Daniel Lubetzky

I just got the email below from one of those annoying chain letter emails that people forward to each other.  But I read it and it made me shed a tear.  So instead of forwarding it, I am posting it here.  I have no idea if this is a true story, but it really does not matter.

One day, when I was a freshman in high school,
I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
His name was Kyle.
It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, ‘Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?
He must really be a nerd.’
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.
They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.
His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in th e grass about ten feet from him
He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, ‘Those guys are jerks. ‘
They really should get lives.
‘ He looked at me and said, ‘Hey thanks!’
There was a big smile on his face.
It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.
As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.
He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
We talked all the way home, and I carr ied some of his books
He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends
He said yes.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.
I stopped him and said, ‘Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!
‘ He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
When we were seniors we began to think about college.
Kyle decided on Georgetown and I wa s going to Duke.
I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.
He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class.
I teased him all the time about being a nerd.
He had to prepare a speech for graduation.
I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak
Graduation day, I saw Kyle.
He looked great.
He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.
He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.
He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
Boy, sometimes I was jealous!
Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech.
So, I smacked him on the back and said, ‘Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!’
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.
‘ Thanks,’ he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began
‘Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach..but mostly your friends…
I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.
I am going to tell you a story.’
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
‘Thankfully, I was saved.
My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.’
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.
Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions.
With one small gesture you can change a person’s life.
For better or for worse.
God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way.
Look for God in others.

One of the best ideas to come to our world in a long time comes courtesy of Shai Agassi and his American-Israeli company, Better Place.  He realized that instead of worrying about the manufacturing of electric cars, he could accelerate their acceptance if he focused on the infrastructure network.  And he created a model for leasing the batteries that will enable people to exchange their batteries at a ton of spots.  Israel has embraced the project wholeheartedly, and I am told Palestine and Jordan will also be on board. 

This is a great example of how good business can have so many additional bottomlines, helping the environment and fighting climate change, increasing economic cooperation among neighbors in a conflict region, and decreasing the need for scarce oil.

Read the article here: Israel Is Set to Promote the Use of Electric Cars

For my Jewish and Israeli friends who doubt the sincerity of Arab leaders to achieve a peace agreement and normalize relations with Israel if Israel enables the creation of a Palestinian state, please take a look at the comments from Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal, former Ambassador to the US and former head of Saudi Intelligence.  A friend of the OneVoice Movement with whom I have had several discussions, Prince Turki does not mince words and (like the Middle East) he himself has evolved enormously since appointed as founding representative of the WEF’s C-100 Council of Western and Islamic Leaders.

Some excerpts below (full article here):

"The Arab world, by the Arab peace initiative, has crossed the Rubicon from hostility towards Israel to peace with Israel and has extended the hand of peace to Israel, and we await the Israelis picking up our hand and joining us in what inevitably will be beneficial for Israel and for the Arab world."

"One can imagine not just economic, political and diplomatic relations between Arabs and Israelis but also issues of education, scientific research, combating mutual threats to the inhabitants of this vast geographic area."

"Exchange visits by people of both Israel and the rest of the Arab countries would take place."

1) That he seems to change his positions constantly to pander to the audience asking the question

2) That one of his advisors is Pat Buchanan’s Sister

3) That when I just listened to him be interviewed by Anderson Cooper he carries on for 5 minutes attacking John McCain in very personal ways but then has the gull to end his diatribe with a line like "I am not going to personally attack Senator McCain."

4) That he mocks the McCain-Feingold bill that attempted to reign in campaign contributions and so many other great pieces of legislation just because they are bi-partisan!

5) That his main basis for attacking McCain seems to be that he knows how to work with the other aisle and to be independent and principled when need be.

A Mitt Romney Presidential election does not bode well for our nation and our world!

"The time has come when a democratic Israel and a democratic Palestine live side by side in peace."

- President George W. Bush in his State of the Union Address, where he received standing applause across both aisles for committing to achieve a two-stage agreement defining a Palestinian State before the end of 2008.

I know it is not within the realm of possibilities but McCain and Obama would complement each other so well, would unite this nation, would transcend partisan politics, would place the people above special interests and principle above polls.

"I discovered that a person cannot live a full life under the shadow of bitterness."

- Benjamin Zander’s father.  As reported by Benjamin at a closing session in Davos, his father was in Auschwitz and then interned in a refugee camp in England, followed by many setbacks, yet always had a positive disposition.

Two years ago, Conductor Benjamin Zander gave a talk to our youth leaders.  He explained how the ‘downward spiral’ mentality must be replaced by ‘radiant possibilities.’  He encourages people, after making mistakes, to think ‘how fascinating,’ learn the lesson, make the best of it and see the silver lining and move on.

Benjamin shared how, shortly after 9/11, New Yorkers attended a concert in Carnegie Hall with the Boston Philarmonic. Every New Yorker attended for free, including 150 firemen and 100 police officers, and each ticket was purchased by an anonymous person from Boston in solidarity.

He also related the story of a woman who, as a child during World War II, chastized her younger brother, "Why did you forget your shoes?" It turned out these were the last words she would ever tell her brother, who was killed that afternoon.  From then on, she committed she’d only say things to people that could be the last things you say to them.

Barack Obama’s South Carolina Victory speech is one of the most inspirational and powerful – and sincere – I have heard in a long time.  It is also the right message that our nation and our world desperately need. 

After months of researching all candidates, and after seeing the way they have conducted their campaigns, I have decided to help the Obama campaign.

On the Republican side, McCain’s principled public service is also admirable and worthy of support.

And on the Democratic side, I thought hard about Hilary’s experience, and the accomplishments of the Clintons during their administration, which I don’t think you can dismiss.  After the dust settles, Senator Clinton would also work hard to bring America back to a position of positive global leadership.  But the way the Clinton team handled the fight against Obama is a warning about what we’d encounter in a needless partisan "Clinton vs. Republicans" tenure, one which would not serve us well.  Obama, by contrast, can possibly unite the nation.

Some of Obama’s positions concern me, and it is possible he will make some mistakes early in his Administration.  But he more than makes up for it with his character, intellect, and his sincerity about healing our nation with a message of unity that will be heard across (and also impact) the world.  The greatness that could come from his Administration is exactly what we need.

Odds today are that Senator Clinton’s strong network will beat him.  But that is more reason to lend him a hand if his message appeals to you.

Read his speech here.

Listen to his South Carolina Victory Speech here.

Listen and watch his earlier Iowa victory speech here.

I am taking a minute to blog about the loss of Heath Ledger, not because he was a famous actor that so many of us found exceptionally talented, but because the one time I randomly met him at the lobby of a hotel in NYC I was struck by how sweet, warm, playful, funny, and down-to-earth he was.  Our world lost a very gentle soul, and I suspect the news of his loss struck so many of us not just because he was famous, but because you could sense his natural goodness.  May his family be comforted by knowing he was a noble human being.

Dissatisfaction is the source of creativity

- Shimon Peres, at Davos Shabbat dinner, giving one of his best
speeches, from Israel’s history and 60th Anniversary, to humanity and
Judaism, all impromptu

Sent from my iPhone – pardon typos
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