Yehuda Lapian on Zionism, Tel Aviv, and Finding Yourself

This week on Restart with Debbie I had the joy of welcoming back my dear friend Yehuda Lapian, and my heart is still full. 🇮🇱 Yehuda was born in Manhattan like me, raised in Jerusalem, and today he lives here in Tel Aviv, bridging his traditional Zionist roots with modern Israeli life. He shared so much with me. He told me about serving 179 consecutive days of reserve duty in Gaza and Lebanon, about his wild passion for winter ice swimming in frozen lakes, and about the hardest part of coming home from war, which was learning to slow down, quiet his ego, and find joy again in the simple things. He told me a story about a young soldier named Nissim that brought me to tears. A boy who came from such a broken place and was given a second chance, and became the first from his base to reach an elite unit. Yehuda said something I will never forget. A good leader creates followers, but a great leader creates leaders. We talked about his beautiful work with Peace of Mind, helping combat soldiers heal, about his growing voice speaking up proudly for Israel around the world, and about our shared belief that food, faith, and human connection can still unite people, even now. 🕯️ This one is about identity, healing, hope, and the courage to start again. I hope it touches you the way it touched me. ❤️