Healing a Fractured World

Thank you, Larry, and good evening, everyone. It’s a tremendous honor to be with you tonight, and to be recognized by an organization as meaningful and mission driven as the UJA. I’m deeply grateful — not just for this recognition, but for the work that UJA does every single day to support our community, both in crisis and long-term care.

I am honored to follow in the footsteps of last year’s Pillar of the Community honoree, my friend and colleague Eli Gross. His leadership and generosity have set a high bar.

I also want to acknowledge some very important people in the room tonight. My parents who instilled in me values that continue to guide me. My family whose love and support mean more than I can put into words. My friends who have stood by me through every chapter. And my colleagues across the industry who have shared this journey with me. Thank you for being part of this moment.

As I prepared for tonight, a central theme kept coming into focus:  we are living in a time of constant change and uncertainty — for Wall Street, for the Jewish community, and for society as a whole. Institutions and alliances we once relied on feel shaky. Assumptions we took for granted are being questioned. And roadmaps we felt were clear are now being redefined.

In this critical moment, amid this uncertainty, I firmly believe that our values matter more than ever before. Our values ground us. Our values sustain us. And tonight, I want to talk about three pillars — community, resilience, and acknowledgement — three pillars that uphold these values. That serve as the bedrock of our values.

 Community

First, community. The Jewish tradition has always been rooted in community — around shared responsibility and mutual support. There is immense power in showing up for one another. That’s the essence of the UJA.  And that’s what makes this room so powerful tonight.

The UJA honors community through its work helping the poor, sick and elderly, serving people of all faiths with services such as healthcare, food pantries and housing. It stands rightly in the fight against antisemitism, and it supports many in need in my homeland of Israel.

We saw this so clearly—and so urgently—after October 7th.

In the wake of horror and heartbreak, our community didn’t hesitate. We mobilized to support kibbutzim, to comfort families and to rally around those called up to defend Israel. We marched together in Washington, standing shoulder to shoulder — proudly, visibly and unapologetically — as Jews.

And we weren’t alone.

I was moved by the many non-Jewish friends, neighbors, and colleagues who stood with us — who chose courage and allyship over silence and indifference. In a moment where neutrality was easier, they showed moral clarity. That mattered then. It still matters now.

Community isn’t just about comfort, it’s about solidarity. It’s about standing up for one another when doing so is the more difficult choice. That is what gives us strength to persevere in the face of crisis.

But community cannot exist in a vacuum. The character of that community — the resilience that that community shows in the face of uncertainty — is so important.  It is the second pillar upholding our values.

Resilience

Resilience. It has never been more critical. It isn’t about avoiding hardships. It’s about facing them head-on — continuing to get up each and every day, moving forward with purpose.

There is a Japanese proverb, apropos given I work at Mizuho, one of the largest Japanese banks.  The proverb says: Fall seven times, stand up eight.

Over nearly 30 years on Wall Street, I’ve seen more than a few storms. As a tech banker, I was there when the internet bubble burst and the recession that ensued. I experienced the global financial crisis firsthand — as a Lehman lifer. That was more than a market event; it was personal and professional reckoning. And five years ago, I stepped into a new role—as head of banking at Mizuho — just three months before the onset of a global COVID pandemic. And recently, the volatility of the past year has seen the market enter bear territory only to retrace its steps.

Each of those moments have tested my leadership, conviction and composure. But they have also shaped me. They have reminded me that resilience is about adapting, leading with integrity when the path forward is uncertain. Resilience is about showing up for your team, even when you don’t have all the answers — especially when you don’t have all of the answers.

I was born in Israel, a descendent of Holocaust survivors who were persecuted, uprooted and displaced and yet who still found the emotional and physical fortitude to start anew.

Our people have always understood resilience. Our people have always displayed resilience. It’s part of our DNA. And for me, it’s been a guiding force — in business and in my personal life. Resilience has defined our community.

Acknowledgement

The third and final pillar I’d like to mention tonight is acknowledgement. We live in a polarized world. Whether it’s politics, identity, or culture, we’re often encouraged to pick a side, defend it and dig in. But if we want to bridge the many divides — if we want to lead change — we have to be willing to do something harder: [and that is] to listen to voices on the other side.

Active listening requires attention and empathy. Active listening allows for an authentic dialogue that moves the needle. Active listening demands acknowledgement.  

A trusted colleague once told me that every conversation has two parts: advocacy and acknowledgement. And let’s be honest — most of us are pretty good at advocacy. We know how to make a case, argue a point, win the room.

But acknowledgement — that’s different. That’s the part where we slow down and open up — where we pause and truly hear someone else. This doesn’t mean that we necessarily agree. But we take the time to understand. To recognize their humanity. To listen to their story. This isn’t easy. It takes courage. But it’s how we build trust. It’s how we build durable relationships.

And it’s how we begin to repair a fractured world. Tikkun Olam is a core value of the Jewish faith. It means “repairing the world” and it is something that the UJA upholds and honors every single day through its mission and its actions. Tikkun Olam demands that while we may not agree with the other side, we do need to acknowledge it.

Conclusion

So yes — this is a defining moment. Defining moments challenge us. They reveal us. They show us who we are, and what we truly believe. Tonight, as I receive this honor, I want to turn the spotlight back on the people in this room — because your commitment, your leadership, your generosity give me hope.

Hope that community still matters.

Hope that resilience endures.

Hope that acknowledgment is possible.

We don’t get to choose the times we live in. But we do get to choose how we live in them. Together, let’s continue to choose wisely — inspired by our values, working to repair a fractured world.  Thank you so much.

(May 21, 2025, UJA Federation of New York - Banking & Finance Annual Event, Gustavino, NYC)