Danny Labin | JFED Desert CEO | Global Impact and Local Leadership: A Journey of Service

TRANSCRIPT:

Sebastian, VO Announcer: Welcome to the center of the Coachella Valley universe. You've made it to Skip Paige's Little Bar. With Patrick Evans and Randy Florence, get ready for another fun and story filled episode of Big Conversations Little Bar, presented by the McCallum Theater.

-: 2787

Patrick Evans, Host: Well, thank you very much, Sebastian. We are back here at the Wonderful Corner booth at Skip Paige's little bar in Palm Desert, California. That was a wonderful new theme.

It was, it was. I Miss Al. Was that Barry Manalow singing that? Did you get Barry to do that, John? It was, it was his brother

John McMullen, Executive Producer: Al. I tried my best, but it was actually, it was just a cousin. Okay. Yeah. Alright, well it did

h. Croner, like outstanding. [: 00:02:00

This is Big Conversations Little Bar. My co-host, my spiritual guru. My good friend, uh, my former life coach, Randy Florence is here. Former life coach. Yeah. I fired you from that job.

Randy Florence, Host: That explains his checks. Checks

Patrick Evans, Host: Stop coming in. There was a, there are many reasons, but

Randy Florence, Host: how are you? I'm doing great. It's been a good couple.

We haven't been together for a couple. Of weeks. So it's

Patrick Evans, Host: been great.

Randy Florence, Host: And it's been, it's been amazing. Wow. Now that I've said that, I gotta go. Wow. You uh, you had a pretty amazing trip.

Patrick Evans, Host: Yeah, we went to Lithuania. Yeah. To see my brother-in-law. Uh, the pictures look

Randy Florence, Host: gorgeous.

Patrick Evans, Host: It was, it was really terrific. Uh, we had great weather there, although it did rain a good bit.

Uh, but just, you know, that country continues to grow and expand. It's really come out of its shell from under the Soviet occupation. And I think really in the last 10 years I've been going there for a decade, it's really, the growth has accelerated and it's just. It's really,

Randy Florence, Host: it's gorgeous, wonderful,

Patrick Evans, Host: vibrant place

John McMullen, Executive Producer: to go.

ll lithographs whole family. [: 00:03:00

Randy Florence, Host: Okay. No, it was a great trip. Well, I, I don't know if anybody else in the valley notices that you usually leave town about the time that the worst weather ever hits here. And I think it was 130 degrees the day after you left.

It's not

Patrick Evans, Host: 130. We got to 118 and I believe thermal got to one 20. I That's, we did set a couple of records, but it's

Randy Florence, Host: nice today, so thank you.

Patrick Evans, Host: It's beautiful now. Uh, but that is, it's universally true. If you've noticed, if I'm off for more than two days, you should probably leave town. The

Randy Florence, Host: weather's gonna be bad.

That, that usually is. Hey, I wanted to ask, talk about one other thing.

John McMUllen, Executive Producer: Yes, sir.

Randy Florence, Host: Well, how, what are we, 120 episodes into this, John? I

John McMullen, Executive Producer: think we're in the one teens and we're close.

Randy Florence, Host: We are. The impact that we are starting to have on this valley, I imagine the people in Cathedral City are pretty much loving big conversations Little bar right now, or, or they're mad at you.

t, it immediately got safer. [: 00:04:00

Patrick Evans, Host: They did not, uh, they actually gave like the Department of Highways credit, which is weird.

Uh, is that

Randy Florence, Host: Tom Kirk? Yes, it's Tom Kirk.

John McMullen, Executive Producer: Hey, I gotta tell you, I gotta take exception with Tom Kirk, who we had on the show recently because controversy, I have been traveling up and down Ramon every day between cathedrals. And you're hitting a red to go over to or come back from our new offices and studios.

And invariably, I am hitting not just a red light, I am hitting one after another, after another, after another. And it reminds me of an old Bill Feingold rant that he had on the air about, what is it with Cathedral City?

Randy Florence, Host: I think Tom put an air tag on your car. That's right. Must every time you come up to a light, light, it's changing.

ns, Host: Wait. There's more [: 00:05:00

Randy Florence, Host: to our guest. We only got eight minutes left.

Patrick Evans, Host: He's sitting patiently wondering if we're gonna talk to him.

Danny, welcome to the program.

Danny Labin, Guest: Hi. It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you. It's really good here. Now I wanna make sure I'm

Patrick Evans, Host: pronouncing you. I had you on eye in the deserts, but it, it's been a little while and you got it right then. Danny. Danny. I, I was right. The, I was right this time too. Laben Laben Laben.

Yes. Danny Laben. And you are now the CEO of the Jewish Federation here in the desert.

Danny Labin, Guest: I

Patrick Evans, Host: am. Congratulations. Welcome aboard. Congratulations. Congratulations. I started April

Danny Labin, Guest: 1st, so we're going on, uh, completing four months very soon. Okay. All right. Congratulations. And it's been quite a four months. It really has been.

There has not been a dull moment, and I would say that's really true of. My life getting here. Um, I grew up in Southern California.

Patrick Evans, Host: You're A-U-C-L-A guy?

Danny Labin, Guest: I am. I [: 00:06:00

Patrick Evans, Host: with a degree in

Danny Labin, Guest: psychology, correct. You, you did your homework. Not really.

Patrick Evans, Host: Okay. Well, Randy did this. Somebody did. Randy

Danny Labin, Guest: did my homework.

Those notes. Or is it just so obvious that I am psychologically? I have a, I have a

Patrick Evans, Host: small place in my Harford. My, my oldest daughter is transferring to UCLA out of, uh, uc, Santa Barbara. So we, and I get to spend brewing football games there. So it's a, it's a good thing really. If we had a good football team, you get

Danny Labin, Guest: tickets.

Yeah.

Patrick Evans, Host: Oh, sweet. Oh yeah, absolutely. Uh, so you, you're a Southern California guy?

Danny Labin, Guest: I am, but I've been in a lot of places since, uh, my early days. Yeah. In Southern California

Patrick Evans, Host: and you took your master's at Harvard.

Danny Labin, Guest: I did Master's in Education, which was an excellent experience and in many ways it really set me off on a career trajectory that I had not expected.

for a lot of television and [: 00:07:00

Deliver educational impact. And, um, one of the things that I did around the world was to produce Sesame Street in over 25 different countries, um, which was such an incredible experience. And, and you were with that group a couple of different times in your career, weren't you? I was, I was there, uh, for 10 years and then I left, um, for.

a lot of direct experience. [: 00:08:00

Patrick Evans, Host: You lived in? I did not know that I lived in Lithuania. I lived in Vinia. You lived in Villus, really? I did. And

Danny Labin, Guest: what

Patrick Evans, Host: were you

Danny Labin, Guest: doing there? Were you producing Sesame Street? I was not. It was actually during the years that I was not with Sesame Street. Uh, my husband, uh, was, uh, a diplomat at the time with the Foreign Service, and we were posted to Lithuania.

And it was an amazing experience. I actually, at the time was working for the Jewish Agency for Israel, which is one of the partner organizations of Federation. And I was living in Vinia, but overseeing all of the work, uh, taking place across the Jewish agency in the countries and republics of the former Soviet Union.

Russia and Ukraine. This is. [: 00:09:00

Patrick Evans, Host: you know, that's a, it's a, it's a touchy subject in, in Lithuania because, uh, of the, uh, the Holocaust and, and the, there was a level, uh.

I need to put this the correct way. I think there was a level of cooperation during the Nazi occupation because at one time, uh, Lithuanian Villus in particular had an enormous Jewish population, which was almost entirely decimated during World War ii. Yes. And so, and I think

Danny Labin, Guest: in fact, villus is often referred to as Jerusalem of ease.

of the Soviet Union when the [: 00:10:00

Many of the Lithuanian Jews today, um, speak Russian and not Lithuania, not because they're Russian sympathizers, but because that's the language that their families have spoken for a few generations.

Patrick Evans, Host: That's What years were you in Lithuania?

nny Labin, Guest: I was there: 2015

Patrick Evans, Host: Alright. We, we have overlapped because I was there in those in, in 2016.

Uh, did you

Randy Florence, Host: find it. As

rticipate in what was Baltic [: 00:11:00

Was, I think in some ways a turning point for the entire republic because things like pride had never existed. It never existed in the past. And, um,

Patrick Evans, Host: Otis a gentleman, I can't recall his last name, but he grew up with my wife, uh, and he was an attorney, uh, and he was one of the founders of Baltic Pride. And, and it helped to establish it in Lithuania, uh, Lithuanian gentleman who grew up in LA and um, oh wow.

You know? Yeah. So it was, uh, interesting. Yeah, it's, it's a fascinating history and, and you know, you look at those countries that were all stunted by 50 years of Soviet occupation, and some have really done better than others, but Lithuania leaned into the, the West and became part of the European Union and mm-hmm.

You know, it's in nato. So

Randy Florence, Host: how did the Sesame gig start for you originally?

Patrick Evans, Host: So that actually forward with the Lithuanian conversation? I could tell. Okay. That's fine. Well, there's

est: so much more this world [: 00:12:00

Patrick Evans, Host: Street stuff.

This is very cool. Then we'll

Randy Florence, Host: go back to Lithuanian.

Danny Labin, Guest: Uh, so, you know, as I mentioned, I really. Saw the potential of what mass media could do, especially in developing countries. And I was in, uh, my last semester of graduate school and randomly opened up the New York Times. I didn't even subscribe 'cause I was a starving student who couldn't even afford that.

But somehow I found a print copy of the New York Times by my dorm room and I remember an article. That it was on the front page, and it was basically an article speaking about a new initiative using Sesame Street to bring Israelis and Palestinians together to help foster a new Middle East and to prepare children for what was at the time.

Palestinians would live in a [: 00:13:00

Communicate with children that effectively and not powerfully in different cultures. You were. And I decided that this was something that I wanted to learn more about. And one of the assignments actually in a course I was taking, um, and it was very open-ended. It was like. Share something amazing with the class kind of thing.

. I contacted Sesame Street. [: 00:14:00

And I presented it to the class and I, uh, got a very great grade on, uh, the paper that I turned in and shared it, of course, with everyone back at Sesame Street and then. Um, about a month after graduation, I was actually leading a summer program in Israel, so I was not even in the States, but, um, I spoke with my mother.

d back from Israel and I was [: 00:15:00

So, um, I was hired based on the work that I had done and the impression I guess, that I had made. So I was hired to work on the educational curriculum for. What was going to be the next season of this Israeli-Palestinian Sesame Street. And so I was part of the international department and I was working on a Sesame Street program in South Africa that debuted with an HIV Positive Muppet, which was a, an extremely critical initiative that, uh, the program actually launched in 2000 when, uh, more than 25% of South Africans were infected with HIV.

Wow. And, uh, I mean the rates were astronomical and everybody was affected in some way or another. So that was an incredible initiative. And, uh, I also worked on Sesame Street in Egypt at that time in Germany, a lot of places.

, Host: Alright, so I have a [: 00:16:00

Cross those cultural lines. How, how applicable, I mean, obviously you, you made significant inroads and making it relatable and trying to find ways to connect with the audience, but how did that transfer to different cultures?

Danny Labin, Guest: Well, in many ways, Sesame Street made it easy because it turns out. That there is truly something universal in the appeal of the Muppet characters.

There's something about the way young children in particular connect with these puppets. None of that was accidental. None of it was accidental. There was a ton of research that went into it. In fact, um, much of that research took place at the education school at Harvard. Um, and there's still a, an allegiance between Sesame and Harvard.

really expected the kind of [: 00:17:00

And continues to be, even though I'm saying was 'cause I'm no longer there, right? So I gonna distance myself from it a little bit. It's today, it's not we, but, um, there, well by the time this airs,

Randy Florence, Host: you might be

Danny Labin, Guest: back

Randy Florence, Host: there.

Danny Labin, Guest: So, no, I like my job here, this desert. I have no desire. You've been here since April.

Let's keep them a little longer. I like working with the human characters here. They're interesting too. Um.

Patrick Evans, Host: Randy's actually a Muppet John controls him.

r the population of children [: 00:18:00

So the language,

Randy Florence, Host: what would the difference be between what I'd see in South African Sesame Street versus. You United States. So you'd some of the same

Danny Labin, Guest: characters, but you'd also see Muppet characters and human characters completely created specifically for that place. So in South Africa for example, there is a Muppet named Camie, and Camie is an HIV positive child.

c speaking Muppet named mbo, [: 00:19:00

And Mahboob is really a vehicle for Hebrew speaking Jewish Israeli children to get to know. Arabs through a, a Muppet, um, and for Arabic speaking children, for Palestinians living in Israel to also, um, have exposure to, uh, sort of vision of a shared society, um, that people can aspire to. And I think in some ways that really speaks to what Sesame Street, even in 1969 when it was created, was.

unds all live together in. A [: 00:20:00

Patrick Evans, Host: There was always a great message of tolerance.

Mm-hmm. And acceptance and, and, uh, you know, understanding our differences and how they make us better.

John McMUllen, Executive Producer: In the South African version of Sesame Street, was there a character and did they have a, um, I guess a subject matter of dealing with things like bullying, like they do in schools here in the United States.

Uh, and did they have like a, a bully, um, Muppet character named Elon? Wow, that was a long way to go for, you know, that you could just

Randy Florence, Host: started off with, I want to talk about Elon, but I

Patrick Evans, Host: actually think that was a long way to go to take a shot at Elon. But,

Danny Labin, Guest: and you know what? I think that's a great segue to a couple things.

that, um, I'm hoping to make [: 00:21:00

To raising funding and then distributing, allocating that funding to as many organizations and populations, uh, who are in need, um, irrespective of political affiliations and in some ways, even irrespective of religious affiliations, we do. Provide services and funding for Jewish organizations here in the desert.

erships that we have here in [: 00:22:00

Patrick Evans, Host: Well, and you also operate, uh, Jewish Family Service, which provides assistance to anybody in the community.

Danny Labin, Guest: Absolutely. In fact, more than 90% of the service recipients from JFS Jewish Family Services are not Jewish. And, uh, that's very much in line with our. Universal values and a concept in Judaism called Tikun Lam, which speaks to the responsibility that each and every individual has to do whatever they can to contribute to making the world a better place.

ughout the Coachella Valley, [: 00:23:00

Communities and organizations around the world. Um, and a significant percentage of funding goes to organizations based in Israel. I actually, when I, so I came to Israel to produce, uh, the Israeli Sesame Street and ended up staying there for a total of 13 years, and that's where I met my husband. Hmm. Um, and actually ended up.

Accruing a lot of on the job experience with fundraising and with Jewish nonprofits, NGOs based in Israel, uh, philanthropies based in Israel or based in the us but working in Israel. And that was really. Exceptional experience For my current position, uh, this is my first CEO position within the federation system.

Patrick Evans, Host: But you've worked within the federation system before? I have. For, for, for several years. For, uh, for

Danny Labin, Guest: [: 00:24:00

Mm-hmm. And when I took that job. In late 2011. I read that as part of my job description. 'cause we all read our job description and you know, there are a lot of bullet points and, okay. Responsibility and oversight for emergency campaigns and like that. Okay, great. What else, Randy? I guess job

Patrick Evans, Host: description is what you get when you get employed and you have to,

Danny Labin, Guest: Ooh, yeah.

Patrick Evans, Host: And

Danny Labin, Guest: need read. It's

Patrick Evans, Host: been a little while for you. I didn't read a fine print because sometimes

Danny Labin, Guest: the things in the job description come up. So this is why I don't get a job. That's exactly, there's, there's all stuff

Randy Florence, Host: you have to

y Labin, Guest: do. Yes. Um, [: 00:25:00

I'm saying it's a something because it was technically never classified as a war, but it was a 50 day military operation, confrontation, fighting between, uh, Hamas and Israel. And during those 50 days. The Jewish federations across North America collectively raised. Over $50 million to support the needs of Israeli citizens and Israeli society, which includes Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs, everybody living in Israel.

[: 00:26:00

So that's amazing. But at the time, I suddenly found myself. As being the point person for all of the emergency campaign work and for determining how to take $50 million that had come in basically in 50 days. It was basically wow, you know, a million dollars a day for 50 days. It didn't work exactly quite that way, but

Randy Florence, Host: somewhere around a million.

Danny Labin, Guest: Um, and figuring out where the needs were greatest and where. Philanthropic funding would be the most meaningful and how it could compliment other efforts underway. Um, help to augment certain things that the government was funding, but certainly not give the government authorities a free pass and not replace their funding.

o a very tricky calculation. [: 00:27:00

Um. You know, it makes what happened a decade ago or a decade ago. Phil,

Patrick Evans, Host: I know it does look small by comparison, even though it was enormous. We need to take a very quick break and acknowledge our presenting sponsor, the McCallum Theater. I know that Sebastian did that in our open, but want to take a, a longer moment to recognize the McCallum and their contribution to make sure that we can continue to do this.

We're grateful to the McCallum Theater. And don't forget to get your tickets season upcoming quickly. McCallum

t org. The McCallum Theater's: 2020

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Brothers John lut brings his comedy to the McCallum on September 13th, Mexican regional vocalist, Camilla Fernandez is in concert on September 14th and on September 21st. Comedian Monique Marz brings her smart, sexy, and self-aware humor to the stage. Tickets are on sale now@mccallumtheater.org or by calling the box office at 7 6 0 3 4 0 2 7 8 7.

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t talking about, you were in [: 00:29:00

Uh, and it was kind of on the, on the job training for later work with the federation here now. And obviously I think we're still involved in a massive fundraising campaign to help, uh, the citizens of Israel during this current conflict.

Danny Labin, Guest: Absolutely. And. What we're really experiencing and have experienced in the last six weeks is a war inside of a war and then the aftermath of that war, inside of a war.

ctually was, um, in Tel Aviv [: 00:30:00

Across the country from the US and there were a few Canadians too, so we'll say from North America. And there were our 51st state, well, uh, I'll say the US and Canada. And, um, among the 100 participants, um, there were seven from the desert who were part of the group and we spent. About a week going and paying homage and expressing our solidarity with some of the communities and individuals who suffered firsthand on October 7th when the massacre took place, and the many atrocities along the [00:31:00] Gaza border on the kibbutz, the Collective Farms and the Nova Music Festival where.

378 people were killed at that festival on October 7th, and I believe 44 people specifically from that festival were taken hostage to Gaza. Some were still in Gaza. Um, so we visited that site. We met with some of the hostages who had been released and have come back home since October 7th. We met with the families of, uh, bereaved families of hostages who were killed.

ity, uh, and who are Jewish, [: 00:32:00

It's been a moment of very stark realization where many Jews have. Come to realize that they're not welcome in some of the progressive spaces that they were comfortable in, um, especially if they identify as Zionist and, um, supportive of an Israeli entity, the state of Israel. So it, it was an extremely important experience that a hundred.

and very shared experience. [: 00:33:00

And so not only was all of that. Really, really, um, powerful for everyone. But I think that when on Friday, the 13th of June, at around three 15 in the morning, the first missile swim, Iran began falling on Israel and in the Tel Aviv area, very close to where we were staying instead of. Everybody sort of freaking out, which is a totally valid response because hundred percent missiles, I certainly would've, I hate missiles coming at me.

week of that solidarity and [: 00:34:00

Yeah. Um, of living in a prolonged state of war or virtual war at any moment kind of thing. Um, I think. All 100 participants were really, really. Okay. Brave and focused on how do we, we came here as part of a solidarity mission. How do we continue to provide that kind of support while at the same time being really scared and wanting to go home because it really, airspace was closed.

Closed. You couldn't get out. We couldn't get out. So, um, so this happened on a

Randy Florence, Host: Friday? Yes. Uh, what did you. Did, were they given any instructions or expectations or anything leading up to that Friday duck? Because everybody was figuring there was gonna be a response, right? So duck,

Danny Labin, Guest: well, basically, I mean, it was yes.

Find, I mean, find a bulk shelter and they have a get underneath

Patrick Evans, Host: this [: 00:35:00

Danny Labin, Guest: There are bomb shelters in all new. Construction, but in older buildings that were constructed before a certain date, I think sometime in the early nineties, I think it was actually a result of the Gulf War and the scud missiles from Iraq at the time.

ing that was built before the: 1990

[00:36:00] So there was a lot of running back and forth to the shelter. Um, and you know, Israel has had. A lot of rockets in the last 21 months since October 7th, 2023, there have been, uh, rockets from, from Gaza. There were rockets in the north from Hezbollah and Lebanon. There were two earlier rocket incidents. Um, one I believe in April.

Of: 2024

They actually, that was the April time and it, [00:37:00] and they came earlier than expected. So we knew to go to the shelter. And then when it was over, when all the missiles had fallen, and most of them were intercepted either by the Israeli. Defense, uh, equipment or by other regional allies who had intercepted the missiles before they even got into Israeli territory interest.

Yeah. Uh, the uk, the us also Jordan, uh, really was, yeah. Was one of the allied partners, um, in, in preventing. That's fascinating. Yeah. It really is. Well, and it's also even comes back because our group, most of our group actually left. Through Jordan, uh, which was how we came back before Israeli space reopened 12 days later, uh, when the missile ended.

call the retaliation because [: 00:38:00

And it really was. And, and that's what it was. I mean, it was over. That's crazy. It was just

Patrick Evans, Host: a save of safe face show force. Yeah. And, but this, this most recent attack was not, this was not,

Danny Labin, Guest: no. And this was very, very premeditated in as much as the missiles. We're pre-programmed to hit. Residential centers. Uh, there were 31 communities that were hit.

There were thousands of people. Were these the older

Randy Florence, Host: communities that didn't have all the infrastructure, the bomb shelters and all of that? No, not necessarily just wide range. It was

Danny Labin, Guest: across the board and there were so many coming. Um, it was targeted

Patrick Evans, Host: civilian populations?

Danny Labin, Guest: No, and I'm not sure I, I don't know anything about rocket and missile defense, but I think there was something about these Iranian missiles that the defense.

Uh, equipment, the Iron Dome [: 00:39:00

Patrick Evans, Host: But this time around the, the Iranians were really launching.

More sophisticated armament.

Danny Labin, Guest: Yes. And you know, it was maybe their maps were a little old because they hit the largest hospital in the south of Israel, Soroka Hospital in the city of Be Sheva. They actually hit the old surgery building. Uh. Which is being used for something that wasn't even, and it, there wasn't anyone in it.

So they may have had not the most recent information intelligence, but Yeah. But there they were, they were trying to do the most damage with whatever intelligence they had. I need to update

, you're here on this, this, [: 00:40:00

Uh, you're, but you're essentially now trapped in a country that is under attack.

Danny Labin, Guest: And I'll tell you my first reaction as an Israeli, even though I was born and grew up in Southern California, um, I immigrated to Israel and I have an Israeli passport. I'm an Israeli citizen and I did not serve in the Army, but I feel like I really have committed.

Much of my life to contributing to the future of the Jewish people and to Israeli society, and I felt like, how could I leave? I. This is when you, when you take on citizenship, there's an inherent responsibility, at least I believe. And even though I'm not living in Israel at the moment, I felt like, well, I'm here now so I, I can't leave.

e I, you don't run away when [: 00:41:00

It. I felt, wait a minute, A, there's nothing I can do right now to help. I'm just a sitting duck and there's nothing that my staying here is actually gonna do to contribute to making this situation better. But then I had, I think even a. A deeper realization, which was my responsibility now is to the Jewish community in the desert.

. I'm happy for the decision [: 00:42:00

So when I had that realization, I, because they were suffering

Randy Florence, Host: here.

Danny Labin, Guest: Oh, absolutely. And I'm so glad I came back because, um, not only did. We raise additional funding, which is important because that money is gonna go directly to support the needs of people who lost their homes, who were injured, who are in trauma, who need psychological counseling, all of that.

So that. Fundraising effort was really critical, but I felt like this community also needed leadership in that moment. And, um, I was able to bring people together from across the desert and have a community briefing. I spoke at different synagogues. Uh, in fact, I'm speaking at another synagogue, uh, this Saturday morning for Shabbat.

So I, I feel [: 00:43:00

Patrick Evans, Host: Well, and you bring the unique perspective of having been through this, not once, but a couple of different times. Yeah, I think it's really important and because the mission of the federation here in the desert and and across the country, I think is much more heightened now.

And I think people understand because, you know, the war continues and the need continues to grow. And as you point out. There's the rising tide of antisemitic acts here in this country.

Danny Labin, Guest: Yep, absolutely. That's taking place. And you know, a lot has been conjectured and written about sort of how two events taking place in the Middle East.

nk there's a lot of credence [: 00:44:00

Following the October 7th massacre on October 8th, 2023, before there had been any retaliatory strikes or any, anything, uh, that Israel, dun, people were already coming together on campuses to, well, they were bad actors

Patrick Evans, Host: and agitators who were perhaps just waiting for an opportunity, but clearly well, yes.

Looking for that opportunity and this, this was the opportunity that presented itself. Mm-hmm.

nd it's obviously driven you [: 00:45:00

Did, did you grow up in a family that was active or what built that up inside of you to want to get involved?

Danny Labin, Guest: You know, I don't think. I necessarily even understand my own sort of secret sauce. You know, I think, um. There are probably a lot of factors. Um, first of all, I think my parents are the two best people I know.

Mm-hmm. And I say that while also recognizing that I vehemently disagree with them on many, many topics, and yet I recognize. Their goodness and their wisdom. Um, and I think that's actually helped me to develop an appreciation for, and a curiosity for understanding people's opinions, even when I don't agree with them.

ce of what's motivated me in [: 00:46:00

Patrick Evans, Host: Well, that, that's a day, you know, that's a distinction that's lost these days. People don't feel like,

Randy Florence, Host: well, empathy's lost. Yeah. Yeah.

Patrick Evans, Host: I think people. Really feel in this day and age that, uh, if I disagree with you, and not only that, I have to hate you for that too. Mm-hmm. And I think that's a, uh, you know, it, that's a newer phenomenon in our society.

It didn't used to be like that.

Danny Labin, Guest: It is, and I'm really grateful for having had this experience within my own family because I am not quick to dismiss people with whom I disagree. Because why do that There, there is. There's other value in maintaining that relationship that can be found. And it's not always readily apparent or easy, but if you go deep, it's there.

ink to answer your question, [: 00:47:00

We share certain familiar characteristics, but, um, and I'm not really sure how to pinpoint why this became such a passion point for me. I will say that understanding my own identity and who I am has always been sort of a flame lit beneath me. Yeah. And I think, you know, in some ways. Um, I came out a little bit late.

used on sort, developing my, [: 00:48:00

But you know, it wasn't, it wasn't what it is today and still today there are a lot of challenges. Yeah. So we need to recognize those too. But I think I really leaned in to my Jewish identity. And, uh, I'm, I'm sort of grateful for doing that because I think it, it gave me a lot. Um, and, you know, it's, there are times when I find myself, you know, if I, if I had done this differently, you know, what if I'd gone to a different school or I had done this or hadn't done that, but at the end of the day, I'm really pleased.

ah, exactly. The bar, little [: 00:49:00

Patrick Evans, Host: You know, those

Danny Labin, Guest: little people,

Patrick Evans, Host: the Jagged Road that led you to big conversations Little bar. Yes. Uh, talk a little bit about what you feel is your mission as the, as the head of the Jewish Federation here in the desert.

Where does that organization, where do you want to take that organization?

Danny Labin, Guest: So. One thing that I think the desert has going for it is. People's desire for community. I think people who come here to the desert, people who come here to the desert and if they haven't grown up here, are coming at a later stage in life and they want to be involved.

ffers people value with, uh, [: 00:50:00

I mean, we, we fundraise, we raise money and we need to obviously grow that to be able to do more. But I really see us at a pivotal moment where being able to give people something meaningful. To bring them into the community and into the organization ultimately is really important because there are so many wonderful nonprofits and charities in the world, but in the desert, you know, there are hundreds of them, so literally hundred.

nts, speakers, opportunities [: 00:51:00

But there are any number of opportunities that we could create here for people to go to Israel. Um, in all sorts of ways. One of the sort of dreams that I have is to have a sort of. Birthright trip to Israel, but for people who have never been, who are later in life, um, and that could be a really, really extraordinary experience.

Patrick Evans, Host: One of my coworkers is, uh, uh, in Israel, right? I landed yesterday, uh, doing that birthright experience.

Danny Labin, Guest: So birthright is usually for people up to age 25. Yeah. I'm thinking of, and actually I know who you're talking about because when I was. In your studio, Spencer, the Eye of the Desert. He told me he was gonna go on a birthday trip to summer.

Yes. That's Spencer. So he's so amazing that that happened. And that was scheduled for now and not a month ago. 'cause then probably would not have happened. Well, it would been

Evans, Host: touch and go. I [: 00:52:00

But you know, and shout out

Danny Labin, Guest: to Spencer. Yeah.

Patrick Evans, Host: No, he's, he is, uh, and he's, he's having a, I I've gotten a couple messages. He's having a great time. Um, but what I'm

Danny Labin, Guest: talking about is a trip for people for older. Yeah. 55 and over who've never been, um, to really experience what Israel is and its centrality and importance to Jewish identity.

And also I think having that kind of experience and even going back to the group I was with a hundred people who were there during the war, we will be connected. Yeah, forever to each other, but also to the experiences that we had and how those experiences will continue to shape us, the decisions we make, the roles we take within our own community, whether we decide to become activists when things happen or we turn away.

all really, really important [: 00:53:00

Patrick Evans, Host: Phenomenal. Pretty

Randy Florence, Host: important

Patrick Evans, Host: stuff. Danny, thank you so much. Thank you. This has really great to be here. This has so interesting and, uh, just fascinating.

Randy Florence, Host: Thank you. Thank you. We, we haven't had a lot of people, we've had a lot of people on here, but with the conviction behind what they were talking about, this is really powerful.

I'm glad you were here. Well, I do

Patrick Evans, Host: think you're one of the, one of the few people that we've had who has been taking missile fire for their convictions. I don't recall anybody else telling this story. Well, I probably trade that in, but, uh, well, welcome to the desert community. Yes. I think, I think you, congratulations discovered how welcoming and warm and lovely this community is.

And, uh, uh, I know that you've only been here since April, but it's, it's a really remarkable place. No,

Danny Labin, Guest: we already feel very much a part of this community, and it's one of the reasons that we chose the desert as opposed to other opportunities. So we are, we are home.

Patrick Evans, Host: Well, I can state unequivocally that. Your experience on big conversations little bar.

We are part of the fabric of this desert.

Randy Florence, Host: See, I [: 00:54:00

Danny Labin, Guest: Well, what if I told you that being a guest on your show is the reason we moved here? Well, there Whoa.

John McMUllen, Executive Producer: And how can people learn more about the Federation? Yeah.

Danny Labin, Guest: Well we have a website and everyone is welcome to check us out at www dot j Fed. ps.org.

Patrick Evans, Host: Jed ps.org. Exactly. We're gonna put that up, uh, when we, when we post this. Uh, but you know, so we

Danny Labin, Guest: also have a Facebook page. So look us up on Facebook.

Patrick Evans, Host: Jewish Federation of the Desert.

Follow 'em, like 'em on Facebook. Go to the website. Uh, you guys are doing important work in, uh, in, in troubled times. Yeah. So we appreciate you taking this time. Really just a, a terrific conversation and we're glad you're

Randy Florence, Host: here.

Patrick Evans, Host: Thank we're delight back to be here. Yes. On behalf of my great co-host, Randy Florence.

Thank you sir. And wherever Howard is,

Randy Florence, Host: we miss you, Howard.

God bless Howard. Yeah, but [: 00:55:00

John McMullen, Executive Producer: Thank you.

Patrick Evans, Host: Thank you all for listening to this edition of Big Conversations Little Bar. Please be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and we're available on all of your favorite podcast platforms. Our thanks to the team here at Skip Paige's Little Bar. They always take very good care of us.

And don't forget, support the McCallum Theater.

) [: 00:56:00

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