My letter in The New York Times about AI chatbots

The following is a letter to the editor that I wrote, which appeared in The New York Times, about AI chatbots:

Oct. 31, 2026

To the Editor:

Re “Customer Service Chatbots Must Be Stopped,” by Samuel A.A. Levine, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (Opinion guest essay, Oct. 22):

Mr. Levine articulated the frustration that many of us feel regarding customer service chatbots, but his pledge to use his office to address this vexing problem is what makes his essay so significant.

In an era in which artificial intelligence is rapidly making inroads into virtually all aspects of society, it sometimes feels as if A.I. is taking over too much, too fast. A.I. has the capacity to be an asset in so many realms, but when it comes to an aggrieved consumer who is simply seeking to address a problem with a service provider, it is a human voice, human comprehension and human empathy that are needed, not an A.I. chatbot.

The exasperation we feel when yelling at a chatbot on the phone or online because it does not grasp what we need and does not have the ability to solve our specific situation does no one any good. In fact, we often walk away feeling more aggravated than when we began. That irritation does not benefit the consumer or the service provider.

Mr. Levine’s desire to take action in New York City and curb the A.I. customer service chatbot crisis is commendable. Others should follow his lead.

N. Aaron Troodler

Bala Cynwyd, Pa.

We Will Never Forget — But What Will We Remember?

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the Washington Jewish Week, Philadelphia Jewish Exponent and Baltimore Jewish Times on Oct. 7, 2026:

It is a day that is seared into our souls. The horrors of Oct. 7, 2023, left indelible images in our hearts and minds, and the sickening feeling we experienced on that fateful day as we watched our Jewish brothers and sisters, young and old, suffer indescribable and incomprehensible barbarism at the blood-stained hands of Hamas terrorists will remain with us for the rest of our lives.

We will never forget what happened on Oct. 7. The question is, what exactly will we remember?

When we think of Oct. 7, will we remember seeing hundreds of terrified young people fleeing the Nova music festival as terrorists hunted them and murdered about 360 individuals and abducted 44 others?

Will we remember seeing Hamas terrorists overrun several kibbutzim in southern Israel, including Kibbutz Be’eri, Kibbutz Kfar Aza and Kibbutz Nir Oz, forcibly enter people’s homes, burn them to the ground, butcher civilians of all ages in front of their loved ones and take innocent people hostage?

Will we remember seeing the surreal images of thousands of deadly rockets being fired from Gaza into Israeli towns and cities?

Will we remember the abhorrent videos showing jubilant Hamas terrorists taking 251 frightened hostages into Gaza?

There is no shortage of repulsive photos and videos that we could never forget even if we tried.

But what else will we remember from Oct. 7?

For me, amid all the darkness and despair, there was something inspiring that emerged from the atrocities of Oct. 7. While the fires in southern Israel were still burning and as we scrambled to ascertain the extent of the catastrophic tragedy that unfolded, something unique was happening simultaneously.

As families grieved their loved ones and others frantically searched for their friends and relatives, desperately hoping that they would be found alive, the Jewish people banded together in the wake of an unspeakable calamity. It was as if we instantly became one cohesive family. Religious and political differences were promptly put aside, and we stood together as one, ready to offer whatever assistance and support was necessary under very stressful and shocking circumstances.

Nearly 300,000 people gathered

on the National Mall in

Washington, D.C., in November 2023,

just five weeks after Oct. 7, for the

largest pro-Israel rally in history.

(Photo credit: Aaron Troodler)

People generously donated much-needed funds and supplies to Israeli communities, families and soldiers. Individuals and families hopped on planes to visit Israel and stand in solidarity with our Israeli brethren. There were huge rallies, weekly marches and ongoing vigils to ensure that the world did not forget the hostages who were being held in inhumane conditions in Gaza and the many victims whose lives were cut short on Oct. 7.

Regrettably, that feeling of cohesion that was so pervasive immediately after the Oct. 7 attack dissipated over time. Our differences reemerged and once again caused fissures in the fabric of Israeli society. What had been an idyllic sense of unity as we supported each other following Oct. 7 was sadly lost.

To me, it was akin to the United States following Sept. 11, 2001, when Americans put their personal and political philosophies on the back burner in order to stand together after the 9/11 attacks. It was wonderful while it lasted, but it proved to be a fleeting feeling that seemed to fade far faster than it should have. One moment there was unity, and the next moment it was gone.

There is no doubt that Israel was strengthened by the solidarity that manifested itself immediately after Oct. 7. And there is also no doubt that the acrimony that once again reared its ugly head shortly thereafter is detrimental to the Jewish state. We would be best served if we put a renewed emphasis on the things that unite us, rather than focusing on the things that divide us.

So, as we mark three years since Oct. 7, we have a lot to remember. We remember the approximately 1,200 men, women and children who were massacred that day. We remember the hostages who lost their lives while in captivity. We remember the brave men and women who died protecting the state of Israel following Oct. 7. We remember the countless families whose lives were shattered when they lost loved ones on Oct. 7 and in the aftermath of that horrific day. And we remember the hostages who were fortunate to ultimately return home, but who have a long and arduous road to recovery ahead of them.

Yet we should also remember the ubiquitous sense of unity that came to define the state of Israel and Jewish communities around the world after Oct. 7. As the Jewish community and the Jewish state continue facing unprecedented challenges on a global scale, it behooves us to remember that it is exceedingly difficult to overcome those existential threats as a fractured community. If there is one lesson that we must hold on to from Oct. 7 and always remember, it is that we are stronger when we stand together.

Baltimore Orioles Pitcher Dean Kremer Stands Tall for Team Israel

 The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the Jan. 23, 2026, edition of the Baltimore Jewish Times:

Dean Kremer took the mound for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. (Photo credit: Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images via Israel Baseball Americas)

Being the first Israeli-American to sign a Major League Baseball contract and pitch in the big leagues is a distinction that comes about due to circumstances and timing, but for Dean Kremer, who has wholeheartedly embraced that identity, it has come to define his baseball career in a significant way.

Kremer is known not only as a pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, but also as an essential member of Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. Considering Kremer’s family history, his close association with Team Israel is no surprise.

The son of Israeli parents, Kremer told Baltimore Jewish Times that he’s been “back and forth between the States and Israel” since he was born. “For the most part, I spent pretty much every summer growing up in Israel for extended periods of time, and that’s where I got a lot of my culture from,” he said.

The connection to Israel is one that has stayed strong and constant throughout Kremer’s life, and he said that “Israel feels like a home away from home, so it feels very normal to be there.”

Kremer noted that he didn’t grow up around Jews in Stockton, California, and therefore his parents “did the best with what they had, and they tried to keep it as if they were still at home,” meaning Israel.

Despite the rigorous schedule associated with being a professional baseball player, Kremer said he’s managed to go to Israel at some point in the offseason virtually every year to visit and spend time there with his extended family.

Over the years, Kremer has cemented his position as a mainstay of Team Israel, and he is planning to represent Israel once again in 2026. However, his representation of the Jewish state goes back to before Israel played in the World Baseball Classic. Kremer took the mound for Team Israel in the European Baseball Championship in 2014 and 2015. He then pitched for Team Israel in the 2016 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, as well as in the 2017 and 2023 tournaments.

“It’s an honor for me to represent the country on the field, and it’s something I’ve taken a lot of pride in. … I love it. … It’s a lot of fun. Israel is really a part of me,” Kremer said.

“Dean Kremer is more than an elite arm in our rotation; he’s a cornerstone of Team Israel,” Nate Fish, Israel Baseball Americas’ CEO and manager of Israel’s national team, told Baltimore Jewish Times. “Over the last decade, we’ve watched Dean evolve from a promising young prospect into a top-tier Major League starter. Throughout that entire journey, his dedication to this team has never wavered. He represents the very best of what we aim to achieve: competing at the highest level of global excellence while serving as a bridge for the Jewish community.”

“His commitment to represent [Israel] in the 2026 World Baseball Classic is a powerful statement about his character and his connection to his heritage. Having a leader like Dean back on the mound in Miami is a massive boost for our program and an inspiration for every young Jewish ballplayer watching him pitch for the Orioles and for Israel,” Fish added.

In addition to his affinity for Israel, Kremer’s Jewish identity also plays a pivotal role in his life. At a time when antisemitism is rising and anti-Israel sentiment continues to spread, many people have taken to hiding Jewish symbols and trying to keep a low profile relative to public displays of their Judaism. Not Kremer.

On Oct. 10, 2023, just days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Kremer made his first career playoff start for the Orioles in Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers, becoming the first Israeli pitcher to start a Major League Baseball playoff game. With numerous family members in Israel, Kremer’s thoughts were with the state of Israel and his relatives during that tumultuous time, yet he took the mound amid a great deal of emotion and got down to business. And when he stepped onto the field, he wore his Star of David necklace. It got a lot of attention at the time, but for Kremer, there was no question that he was going to wear it.

“I’ve been wearing this since high school,” he said as he gestured to the Star of David that he was wearing during our interview. “I’ve always had it on. I’ve always had it out, because it just comes out of my jersey, ever since I’ve been playing. It’s something I take a lot of pride in.”

As for that playoff game so soon after Oct. 7, Kremer acknowledged that “it was very hard — emotionally very, very difficult.” In addition to dealing with the stress that came with his first career playoff start, Kremer was also “wondering if my family was OK and if everybody was safe, and making sure the country is still holding up.”

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do on a baseball field emotionally, but I’m glad I did it,” he said. “One of my teammates came up to me after … and he was like ‘that’s one of the hardest things that I’ve ever seen somebody go through on the baseball field,’ and he broke down, and I kind of broke down. It was definitely something that was challenging.”

Dean Kremer took the mound for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. (Photo credit: Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images via Israel Baseball Americas)

After being selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2016 draft, Kremer was traded to the Orioles in 2018. He spent some time in Baltimore’s minor league system, and he eventually made his major league debut on Sept. 6, 2020, when he took the mound for the Orioles against the New York Yankees. Kremer allowed just one earned run and one hit over six innings, while walking three and striking out seven.

Kremer has been an important part of the Baltimore community ever since, and he has enjoyed his time in the city. He recently signed a one-year, $5.75 million contract with the Orioles to avoid arbitration, so he’ll be sticking around.

“I love Baltimore. It’s been a really good home for me the last handful of years. And I look forward to coming back and doing it again,” he said. “I love playing in Baltimore — the people have been awesome. The community’s very close-knit, and they care. They care about baseball. They care about us, not only as players, but as people too. I’ve been very fortunate to make a lot of connections in the city, and they’ve treated me very well.”

Kremer’s baseball experience started when he was young, and it was relatively standard — up to a point. He began playing T-ball when he was 4 or 5 years old, and he stuck with the sport until the end of high school. And then Kremer had to make a decision.

“I didn’t really get recruited other than to the junior college that was kind of down the street, and it was either do that, go to the IDF and serve, or go be a normal student somewhere,” he said. “I ended up picking the first option and it kind of worked out. At some point during my time at the junior college, at San Joaquin Delta College, I started to sprout. I kind of got a lot better, really quick. And so that’s kind of when pro ball looked like it was going to be an opportunity.”

Kremer has become a role model to so many Jewish and Israeli fans of all ages, which is not something that he sought, but he is mindful of the responsibility that comes with it.

“It’s an honor to be considered [a role model] … I’m very, very honored to kind of bear that flag,” he said. “It’s something I think about every now and again. I try to make sure that I don’t screw it up.”

With the values instilled in him by his parents, it’s no surprise that Kremer has excelled, whether it’s on the field, in the Baltimore community, or on the World Baseball Classic stage.

“I think my parents did a great job raising the three of us,” he said, referring to himself and his two brothers. “They taught us, first and foremost, just to be a good person, just to be a good human, and the rest should kind of take care of itself. And we all have our strengths and weaknesses, and I truly do believe in what my parents kind of bestowed upon us growing up, and the morals that they value.”

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dean Kremer (Photo credit: Baltimore Orioles)

At the end of the day, Kremer enjoys what he does professionally and doesn’t take any of it for granted. He loves pitching for the Orioles, and he also loves being part of Team Israel.

“Every time I’ve been asked whether I want to participate or not, without even thinking, it’s a yes,” Kremer said referring to Team Israel.

“To be in a clubhouse full of guys that are very similar to you — culturally and the way that they’re raised and their outlook on life — it’s really something special, and you don’t get to do it very often, so I do cherish every time I get to put on that uniform, because it means I’m going to be surrounded with people like me.”

Whether he’s wearing the Orioles’ orange, black and white, or Team Israel’s blue and white, Kremer gives it his all every time he takes the mound and is handed the ball. Dean Kremer epitomizes what it means to be a winner — whether it’s on the baseball field or in life.

Marc Zumoff: Looking Beyond the Bouncing Ball and Giving Back

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the Sept. 25, 2025, edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent:

Marc Zumoff
(Courtesy of Marc Zumoff)

Sports broadcasting is not merely about using your voice. It’s about how you use your voice — what you say, when you say it and how you say it. It is that innate understanding of how to use your voice that helped propel Marc Zumoff to the top of the sports broadcasting world.

For Zumoff, the longtime television voice of the Philadelphia 76ers, the dream of becoming a sports broadcaster began long before he became a household name.

Zumoff, who grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and has fond memories of coming home from Hebrew school and thumbing through his mother’s copy of Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, began “broadcasting” at a young age.

“My parents were hard workers. My mother was a homemaker; my father was a salesman. We didn’t have a lot of money. I didn’t get to go to a lot of camps, or Jewish camps, or down the shore or anything like that. So, I stayed home a lot, and a lot of my free time, especially my summers, were filled with amusing myself, and that included literally going outside and playing basketball by myself with a trash can or just pitching the ball against the garage. And I started to announce to myself, and that’s part of how I got started,” he said. “When I was outside in the sweltering heat, I would announce myself as a Phillies pitcher or a 76ers basketball player, and that’s kind of how the seeds were planted. And it all ended up being a career.”

As a youngster, Zumoff and his family went to Beth Chaim in Feasterville. He has memories of attending Hebrew school at the synagogue on weekends “from aleph through hey” and noted that he had his bar mitzvah there. “We weren’t all that religious, but it was important, especially to my mother, that I became a bar mitzvah,” he said.

Zumoff lives in Margate at the Jersey Shore, where he noted there is a high concentration of Jewish families and two Chabads — one in Margate and one in Ventnor — and several other synagogues.

“It’s a much different life than I experienced growing up in Northeast Philly or raising my family in the suburbs. … It makes for some long commutes, but I’m all good with it. It’s well worth it,” he said.

Much of Zumoff’s Jewish identity manifests itself through his Zionism, which has increased since the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, though that horrific day was certainly not the beginning of his pro-Israel journey.

“Even before that fateful day, I was starting to shift and become a little bit more conservative. I was brought up in a Democratic family, I had a lot of left-leaning views, and … I maintain a fair amount of that. But when it comes to Israel, I am an ardent supporter, and while I am open to compromise with whoever has an idea about how to settle things and move on and live side by side with the Palestinians, I don’t budge a quarter-inch when it comes to Israel, it’s right to be there, it’s need to survive and do whatever it can to survive,” he said.

A member of the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, there is no shortage of accolades for Zumoff, who was thrice voted Pennsylvania Sportscaster of the Year and won the Mid-Atlantic region’s Emmy Award for best play-by-play announcer 19 times.

In addition to his work with the Sixers, Zumoff has also done play-by-play for the Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia Union, and he was part of NBC’s coverage of the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, where he did play-by-play of the U.S. women’s basketball team.

Although the seeds of his future career were planted during Zumoff’s childhood while playing outdoors and “announcing himself,” his official entry into the world of broadcasting came a bit later.

“My father had a lot of different jobs, and because of that, when I told my mother I wanted to be a broadcaster, it did not go over well,” he said with a chuckle.

While working his way through school at a scrap iron and steel yard, Zumoff began sending out tapes to radio stations. Through Temple University he had done a lot of news, and he got a job as a news broadcaster at a radio station in Trenton, New Jersey. Reflecting on his experience, he recalled that they were off the air at least once or twice a day, the place was ramshackle and they were trying to sell the station. “It was just not a good place to work,” Zumoff said. “Plus, they were six weeks behind in my pay.” When he finally got his paycheck for $90, he said to himself, “Oh, my goodness, they’re paying me close to $100 to talk on the radio.’ That was it. I was going to make a career of it. … And by golly, somehow I did.”

In August 1994, Zumoff learned that he was getting the job he had dreamed about since his childhood: He was named the television voice of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Zumoff coined some memorable phrases during his time as a broadcaster: “Turning garbage into gold” (when a player scores a basket off an offensive rebound); “Hold on, we’re coming in for a landing” (when a close game is coming to a close); and “Locking all windows and doors” (when there is a strong defensive stop). Generating those trademark phrases (Zumoff actually did trademark “Turning garbage into gold,” which he first said spontaneously when the Sixers’ George Lynch grabbed an offensive rebound and put the ball back up and into the basket) came naturally to him.

“I became comfortable with the English language, alliterations, rhyming, the whole rhythm of speech, and composing different phrases became something that I became pretty proficient at. That’s the first thing.

“The second thing is, when people are watching a game on TV, they can already see what’s going on. So, the challenge for TV announcers, as opposed to radio announcers, is, what can you add that will enhance what people can already see? As a TV announcer, you’re not just necessarily calling the game. You’re interacting with a color announcer and the sideline person. Your producer and director are giving you directions. Your stat guy is handing you things. There are replays, ticket announcements, whatever, and you’re doing a lot to facilitate the broadcast, but not necessarily to describe the action. And so, what I tried to do was come up with phrases that I thought would be interesting and fun,” Zumoff said.

“I would say the vast majority of them were spur of the moment. … It wasn’t like I had a pad of paper with all my sayings saying, ‘OK, here’s a good time to use this. I’m going to drop this in there.’ It was something that happened spontaneously. I think for the most part, people seem to like it. So, I’m glad I could leave something behind in terms of these phrases,” he added.

(Courtesy of Marc Zumoff)

In June 2021, Zumoff announced his retirement after having served as the television voice of the Sixers for 27 seasons, after having covered the team for 39 years, and after 44 years in broadcasting. By all accounts, Zumoff was still at the top of his game, yet he chose that moment to step away. That monumental decision took into account several factors.

“It was a combination of things. First and foremost, I think I felt a calling just to explore what else life had to offer. Because certainly during the season, and really year-round, it becomes an all-encompassing career. You’re always paying attention to the NBA, to the Sixers. There’s a lot of preparation, a lot of travel, the performance aspect. Once they tip off the ball in October, and then [until] sometime in the spring, you are locked in, and that is a huge commitment,” he said.

“As much as I loved it, and as much as it was a dream for me, I said to myself, what else is there beyond the bouncing ball? That and the fact that I had a wonderful wife who also had a lot of responsibility as a major executive, and she also, with one hand tied behind her back, did a great job raising our two kids and keeping the home fires burning while I was off being sportscaster boy. And so, I felt in equal measure that I owed that to her, to jump off the merry-go-round and be with her more,” Zumoff added.

When asked about a few of his favorite moments and memories from his career in broadcasting, Zumoff jokingly replied that, “There are certainly a lot of funny and amusing stories, some of which I simply can’t share in a family Jewish publication,” before turning serious.

“I will tell you that the ability to be on the inside of a professional sports team is something that few people ever get the chance to do. So instead of being just a fan and going to a game and enjoying that aspect of it, you are the one behind the curtain, helping to put on the show. And I enjoyed that challenge. I loved being live on the air, because for two and a half hours, you’re operating on a high wire without a net,” he said.

Some of Zumoff’s fondest memories from his time with the Sixers relate to his colleagues.

“I love the people that I had a chance to work with, because to put on a television show requires 35 or 40 people to be on the same page at the same time, and that sense of teamwork that you get is just like a professional sports team, and you can understand why, when teams win championships, that there’s such a great feeling, because there’s a lot of sacrifice and coordination that goes on,” he said.

“But I will say that I’m now not retired but rewired. That’s my new saying that I picked up from a friend of mine. And I have filled my days with great causes and wonderful things that I get to do. And I’ll be quite honest with you, except for the people that I worked with, I don’t miss it at all. I am good; I’m good to go,” he added.

In his post-76ers life, one of the projects that Zumoff is most passionate about is his work with Maccabi USA, where he serves as chairman of Maccabi Media, which sends aspiring sports media professionals to cover the quadrennial games in Israel.

Zumoff’s involvement with Maccabi USA began after the late Bob Spivak, a Sixers season ticket holder who was the longest-serving president and team chairman of Maccabi USA, met with Zumoff and convinced him “to join the cause.”

“It covered so many things that are near and dear to me. It covered sports, it covered youth, it covered Judaism, it covered Israel. So, I felt the fit was really good,” Zumoff said.

As for the birth of Maccabi Media, it primarily came about from a conversation Zumoff had several years ago with Maccabi USA’s Dan Kurtz, who mentioned that he had a high school student who was embedded with the American basketball team during the European games in Budapest.

Recalling a situation about 10 years prior to his conversation with Kurtz, Zumoff told him about watching coverage of the Maccabi Games on Comcast. “The coverage was so bad, it was barely recognizable. You couldn’t even tell what sport it was.”

Zumoff told Kurtz that he would love to have a program where they could bring what the Maccabi Games are about to people everywhere.

So, they developed this program, and Zumoff, together with Maccabi USA’s Neal Slotkin, “recruit what we think are some of the best and brightest Jewish aspiring sports media professionals from the leading communications schools and elsewhere around the country. We bring them to Israel. We brought them to Buenos Aires for the Pan Am Games. We brought them to London for the European Games.”

Zumoff proudly declared that, “We bring you the Maccabi Games like NBC would bring you the Olympics, whether it’s streaming live events or social media, reporter packages, print, media, whatever it happens to be, and it’s just been so fulfilling in so many different ways.”

“The most important thing, which is kind of a residual effect, is we get to bring the message of what Maccabi and the Maccabi Games do to the outside world,” he added. “We always say it’s Birthright with sports, and now, more than ever, it’s so important for young people to get the message that, hey, it’s cool to be a Jewish athlete and it’s cool to be a Jewish athlete while performing in Israel.”

(Courtesy of Marc Zumoff)

Zumoff has certainly not been resting on his laurels since he left the Sixers. In addition to his work with Maccabi USA and Maccabi Media, he is also the associate director of the Claire Smith Center for Sports Media at Temple, and he’s a media coach for current and aspiring sports and news professionals. While most people might take the opportunity to focus on getting rest and relaxation, Zumoff has taken a different path.

“So that was the original intent,” Zumoff said, referring to the notion of getting some well-deserved rest. “I was going to learn a foreign language. I was going to take up the flute, which is something I dropped in high school, and I just found myself with still more to give from a professional sense, and it’s become very fulfilling. Maccabi USA certainly, Temple is my alma mater — Dean David Boardman [of the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University] has been great to me. … I’m in a good space. I think what all this is, if you look at it at its barest essence, it’s my best way to do tikkun olam. It’s the best way for me to give back.

“So, if I’m bringing awareness of Judaism and Israel to young people, if I’m educating young people and trying to do things through Temple for the community, those are two great vessels for me,” he added.

Despite all that he does to give back to the community, Zumoff still finds time to golf and do what he can to “try to keep in reasonably good shape.”

For Zumoff, family is paramount, and he makes sure to count his many blessings.

“I’m a grandparent, which is really at the top of it,” he said. “I have a three-year-old granddaughter. And for anybody who has become a grandparent, they know what I’m talking about. It evokes emotions that are just emotions you’ve never experienced before, and it can’t be properly appreciated until it happens to you.

“So, all of that leaves my cup running over. … Really, it’s the Lou Gehrig thing. I’m one of the luckiest men on the face of the Earth. I’m a Jewish kid from Northeast Philly who grew up broadcasting the games for the team that I grew up rooting for, and now I get the chance to parlay that into so many things that allow me to help repair the world. And I’ve got a wonderful wife and family to be around to support me in it.”

Making a Difference by Saving Lives and Changing Lives in Israel

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the Sept. 18, 2025, editions of the Washington Jewish Week and the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, and the Sept. 19, 2025, edition of the Baltimore Jewish Times:

In times of crisis, having extra help can be critical and mean the difference between life and death.

For Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical response and blood services unit, crises are a routine part of its life-saving efforts, and therefore having extra hands on deck in the form of volunteers is vital to the organization’s noble mission and heroic efforts.

With several overseas volunteer programs, Magen David Adom facilitates multiple opportunities for volunteerism and enables people to participate in meaningful and memorable activities that directly benefit Israel and its citizens.

The MDA Overseas International Volunteer Program, in which individuals get hands-on training with first responders and then spend time working on ambulances across Israel, is comprised of several distinct programs, each of which has unique offerings to accommodate a wide range of volunteers.

Whether it is the Israel Experience Program, a six-week program for people ages 18 to 30, Masa Tlalim, a four-week program for people ages 18 to 50, Destination Israel, which is a four-week program for people ages 18 to 40 sponsored by Onward Israel and based in Tel Aviv, or programs for overseas medical professionals to use their expertise treating patients in Israel, overseas volunteer opportunities through Magen David Adom abound.

For past participants of these programs, the memories created by the experience last a lifetime.

For Rachel Orloff, a New York City resident who volunteered in Israel in 2008 through Magen David Adom, it was a life-changing experience. After hearing her friend, who had volunteered the previous summer, talk about how incredible the overseas volunteer program was, Orloff was motivated to go, and she’s glad she did.

“It was very collaborative. Everyone was included. It didn’t matter how old you were, your race, your religion, your gender. Everyone was super nice and extremely welcoming,” Orloff said. “I think just being able to be immersed in another country, a different culture, a different language, it really almost forces you to be uncomfortable. And that’s how you grow.

“The memories I have are just really in my heart. … It’s a warm feeling of how I feel about the organization,” she added. “Even to this day, it’s an organization that I feel extremely proud to be a part of. … I’m really thankful for everything they’re doing for Israel.”

As a result of her experience on Magen David Adom’s overseas volunteer program, Orloff has put an emphasis on remaining connected with the organization, and over the years she’s rolled up her sleeves to volunteer in a variety of ways.

“When I moved to New York, I was always trying to get involved with Magen David Adom,” she said as she talked about her involvement with the organization years after her volunteer experience. “I have a 60-pound Goldendoodle who’s a trained and certified therapy dog, so I bring him with me to hospitals and visit patients and staff. … To be able to come to blood drives or do anything volunteering with Magen David Adom with my dog, that to me is the most full-circle moment ever. I’m so appreciative and grateful for my experience and being able to now give back with my dog.”

According to Yonatan Yagodovsky, director of the Fundraising and International Relations Department of Magen David Adom in Israel, the volunteer initiative is both welcoming and wide-ranging.

“Magen David Adom’s Overseas Volunteer Program welcomes volunteers from across the world. These volunteers are exposed to the multifaceted Israeli society, meeting patients from all societies and religions,” he said.

Yagodovsky noted that the volunteers “undergo medical training that prepares them for volunteering on MDA ambulances and mobile intensive care units, assisting to save lives and change lives throughout Israel.”

He added that many participants in the Magen David Adom program are planning to work in the medical field, and this volunteer experience “presents them with an active introduction, providing them with skills, knowledge and a sense of capability that will serve them well later in life.”

Yagodovsky said that the volunteers often walk away from the experience feeling a tremendous sense of accomplishment and pride, both in terms of their efforts to help Magen David Adom and the people they serve, as well as their general contributions to the State of Israel.

“They return to their home countries having experienced Israel in a unique way, having had a positive effect on society, and become wonderful ambassadors for the State of Israel and for the incredible work of Magen David Adom,” he said.

For Dr. Larry Weiss, who recently moved from Baltimore to Florida, Magen David Adom was an opportunity to make a difference in a time of need. A retiree who has 38 years of experience in emergency medicine, Weiss was horrified by the atrocities of Oct. 7 and wanted to put his medical skills to use in an effort to help in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks.

Within five days after contacting Magen David Adom, the organization had obtained an emergency license for Weiss to practice medicine in Israel, and he was off to Israel shortly thereafter, where he served with one of Magen David Adom’s mobile intensive care units.

“I saw a lot of really sick people and I feel like I had an impact. I made a difference,” Weiss said.

“The MDA personnel in Israel are great,” he added. “I think it’s the best trained prehospital care provider in the world. I know there are other great providers, but I can’t imagine any set of providers being better. They’re extremely well-motivated, well-trained and hard-working.”

Weiss, whose volunteer experience with Magen David Adom had him working in Jerusalem and then in the Mercaz, the heavily populated area between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, cited a specific case that he believes epitomizes the magic that is Magen David Adom.

His first case as a volunteer was assisting and treating a relatively young man suffering a cardiac arrest at a playground. The Magen David Adom first responders intubated the patient on the sidewalk, which is a very difficult procedure in that type of setting. After noting that perhaps less than 5% of patients survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, Weiss said that the patient survived the ordeal, which is primarily attributable to the quick response and quality medical care that was provided at the scene.

“Because we were on a mobile ICU, we saw the sickest patients, and the civilian health care system seemed a little stressed,” Weiss said. “We would go to the Kupat Cholim clinics … and we could see these poor people were inundated. They would tell us that half of their physicians and nurses were in Gaza.”

Ilana Smaletz, who is currently a senior at Tufts University, volunteered with Magen David Adom in the summer of 2023. Although the program was supposed to be for a month, Smaletz was able to extend her time as a volunteer and ended up staying for three months, an experience that she said “was awesome.”

After deciding that she wanted to spend her summer in Israel, Smaletz, who knew that she ultimately wanted to do something in the medical field or with biology and wanted to get some hands-on experience, ended up at Magen David Adom.

“Because I did not yet have a driver’s license, I was not able to do an EMT program in the U.S., nor in Brazil, which is my country of origin. So, I was like, that’s such an amazing opportunity to be a part of that,” she said, referring to the overseas volunteer program.

Little did she know that there was a family connection to Magen David Adom, which is something she only discovered while in Israel at the time.

“One day, I was having dinner at my great-uncle’s house … and he was like, ‘Wait, but you know, right, that your great-grandfather was in MDA,’ and then he showed me all the pictures and everything — I had no idea whatsoever. And it was really nice, because I got to see his ID and actual pictures of him in his MDA uniform. I was very touched, because I had no idea, and it was a really nice discovery.”

Smaletz has fond memories of her time as a volunteer, whether it was the help she was able to provide others or the friendships she formed.

“I fell in love with my station, fell in love with my drivers, fell in love with the volunteers. I had amazing cases, very interesting, cool cases,” she said.

“Every time you go to Israel, it’s like Israeli culture is the best thing ever. But when you get to go into their home, and when they’re most vulnerable, you learn a whole different side to the Israeli culture … which is amazing,” she added.

Smaletz’s experience with the overseas volunteer program was so positive that she went back to Israel in December 2024 and asked if she could volunteer again with Magen David Adom. To this day, she remains involved with the organization and loves having the opportunity to attend various programs with American Friends of Magen David Adom.

For physicians and other medical professionals, there is a unique opportunity with Magen David Adom that is coming up later this year.

The International Seminar in Emergency Response 2025, which will take place in Israel from Dec. 7 to 12, 2025, offers participants the opportunity to take part in emergency medical training from experienced first responder teams while also connecting with attendees from around the world and with the State of Israel.

With a full schedule of events and activities focusing on disaster preparedness, responding to mass casualty events, meeting with Israeli physicians and medical professionals, volunteering on ambulances and touring Magen David Adom’s facilities, participants in the seminar will gain a wealth of knowledge and a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Magen David Adom first responder on the front lines in Israel. In addition, attendees will visit several sites connected to the Oct. 7 attacks and meet with some of the heroes that survived and whose incredible efforts helped save the lives of others.

For information about the International Seminar in Emergency Response 2025, email Vicki Angel at vickia@mda.org.il.

To learn more about Magen David Adom’s volunteer programs and other ways to get involved, visit afmda.org.

Finding Strength in the Storm

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the June 26, 2025, editions of the Washington Jewish Week and the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, and the June 27, 2025, edition of the Baltimore Jewish Times:

As a parent of four children, I count my blessings daily. Each of them brings me an immense amount of pride and joy in their own unique way and hearing about their aspirations and accomplishments is something that I relish greatly.

I am particularly proud of the fact that my older three children live in Israel. They have successfully built their lives in the Jewish state and their love of the land and culture is boundless.

Yet there are admittedly some challenges when your children live in Israel. When Israel’s enemies threaten its inhabitants and launch attacks, I worry about my children. When Israel becomes entangled in a military conflict as it seeks to address the existential threats that it faces, I am concerned about my children. I think about them and pray for their safety and well-being always.

Needless to say, the Israel-Iran conflict has brought with it a sense of unease. With Iran launching a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israeli cities and population centers, my children, along with millions of other Israelis, have been in and out of safe rooms and bomb shelters on a regular basis since Operation Rising Lion began. They have had their lives turned upside down as sirens wail in the middle of the night and during the day, and their daily routines have been upended as restrictions were put in place by Israel’s Home Front Command in an effort to keep people safe in the face of Iranian missiles.

As a writer and a journalist, I beamed with pride as I read a blog post that my daughter Yaffa, who is kid No. 3 and daughter No. 2, wrote for The Times of Israel, in which she beautifully expressed her feelings amid the current situation and did a masterful job articulating her thoughts, which I imagine are sentiments that are shared by numerous Israelis, particularly during these challenging times.

I’ve decided to reprint her post here, with the hope that you will find it as inspiring as I did and that it will provide a glimpse into the heart and mind of my daughter who lives in Jerusalem, has spent the past two years doing national service by working with children with special needs, and who made the bold and commendable choice to make Israel her home.

Finding Strength in the Storm

I came to Israel full of hope and idealism, ready to give back to my country through national service. Over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of working with children with special needs — a role that impacted me more than I ever expected. But nothing could have prepared me for what was to come.

I was here on Oct. 7, when everything in the country shifted. I remember the fear, the uncertainty, and the suffering as the country came to a standstill. And now — living in Jerusalem — as the threat of Iran grows and the uncertainty deepens once again.

Going into Shabbat, I was preparing myself for what was to come. During dinner, the sirens began to wail and there wasn’t much time to react. We grabbed some water and went to the safe room, our food still on the table.

We stayed in the safe room for over an hour that night. As we sat on the floor, we listened to the sky. The loud booms overhead weren’t just sounds — they were a reminder. A reminder that even during Shabbat, even in moments of peace, danger is never far.

I often get asked, “How can you live there with everything going on?” And my answer is always the same: How could I not? This is where I’ve found purpose, connection and strength. I am beyond proud to call Israel my home.

Israel has tested me in every way — emotionally, spiritually, even physically. But it has also given me more than I could have imagined: a sense of purpose, a deeper connection to something bigger than myself, and a community that doesn’t just survive hardship — we grow stronger through it.

I’ve seen the worst of what humanity can do. But I’ve also seen the best — people opening their homes, supporting one another through grief, and being there for one another. That’s the rhythm of life here: sorrow and celebration side by side. And somehow that contrast makes everything more meaningful.

I didn’t move to Israel expecting comfort. I came searching for meaning. And even with sirens, rockets and uncertainty — I’ve found it. Not in safety, but in strength. Not in the quiet, but in the courage.

And so I stay — not because it’s easy, but because this is my home.

Six Days That Shook the World

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the June 12, 2025, edition of the Washington Jewish Week:

It took just six days to achieve what many thought to be unachievable. Between June 5 and 10, 1967, Israel swiftly and successfully neutralized military forces from Egypt, Jordan and Syria in one of the Jewish state’s biggest victories in its history.

In the process, Israel took control of the Golan Heights, Sinai Peninsula, West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern Jerusalem, including the Old City of Jerusalem. The iconic images of emotional Israeli soldiers at the Western Wall as Motta Gur, the commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ paratroopers brigade, famously declared “Har HaBayit B’Yadeinu!” (The Temple Mount is in our hands) are forever seared into the hearts and minds of Jews around the world.

In this month’s installment of “Remember When,” we look back at the June 4, 1987, issue of Washington Jewish Week, when a story titled “How the Six Day War Changed World Jewry” appeared.

Written by Theodore R. Mann, then president of the American Jewish Congress and former chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the article provided some insights into the circumstances surrounding the Six-Day War and noted the significant impact that the military victory had on Jews around the globe.

“The Six Day War changed us,” Mann wrote. “We understood, far more deeply and universally than before, why there had to be an Israel. Moreover, we stopped seeing ourselves as powerless victims, and sensed a new respect from others. The Jewish community’s political assertiveness, sadly absent in the 30s and 40s, was greatly augmented by the self-esteem generated by the Six Day War. Gradually, the basis for America’s support for Israel shifted. It had been based on moral grounds and, marginally, on political considerations. But after the Six Day War, Israel began to be seen also as a first-class fighting machine, with a citizen’s army second to none and a democratic society in an area of the world where there was no other, and with political support in America that was far more determined than previously. As a determinant of American policy, Saudi oil had met its equal in Israeli military strength linked to American Jewish political strength.”

That increase in “the Jewish community’s political assertiveness” that Mann described has withstood the test of time and remains a major factor today.

As Israel continues to face existential threats from multiple fronts and Jews in the United States and throughout the world are contending with a frightening rise in antisemitism, the American Jewish community’s political involvement and activism is more critical than ever.

Our “political assertiveness,” as Mann termed it, is a critical means through which we can make our voices heard and urge our elected officials to do everything in their power to duly address the pressing issues impacting the Jewish community.