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#148: Behind the Bima - Dr. Yehuda Sabiner
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Dr. Yehuda Sabiner is a Gerrer Hasid, a graduate of the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology's Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and an Officer in the IDF - Introduction - Interview
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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 for another Peak behind find the
Bea