Of Heroes and Being Privileged

Shai Davidai and me

The past 18 months (I don’t need to tell you since when or why) have been filled with profound disappointments—both professionally and personally.

Buuuut, without a doubt, they’ve also been months of discovering beacons of wisdom I would have otherwise never encountered. Exceptional people I admire, follow, and strive to emulate.

One of them, perhaps the most significant, is Shai Davidai. For those who don’t know him (though I imagine there are few good-hearted Jews who haven’t heard of him), Davidai is a professor at Columbia University—the epicenter of antisemitism in American academia—who has been unequivocally active and present in fighting for what is right: defending Judaism without trampling on anyone else’s rights.

He does so with intellect, not obstinance; by calling for dialogue, not dogma. He remains composed and has never incited violence. Instead, he champions dialogue—even when it is repeatedly denied to him—despite the immense personal and professional cost he has paid.

He is, in my bobe’s words, a mensch.

One of the greatest privileges of my life was being invited by Shai to speak on an episode of his podcast, “Here I Am with Shai Davidai.” When I say “one of the greatest privileges” I’m not exaggerating—it’s simply the truth. Meeting him and having that conversation was a gift.

The episode was recorded just two days after the incident I experienced at the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) in December—when my Jewish identity and anguish were raw and exposed.

I feared that in the four months between the recording and the podcast’s release, my words would feel outdated (given the relentless events unfolding each day). Yet, incredibly, they feel more relevant now than ever.

What it means to be Jewish today—a conversation that was both meaningful and deeply gratifying.

I invite you to listen on Spotify. [Click here.]

Or watch on YouTube. [Click here.]

And please, share it.

A hero. An honor for me.