The original article is published at JewishDisabilityInclusionNews

I have never been a big believer in miracles—until I started following the story of elite Israel soldier Yoav Tzivoni. I wrote about him in these pages after visiting him Samson Assuta Hospital in Ashdod back in December.

 I have known Yoav since he was a young child, attending Camp Ramah in New England with his mother, head of the Israeli delegation and his father, head of our boating department.  To be succinct—Yoav was close to death from injuries sustained fighting in Gaza.  He had a collapsed lung, shrapnel injuries and became a new below the knee amputee.  He had already endured dozens of surgeries when I visited him.  He was barely able to speak—but he managed to utter that his only regret was that he was not still in Gaza with his team. He expressed determination to return to Gaza.

He almost “fished his wish.”  When I called his mom to say hi during a June 2024 trip to Israel, I asked about Yoav. His mom asked if I was sitting down.  Yoav has received a prosthetic, attends twice-weekly outpatient therapy, lives with his girlfriend in Tel Aviv, and…..is currently on reserve duty with his elite unit. Yoav petitioned the army to rejoin as a volunteer.  His treatment team agreed that this would be an important part of his treatment and recovery.  Yoav is now with his unit in the north of Israel, in charge of logistics. He is also keeping sharp, as the photo above–which has essentially “gone viral” on social media”–shows!

You are a real hero, Yoav—and proof that having a disability is only one aspect of who you are!

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The original article is published at JPost.com

“My dad taught that music is giving and that we have to be a vessel if you have it – everything is from Hashem. If God gives you the gift of a voice, it is for a reason.”

Laivy Miller can only laugh when people ask him about his Instagram posts with frequent comments by Jewish rapper and former hassid Matisyahu.

“They ask, ‘how do you know him?’ and I tell them ‘it’s my Dad!’” said the 18-year-old singer who professionally simply goes by Miller.

Living in Israel, Miller is making his mark with collaborations with top Israeli performers, performing with his father earlier this year at the International Convention Center (Binyenei Hauma), competing in the next season of Hakochav Habah, and launching a bright musical future.

Runs in the family

Matisyahu spotted Miller’s talent, interest in music, and determination at a young age. 

“He grew up spending a big portion of the time on the tour bus, at venues, in the green groom, hotels, around the stage, packing up. It was always comfortable for him. He got a passport at age two and went with us as a baby to South Africa, Australia, and Europe,” Matisyahu recalls. “He always had a super powerful voice – at 3, in Crown Heights at 770 [Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters], his voice soared over the top.”

Miller thinks his interest in music may date back to before he was born. 

“Right out of the womb, my dad was beatboxing next to me in the hospital,” he told The Jerusalem Post from Jerusalem’s Old City, where he has been living.

Miller recalls loving music from a young age. 

MATISYAHU ENJOYS a performance by his son in New York. (credit: Raise Fist Propaganda )

“I would always sing with my action figures and do creative songs,” he said, adding that his father supported his interest in music, bringing him on stage at age three and setting up a small red drum set next to the band’s drummer. 

“I would always be sidestage at his shows, singing along.”

Miller treasures the accepting, encouraging, and supportive attitudes he encountered growing up on the road with “wild musicians” who were “diverse” and “not your average crowd.” 

“People taught me to embrace my passions and complete my dreams. These days, that is not a priority as people follow stiff plans over dreams.” 

The COVID pandemic may have inadvertently helped Miller pursue his dreams. Not taking well to Zoom learning, he downloaded Garage Band on his Mac and learned to make and produce demos. 

“When I showed them to my dad, he liked them and thought I should show them to a real studio,” he said.

Matisyahu offers a slight clarification of how Miller’s songwriting career started. 

“One day he went up to the attic, opened his laptop, and started working on music. He wanted Logic [Logic Pro for Mac – a proprietary digital audio workstation developed by Apple Inc.]. I told him to learn Garage Band first. He came down with a track after a few months. ‘You did a good job. Let’s do it if you want.’ He started coming to all of my recording sessions.”

Matisyahu thinks Miller has a wide range of skills that may help him make it big in the music world. 

 “He was always a strong talent – connecting with people, street smart, a good judge of character, always motivated, a tough [hockey-playing] kid – fending for himself a lot in Crown Heights.”

In addition, Dad reports proudly, “He is an incredible kid with a huge heart. A real love for music and for the people in his life. A special human being and talented artist. He is willing to be coached and he is a good learner. He creates emotions and he is a deep thinker.”

Miller, out of respect for his traditionally Jewish observant mother, agreed to spend the year studying in a yeshiva in Israel. After experimenting with two different programs, he gravitated to full immersion in the music world and is now back to balancing his studying and music. He is working with Doli and Penn, a top Israeli songwriting and production duo who produce famous Israelis such as Omer Adam and Eyal Golan. In addition, Miller, Matisyahu, Doli and Penn, and Ishay Ribo are working on a song together.

 “I got cast for Hakochav Habah [The Next Star]. I am in final auditions now,” said Miller, adding “If I win, I get to represent Israel at Eurovision, which is something I really want to do. I think it would be incredibly cool to represent the country.”

Matisyahu is pleased with Miller’s decision to come to Israel and to remain during this challenging year.

 “He wanted to learn and has found himself in Israel,” says Matisyahu, noting that there was some pressure from managers and others in the music business for him to stay in the US this year. “He has really found himself during this transformative year for all Jews in the world.” 

Matisyahu and Miller have been outspoken and unwavering in their support for Israel.

Miller sounds rabbinic as he thanks his father for teaching him to appreciate the musical gifts he has. 

“My dad taught that music is giving and that we have to be a vessel if you have it – everything is from Hashem. If God gives you the gift of a voice, it is for a reason.” 

As Miller continues, he sounds wise beyond his 18 years. 

“If you are in a position of giving, you must give as much as you possibly can.” 

Miller is already at the point of people recognizing him around Israel. 

“If I have opportunities and people recognize me in the street, I have to remember it is not about me. I have to be a vessel and good things will come.”

Miller also appreciates that his father taught him to be humble and to control his anger.

“You need to block anger out to be humble. If you are calm and positive, you don’t get angry.”

Miller lists a wide range of musical influences including Kid Cudi, Drake, Justin Bieber, Glaive, The Beatles, and the music his father listened to while he was growing up, including Bob Marley and jam bands.

In addition to inviting his father to join him on stage at his own concerts, he has recently opened shows for his dad in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. 

“It is cool being on stage with your father. I loved sharing the stage with him and pulling him up for my original songs. He is the one who inspired me to do all of this, to share the stage and sing together has always been a dream!”

Miller has released eight singles to date and two videos – “Peace Of Mind” and “Serenity.” Miller attempts to describe the type of music he creates. 

“I think my music is pop, at the end of the day. It incorporates a lot of styles – jazz, indie, and rock.” 

He is signed with 10K Projects for a distribution deal. He is considering releasing an EP this summer. 

Miller said he will put out “single after single for a while – until I have a true core fan base.” He describes current fans as “teens to older people.”

Miller is particularly proud of his recent activism. He and Matisyahu performed at MIT in the We Will Dance Again Festival. “It was super cool to meet Idan Raichel – I am a big fan of his music,” notes Miller.

He also performed at a recent ZOA event in Times Square. 

“It is cool to be a voice of the youth!” 

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The original article is published at JPost.com

When Guy Sasson took to Court 13 in Saturday’s French Open Quad Wheelchair finals tennis match – and almost three hours later became the first Israeli player to win a Grand Slam wheelchair singles title – he had no idea that another big Israel story had just taken place.

The 44-year-old Sasson, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, had lost four of five previous matches against 22-year-old Sam Schroder of the Netherlands, the No. 2 seed and winner of six Grand Slam titles.

Sasson took the first set 6-2, lost the second set 3-6, and was down two match points in the super tiebreaker. Sasson let out a victory cheer when he got to seven – only to find out from the chair umpire of the need to win 10 points in a Grand Slam event.

Sasson and his coach, Ofri Lankry, had a good laugh and the Israeli went on to win the tiebreaker and the singles title. When he left the court, he learned of the thrilling rescue of four hostages in Gaza and of the unfortunate loss of Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora.

“After the match, I hugged my coach and psychologist and they told me four were brought back alive,” Sasson reported in a phone interview with The Jerusalem Post after arriving in Nice, France where he will begin his next tournament this week. “I’m in shock – right after my huge thriller with ups and downs and I pulled it off – it was as if all the stars were aligned at the same moment.

 “Some people who were watching said that I was down 5-3 and when the message of the hostages being freed got out, I got back in!”

A journey of triumph

Wheelchair Illustrative (credit: FLICKR)

While Sasson playfully acknowledges there may have been some divine intervention at play, he is proud of the very systematic program he has been following to get to this point.

“It is a process I am going through and it will lead to the Paralympics.”

The 2024 Paralympic Games will take place in Paris between August 28 and September 8.

Sasson noted that getting to Roland Garros as the No. 3 seed was in itself a great achievement.

“After the Australian Open [where Sasson lost to Schroder in the finals 6-3, 6-3], I really wanted to win. I like and prefer clay. I like the bounce of the ball and felt I had a good chance. I started well by beating the No. 4 and then the No. 1 in the semifinals. Then it was Sam again in the finals. He is in great shape. I came prepared with good tactics. I believed in myself. I thought it could happen and it happened.”

Later in the day, Sasson also played in the quads men’s doubles finals with Andy Lapthorne of Great Britain. The pair lost 7-6, 6-1 to Schroder and fellow Dutchman Niels Vink.

Lankry, who shared the news of the hostages, is proud of Sasson and shares his sense of accomplishment.

“It’s an amazing feeling. We work and train so hard to improve every single element of Guy’s game. We came with good tactics this time, and Guy was determined to stick to it, and it worked.

“We are proud to represent the country in these difficult times, and to bring honor! We are hoping for more good news – go Israel!”

With Saturday’s win, Sasson became the second Israeli after Shahar Pe’er to ever win a Grand Slam single tennis title. He became the third Israeli man to win any Grand Slam title after Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, who won the 2008 Australian Open men’s doubles title. Ram also won the mixed doubles titles in 2006 at Wimbledon and 2007 at Roland Garros.

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The original article is published at JPost.com

“I have been seeing a strengthening of people’s Zionism since October 7. People are prouder than ever to be Zionists and looking to come to Israel and to help the Jewish homeland.”

Even as the war and hostage crisis continued in Israel, 300 American Jews recently demonstrated that their determination to make aliyah is greater than ever.

On May 29, from noon to 9 p.m., Jewish singles, young marrieds (some expecting first children in the very near future), families with young children, older couples – some with kippot, hats, or covered hair, others in shorts and T-shirts – made their way to a hotel in Teaneck, New Jersey (exact location withheld for security reasons), for the Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN) Aliyah-in-One event, geared to make the upcoming aliyah of attendees that much smoother.

All attendees were hopeful that the ads sent by Nefesh B’Nefesh would indeed be true: “Bring us your docs and we’ll speed up the clocks!” and “Do you still have tasks to complete your aliyah process? Aliyah-in-One is The program for you. If you are planning to make Aliyah in 2024, join us to get all your aliyah services under one roof.”

Attendees were not disappointed. After passing through security at a hotel whose location was only disclosed after people registered online, guests were given a bracelet at registration. Those arriving for on-site Jewish Agency interviews presented original documents (carefully detailed on the Nefesh B’Nefesh website) for scanning and waited for a careful review, followed by a thorough interview. 

Most “passed” with flying colors; at least one very religious-appearing couple in their 60s remained upbeat, despite being told that the letter from their rabbi verifying their Jewish status required further scrutiny (they were told the rest of the interview could proceed over Zoom).

MIREL HOROWITZ hopes to move to Jerusalem in September. (credit: Courtesy Mirel Horowitz)

Visitors were greeted with an extraordinary display of snacks and drinks, which would prove helpful as they waited for one-on-one drop-in consultations at booths devoted to absorption issues, education, jobs, and communities. 

Other booths provided services essential to the aliyah process, including fingerprinting and the apostille of documents. (An apostille is a form of authentication that seeks to simplify the process of legalizing and authenticating public documents so that they can be recognized internationally in foreign countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.)

Those in attendance are universally undeterred by the current situation in Israel and reported feeling even more determined to make aliyah this year.

Mirel Horowitz, 24, a Jewish day school teacher at Yavneh Academy in Paramus, New Jersey, grew up in a Zionistic family, spent a gap year in Israel, has siblings in Israel, and recently returned from helping friends whose spouses were on reserve duty.

“I always wanted to move to Israel. This [current situation] was my pull,” she says.Horowitz started her aliyah process in 2020, before the COVID pandemic, and feels that “now is the time. I am young, single – why not?!”

She further notes, “I feel more connected to my spirituality in Israel.”

Horowitz acknowledges she will miss her family but reports having a support system in Israel.

She has been focused and efficient as she approaches the aliyah process. “I opened my laptop to NBN since I knew they were helping with the process, and applied. I was assigned an adviser and started getting emails about the process and events. I saw the NBN all-in-one event could help with the apostille of my birth certificate and with fingerprinting, so I went.”

While at the event, Horowitz also learned about study and career options in Israel. She hopes to move to Jerusalem in September.

Sarah and Mike Brasky, both 37, of Park Slope, Brooklyn, are racing against the clock to get everything done as the aliyah date for them and their two children, Liam, seven, and Eva, four, nears.

Sarah, an educator who started and ran a nonprofit agency that fosters dogs, notes that as her children have gotten older and “the focus is not on the day-to-day of feeding and clothing,” she and her husband have been able to take a step back and consider longer-term life plans and priorities.

“In the last couple of years, we wanted to shake up our lives a little, without completely going out of our comfort zones.”For the Braskys, this meant considering moves to New York suburbs or to another state.

Wherever they would live, having a strong connection to Judaism and Israel would be important. While Sarah reports that their lives were filled with many of those elements, including camps, Hebrew-language programs, Shabbat, and PJ Library, “To some degree it wasn’t satiating our desire for a stronger connection,” she notes.

After spending one month in Israel last summer, where they lived in a home in Jerusalem, the children attended Ramah day camp, and Mike worked part-time from his law firm’s Tel Aviv office, the idea of moving to Israel began to percolate.As their summer in Israel began to wind down, they began to realistically explore Israel as an option. Says Sarah, “Only at the tail end, I said, ‘Maybe we should explore having the firm give permission to work out of the Tel Aviv office. It didn’t take Mike much convincing! We did not make much progress at first, then Oct. 7 came – that did not dissuade us one iota!”

After a “pause” of two to three months, Sarah reports, “We have been full steam ahead for the past few months.”

She acknowledges that friends often ask, “Are you sure now is the right time?” Sarah replies, “I feel good about it.” She adds, “Oct. 7 is not a factor whatsoever. That probably is the Zionist in me, with two parents and four grandparents who love Israel very much.” Sarah reiterates that she is “excited to live there right now” and offers that “what Oct. 7 changed was not our desire but our feeling of how important it is to instill love of Israel in our kids and not take it for granted.”

The Braskys appreciate the role NBN has played in their aliyah process. “We said we want to do this, but can’t devote full brain space – that’s where NBN comes in. They helped with the bureaucracy, and they gave us an adviser who was great giving us reminders about deadlines, guidance on apostilles, and other things.”

Sarah reports that Mike has primarily been responsible for all of the paperwork, while she has taken on all aspects related to “lifestyle,” including where to live and schools for the children. The Braskys plan to live in Tel Aviv when they arrive in mid-July.

“The idea of… meeting people from all over the world and speaking Hebrew” is appealing, and the Braskys have already begun preparing the children – and their 50 pound dog – for aliyah. “We waited till a couple of months ago, until we were sure.”

Sarah reports that the seven-year-old was a “little shocked,” then comforted when he learned he can still keep in touch with his best friend through video chat, and that he will make new friends through playing basketball and other structured activities.

Howard Friedman, a Teaneck pediatrician, and his wife, Paula, are making aliyah at a different life stage and with a very different approach than the Braskys.

While the Braskys are rushing to pack up their Brooklyn brownstone, which they hope to sell before their aliyah, and will be in search of a Tel Aviv apartment, the Friedmans are moving to the Baka (Jerusalem) home they have owned and visited regularly and frequently for the past eight years.

“It will make our absorption a little more familiar,” reports Dr. Friedman.

And they will be closer to three daughters, their spouses, and grandchildren, who all live in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

The Friedmans will keep their Teaneck house for now and likely pack up and sell it in the future. Unlike Mike Brasky, who can work for his US law from its Tel Aviv office, the experienced pediatrician is obtaining an Israeli medical license and proper orientation and training in order to practice medicine in Israel.

For Dr. Friedman, the aliyah process started at MedEx, a Nefesh B’Nefesh event, this past March, geared to help medical professionals transfer their medical licenses and meet with representatives from the Health Ministry Licensing Division, the Israeli Medical Association, Israeli health funds and hospitals. Friedman then completed most of the required paperwork for aliyah online through the NBS website.

“We paid a guy for the apostille, and came to the all-in-one fair for our Jewish Agency interview.”

Friedman reports that the process of obtaining his license through MedEx went “rather smoothly.”

He has already started his three-month period of histaklut [observation] where he is observed in action by other doctors. While in Israel in April, he spent one month in the pediatric emergency room. “It was fun and all very positive. I began learning how Israel does pediatrics and medicine.”

When this process is complete and the Friedmans are settled in Israel, he can decide between employment in a health fund, at Terem (urgent care), or in private practice.

Paula, who worked in his office for decades, will consider options for possible employment once she arrives in Israel.Paula and Howard report that they always “thought” about aliyah, though they note that when they married while in medical school, they knew they “had a long road ahead.” In addition, they had no family at the time in Israel. “There was a desire but not a drive,” reports Howard.

He playfully notes “I guess we did something right,” when he recounts the aliyah of three children within a five-year period.

The Friedmans were planning to make aliyah regardless of the current situation in Israel, but note, “It increased our desire to move to Israel.” On September 18, the Friedmans plan to be on a plane for their own aliyah.

WHEN MIREL Horowitz, the Brasky family, and the Friedmans make aliyah, they will follow in the footsteps of the 1,500 people from the United States and Canada who have made aliyah with the assistance of NBN since October 7, 2023.NBN offers the following breakdown of olim in the time period, by age:

0-17 – 24418-24 – 43225-34 – 33235-44 – 11745-54 – 7055-64 – 12065+ – 239

NBN reports that it has received over 9,700 requests to open aliyah files since October 7, which is an increase of 76% compared to the corresponding period last year (i.e. from October 7, 2022, through mid-May 2023).

Marc Rosenberg, NBN’s vice president for Diaspora partnerships, is pleased and optimistic with the increased interest in aliyah, and observes that people are “coming despite uncertainty, restrictions, and issues with flights.”

Rosenberg points out that “the next few weeks are critical” in understanding aliyah numbers and trends. He points out that most people who make aliyah come in June, July, or August, and points out that there was a similar increase in aliyah in 1968 and 1969 (following the Six Day War of 1967) and in 1974 and 1975 (following the Yom Kippur War of 1973).

He offers that the typical timeline for people making aliyah is 12-18 months. He observes that “most people have turned the dial 1 degree closer to Israel,” and that the current situation has “helped move people closer to exploring Israel.”

Yitz Motzen, an aliyah adviser in the aliyah guidance division of NBN, is seeing this increased interest in aliyah in his daily work.

“We are definitely seeing an uptick in aliyah interest in our day-to-day work.

“In terms of the why: I have been seeing a strengthening of people’s Zionism since October 7. People are prouder than ever to be Zionists and looking to come to Israel and to help the Jewish homeland, not just in the short term, with volunteering, but in the long term, via aliyah. I think it [Oct. 7] awoke in many people an understanding that this is our only homeland, and they want to be on the front lines of Jewish history as it unfolds. When something happens to your family, you don’t run away. You do the opposite. You want to be closer to them.“People not only want to stand with Israel. They want to stand in Israel.”

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