The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the November 28, 2024, edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent:
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| Lior Raz of the hit Netflix series “Fauda” speaks with Emily Austin in Philadelphia on Nov. 21. (Photo credit: Jack Hartzman/Washington Talent) |
The hit Netflix series “Fauda” drew widespread acclaim when it debuted nearly a decade ago. The action-packed show, which has aired four thrill-filled seasons thus far, chronicles the adventures of an elite Israeli counterterrorism unit that conducts covert missions that often keep viewers at the edge of their seats. Fauda’s leading star, Lior Raz, not only plays the main character, Doron Kabilio, he also co-wrote and co-produced the popular series.
Raz was one of the headliners at a Nov. 21 event in Philadelphia to benefit American Friends of Magen Adom, the American arm of Israel’s national emergency services organization. A crowd of approximately 225 came to pay tribute to several well-deserved honorees — Hilary Sennett, Jim Showers and Gershon Trimpol — and support an organization whose sole mission is saving lives.
The event was emceed by Emily Austin, a TV personality who has extensive experience interviewing athletes and stars in the entertainment industry. With a social media following of over two million, Austin has become a well-known influencer who often speaks about her strong support for Israel and the importance of combatting antisemitism.
In an interview with the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, Austin, who became an Israeli citizen the week before Oct. 7, 2023, talked about why she feels it’s so important to be outspoken in support of the Jewish state.
“I consider myself an advocate for the truth and for what’s right … I always take the moral high ground,” Austin said. “And I find it really unfortunate that everyone’s on the same page, except when it comes to the Jews. Christians can have a country. Muslims can have a country … But when it comes to the Jewish people, after enduring a massacre, the world turns a blind eye, or even worse, sides with evil. So, I’m just trying to open people’s eyes.
“I go by a saying — don’t tell people they’re wrong but show them why you’re right. And I believe Israel has so many ‘rights’ to show the world that we have, and if I can be the one to show them the truth, then what an honor,” she added.
As for her huge social media following, Austin doesn’t shy away from using her platform to voice her pro-Israel views.
“I’m very blessed to have a platform that’s not preaching to the echo chamber of Jewish people who already support Israel. I work in sports. I work in entertainment. And I would even argue that my audience is mostly non-Jews. And … I don’t want to be proselytizing. I don’t want to shove Israel down your throat to the point that it’s nauseating, like the pro-Palestinians do. They shut down bridges and tunnels and they make you almost nauseated by the cause. I try to show a positive light and the truth without completely overwhelming my [social media] feed with it — like I know you follow me for sports, and you’re still going to get it. But I also love Israel, and I’m going to show you why I love Israel. And I think I try to balance the two.”
American Friends of Magen David Adom CEO Catherine Reed introduced one of the evening’s honorees, Gershon Trimpol, noting that Trimpol, who serves as chairman of the International Magen David Adom Committee and vice president of American Friends of Magen David Adom, has 26 years of experience working with the organization.
As he addressed the crowd, Trimpol, a resident of Southampton, quoted the famous Talmudic passage “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh” (All Jews are responsible for each other), noting that “few organizations embody that principle more than Magen David Adom.”
In addition to Magen David Adom’s efforts to supply blood to the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli hospitals, Trimpol underscored the Herculean efforts of the organization’s first responders.
“The heart and soul of Magen David Adom are its paramedics,” he said. “On Oct. 7, while others were running from the danger, the brave paramedics of Magen David Adom ran into the danger to help others.”
Attendees watched an emotional video that spotlighted the bravery of Magen David Adom paramedics as they responded to various terrorist attacks, including Oct. 7 and in July 2024, when a rocket hit a soccer field in Majdal Shams, a city in northern Israel, which left 12 children dead.
During the event, Sue and Bruce Epstein of Margate City, New Jersey, stood up and pledged to make a sizable donation that Magen David Adom could use to buy a new ambulance for its fleet in Israel, drawing applause from the crowd.
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| Ambassador Gilad Erdan, left, Emily Austin, center, and Gershon Trimpol, right, at an event for American Friends of Magen David Adom on Nov. 21. (Photo credit: Jack Hartzman/Washington Talent) |
The evening’s keynote speaker was Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who assumed the role of global president of Magen David Adom in September 2024. Prior to his new role, Erdan served for four years as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, where he vigorously defended Israel on the world stage. Erdan also served as a member of Knesset for 17 years and had a tenure as Israel’s ambassador to the United States.
In an interview with the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, Erdan spoke about the challenges currently facing Israel and the heightened role that Magen David Adom plays post-Oct. 7.
“Our enemies know that they cannot defeat the IDF. You see what’s happening in Gaza and Lebanon — we are destroying them. So, what’s their strategy? It’s a twofold strategy. They are focused on attacking our civilians … They want to terrorize our kids, frighten them, make sure that they maybe drive us out of our homeland in fear for the long term,” Erdan said. “And then the other part, how do they plan to survive? They are trying to exploit my last battlefield, the U.N., to pressure us to a cease-fire, to tie our hands, to portray us as baby killers. So, this is why it’s twofold. Now focusing on the civilian side, they’re attacking the home front. As [there are] many more people that they will be able to kill there, it most likely will succeed to terrorize our citizens.”
Erdan cited those challenges to make the case that Magen David Adom is indispensable.
“The Israeli resilience, it is dependent on us [Magen David Adom]. So yes, I believe that the Jewish world came to the understanding that of course the IDF is the most important organization, but other than the IDF, when it comes to the first responders like Magen David Adom … we cannot afford for Magen David Adom not to be the No. 1 emergency medical service in the world. I feel that the Jewish communities really came to this understanding, and they’re behind us.
“There’s only one national organization in Israel, which is Magen David Adom — this is the emergency national organization that is obligated to supply services everywhere, be it rural areas, Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights. We are the ones that the resilience of Israel is dependent upon,” Erdan added.
Erdan had much to say about what sort of strategies could be employed to try and counter the anti-Israel animus that is prevalent at international bodies such as the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, which recently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of “crimes against humanity” relating to the war in Gaza.
“Always be on the offensive. That’s what I did at the U.N. — never be apologetic. I knew I represented the most moral military and country in the world, so I exposed their lies, their hypocrisy,” Erdan said. “I need to preserve our allies’ support for us, and that’s what we’re doing by always being there on the offensive, fighting and exposing the lies.”
In his remarks to the audience, Erdan focused on the threat posed by the U.N. to Israel, opening with a line that drew laughs from the Philly crowd.
“It’s really great for me to be here in Philadelphia, a city that cherishes so much both liberty and loyalty, though I must confess that being here during Eagles’ season without being an Eagles fan feels almost as lonely as defending Israel at the U.N.,” he said.
“Today, dear friends, the U.N. is not just biased, it’s a weapon in the terrorist arsenal to help them survive,” Erdan said. “What would the U.N.’s founders say if they saw their creation today, an institution founded after the Holocaust to prevent genocide has been hijacked by those who plot it?”
Erdan noted that although Israel represents less than one-tenth of 1% of the world’s population, it receives 70% of the U.N.’s condemnations every year. “We receive more condemnations than Syria, Russia, North Korea, and Iran combined,” he said.
After declaring that the “U.N. has become a stain on humanity,” citing the U.N.’s $75 billion annual budget and noting that the United States, as the biggest funder of the U.N., is “literally financing an institution controlled by dictators that works against our values,” Erdan emphatically declared that “the time has come for us to understand that the U.N. is lost” and stated that, “The U.N. must be defunded. Completely defunded,” which drew rousing applause from the crowd.
Referring to Magen David Adom, Erdan painted a far more positive and promising picture than he did when speaking about the U.N.
“We are in the life-saving business. It’s sometimes very hard, very sad, very challenging, but the future is bright, I promise you … Our sages, as you know, teach us that whoever saves even one life, it is as if they saved an entire world. So many lives have been saved, thanks to you. So many worlds have been saved, thanks to you … I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Erdan said, asserting that “a stronger Magen David Adom means a stronger Israel.”
The crowd watched excitedly as Raz and Austin engaged in an armchair conversation, in which Austin interviewed the “Fauda” star about his upbringing and the hit series.
Noting that his father was born in Iraq and his mother was born in Algeria, Raz said that Arabic was frequently spoken in his home. Raz’s father served in Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency, and Raz’s military service consisted of service in Duvdevan, an elite counterterrorism unit.
“What you’ve seen in ‘Fauda’ is what I used to do,” Raz said, referring to his time in the IDF.
After his army service, Raz said he went to the United States, where he served as a bodyguard to Arnold Schwarzenegger and actress Nastassja Kinski. He then returned to Israel and began pursuing an acting career. Raz, who was experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder following his IDF service, eventually met journalist Avi Issacharoff. Together, Raz and Issacharoff began writing the script that ultimately became “Fauda.”
“So many things that you see in ‘Fauda’ are from our real lives,” Raz said, referring to Issacharoff and himself.
Event organizers said it was a successful evening for Magen David Adom, which Erdan proudly referred to as “the backbone of Israel’s resilience.”
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