Transcript Reading Time: 3 minutesElectricity is Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Africa. Innovation Africa has impacted over 3.4 million people now across Africa since 2008 using Solar Panels and Israeli Technology. Episode Overview: Life In Africa Before and After Innovation AfricaChildren used to get up and walk for hours looking for water only to find and drink dirty, contaminated water. They had no time to go to school. No electricity inside the school or hospitals. Life was difficult.   But today, their lives are completely transformed because of the entrepreneurial grit that created Innovation Africa. Hear the stories of how -- using electricity from solar panels -- Innovation Africa brought a simple water station of fresh, clean water, which has changed millions of lives. Electricity brought independence and self-sufficiency to the people in these African countries. Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best eleven minutes you'll spend today.How Solar Panels Save Lives With Innovation Africa:By harnessing the energy from the sun, drilling into the aquifer and pumping water, constructing a tower, and distributing water throughout the villages.How can these rural communities get vaccinated when they have nowhere to store vaccines? So simply using solar energy, we're able to power vaccine refrigerators. We can provide improved medical care, drinking, clean water, and everything. People are healthier. The agricultural initiatives are now established in brickmaking in the villages themselves. We no longer see mud homes, but we see brick houses. Everything has changed. Resources to Check Out: https://innoafrica.org/https://www.guidestar.org/profile/33-1186746http://www.servicecorps.org/innovation-africaLinks:  #innoafrica #waterforall @innovation.africa 

Transcript Reading Time: 5 minutesEpisode Overview:Fact: ~9,000 children under five years old die every day from pneumonia or diarrhea, two diseases that could stop being fatal if they had access to a soap bar and learned how to wash their hands. Sounds simple, right?   This episode is a conversation with the founder of Clean The World.   They have distributed ~75 million free bars of recycled soap to children and mothers across the globe in 127 countries and have been saving lives for  13 years.   This great company was founded by social entrepreneur Mr. Shawn  Seipler.   Clean The World is on a mission to reduce the millions of deaths worldwide caused by lack of hygiene. How?   Brilliantly using old soap from hotels and giving it a new life. Clean The World collects, melts, reforms, and packages partially used soap. Gross? Nope! Countless young lives have been saved by Clean The World soap.   How many times do you use soap inside your hotel bathroom?   Once? Twice maybe? It's a huge waste, right?   As a road warrior, Shawn spent 150 nights at hotels on business. One night, he was staring at the soap in his hotel shower and wondered what was done with the leftover soap.   This was the beginning of Clean The World. Shawn developed a plan for ~8,000 hotels to pay Clean The World to take away their used soap. He recycled this soap and donated it to young millions of young kids in need of hygiene.   It turns out that repurposing soap is saving lives. You will giggle and cry with this story of saving lives in the world of recycling a simple bar of soap. Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best twenty minutes you'll spend today. How Clean The World Works: Once the soap is repurposed and ready for its second life, Clean the World works with humanitarian partners like UNICEF, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, World Vision, and Children International to determine where it's most needed around the world.Today, Clean the World partners with more than 8k hotels — roughly 1.4m rooms in total — around the world. Shawn came up with an annuity model where hotels pay a small fee to have Clean The World pick up and remove the used soap.  Every donated bin is weighed so Clean the World can give hotels detailed impact reports. Since 2009, Clean The World has:Collected 13m pounds of discarded soap from hotelsDistributed 68m bars of reprocessed soap to 127 countriesDiverted 23m pounds of plastic and soap waste from landfillResources to Check Out:https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/travel/clean-the-world-hotel-soap.htmlhttps://cleantheworld.org/https://thehustle.co/the-surprising-afterlife-of-used-hotel-soap/https://aldianews.com/en/leadership/entrepreneurs/recycling-hotel-soap-barsLinks: @cleantheworld @clean_the_world #soapsaveslives #washyourhandsbro #morethanakit #freshstart #soapsaveslivexbox

Here's how you integrate technology to combat domestic violence. Listen to My Voice Listen to Your Voice was a campaign initiated by Shiran Melamdovsky Somech, a social tech entrepreneur,  based on artificial intelligence technology.   A chilling video featuring the faces of five Israeli women who were murdered by their husbands has used technology to bring these women back to life after death and share the warning signs they themselves missed.  The project, dubbed Listen To Our Voices, was created in response to a global and local surge in domestic violence since the start of the pandemic.  This campaign went viral. Touching the lives of both men and women.   Shiran shares how she developed the idea and the future plans for this life-saving campaign.  You must click on the link below to watch this incredible AI bring these women and their messages back to life.   Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best sixteen minutes you'll spend today. Transcript Reading Time: 5 minutesWhat We Cover In This Episode:Warning signs: Controlling, jealous and obsessive partners can lead to violence.The campaign is to bring back the lives of those women, and share their insight and messages and what they would do differently today. We can hear the story, look into their eyes, and learn from their mistakes.Important Links to Check Out:https://www.listentoourvoices.co/en/https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/25/i-was-murdered-israeli-video-brings-domestic-violence-victims-back-to-life-to-warn-others/https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220324143806.htm 

What is life like in hot conflict zones?  What happens when a foreigner is kidnapped in the Middle East? How does the war economy work?  Check out this conversation with author Daniel Levin.  He is a lawyer turned arm conflict negotiator.  In 2021, Daniel published a book called “Proof of Life: Twenty Days on the Hunt for a Missing Person in the Middle East.”   Exceptionally well-connected in the Middle East through foundation work, Daniel is active in conflict zones and is often asked to help with missing people.  This intense and suspenseful book is about the search for an American named Paul.  Daniel draws on deep historical and personal perspectives in our far-ranging conversation.   Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best twenty-five minutes you'll spend today.Call To Action - Please Help Me Share This Episode: Click on FOLLOW this podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit the website at http://findinginspiration.life.Transcript reading time: 8-minutesIn this episode, we cover:Daniel shares how Paul was captured by a gang that was primarily trading, manufacturing, and trading Captagon, an amphetamine. He traveled from Instanbul to Beirut and Amman, and then Dubai and twice to Syria.  Daniel chases the gang leader all the way through the Middle East and into the Gulf States. Why the hardest part is obtaining reliable information. How Daniel negotiates for the release of hostages. What not to do if you are abducted.Understand the policy shifts: "It's not unthinkable that the relationship will change between the US and Israel.  And anyone who thinks that's unthinkable is simply putting his or her head in the sand."   What is the role of the Abraham Accords in the future of the Middle East?Destabilization of various countries in the Middle East and if there is a path forward.How the war economy works in the real world. Resources from this Episode:https://www.daniellevinauthor.com/ https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/18/books/review/proof-of-life-daniel-levin.html

 Meet Stephenie Rodriquez.  She made a pledge of impacting a billion lives by 2025.   American-born Sydney Australia-based CEO had both her feet amputated after being bitten by 3 mosquitos in Nigeria that gave her Cerebral Malaria. This disease carries a 97% death rate but Stephenie Rodriquez not only survived but is thriving.  She is the first woman in Australia with above-ankle bilateral osseointegrated implants and mechanical feet.   This CEO and single mother, and digital entrepreneur wound up battling severe neurological complications in a Boston hospital, where she was given only a 2 percent chance of survival. At one stage, one of her necrosed, blackened toes fell off in her hand. “It was horrible, absolutely horrible. Completely unimaginable."  She is known as @digitalgodess on Instagram and Twitter.  Fast forward to 2022: WanderSafe thriving.  New TED Talk is complete and a book coming out. "I see myself as augmented because I have superpowers that you don't.  I look at the differences in how I showed up before. To be able to be front-facing. I do the same things used to do. I just do them differently.  I just have to navigate the world a little bit differently.  But until my mission is complete -- until gender-based violence is not a thing –  I still have work to do." Stephenie shares her life's work, rehabilitation, and what it's like to be limb different. Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best twenty-four minutes you'll spend today.Call To Action - Please Help Me Share This Episode: Click on FOLLOW this podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit the website at http://findinginspiration.life.Transcript Reading Time: 7-minutesIn this episode, we cover:The core essence of me is still me, despite the limb difference and the challenges and physical look of my body. I'm still 100% passionate. And I just wanna live every single day to live out that mission and serve those who I can serve, whether it be an inspiration to get over adversity or resilience. Severe septic shock and sepsis are simply put – a blood infection. And that parasite was 8% of my blood volume. It was multiplying in my body to such a level that my kidneys and liver just wouldn't let it through. It caused me to go into this severe septic shock and that's complete organ failure. The process and procedure are called Osteo Integration.  Osteo is bone and integration is the connection. They took metal and titanium rods and cut off where the damaged legs started, which is for me above the ankle. So I have my knee, I have my mid-calf.  But somewhere between my calf and the ankle, they took off my legs. They took a metal and titanium rod and they put it through to my kneecap. And so I have a titanium rod hanging out of my amputation site.  I'm osteo integrated. Resources from This Episode:https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/completely-unimaginable-how-a-business-trip-changed-stephenie-s-life-20211026-p593e6.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF1NkCulF8Mhttps://wandersafe-beacon.com/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10299027/Sydney-socialite-Stephenie-Rodriguez-reveals-malaria-resulted-feet-amputated.html

This Guy (Guy) is truly Paying It Forward.   His skin is in the game.  Completely all in.  At great personal risk.  Meet this brave & audacious entrepreneur, Guy Amar.  He is 28 years old.  His company is based in Ukraine but he sent his staff to Poland right before the war started.  Guy stayed behind in Ukraine to help refugees. He converted his 13,000 sq. foot office into a refugee center.  He funded the supplies all himself for the first week of the War in Ukraine.  After a month of shelling, Guy remains there even today to help whoever needs it.   As of April 22, Guy and his dedicated team have helped 4,318 Refugees cross safely out of Ukraine.  Even in war, humanity comes forward.  What would you do in Guy's situation?     Once his 300+ employees safely left Ukraine, Guy sent a message on social media asking if anyone needs a meal or shower or help with border crossing.  Thousands of people reached out to him. The Israeli Embassy had already evacuated from Ukraine.  There was a vacuum for help & resources so Guy stepped in & became the 'unofficial' Official in  Ukraine.   "I think I did what every good human being, never mind his religion, his color, his background should do or I would expect them to do. "  Guy shares refugee stories that include Holocaust survivors, children, and families. Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best twenty-four minutes you'll spend today. Please do 3 things: Click on FOLLOW this podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit the website at http://findinginspiration.life.Transcript Reading Time: 10-minutesIn this episode, we cover:The accomplished 28-year-old man has an idea of how people should behave toward each other. Will Putin use chemical weapons?  Guy says they have gas masks and that would be a breaking point.  "I wanted to help.  As entrepreneurs, we handle extreme situations.  We have to find solutions, be strong and not break under the pressure otherwise the whole pyramid will collapse.  This was an opportunity to be strong and to be a role model to my team, to the volunteering team, and to continue helping people. Because Jennifer, I must tell you when we are seeing those people and you're meeting the refugees face to face, and you're hearing the stories.  It's heart-breaking.  I had a few moments when I went to my office and I just cried. In front of people, I needed to be strong, but I have many moments of breaking down.   It just hit me from the inside."Guy is using his personal credit cards to fund this refugee center.  After the 1st week, he was able to raise money for the next ten days. Resources from This Episode: https://www.timesofisrael.com/with-haredi-volunteers-an-israeli-entrepreneur-28-rescues-jewish-refugees-in-lviv/?fbclid=IwAR2Dbpjom5g7RFV0uNQDYm9wrgKDjT0PMqKNpY9Z663crpxIuSlexG2Y8qhttps://www.facebook.com/1166424076/posts/10225084145348563/?d=n&fbclid=IwAR0OSwk4FGANYDBGAOozdPB-AK2ZobW42MT91RC6fXYH6Z3APuHuKQLLrNU

1st Episode Of Special Series: Comeback Kid: Tracking Diego Van Looy's ProgressAfter a Near-Death Accident, Diego Van Looy's Steadfast Return to Competition. Tracking Diego's Progress Back to World Triathlete Champion.Every 8-Weeks We Will Update You On Diego's Progress. This is the first episode in a series called The Comeback Kid: Diego Van Looy's journey back to professional sports competition. This is a combination of physical toughness and mental grit with this amazing triathlete.   We're talking about the rebuilding of a champion and we will track his progress in the coming months. It's an inspirational story of a 31-year-old professional athlete whose goal is to get back to competition and stand on the podium following a horrible accident.  Meet Diego Van Looy from Belgium.  In 2019, Diego won the majority of all the big races in the triathlon world.  He had a reputation around the world as a rising star and then a tragedy hit in August of 2021.  While training in Spain for a race, Diego was hit by a truck.  After months in the hospital, Diego is back at the training to compete again.  Just swimming and running proved to be very challenging with all the hardware in his body from multiple surgeries.   We will track Diego's progress every 8-weeks between now and September when he hopes to compete for the first time since his accident. Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best eleven minutes you'll spend today.Please do three things: Click on FOLLOW this podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit the website at http://findinginspiration.life.Transcript Reading Time: 4 minutesIn this episode, we cover:A natural athlete, in 2019 Diego won the majority of all the big races in the triathlon world.He  won Embrunman 2018, Lanzarote Marathon in 2019.  I had several championships with my name. His goal was to achieve the top five in the world championships Ironman in Kona, Hawaii.In August 2021, Diego was hit by a truck while training for a competition. He broke bones in his neck where they inserted a long screw. His back where he broke T7 to T10 and his ribs.Diego trains now for his return to competition. A problem now is that he lost his funding from the Belgium government as a result of the accident.  It's quite difficult for an athlete to train without funding.  But with a 2nd job, Diego is digging in to compete again.Everything is more difficult for Diego.  Swimming is impossible at the moment due to the screws in his back.  This resilient champion doesn't quit.   Ever. Finding Inspiration will shadow Diego until he gets to his first competition in September 2022. Resources from This Episode:https://www.facebook.com/protriathleteDiego.Van.Looy@diegocomesbackstrongerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-van-looy-b01a99154/https://www.compressport.com/inter/en/community/diego-van-looy-pro-triathlete-n255https://www.triathlon.org/athletes/profile/93822/diego_van_looyhttps://powerman.org/en/powerman-world-series/news/interview-with-duathlon-world-champion-diego-van-looy-5388146103872538986

"YES, NOW I'M BLIND.   BUT I WAS STILL NOT GOING TO SIT DOWN AND CRY BUT ENGAGE IN LIFE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY." What is it like to become blind? What are the dangers for a blind person in a sighted world? Imagine being a sighted person, and then at age 26 -- you begin to go blind. Within a few years -- you are completely blind.   Meet Mr. Pete Eckert, the professional photographer.   His world suddenly collapsed when he received the diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa or RP. There is currently no cure for RP. "I survived on my creativity and wits. I now learned that I was going to go blind was devastating. It was like being hit by a hammer." Pete was an aspiring architect and had been accepted to Yale University before he went blind. A blind architect sounded too strange to Pete, so he quickly changed and adapted. Pete dug in deep to mindblowing focus -- got his black belt to be able to defend himself on the street and an MBA to be able to support himself.   Fast forward, Pete Eckert is a highly acclaimed and award-winning photographer. CNN reports Pete as a "Successful career as a self-taught photographer. His striking, ghostly images have been sought after by the likes of Playboy magazine, which commissioned a series of eerie nudes, and Volkswagen, which recently hired Eckert to photograph its new car for an advertising campaign."  Pete recently finished a Google "Be My Eyes" commercial.  Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best fifteen minutes you'll spend today.Please do three things: Click on FOLLOW this podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit the website at http://findinginspiration.life.Transcript Reading Time: 7 minutesIn this episode, we cover:Pete decided to become a photographer.   He has had many exhibitions, and his work is in high demand. Pete was recently in a Google "Be My Eyes" Ad.Through his photographs, Pete looks for metaphors of blindness to describe his world to the sighted world. He uses sound, touch, and memory to take amazing photos. Pete planned to get an MBA for financial stability. And a black belt in TaeKwonDo so he could handle himself on the street like a blind person. AdWeek said: A blind photographer took some of the coolest car photos you'll ever see for Volkswagen. Resources from This Episode:https://peteeckert.com/https://peteeckert.com/portfolio/google-and-be-my-eyes/https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/pete-eckert-blind-photographer/index.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr3xOHGgRoMhttps://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/a-blind-photographer-took-some-of-the-coolest-car-photos-youll-ever-see-for-volkswagen/

Even a Patch Can Kill. Accelerating  Opioid Epidemic Is In Every Zip Code. The USA Consumes 85% of the World's Opioids!Fentanyl overdoses are today the leading cause of death among U.S. adults ranging in age from 18 to 45 — surpassing suicide, car accidents, and even COVID-19. Maybe you don't realize how staggeringly high the death rate is for Opioids. Between May 2020 and April 2021, opioid overdoses were 64% of the 100,000 deaths from drugs in the U.S.   Social media is filled with drug emoji showing just how available opioids are in our world -- primarily but not limited to kids. Did you know even the fentanyl patch can kill you in seconds too?   Interestingly locals and school officials of Middlebury College -- in Middlebury, Vermont, didn't want to print the details of just how alarming the death rate is in Addison Country. It could upset some college parents. We speak to Kris Francoeur, the writer, school principal, educator, and grieving mother, in this episode.    Her beloved son Sam died from a Fentanyl patch in 2013.   Kris wrote a book and toured the country to share how she found joy and light again through the practice of conscious and deliberate gratitude. With Master's degrees in both Counseling Psychology and Educational Leadership, Kris writes: "The first thing I did was to adopt an online habit of every single day I posted on Facebook what I was grateful for that day. It could be a little thing. Well, it wasn't a little thing at the time, but my assistant one day brought me a box of the soft Kleenex with the lotion in it. Sam used to call me every day at lunchtime. And now, every day at lunchtime at work, I would cry because I knew he wasn't going to call. And she brought me soft Kleenex. And that day, I wrote a post about being grateful for soft Kleenex." Join me for this inspiring story; it's the best twenty-four minutes you'll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe or follow through with your favorite platform.Share this episode with a friend today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode, we cover:According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's findings, Vermont had the highest percentage increase in overdose deaths during the pandemic. This week the CDC released provisional data on overdose deaths in the United States.If I'm having a bad day, I own it. I name it. I say I am grieving today. I am mad today. I am frustrated, and this is why I am. And if I can't specifically say why in the beginning, I take myself for a long walk to determine what is going on with me. That's sort of the pebble in my shoe that day. And then sit with it. I talk to myself a lot, talk myself through it, journal to reach the point of accepting what I'm feeling that day. And then again, reaching back for, in the midst of that anger, frustration, whatever it is, what still happened in that day, that made the day worth getting up.Sam planned on his 21st birthday to get a particular tattoo, and he didn't live to do that. So his father and I both got that tattoo in memory.   A year later, I got a tattoo that is on my foot, and it signifies the idea of always making sure I put one foot in front of the other. And I often wear sandals even in Vermont, even in the winter, because I like to see that reminder that no matter what -- you have to keep going forward. 

The Founder of SafeUP Neta Schreiber’s girlfriend disappeared at a party and was later found in a room half-naked, struggling to escape two men.  Neta created this App SafeUP as a result of this scary experience.  The statistic for assault and rape is scary high.  According to the CDC: 1 in 5 women have experienced actual or attempted rape in their lifetime and a real breeding ground for this problem is on college campuses.  Imagine walking down a dark street, or being on a college campus and feeling scared.  Side note: College Campus statistics are very very underreported.  It might help to know you are just one click away from support and protection, on the phone or in person. That possibility is now provided by an Israeli app called SafeUP.  SafeUp took part in Israel's 8200 Impact accelerator program. Special attention was placed on companies tackling domestic violence & women’s rights.  First launched in Israel, the app was co-founded by Neta Schreiber, who became interested in safety tools after her friend went missing at a house party about a decade ago.  "My friend and I searched for her in a panic, and, as we headed upstairs, we heard her voice amidst a group of men's voices. "  We went into one of the rooms & there they were—the men and our friend, half-naked, fighting them."  The assailants fled once the friends stepped in. "We managed to get there just in time," Schreiber said. "Luck and women saved my friend that night.   SafeUp is launching in the USA, UK, & many other countries.   Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best nine minutes you’ll spend today.Please do 3 things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeThis episode covers:Brilliant idea to use the phone as a useful safety weapon.The first, "walk & talk," enables women to find support through a phone conversation with a guardian when they feel uncomfortable or insecure in public.The second solution on the app is called "help now." It is designed for situations where a user finds herself in real and immediate danger, connecting her to three different trained women (guardians) within 500 meters who can evaluate the situation and decide whether to arrive at the scene or call the police.The SafeUP app is a social network in which women and girls can connect and look out for each other whenever they feel unsafe, encounter any real (or potential) danger, and require support, guidance, or physical assistance. Lime has partnered with SafeUP to provide community members with a tool to transport safely while feeling empowered and in control.One of the key points here is that we all have our phones. They're with us 24 hours a day. And in the SafeUp app, the guardian can see your live location.Amazing Informative Links:https://www.safeup.co/https://austonia.com/safeup-austin-launchhttps://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/sexual-assault-on-campus/https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3899312,00.htmlhttps://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/safeup-co-founder-neta-schrieber-interview/

A New Narrative In the Middle East Began With The 2020 Abraham Accords.The Gulf region of the Middle East is in hyper-change mode.  All due to the Abraham Accords, a treaty normalizing relations between Israel and various countries in the Middle East, was signed in 2020.   Make no mistake, a new narrative is born in the Middle East.  Normalized relations will continue to expand and bring opportunities for business and education.  The Abraham Accords have brought about this rapid change to include: tolerance, acceptance, co-existence.  Meet Rabbi and Doctor Elie Abadie -- a modern-day Jewish Renaissance man who plans to help grow a Jewish community in the Arab world of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  Born Beirut, Lebanon, Rabbi, and Doctor Elie Abadie's parents were refugees from Syria.  He lived in tranquility in Lebanon until the Palestinian Liberation Organization and its gunmen appeared in the 1960s.  When he was 18-years old, he decided to move to NYC and attend Yeshiva University.  He became a gastroenterologist & Rabbi.  Following the Abraham Accords, the UAE government decided it was time to grow a Jewish community.  Crown Prince saw the Torah and told Rabbi and Doctor Abadie "I'm so happy to see what really kept the Jewish people united for all these thousands of years."  Who better to lead this effort than Rabbi and Doctor Abadie.  Rabbi and Doctor Abadie, who is fluent in Arabic, French, English, and Spanish, was hand-picked for this task at hand.   He gladly rose to the challenge and sees it as a divine call of duty.   Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best twenty minutes you’ll spend today. Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:Born Beirut, Lebanon, and my parents were refugees from Syria he says. His parents left Syria after Jews were forced to flee due to the establishment of Israel. They lived in tranquility in Lebanon until the Palestinian Liberation Organization and its gunmen appeared in the late 1960s.""The whole region will change soon. All because of the Abraham Accords.  And that's one of the reasons that I decided to take this challenge. The government of the UAE is very clear and adamant about its policy of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. It’s under the law. There is an emerging Jewish community in the UAE.  It's going to be a game-changer. There is a momentous change in the Arab world upon us and there are possibilities for greater mutual understanding and acceptance.  Amazing Informative Links:https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/uaes-rabbi-abadie-we-are-opening-doors-slowly-things-will-take-shape-652321https://www.timesofisrael.com/uaes-small-but-growing-jewish-community-to-get-second-full-time-rabbi/https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/thirteen-specials/preview/amen-amen-amen-promo-gjqrcqhttps://hamodia.com/prime/our-man-in-dubai/https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/10/06/peace-with-more-arab-nations-not-a-question-of-if-but-when/

Pesia's Kitchen in Israel Uses Rescued Food to Feed 1 Million Meals in 2021Gideon Ben Ami, the founder of Pesia's Kitchen, discusses shares their unbelievable success of providing 1 million meals in Israel with rescued food in 2021.  As an entrepreneur who ran hotels and chains of restaurants, Gideon saw first-hand how food was wasted.  Instead of retiring after his long and storied career, Gideon set his sights on ending hunger in Israel by rescuing unused food.   Pesia’s Kitchen feeds a million meals at the cost of .32 cents a meal. Partnering with large companies such as Google, Waze, and the like -- Gideon got these corporate kitchens to donate their unused meals.  Further, Pesia's Kitchen works with Leket Israel to use the 'ugly fruit' in the fields to donate that to the poor thereby saving from rotting food causing more greenhouse gases to harm our earth.    All this is seamlessly and inexpensively done through a simple network of volunteers.  This business model can end hunger in Israel and for sure the entire world.   The perfect opportunity: using a network of volunteers, rescue food that would have been tossed out and feed those who have none, and end hunger.  Period. Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best almost twenty minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:I was hungry as a child.  We had no food. The war on hunger certainly can be won.  We have proven that. One-third of all food in western countries gets thrown away.Pesia’s Kitchen is considered to be a food bank. People come to the bank, the bank doesn't come to your house.  We want to prove a point about rescue food -- it's not costly if you adopt a model that works.    There is a new law that says you cannot sue someone who's giving you food even if you have bad results from eating that food.   It's called the Good Samaritan Law. It basically says you're trying to help somebody. You cannot turn around and sue them because they helped you in a way that hurts you inadvertently.  It's been a joy to go to these corporate kitchens on a daily basis and see this fantastic food that's served to high salaried people.  And two hours later the poor are eating the same meals.  Let's take this food rescue model and share it with the world. Israel could be the first country in the world to end hunger -- with a simple plan. QVb4j83ffIKsF4d6hu6y Amazing Informative Links:https://pesiaskitchen.org/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/600m-worth-of-food-to-be-thrown-away-in-israel-during-passover-662289https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/waste-not-want-not-and-other-lessons/https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/8-facts-to-know-about-food-waste-and-hunger/https://foodtank.com/news/2021/12/organizations-transforming-food-systems/https://www.jpost.com/special-content/food-rescue-can-close-food-insecurity-gap-in-israel-689799

Against all odds -- Meet Danielle Wolfson.  1st Israeli Women to Climb Mt. Everest.   In 2011, after a ski accident, Danielle was told she would never walk unassisted. In the hospital she told herself --- "I will show everybody, I will climb Everest."  Did you know there is only a 5-day window in the entire year to try to reach the summit? Her Russian upbringing of grit and determination moved Danielle to set a goal of climbing 29,000 to the summit of Mt. Everest.  Achieving this goal wasn't easy.  She almost died along the way.  Danielle saw many bodies of dead climbers on her to the summit.  In May 2021, Danielle successfully reached the summit.  Just 50 meters from the peak, she stepped over corpses lying frozen in their climbing gear.  Her Russian discipline kept Danielle alive.  She saw other people give up on Everest along the way but she didn't even consider she had an option to give up. "I needed to finish my mission and I would never stop even if I died on Everest."  Danielle shares details of her harrowing journey to the summit and back down to the base camp of Mt. Everest.  She wants everyone to go out and find their own version of Everest.  Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best almost twenty-one minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:Danielle's message to the world is: "Find your own Everest and achieve your Everest because it's possible. I did it against all the odds. And you can too."Danielle believes: climbing Mount Everest is 80% mental and 20% physical and most people don't have the mental toughness to finish it. Her oxygen was running out, she knew she could rely only on her own wits. “Even if I had offered a million dollars, nobody would have given me oxygen." It's not enough to reach the Summit of Everest.  It's not like a marathon or Ironman.  You finish when you cross the line.  No, you go to the summit, even cannot celebrate because the most dangerous part is going back down to base camp. People died when they are going down. Her next big expedition is in December to Antarctica’s Vinson Massif (4,892 meters; 16,050 feet) and then she’ll cross the South Pole.Amazing Informative Links:https://www.timesofisrael.com/danielle-wolfson-becomes-1st-israeli-woman-to-reach-mount-everest-summit/https://www.timesofisrael.com/tel-aviv-lawyer-on-everest-hopes-to-become-first-israeli-woman-to-reach-summit/https://www.israel21c.org/how-chutzpah-beat-deathhttps://www.israelhayom.com/2021/05/23/climber-danielle-wolfson-becomes-1st-israeli-woman-to-scale-everest/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcjwaDUn3fghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmrY240YsM4

Stephen Schuck: Giving Low-Income Kids A Path Forward And Out Of Poverty.  Stephen discusses the Parents Challenge program and its stunning success rates.  Stephen ran for Governor of Colorado.  Lost that election but found his new calling - school choice to give low-income kids a path out of poverty.  Stephen digs into the ugly truth about the failing education system in Colorado.  Would you accept a school for your kid with a 75% failure rate?   Doubtful.   After uncovering these disturbing numbers, Stephen championed a new program called Parents Challenge.  Zip Codes should not determine the quality of kids’ education.  Unaware of school performance data, parents lack the information & resources to consider alternatives to poor-performing schools. The perfect storm: poor children in under-performing schools with no way out - systematically sustaining the cycle of poverty.  Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best almost eighteen minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:We believe low-income parents should have the same kind of choice that high-income parents already have.  Level the scales. Your children do not need to remain trapped in a school system that is failing them. Parents challenge is not a philanthropy program -- parents challenge is a partnership.  Choice & freedom are enshrined in virtually all aspects of American society. Why not in education, especially for low-income families, for whom education offers the greatest hope for economic advancement?I started to understand the system & how it's funded – it suddenly becomes obvious! The power is on the wrong side of the equation.  The power is on the side of the provider, not on the side of the consumer.  All the money goes to the provider. They have a monopoly.   The conventional wisdom was very different from reality. They said problem was that teachers weren't getting paid enough. Many teachers were going to their own pockets for materials. That's not the cause. That's a symptom. What is the underlying cause?   The underlying cause was power was on the wrong side of the fulcrum. No marketplace, no competition. It's obvious why they were generating a lousy product --- there are no consequences.  Good teachers didn't get paid enough. Bad teachers couldn't get fired. It was a system designed to generate exactly what it has - mediocrity. And any call for excellence was discounted because the thinking was that to do better, you had to spend more. Not true.  If you take more dollars and allocate them to a poor-performing school, the only place from which that those dollars can come is the higher-performing school. Now we have a system that's penalizing success and rewarding failure.  Amazing Informative Links:https://parentschallenge.org/https://www.edchoice.org/engage/what-we-can-do-about-school-choices-supply-side-problem/https://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/is-school-choice-enoughhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/11/02/school-choice-covid-parents-chose-charter/6231

David Gerstein:  Iconic Global Artist Does Art His Way David Gerstein teaches us the lesson of not going with the herd.  No matter what others tell you -- stick to your inner voice.  You have seen his enormous playful vibrant metal sculptures in train stations and parks all over the world -- from China to the USA.   David considers his childhood in the 1950s as the cornerstone of his work.  Today, he shares his philosophy of sticking to your instinct as an artist.  Stories of financial struggles during his life in New York City in the 1970s punctuate the sweetness of his success at 76 years old.  Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best twenty minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share this episode with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:Born in 1944, David was not an overnight sensation.  He built his reputation slowly and with intention.  Friends and family try to sway him from each medium he selected.  They call out how unpopular his plan was but David would not change his mind. For 8 years he struggled with new things he did in sculpture.   He ignored what everyone else said about quitting. David shares the advice he gives young artists today.  "Go your own way."He believes, if you stick to your convictions ultimately people will find you. After traveling and studying around the world in his 20's, David returns to Israel.His time in NYC was interesting but full of suffering like only earning $40 per week.  David was penniless. He was the true example of a starving artist. At 50 years old, David became known around the world as a relevant artist.   He says talent is not enough -- "you have to insist" and contribute to the art world. Slowly he made his way into sculpture and it later became metal wall hangings he calls multiples and ultimately huge metal installations. Financial success came with his idea of creating playful bright colored metal cutouts or multiples. David realized he needed to be different since Israel wasn't close to the art centers of the world.  He needed to become noticed.  These multiples allowed David to have exhibitions all over the world at the same time.  He stood out from the crowded art world.  Later David created smaller multiples so everyday people had the chance to own his work.  These small multiples became his "Ambassadors" to the art world.  Packable art took the world by storm and David's popularity exploded from Singapore to Buenos Ares.  At 76 years old, David Gerstein still insists he go against the stream. Amazing Informative Links:https://davidgerstein.com/https://www.flickr.com/photos/time-to-look/47607202351https://www.artfixdaily.com/artwire/release/4998-david-gerstein-wallsculptures-at-galerie-frank-fluegelhttps://www.israel21c.org/10-eye-catching-sculptures-around-tel-aviv/ http://www.artnet.com/artists/david-gerstein/

At 15 years old -- Doris's life was pre-determined.  Not so fast.   Hello Doris Inc.  In 10th grade, Doris an Orthodox Christian Arab, happily learns she will marry Marcelle.   Doris is controlled first by her parents and next by her mother-in-law.  As the years progressed, Doris dreamed about independence.  After an Oscar-nominated movie is filmed in her rough neighborhood in Jaffa, Doris grabs her opportunity.  Listen to Doris's personal story of how she no longer says 'Yes  sir" but rather "Yes."   Doris has become a sensation with politicians and celebrities flocking to hear her special story of empowerment.   Doris Inc. was launched.  Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best eighteen minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:Doris has hosted over 4,000 people in her home in Ajami (Jaffa).Doris shares what it was like to live in a tightly controlled childhood home and how her experience was typical of all her contemporaries in the Islamic culture. Doris has a revelation that her life should be more in her control.    Doris shares how her upbringing and marriage were a continuation of not being allowed to make decisions and how much of her life was pre-determined by her Arab Christian culture. Doris said: "I understood that our daughters were the product."An Oscar-nominated movie is filmed in her neighborhood.  Following that, tour groups started walking around to see where the movie was filmed. Doris excitedly jumps at the chance to re-make her image and build her self-confidence.Today, thousands of people have sat in Doris's home to hear her personal story and learn more about the Arab Christian culture.As an Orthodox Christian Arab who was born in Jaffa, Doris shares how the Ajami neighborhood catapulted her into hostessing as a business. Doris shares about the modern role and expectations of women today. US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, Sarah Jessica Parker, New crews, and Mayors eagerly listen to Doris'personal empowerment triumph.Amazing Informative Links: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077262/https://www.jpost.com/opinion/grapevine-lured-by-home-hospitality-600775https://www.jaffastoriesandcoffee.com/https://www.viator.com/tours/Tel-Aviv/Jaffa-Cultural-Stories-and-Coffee/d920-110735P1https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/sk4v00qbbyhttps://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297749-d17559583-Reviews-Doris_Hiffawi-Jaffa_Tel_Aviv_Tel_Aviv_District.htmhttps://daattravel.com/photoblog/doris-coffee-for-a-change/

Take a Deep Dive and Look at the Patterns in Your Life.Do you wear a mask?  Are you making the same mistakes again and again?  Are you trapped in a loop?  Listen to Ilan Dray's personal story on how he connects the dots through his start-ups and personal life. Following a broken heart, he discovered how to lead a more authentic life.  Ilan was inspired to share his experience in his new book FUSION EXPERIENCE.   Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best eighteen minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:Ilan wrote a book called Fusion Experience. In his professional life, Ilan builds seamless product interfaces for the user.  He realized he needs to connect the dots with himself. Fusion Experience came to Ilan as a result of a broken heart as he was starting a vacation.   He had a revelation: he was in a loop and compromised himself in relationships.    Ilan tried to connect the missing elements about him.  The book helps to explain how to connect the dots in your own personal or business life will lead you towards happiness.After constantly making the same mistakes over again he asked himself 'who am I really?"  Ilan shares the emotional philosophy that leads him from the darkness to the light.Be able to share your emotion personally.  In business share your ideas.  Don’t complain about your circumstances. Hear about Aspire to Inspire and Ilan's concept of 1 +1 = 3.  The secret sauce is collecting your dots with better communication and understanding of each other. Amazing Informative Links: https://fusionexperience.design/https://youtube.com/c/ilandrayhttps://www.today.ventureshttps://www.inkod.com/

Obese and Happy -- Nobody Was Going to Define Nina!At sixteen years old, Nina Green weighed 300 pounds.  Even being obese, Nina owned and chose her own positive self-image.  What gave Nina the confidence to be a 300-pound lifeguard?    Hear how Nina embraced herself and her body.  She took control of her your own narrative.  Nobody was going to define Nina Green.   Join me for this amazing and inspiring story; it’s the best twenty minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:Nina shares how people didn't understand her because she didn't fit into a box.  Nina shares childhood stories of being morbidly obese and happy.  Though there were signs that her overweight body was making her insecure. Nina shared her experience in group therapy: "I realized that I was very different than everyone else. I was hearing all these stories about how they haven't gone to the beach in 15 years because they didn't feel comfortable. And I was a lifeguard. I chose the one career that you had to be in a bathing suit."In her 30's Nina is slender and physically healthy after having gastric sleeve surgery.  Nina believes that everything related to weight loss is a mind game and mindset.   By both  Nina and her husband getting the surgery today -- they support each other and now they won't go back to being overweight.  Nina shares how lifestyle change is a mindset. Amazing Informative Links:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7052082/https://www.today.com/health/weight-loss-surgery-woman-discusses-vertical-sleeve-gastrectomy-t197649https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210512115603.htmhttps://www.gtlaw-israelpractice.com/2021/03/14/own-your-aliyah-consider-your-career-opportunities-obstacles-and-the-fabled-work-life-balance/

From Drifter to Pickle Entrepreneur In 2008, Jake Herriot was a sophomore in college, but his life changed forever when a car traveling 100 MPH hit him.   Jake spent the next four years recovering from injuries that followed an eat-pray-love tour.  After drifting around aimlessly, Jake moved to Israel and discovered how the simple pickle would change his life.  How did Jake overcome his injuries and find a path forward in a new country?  Join me for this inspiring story; it’s the best twelve minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode, we cover:Jake shares his philosophy on doing life on his terms. Jake shares how he survived an unsurvivable accident, and pickles became his entrepreneurial escape plan from a go-nowhere job. From conception to design, Jake built the Pickle Jar located in Jaffa, Israel. Amazing Links: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/jake-herriotts-celebrating-the-pickle-and-his-survival-619842https://picklejaryafo.com/Send us your thoughts at Finding Inspiration:Via email: iamfindinginspiration@gmail.com 

Big Faith in Small StepsSixteen years ago, Oren Blitzblau lost both eyes to a terrorist’s bomb.  Today, he holds the world record as the fastest sightless Ironman.  What powered Oren’s journey? Big Faith in Small Steps. Join me for this amazing and inspiring story; it’s the best eleven minutes you’ll spend today.Please do three things: Subscribe to our podcast through your favorite platform.Share with a few of your friends today.Visit our website at http://findinginspiration.lifeIn this episode we cover:Oren shares his personal credo on how to not let the terrorists win.Oren's biggest win is going back to his original position in the army.  Oren served 20 years in the army: 10 years with sight and 10 years blind.As a blind person, Oren returns to his love of competitive sports.  As an athlete, Oren shares his 'big faith in small steps' philosophy. Oren's proudest moment was in 2018 when he set a new world record as the fastest ever blind Ironman in Sweden.Oren completed 2.4 miles of swimming, a hundred and twelve miles of biking, and ran a full marathon of twenty-six miles in only ten hours, and fifty-one minutes, setting a new world record.Oren’s time for completing the Iron Man competition is the fastest a blind para triathlete competitor has ever completed the race. The previous record was twelve minutes slower.In Sweden, Oren was the only blind participant among 1,700 contestants.Amazing Oren Links: https://www.orcam.com/en/blog/paratriathlete-champion-answers-the-call-to-empower-the-blind/https://www.zdvo.org/about/news-and-media/oren-blitzblau-breaks-the-world-record/https://www.hamartzim.com/lecturers/oren-blitzblau/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/technion-students-build-inclusive-cycling-club-for-the-visually-impaired-661457Send us your thoughts at Finding Inspiration:Via email: iamfindinginspiration@gmail.com