything they do day and night and run out to save other people's lives. And it's the fastest mechanical response and they their goal is to get there in 90 seconds. So here you have a story and once they have that story then you can build a conversation because you need that 30 seconds not five minutes. >> When did you come up with the line for Bill Gates? I have an idea that can make you a rich one. >> In the bathroom while I saw him I was like >> it was right then. wasn't that you said I'm going to this Bill Gates will be there if I cross paths I should say this. >> Yeah. And I met amazing people there like you know Michael Dell I met there. I'm throwing names not because because they these they have foundations you could look they support and he I it took me 30 seconds to give him that pitch. And then I sent him already by email my TED talk. Then you know many years ago that was a great way of me like a guy who like him he knows what TED talks are. So once he heard that he said I want to support the organization. >> What about you you mentioned the Democrat who voted for Ambassador Freriedman because of the work of Jews and Arabs together Muslims together. Have you have you tried or thought of not only your work in Hatella and saving lives but obviously somebody who dedicates his life to represent and gain support for Israel? What about Jewish celebrities in America? so many of whom are are liberal, are left-leaning, are have have not been there for Israel the way they should the last two plus years. What about getting them to see the beauty, right? And and and because Israel's painted as this aggressor and this blood liel of our time that Israel's perpetrated a genocide and all the lies that Israel's extinguishing, how about bringing to them this beauty of Israel? Look how Jews and Arabs as a model working together to save lives. You know, you you see or you believe or buy into this worst, let me tell you about the best. And then getting some of these Jewish celebrities who have enormously large followings to be able to see and celebrate that part about Israel, something they can get behind even if they're sadly buying into the lies. >> It's it's funny saying that because just this week I was I got a podcast in Israel in Jerusalem Post and we were talking about this. You I have we have a tunam organization. Forget about the country we're serving in. We actually created something that Jews and Arabs and Christians all could unite in one mission and we should spread it around that people should understand that this is the real Israel. What they read on the news of some guys beating up Arabs and some keep some Yeshua in Judea and Samaria, that's not the real Israel. Is Israel is what you guys believe in. The rabbis believe in you believe in this. When I say Arabs, I'm not embarrassed to say it in a shul or an Orthodox sh because we believe in this mission. And this is who we are. This is the the real Jewish nature of helping each other, helping non non pe non-Jewish and Jewish as we never had a situation when I grew up. I never had in my house and I grew up in an Orthodox home. We only have to save Jewish people. Never. We go to save everyone. We help everyone. This is who we are. So I actually want to promote it more. I want to do it more. I want to speak more about not only fundraising but also promoting what who Israel is. >> Yeah. Because even if you don't raise $1 with it, but you raise lots of supporters of Israel and you can offset this horrific narrative, that's as much as life-saving mission as raising the dollars because Israel needs that. The Jewish people >> I would love even offline talking about how do I do that? I actually never did. I always think how do I get more funding for Unitedella but I actually do want to make sure after two and a half years aggressive years against Israel this was the worst PR >> we won big time because we had seven countries battling with us and look where we are now but >> in the other hand it's a hard time for Jews in the world in terms of PR and I think if we start talking not only about United but other organizations like us and and companies like does. Let's bring the beauty of Israel. >> Yeah. For for every time Rashida Tle Ban Omar put out a video that Israel practices apartheid, Hatal put out a video saying a partid. We work together. We collaborate and we save each other's lives. >> Or or the mayor that you're the mayor. You're in you're in, you know, violation of international law. Why? Because we're bringing Israelis and Muslims together to save lives. You know, which international law is that in violation? could be a new extended mission of >> I would love to make like a hundred videos of Arabs and Jews in Israel practicing learning. We actually have Nancy Spielberg is coming out with a like a documentary about us about following two women, an Arab Muslim woman with a hijab and a religious Karedi woman with a training together for MCIs and EMT training with a United Hutella. And this is a documentary about the whole process. It's unbelievable to see. And that's the real story. what Mani is trying to do and he attacked us for that that we're helping in Judean and Samaria and we and we are like violating international law. That's nonsense. We're saving lives of everyone. We never said to one person, "Oh, sorry. Uh oh, you're not you're Muslim. We're not going to help you." We help everyone. We put our lives in danger. Actually, on October 7th, we had a Muslim volunteer who was killed, murdered by the kamas while he was saving lives on the Nova Festival. He came a wad and I spoke about this before. He came into the nova to to help people and save people. He didn't run away. He stayed there with Barriststein and many others who stayed to help people. When the kamas came, they saw he was a Muslim. They saw he was an Arab. He prayed five times a day. They shot him 25 times and he was wearing the hatal jacket. And that's that's who we are. That's the world should know about this. Do you encounter anti-semitism when if you're ever pitching to someone? Do you ever get a response with anti-Israel vitrial that I would never support or you do enough due diligence beforehand to know that you're pitching to a supporter? >> It's interesting. Not in the last two years, but before that, I had a few situations where I spoke to very successful Jewish people from here in America without mentioning names. They said, "Well, we like Israel, but we have nothing to do with Israel." like, "Yeah, we're Jewish, but we we don't support Israel." And I was shocked because I heard that story for my father as a child. My father grew up in New York in Lower East Side and my father was raising money for Vada Salah and he raised money to save Jews running out of Europe. My father was a amazing person. You met my father >> as a kid actually in his store >> before I never heard of Ellie Beer Hatala. Before you dreamt of Yeah. He did so much and he went from store to store. This is 1943 to try to raise money to save Jews running out of Europe. They had to get into America. They couldn't get them in. And uh my father went into a beautiful jewelry store and the guy started screaming at him. He said, "The Jews in Europe, they should take care of themselves. They're not our problem. I'm an American. I'm not a European." And he kicked my father out. My father was crying outside. And I heard the story as a child for my father. He told me the story and I said to him, "How did you overcome?" And I was crying when I heard the story. How could a Jew say a thing like that? And then he said to me, a a person passed by and he saw him crying. And he said, "Why are you crying?" And he said, "What happened?" He said, "Don't don't worry. Not everyone understands and I understand what you're doing. Come to my store. I want to give you $5 >> and you should come every week because I want to support what you're doing." My father was a kid, 12 years old. And when I heard that story, it shaped my life. And I learned how to deal with people who told me that. And I met a guy who could in one second write a 10 10 million hundred million dollar check with one second. No problem. And he said to me, is Israel is not in my I don't care about Israel. I like Israel. He didn't he wasn't against and I was thinking about the story my father told me. So I was thinking about that. Not every Jew is Z has a merit Z is merit right >> to help Israel and we should promote more and more and get them and eventually I I have in my agenda to break him down like [snorts] I think one day that little >> yeah I mean >> has anyone replicated what you're doing I mean you think of anything Manhattan Manny could use United Hotella the the model not for you to open a franchise there but uh the idea of people being trained and and be able to respond in 90 seconds in areas where there's highly high high congestion, you can't drive, ambulances can't get through. So, are there cities, states, countries that have replicated what you've done? >> Well, I think Mumani is thinking about opening united now. >> That's his agenda. It looks like >> um I don't trust that guy. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. I >> Forget him though. I'm saying Manhattan place open like I would if Mumani will change which you see you know you follow the news you know he's been the white house and this and that I think New York City could benefit from an organization like United Atella and of course they have in in New York and all the Jewish communities they're amazing in Brooklyn and Manhattan and Stat Island even in in in everywhere but outside of the Jewish world they don't have a they could wait 15 minutes for an ambulance someone choking in the 50th floor in a building in Manhattan, that person is dead, but if they have an organization like United Attella, which is peer-to-peer, imagine yourself every so why isn't has anyone are there countries in Paris and London and New York anywhere someone studied and said, you know, Hatal has figured this out in 90 seconds. This is the technology. This is the these are the volunteers. This is the the the transportation. Anyone replicating what you're doing? Well, so we we're to we had a replication in New Jersey in Jersey City with the mayor of Jersey City and it was very successful and then CO came and the whole thing stopped because of CO the unions were like very tough. No volunteers will go out. I didn't make it didn't make sense to me but then I took a rest for a few months. I was like out of business and we had it for five years working in Jersey City. Jews and non-Jews in Jersey City was were responded. We lowered response time from 11 minutes to three and a half minutes in Jersey City. So that was our case study that we saw that it could work everywhere. I'm very busy in Israel now, but once things relax in Israel, I want to bring it to another city. Like I don't know about New York, but I want to bring it to the non-Jewish crowd. I want to bring this beautiful tikunam idea to a country or a city that would say, you know what, we want to do it. Oh, I forgot to mention we had the we had the deputy mayor uh sorry the lieutenant governor of Iowa visit United Hudzella and now they're in the process of building Unitedella model in Iowa the state Iowa with the governor. So they actually are it's not done yet but they're in the process of doing it. So I really one of my missions in life I'm only 52 so I have a few more years I want to bring this idea to the world and you see when I came here to Boca Raton years ago they never had a seller here after speaking and talking about it people here woke up and they created >> here is fantastic we were hesitant at first when they first opened also because we have a we had a very good response time locally and why do we need that but Atella is an incredible organization locally and what they bring not only in the response time but also the familiar familiarity of the volunteers knowing the community people sensitivity going well beyond their mission you know other emergency services if someone passed away you know they did they could they pull right out our volunteers stay in with the family transport they it's it's extraordinary so we're very grateful and supportive and everyone should support in addition to United Hatsella in Israel but the local hatella as well >> definitely and they have in over 50 places around the world >> and now they're creating one in Colombia the not the university That's too dangerous. The country >> the country Colombia they're actually creating in the Jewish community there. Hatsella I I'm very proud when I see Hutella volunteers you know Kasco Bud and here and other guys here it's just a beautiful thing that people are willing to stop everything they do and it's it's a crazy idea and it's it's working people more and more people want we probably have 10,000 kids right now who are dreaming this second how do we become Hatella volunteers no matter where they live and we have a program the light legacy heroes of children. >> You're speaking to our youth department. >> Exactly. The light. This is um big supporters of ours here in the community and they have, you know, um Lynn and uh Polite and they're amazing people, your parents friends. And they said, "What about the next generation, the kids? How do we get them involved?" And now in this year, we recruited almost 2,000 kids >> like the Reb's army like uh you know Hashem. But but let me ask you about that because you were talking about getting kids involved and obviously on a volunteer level that's easy and it's exciting and it and it gives someone a certain purpose. You have a big gala coming up. Probably Goldberg made a joke about the amount of money that please God you will not just raise but surpass your goals at the gala. Um, it's very easy for someone to look at that and to look at the names, the Jay Lenos and the, you know, all the speakers that you have and the glitz and the glamour and say, you know, if I have like a small thousand dollars to be able to give a couple hundred dollars and for me that's a big amount. Like Hutella doesn't need me. They've got the Jay Lenos and they've got the Ken Griffins. They don't need a Phil Mosquitz's thousand. >> Last year, two years ago, Elon Gold said he raised his hand. You were going around then he raises I'd like to announce a pledge of a million dollars. He said, "Wow." and he said,"Id like to announce that, but I can't [laughter] give a million dollars." That was a great line, >> right? But like, what would you say to a smaller donor, someone who again isn't going to move the needle tremendously within Salah, but you want them to feel part of that organization, you want them to feel that they're not just they're volunteering, but their donation matters. What would you tell that person? Well, I think first of all, you could see I I just this morning I read a little email that was sent to a a young young kid who donated a defibrillator for his bar mitzvah. And uh he did a project. He didn't donate the money. He actually raised the money uh for his bar mitzvah. The defibrillator was $2,500 and he raised a little more, but he we have a defibrillator with his name on it that was given to a volunteer in Bean, which is, you know, the border of of of uh it's middle of nowhere. Bean is like most of Americans don't know where he is. And someone had a cardiac arrest in Bean last week. And this defibrillator saved that that person's life. And this now he's 14 years old. He gets an email, your defibrillator just saved someone in Beal's life. Isn't that amazing that a kid 12 years old, 14 years old get an email like that? It's does you don't have to be you know the the big mach is giving a million dollars. You could give a thousand. You give $360 to buy an oxygen tank. Hatella is made out of thousands of people. Everyone gives their the max the maximum they could give. Some people go out to 10 calls a month and some people go out to 250 calls a month. Some people give $100 and some people give a million dollars. You need am Israel. You can't say, "Oh, Atella is only for rich people." Adella is for everyone. Same way Atsella would treat everyone equally and not charge money for that service. Same way everyone has to support the organization and not only in Israel, also in America. Yes, Hashem gave success to Unitedella. We are very I think since we started this organization, we never had a deficit. It's unbelievable. Think about it. You know, so many organizations can't pay payroll. Hashem helped United Atsella to be in a situation we don't have a deficit, but we run the finances in an incredible way. We have an amazing finance committee, audit committee. We have a planning committee. What do we do with the money? This year, this coming year, we're going to train every volunteer in Israel with mass casualty incident training. It takes two or three days to train volunteers. Even doctors, they come to a situation where they have 50 people injured in a terrorist attack. Who do you treat first? So, you have to learn this. It just doesn't come from, you don't learn it on YouTube. You actually have to train and practice. To do a drill like that costs tens of thousands of dollars, one drill. And we're talking about training 8,000 members. >> So, these things cost money. To train one volunteer to join Autella costs $10,000. Why does it cost so much money? Because you have to train them if it takes almost a year to finish the training. You have to give them the walkie-talkie cost $2,500. A defibrillator which cost $2,500. The medical equipment. So we look at it as a package. When we join a new course of volunteers, that's a couple hundred,000 that we have to raise for that. So when we do a gala and we bring these fan like Jay Leno comes and he says, I want to support and people and we raise $10 million. That goes for training. That goes for buying oxygen for the year. That goes towards specific projects that we know just to start January 1st, we have to pay insurance for over 2,300 vehicles. Think about it. Just one ambulycle insurance is almost $45,000 a year. So millions of dollars just go to pay insurance. Why is that? because if a volunteer of ours gets injured and we had a volunteer killed just a short while ago on the way to save a life we had a few unfortunately but even to a guy like Bar Cooperstein who was released his father was a volunteer of ours Kooperstein on the way to save a four-year-old girl in Colon and someone crashed into him he was on an ambic cycle he is on a wheelchair now he can't even talk and someone that insurance is a helping not not enough of course but that you're talking about one volunteer that had to get help because of our insurance >> so this is what we do and this is part of where the money is going to so when we do these events I want people who don't have money to come to these events and some people say I have only a few hundred could I come I said of course >> amazing Ellie thank you for your time thank you for coming behind the bea again we're looking forward to a great together >> and I really hope to come again you invite me one day again >> we Well, Hashem should bless you. Keep doing your great work. Hatah in Israel, Hatalah locally. And please God, hat should only have to deliver babies and spend all their time only doing good things. >> Mind you, last time I was here, one of the last times I was here, while I was here for Shabas in Boca Ratau in synagogue, the war broke out in in in Ukraine >> and I was busy the whole Sha I was speaking. You remember that? >> Yeah. >> And we actually saved a a one-day old baby. >> Yep. got the baby out. >> That's that's something I'll never forget. Every time I come back here and I think >> deja [clears throat] vu, >> nothing should happen. But >> that was powerful. Thank you, Ellie. Thank you for all that you do. >> Thank you for listening to Behind the Bea. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcast, Spotify, [music] or wherever you get your podcast. We'll see you next week for another peak behind the beimma.