He Ran a Lifesaving Organization Without Ever Being a Responder

Stupid question. You're in Hutalo as well or No, >> you were never in Hatalo. >> Never. Ah, >> that's really what ultimately led to me making the decision that you they need a hutal guy, >> right? >> There there were there were just too many times where I paused. You know, when you're you know when you're leading something, you know it well. Right. You see you saw General Kaine this morning. He's not pausing. >> Right. >> Right. He's he's not pausing. This is a man who has been through the military from, you know, the time he was 18 years old, studied it, learned that, you know, like he's now acting as the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and you trust everything that's coming out of his mouth. >> Right. >> Right. Right. >> No question about it. >> I I saw in myself that I'm not a hotel guy. >> Right. And there were just too many decisions that I was being asked to make where I I wasn't the right guy to make that decision. >> Interesting. >> They they needed someone else. >> So, you didn't know that going in? >> No. Right. >> Yeah. No, not at all. >> How long did you serve for? >> Five years. >> That's a long time. >> Yeah. I signed a five-year contract and um within the middle of that contract I I had doubts, you know, because at first everyone's holding your hand, but then everyone's like, you know, you take the controls and I'm like, are you crazy? >> Right? >> Like asking Tom Cruz to actually fly that plane. Are you [laughter] >> like how you considering yourself a Tom Cruz? That's a good one. >> He actually can. >> But he can. I don't. He can. He can. He can. He can. >> He does his own stunts. And uh Tom Cruz, >> he does own stunts, but he's not flying in >> I actually Right. [laughter] Exactly. >> He's not actually flying. Wow. Right. >> Uh so this just happened, right? It recently uh February. >> You recently exited February 1st. >> Yeah. >> Wow. Okay. So that's a five years. A lot to learn though from a big organization. I mean >> Oh my god. I Yes. I I it is uh I learned I learned a ton. >> Yeah. Very interesting. I got a call from the head of the department of health um who manages emergency medicine and um he he was very complimentary. He he was very complimentary of my of my tenure in HSA. Uh he said that um you know uh what I brought as an outside perspective was very valuable and he said you know from his um interactions with me he saw that I did learn a lot you know he was trying to encourage me to go seek out clients in the space because he's like you really know a lot about emergency medicine in New York State right now. um uh much more than than you know the average lobbyist. >> So uh it was it was it was a nice compliment. >> There's an advantage of coming in as an outsider, right? I mean look >> sure. >> Right. >> I I I think the biggest and and I said this to the board and I' I've said this many times. I think I think the biggest within is that there is no input from the consumer. The consumer has no input on the operations of the organization. >> Right? >> I was the only consumer to provide input, right? And we also don't have input from 50% of the consumers, right? If but >> that's a big deal. >> That's a big deal. >> Yeah. 100%. Let's get started. >> Sure. Absolutely. Welcome back everybody [laughter] to another incredible episode of the none of your business podcast. I'm your host Michael Greenfield. With me is a very special guest for Kish. Welcome to the program. Thank you to all our subscribers, our listeners, our comments, our feedback. We are of course produced by the prime source production. Uh so I I usually do a chat says what about somebody, but >> the reason why I'm not going to do it on you is because literally yesterday you retired from being the CEO of Atsala. I don't even think Chat GPT knew about it when I put it in. I'm like, "No, no, no. He just and and he's Chachup is fighting with me." I'm like, "Forget it. Let's just, you know, I'll go into it with you." I mean, the first thing I I have to jump in and say what just happened and let's rewind and see who you are and where your background is, but I know you served as a tenure for you just mentioned five years for Hatsella as a C as an outsider. You're not Hatala member, right? >> Um, how was that like for you? When did that start? Uh, what what's your world like now? and then we'll rewind in a couple of minutes. >> Sure. Um, how'd that start? Uh, it started because I lost an election. Um, I lost an election uh because I took a conscious vote um, you know, against uh, the expansion of abortion in Illinois. And um, as a result, you know, the far-left came after me and uh, my reelection bid for a state representative in Illinois. They did a great job. Um, we did a pretty good job. Uh but they did a great job. They took me out and in response a guy by the name of Binyaman Rose, great guy. Uh he is the uh I think he's now the international editor from MBA magazine gave me a call. He says, "Hey, I had helped him out early in his career with something and he says, "I want to do an article on you. You know, people should know what you've been through." That's so nice. And uh I agreed to the article and um it was printed in the sukus edition of the 20 um so we're right after COVID right we're come we're right after the first wave of COVID before the second wave we are before um the vaccine right has really hit the shelves right that's what we're talking about and before it's been developed because it was developed In December, and this is Sukus, a few weeks later, I receive a phone call, an email from someone by the name of Isaac Stern, and he said, "I want to talk to you about, I saw the article in Mashbah, I want to talk to you about Hatutsah." And I'm sitting in my basement in Chicago like Hatalah. All I knew about Hutal is that I I had passed the lights and sirens law uh for Hatutal in Chicago. But that was my only interaction with atal except for the first time I lived in New York when I worked for a good I had fallen off of my porch while taking down the suka. So I was in the back of a Hatutsullah ambulance, you know, today 10 guys will tell you they were on that call, you know. Um but anyway, um I called my friend Afali Solomon. I said, "Who's this guy? Is Stern Nali is my close friend who's RL45?" And uh he says, "No, no, no. You call that guy back. [laughter] He's the head of Atala." And uh so I called him back and he started talking to me about started selling me on it and he said I'd like to come down for an interview to be the CEO. CEOs are you crazy? I don't know anything about so I called Rabbi Yakov vendor and I asked him I said you know what do you think I should do? He says get on the plane go down have the interview. One thing led to the other. Uh interviews bar hashem went very well. I learned a lot about the organization. they were going to keep the executive director director of operations on with me and uh I signed a five-year contract. Towards the middle of the contract, I realized, you know, probably not going to extend that contract. And um after Yumpt of this year, you know, I I informed them that uh that I'm going to let the contract expire. They encouraged me to try to stay on, you know, to stay on to to look past some of the challenges that were coming up. But as a nonhudsella guy, there was a lot of challenges. We did a lot of great things. I think we did a tremendous amount of great things the last 5 years. We reestablished the position. Uh we really um upgraded every single piece of hardware, technology, and software uh that exists within the hot system. Um, we we created uh the uh a new facade for the for the building. Incredible amounts of government relations uh were put into it. So, a lot of good things, but it was time for someone else who is a who grew up in the hotel system to take over. >> Do they name someone yet? >> There is an interim director by the name of Romy Brown. Okay. who is going to be mro upset that I shared his name [laughter] >> but uh >> it's out there >> but it's out there global global uh global tech I think is the name >> is a good friend yes >> kudos to you because you're not doing enough >> he he's unbelievable I I love this guy he's he's just he's just incredible I had asked him six months ago to come in and help us out with some of the technology stuff and he really got to know some of the board members so when I met with the board they're like you know what about Arammy and made a lot of sense. >> I have to ask you because I have so many questions but um I'll start with this one which was a simple one which is um I had to call at the other day and I'm not going to go into why right now because it's not about me. Um but when I called the only number I remembered was the 718 number and I called the 718 number. >> 718230 >> 387 >> 230100 >> called 718231. Hats. Yes. Hi. I need someone for Hatala and Muny. Uh, hold on a second, please. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. The process took a lot longer than I expected and they're busy. Hold on. I'm trying to transfer you. One second back and forth. A little bit disappointed that there wasn't a button that they pushed. And then I got Hatal and Muny in a second. And it got me thinking like what who is Hatsala? Like if you don't mind breaking it down for me like >> is it New York? Is it the five burrows? And we've we've gone through this once when we sat with Ellie Row and we spoke about Atsala. Just a little bit of a refresher like sure hats is one >> umbrella organization like when I'm giving saddaka or charity toalah am I giving it to one specific is there overarching hats how do you break it down for the simple mind >> so so you know I don't know when this is going to air but you know Ellie's right now in the midst of things and so I just want to give him good wishes you know >> wow he's such a hero by the way to hashem should watch over you should watch over you should watch over everything you your family and give you for everything that you So big Ellie fan. Um so Hatutala and Ellie loves talking about the history of Hatutala and how many Hatsella branches there are. Hatal started in Williamsburg. It was an idea, right? Started in Williamsburg was an idea. Hershel Weber and um it grew. It was a great idea, right? So it grew organically. Rockland, where you live, actually happened to be one of the initial Hotella branches. Uh I believe before RL I'm not sure if it was before um Crown Heights, but it was that early in the hot war. >> RL is >> RL is Rockaway Lawrence. >> Rockaway Lawrence. >> Rockway Lawrence the five ch right. CH is okay. >> But but Rockland was really early. Munzi was really early in the Hatsala development and it makes sense because of the you know Hatsala um was really initiated by the and you know [clears throat] with theish presence here in my at the time it made a lot of sense that Rockland was going to be uh one of the initial Hatutella branches. So as hotel began to grow and the different parts of the five burrows really started to grow especially Flatbush, Burough Park, um Queens, Williamsburg, they needed some sort of central office. So it was the five burrows and the 16 branches of the uh New York City that created what we call central Hatsella. So again, as we said, Rockland predated that. So when they created central hats, it was only the five burrows. It was only and Rockland and New Square and um uh uh what's it called? Uh Monroe uh KJ, right? Those three New York branches were not part are not part and still they are not part of Central. Um however, Central had this one number, right? 2301000 3750 and I always tell people nothing connects satsalah more than the phone number right because as different as we are as uh people right there's one phone number and bar hashem that's the phone number that 50 years of children have been taught to learn you can't retrain that so that's really keeping together more than anything else um so when central brought everyone together under one roof the central was designed to take care of infrastructure licensing, billing, right? Back office stuff and allow the branches just to focus on on the care. But those branches that I mentioned that are outside, right, KJ, Rockland, others, Central's not taking care of those organizations. They're doing it themselves. Chicago, Miami, all those, right, doing it themselves. However, as the years went by and different communities started to grow, CLA started to grow. you know, I've been an ad tener my whole life, right? And you know, the communities where I'm from, it was like you knew you were something if you had a uh a yeshiva or you knew something if you had a girl school, right? You had a scholar, you had a you had a a small yeshiva, right? A small yeshiva katana. But did you have a yeshiva high school? Did it? Now it's right became satala leadership started looking at that like scary because if you're right the story that you just told me right and you're in Chicago and you call that number and you call the direct number in Chicago and they don't come in 90 seconds you're not happy you move to Jackson New Jersey right and you Paul had central Jersey and you don't get someone in two minutes, right? Because you're from Williamsburg and you just moved to Jackson because you got all this land. You're not happy. The leadership at started looking at that like, whoa, we need to own this name because somebody's life is going to be in danger because of how good became, right? you expect something right that that city may not be able to deliver that Jackson, New Jersey may not be able to deliver. think they can now. But when they first people started first move to Jackson, people start moving to Howell or these other areas, Manchester, right? From Burough Park where there's a hot guy on your block in your building to a hot guy 15 minutes away, different story. So the central became the federally recognized um license holder of the name Hutzalah in the United States. And so there is a structure now if you want to be called Hatsalah in this country you need authorization from the central office. That's something we did in these last five years that we created this >> interesting which is probably why the new hot that opened in Lakewood called themselves hotas in the fascious or something else different name >> right they had to use a different name which I want to ask you about because I'm curious but before I ask you that do you know the average response time like where is the fastest average response time is it Brooklyn I'm assuming it's borart it's >> going to be borrow you know what how how how what timing that is >> we don't like to say those times but it's really fast I had a doctor from Baltimore um in the uh dispatch room and you know and I will wholly admit there are times when you know we have VIPs in the dispatch room and nothing's going on and I'll text someone hey create a call for me right [laughter] >> let's show them >> because just cuz I'm terrible but you know we we we I mean thank god there was no call right >> but this was not one of those situations and there was a child choking right we had a pediat it was a pediatric physician in the room and we had a child choking call come over the line. The child choking is like number one, right? Child choking, you know, acute heart attack, you know, stroke, whatever those I mean, but child choking number one. Um, the doctor heard the hatal member knocking on the door while the woman was still telling the dispatcher. Um, I mean, that's how fast it can be. It can be in certain neighborhoods under a minute because we that's what makes Hutal so special because they're your neighbors, right? It's it's that that's what makes it work, >> right? >> Cuz they live on your block. >> And does it make sense that that's what happened in Lakewood and Jackson, that whole area that the So the timing wasn't like you said a minute ago, which is interesting, is that we got you spoiled us, >> right? Exactly. So, and when I say you, I mean all of you. [clears throat] All of you holy sadikim and yeden and neighbors that you know response time. I mean you would say average is under a minute and a half, right? You said 90 seconds, right? >> So when you get used to such a response time and you're living in Lakewood and suddenly you're in an area where response takes four or five minutes, you're getting frustrated, right? >> Yeah. One of the Raunham told me he literally had to get up in the middle of in Scholan Chavez and tell people you moved here. You moved away from that for whatever reason. He moved away from that here in Jackson. It's not Burough Park. We don't have all of those conveniences about Hashem. You know, now now there are much, but it took time in Lakewood to get to become a hot member in Lakewood and to become a hot member of Central Jersey. I mean, Central Jersey is awesome, right? They have great hot. You got to go on 500 calls to be a primary responder and you as the consumer. That's awesome. That's what I want. I want a guy who's gone on 500 calls. I want a guy that's going on 30 calls a month, right? Like I want a guy who's sharp, who knows what he's doing. >> So is that what the challenge was when it came to >> So a couple of guys are sitting around wait, you know, waiting for Atsala to expand to their territory. It's not happening and they're EMTs and they're available to participate, but I guess Atala has rules of who they're going to accept and how, right? >> Very much so. >> Is that part of the challenge of what happened? I mean, >> yeah, absolutely. So I I and and when this whole story happened I it resonated with me because I had a story uh where someone called me asking me for help because he knew that I knew one of the coordinators. It's a great story. He asked me for help. He's like uh can you help me get into atala? I'm like what do I know? I have not but you ask me to make a call. I'll make a call. That's just you know how we are right. So I made a call and the guy uh the coordinator says let me let me meet you for coffee and explain to you what goes [laughter] on in when you ask me to just take a guy for like you think it's just like hire somebody let me just explain it to you. So he came and he sat with me and um I'm not going to use any names but it was such an interesting story otherwise I wouldn't be able to tell it to you. [laughter] So he says, "Imagine that your sister or your spouse, your wife, right? You know, someone's married and their wife is home alone and you're on a business trip and it's 2:00 in the morning and they're calling for abdominal pain and you want someone to show up. That guy that you want me to get in, is that the kind of guy you want to show up to your to that woman's room at 2 o'clock in the morning or do you even know the answer to that question?" >> Right. >> Right. Do you know this guy well enough to give me the answer to that question? You may you may say I I I don't know right that's also bad you know one of the things I learned about Hatutella when I came in um >> he never got accepted by the way [laughter] >> I I knew from the beginning of the story >> I imagine >> um one of the things I learned about hot when I came in is that money doesn't matter and it's so important it's very different and and does wonderful work they the people there do wonderful work but money >> you say what >> that's United >> oh that's United different >> very different organization but they money means a lot there >> right you don't mind Israel right that's what you mean okay >> right money means a lot there money means a lot there you see it I mean >> they literally put out yesterday a $6 million campaign for a war effort that they're going to have nothing to do with right so I don't get it but money means a lot there right money means nothing here Nothing. Doesn't matter if you're the richest guy in the world, right? No impact. You either have skills or you don't. Zahu. PR means nothing. That's why you don't see them anywhere, >> right? >> Very hard to find stories about Hutella. Very hard to find information about our operations. That's by design. because it's an organization that is strictly focused on one thing that when you call, we come and we take care, we pack and we go. >> That's what happened. >> Whatever happened to all the um what happened to the women um participating in Atala? Does ever did they ever I don't I just don't know if I'm ask >> I know there was a whole thing of women you live in my so >> I'm out of touch a little bit with >> here here in here in the here in Rockland News Square has has a whole has a whole team of women. Do they separately? You're saying it's a separate number? >> No, no. It's part of it's part of it's part of Hatutal. >> So, if you're a woman and you call Hatsella of of New Square and you say, "I want a woman." They get you a >> So, so the way the way the way it'll work is that the closest person is going to get eyes on the patient, right? Uh that's primary because you know sitting around the table it sounds good. We want a woman. Really, you want the first person who's able to come. If you are really in need of hats, right? Not that you stubbed your toe or you cut your finger. If you are in real need, right, we had a situation in uh this is one of the primary examples uh I give and you know I talk you know when people ask me the question about women in Hutzella so I was uh I was in the dispatch I spent a lot of time listening in the dispatch room just trying to learn again I'm an outsider and uh a woman calls and she says I need I need a woman I need a woman I need a woman and um the this is in Williamsburg. Okay. And the and the dispatcher followed his protocols. Excellent. We have such great dispatchers. Dispatcher followed his protocols and first he contacted the closest member on scene, right? Who could possibly get to the to the patient. Then he contacted a coordinator, right? And let the coordinator in that area know what was requested. We have no idea. She said she cut herself and she needs a woman. So, first member on scene uh got to the woman's apartment and she had cut herself in a very private area. A knife had fallen off off a off the counter and it had just magically hit her in the worst possible place for a woman and it hit a vein. So, she was losing an incredible amount of blood. The very sensitive Hatutella member who showed up on scene first showed her how to apply pressure herself on the area until a nurse, a female nurse that works with William Catsella showed up, was able to, you know, uh, address the the situation in a much more respectful manner according to it. Now, if the first member on scene had seen that she had lost too much blood or something worse had happened, he would have absolutely right intervened right then and says your life is in danger and you know I need to I need to help you. So, so yes, does interface with women and that's a situation in Williamsburg, right, where you know Barashem stabilized the nurse came stabilized the woman and we we packed her up. >> It makes sense that protocol. Do they have training for this? You're saying the way they came in, right? So they and and I'm sure there's ongoing training for these things. What about training for dealing with trauma? And you know, I'm curious about this because >> No, I'm talking about their own trauma. I'm talking about, for example, and I'm asking you specifically because you didn't grow up uh as an EMT, you know, red sirens guy. So I I have friends. Some of them get really excited when they see a car accident, right? >> Really excited. And I'm not saying in a bad way, in a negative way. I'm saying this like they they their superman power just gets activated and they sort of are immune to the challenges that come with the trauma of it. >> But you who did not grow up in this environment, I'm curious how you uh react to all this trauma that's happening around you like has there been a story that like you went home at night and like you couldn't sleep and something happened? Like tell me about that. Tell me about the training that you have or how you react to that trauma. I hope I hope my wife listens to this uh podcast because she'll be laughing from the time you started asking the question. Um unfortunately or fortunately throughout my life I've had a lot to deal with. Um and uh I've been in positions in helping people through very very traumatic situations way before uh my time in Hatsella, you know, for for for years and years. So, you know, to the point that one time my wife and I were in the car and uh a certain rub had called me up about a situation that I was involved in family and um a lot of times, you know, my wife used my wife used to say that you work for the CIA because I I never can't share. You just can't share. People call you with very personal private situations. You can't share. But a lot of times she'll find out in the car, right? we're driving together in the car and you know she'll hear a conversation or you know put together some stories. I'll just I'll never forget this because this was a particularly brutal family situation and the RV uh that I was working with called me up and uh yeah he was breaking down uh over this whole thing. We finished the conversation, you know, I hung up and hugged my wife and I'm like, you know, so where are we going for dinner? you know, like and she's like, "How do you do that?" I said, "I don't know. Hashem gave me that ability. I have to put it somewhere. You know, it's probably not healthy [laughter] and it probably, you know, it's why I don't drink on porm. Uh it's uh you know, it's it's probably not great." But uh no it when you talk about the members I care very deeply about um the members and some of the things that they see because I'm aware of a lot of what they have seen over the last number of years and some of it's not great and uh you know you walk into uh situations in people's homes and some sometimes it's it's devastating and uh we had a bus accidents in Williamsburg a couple years ago a couple children were killed right the first guys on scene you know had to see that you So, I know that one of the guys on scene had a child literally that same age, right? Called him up later that night just to talk to him. There was a tragic accident in Woodmir a few uh also a year or two ago and uh first guy on scene, you saw these little girls, you know, young young teenage women uh two of whom, you know, died. But he literally because of his ability to stay focused on the moment saved two other lives, right, in a horrible car accident, right? But I saw him a couple nights later and he was not good. You know, sat with him, talked to him. So, yeah. No, guys, guys definitely some areas have therapists who work with uh the members and some hopefully will get them. >> So, it's not an official process. It's something each person on their own. >> Each No, each neighborhood deals with differently. >> Yeah. Because it could be really it could be a lot. I mean, it could be a lot. You say you've gone through things. So, let's rewind a little bit and learn about who you are, where you from. I I don't know enough about you. You said you were in politics. You're dealing with emergencies before Hot Salah. >> Where'd you grow up? Where's your family from? Tell me a little bit about your background. >> Everywhere. Uh, I I I was born in Philadelphia and I I I lived there long enough to become a complete and total Philadelphia sports fan. Um, >> okay. I know a few die hard like Eagles. Yeah. Yeah. Eagles Torah. Sorry. God, Torah, Eagles family. You know, that's [laughter] just, you know, dating with my wife. God, Torah, Eagles family. Just got to know. That's where it's at. >> I love it. Priorities, but it's in there. >> It's in there. The kids are all all Eagles fans. Um, yeah. No. So, uh, born and field, but we moved to Cincinnati when I was around 9 years old and then I went to Ishiva and Skoi. So, when people ask me where I'm from, I just say I'm from Chicago because I really, you know, that's been home ever since my mother sent me to Yeshiva in Chicago. Um, I, you know, that's been uh that's been home. I I connected with Chicago, with the community, with the RA and with, you know, just so so dearly. >> I always like asking where are your parents from? Where where's their background from? >> So, my uh my mother's from Queens. Uh my father is from Philly. Uh still lives there, you know. Yeah. My father still lives in Philly. My mother and stepfather live in Farway. They moved to Farway when we moved back here. >> Um but my father and stepmother still live in Philadelphia. Yeah. >> So, uh whenever I go to Philly Games, we it's an excuse to, you know, see my parents >> together. Yeah. [laughter] >> Um but yeah, so that's where my uh my parents are. I'm fourth generation American. >> Wow. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Super cool. which is pretty cool, right? Yeah. Yeah. Grandparents born here. So, uh yeah. So, it's it's it's pretty awesome. >> Um but yeah, so I was in Chicago. I was in Skoi and uh I ended up mara um to came back to Skoi and I went to Cincinnati Kylo Cincinnati. I was Cincinnati boy and they wanted me to come back to be part of the kyo was part of the second group of the Cincinnati Kylo which is now brokan 20 you know over 30 years. um because it's going strong and bloom was visiting for Shabas in Cincinnati uh Rabbi Bloom from the agoda and he saw I had put the shabas together the shabas for Rabbi Bloom and couple the came to visit and uh he said you should come work for the agu >> that's it that's how it started >> that's how it started >> okay so he just saw you doing good >> right he saw me this is a pattern I'm noticing a lot with people's history is that if you just do the work, people will notice. >> For sure. Yeah. Absolutely. 100%. The little kid from Cincinnati Skooki Shiva made no sense that I should end up working for a good show of America. No sense. Completely and totally logical. There were a thousand guys in Brooklyn that should have had that position. Um and I was hired by Goodto of America. Was hired by Schmo Bloom, right? Bloom hired me. And then he sent me to Chicago to learn under David Schnell. Uh Davis Schnell is one of the greatest. I hold he's he should be on Mount Rushmore of Ask Gunam in America. Um you know in terms of what he has done for the Chicago community um so under the radar screen built the camps that exist throughout the Midwest. Uh really created a as a balabas a tur environment. You know he worked for the the elder statesmen. you know, Sydney Glenner, Jack Rybach, you know, his father Jack Schnel, right? He took direction from these Balabatim and uh Mim who was tell at the time he was our and I had to learn with him for seven years while I was in Chicago working for every Friday I sat with Rab and I learned with >> what what do you think makes Chicago so different? I mean, I have to be honest with you from as an outsider >> when it comes to when it comes to giving, I don't think there's any community like Chicago. And >> I I believe it's I believe it's primarily because of the we got from the >> which was what what was that message that you've heard >> to care right that's what we learned explain >> those words from you are not created for yourself rather to help others That was absolutely drilled into because that is the essence of all men. That was drilled into every Chicago guy from the time we were kids till we became uh adults, right? You are not here for yourself. You're here to help others. And I don't know any community, no community like Chicago where the older generation is actively helping the next generation succeed be it in business in or in uh uh what's it called the entra anything right it's incredible what uh what what the Rashiva planted uh in Chicago and David Schnell and Jack Ryah Jack Schnell Yoseph Davis Sydney Glenner personified that you know to the to the nth degree of Israel Glock I mean there's so many balabatum I can say you know who cared so much and you know gave that >> and grew up in that environment of living for others which is so beautiful you don't see that enough I mean uh >> Bob Hartman I mean like these guys how they cared so much and really put into their children and their children's friends and I grew up with David you know we in in in their house and it was all about all right how are you what what are you good at what are you going to be successful at what are you going to right it's just it was always like that it was it was always like that >> so growing up and seeing all that I mean what what were the challenges that you had as a as a teenager as a what what were the what were you facing during that era of your life >> in terms of what I mean >> just challenges just like typical teenage challenges right like that you're surrounded by a lot of love which is great >> that's I'm curious how that you know lends a hand just growing up uh you know those types of challenges because the other challenges didn't exist right because you had that love right because you had that support right you you look at our the guys that I grew up with almost every one of them have successful lives uh today I can think of very few who don't um and that means something right because we didn't fall off the wagon you know Rabbi Elephant likes to say you know to his guys you know who show up that one boy who learned by him and one boy who got a lot of from him. He likes to tell the guys during the schmoos, if you're sitting in the schmoo, you missed the off-ramp, you know. [laughter] You know, but there were a lot of guys in a lot of our cities who took that off-ramp, right? And our our in our kabur and our guys we were growing up so many hashem amount of guys who stayed on stayed from stayed connected to the community. Different challenges different challenges >> that's beautiful and the common denominator is the love that you felt from everyone which is so beautiful. the community support. >> Tell me about the Aguda. First of all, I have to admit to you, it's not the first time I'm saying it. I don't really know enough about what Agoda does. I know they're out there. I know they collect money for the Aguda. I just don't know exact. I know they oversee the school systems, which is a nice thing. They actually helped me tremendously. >> Towards the end of my career at the Aguda. Yeah. >> I I used to tell people ask that question. You know what we do? What's your question? [laughter] >> So, how long were you there for? >> I was there 12 years. >> 12 years. >> I was there 12 years. >> So, you started off as what what was your when they first recruited you? I started off in Midwest regional director. Okay. >> Um, you know, >> your job was what? >> Grow the Midwest, right? >> What do you grow? >> They gave me $5,000 in the word go. That was the extent of the uh direction I had. So, >> grow in what? Doing that. >> Well, I I connected with government. In other words, you know, the the key right there there were there were there's a key role that a good plays in Claudia. So, I you know, I looked at I said there's the direction we have from the Mascoda, right? And then there's the government affairs and you looked at Chicago that's really where we could play um and make a difference because there was associated there was someone taking care of the schools as you as you discussed there were other organizations who were dealing with a lot of the work Rabbi first you know his his Chicago fund and all the great work that they do that some uh agura related branches perform around the country but we really focus on government camps and um >> government government interaction with the hopes of what what's the goal? >> Well, I mean, you know, first of all, there's the desire to live as an Orthodox Jew in this country, right? So, therefore, laws have to be capable. Uh laws have to allow us to live in this country. >> Can you give me an example? >> First amendment uh type uh issues. We want freedom of religion, right? We want, you know, your daughter wants to go and become a nurse, right? So therefore, she wants to be able to go to the school without having to go to school on chabas, right? You want to work in the public work space, but you want to be able to observe your religion, you and take off, maybe not for porum, sorry, but you definitely want to take off for kipper, right? So these types of situations, >> these are things that that good should get credit for doing with government. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. I'm learning >> 100%. Okay. These were all laws that were passed both federally and then it became important to pass them on the state level. And then things come up like in our time, you know, literally I got thrown into the fire because if you look back the Boston uh uh priest situation uh you know really started around 2002. >> What are you talking about? >> You know when you know the accusations of molestation um right started happening. Okay. >> Right. In 2002. So that uh uh the whole Boston dascese uh basically uh went down. I think there's a movie about it or a TV show that blanking on the name but um >> maybe Steph can find it. >> Yeah, they can find it. Um he'll say it. I'll remember it right away. So the uh um that was around O2 and that's when I started working for Chris and laws started popping up you know that were going to have a massive negative impact um you know statute of removing statute of limitations you know on Shivas that may or may not have been involved in situations like this from 30 40 years ago. where statute of limitations were in 20 years. Today, none of that administration exists anymore. We had to play incredible amount of defense um on these uh on these issues. That was my like that was my introduction to >> in your 20s. >> In my 20s, >> dealing with abuse, you want to ask how I can deal with what I deal with today. From 26, I was introduced to the abuse community, right? And I sat and I listened to the stories. I sat with you know I I once said this publicly but I can't say it anymore you know but I sat with Gdel Tyra you know I wish I could share who but I sat with Gdel Torah who would listen to these stories and cry right listen to these stories and cry of abuse that took place in our community and um but then we had to take a step back and say that's horrible that's horrible not putting that aside but we have to look through the lens of today and as laws are being passed how they are going to affect our community. >> Give me an example. What do you mean by a law? >> Well, you know, statute of limitations, they want to remove statute of limitations for abuse cases against the institution, right? And if the statute of limitations is is removed and somebody becomes latigious against, you have no more ex Yeshiva >> meaning what? So if somebody uh in their 30s or 40s uh decides that they want to um call out something that happened to them when they were 12, right? >> Correct. >> So that's where you're talking about statute of limitation. So where they wanted to pass a law that there would be a statute of limitation >> there. No, they wanted to pass laws that to remove statute of limitations. >> To remove statute of limitations, >> to remove and we wanted to protect those statute of limitations, >> but to allow for anyone whenever they're ready to talk about it and to come out with it, >> but not to be able to destroy the yeshiva. >> What does that mean? in other because they shouldn't be able to file a civil lawsuit. >> I see. So it should be something against the individual and not >> against the individual. >> What about and as far as the institution protecting it that we're not talking about that >> if those indiv and again that's how you you know you have to split hairs right >> only I'm thinking about it now and it was something that came up around a year ago. I think it was in Chicago actually so I'm curious about it. Um I haven't spoken about this topic in quite a while so I'm curious. someone that passed away. there was a revy and he died and someone came out against that person and it was a huge question of whether it's considered uh lush horror or whether you should be sensitive to the family that you know affected by horrible horrible >> so horrible on what end you know a person like you who went through this >> all I knew the whole thing I was >> so just teach me a little bit what what happened there that we can learn from and then what's something there that we can grow from in terms of understanding people who have gone through abuse and who are afraid to talk and you know have that feeling of you know I'll just park it in the back of my head but then one day it affects them and they say you know what I want to let it out is there's something to it right >> there's definitely something to it and you know the question is you have to the person who was abused right they need to be cared for right there's no question about it but this man's children didn't do anything wrong right this this man's wife didn't do anything wrong she had no idea Yeah. Isn't that always the case? >> It's always the case. So, this story now destroys them, right? So, that's where we need to advise us because you're right. This this victim, right? He he needs to share because it could kill him. Not sharing, right? That's also true. The not sharing could also kill the victim, right? So he needs to share, but he needs to share in a way that's not going to kill others, right? Because this could have a devastating impact on the wife and the children, which it did. It's had a horrible impact on the family and uh they're such amazing special people uh that family just very very special people. >> Is there another way to do it? Is there a way that you would have done it differently? >> I don't know. There's there's a there's a lot of hurt in the world, right? >> Yeah. >> I know that uh there was a cadra of gdelum, right, that said one way and a cadra of gdelum that said another way. So whatever ended up happening, whoever did what they did uh definitely felt that they had uh backing by Rabanu >> right >> on both sides. So I'm not going to enter into what should have happened. I definitely saw the fallout of what happened and it was was devastating. um you know uh people got sick later and like seriously ill and some people point to this story as you know what could have caused them to to to get sick. So, you know, it's really, you know, you've this this whole um, you know, this this whole para of the abuse is just something that, uh, it's really just awful. And there's no good answers. >> No good answers other than keep your hands to yourself. [laughter] >> Definitely. Um, you know, and it's something that I guess that, uh, it could take years to come out and it's, uh, >> no, no, no. Decades. decades. >> Sometimes it really takes decades. But I like what you were saying before and I never thought of it that way that if the person who felt the abuse doesn't speak >> they themselves die inside literally >> literally mentally emotionally I mean mentally emotionally then unfortunately physically it can be but >> and that's why I sat with these gad with those survivors at that time um because and again his family doesn't want me sharing but this good who was an amazing person he knew that he knew they needed to share and they needed to share with him and they needed to yell at him and they needed him to feel a sense of responsibility for people shoving it under the carpet and he listened to them. Hours and days. He opened himself up and one after the other came to talk to him and it was it was it was was wild. Wow. >> Wow. So through through your 20s, you're dealing with a good, you're dealing with abuse, you're dealing with government. >> What else? What what are the other highlights of the a what a good does because you're teaching me and you're teaching the audience of you know the government involved stuff and the laws and >> protecting uh >> education. I mean obviously we we started the school choice you know what my litwac pulled you know he said when I uh when I stepped away from uh from the aguda he he picked up the mantle of the school choice work but uh ad mutson from a still champions that in Washington um >> school choice work being what >> vouchers you know um and uh >> so those cities that have vouchers right do you know who has vouchers like >> I mean yeah sure I mean I mean you look at Ohio they have Ohio has Ohio has a program, Florida has a program, Maryland has a program, right? There there are different programs throughout the throughout throughout the country. >> The reason why I'm asking is because so many people I speak to talk about the challenges financially that they have and raising families. >> And the first thing I say is, well, if you made a choice to have seven kids, >> one of the things you should think about is where you live and how to get, you know, schooling covered. >> But but Cleveland didn't grow and Milwaukee, which has vouchers, didn't grow. >> [clears throat] >> Cleveland grew because the Klein and Jaffa family created economic opportunities for from people to come and build a build a life not because they were going to get free >> meaning jobs being number one to when you move to a community >> when when Milwaukee was the first voucher in the school voucher in the country and the community started uh a campaign I don't know if you remember it called begin thinking Milwaukee right there was a there was a whole >> to try to try to get people get people to Milwaukee they got That's what they got. Uh, and >> no offense, but because it's Milwaukee. >> That's correct. Right. So, so you want the vouchers and stuff to happen in New York or New Jersey. Right. Exactly. >> Florida did a good job. Then Florida did a good job. >> So, a good takes credit for those kind of >> vouchers. Rabbi Mattz, Mosha Matz was very very involved from beginning to end uh in the creation of that program. >> So, that that is a pretty big one. What are some uh you know, credible things that good takes pride in? the I I believe the camping the entire camping network that exists in upstate New York um was the brainchild of Mayor Frman and you know and and some of those others you know who really have been involved in Jewish camping for 50 years or more uh but it was really a good story of Misha Sher and others um Silverman's uh I'm blanking on his first name >> you talking about like where they get support >> Josh Silverman's yeah Rabbi Josh Silverman's >> the movie was spotlight by the way >> yeah spotlight there we That's right. That's that's correct. That's the movie spotlight. [laughter] >> Thank you, Stephan. >> There you go. Um but Rabbi Josh Silverman and those I mean they they created this concept of of sleepaway camp in Cascals and it was actually Freda Bassman I believe it's Kesh Bassman's mother uh who was the one of the Kesh Bassman from Chicago one of the original um philanthropists uh who purchased camp uh sites um you know 60 70 years ago uh in the mountains for the Jewish camping networks and a good benos I mean You cannot um underestimate the positive impact a quality summer has for a child's development and um a gooda gets a strong amount of credit for the creation of this camping network. >> Nice. >> So >> yeah that's these are good things to know. I always knew that gooda has something to do with schooling. Camping is another thing government involved in. So throughout your tenure you had a lot of things happening there. What are some of the things that you've learned in general about yourself and about growing within organization because good is a pretty big organization. >> Good was a great organization. I I I ended up becoming the vice president uh for development and uh government affairs and uh you know I was one of the four people to to to lead the organization. Uh but at that time you know one of the things I learned is that Jewish organizations don't pay very well. Uh and at that time I was actually the highest paid employee at the organization and I had received my tuition uh you know bill from the yeshiva and it basically matched my salary. >> Wow. >> And I remember sitting down with mitzen you know uh who at the time was chief financial officer of the organization. I I just showed it to him and I remember him sitting there like you know like needing a drink. Right. [laughter] >> You don't mean water, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. He just sat there. I remember him plopping down in the seat in front of me like he's like how are people supposed to respond when they get something in the mail like that? >> Right. So what was it what was the answer? What's that good's answer when it comes to these kind of things the financial strain >> negotiate with the Shiva you know but that wasn't my rocki right that wasn't my DNA. So and I always felt it was important to support my family. So more than anything, it was financial challenges that caused me to go into the private sector for the first time. >> So you went from Aguda to what? What? >> I started my own lobbying firm. >> Oh, okay. So you knew enough about government interaction. I could be a lobbyist. >> I could be a lobbyist. I went to Mike Madigan who was the speaker of the house of Illinois at the time. And I said to him, "Mr. Speaker, I think I'm going to open a lobbying firm." [clears throat] And he gave me a list of clients. >> Wow. How long did that last for the lobbying? It was until I went into it lasted. I mean, it would have still lasted had I not gone into government. >> Right. [laughter] Right. So, but you did lobbying for a number of years. >> Five years. >> Five years. Give me some of your accomplishments as a lobbyist. >> I mean, we worked mostly with the long-term care industry. Um, you know, uh, working with that space. We had Nahi was a was a client of ours. WZO was a client of ours. We helped them with the prior um prior election, making sure that the attorney generals in the United States didn't give him a hard time. Worked a lot with uh um uh visas for visiting nurses uh in Washington uh because as we know in the industry, as I'm sure you know in the industry, you got to get nurses into this country uh because our facilities desperately need them. So, so I was we were really in the private sector. >> That's still an issue, right? I'm getting massive issue. >> I mean, they're they're bringing in people from different countries and we need them. >> Where are they coming from right now? >> They're coming from the Philippines. >> Philippines mostly. >> That's that's really those are the best. >> And are they allowing them these days to come in like in certain pockets? >> Yeah, certain pockets. >> Right. It takes It's a number of years to figure that part out, right? And there a couple couple of guys have schools out in the Philippines and you know uh Griezmann family uh I think in in Lakewood you know originally from Bur Park you know they have a >> yes we know the Gresman family very well excellent people so they have a school system >> they have a whole school system >> in the Philippines and they're teaching them how to do proper nursing >> do proper nursing then bring them into this country >> and they're bringing here and I guess is there a commitment level that they have to have when they come in here >> after a certain number of years. Yeah. >> Right. Right. in order to bring them in and then they're coming in as a visa. >> Coming in on special visa, right? That's one v visa, right? >> Wow. Okay. So, those are some of the things that you've done and then you decided let me just go all in. >> No, >> let me let me uh >> there was the the me too movement happened. >> Okay. How did it affect you like in that world? >> State representative from where I lived was accused. >> Oh, >> so he was basically forced to step down. >> I see. Okay. And there was an opportunity where the community could choose somebody to be their representative >> without an election. >> Without an election. Got it. >> It was an appointment. >> Got it. So it was in the middle, >> right? >> With how many years left? >> A full term. >> So it happened right in the beginning. >> What an opportunity. >> Crazy opportunity. >> Okay. And I remember saying to the guys, you know, if we do this right, by the end, they're going to be screaming list them at them. List them at them, you know, because we're going to accomplish so much. It's it's really it it's and I've seen a couple of other people do it, you know, uh since. But when you go from being a lobbyist to being a member, right? So a lot of times people like your brother, right? He he wasn't a lobbyist first, right? He ran first and then he became a member, right? Became a member and then he learned all the insides out, you know, and he accomplished a lot for Barark for the community. But if you're a lobbyist and then you go in, right, you're like, you know, >> you're armed. >> You're armed, right? I was not your regular freshman. >> Wow. >> Right. >> So, you must have been uh I mean making impact. So, who decided that you should be the one? How did that work out? How did that happen? >> There were many. First, who from the community? It was Mo Davis, right? Who led the effort? Mo Davis. Yes. >> So, people from the community came together and they elected you. >> Yes. My >> And they went over to you and they said, "You're the guy, >> right? >> You're perfectly fit for this." >> I did not know at the time it would destroy my business. I should have thought that through. >> Um, got it. >> Kudos to my Yankee Filer for surviving all this. Uh, but um, yeah. >> You're saying as having a lobbying firm? >> Yeah. I mean, I should have thought through that. Obviously, you're going to lose all your clients from conflict of interest. >> Right. Right. Right. But you had a partner at the time. You're saying >> I had a department at the time and he bar you know. >> Got it. So you were you were appointed as the state representative. >> State representative of this district >> assemblyman in New York. You call it like simka. I haven't seen similar type of >> Right. Okay. >> Right. I think Aaron Weer is the current. >> Yep. So you came in guns blazing ready to rock and roll. you already had ideas. Tell me about the things that you've changed the most challenges you've had. >> The most important thing that we did during those two years that I had this opportunity and I knew going in there were three bills that I was not going to be able to vote for as a former vice president of Musl and this abortion bill was going to be one of them. I knew that. I knew going in. I knew going because I knew it was on the calendar. I >> What was the bill? What was the uh >> It was expanding abortion in the state of Illinois way past what it was. It was a complete and total expansion um of the uh of the law. It's called the uh Reproductive Health Act. In theory, Orthodox Jews are not opposed to abortion, but the um right, we're not opposed to uh in fact, we can't live in a society without abortion because sometimes uh dictates it, right? By us as in our lives, it's either it's either you must or you can't. That's how abortion works, right? So you if it's you must right >> it must is a an example >> must you woman's life is in danger mental physical right uh situation how she got pregnant right if it was rape incest right these types of situations must right or you can't it was a mistake right right whatever that may be so that's the way treats abortion right it's either are you must or you can't. But we can't live in a society where it's if it's you must, right? You can't live in Texas. How do you live in Texas? It's you must. It's a real Shila, right? How how are Jews living in Texas right now? Because there could be a situation where it's you must. But in Texas, you can't. >> What do they do? >> They come to they go to Illinois. >> Wow. [laughter] >> That's what they do. So on so together with a certain rashiva we created maybe a possible havamina how I could vote for it. Um but ultimately it was it would have been a massive hashem but knowing that that was coming we had as what could we do [laughter] beforehand and we accomplished a lot. I mean, we we we had the the highest increase uh for the industry uh in the history of the state um that myself and uh my senator put together uh as a deal between the industry and SEIU. Only experienced guys could have gotten that done. >> You're talking about the reimbursement rate for healthcare where it would make sense for, you know, the operators to continue giving the care they need. >> That's correct. so overseen this this uh concept like you go to a hotel and the minimum you pay is $200 a night to get cared for in a shower >> $150 175 >> for total healthcare I I I don't think people enough understand this they think like you know nursing homes like you know uh first of all it's not as peachy as it sounds you know it's it's a lot of hard work um but getting reimbured an average of $175 is a joke and >> but this was 2019 and we brought the levels up to 2017 hasn't changed since then in Illinois hasn't changed since then. They're still at reimbursement level that I brought them to. >> You got to go back. [laughter] >> We're still that's sort of what I'm doing now. But the uh >> the uh but at that time myself and my senator we like we got to get this done and we got this deal done. He he was a former SEIU employee and I grew up in the industry you know with my families and friends and uh we approached it together. We attacked it together. We worked together with the first year governor Pritsker and we got it done. It was the biggest impact uh could possibly have had on the community. Uh besides all the other programs also passed a very important piece of legislation for the abuse community. >> What's that? there. Prior to my law passing, if um if a woman had been uh uh if a woman had been raped and went into the hospital for medical care, but she had a warrant out for her arrest, she would be arrested in the hospital. So it was a deterrent for women who had um received who had unfortunately been the victims of abuse um who had again nonviolent uh you know warrants out so they wouldn't go seek medical care. >> So if you have a warrant for a suspended license >> and you get raped, you're not going to say anything because you're afraid of getting arrested. >> The sheriff's office is going to show up and arrest you. >> Interesting. Wow. So you changed that >> unpaid uh you know uh parking bill. >> Sure. Yeah. >> So we changed that law. >> Wow. >> Was a probably probably one of the more sign it was so significant that Chicago Tribune wrote a front page story on the passage of that bill. uh Republican leader um Jim Durkin at the time was sitting in his office as we were debating the bill and um we were killing them and he was so angry he came out of his office and onto the floor and started yelling at me right um for endangering uh communities and I I remember I said I said I said you know Mr. leader, you you don't understand the bill. [laughter] You don't understand the >> while he's yelling. >> While yelling and screaming like hina. >> Wow. [laughter] >> Wow. >> Um and we we passed it with he ended up uh because of his uh vocal opposition. We we tabled it that day, but I remember going to the back of the room with him and sitting he's a lawyer. I'm not a lawyer. I said, Jim, you know, this is what we're doing. And I walked him through. I had law enforcement lobbyists come uh come onto the floor, talk it out with us. They gave us support and you know passed a bill almost unanimously. >> Beautiful. Well, congratulations for everything you you've done. I remember my brother passed a couple of cool laws uh in New York. One of them that stands out is like that yellow sticker that used to get on the window when you parked illegally. >> So like it would be impossible to take off. >> Can't get take it off. Right. >> Yeah. So he passed the law that you can't do it anymore. And you know that's it. and they stopped putting it on because he's like innocent till proven guilty. So like you know putting on a sticker that means I'm already guilty, right? Let me >> He's driving around with it for the next six months. >> Also dangerous. You can't see out the window. So uh that plus the tip thing that was a big one which restaurants still uh play games with. But you know you go to a restaurant it's asks for a tip and then you sign and then the receipt comes back and it asks for another tip. So he passed a law against that where you can't do that and uh you can't ask for tips more than once and uh those are these are real deal you know things that happen. Is there a law now that's happening that you have your eye on and you think like oh I want to do this there's something going on in the world you think >> I re I mean yes actually there is I I >> what would that be? I I believe very strongly um that families uh of victims um who if if if a judge and a district attorney do not do their job and put the violent criminal away and then that criminal goes out and kills someone or hurts someone that family or that individual should have the ability to sue the judge or the district attorney for negligence um or you know uh lack of responsibility. I believe very strongly in that um because right now there is no recourse, right? You saw this woman in Virginia who was just killed, right, after a uh a judge let a let a guy with 30 felonies uh out of out of prison, you know, out of uh you know, let him off on uh on a misdemeanor, you know, for for nothing, whatever. Not a misdemeanor. I mean, sorry. He was he had a violent crime and the judges let him off and uh because compassion this false compassion uh ended up costing this woman her life, right? That uh the Russian woman that Trump spoke about and the Ukrainian woman, sorry, Trump spoke about in the State of the Union address, right? She should be alive today, right? But instead, the judge uh let that uh that criminal free. Absolutely. that family should have recourse against the judge, against the district attorney, against everyone who allowed that person to be on the street because they did not fulfill their duty to protect the citizens of this their state, their country, their whatever. >> So you want to create a accountability system for that person needs to be accountability, >> right? So you're going to sue them personally. You're saying >> sue them personally. >> I like this idea by the I mean I don't know if it's necessary today in today's environment but I I think like 15 20 years ago had you done that to Rabam and teachers I think it would have helped a lot >> would have helped a lot also [laughter] the whole concept >> like oh my gosh negligence man yeah professional negligence it sounds like a good idea like you know some god forbid something happens you can go after the person >> yeah again we work in the healthcare space how many how many lawsuits are there against prof against the the industry for professional negligence and every day yeah >> every day every facility >> wow okay So you're you're in the ag world. You go to politics. You go to lobbying. You go to politics. Then you the election time comes and I guess you ran and didn't win. >> And then you got recruited by Hatalah. >> Correct. >> And then you moved. >> Then we moved. >> Big deal. >> How was that for you? >> That was a lot. That was a lot. That was a lot. We love Farco. You know, we're Chicago family. You know, as everyone asked after I announced that I was stepping down, are you gonna move back to Chicago? I think we're just too old. [laughter] >> You're never too old. Come on. >> Just I could jump on a plane. I'll be in Chicago in two hours. You know, I have we have children there. I have a son who's an attorney and uh with two grandchildren. >> You did it for financial reasons, I guess. I mean, you needed a job, right? It was the right move for you to do. >> Shows the uh >> Yes. >> Right. If someone needs to do uh something dramatic in their life for the right financial reasons, you'll do it. >> Correct. >> Right. >> Yeah. You have to do it. Right. >> And I I guess that's also another uh interesting thing that people should think about in terms of you know where they're leading in terms of their financial responsibilities. Like >> you have to be responsible to your family. >> Your responsibility is as you know yes, Hashem provides. No question about it. We all know right? We we're in this nursing home space. Some guys are billionaires. Some guys lost their pants. I don't know. Yeah. Is this guy a better operator? Is he such a better operator? I don't. It's all from Hashem. I think the greatest ria brewer that Hashem is the provider of Parnosa is the nursing home industry [laughter] [gasps] because everyone's in the same business, >> right? >> Everyone's in the same business, >> right? And some people make it tremendously and some people don't. >> It's incredible. The B provides for but you have to be responsible. It is your aas to provide for your family. No, I have Kahara. We have uh we have six children. I have uh four five boys and a and a and a daughter. And uh you know, three of my boys uh and one my daughter are married. We have one entering and um each one of them I gave the speech is your responsibility to provide for your family. You can learn >> but how daddy how what should I do? Well, >> what do you how do you answer that question to somebody that comes to you like a child or even someone in the community? >> God, you know, my my uh my oldest, you know, knew he wanted to be a lawyer, right? And he and he married an incredible woman uh who uh who supported him through uh helped him get through law school. >> Yeah, that's that's the easy way when you know you have a career lined up. You want to be an attorney, a doctor. By the way, there's a lot of attorneys and doctors I know these days that are struggling as well, surprisingly. And it happens. >> It happens. Yeah. But if someone's coming to you with all the experience that you have and the knowledge and how you've moved your entire life, what do you say to people who are struggling financially? How do you >> Yeah. >> How do you how do you give them advice? If someone's coming to you and asks you for advice, what are you saying to them? How how are you breaking it down? >> Each situation is differently, right? You have to break it down, right? You got to break it down. >> What are the questions you're asking though? What are you how are you identifying what to do? >> How much time are you putting into this? >> Right? Like, you know, my business isn't succeeding. Well, okay. How much time are you putting into that business? Right? So, like that's the first question I ask, right? What distracts you from your focus at work? Um what what prevents you from what do you think is preventing you from success? Right? What do you think your obstacles are? You got to look in the mirror first. um because when you start there I think 80% or more of the answers will come out as to why the individual is struggling and there's a certain percentage of the community that can't make it right we always say that uh 7% of society is unemployable right so when you say that uh unemployment's bel you know below 7% you know that's a false number because there's 7% of the world who is simply unemployable or if those people are employed that means they're not they're not doing anything because they there are certain people who can't right you and I are different you're sitting here you run a big company and you're doing this podcast which is incredible professional thing right you're literally managing two big enterprises right you you're an overachiever in in in that sense you know you're not getting off of this podcast and taking a nap even though it's tiny. Right. [laughter] Right. I'm literally going to here to my next appointment. Right. So like there there are those of us who just have a different drive. Right. And that's going to produce. It is right. Yes. Hashem is in charge of parasa, but it's going to produce a certain amount that's going to meet you make sure that you're not at the poverty level. You're going to be above that poverty level. Whether or not you're going to get to the next level, that's right. That's bought at the right time, sold the right time, got the right deal, didn't get the but you're going to get above that that line when it comes to career advice for an individual, right? So, I had a young ky old man, you know, ask me just last week. He says [laughter] he's really he's he told me this guy's cutest guy he saw me in Shiva because I was helping Rab Bender with something. So he says to me uh he says he says I'm really good with these bakim right I'm really good at helping these bakim out and understanding them he said uh he says I don't know if I have the not to go into right that's what he says to me >> smart >> yeah yeah >> site >> own worst enemy so first question I asked him I said what does your wife want her life to look like right in five years from now? Does your wife want to be living a life? Does your wife want to be living in a situation where she's thinking about where she can buy a home right now? it. Whatever the answer to that question should absolutely because you're married now. I said to this young man, you this he has he has a child. You have a responsibility to those two people to get that answer right because it's not just about you. Right. It's about what you have to provide for them. And according to the Mark Subas, according to what they are looking to be provided. >> Wow. That's a good point by the way. I like that. I don't think enough people think like that. >> You know, um, and I speak to a lot of young families and the the head of the household, so to speak, whoever's >> making they're they're not thinking like that, and they really should. >> They have to >> in terms of what's going to be in five years from now. So like, so what's next for you? Speaking [laughter] of five years from now, >> well, right now I'm I'm I'm I'm lobbying. Right now I'm I'm doing some lobbying work. Okay. I'm I'm >> right back into lobby. >> Right back right back >> because that business exists. So it's >> it is um it's it's one of those businesses that uh that is going to exist whether you know what's the uh I'm looking I'm forgetting the phrase. Um it is >> it's always going to be there. >> It's always going to be there. there there's there's there's no downturn of the economy that's going to cause lobbying um to cease to exist or I do a lot of election work. >> Um that's really >> that's really my my core skill. >> What does that mean? What's what's >> in other words helping helping candidates uh get elected getting getting their messages out there um working with uh media and uh and and some you know uh uh both print media and um digital media uh getting their messages out there attacking the right uh areas working with the right putting the right groups together to help your uh help your campaign. So I do a lot of a lot of that work. I'm working with a couple of candidates right now in Illinois. Um, you know, helping them out. Adam Braun, uh, you know, uh, and, uh, and Sarah Fagen Holtz and, you know, Paul Kendrick, you know, three, uh, three people running, uh, out there and, uh, two for state representative, one, uh, for senator. Really love that work. I I love that work. Um, and then the lobbying as well, which is very much so. Uh right now I'm working strictly with the industry. >> Wow. >> So it seems like that you're back to where you feel at home. So very much feel there. >> Yeah. But you know 5 years in Atsala is is not a small feat. I mean that's a it's a very big deal. So uh >> very special >> and and the accomplishments that you leave moving forward right are there's a lot I mean there's a lot that happened over there. One of the things that I think you guys tremendously should be proud of is the you have an app that you have that's around the world and I and what tell me a little bit about that app. How does that work? Because I will tell you in a time of crisis you don't remember any apps. You only remember 718 30100. I mean I'll tell you myself personally but >> you know but what is that app? So, so that app um is uh it's it's it's a great app and if you um if you uh it's called the Global Assist app. I don't know if any >> Yeah, we'll we'll show it on the on YouTube. Um, so the the global assist was uh was really developed um by uh a group out here in uh in in New Jersey um who you know who called themselves Statewide Hutzella and Statewide Hotella uh was founded by um a couple of individuals who said hey they're hot guys who travel all over the world right let's create a chat right And if a call comes in where there's in boot, Montana, maybe there's a solid guy there. Let's just put it out on this chat and you know, who knows? >> Winter break in Vermont. >> Winter break in Vermont or you know, some of these notes in Cancun. >> Exactly. Maybe that's not exactly by the way. Yeah, >> we actually had a crazy story on on Statewide where um a uh individual and this relative were traveling to New Orleans for a conference and died in flight and uh literally died in flight. Put the I don't remember it was a male or female, but let's just assume male and put his head on his travel mate and didn't wake up. just died and they landed in New Orleans and they freaked out. You know, they called their local hatal, which was not New York hatal. They called their local hats and the person from the local hatal put out on the statewide chat, is anyone in New Orleans, right? And there was a Flapush member um who's also a Connecticut member uh Waterberry member uh who was in New Orleans at the time and uh for the same conference and he ran to the airport and he provided incredible care to the family um make sure that the loved one didn't get the autopsy, right? To make sure that someone was with the mace the entire time. I that's just that's just the stuff nobody hears about that hotel members do and statewide hotel had you know is responsible for that story and so many other stories like that uh and they came to us they said want to do this app and I remember we met in Wolfson's building in Manhattan and you know show us what you got there and they really it's incredible uh and then then it became territorial okay you know what's my territory was [laughter] your right. How do we define you know where you know so we had to create the territory. >> Wow. But that was done. >> But that was done. And now you you just pull up the app if you don't remember the number and it'll Oops. It'll call your local Hutzella uh where >> anywhere you are. >> Yeah. And it's the right hot. Oh yeah. It's very active. It's very Yeah. So, uh, click that button and then it calls whatever based on your, uh, >> based on your location, it'll call that Hutella. And Hutzella, most Hutzellas are synced with the app. So, they don't even have to ask where you are anymore. In other words, they they won't have to ask, you know, where are you? >> When a hatella call comes in, I'm just curious. So, the as the person's talking to you, they're already typing something. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Immediately. >> Right. So, someone out there is getting it, but then they hear it on the radio though, right? The member is listening to >> the second person in the room. There's three people in the room actually, but there's three dispatch >> in the dispatch. >> Yeah, three people. >> So, there's three people. >> How does the process work? I'm just curious. >> Two phone calls, right? Two two guys taking uh phone calls. Okay. At all times. >> At all times. And the person who's putting out the uh call to the public is listening to both calls. I see. >> And they're all looking at the same screens. So, the guy who's taking the call is putting the information in. And but the guy who's putting out the call is also listening. So he's seeing the information on his screen and he's listening. If he hears child choking like we talked about earlier or if he hears heart attack like he's just pressing that button. Hey, anyone he's starting the process. Anyone in Flapush, right? Uh you know, available for child choking, right? Uh you know, chest pain, whatever. Then as somebody answers, okay, you're going to >> Let me ask you a question. as CEO of Hatsola for 5 years. Give me something that you've learned that you can teach the average Joe about health or about uh living a certain lifestyle or something that you've seen. I mean, you know, like don't not the typical wear your seat belt. I'm saying like but you know, >> wear your seat belt. >> Wear your seatelt of course. You know, drinking on PM, you know, there's so many lessons to learn from all the calls that you have gotten. I mean, child choking, I don't think there's a lesson to learn. Um, other than be vigilant and understand, you know, what a size of a gumball is. >> I one lesson that >> Yeah. >> probably because we're in the firm community, right? >> Yeah. >> VIP healthcare is the worst healthcare. >> Just call. Don't call your friend who's ina. >> There's a system in place that's really good, right? And the system that's in place that's really good is going to save your life, right? If you deviate from that system because you're think you're a VIP, right, chances are you are going to get worse healthcare, not better. Follow the system. >> Okay, that's that's a good practical piece of advice. >> I think it's also more of um embarrassed. People don't want people to know. They don't want the lights and sirens coming. >> But but if you need it, >> right, >> do it right. No one's no one you know we had uh we have during my five years there were people right who had to be uh asked to leave right for sharing information from a call right that that happened twice in 5 years >> wow >> twice >> I'm actually impressed that it happened even once >> right it one story was so crazy it's it's a little shocking that only one guy got thrown from that story because [laughter] you >> do tell >> I can't it's a family show of your business. Um but you know and uh another situation was a disgruntled guy. So you know it's so it it it's it's it's really the there was a ammy article uh that um showed up uh last year I think it was. Anyway, the individual who worked for Kadisha said that he was told that X number of situations happened in Hatsalah, whatever it was, whatever the statistic he was trying to spew. And I wrote a letter to there's no way on God's greens earth that there's any Hatsella member who shared any of that information uh with this individual. Not Not >> You're saying you're so confident. I so confident >> right >> we there's your story that's why we don't publicize that's why there's no PR that's why we're never out there we will never Hatsala will never share your story never hatal will never share your sto ever you can share your story and even after you share your story is still not going to share your story your story will never be shared never happen >> that's good that's very uh comforting knowing that if there's an issue, don't expect the VIP when you call out Salah. That is the best VIP. >> That is the best VIP. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That's a good lesson learned. Okay. Good. Anything else you got from uh >> Yeah. Don't drink. [laughter] >> Just period. Don't drink. >> Alcohol causes a lot of problems. Alcohol is probably the if you if the the the common denominator of situations that shouldn't have happened uh is alcohol. So, you know, if there's something that I learned from being around hot for a number of years, that's for sure it like you know, stay away from alcohol unless Yeah, obviously you want to enjoy drink, but alcohol is problematic. >> Wow. You know, I've I've known this for a while and I have to tell you that there's I I've been reading articles about this as well. Um about alcohol being an issue, gambling being an issue. U I think >> we don't see that in hotel, but yeah. >> Yeah. No, but I think the general issue is addiction of course, you know, that you have to, you know, not teach your kids, uh, you know, that it's okay to drink and to gamble and so on. Um but how do you everything that we're doing in Purim and Pes and is all about drinking right so >> let me tell you great mice of great mice was in Chicago his family in Chicago is by his nephew um he was in Chicago for whatever reason I oh he's a family simla his nephew was making bar mitzer or something was a family simla he was in Chicago by his nephew's house did and uh He uh he was there for the shabasuda and the uh the nephew was so excited that the rebel was by his house that after the fish he had forgotten to take out the schnaps and give the rebba a drink and they had already served the soup. So the nephew said to the reb I forgot the schnap. The reb was already in the middle of the soup. He said I forgot the schnaps. I'll I'll go get the schnaps. And he says he says there's no heter to drink. The said there's no heter to drink. He says there's to wash your mouth out after you eat fish before you eat flesh. He says I took a piece of kala. I took whatever. He says no that that would be the only heather to have. So like when you think about your consumption of alcohol for porum or for shabas or for right if you think about it obviously to get to the level of the reba that's right but that's a level to get to right if you can if you can aspire to get to the level where we're drinking because it's a mitzvah or or because it's within the confines of ala chances are we won't enter those >> so I'm I'm curious about this. What do you do with kids that are at a bar mitzvah, at a wedding, at a at a at what age do you say it's okay to drink? Because every year pes you're saying them telling them to drink. I'm purim. What do you do pur for kids? Like what do you what is your suggestion? Like what are your thoughts? >> Obviously, we come, you know, I have a good home, right? People ask me how I have such great kids. I said because I traveled when they were young and my married a great wife. So, uh, but all honestly, like I taught my kids how to drink. I taught them. I sat down with them. I said, "This is how you drink. Eat a lot of bread. Make sure you have pickles, right? Milk of magnesia. Coat your stomach, right? We had like open and honest conversation. It's wasn't taboo. Alcohol wasn't it wasn't something to be uh admired, right? It wasn't some Right. We like bourbon because I'm from Cincinnati, right? So, like they grew up every Chabus afternoon, you know, buy the fish. Do you want a little bourbon? Right. It wasn't taboo. I didn't need to lock my uh cabinet. I also wasn't scared that the children were going to uh abuse it. That's just the children that we had. But we had open honest conversation about every every one of my boys who went through yeshiva. We had >> Can you say that again? Repeat it. Look at the camera and tell everyone. I feel like I want to make this as a clip for Pur What do you do? How do you teach a kid to drink for porn? What do you say to them? You said it so quickly. Have a pickle. I mean, like, >> you have to eat a lot of bread. If you want before the day starts, coat your stomach with milk and magnesia. Then eat bread. Pickles. Also, pickles and bread are uh food items that absorb the alcohol so that it will have a far less impact on you later. So if you eat enough bread, if you have pickles while you're drinking and you have coated your stomach with some milk of magnesia, you will have a pretty safe porm. >> Wow. Okay. Obviously staying at home and not >> even eating Shiva, >> right? No, but I mean is like you're not getting out there, you're not driving, you're not obviously doing you're talking about you're talking about physically feeling okay. >> Physically feeling so you do not have to end up in the hospital, >> right? And I feel like you know there's so many other uh challenges with drinking. It's not just on you. It's not paying attention to your children when you're drinking. It's getting in a car. It's, you know, not behaving properly. Like all those that milk and magnesium is not going to help me on that one. >> Unless you have a good wife, you know, hopefully >> or, you [laughter] know, a good system, a good family, a good Yeah. >> It's been a long time since I've really gotten drunk. So, you know, so but but that's more because like I shared earlier like as as someone who has I I learned from my reb I learned from Rev Con. I learned from, you know, uh, my rebum that, you know, you really can't drink too much. >> You know, something else and and and I know we have to wrap up. I just want to it's on my mind. You're talking about the things and lessons that you've learned, and I know you can't talk about stories. Um, and this is a really sensitive topic, so I'm like a little bit nervous to bring it up, but I'm going to do it anyways because I have grown up with friends that have lost their lives uh to suicide. And there are times in the community that we hear about it more and there are times that you hear about it less. Something tells me that it's the same amount happening all the time. Whether you hear about it or not, I'm curious about your take on this topic in general. What can we do as a community to I don't I I'm like I feel bad saying prevent it like how how could we prevent other people from >> You never know what's going on in someone's home. You never know. >> And that's my question to you. What have you learned from being in at for so long? >> So much. >> What can we learn? What what do we need to know as a community about this happening around us? And I and I'm telling you this happens all the time. Like, oh my god, you heard this just happened yesterday and this because it's hard for it to get out. But I believe it's happening more than we like to admit. Um I'm curious, is it a pattern? Does it happen all the time? What can we do? If you could just cover that topic before we wrap up. It's hard to cover this topic before you wrap up, but just from a 30,000 foot level. >> Yeah, that's what I mean. >> Every ill that exists in society exists in our community. Every ill, right? Everything [clears throat] that you read about that's going on in the world, we have in our community. everything [clears throat] including suicide, albeit at far lower numbers. Okay, so if statistics are out there that it's 2%. We're at 0 2%. But it's there and it's a consistent number. And if it's rising in the world, it's rising by us, right? I would and it's impossible to say why it exists because we had sometimes it does come in spurts. There was a [clears throat] situation where I called certain Rabanim because we had seen a bunch in a row and not out there and but we had se we knew right we had seen a bunch in a row and we were worried that it was becoming pandemic and one of the that I had called he said tell me if it hits this number if it hits this number then you know we'll we'll issue something to be concerned about just stopped So, um, we you never know what's going on in in people's lives. We see it in the wealthiest of homes and the poorest of homes and everything in between. So, I think the common denominator is mental illness. Mental illness not being uh addressed uh either by the individual or by the family. And just take mental illness seriously. Um, everyone has to treat mental illness differently. Right? It's not always to go to the psychologist. It's not maybe it's just to make sure that the above is aware of the situation. Make sure that a family member who cares is aware of the situation. Right? Whatever a spouse is going to see or a child for sure is going to see something going on in their parent, right? I remember when I had children, my rebby said, you know, you can fool your rebi. You may be able to fool your wife, but you're not going to be able to fool your kids, right? So, you know, the kids know what's going on, too. People should not be afraid to speak up when they see mental illness within their family hopes of helping them get better, right? So, you know, help people get the treatment that they need for mental illness. I know I'm involved in a gamach and the um amount of money that goes out just for mental health care has you know skyrocketed uh in the last number of years since co for sure and nobody's batting an eyelash. We got to raise that money. People need that help. So >> wow. Okay. I really appreciate you being here uh especially after such a life-changing experience of yours. Um and uh it's so soon also and you ask we don't we don't hold on to podcast for very long by the way so this is going to be out very soon. >> Uh do you have any questions for me? >> No I I you're you're pretty uh um what's the word? Uh you are you you are really good at pursuing your guests. So I you know I don't have a question for you. I get more of a braha that your future guest should be far more easy for you to get on the show. [laughter] >> Well, not everyone's, you know, leaving as a CEO of a large organization, you know, and uh I need to go after them. So, that I appreciate that. And finally, do you have any guests that you would bring on your show if you were starting a podcast? Who would be your first guest? [laughter] >> Who would be my first guest? I'd want Jared Kushner on my show. >> Okay. You you know Jared Kushner? [laughter] This is a reason to knock on Oshi's door, by the way. I'm going to go tell him, >> right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's he he warned me. He told me if you get Jared Kusher, come knock on my door. But other than that, let me do Prime Source stuff. >> Um Jared Kushner would be a great guy, but I don't know if you have a way to get a hold of him. >> Yeah. I don't know. >> Someone that realistically you can get a hold of. And >> you want Have you had Eric Adams? >> No. >> You'd have you'd have a blast. >> You're right. I think Naki Gordon had him, right? >> Did he? I don't know. >> I think he did. >> Uh Miss I think Miss Label had him. >> Really? >> Yeah. I think so. Either that I think it was I don't think Naki had him. >> Well, somebody had him but irrelevant. You're saying he's a he's the right >> he would be so much. >> Do you know him? >> Yeah, sure. >> You can get him on. >> I couldn't get a message. >> Stephan, go knock on his door. [laughter] Eric Adams is coming. >> Yeah, definitely get a message over to him. >> No, he's definitely a guy that I would appreciate having as a New Yorker and as a multi-racial integrated politician and understanding different cultures. >> He knows everything about our community. He's so knowledgeable about the the film community in the United States, not just in New York. >> What's he doing now? >> Um, he is consulting, business consulting. >> Nice. Okay. Tell him we need a consultant for the Nus podcast. And uh, yeah, if you can reach him, definitely please ask him to join our show. It's not one It's not something that you can call him now on speaker though. >> No, I'm not calling [laughter] him on speaker. >> Uh, would you like to interview him with me? >> I'd be more than happy to. Yeah, because I'm I I'm thinking of doing a pattern where whoever is uh suggesting that interviewer just to have a seat here with me and uh you know and >> be very cool, >> right? >> Be very cool. >> Okay, let's do it. >> All right, >> I'm ready to do it. All right, I appreciate it. Thank you to all our subscribers, our listeners, our followers, our comments. We appreciate it all. Again, thank you to the Prime Source production team >> and Kish, it was such an honor to have you here. Thank you so much for all that you've done for the community, for the community at large. knowing all that you've done now. It's really like it's such an honor to have you here. Really appreciate the time you spent. That's a wrap. Thank you. >> All right. Amazing.