Tag: senate

Frustrations with the war against Hamas

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

Every day I wake up and the war between Hamas and Israel is continuing.  The hostages remain in the tunnels in captivity.  Some are dead, some being sexually abused, some being physically abused.  None getting needed medication.  Iran continues to provide resources to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi’s in Yemen. 

I never thought I would say this, but I wish the world was silent about all of this.  “Why?” you may ask.  Because rather than condemn the terrorists of Hamas who still have American hostages among those they kidnapped, instead of condemning Iran, instead of demanding that the Houthi’s and Hezbollah stop firing rockets at Israel, the world condemns Israel for fighting for survival. 

I wish I could say it was just the non-Jewish world.  Our history as a people, for thousands of years, has us as our own worst enemies.  Facing persecution, facing death, facing evil, we have a history of defending those who persecute and kill us, those who are evil, all while condemning ourselves.  I don’t know why we do this.  I wish I knew.  I wish I could figure out a way to stop it.  Just like in Germany, we defend those who hate us all the way into the gas chambers.

I am amazed at those who call this war genocide.  The definition of genocide is, “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.”  It is clear that is not what Israel is doing.  How do we know this?  First because according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), the Palestinian population has increased about 10 times since the War of Independence in 1948.  Even more recently, according to the PCBS, displacement of more than 200,000 Palestinians, with the majority of them to the Palestinian country of Jordan, after the 1967 war, the Palestinian world population was 14 million by the end of 2022.  This means that the number of Palestinians in the world has doubled since 1967.  That goes against the definition of genocide.   Secondly, during this current war, if Israel wanted to destroy the Palestinian people in Gaza, they could have just bombed the entire country and killed all the people there in a matter of days.  Instead, they have chosen to be more surgical in their efforts, doing their best to avoid civilian casualties whenever possible.   Once again, you do not attempt destroy a nation or group of people by doing all you can to save civilians.

The other thing that amazes me is when people talk about this being the worst loss of civilian life in conflict. The facts simply don’t back that up.  According to the UN and the Red Cross, there are usually 9 civilians killed in armed conflict for every military person killed.  That means 90% of all deaths in armed conflict are civilians.  Iraq Body Count figures from 2003 to 2013 indicate that 77% of casualties were civilians. So how does the war between Hamas and Israel compare?  If we use the statistics provided by Hamas, which nobody really believes is accurate, the ratio is somewhere between 1:1 and 1.2:1.  That means Israel is 8-9 times BETTER than the world average and 7 times better than the US in Iraq.  And that’s using the numbers provided by Hamas!

Estimates put the ration at somewhere between 1.0 and 1.2 civilians per Hamas Terrorist killed in the war, far better than the normal, accepted ration of 9-1

Just this week, Israel tragically and accidentally bombed trucks from the World Central Kitchen, killing 7 of the aid workers.  It is a horrible tragedy.  There is no excuse for it.  And Israel hasn’t made any excuses.  Israel admitted it was a mistake and they were in the wrong.  They did an investigation, identified what happened, held those accountable whose actions resulted in the bombing and these deaths, and vowed to learn from this mistake.  Listen to an interview by friend Fleur Hassan- Nahoum, the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem. She, and Israel, isn’t hiding from what happened or how awful it is.

Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem and my friend, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, is brutally honest about the awful mistake in attacking the convoy of aid workers. This is what sets Israel apart – a willingness to admit mistakes, hold people accountable, and learn from their mistakes.

In October of 2015, the US initiated an airstrike against a Doctors Without Borders trauma center and killed at least 42 people including 14 hospital staff members and at least 24 patients.  The investigation found that human errors, fatigue, process, and equipment failures were at fault in the deadly airstrike.  US Central command said that, “These factors contributed to the ‘fog of war,’ which is the uncertainty often encountered during combat operations.”

In August of 2021, the US made a mistake and fired a hellfire missile in Kabul, accidentally killing 10 civilians, 7 of which were children.  When I was attending the Israel-American Council Summit in Austin, Texas last year, my Uber driver had recently gotten out of the military.  He was in Afghanistan during this time and during the botched withdrawal of the troops there.  The stories he told me were horrible.  The mistakes and errors made turned my stomach.  I felt terrible about how we, America, treated the people who served in Afghanistan and those who were our allies in Afghanistan.  It was understood that we messed up and made mistakes and that this happens in war. 

Every other country in the world gets the grace of making mistakes in war.  Not Israel, the Jewish nation.  Once again, Israel is held to a different standard.  I have said repeatedly that war is terrible.  We should do everything we can to avoid war. When you can’t avoid war and you must take on evil, you must defeat it.  Otherwise, evil continues to grow.  Yet in today’s world, it appears there is a desire to have more evil than Jews. 

I listen to people like Bernie Sanders and even friends who are Jewish who unfairly criticize Israel.  Where was the outrage about the nearly 620,000 people killed in the Syrian civil war?  What about the more than 375,000 people killed in the Yemen civil war between 2015 and early 2022?  The 30,000 children killed by Assad in Syria. Israel is the target because it is the Jewish state and that is antisemitism and hate.

Bernie Sanders doesn’t get it – he doesn’t understand evil, he doesn’t pay attention to the data, and despite being Jewish, he hates Jews.

We need people like Representative Ritchie Torres, who is outspoken in his support of Israel, the need to remove Hamas, and holding Hamas responsible for this war. He speaks out against conditions of aid to Israel.

Ritchie Torres on Israel (at the 1:20 mark). He is a vocal supporter of Israel and the right to defend herself and the need to eliminate Hamas.

Senator Hakeem Jeffries has spoken out loudly and clearly in support of Israel. Senator John Fetterman has been one of the most vocal supporters of Israel. He speaks out publicly about the need to remove Hamas, the fact that Hamas hides behind human shields, and the need to support Israel unconditionally.

Senator Fetterman speaks about Israel and Hamas at the 2:45 mark until the 5:20 mark. He is a very vocal supporter of Israel, the right to defend herself, and the need to eliminate Hamas.

My own Senator, Rick Scott, has been vocal about his support for Israel. He tweets daily about the hostages, never letting them fall out of our thoughts.

Senator Scott speaking powerfully in support of Israel. We need more leaders to do so.
Senator Scott is active on Twitter reminding everybody about the hostages

So now that I’ve written all this, so what? Other than venting my frustrations, anger, and disappointment, what is the point? The point is that each of us have the ability to make a difference. Each of us can learn the truth. Each of us can speak out loudly. Each of us can challenge those we know when they are spewing venom at Israel that is simply wrong and unfair. Each of us can confront those who we hear are speaking untruths, talking points without substance, and spewing hate. If you want to see how it’s done and how it is done well, watch this clip of Douglas Murray during an interview with Al Jazeera. He doesn’t let the person interviewing him get away with the lies and antisemitic comments she makes.

Douglas Murray is amazing as he takes her apart when she lies.

We can support Israel and the hostages. Wear the dogtags that say “Bring them home now” or “We will dance again” or both. Get a yellow ribbon pin and wear it. Put a piece of masking tape on your shirt every day with the number of days the hostages have been in captivity. Buy things from Israel to support their economy. Be loud and proud. The people who hate us aren’t going away. They are going to be out there spewing Jew hatred in the context of Israel at synagogues, JCCs, in the streets, at people’s homes, wherever they can be. If we hide, they win.

Rachel Goldberg, mother of hostage Hersch Goldberg Polin, started the masking tape. This was day 98. We are not past day 180.

When you are able, visit Israel. I have wanted to go since October 7th but have not because my family was worried about my safety. I love my family and was willing to wait so they felt better. I’m not willing to wait any longer. I’m going in May. You can join me if you want – it will be an amazing trip and very meaningful. I’m not sure how I will feel when I go to the site of the Nova music festival or one of the kibbutzim. I’m not sure what visiting Sderot will feel like this time – the police station, always a stop to see the rockets that were fired at them is no longer there. Being there for Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut will be different this time. It will be the third time I’ve been in Israel for Israel’s memorial day and Independence Day. I already know this one will be different. I am arriving the night before the trip begins and staying two days after. I wish I could go earlier and stay even longer. I’m going on the Momentum men’s trip. Join me. If you are a woman and want to go, there is also a women’s trip and I can connect you to it so you can go.

Unlike the past, we are not powerless. We are not lambs being taken to slaughter. We have the IDF. We have Israel. We have voices and don’t have to allow the lies to be all that people hear. When people cry for a ‘Ceasefire Now’ remind them that Israel has already agreed to the ceasefire, it’s Hamas who hasn’t agreed. Don’t push Israel for a ceasefire, push Hamas. Push Qatar who houses the leaders of Hamas. And remind them that this war can end immediately if Hamas would release the hostages and surrender.

Write and call your member of Congress and your Senators. Your voice matters. Every member of Congress that I have spoken with, every Senator I have met, have said how much those calls, emails, and letters mean. You have a voice, use it. If you think it doesn’t matter or people don’t notice you are wrong. I get asked about the number on the tape or my dogtags all the time. Be inspired by Cincinnati Reds Assistant Pitching Coach Alon Leichman and his baseball glove for this season. He is making a powerful statement, “Bring them home NOW”. You can join in making that powerful statement of support and stand up to the Jew haters who want us all gone.

A powerful statement on his baseball glove

Don’t be silent. Don’t hide. Don’t allow them to win. We’ve been down that road before and it doesn’t end well for us.

Thoughts after the AIPAC Policy Summit

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

In a Bari Weiss piece for the Free Press after their recent visit to Israel, she said,

“There was not a single conversation that I had in the week I spent in Israel where the person did not say a version of the following: There was an October 6 version of me and an October 7 version of me. I am forever changed. I am a different person.“

That hits home for me as there is no question that October 7th changed me forever.  I have always been a passionate Zionist.  My grandparents and parents raised me that way.  They were passionate about have a Jewish homeland, my grandparents living in America during the Shoah and my parents being born at the end of it.  I will never forget my grandfather telling how they listened to the UN vote on a transistor radio and how they celebrated when the vote came in that ensured a Jewish state would be created.  It was dream to visit Israel and after I graduated college, my present was a 4 week trip to Israel.

I have been back to Israel 19 more times since then (total of 20 visits) and can never get another or stay long enough.  There is something in the air, on the ground, that is special.  The food is amazing, and I love the people, the beaches, the green of the north, the beauty of the desert.  My favorite place changes all the time.  Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, the Galil.    On my last visit I fell in love with Ir Yamim, a southern suburb of Netanya.  Suffice it to say that I love Israel and am a proud Zionist.

Horseback riding with my friend Remo Eyal in Netanya on the beach of the Mediterranean Sea in Netanaya.

As a proud Zionist, I got involved with AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee) more than 25 years ago.  I was awarded the campus ally one year and been to many conferences.  With the shift away from the big 20,000-person policy conference to the much smaller 1,400 Policy Summits, I have still been invited and have attended the first two that have been held.  This week was the second and it was truly incredible.

AIPAC gets important politicians to address the summit.  As a non-partisan organization that works in a bi-partisan manner, that means we hear from leaders of both parties as well as leaders of Israel.  This year was no exception. 

We heard from all four leaders of the House and Senate.  Representative Leader Hakim Jeffries and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson as well as Senators Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell.  All were powerfully pro-Israel.  It made Thursday’s speech by Senator Schumer hurt even more as he was so positive when he spoke on Monday night.  To call on Israel to replace their democratically elected leader in a country that has had more elections in the past few years than we can count and not call on the Palestinian Authority to have elections to end the 19 years that Mahmoud Abbas has served in his 4 year elected term is offensive. To meddle publicly in the politics of a key ally in the middle of an existential war is unacceptable. It is a reminder of why we have the challenges we do. Israel remains held to a different standard than anybody else in the world. Compared, to House Minority Leader Jeffries, who doubled down on Israel needing to eliminate Hamas, it was quite a contrast. 

Representative Hakim Jeffries, Minority Leader in the House
Senator Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader in the Senate
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
Senator Chuck Schumer, majority leader in the Senate

Senators Rick Scott and John Fetterman were two of the leaders who attended the special dinner on Monday night, each holding court with attendees to talk, answer questions and support Israel.  Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Brian Mast were also there, and I am sure there were many others that I didn’t get to see.

Representatives Don Davis (D-NC) and Rep Young Kim (R-CA) spoke together with incredible passion.  Rep Davis is African American and Rep Kim is an Asian American.  They showed that Israel is not just a Jewish issue and I hope many others follow their lead.  It was inspiring to hear them speak.

Representative Young Kim and Representative Don Davis

Brett McGuirk, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North African gave us incredible insight into what’s going on.  It was incredible to hear directly from him and we learned a great deal. 

Israeli Opposition party leader Yair Lapid spoke to use by satellite from Israel.  He was powerful and inspired us all.  Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog spoke to us in person, inspiring us as the Israeli Ambassador.  At the end of the conference, Prime Minister Netanyahu also addressed the crowd by satellite, although I had to leave before then as I had lobbying appointments on Capitol Hill to get to. 

Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid
Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog

Two of the best we heard from were Wesley Bell, running against Rep Cori Bush, a vile antisemite, and George Latimer, running against Jamal Bowman, another vile antisemite.  Both members of the squad are behind in the polls and hearing Bell and Latimer speak gave great hope for a different Congress in 2025 that is more pro-Israel and one that is more educated on the issues and the realities. 

George Latimer and Wesley Bell – hopefully they defeat Jamal Bowman and Cori Bush, two vile antisemites.

Senators Kirstin Gillibrand and Joni Ernst were on a panel with Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  They each spoke powerfully and beautifully about Israel, the evil of Hamas, and the need for Israel to destroy Hamas. 

As you can see, it was a powerful group of leaders who spoke to us.  But that wasn’t the most powerful part of the conference.  The most powerful part of the conference were the Israeli’s we heard from who were there on October 7th.  Who experienced the terror, who lost loved ones, and parents whose dual citizen son, Omer Neutra, remains a hostage.  Omer graduated high school and decided to spend a gap year in Israel.  While spending his gap year in Israel, he decided that rather than return to the US for college, he wanted to enlist in the IDF and serve Israel.  On October 7th he was taken hostage and has not been heard from since.  Omer is all our children.  We can all related to a child taking a gap year and being inspired while doing so.  He could be in college right now, but instead chose to serve the Jewish people in the IDF.  He has not been a hostage for nearly 160 days.  As we listened to his parents, all we could think of was that Omer could be our child and he quickly became our child and our cause.  When we heard a dual citizen hostage was found to have been murdered on October 7th and Hamas still has his body, we were all horrified and fearful it was Omer.  Our hearts broke for the family of Itai Chen, who learned of his death FIVE MONTHS after it happened.  Who don’t have his body to bury and the ability for closure. 

Omer Neutra’s picture as his parents spoke to us. It was heartbreaking. Bring them home NOW!

We heard from a young woman named Or Tzuk who lives in Kfar Aza.  I want to warn you that this story is graphic.  She and her husband were away on holiday the weekend of October 7th.  Hamas terrorists broke into her house and murdered her father, mother, and their dog.  Her brother, who in her words is like a ‘big American’, hid under the bed and wasn’t found.  Hamas shot bullets all around the house with a number of them grazing him.  He laid in his parents and their dog’s blood and urine for 7 hours before being rescued.  7 hours lying in his parent’s blood and urine, looking at their dead bodies and the dead body of his dog.  When rescued, he took off his shirt to be examined and they found that his mother’s teeth were embedded in his skin.  I can’t even imagine.  She now wears combat boots all the time.  She has to have an exit strategy in every room she is in.  She has difficulty sleeping.  Listening to her talk was heartbreaking. 

Or Tzuk speaking on the Israeli news 10 days after the Hamas massacre of October 7th. Her pain wasn’t any less when she spoke to us 5 months later.

We heard from a Nehoray Levy, a young man who was at the Nova Music Festival.  He ran and was able to escape.  He hid for hours alone.  When things got quiet, he got up and ran to where he saw others who had escaped the music festival and hid together with them until they were rescued. 

Nehoray recorded a farewell message to his parents and family during the Hamas attack. It’s painful to watch as he says his goodbyes, not sure if he will survive.

Daniel Waiss, who sang Hatikvah, lost both his parents on October 7th, part of the time lying between the dead bodies of his friends.  I can’t imagine spending hours lying between the dead bodies of my friends, hoping and praying that the terrorists don’t come find me and kill me too.  He had decided to use his music as a way to heal not only himself but others who have been traumatized.  He has gone back to the area where the terrorists murdered his family and performed a concert for them.  He sang beautifully and while Hatikvah is always powerful and meaningful when I sing it, this one was the most meaningful I have ever sung. 

Daniel Wais singing on YouTube

After this, filled with energy and passion on behalf of the American-Israel relationship and Israel itself, we went to the Hill to lobby our Central Florida Senators and Representatives.  All support Israel.  Almost all agreed that Israel must do whatever it takes to defeat Hamas.  They all listened to us and heard our message.  I hope they all support the aid package to Israel.  I hope they all understand what Israel faces.  Most do, but not all.  I spent Tuesday on the Hill, doing my part to advocate for Israel and the American Israeli relationship.  When my future grandchildren ask me what I did after October 7, 2023, I have an answer for them.  I didn’t sit silently.  I didn’t hide.  I became more publicly Jewish.  I worked with our legislators.  I attended the rally in DC.  I took action.  I hope that you will have answer for your grandchildren as well. 

Representative Darren Soto
Representative Daniel Webster
Representative Maxwell Frost – I did a bad job taking the picture

As a proud Jew and a proud Zionist, I have struggled greatly since October 7th.  One image I will never forget was on the news that day.  It was a minivan on the side of the road.  The driver, the father of family, had been murdered and was slumped over the steering wheel.  His young daughter was also murdered, slumped over him.  It’s an image that will never leave my mind.  I saw the Hamas 47-minute video and there are many images there that I will never forget and that will never leave my mind.

Since October 7th I have ordered a special Magen David (star of David) from Israel that I wear daily.  I got my ‘Bring Them Home Now’ and ‘We will Dance Again’ dog tags from Israel that I wear every day. I got a new “Am Yisrael Chai’” pendant.  As requested by Rachel Goldberg, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the American Israeli who lost an arm at the Nova Music Festival and was taken hostage, I put the masking tape over my heart and use a sharpie to chronicle how many days the hostages have been in captivity.  I get asked about that more than anything else. 

My newest necklace

This AIPAC Policy Summit was powerful for me as it wasn’t just an opportunity to learn about policy, hear from politicians, lobby on the hill, and see some cool Israeli things.  It was a chance to hear from Israeli’s personally impacted by October 7th.  To hear their stories from their own mouths, in their own words.  I’ll never forget their faces, their voices, or their stories. 

When he was Hillel International President, Avraham Infeld used to say all the time that ‘Judaism is NOT a religion.’   He would step back, say it again, and then say, ‘See, I wasn’t struck by lightning.   Judaism is a mishpacha (family) who share a common religion.’  Ambassador Michael Oren reiterated this in his column today. As a mishpacha, the people murdered on October 7th are my family.  The people taken hostage on October 7th are my family.  The people currently still being held hostage are my family.  The IDF soldiers fighting and dying to eliminate the evil that is Hamas are my family.  The civilians attacked in the streets in Israel and stabbed are my family.  I stand with my family.  I stand with Israel.   Am Yisrael Chai.

With Michael Oren at the Orlando JNF event. He is truly a brilliant man and worth following his writings.
Am Yisrael Chai – The people of Israel live!

Relationships Matter

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

Over the past 25 years, I have attended the AIPAC Policy Conference many times.  Having the opportunity to listen to incredible speakers, attend great breakout sessions, and lobby on Capitol Hill always made it a highlight. 

I have great memories of taking 40+ students from The University of Florida to the conference year after year.  Meeting with key Florida politicians and influential leaders for photos.  Our Saturday night dinner in Chinatown became legendary and the donor who underwrote it would fly up for the dinner and not stay for the conference, just to interact with the students.  I met my friend and teacher, Dr. Ken Stein, at AIPAC Policy Conference after attending his sessions and being blown away with the information he presented. That is now close to a 20-year friendship.

Perhaps the most important thing that I learned at the AIPAC Policy Conference came in 2009, when the theme was “Relationships Matter”.  I met my friend Reverend Ken Flowers at that conference.  I was named one of AIPAC’s Campus Allies at that conference.  Neither of them were the most important thing at that conference.  The topic, “Relationships Matter” was the most important thing from that conference.

That was a transformational moment for me as I began to understand the need to build relationships across all levels.  People of different religions, cultures, political beliefs, etc.  What hit me strongly was that in order to be successful we needed to bridge divides, have real relationships with people, and get involved BEFORE you asked for anything in return.  In a country and a world which was already transactional and one that has since become even more transactional, these real relationships matter.  They are what change the world.

Over the past 14 years, that is what I have strived to do.  I have relationships with political leaders of both major parties.  Friendships with these people.  I reach out because of the relationship, not because I want or need anything.  And they reach out as well.  I love getting a Hanukkah card from the White House, regardless of who is the President.  When my Senator sends me a little handwritten note about something, it has special meaning.  When my member of the US House of Representatives texts me a note or a question, it is part of real relationship.  When members of the Florida House of Representatives text or we talk, it is not because I’m trying to get them to vote a certain way but rather because we engage in old fashioned conversation. 

I have friends who are leaders in the Christian and Muslim community.  Leaders in African-American community and the LBGTQ+ community.  I have friends who are Arabs and Christians living in East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nablus.  I have spent time talking and learning from people who were raised to hate Jews and joined violent organizations that attacked Jews, some of them even murdered Jews in Israel, before undergoing a transformation and striving to learn and build relationships with people they never even considered people.  I’ve previously written about one of them, Ali Abu Awaad, who inspires me regularly with his work towards Palestinian non-violence and finding a new way to build a different relationship with Israel that can lead to a long lasting peace.

Early this morning I got a message from my friend who is a leader in the local Muslim community.  We became friends a few years ago and have done some volunteer work together.  I have visited his mosque a number of times and feel comfortable there.  He has gone through some personal challenges recently and I regularly check on him.  His current volunteer work needs some help and so, as his friend, I am helping.  His note this morning was:

    Good Morning Keith.  I am at the mosque for the morning prayer and I remembered you.  I will

    say a prayer for you.  Stay blessed.

    Thought of the day

    “Love is the devotion to the well-being of others without regard to the cost.”

My heart filled with joy as I read it because my friend not only thought of me on a random Saturday morning but was moved to include me in his prayers and share a little wisdom.

My friends are like a bag of skittles – all colors, flavors, and types.  The commonality they all have is the type of person that they are.  As the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

That’s how I pick my friends.  The content of their character.  That is how I invest in relationships.  The content of their character.  That’s how people inspire me.  The content of their character.

Recently I have been surprised and inspired by the words of a major public figure.  It usually takes a lot to surprise me, but US Senator John Fetterman has done so.  I was not impressed when he ran for Senate.  For the first part of his term, I only saw somebody who appeared to be hanging around, almost mocking what it mean to be a US Senator.  In the aftermath of October 7th, I realize how wrong I was and how I was not judging him by the content of his character but rather the image that was presented.  Senator Fetterman has spoken out powerfully and clearly about the terrorist group Hamas.  He speaks out regularly about the need for all the hostages taken by Hamas to be released.  He hung the pictures of all the hostages in his office.  He doesn’t celebrate the violence and terror of October 7th nor does he celebrate the horrors of the war since then.  He doesn’t demand a cease-fire that will accomplish nothing but more future terror and death but speaks the truth – if Hamas returns all the hostages and surrenders, there will be a cease fire.  But not before.   He is taking major criticism from many in his party because of this yet he continues to hold true to his values.  He is truly showing us the content of his character.

In today’s crazy world where it is easy to judge somebody by the 10 second clip they play on the news (often out of context) or the way a certain news channel may present them, or how a journalist chooses to frame a story, Senator Fetterman has reminded me that relationships matter.  That getting to know people before judging them matters.  That investing time and energy into a relationship, whether your world views agree or collide, is beneficial and important.

As I begin my new career arc, I often get asked what’s my favorite part of the work.  My answer is consistent.  I get to work with people that I like and respect.  I get to help people accomplish their goals and the goals for their organization.  I get to work for clients that I want to work for, and we get to build a relationship together.  I choose to not have them be transactional relationships but something deeper.  It’s meaningful.  And isn’t that what life is all about?  Finding meaning?  That theme in 2009 was so accurate.  Relationships Matter.