So what’s your deal? Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I’m originally from New Rochelle, NY which is about 20 minutes away from New York City. I’ve nerded out for Star Wars since I was 7 and for my beloved New York Mets since I was 9. After high school, I studied at the University of Rochester in upstate New York, where I froze my butt off for four years. I graduated in 2012 and moved to Israel that very summer, which I had been waiting to do since high school.

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What made you move to Israel? What brings you here? 

I believe that community is core to living as people. It’s the framework that lets us care for and deal with humans who are not our family and friends. I love Israel and made it my home because the country is an indispensable source of much-needed empowerment for my community - the Jewish people. That is the essence of my Zionism in a nutshell.

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I was also set on serving in Israel’s military. As I saw it, I was healthy and capable and wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines while other people risked everything. I know these are harsh terms, but if I'm part of this community, then I'm not going to enslave other members by making them take all the risk and do all the work. I don't judge anyone else because I can't possibly know their circumstances and challenges. But I knew my own circumstances and for me it wasn't a question.

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Do you feel Israeli?

I do. I am at home here and feel it. I speak Hebrew. I am part of the culture. I both internalize this country and infuse myself into the country’s DNA whenever I can. A decade after making this place my home, it’s a core part of who I am. My high holidays are Memorial Day (when I am at the graveside) and Independence Day (when I am celebrating). 

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What do you do for work? What did you have to do to get to where you are right now? 

I run a solo PR practice, providing media relations and other services, mostly for high-tech companies. I love freelancing because I set the terms and work according to them. I choose my clients so I get to work with companies and teams that make me happy.

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After the army, I worked for several years in public diplomacy (hasbara), a field that gave me a platform to engage students and communities on issues I care about deeply. As an initial dive into the private sector, I started working in PR in an agency setting. I learned a ton very quickly but also got sick of being an employee. At the end of 2019, I bet on myself and decided to go freelance. It has paid off. I'm very happy with the decision.

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What's something about your work that you find super interesting to share?

One thing I’ve learned is that working hard means working well when you are working. It’s great to burn the midnight oil in the early days, when you’re learning a lot very quickly. After a while, though, you learn to achieve a certain kind of balance. Fewer hours working can actually fuel creativity and productivity. 

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What was your biggest professional challenge? 

January 2020 was obviously a difficult time to start a business. The beginning is always tough, but it’s especially tough when a global pandemic makes all your first meaningful leads disappear in the blink of an eye.

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What keeps you going?

What kept me going was whatever patience I could muster and, of course, the support of friends and family. First and foremost, that means my wife, Reut. We got married in June 2020 (right after the first wave of Covid-19). She’s been extremely supportive of my professional choices, including starting my own business. 

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What advice do you have for soon-to-be Olim or those who could use the extra boost? 

For anyone concerned about not ‘feeling Israeli,’ I have good news on two fronts: 

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First, you don’t have to feel anything in particular. You can live here, feel American (or wherever you’re from), and live a happy, meaningful life. That doesn’t make you a bad Israeli, Zionist or person. 

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Second, there’s really no single way to feel Israeli. This country was built mainly by de facto refugees and their children who came from a myriad of places and circumstances, often as a last resort. Many brought new elements that made this place more special than it was before. You can do the same thing. 

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