"I Decided to NEVER Be Afraid Again" | Rep. Randy Fine | Behind the Bima #182

Welcome back to Behind the Beimma. After a fairly significant hiatus in which our Mascos and I were not sipping pinina coladas and playing golf, we were working hard. But taking a break from behind the beimo, we are super excited to be back and to be back and come to you from our new studio. >> New studio. Now this is a little bit of a different venue. Rabbi Goldberg, do you want to give a little context about how we ended up here? >> Yeah. The whole Pine Vima um evolution is you were part of it from the beginning, but is is really fascinating. It was never on our list. It was never one of our aspirations or goals. We're rabbis. We teach Torah. We help build community. We try to impact people's lives. Um, and even to this day, and I say this without wanting to insult anyone, you know, sometimes I get a call or email that says, "Uh, we're doing a story about podcasters or influencers." I'm like, "Why why are you reaching out to me?" They're like, "Oh, you you have a podcast." I'm like, "No, no, no. I'm a rabbi. You're like shirum and we also have like behind the beimma, but that's not like who I am, my career, my identity, my my my path." So, Corona struck and the world was shut down, which is in itself something we we all collectively try to shut out of our memory. But you remember that fateful day. It was a Friday and we were sitting and we got the local head of our hospital on the phone who asked us uh on behalf of the community that all institutions religious included to shut down. >> That wasn't the craziest part of the day. What was the craziest part? >> Right afterwards, right after that we went into the Schul, I think it was 10 of us, very spread out and we had a last mah there and it was a very emotional ma because we knew we didn't know when the next time we'd be in that room for >> Yeah. We knew we were shutting down. Didn't know for how long. And this was the last word, the last ma we'd be davining together. It was very powerful. And a couple weeks went by and you know we pivoted. We were streaming like the whole rest of the world using Zoom before Zoom knew how to have security. Also suffering from Zoom bombs >> bursting in air [laughter] leaving some people still traumatized until this day. Those who know know the prepach workshop of 2020. That's right. That zoom bombing >> also before people know how to shut off their own cameras. So >> correct [laughter] that was some of the unintentional zoom bombing that also we could have done without images that we can't erase from our own eyewalls. Um, and so we we were zooming our sh in our classes, but we missed this being together, talking so much of of the >> actually our members that came to us and said, you know, rabbis, you're teaching a lot of Torah, but part of what we love about coming to schul is just getting to hang out with you guys. And we feel there's isn't that informal opportunity to get to speak anymore. >> And it's what maybe an underappreciated part of of the rabbin and of life is that there shirum, there are drushas, but it's really relationships. It's before, after it's lingering before the class, it's the eye contact, it's all of that. They missed it so we couldn't provide it obviously but we could virtually as much as we could. So we started meu and our dear friend Ra Brody who is thriving in >> Model for those who fantastic. We miss him terribly. Um and the three of us started and it was called >> coffee talk. >> Coffee talk 9:00 p.m. Wednesday nights. Then people were we were shut down. We were shut in every >> by the way spoiler alert. There was not coffee in those mugs at 9:00 and I don't know what was it. >> No that's an interesting part of the evolution too by the way. I don't want to get on a tangent. Although it's been part of the conversation, >> but we um we actually began with we weren't having coffee at Wednesday night at 9:00. We would make a and we'd try to share some good news. It was a lot of bad news. So we'd make a this good news that good news that we should all be healthy and well that we should be safe and >> and to your credit one week you called us up because I I got a little feedback. I don't think that's a good idea anymore. And it's actually part of the conversation in America nowadays. And >> yeah, I got an email from someone who said, "I'm in recovery and I just want you to know you're not doing anything wrong, but when you start every week by clanking glasses and making and talking about why you chose that wine or scotch or drink for that week, like I have to skip that part." It was live at the time. I have to skip that part or or skip it all together because, you know, it can trigger me and where I'm at. So, he said, "I'm not criticizing you and you're not necessarily doing anything wrong, but is it essential and is it worth those who can't watch because of that?" and we collectively decided that it was not and we decided to cut it out. Although it is a bigger conversation because I do think drinking in moderation I think it was Dr. Pelovitz he should be well once shared with me a study that um I think more alcoholics grow up in homes that are completely dry and have nothing than in those in which they saw modeling having it in moderation. So is it is the pendulum swinging back too far if we put a ban in shs and homes and life which as Jews we don't think the Torah endorses because we we definitely our major occasions and chabas and yub and kesh and abdullah and a wedding and and so on you know is about is about wine in any case so we we did get rid of that and um and our first guest do you remember our first guest >> it was a relative right who had just recovered from Kevin's cousin Michael Goldmith he should be well continued strength um he had been in the hospital. He had been in a coma. He had a terrible case of COA co of COVID. And it was an absolute miracle, his survival and recovery. And we had >> Now, there was something else that we were doing differently then because it was a live show. We insisted that every guest come on live. Which means that when we hosted our good friend Ellie Beer from Israel. >> That's right. >> Ellie Beer woke. It was 3:00 in the morning in Israel and we said, "You got to do it live. We're not recording it." And Israeli guests were waking up in the middle of the night to appear on Behind the Beam. >> We streamed 9:00 p.m. live. That's right. And we, you know, people wrote in comments that we would address as we went. And we were live. And if the technology worked, it worked. Sometimes we had Wi-Fi that went in and out. Someone might have had a trap go off in their [laughter] house and they were trying to catch something and they caught it in the middle of one of our live episodes. And that's the way it was at the time. We had very prominent people who uh woke up in the middle of the night in Israel. Sivan Rahav Mayor woke up in the middle of the night in Israel and others like you said, Ellie. Um, and we started to have guests on and and we grew it and we had an incredible incredible run of prominent guests from from >> Oh, who is top three guests? >> Oh boy. >> Yeah, top I know who mine are. So, >> weren't prepared. Okay, tell me yours. >> Well, first has got to be Bob Craft. Number one, I'll tell you why. Not only because he's a Patriots, there are people in the show to this day who came over to me and said after he was quoting Perkeos, ethics of our fathers, every other word. They said I was embarrassed. Here's a guy. He's the owner of a sports team. He knows all of Perk Evos. I I come to Shabas. I don't know it at all. And people told me they started learning Perk Alvos as a result of Bob Craft. And to me, that's amazing. >> Yeah, it's it's hard to name the three. Of course, Mariana Rivera was great, Hall of Famer, first time um unanimous, >> first ballot hall of famer, also spoke all about God on that episode. We had on so many times already several times why Jacobson we've had several times. Um one of our most prominent um one of our most prominent guests founded the woman's hatella in Brooklyn. Judge Frier, Judge Roi Frier, she was very very um wellreceived and and prominent. Um >> Cheryl Sandberg, >> Cheryl Sandberg was Yeah, that was that was an amazing conversation. Uh we had the chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Laauo. We've had fascinating Bennett. We had Prime Minister Bennett when he was running for Prime Minister and he as a candidate. >> Now, now there is something interesting a fact about behind the bea because we're being nostalgic now, but it could be the more prominent the guest, the worse Wi-Fi they had. >> Could be. It definitely [laughter] was. It definitely was. And it was complicated because we were streaming live. So we were making people wake up in the middle of the night. We also were, you know, the Wi-Fi was in and out and hoping it would work well. The first we've had Ben on several times and please God again. Um but Ben Shapiro who has a whole studio but during Corona wasn't joining us from there and his Wi-Fi was in, his Wi-Fi was out and you know we've had the great one Mark Levvin and we've had we've had fantastic I one of my high highlights if not number one has to be coach Bruce Pearl. >> That was amazing. um right after he appeared his NCAA press conference where he said, "I'm Morai. It's before PUM. We've got to stop by Ran." It was years ago. I actually saw him two weeks ago, two weeks ago today. And we we've maintained a connection, a friendship text, and and he's really really a special Jew. That was a highlight. You remember we had the card throwing magician? >> That's right. That's right. We saw him at a bar mitzvah and we asked him to come on and that was uh that was fascinating. We had the couple who was celebrated, I think, their 80th wedding anniversary. They're both over a hundred years old. Their secret to living long. Do you remember when he said the secret was? >> Well, you walked the stairs. >> Always take the stairs. The stairs. That's right. >> Never take the escalator elevator. Always take the stairs. >> Now, because it was a live show, we also had our fact checker who was texting us the whole time. And that was also made it a little interesting cuz he knew things that we didn't always we weren't aware of and, you know, made it a fun experience. And that all brings us to where we are now. Right. >> Hold on. There's one other big episode that we cannot possibly leave out which was also a fan favorite because talk about the mothers. the mothers. I didn't know where I was going >> because that's like, you know, that's epic in our family, the fact that the moms came on. >> And it's interesting that that struck such a chord because part of what we always speak about behind the beam, I get this feedback all the time, and I know you do too when we go to New York in Israel, is people say >> it's just so interesting to see what a rabbi's like when they're not at the pulpit and they're not giving a druss. And part of that is seeing our moms and hearing our moms talk about what we were like as a children, how we were mischievous, and how we got instruments we played. >> Which instruments do we play? I actually have a video about you, but I won't uh for another time. Right. And for the right donation, for the right donation, I think people in a in a healthy appropriate way humanized rabbis a little bit. And I think that was a very, you know, important part of the conversation. >> And in talking about how far we've come, >> our homes were our studios at the time, right? Right. Because again, Corona world was shut down. I was in my home study and office. You were in your house where I put [laughter] was it often in episodes. You could see us go on mute and then be yelling, "Quiet, [laughter] you know, lower the music. Talk a little softer. Don't walk behind me." >> That's right. That's right. >> Our families were also really involved in the early part of Behind the Beuma because it was it was streamed from our houses with them in the background sometimes sitting there watching. >> It was a whole It was a whole experience because, you know, I had to quiet my whole house down. My kids had to be in their room. I remember at one point someone needed a plug and you actually saw them crawling under the c under the camera to try to get the Yeah. Exactly. You know, we literally invited everyone into our homes and it was a very enriching experience. I loved it. >> And that that was the opening of Behind the Bea and you were there. The audience was unbelievable. At one point we went to number one on Apple podcast under Judaism. >> Um and and people really loved it. And at that time again, everyone was shut down, stuck at home, desperately looking to connect. It was at Wednesday nights 9:00 p.m. live. So people would make a bowl of popcorn, they would pour their own drink, and they would sit down and they would watch and they'd send us pictures. pictures. They put it on TV. It put it on opposite their treadmill while they were running. >> And what surprised me so much about it, and you you know the statistics better than I do, the diversity of people that watched. We got feedback from across the religious spectrum. Israel, America, we had listeners from Australia, secular, kared, like you name it. We had, >> you know, viewers from that. And that to me was, you know, a very gratifying part of it. We had a we had a contest um talent contest at BRS during Corona again trying to connect and the winner got to come on. That winner quickly came on and was quickly banned from >> No, he was on the first time that was okay and then the second time is when he got banned. >> We love him and we're considering unbanning him [laughter] at some point. We're going to we're going to withdraw the ban at some point. But in any case, it's been an amazing ride and we had incredible guests. I mean, people that we had the privilege to talk to and interview, Natan Sharansky, we we had we had the who's who of the Jewish world, men and women, religious leaders, we had athletes, we had Jewish music superstars. Um, we had the who's who and we didn't hang it up, but we got distracted with the rest of our life and the world changed. So, we went from streaming it live Wednesday nights 9:00 p.m. to sort of recording it when people were available and having to chase and schedule and arrange and hope that the Wi-Fi worked. And and then also what happened was that the podcast world took off very filled and anyone with an internet connection and a cell phone is basically putting out a podcast and more power to them. It's beautiful. The world is enriched by it. There's so much that's going on and we have other lives and other ways of reaching people and it wasn't a priority. Um, so for the last few months we took off and we've been doing a lot of other things we're proud of and and grateful for as a big building going up outside and um and a lot that's going on on the inside of ourselves and others. Um, but in the meantime we were building the studio because we had this idea at Bocarone Synagogue. Thanks Rabbi Moscowitz's direction and leadership. We have, I would argue, maybe the greatest calendar of visiting speakers, scholars and residents, Rashi yeshiva, um, music concerts touching on and tapping into every part of Jewish life and at every level, every background and providing something for everyone. And we looked at our our page in our weekly magazine called the Weekly, the BRS Weekly, and and you look and there's 40 or 50 names of the Huz who, and we said, let's not chase them. Let's not have to schedule online. If all we would do is sit and have conversations in person at a higher level of professionalism quality for the people who come here, that would be the most amazing amazing series for the year. And that's where we're going. >> That's where we're going. And and you know, we even just talking to you now is such a different experience than talking to you through a computer screen. And our hope is that as we model, you know, move into this in-person model, the conversations will be more gratifying. They'll be more substantive. They'll be more engaging. there'll be a better flow to those conversations. So, we're hoping for you the visit the viewers, it's going to be an entirely better experience as well. And for us, as you said, you know, we'll go to minions sometimes and they'll be like the chief rabbi of Israel sitting there at Shakur, even unplanned. And to be able to pull them into the studio and to interview them and to ask them questions, some contemporary, some just about broader Jewish life, sometimes they're just about leadership, that's an amazing gift to be able to provide for people. That's a great point because the goal of this studio is not only for our full episodes which we're going to have the ones that you're used to but also to bring people in and first of all we could do shorts. you know this screen behind us there are people listening on podcast players but if you're watching on YouTube you see that in the studio behind us we have this screen and it's got the behind the logo but we could have other logos and we could do other series and shorts and five minute and 10-minute and snippets and conversations and reels and and pull people in both visiting incredible talent to pull them in and also some of our own local members who have a story that's worth telling or insights that are worth sharing and use this to be able to get that out. So, we're really grateful and excited, first of all, those who financially support us and made this happen, the studio, to be able to do it and to be able to get in those guests and be able to have those conversations. And we should share that it is remarkably different to be able to record or to be able to talk in person versus when we're separated by screens. Um, again, one of the things that people couldn't know and wouldn't know, but we used a platform online called Streamyard. We put our overlay in StreamYard and basically, you know, I was the director producer because whoever had the the mouse and and the and the password is the one hosting everybody and adding to the screen, taking away from the screen and so on and so forth. Um, but as we had those conversations with guests, you had no idea like who's queued up next to ask a question, who's ready or not ready, when do you interrupt or you're not interrupting, and you can't compare. Everyone here knows if you're listening or watching when you're talking to somebody on the phone or even if you're facetiming or WhatsApp videoing someone is not the same that when you're sitting with them in person. Isn't that an amazing statement about the time that we live in when so much is migrated to online and to Zoom into you know you email someone let's meet the immediate question is you know over Zoom or over phone right >> and there is there is something special about just sitting across from someone looking them in the eye and just being able to have a conversation and you don't appreciate those non-verbal cues until you actually experience it you know I teach a public speaking class to the yeshiva South Florida students every Monday night and that's part of what I try to communicate to them is that public speaking isn't just about the words that come out of your mouth, but there's a certain body language and energy that you give off. And it's the same thing when you're having an inerson conversation. You feed off the energy that the person opposite you and and you know, you lose that over online. >> Oh, for sure. It's it's a world of difference. It's possible that I heard you gave a schmoo at the yeshiva this week that I heard first of all was a knockout Russia but that you introduced it with the pressure of being the one when you are the public speaking teacher and you get up in front of your students and all of their you know classmates it is a very intimidating experience cuz you're going through everything you've taught them and everything you tell them to do right and everything you try to avoid and you're like I better not make those mistakes in front of them >> and you better public speak better public speak so um those listening and watching that is what is to We're really excited. Um, we took that break which was a break from behind the beimma, not a break from life. Um, and we're excited to come back with a renewed energy and vision and plan. We have incredible guests that are coming up and conversations that we're going to have at a, like you said, different level because we are in person. But first, we want to bring you this one more episode and this was one we couldn't turn down. Congressman Randy Fine is Florida through and through. He was a member of the Florida House. First of all, he was a professional. Retired at 40 years old. Went into civic uh service by becoming a member of the Florida House. Passed all kinds of things that have helped us, our community and Florida. Then went to the next level to join Congress. You may have seen him. The only in the history of the House, the history of Congress, the only member to ever wear Yamaka on the floor, wearing it all the time. >> Apologetic and proud. >> So, we had the opportunity to talk to him, but it required doing it using the old system. So, we did another episode that way uh just now with him with our intro. Now, in this conversation, the truth is we're going to actually add into the studio a screen so we can have guests because, you know, if Prime Minister Netanyahu calls us, he might, you never know, and says, "I'd love to be on behind the beam." We'll see if we could squeeze them in. You know, we're not going to tell them, "No, no, no. We only do in the studio now." So, we'd love to continue that. We'll be in the studio no matter who we're talking to, but sometimes we'll we'll our incredible team will mix and match with the people we're talking about. >> I'm a Gorg guy. I've worked with you for 16 years. One thing I've learned about you and it continues to inspire me is you are never static. you're never standing still and you're always looking to improve and to grow and to challenge and this is just the next expression of it. It's all I appreciate you saying that, but it's really it's all of us. And the world is always changing and improving and growing and you got to be ahead of front of it. And if if you can't, you know, I'll say one more thing. Maybe we should have ended there, but I think during this this four, five, I don't remember how long it's been that we've been on this break. Part of what we were considering was maybe it was a good run. Maybe it was fun. Maybe Behind the Bea served a purpose while it was out there. Got people through Corona when the world was shut down. Even afterwards, we had incredible guests. And we think as interviewers, our perspective, our professions, maybe we bring something that's not out there being provided by others. But maybe it was a good run and maybe it was time to shut down. Maybe it was time to go. You know, even the last few episodes sort of the energy wasn't there. The reaction of the community as much as it was. But over these last months instead, we've gotten a lot of emails and and we've been at at weddings and simas and across the country and the world and people constantly like you said also, it shocks me the diversity of the community. You can be in Lakewood and you can be in T-neck and you can be here and you can be there and people like where's behind the beimma? What happened to behind the beimma? >> And what surprised me especially over the summer was people didn't just miss the guests. They they specifically missed the conversation, the banter, the literally going behind the beimma of what rabbis experienced around the yamn time of what rabbis experience in terms of the challenges and the opportunities and the beautiful parts of being a rabbi. And so we hope to bring that back to you as well. >> We do and we'd love you to be more involved and engaged with us. So, in our banter, in in our taking you behind the beimma [cough] to talk about the rabbit and our lives, what do you want to hear? >> That's right. >> Please email us, contact us, be in touch with us. Um, because we'd love to know what you would want to hear. It's not presumptuous of us. It's not about our egos. It's not that we're looking, you know, to be martyrs or tell you how hard our lives are, but we realize that sometimes there just is this feeling that the rabbis are on the Beimma and the people who are not don't understand. And that's why we want to take you behind the beimma. So let us know what you want to hear about, what you want to talk about. We'd love to go there. And until next time, it's really exciting. Congressman Randy Fine. Uh we say in the conversation itself that there's so much that we're proud of connected with. He and every other guest on behind the beo. We don't endorse absolutely everything they say or do or believe or how they say it. So we're not a hard-hitting interview show, but we do want to appreciate the best of what people have to offer. Congressman Fine is in many ways really at the forefront of fighting for our people and for that we are so grateful but all of our guests uh we we take what we can learn from but we're not endorsing every part of and we're really excited that he spent some time with us. So Rab Moscowitz it is fantastic to be back. Super excited. We miss our dear friend Rabbi Brody. Maybe he'll make an appearance on an episode when he's in town. >> Are we still going to get the walk offline? Do you remember it? >> The walk? Yeah. >> Stay >> stay happy. Stay healthy. And stay holy. >> Congressman Randy Fine. We are honored to go behind the bea with Congressman Randy Fine of the free state of Florida. Congressman, you have been a friend since you were in the Florida House, a dear friend of school choice, a dear friend of the Jewish community, and a lone voice for a long time, a Jewish Republican in the Florida legislature. We're so excited and proud that you're now in Congress. Thank you for making some time to go with us behind the Beimma. >> You're welcome. Thanks for having me. >> Uh there's so many directions we can go, but let's start with this. Congressman, I know even right now for this conversation, you're wearing a Yamaka Akipa on your head. An enormous statement you've made since the Jewish people have been at war on seven fronts and we felt the pressure. Jews even here in Florida, but around America and the world, not particularly necessarily observant in your own life. I say that not as a criticism or judgment, God forbid, but despite that, how remarkable and extraordinary it is that you so proudly wear that Yarmaka. Could you tell us about how you came to that decision? what it's been like. Have you had moments that you've regretted it? Have you paid a price for it? >> Well, it's a great question. Look, I think some people have felt the need to hide their Judaism since October 7th. I think I've moved in the other direction. So, um you're correct. I've not typically worn a keepa in my life. Um but after I got elected to Congress on October the 1, um October the second I got sworn in. I got put on the education committee and on May the 6th we had our first hearing uh to deal with anti-semitism since I got elected to Congress. Many people will remember the hearing with the presidents of Harvard and and UPEN and MIT. Well, they've continued to do those with groups of presidents who've not protected their Jewish students. And this was the first one of these that I was invited to. And that morning, May the 6th, my 17-year-old son, Jacob, said, "Dad, I think you should wear a keepa today." And I I looked at him and I said, "Why? We only wear a keepa to services." He's like, "Well, I have friends in college right now who don't feel safe wearing theirs. Your nickname's the Hebrew hammer. You ought to bring your hammer, put on a keepa, and give them a piece of your mind." So, I did what my son asked. I wore a Keipa that day. And the reaction was pretty overwhelming on the committee. And I got hundreds of phone calls that day. So, at the end of the day, I asked my son what he thought. He said, "Dad, I think you should keep doing it until every Jewish kid is safe, not only in school, but walking down the street and living their lives." I said, "Jacob, you understand that probably means I'll wear one for the rest of my life." And he's like, "That's okay. It's not the worst thing in the world." So, so I I wore it tentatively for a few days and and three days after I started wearing it, the speaker invited me to be the speaker prom. That's if you watch C-SPAM, that's the person who stands in the well and who runs the meeting. It's an honorary role. And I'm I'm wearing my Keepa. I'm up on the on the beimma, if you will. And uh and in in the gallery comes an Orthodox family. And I knew they were Orthodox based on how they were how they were dressed. They had seat seat. They had 12 kids. I mean, it was clearly an Orthodox family that came into the gallery. And all of a sudden, the younger kids are pointing at me like to the point where they had to be yelled at by the security guard. And I thought to myself, like, is my hair out of line? I mean, do I have a stain on my shirt? And then I realized they were pointing at me because I was wearing a Keipa. And I turned to staff at that moment and I said, you know, has anybody ever done this um worn a Keipa while they're being speaker prom? And and they looked at me and they said, we've been waiting for you to ask that question for the last three days in the history of the United States. Not only has no one ever worn a keepa to be the speaker prom, no one's ever worn a keepa on the floor of the US House of Representatives. You are the first. And that hit me very hard. I said, "Well, I guess uh this is my obligation to do that." Now, it does, you asked if I had any regrets. Um that night I was at a cocktail party and you know, I not only didn't wear a keep every day, I didn't keep kosher. And I don't know what I was reaching for at that cocktail party. We'll say it was a bacon wrapped shrimp. It might have been a crab cake or a cheeseburger slider. I don't remember what it was. But all of a sudden, people are looking at me again. And I remember thinking to myself, "You have got to be kidding me." So, so now I try to keep kosher. And so my rabbi thinks this is hilarious. He says, "Randy, most politicians get elected and they give up all of their morals. By the time you're done, you're going to have a 12-inch beard and be a rabbi." So that that's the story of of how I how I started to wear it. And I do. I wear it every day. I don't ever regret it. Um I think it's an important thing to show. I I will tell you it brings out the haters. Um it bothers people just in their in their core that I do it. Um but I don't I don't care. I've never been afraid of a fight. >> I want to thank you because I know young people who have the courage to do it because you're doing it. And they think that if you where you are can wear that yamaka, that kipa, they can too. And that that's an incredible incredible tribute to you and a a big thank you to you for that. It's ironic probably some of the same voices who would rush to defend other religions rights to wear their special um religious garb hijabs and the like might have been the first to criticize or give you push back. Do you think you've been discriminated against because of the keep in Congress? >> Um okay. So that that that's a ch you got to pick that question apart. Have I been discriminated against by my colleagues in leadership? Absolutely not. I've gotten nothing but praise from my Republican colleagues. Um I think many of my Democrat colleagues hate me more than they already do um because I wear it. To them, I represent everything that is wrong in the world. I'm a white [clears throat] male Jewish guy wearing a keepa who is fairly successful in business. like everything they hate about America um I embody in one package but I wouldn't I think it brings out a lot more haters um but I don't I I can't say I've felt discriminated as a member of Congress within the institution itself. Well, let me rephrase it a little bit because obviously, you know, it's amazing and heroic what you are doing, but as you said, it's also brought out the haters in a climate like Congress where you have to work across the aisles. On the one hand, you're the Hebrew hammer and you're you're use very forceful language. On the other hand, you have to collaborate and you have to make sure that you're reaching across. How do you balance those by on the one hand being that proud Jew, that defiant Jew, that Jew that says, "Love me, hate me, I don't really care. I'm going to do what I think is right." Versus the person who says, "You know what? We have to get things done. We have to move an agenda. Sometimes that takes compromise. How do you balance those two values when it comes to Congress? >> Well, sure. Well, first of all, I want to push back on something you said. I do not believe that wearing a keepa makes me heroic. Um, I had a wounded IDF soldier who got shot in the neck at my house for Thanksgiving. He was heroic. I just wear a kipa. So, thank you for that. But I I don't know that I that I don't that level of praise is is is merited. um uh you know, look, I I I came to defeat um my opponents, not to work with them. And and so you're ne you're not going to see me as a lynch pin of bipartisanship in Congress. That's not why I'm here. Um I I'm not a fan of the Democratic Party because the Democratic Party is an is among other things an anti-semitic party. Look at how aggressively I've gone after the couple of anti-semites that I have in my own party. And so I blame Democrats for not doing the same in theirs. I particularly blame Democratic Jews for allowing their party to be turned in to what it is. So I don't spend a lot of time trying to be bipartisan. I came to defeat them, not to work with them. >> How'd you first earn the nickname the Hebrew Hammer? >> Well, I don't know that. Well, I'll tell it euphemistically. Um, I was very aggressive. I always have been. You know, God did not give me a lot of talents, but one that he give gave me was the ability to speak. And with few exceptions to to respond quickly and to not get set back on my heels. And in the Florida legislature, I was generally known as the best debater in the building. And um I I debated the same way um some people practice karate. Strike first, strike hard, no mercy. And and so one day the the now chairman of the Republican party of the United States, Joe Gruters, came up with the nickname and he started calling me the Hebrew hammer. And and and frankly, I think I was fighting people on anti-semitism um or, you know, people who were engaged in blood liable about Israel. And he gave me the the the nickname and it just sort of stuck. I actually fought it for a while, but then people started to give me awards and the awards would always be in the shape of a hammer. And if you if you see the pin on my jacket, I've got not only my my member pin, but I had someone give me a bunch of these pins that look like Thor's hammer with the Star of David on it. And I I just sort of said, "You know what? You accept who you are, and I am Jewish. I'm not afraid to for people to know it. And I am aggressive. So, you know, I guess the nickname sticks and I'll I'll >> That's where I'd actually like to jump in because you said you're not heroic and I happen to disagree. I think someone who stands proud as a Jew and gives cover to other people to stand proud as Jews, especially in our day and age in the political climate that we live in is heroic. Um, so I do think you're a hero for that. Um, what in your background enabled you to have such courage to be able to stand so strong in such a defiant? Is it a parent, a grandparent, is a personal narrative? Is it a book that you read? Someone throughout history that you look at and you say that's the type of person that I want my legacy to be like? >> Um, I think it came from my life experience. So, so I grew up Jewish in Lexon, Kentucky. My family's from Florida, but my dad was a college professor and you go where you can get tenure. For my dad, it was at the University of Kentucky. And it was not an easy upbringing as a Jewish kid. They used to call me a Kentucky Fried Jew. It was not a term of endearment. It was what they wanted to do to me. And I had a pretty rough particular middle school period, facing about as bad anti-semitism as you can get both mentally and and physically. And and one day I turned 13 around the time of my bar mitzvah and I said, "I'll never again be afraid of who I am. I'll never apologize for it. I'll never let anyone treat me this way. And I'll certainly never let my own children go through what I did." Um, and honestly, that's a promise I've failed to live up to. I mean, anti-semitism today is arguably worse than it was in the 80s when when I was when I was in school. But but um when I ran for the legislature in 2016, focusing on these issues was not something I expected to do. Where I represented in the legislature, there was not a single shul in my district. Um there aren't a lot of Jews and and it wasn't why I was running. But shortly after I got elected, um, the Orthodox Union came to me and said, "Hey, can you help us get security funding for Jewish day schools?" And I told them, "No." Um, I I said, "I'm not going to do that. I don't have any Jewish day schools in my district. I don't have any Jewish day schools in my county. Why are you coming to me?" And the answer was because you're the only one who can do it. Because I was the lone Republican. I was the lone Jew in the legislature that was a member of the majority party. And and so that's a whole story about how I got it done. But in but in going through that process, I realized if it wasn't me who was going to lead this fight, then then who would? And so I dedicated, I would say, 20% of my time in the legislature to making sure Florida became the safest place in America to be Jewish. And we are. There's no question about that. Um, do I give Florida an A? No. I probably give us a B in dealing with the problem. But there's lots of places that get an F. and and and Florida is the safest place in the US to be Jewish. And that's largely because of me and the bills that I championed, I wrote personally. Um I had to push people to hear, I had to push people to vote for, and I had to push people to sign and enforce. And and so it just became part of what what I'm going to do. I also believe God puts us where he wants us to be. And you know, particularly after October 7th, you know, I realized, you know, my part of what I'm here to do is to fight for the Jewish people. And so I take the responsibility very seriously. >> Well, as proud residents of the free state of Florida, we're grateful for the safety that we enjoy and we thank you for that. We'll get back to the um what looks like is going to be the next wave of Jewish migration to Florida. Um but I want to go back a moment in just your own biography. What got you into public service to begin with? You finished a elite education, successful in the private industry, retired fairly early in life or at least retired from that industry you were in. and many others would have been playing you know tennis, golf, maybe a little ma and then you said let me go into public service what >> I tried um let me be clear so I retired at 40 uh I had a very successful 22-year business career um and it made me travel a lot I I worked incredibly hard and it was fine when I was single frankly it was fine when I was married my wife worked for me but when we when we had kids um and she dropped out of the workforce to raise them I was gone on from my family a lot. And so for my 40th birthday, I decided to retire. That was the gift that I wanted for myself. Um, and then eight months after I retired, uh, I got angry about what my son was learning in school. It had nothing to do with anti-semitism, by the way. It just had to do with how he was being taught math. I I didn't I didn't like it. He came home, he told me he hated math. We're a Jewish family. Had he come home and said he hated running, I would have been like, "Well, me me too, but but math is a nogo." Um, I said I said, 'Jacob, you're like your father. You're never going to get anywhere on your looks or personality, so you better you better learn math. And and I went to the school to complain. And I got told that I wasn't qualified to have an opinion about my son's education because I did not have a degree in academic administration like like they did. And and I have two degrees from Harvard. They're not worth that much, but they ought to be able to cover first grade math. So, um I I I drove home from from the school thinking I have to put my son in private school. And um my wife and I never wanted to put our kids in private school. We both both grew up products of government schools and that's just what we'd wanted. But I said, "Look, he's got to go to private school. He's got to learn math." And I thought, "What do I have to tell my wife in order to convince her to put him in private school?" And I came up with the idea of running for the legislature. In Florida, to run for the legislature, you only have to print out two pieces of paper. you don't even have to get anything notorized. And so it was a bluff. I said, "Hey," I went, "Sorry." I said, "When?" Um, I know we said we'd never put Jacob in private school. I respect our decision. So, I'm going to run for the legislature. I'm going to fix education in Florida. And And she looked at me all happy and said, "Oh, great. Um, you we can put him in private school." And I was like, "Oh, great. I don't have to run for office." And she goes, "No, no, no, no. You've been retired for eight months. Um, this sounds like a job. Do you think you'd like to do you think you'd like to do it?" I said, "No." I said, "I just was trying to come up with a way to convince you to put them in private school." And I threw the papers away. And then three days later, I'm laying on the couch watching TV, which is basically all I did for those eight months, as well as play with my kids. And my phone rang and it was the local newspaper. And they said, "We see that you filed to run for office." So, I ran upstairs to find my wife and said, "Wendy, um, do you know what happened to those papers?" She said, "Yeah, I mailed them in." I said, "Why?" She goes, "Well, either you're finding something else to do or I'm finding somewhere else to live, so it's up to you." And and um I married you for better or worse. I didn't marry you to make you lunch every day. And and so we decided I would do it. And and that's how I ended up in the >> Great story. What do you What do you attribute? >> It's not a It wasn't a plan. It wasn't a goal. And um but you know, I I try to do the best I can at at everything I do. And the interesting thing is I made three promises relating to education. I said I was going to change how math was taught. I did that in my third year in the legis legislature. I said I was never going to let a principal tell a parent they weren't qualified to have an opinion about their kids' education. I did that in my fifth year um when we passed the parents bill of rights. And then I said while I could afford to send my kid to private school, most people couldn't. That didn't seem fair. So I would champion universal school choice. And we got that done my seventh year in the legislation. >> We are enormously grateful for that. our community is benefiting every single day. What do you credit your success in the private industry? Um you you did get two elite degrees from a university that it used to be we used to be proud to say that name and admire. Maybe we'll come back to that too. Um what was your success in the private industry? Hard work, good mentorship, luck, good fortune. Listen to the young people listening or not young people listening who are working hard every day. When you look back at your career, if you had to give a few of the top suggestions about what made you successful, what would they be? >> It's hard to say because I I think my ingredients were not ingredients that I would want other kids to have. So, what motivated me was was two things. It was fear of not having money. Um, we didn't have a whole lot when I was a kid. Um it was fear of failure and I was driven by um by the memory of how I was treated when I was younger and and this feeling that that I will show them they won't laugh at me anymore. And so I wouldn't want the trauma that I don't think had I honestly I don't think had I gone through all of that. I don't know that I would have done what I did. But I don't know that I'd want anyone to go through that in order to achieve the same. So the advice that I would give what the the broader advice that I would give is is work hard. Don't think you're too good to do things. And don't get overly focused on goals. And it sounds like a funny thing like I people ask me like what what are your goals? I I generally don't have them. My goal is to take today and to do the best I can and to work as hard as I can and to put as many points on the board as I can. And if I do that, Hashem's going to point me in the right direction. And that's what's happened to me. I'm in Congress now. This also wasn't a goal of mine. But but but my my that's that's the advice I would give. just whatever you're doing do it the best that you can and if you do that the right thing will will come along. >> You know you make it sound so simplistic but the ideas of work hard and put in your time and you know those are not exactly popular ideas nowadays where there's a sense of entitlement and a sense of you know that it's coming to me. Um I want to come back to Israel for a second because you know obviously for us it's it's idea you know it's it's so important to us. Um 10 years ago, if I was at an Apac event, they would be talking about how important it is that Israel become a um bipartisan issue and remain a bipartisan issue. Democrats, Republicans, both sides of the aisle working together. Um as we move post October 7th, we've realized that that's no longer the case. Um and that Israel unfortunately has become a little bit of a wedge issue, certainly on the Democratic side. Now we're seeing it on the Republican side. Um how important is it that Israel become or remain a bipartisan issue? Or is it that the lines have been drawn? You're with us or you're against us. We're going to call out enemies where they are. We're going to make friends where they are. And if doesn't matter what side of the aisle you're on anymore, all we care about is that people are going to support Israel. So, has that changed? Has that AP pack mentality changed? Are you seeing that in Congress now? How important is it to to work with other people or just you're either with us, you're against us, and I'm going to fight for Israel no matter what? >> Well, I don't know that you can say support for Israel is bipartisan. I mean, I believe a majority of Democrats either don't support Israel or a majority of elected Democrats either don't support Israel or do but are afraid to say so because they're afraid of their of their wacko base. Um, on my side, it has been growing. It's not organic. gets fueled by by Qatari, Chinese, Russian money. And we can talk about that if you'd like. But but I I have a great deal of optimism because out of 219 members of Congress that I ser Republicans that I serve with, there are two that are that are anti-semmites. Um, Donald Trump looked at 219 Republican members of Congress and said, "There are two that I don't think should be members of Congress, and they are the same two." So, so the president who leads our party is targeting two anti-semmites. One quit um, under the pressure, and I think the other's about to lose. So, so I have I mean, it's a battle, don't get me wrong. And I mean, I've been targeted by the most dangerous anti-semite in America, Tucker Carlson, repeatedly. So, it's it's a battle, don't get me wrong, but but I think there it's not bipartisan. I think the Republican party is by and large with Israel. I think the Democratic party is by and large lost. >> Does that worry you longitudinally, in other words, looking long-term at the American Israel relationship to essentially write off one of the parties? >> Absolutely. I don't like it. Um I'm not happy about it. I wish it wasn't the case. Um, but you know, I'm one Jew out of four Jew, Republican Jews in my caucus, and I was willing to take on the anti-semites in my party. There are dozens of so-called Jews that serve in the Democratic party in Congress, and where the hell are they? So, I mean, I I have a great degree of disgust um by by many of my Democratic colleagues. I mean, I've taken it on. I expect them to do the same. >> Did you hesitate to take it on as as a new member of Congress and lacking the seniority? Maybe you wouldn't have the leadership's backing. Any hesitation at all there? >> No, because by the way, being elected is not that fun. If you're not if you're not willing to do Look, I'm also not your traditional politician. I never wanted to do any of this. Um, and so if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do what is right. I'm not going to worry about the consequences. I'm also different. the the two people. This is gonna sound funny, but I don't worry about the judgment of the voters. I worry about the judgment of my children. My kids will forgive me if I lose an election, but they will not forgive me if I waste the time that I am spending away from them up here not trying to make the world a better place. And I think if more of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle worried more about what their kids would think of them and less what the New York Times or, you know, some crazy whackadoo thinks of them, we would be much better off. >> It's incredibly well said. Can we go back to Tucker Carlson? So Toko Carlson has repeatedly and even fairly recently uh I don't even know if he referenced you by name specifically but in the context of his having hosted Nick Fuentes and so many other problematic things he's done he he called you out and said look at this congressman who with no nuance called for you know carpet bombing Gaza. Um, first of all, every time he references you, it raises your profile. And by raising your profile, it raises potentially your influence. You know, falling under sort of the banner of there's no such thing as bad publicity, just spell my name right. Um, is there a benefit to you that you're in the crosshairs of Tucker? Because when he mentions you, you know, if if he represents so many things that are wrong right now and you are the he's singled out as as the opposite, so he's positioning you to represent things that are right right now. So, what does it feel like to be in his crosshairs? >> Um, well, I mean, look, what I would say is I'm in the crosshairs because I'm not afraid of him and all of the tricks that his benefactors have tried to shut me up. You the Muslim Brotherhood money that the guy has taken and everything else. Um, they they've tried to shut me up for 10 years since I got elected to the Florida legislature. It doesn't work. So, they thought, you know, kind of trying to pound me directly would. I think what it tells me is I'm under his skin. Um when I c within minutes of me uh calling him the most dangerous anti-semite in America, he he called the speaker of the house to whine like a little baby. Um uh so he's afraid. He's a coward. Um and the interesting thing is the funny thing is he's begged me begged. Now, when I say me, I haven't talked to him, but his people have called my office begging for me to come on his show since I've made these statements, which I'm not I'm not going to do, but but it's, you know, it's interesting. I'm clearly under the guy's skin. Is it is it a fun thing to be? No. Do do I wish Tucker Carlson hadn't gone crazy and become a delusional, you know, leader of the Hitler youth? Yes. I mean, this is not a good thing for America. I wish it hadn't happened, but uh but you know, I'm not going to afraid I'm not going to be afraid to fight him. >> Take us through your thought process of why you don't go on a show. As the Hebrew hammer, undeniably best debater in Tallahassee, why not give him a little taste of his own medicine, go on his show, accept the invitation, and then hold them accountable, give him facts, make him face the truth. >> Well, I think it's interesting that you um that it sounds like you would advocate. Most of the people I've talked to >> I'm not saying I would. There there's a few there's a few reasons. There's a there's a few reasons. Number one, um the idea of him making money off of me coming onto his show is a little bit, you know, gross, right? I mean, here's a guy who's functioning as the modern-day leader of the Hitler Youth, selling sponsorships. It isn't a it isn't a pro bono, you know, enterprise. We learned, for example, that one sponsor, Heritage Foundation, was paying $75,000 per episode to sponsor it. So, so the idea of of of of letting him make money off of me is just, I think, somewhat repugnant. I I think the second issue is is if if if I if I was going to debate Tucker Carlson, you know, in a in a in a in a neutral third party situation, that might be something to consider. But you go on his show, it's his questions, it's his editing, it's, you know, it's like going into into his house. And I'll be honest with you, part of me is tempted to do it. I believe that God puts you where he wants you to be. I was blessed with some skills. Um, and so part of me does want to do it, but I also think the guy is so dishonest um, in the statements that he makes. You know, I I I I don't know. I I'll be honest, I struggle with it every day because part of me really really wants to do it. But I but what what what what I do revert back to is the idea that he'd make hundreds of thousands of dollars um off of having me on is just sort of gross. And the other thing is why do I want to lead legit lend legitimacy to the guy? I mean, he's become he's a cook, you know, he's not a credible figure anymore. Having Nick Fuentes, I think, was the end of that. >> In the aftermath of obviously Charlie Cook's assassination, do you worry about your personal safety? Is there ever a time you're don't go to an event or you don't speak out publicly because you're worried about yourself? >> So, so I do worry about my personal safety. I have security. Um, and I, you know, could I have more? Sure. Um, but I'm not I made a decision when I was 13 years old I'd never be afraid again. And I'm going to I'm going to live by that. I believe that again, I'll say it again. I think God puts us where he wants us to be and I'm going to trust, you know, his judgment to to look out for me. But, uh, but no, I mean, I' I've got a fair amount of security. Look, there are three people in prison right now for making death threats against me. It's not a it's not an uncommon circumstance. >> Does the fact you described that wearing the kipa um sort of motivated or put you in a circumstance that you started keeping kosher? Does wearing the kipa also make you measure your words differently? Have you introduced more nuance because of it? Are you acutely aware while wearing it of what you're saying because you don't want to come across in a certain way? >> Nope. I am who I am. And uh I I I am very blunt and very aggressive. And no, I I I mean I believe look, I believe there's evil in this world. I believe we are in the situation that we are in because people are not willing to acknowledge the world that we live within. They want too much nuance, too many excuses. I mean, I see a world of good and evil and and I'm not afraid to call it out. So, no, I would take off the keepa before before I started to to try to to try to tamper down my what my opinions and what I >> So, so Taco Carlson aside, is there anything that you sort of regret saying or you would say differently um in terms of the Gaza? again, you're speaking to you're with a friendly, sympathetic supporters who agree wholeheartedly with your uh assessment of what's happening there. >> Well, Tucker Tucker lies about what I said, so there's that. I mean, I never said the things that he says. Um, but but no, I I I can think of nothing I've ever said that I that I wouldn't stand behind. >> What's your favorite Jewish holiday and why? >> What's my favorite Jewish holiday? I mean, I don't know. Probably Hanukkah because, you know, it I think back to to being a a kid and and frankly of all the times that I've been in Israel, um we were there last December over Hanukkah and seeing the way Hanukkah's practiced in Israel was was was uh was pretty special. I mean, it was going on over New Year's Eve when we when we happened to be there. But look, they're they're all we have a lot of holidays. I mean that's that's that's for sure more than most. And um >> they all around. They wanted to kill us and we fought back and survived. So >> look they tried to kill us. They failed. Let's eat. That's basically the story of all of our holidays. And and there will probably become an October 7th holiday now, you know, because of what happened. >> Does the state deficit in Florida concern you? I heard rumors that um part of the state deficit addressing it might be cutting school choice school vouchers that we've now benefited from and hope that we can take for granted going forward. Is that something that you think we're going to need to be concerned about? >> Um well, first off, there's not a deficit in Florida and no, I would not be worried about um getting rid of vouchers. I mean, too many people are dependent on them. It would cause an epic upheaval to try to take those away from people. I will tell you what the greatest threat to school choice is in Florida, and it's something the legislature is going to have to deal with. Um, and that is Muslim terror groups have figured out how to use school choice to create madrasas that preach that preach hate. And and that is something that we're going to have to deal with because if somebody who goes to one of these schools and is taught to hate Jews and and hate America does something, um, that will put the entire program at risk. And I've said this to my colleagues, it is that that is the greatest threat to school choice, the way it has been weaponized by by homegrown Muslim terrorists. >> So what what would you do to address that? Would you make it harder to qualify to receive it? You'd have to go through a different evaluation. How would you address that? >> Um I I think the legislaturator is working on solutions. It's not for me to say, but I think that, you know, there will be there there are some creative solutions to to get at the problem. basically, you know, if you are part of a terrorist organization, you won't be able to to get the money. But that it's a real issue. Um, and it's it it has become one. I mean, we have been infiltrated in this country by millions of people who hate it, and it's a real problem. >> Do you uh do you have a hope of who will be our next governor? >> I I do. I' I've endorsed Byron Donald's. I was actually the first person to endorse him after he filed. Um, Byron was on the Hannity show and I was watching. I knew he was going to announce and like literally when the word said I'm running for governor came out of his mouth, I hit my endorsement send message. Byron and I got elected to the Florida House in 2016. So, uh we spent four years together. Um and I will tell you on many of the education priorities that I had related to school choice, dealing with wokeism, parental choice, Byron was my partner. Um, we used to sit on the education committee and basically beat up a lot of the horrible people who would come to testify. I, so I've known them. Um, we like we were two of 27 Republicans who got elected to the Florida House in uh, in 2016. The only two who've made it to Congress, but but but so I I endorse him. There are other good candidates. There are bad candidates, but but frankly, I think that Byron will be very very difficult to beat. He's got he has the most powerful endorsement in the history of politics that of President Trump. He's incredibly wellknown and popular from all of his appearances on Fox News. Um he's raised a ton of money and he's working very hard. Um he's not just taking it for granted. So I think beating him will be very difficult. >> Congressman, there are so many challenges that face Americans and face Jews and certainly who face Americans that happen to be Jews. What gives you optimism? Where do you look and you say this is the future of our country? this is the future of our people. If we invest in this or if we lean more into this, that's going to take us to the proverbial promised land. Where do you find that optimism? >> Well, I'm very nervous actually about the future of our country. Um, I'm nervous. I see a lot to be concerned about, not to be optimistic about. I look at what happened in New York. I look at the fact that we've got somewhere in the order of 50 million invaders in this country. people who either came here illegally or lied to come here legally um and have become people like Elon Omar who have become citizens but hate America. And so I am very concerned. Now I'm hopeful because you know I'm very close to President Trump and he has made the decision to do something that will be very very difficult which is to get rid of these people. But that that is that in order to save America, we have to return to the America of people who liked America, who thought America was a good place, a noble. And and and whether you're Democrat or Republican, whether you're black, white, Asian, Hispanic, it's not about race or color. It's about it's about philosophy. And there are many people in this country who do not who do not like it. And that makes me very nervous. >> In Florida, you see a demographic shift. Do you think there's a next wave of Jewish migration? You just referenced the mayor of New York and the concern it brings. We're already seeing it in our community, the interest people have had registering for schools next year, uh, realtors who are getting calls. Are you seeing it, hearing about it, too? >> Yeah. And this isn't good. Let me explain why this isn't good. What we're seeing is the hollowing out of America where everyone who is sane is going to leave places like New York and come to Florida. And so what's that mean for New York? What's that mean for New York City? What's that mean for our country if every if everyone who's got a brain leaves those places? Um eventually those places will will collapse. Uh and and so I'm very nervous about Yes, I do think a lot of people will leave and I don't blame them. You know, when the mayor of New York says Jews meeting in the Park Avenue Synagogue is a violation of international law, Houston, we have a problem. And and so there is a lot for people to be worried about. But I always call when Jews move to Florida, they're making little aliyah. They're not moving to Israel. It's the little version. And you I think there will be a lot more of it. But but I wish it wasn't happening. I wish they felt safe in New York. But the kind of issues they have in New York, you don't see them in Florida. And it's because we passed bills that I authored that said if you pull these kinds of stunts, you're going to be in trouble. >> You referenced being in Israel last December. Is there a specific place in Israel that you love? Is there a memory in Israel that uh you come back to? >> Oh wow. Well, there are many. Um God, I mean I I could tell you the story of s on New Year's Eve. You know, it's not a big deal in Israel. We have our own New Year's Eve. It's called Russash Shana. But but the traditional American New Year's Eve, I can tell you the story of of organizing a barbecue with me and three other people right on the border with Gaza. Um and uh and watching rockets, not fireworks, rockets fired at midnight, but but all of those soldiers in the middle of nowhere being so appreciative. Um you know, being being at the hotel uh the day I qualified to run for the state senate and realizing I wouldn't have any opposition. I wouldn't know because I had my phone off for Shabbat. I mean, so many extraordinary um so many extra extraordinary experiences there with with myself and my family. And and the amazing thing to me is when I walk around there, people know who I am. That that blows my mind, you know, because um you know, sometimes I'm better known I feel like over there than I am in in Washington. And that that that that shocks me to be honest. >> Israel doesn't have that many friends. Not in Washington for sure. So it counts them and it holds them dear and appreciates. What does the Hebrew Hebrew hammer do to relax? You're an intense person. Uh you gave all the reasons that you're concerned about the future. What do you do to relax? Well, I don't that much. I mean, I I would say um that I like to hang out with my family. Um I love to do things with my boys and I I love to travel. I mean, we have been to almost every national park um in the United States. We've been all over the world and and I like to go places with them. That's that's my number one thing. And frankly, if I'm at home, you know, I I told you I spent eight months watching TV. Um, you know, when I get home tonight from my last event here in my apartment in DC, it'll be 9 or 10 o'clock. I'll probably watch an hour of TV before I go to bed. >> Anything particularly you like to watch? >> I like all kinds of things. Um, I like I mean, right now I'm watching The Diplomat on on Netflix. It's very entertaining, but but I watch all kinds of things. Just has to It just has to be good. >> Got it. Fair. A fair criteria. Hebrew Hammer. Congressman Randy Fine, a great friend of of our community, the school choice community in Florida. We've benefited. Our kids go to school with uh more affordability. They're safer and more secure because of you. Uh we're tremendously indebted and grateful for your leadership. And our children are are proud to wear a keepa because they see you wearing one. So, Hashem should keep you safe and successful. Continue to fight the good fight, not only for the Jewish people, but obviously for the American people. And thank you for making time to go behind the bea today. Thanks for having me. It was an honor. >> Thank you for listening to Behind the Bea. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We'll see you next week for another Peak Behind the Bea. [music]