#148: Behind the Bima - Dr. Yehuda Sabiner

from Bon Florida this is behind the beima on this episode Rabbi Goldberg and co-host Rabbi Philip MTZ Rabbi Josh Brody are joined by Dr Yuda Sabina from his early dreams as a Young G of becoming a pediatrician to his current role as a military doctor in the IDF Dr sa's story exemplifies the essence of dedication to both his faith and his Nation join the rabbis as they delve into the life of a man who through his Myriad experiences from the corridors of Schneider Children's Medical Center to the Battlegrounds of Gaza showcases The Incredible strength found in the unity of purpose and the power of dreams also a discussion about PM what's an appropriate costume this year all this and more behind the beima welcome back behind the Bea behind the Bea together with my dear friends and colleagues we are whole and complete when we are together Rabbi Philip MTZ and Rabbi Josh broy thank you for being here thank you for being together we have an incredible guest tonight Dr Yehuda sainer probably maybe the only person certainly now maybe in history who checked off all the boxes that he does GID techon graduate medical doctor IDF officer father of special need he's just an extraordinary person checks off so many boxes and really really inspiring and we're excited to bring the conversation that we had with him together to you Rabbi mcats Rabbi bro what is going on we have perm coming up and um obviously perm this year is a little bit different it's a little bit complicated our hearts and minds are in Israel and you had a fascinating off the Record we have something after SCH every shabas which is called off the Record and there was a discussion this week about what are proper costumes do you want to take our listeners behind the Bea into that discussion and perhaps maybe there's a disagreement amongst the rabbis on this uh podcast about that well Au the record is you know we take subjects that there are multiple perspectives of not one not one authoritative truth and we offer different insights or perspectives and let people share and debate it it's become an incredible incredible slot I think it was your idea masit sort of a sit down Kish a quick we take a topic we keep it strict to 20 minutes after 20 minutes we call it that's it we want to be on time we want to keep it um and we take topics so this week I posed the question that there's a general question of should we change the way we observe purum this year with the crisis and a war raging our brothers and sisters on a front line how could we do business as usual so how should purum look this year which is a general question but the more specific question was maybe in other years kids or adults wear IDF uniform as a costume on the one hand are we identifying with by wearing the costume are we saying that IDF soldiers are our heroes this is who we dress up as not Superman and Batman not LeBron or Kobe our superhero are the members of the IDF or might it signal something insensitive could those in Israel who have a husband who have a son who have a brother who themselves are serving in the Army say oh that's cute you're wearing a costume you get to take it off at the end of perum we have to wear it because we're fighting on a front line it's not something that should be worn as a as a costume so maybe there's multiple perspectives of it and I'm not even expressing what my definitive opinion is I would just say that it shouldn't be viewed from our perspective in the question is when people will post pictures about their pum how will someone in Israel interpret it if it gives them that's amazing they're wearing they're wearing IDF uniforms they're wearing IDF uh SW flag IDF that gives us then great we should do it if someone might feel that's sort of insensitive it's not a costume don't you know you have the luxury of taking it off and and we are the people we love have to wear it to go fight and risk their lives so that that was the question of it now I wasn't there this week um but you know OB oftentimes there's a very Dynamic debate back and forth what were some of the arguments in favor what were the AR arguments against and usually like the conversation Moves In One Direction which way without you expressing your opinion percentage wise 7030 6040 where was the conversation moving on shab this morning well we'll hand off to R Brody because he was one of the people with a strong opinion what was interesting to me was that it wasn't something I I anticipate but because my I myself feel like it's a good question wow I could hear both sides most of the people who had an opinion thought there is only one opinion right that you would say that might be true every week and that might be true of every topic in the Jewish World right that's the stereotype that's the joke um but I was surprised by how for some this was the most obvious thing in the world and there is no other side even if they were on different sides of this so for example Rabbi Brody what's your op see I think what happened there that's an example again I don't know psychology or or how this all works but when someone gives one opinion and and Frames it in a certain way it's hard for everyone else to go against that one opinion I'll explain what I mean I basically said it up in a way where I said listen no one's doing this to make fun of the Israeli soldiers there something called porm and if you don't dress up then you're not really celebrating porm so your one choice is you can go and you can dress like Batman or Superman and I think that's insensitive and if you want to show that you really do care about the Army then you're gonna show the kids that this is our who our heroes are this is who we dress up as I think the problem there is that then it kind of set it up that if you don't agree with that then you then maybe you're not a fan of the army so I don't know maybe that's what happened so a lot of people agreed a lot of people agreed with r Brody in that and and then some others had some Nuance which was interesting that said kids should dress up kids who wouldn't qualify to be in the Army right now if they wear a uniform they're showing these are their superheroes but adults who would be in the Army if they were in Israel shouldn't wear it as a costume when they're not that was a nuanced view that maybe it depends on the age RAB AR Liz our dear friend put out an article quoting RAR I think saying not to wear uniforms in America because with anti-Semitism spiking not only issues of sensitivity to those in Israel but we don't want to make it look like where we warmongers or that somehow you know we're celebrating which I don't know that I agree with that perspective because I think we don't want to we don't want to abstain from wearing that to suggest that they in Israel are right we're we're defending the Jewish people they're defending the Jewish people and entirely morally in the right and nothing to be apologetic for anyway it's it's it's an area it's a topic and and every week we try to come up with one where there's multiple ways of looking at it and hopefully we're all learning to realize that there are multiple ways and to respect different perspectives and approaches to it I was goingon to say that that to me is the best part because usually when you you know you'll text out or we'll discuss what the Topic's going to be before shis and usually it's a topic that you and I have debated during the week so I know where you stand you know where I stand the fact Checker is has uh you know weighed in on the situation as well um and but usually I have like my way of viewing it and it's fascinating to come to these conversations and to realize that not only are there two sides but there could be 40 sides to something because as you just said within any top there's an enormous amount of nuance and to see what people get passionate about to see how people approach topics differently it really is a a a really beautiful display of how to agree and disagree agreeably and to watch people debate conversations back and forth all moderated by the rabbis is really a special experience well with some CH it got shut down pretty quickly because what happened was there was a guest here the shabas who's here for a business conference a woman from bees she says hi I'm visiting from bees sons in Gaza and he would love it if you all wore IDF uniform that's the only one that matters we were all like next topic no they were like make sure we're gonna do it and we're gonna send the group photo and the whole Sho wearing idea exactly we're like she shut it down pretty quickly um I'll tell you I'm a high percent we're all high percent that re Brody has has children in the Army who've served in the Army so certainly is his opinion carries a lot of weight I'm hyp sensitive my siblings who have children in the Army I just and and I was in Israel again last week and and sometimes the people in America who don't mean malice or harm who go on a Yeshiva week vacation somewhere not Israel and they're posting pictures or they're posting a birthday party or they're posting the dessert they made they're posting I don't know their kids dirty diaper and and they're not they're not doing anything intentionally wrong or or trying to be insensitive but if you're in Israel where your life right now is so wrapped up and intertwined in this war and it should be even if you're not in Israel you just interpret everything that's posted through that prism and I just think that we should all be living that Consciousness that sensitivity asking ourselves these aren't ordinary times so maybe ordinar even ordinarily I don't believe in or encourage or enjoy people posting all those things but but certainly in these times how will it be seen and perceived by somebody in Israel while they're going through what they're going through and I think that's a good question to generally ask ourselves but but that woman from be shut it down so we pivoted quickly to another question which I'll ask you so I went to Israel last week and I went to the airport with a couple KRA and two of us have TS say pre-check it and one did not so we check in and having gone to Israel several times barash thank you Al going several times gets certain status and I was able to help them with that but now it's time to go through security Miami Airport which is a zoo and English is like the third language anyway so two of us have TSA pre-check and one does not so our first reaction was we're all in it together all for one one for all no man gets left behind then we get to where you should go in to get on the TSA line Mile Line the line's like a mile and a half long like nope no man gets left behind so we stood with him for about 60 seconds and the other person and I look at each other and we're like yeah we're out of here and we tell the third person we love you we'll see you on the other side so that was another off the Record dilemma do you leave someone behind if they don't have the TSA pre-check what's the right what's the courtesy what's the right thing to do courtesy is is you know like you gotta get him pre-check like you got to hit him over the head and be like budddy it's 2024 get get pre-check I would leave him I would I admit it no I don't I didn't leave him I did this on this last trip I stayed with him and I'll tell you why I I I first all the last trip that one was me and you made me buy clear on the spot otherwise you were Le no it was actually this other trip that I was there I had to take a what do you call it like a holster not a holster a magazine for a gun so then I I didn't I ended up not taking it through TSA and they said that's a good thing but then when I asked them even I said is it okay to bring it they're like of course you can't bring it but then they flagged all my luggage as though I'm carrying stuff which I didn't even have but the problem is I would say it depends if it's a person must say your wife or your someone in your family but let's say set people close to you where you've said listen you got to go get it and it's on them they're being lazy about it I don't have time to get it I'm not get then you leave them then you leave them you say I gave you clear you would leave your wife in the line yeah she has it she ABS have pre-check and clear and everything but would because and then I said some of my kids gone through pre-check with your wife and yourid sort of you if said I will take you I will get the appointment I'll pay the hundred bucks whatever it is for five years and now I'm too busy I got too many things you st in line you're on your own but if it's a friend it's one of the guys okay we'll stay is extra I gotta wait for you anyway on the other side I just want to say that in November when R Brody R gibber and I went for a fantastic trip the three of us and it was really really amazing we got to the air of Miami and Rabbi gibber and Rabbi Brody had clear and I had TSA and then the TSA line was forever and the two of them were like sayara see you if you want to join us you better sign up for clear right now on the which I did and now I have clear yeah good it's worth it they would have left me behind anyway it's an interesting dilemma this this is very big hold on one second I think we have to bring back something we haven't had in a long time some music we [Music] wow we're bringing back behind the Vima breaking news it's been a very very long time since we did that because the long awaited raffle drawing is gonna happen right now we ran our BRS Global campaign and we set a goal this year of $200,000 which was an ambitious ambitious ambitious goal it blew through our previous goals and in a difficult year it was a definitely ambitious goal and I'm proud to say that as of this moment our goal of $200,000 we are at $218,000 $524 9% of our goal 956 supporters so we have almost the same amount of global members as we have physical members and represent our our primary Community our local community which is our Central Community our core Community our Beloved Community but also our our greater Global Community we're so grateful thank you for enabling things like behind the bear Shar articles and and so much more and we we gave a little motivation this year Rabbi moscot what was the motivation we are hosting if you haven't heard yet isai REO for now not one because one concert sold out within hours we are hosting two concerts on April 7th and the incentive was this year if you gave um towards our Global campaign you would be entered into a raffle and the raffle winner not just gets to come to the concert because that's I think like the icing on the cake the real cake is is we're going to fly you down you're going to spend shabus at BRS you're going to get get to hang out with Rabbi Goldberg and Rabbi Brody and it's going to be an epic experience can we bring them on the Bea like behind the Bea that' be very funny by the way right wild okay go for it so we're gonna do the raffle are you ready I'm ready ready to rock and roll this exciting hold on let's see if we can do this hold on can I do this come hang out on the Bea behind the beam we did it we did it in preparations no I know we did I was trying to do something else right now oh here we go yeah are we ready we got yesi in the middle are we ready for the big reveal this is it okay I'm nervous I'm a little bit nervous hold on Mas we're I can't stop it we're doing it you just said this is legit legit legit every name is on there wow this is exciting random wonder if we we're gonna know the people this is it who is [Music] itler well the an is not gonna be sitting on the beam winner is Anita Adler mazeltov you have won two Dom tickets any from anywhere in the United States to South Florida to VIP tickets to isaro at BRS and we are super excited R masats can you still get tickets to that first show at youo first show 8 o'clock is completely sold out but we opened up a second show 5:00 pm limited number of seats even that I'm I'm amazed at how fast it's selling out limited number of seats the whole back section is already sold out there's like two seats in the back and then the front section you have a liant number of seats a few VIP seats available but I'm telling you if you're sitting on this one and you're like oh I'm going to wake up in a week and get the tickets then there ain't going to be nothing left and all those emails that I'm getting Rabbi can you please squeeze me in it yeah when when they're gone they're gone I would get it now unbelievable thank you for all your hard work on that all the money from the Shero concert going to Israel we're not trying to do a fundraiser locally for ourselves from that we have our our Global campaign and our sh dinner or Capital we have enough things but we want to continue to help Israel that's what we that's what we live for right now and all of the all the proceeds of that concert um you know with our wonderful partner helping Israel fund and glal are gonna go to Israel we're really excited so thank you for your leadership on that and uh Dr Yuda Sabin are amazing amazing person I'll just say this you're gonna travel anywhere in the world with r Brody you better go out and get your TSA right now because if you could get it and you don't have it he's leaving you behind so if you plan on joining Rabbi Brody on any of his missions anywhere you better go out and get clear mobile get it now without any further Ado Dr Yehuda saer it's a tremendous a great pleasure to be joined by Dr Yehuda Sabin Dr Sabin Dr Yehuda you are as you know very unusual for the combination of the parts of your personality of your career career of your own history growing up a GID growing up in GE a graduate of techon a noted pediatrician serving in Snider's Pediatric Hospital we'll talk about how you were instrumental in guiding pokim during Corona during covid uh a member of the IDF mazalov recently became an officer in the IDF and called up as a reservist in this war it's a rare combination of so many parts of who you are which make this conversation really really exciting and we thank you for spending some time with with us thank you very much Robert Goldberg um as I say I think maybe the story is not usual but I'm a normal guy a normal guy we'll see we'll see at the end of this conversation take us and I'm tempted to fast forward to being in the Army today the IDF this war very much on all of our minds obviously uh praying and daving and and doing all that we can to be United as a people but let's go all the way back because when you were growing up Aid you probably didn't see yourself going to techon or serving in the IDF so tell us about that childhood in G was your family always GID do you go back to G in Poland or is this new to be among the gum in ER Isel growing up what was it like growing up in the in the courtyard in the kutzer of of G um so I'm coming from a very traditional G family um my grand-grandfather was already in the days of the and then another um grandfather of me and grand-grandfather of me also was ballet in Yim in Gore so pretty much very normal uh G family um I was I was growing up in the gis uh neighborhood in arof Jerusalem very pretty much normal childood of every any other uhic child and what what is it about G that stands out for those who don't know we have so many different types of ofas from laich and satar and visits and I don't even want to start to list all of them so what makes G stand out what was it that g tried to impress upon you through the the education system of G through going up in a community of G that the GBS what what do you think distinguishes G so might be today you know people will not recognize the the path of G but I think as I got it from my parents and from my grandparents G was a place of excellence in anything they did especially learning Tor inun and very devoted you know to to get achievements also in in the G and also in everything they did they tried to do the best in idish kite in learning and helping each other and working um I think this is the impression that I grew up as a child and did at what point did you realize that while you wanted to remain and stay true to being a g but you wanted to broaden a little bit and maybe pursue medicine education when did you know that and and how did you pursue that so I never saw conflict uh between those two things um as a child the first memory I think um about me want wanting to be a doctor was in age three or four I had very special pediatricians in Jerusalem um Dr David matau and Dr D um and Dr Jacob shaffir one is Harvard graduate and one is ISA University graduate and they both was very special doctors not only in meaning of a professional doctors but also as being a very compassionate very menes you know very humbled and ag4 Max I already asked Dr shapir what I have to do to be a doctor I really saw myself going in his footsteps and when you said that to him did he say no listen that's that's nice but but stay in the Yeshiva it's not for you or did they say no it's a good thing go and explore I just said he was a beautiful guy so you can imagine what was his answer he he F he told me then in those days it's it's possible to do it you know when you grow up I don't see any reason you shouldn't be a doctor um and I was a dreamer already then I didn't saw you know the Practical problems as a a kid that didn't got any uh secular education to do it but I I I had to face it later in the pth but um as a child I I had a dream I had the agreement of U my my doctor that it that it is possible and you know just waited to do to accomplish it so what were some of those challenges you referenced obviously you didn't grow up with a heavy secular education um how did you overcome that was it just pure ambition you wanted to do it and did you encounter any challenges as you progress through the system whether within gear outside of gear people who weren't um exposed necessarily to this type of kidas who may have viewed you as an outsider or were some of the challenges that you encounter along the way so obviously the challenges was were huge okay my English my English is thanks to my mother that spoke with me in English but I didn't know ABC uh reading or writing in age 21 when I finished my uh my traditional education um math even the little stuff material that they studied in theer until age 13 the one hour a day I was uh asked my parents I wasn't I was not a easy kid so even those uh few words in the few um um material and math I didn't add uh the background so it was a huge um um challenge to get uh to minimize the Gap and to get a good enough marks and to start the the journey in age 21 uh if you're asking me what is the secret I think it's just pure stupidity I didn't uh calculate how difficult it's going to you know I just went like a semitrailer on full gas full power and did it every day I had to think what I'm doing today to get my uh dream um um getting true and in the beginning it was a complete disaster complete uh failure um first trimester I got 43 in math obviously 43 out of 100 will not get you um to a medical school um but with very hard work um exercising um you know until 4:00 in the morning um with uh very hard work in two years I was able uh to get very good marks and to get accepted to one of the best um uh medical schools in the world hold on so Dr you let's let's slow down you're 21 years old were you married at this point yeah what age were you married a little bit before 21 it was uh I I started uh um the the M the preacademic program um eight months after marriage so you got married when when you were I don't know in gar how long you date did you date was it a bash show was it a sh how how long did you date it was a one day one day um one meeting in the morning for hour and a half and one meeting one meeting afternoon um hour and three qus of the hour and in the end of when when did you break the news when did you break the news you want to be a doctor in the morning date or the afternoon date I didn't you didn't so it was funny I I told my I told my father before I got uh before we went to the meeting to the date I told them that I know what they going to tell about me I know which uh data they collected about me they probably heard you know a very good student in Yesa one of the best uh great Dian for the future uh I don't want to be so much as a crook so let your father know that I am not promising uh that I will be that I'm going to sit and learn uh until the last day of my My Life um that that I think that was my uh announcement so you you dated a little bit in the morning a little bit in the afternoon and you ready to to get married so and now you're married so you're married at 20 and at 21 you say to her I've been learning in Yesa I've been learning in KY and I'm ready I'd like to go get a little bit of a secular education it was a little different it was a little bit different it was uh in the end of the pregnant in the eight months it was the end of the first pregnancy of our uh oldest daughter and we my wife had some complications so we went to the emergency room um those days it was uh the days of the strike the big strike of the residents the resident doctors and one of the doctor had a sign on his back a big sign I am working by force they try to fire them and Court got everybody to work back and he had a very big sign on his back that he's working by four and after two hours of waiting to get to the appointment to of the doctor we went in his uh Clinic in his room um and I told him I was as I said stupid and young and I told him I would give my right hand and I will work um to the rest of my life without salary just you know to sit on your chair and being a doctor so how can you U go with a sign that you're working by forth um this guy was a very nice guy he didn't he didn't kick me out of the room and he told me if you want to do it why you why are you um just you know go follow your dreams um and then funny that you should mention that because there's something i' wanted to tell you honey and in the night my wife asked me what was what was there in the room in the examining room I said uh oh this was my original Dream I wanted to be a doctor she said no you wanted to be RAB bosner you want me to be a Dion I said no um that was a very very devastating um introduction to this uh dream um it was unpleasant at all I gave her my word that I will not do anything that she's not willing to or she's not agreeing 100% on on it and the next day she came to me and she said I am not going to be the one that uh destroying your dreams um go to a rabbi that is uh that we both are um connected to him and we rely on him if he's going to give you the permission we're going to go even to Australia if this is the the way that you have to get accepted to medical school can you tell us can you tell us which Rabbi you want to I I don't want to to destroy his career the rabbi told you that you could pursue your dream so how do you go from a Yeshiva background with no secular education to getting into college not only that I can pursue the dream he told me also that if I'm doing I should do it as a religious Mission he said you know this by our mythology is standing on three beams pick up your beam if you are not um successful enough in t go for but do it as a as a religious Mission and two two weeks later I started my preacademic program I ask you a question B you said your wife she said she wanted to think about it and she told you the next day do you think part of the the what she was thinking about is I might want you to go I might want you to pursue your dream but there's so much pressure from the community or is it no she just she really wanted just to figure this out this is you and her regardless of what the community is goingon to say I got to make sure that I'm good with it um I'm GNA tell you the answer that I think I felt the same also 13 years ago um my wife not only that she's a Euro she's a very true lady very very very true with self and she went already in those days she was um finishing her degree in architect she wanted to support and to work and to give salary and the k for Tora this is how she saw her mission in this world having a husband a Dian maybe a rabbi and she's standing and taking care of about all the rest so it was very true of herself n she she never thought about you know the community and what different people going to say it was very deep um point with herself that she had to come by and to say um this is also part of the J Judaism right so you you do the pre-academic the M then you get into uh Techo and is not an easy place to go yeah Techo it's a tough place to go um but also you know full of Pride we have in our um in our medical school we have two Medals of Nobel prizes it's a tough place but they getting you very much um ready to the clinic world and to research and to think you know never get you know the truth as a to always you can question the they learning you how to question everything did you get sorry go ahead no no you go did you get push back from the community at all from from G when you came home when you were at your parents siblings was anyone like Yuda what happened you were on your way to be a Dian and we don't we don't go there I mean I can't imagine a lot of G in techon in medical school were people proud because they saw that you didn't compromise who you are in terms of being or did they give you push back and criticism was it hard to navigate that it's a good question but um also it's [Music] a it's you have to make you know the separation between the community and the individuals I think the individuals of the community are very good people and they were were very supportive and proud um but in the beginning I had couple problems let's not go into the details um you know to give to be the advocate of the ex so I would say that in those days I had to show that I can go there and to stay as I am now so maybe this is what they were scared in the beginning so I want to pick up on that and something you mentioned earlier because I think it's such an amazing and profound point which is there are many ways to serve Hashem some do it through Torah some do it through some do it through aod and obviously you know the rebi who guided you was very insightful and helping you realize that no matter what profession you do if you do it right and you do it l sham I and if you do to you know bring Hashem into this world so that's the that's what a Jew lives for um I feel like it's a lesson that so many people need to learn in their own professional careers where they leave Yeshiva and they say okay I'm done with Yeshiva now I'm going to go make money and now I'm G to go to work and I kind of left one of side of me and now I'm going to do another side give us some examples of what that means in real life for you obviously you you live that every single day so as a physician as someone who's obviously in the workforce what are some ways that you are that you do that that you make sure that you're still true to your upbringing and your community and the values that you hold so near and dear great great great line um I will give one example okay uh being a resident in Pediatrics in the best pediatric hospital in Israel it's not easy okay it's not romantic when you're working from I mean 7:00 in the morning until 4:00 it's nice but when you're doing the shifts um of 28 hours in a row and sometimes you're not getting to eat or even not to go to the restroom um it's not romantic it's exhausting it's it's it's terrible okay but when you wake up in 3:00 in the morning 4:00 in the morning and you're going to the operation room to help to Res itate a newborn uh infant that just you know went out and with not of the resuscitation you're going to be dead or you're going to be um very bad damag brain damag um I remember myself definitely standing in those moments and setting and saying wow what a great priv privilege of um saving a life and making a impact W and when I know that this is also the values of my religious definitely if you are smart enough to bring this knowledge to your mind in three o'clock in the morning it's gonna also G to help you to survive you know the daily work not only you know the the thought about I left Yesa I left this medish you know this is also the the was all way of the and everything you do you have to bring God inside how did you know why Pediatrics of all the different Specialties of medicine how did you decide pediatrix um it was not my first choice in the beginning I thought I going to be an internalist um for adults um but by the I don't know why but by the way I went to the this field you know I think God guided me to the Earth and when um half a year after I started my residency I got my special kids uh my special kid DT um uh that was um diagnosed with Down syndrome and cardiac problems and full with medical issues I got uh to understand why I why I came to this field I mean wow without being without me being a pediatrician and and one of the best uh medical centers for Pediatric the challenge probably probably were um thousand times harder wow so Hashem sort of steered you and open that door that you'd need to be in so your daughter how old is your daughter today with Down Syndrome she's um two and a half years old two and a half years old and you said she has other medical challenges also and I know you've been involved in establishing a multi-disciplinary medical center this is the vision now so tell us about that so I think you know um that um kids with Down Syndrome but probably also with other um special needs not only that they have the the problems of you know the developing and Etc they also have a lot of times um associate um medical problems proper as cardiac problems if we're going to talk if we're going to talk about specific down syndromes um 50% of them have cardiac problems um some of them have neurological problems Endocrinology uh emology Etc um ENT and I my wife found found herself you know in Sunday going to that doctor and Monday going to the other doctor and Friday going to the different doctor and and it's a very big challenge to the parents so I think if we can make in one place um multidisciplinary Clinic you know that the parents coming to One Stop station and they're getting all the services in one day um focused and the doctors that working in the clinic also F focused to the specific problems of the down skid I mean the problems of ENT of uh two and a half years old down is not very precise and very similar to other kids on that uh same age so I think it's going be a very very big uh for parents where where is that Center what are you working on I am working now in Schneider and we we are just you know we trying um me and my wife trying to figure out what what is going to be the right way to establish so such a center but we're GNA find the place and the time and we're going to do it tell tell if I can and you'll stop me Dr Yehuda if you don't want to go this direction but you know when you found out that your daughter had Down syndrome as a religious person as an evem how how do you accept how do you receive that news you know you spoke about her as a special gift so obviously today you're able to feel that way did you always feel that way is it is it hard to feel that way what message do you have for for others with a child with with special needs or with with disability so I think I am very realistic guy okay very realistic person and already in the during the pregnancy I told my wife I feel she's going to change my career I was very into ICU Pediatrics emergency Pediatrics and I told my wife I have the feeling that she's going to change my uh path in inside the career um it was shabas morning it was shabas morning um we I diagnosed during my during me and my wife staying in home I diagnosed some uh gynecolog gynec iCal um um emergency problem so we rushed to the hospital 20 20 minutes later she was um um rescued by C-section and when the attending doctor came to me and told me some of the people think that might be that she has a Down syndrome I felt like a car in a highway in Germany on 250 kilometers per mile and someone is is picking up the unbreaks you know in one moment I didn't F I didn't felt any negative uh emotions but I felt you know all my dreams just collapsed in one minute I I had the the thoughts you know that I will not be able to continue their residency I will not be able to go to Fellowship abroad to specializing Fields um but also in the same time I felt very very large emotions of positive emotions of love and care and responsibility and this is the way we got her this is totally the way we got her and it was a mistake that we thought that she's going to you know destroy my career it's not true we can continue doing everything um the only plus is that she brought brought a lot of light inside our lives um and I think you know this is the way um today of God of um changing things when he wants you know to ease um the suffer um from other people is taking someone that has the opportunity and the capability to change things and is giving them a child with special needs look on shalva they change um all the field of special needs in Israel they became I think um International no by um very high Excellence of uh treating uh special needs kids um and you have this examples also in Israel with politicians Yar Lai Tali glip donon almog um people you know that in other fields in other um world they were great generals or great politicians and they're getting this special um message from God take this um gift and change life for other people H there's a beautiful video of you coming home from war we'll get to in a moment the IDF but the Beautiful video in your uniform and the what has now become the classic song playing of being reunited and your your beautiful daughter running into your arms it's such a beautiful video that it was retweeted which politician who who posted it one of the a lot of them I forgot which famous knesset member or which cabinet member somebody posted it and I saw it went somewhat viral from a really beautiful video get R masquat I was just going to Pivot there because as R Gober said at the beginning you are a unique individual both because of your medical career but also because of your combat service in the reserves in the current War as a military doctor and a commander unit um walk us through that walk us through the decision to join the IDF to give your services not just in the hospital but also in the field as well and uh certainly what your experience have been post October 7th um so I can tell you that you know we're coming now uh we're entering the porm days um my favorite my favorite uh costume in porm was uh a soldier IDF Soldier um but I think you know as a Jew and as a doctor and as a person um I see other soldiers out they risking their life and they giving out open check to the nation to the brothers of sisters and in the place you know of the digits in the check there is not only the lives that they risking but also the businesses that they risking I had in my team I had a commander um the commander of my specific team was uh is owning a private um Winery and he left everything in a very delicated uh season uh time of the year and he left everything and he came and it doesn't know if someone going to compensate him about it or not so I think that when so many people are risking their life and their businesses and their families um if me as a doctor can give someone the guarantee that uh that we're going to do everything on the field next to the scene really next to the scene not wait not waiting on the border to ensure that they have the best chance to come in one piece or to minimize the the harm during comeback I think this is my obligation to do it but when when did you join I mean again a doctor what was more startling to your wife that you become a doctor or that you join the IDF I mean I don't know which marrying this Gad Dian he becomes a doctor then he joins the IDF long before October 7th right so how did you first decide to join the IDF and did you was there push back or Consequences to that decision obviously my wife knew me better you you know when I joined the IDF then when I told her that I want to be a doctor um but I'm in want doctor she knew you for two hours so yeah it's hard she definitely knew you better yeah um so uh I'm in the in the Army since the corona time pretty much um I really wanted you know to give the hand also in that uh place um I didn't add in my dreams that I might be one day dur inside comeback inside risking my life um but I don't think it was a very great um surprise to my wife because she knew already you know to where it's going and always she was also supportive you know when I gave her the in in the beginning I wasn't in the com in the comeback Commando unit I was um in a special search and rescue unit and the first months of the war I was uh in ascalon and the kibu we had couple missions there um saving lives of civilians Under Fire Etc and then a month afterwards um when I got um The Proposal from the commander unit they told me that they looking for another doctor because they missing one doctor so I asked my wife um I I have to go into come back to comeb back you can say no but you know tell me what is your thoughts about it and she said um she said again you know if you think this is the right thing to do do it just promise me that you coming back she's a superior look it's almost half a year that I was out of house um disconnected from cell phones and technology she were she was here with four kids handling everything alone um at least two times hospitalization hospitalizations of my special you know she's dealing with it alone um it wasn't easy so I think really the hard part of it was her part W you know you mentioned earlier that you had these dreams when you were when you were uh younger maybe becoming a doctor takes a very special individual to become a doctor and it's a special personality you want to go there and you want to help and maybe that's why you said it's not such a far jump to go from from being the the the the doctor in the hospital to being the doctor in the field in our specific Community the community sended um Big R and another very bright guy to study with my kid um two times a week during the time that uh the the period of time that I was inside Gaza um in the classes very extreme places you know of the mainstream um they had my they had my name written on the board every day for the sco of me and the other so soldiers um my daughter came every every Friday from school with a special letter with a cheesecake from the teacher with a chocolate bar from the teacher having said to my kids and to my wife that they have our in in in the prayers and I think it has a lot to say about um the perspective that theed Ultra Orthodox Community has about um the Great H to be a protector for our brothers and sisters not only by the way not only in Israel I think every Jewish um fellow in the world um looks for us and and and the security of them are very much dependent also in the security of our homeland Dr can you can you tell us more about what it's been like since October 7th living going in you said six months your wife has you know really had to raise the children on her own heroically in and out in hospitals what has been your experience in the Army is there a a Unity an appreciation in the Army is there an appreciation that you're G and here you are serving in other words for G it's unusual to go to the Army and for the Army it's unusual to have a g so do you think you've been able to break down some barriers and heal some wounds and bring some some Aus some Unity because you haven't given up you still have a beard and P because you're still a GID and you haven't compromised in that has that opened the door to be able to bring some some Unity some Aras so Rabbi Goldberg I am not the only one okay just in my family I have a father that served in zaka and after October 7th he was in B in Kaza I have a brother my young not my youngest but the brother after me that's serving in the Navy um and we have also in in the community of the Riva we have another couple soldiers um during war it was it's very hard to it's very hard to express it by words how special was it um the unity um we had people from all the rainbow colors of of the Society of not only from Israel also from the world the Jewish World we had two um soldiers that came from Netherland we have a soldier that came from Canada um and it was very special very hard to express it by words um I think it was appreciated and during you know extreme moments you understand how much you are you have you have to have always your your friend to look on yourself to look behind um your shoulder and his shoulder um and we had a lot of trust and a lot of uh respect to each other I remember one Friday night um the first Friday night I was in Gaza um I made Kish in the dark you know I thought you know I am the only religious guy why should I make a Kish for everybody if they want they can do it by themselves and then came the commander and he he just was screaming and yelling how dare you doing it alone and decide come and do it now again wow anybody and after this uh kiddish he told me Dr Sabin please give a couple words about the paraa said I don't know what is the paraa you know disconnected someone next to me a soldier very special soldier that got killed later our medic um Elan nolander he told me it's and I remembered said probably when I was in age 14 or 15 and he said it in par please help me Rabbi if you can you know um translate the sons rested around his head and then a later a couple later it said it was a single Stone so how is it can be that Yu in the beginning had 12 Stones and in the end he had one stone so what Rashi says about the med they combined they became one why because each one wanted the sadic to rest his head right so they combine for one for one stone so the asked asked how how is this a solution I mean instead of being now a fight between 12 Stones it's now a fight between millions of molecules and which molecule they the the T going to put his hand on okay and the answer was fascinating he said it didn't change in the me in the Practical meaning it changed in the mindset once you once you are one p one part in unity you don't care on that g to put his head I mean um the right hand doesn't uh Angry he's not angry on the left hand why you didn't did this or that you understand understand that you one organ and one thing and I've sang those special words that I remembered from my Rabbi inside Gaza with such special friends that risking the life and taking care on my life and day lives for our brother and sisters no one said a word but I and I didn't saw you know the reaction and on our they faces because it was in totally dark we were under threat of enemies but I could feel the reaction in the in the you know in the year you referenced the commander who was standing next to you who uh was ultimately killed AES hasem can you tell us a little bit about him are your medic you tell us a little bit about him our medic uh named Elan oer um he was a young guy 24 years old we we celebrate his we celebrated together the team his birthday couple days before he got killed um he was a second year student in law school of Baran University um and he was um very professional medic we know we we were de two doctors um and we always had a fight you know on which team is going to be I wanted to him to be in my specific team he wanted them to be on his specific team because he was the guy the kind of a guy that you know when he's in the field you can be quiet and everything is going to go you know as a Switzerland uh watch it's G everything just going to work um he was also very great person of people he was a great friend and he always wanted to be the first and to risk his five life for the first and I remember two weeks before he got healed um I told him maybe you're going back to law school you know you're still young yeah all your friends went back to to University and he said um after what I had went through in Barry it was UN October 7th in Barry treating um dozens of of um civilians and soldiers and he said I'm not ready to go I am now in the war and I have to make my job um also for the team but also for the nation and I'm not ready to do it and and it's very sad also now it's very hard to you know to recognize that such a precious guy and an excellent guy is not with us anymore bad it's terrible hash it's just it's just absolutely absolutely heartbreaking heartbreaking can you tell us more about since October 7th I hope that the soldiers and you know that we in America how much we love you how appreciative we are of you how much we've been doing and praying for you how connected we feel with you um anything more in terms of your experiences in Gaza and and and during this war for people to appreciate what our soldiers have been going through um do you have I'll ask you a little bit differ also do you do you carry uh do you carry a particular responsibility to make a KES hasem do you feel that because of your beard and P because you're a in the IDF that there're more eyes on you that you're under a little bit of a microscope and therefore you have to represent a whole community and you have to make a kidish hasem obviously the answer is yes and that's since I begin you know serving in the IDF also before also as a student I don't think never ever never some Dean or vice dean of the medical school would know all the marks of a of a specific student but in my case it was you know not only under microscope it also was with uh you know the abble telescope everyone knew everything about me right um and it's also a very great responsibility also in the work also in the IDF also in medical school um yeah you're really extraordinary and I've learned so much from from listening to you there's so many people that we interact with who when they come into to touch with their dreams with their goals their aspirations they they make excuses they say I'm not smart enough I'm not good enough I'm not talented enough I didn't have the education I don't have the background you seem to have had this unique ability to put all those voices off to the side and to not just push through but to blow through any barriers that have come in your way what would your message be to anyone listening who has that voice in their head who has a voice that says I'm not good enough I'm not strong enough I'm not talented enough I'm not smart enough or I didn't have that background and I've always wanted to do X or I've always wanted to do y what would you tell that person to help them break through that barrier and accomplish their dreams and aspirations wow as in all this of interview always great questions great questions um so I think sometimes disability is ability okay the disability to to think and to C calate all the consequences um what is the chances that I can minimize my Gap what is the chances that are going to be accepted to medical school what is the chances that I going to be president of United States I don't care what um sometimes the disability to see all the picture and just to do the right thing in that specific moment this is the way how how to get the big things done and I'm going to say more as a child as I said in the beginning um I was a terrible kid terrible kid I mean if you're going to give if when an age six or seven you were you were giving you know the word to my to my mom that I'm going to be a good kid that you know will not go to prison and have decent uh marks and you know in ETC I think she would signed on the place that just give me that normal kid and and I willing to you know U to continue in our life but you know as I went for in the life and I I got people that were that had to believe in me um if this is uh teachers or my wife um and my Rabbi um you know it got me on the right place and and obviously a lot of no none of this is is normal I don't think that none of the things that I went through in my life or you know accidentally it was someone was upstairs and switching the buttoms the the buttons I have no other award for it are are there other dreams that you have that you would like to achieve you check okay Doctor medical school you know Army family we've done it like what's next is there something else that you're thinking about dreaming obviously I have but am not stupid not stupid enough not going to announce it here I'm behind the be breaking news breaking news the next dream Dr Saina you're close with the G rashash of alter our community had the privilege of alter the rash was here this year here in bokeh we had a beautiful evening with him and each visit to we've had the privilege RAB bro and I were with him with a group of soldiers and he was giving AA to the soldiers and giving them it was very powerful meeting just last week we were back and and we had the chance to meet with him what what is it first of all from what age were you close with the rashash Shiva and and what is the rashash shiva's support mean to you um well so I know him since since I Know Myself um my father was very close with him I remember the first big story that I remember remember with him was um I think in age six or seven um when I got uh banked in my my forehead I had to get get to be stitched and I didn't give the doctor to get to me you know I was very wild and scared and my father asked me what you want what you wanted me to do it that's to be done and I said I want to have a blessing of the r that day he was the r of G and he said are you serious 10:00 p.m. I should call him I said if you're not call him I am not getting stitched so he gave him a call and asked him asked my father to give to give me to pass me the the phone and he told me UD um your head is now open a lot of Torah went inside so we have to tie it and to stitch it quickly it shouldn't go run away right you now uh agreed to do it I said yes and I you know I just was laying on the bed like a good kid and I gave the doctor to stitch me wow um but later in life I got his H great support and all the things I did um talking about my wife and the difficulties you know holding um the house during war without the presence of the husband um she got a lot of um notes for him and and it's Priceless I it's really um not for granted and and I am very very uh thankful for God to to having U the the privilege to have such a guidance and such a rabbi in my life what do what do you think makes I I know what I would answer and I I don't know him well enough we're just beginning a relationship what what do you think makes the G rash so special of sha alter he's a enormous but there's something else uh what what do you think that people should know that makes the G rash Shiva such a special person so I think some of the creatures you know he was he just he got it you know in bth in birth he just was some of this you know the this special IQ and the special brightness and genius Etc but I think the biggest part of him is the humbleness is very very humbled and always you know speaking to each other to any person reach or poor smart stupid and just the same attitude um and this is a great humbleness you know that always I can pick up to the eyes for him and to see guidance how to act in my private life you you've interacted with several G right because during Corona as a pediatrician at the hospital were you guiding some pokim in terms of how to make decisions about Corona Co or zilberstein others yeah it was a special moment then um I started my internship n residency in Sheba hospital um and I again I was the third doctor in Israel that was inside um Department of Corona um and it was the day those days was even before even before we had um true Corona covid patients in this world we didn't have any uh serious Pat in Israel but we were elected to be the first um um Reserve um department for covid and I was exposed to a lot of you know the preparations of the nation how to deal with it and in one shabas uh dinner I told my family about what we're expecting what disaster is going to come Etc and the other day my brother is calling me and he said you know one of the I think is the no one is the biggest um medical Rabbi known in Israel Rabbi zustin gave up suck that they didn't seem you know to have a lot of with my knowledge that I shared with them in that shabat and I got in contact with him I gave him the knowledge that I was exposed in inside the hospital in those days and in two minutes he stopped the conversation he called his his uh secretary and he told him give the call now to the to the to the newspaper they should not print the newspaper of tomorrow until I bringing a a letter it should be proposed in published in in the first page and he gave very very um strong words about the S and the p and that we have to fulfill the the directions of the Ministry of Health and in that time when I saw the Very extreme words that he picked up for it I was you know I was scared for myself I didn't saw any we didn't have had in that point um severe patients in Israel so I told him isn't it twoo strong words and he said if all the things you told me is true this is what we're going to see and this is the biggest Nest I mean how big can be our Rabbi um to have one sack and then when we got the updated um knowledge to be humble enough and to take um guarantee and responsibility about the other people's and and to do it in the front lines so this is unbelievable thing that I had the privilege to to experience from from very close H incredible incredible Sabin you are extraordinary we are you're a gift to am Israel thank you for sharing your story I know you're also very humble and and you definitely weren't eager to to join us but your willingness to is part of your your life of being a kides hasem of being a kesem in these different ways and uh it's really tremendous and we thank you for your service as a bentor as an evem as Aid as a doctor as an officer in the IDF you you've sacrificed a lot as an inspiration of a special needs child all that you do so thank you for spending time with us and thank you for all the inspiration that you are and Hashem should shower you only with bra and bring us all only BOS toos amen this was fantastic and thank you really really inspiring and we appreciate your time and that you should be in everything that you're doing for Israel amen amen amen thank you thank you for watching behind the Bea catch us next time 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