114. Jack S. Levy, Reflections on Life in Israel after October 7

Show Notes:

Jack Levy spent a year before college studying Judaic Studies and Talmudic studies in the Old City of Jerusalem. During his time in Harvard, he became particularly interested in Israel, as he had grown up with a strong Jewish background. He received a Raoul Wallenberg fellowship, funded by Fred Schwartz, to go to Hebrew University for a year after college during which he interned for Knesset member Naomi Hazan and worked for the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.

From Columbia Law School to Venture Capital

After Israel, Jack went to Columbia Law School. He worked one summer as a human rights lawyer and later worked for Wall Street firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher to pay off his debt. He chose that law firm based on their Israeli clients and had a great experience with a mentor named Peter Jakes. During his time at law school, Jack met his wife, Dahlia. They settled in New York for a while before moving to Israel. Jack worked at Willkie before transitioning to Register.com, an internet company. In 1999, the internet was booming. Jack spent four years as General Counsel of Register during the the .com boom. In 2003, they moved to Ra’anana, Israel, a suburb of Tel Aviv, and have raised their three children there. Jack practiced law briefly in Israel before becoming a venture capitalist in 2006. He was the first to raise the banner of cleantech or climate tech in Israel in 2006 and 2007, thanks to Harvard classmate Sanjay Wagle.

The Israeli Experience after October 7

Life changed for all Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. All of the Jack's children serve in the military, and the community has experienced losses. The country came under attack by Hamas, led by Yahia Sinuar, and immediately followed by Hezbolla in the north. The October 7 attack resulted in horrific violence, crimes, destruction, rape, murder, and burning of people in the Southern Communities. Like many religiously observant Israelis, Jack and his family were in synagogue during the attack, when the rumors started to spread. Jack mentions that in the week prior to the attack he’d been on holiday in Jordan.

Early in the morning of October 8, their best friends called to tell them that their 27-year-old son, Major Aryeh Ziering, had been killed by Hamas command naval commandos who had infiltrated Israel. Arey was an excellent fighter from the canine unit who had captured terrorists alongside some of the most elite forces during his service. He had gone to the United States to help train Navy SEALs with canine warfare. He was killed by 1pm that day.The next day, other friends found out that their son Hirsch had been kidnapped into Gaza, which ended with tragedy about a month ago when he was killed by Hamas. By the end of the first day, they had one friend whose son had been killed as a fighter, one friend who had been captured from the Nova festival and held prisoner by Hamas, and another business partner who lost his cousin's child fighting that day as well. As the war continued in the coming months, their network of friends who experienced loss widened to include – one who lost their nephew in December fighting in Gaza, one whose daughter's boyfriend was killed pursuing a terrorist in the West Bank, and others who lost their lives in the conflict. The story of the heroism of those who fought for their lives and the lives of others is one that will be told for generations.
As a 54-year-old Israeli father, Jack has three children who have been fighting in the war, Jack explains the extremely high cost to Israeli families who have children in the army. Jack states that the present generation is remarkable, and he wrote a piece in the Times of Israel about the little league team he had coached going to war. He still plays softball with his boys and realized that by December, every child he coached was fighting in the war.
How Heroism Drives Soldiers
Jack shares the lessons he learned about conflict and military training. He talks about the importance of respecting American military families. He reflects on the recent tragic death of a soldier who recorded a video of himself before going into Lebanon, expressing love for the person behind him. He believes that Americans of his generation don't understand the importance of military families and the sacrifices made by soldiers. He grew up during the reckoning with the Vietnam War through Oliver Stone movies, and grew up thinking war was primarily unjust or wrong. Jack explains that the men and women fighting are often the best, motivated, kind, and loving people. He identifies with pacifism but lives only because there are people willing to defend him.
Civilian War Rooms in Action
The state apparatus of defense along the Israeli border failed on October 7, allowing hordes to burst through the borders and kidnap hundreds. However, people jumped into action. People established civilian war rooms, where they could be proactive in helping house, shelter, build and support in multiple ways. After October 7, many communities accepted refugees from the north and south - similar to the Second Lebanon War – and many in Jack’s community helped families who had moved into hotels in the Dead Sea area. A friend of Jack, who lost her nephew, set up a school in the Dead Sea area within four days. The community extended to raising money to buy better helmets and equipment for reservists. This community-building effort was remarkable and comforting.
Gazan Civilians under Hamas
Jack, a former human rights attorney, discusses the situation with civilians in Gaza and the ethical considerations surrounding the response. He believes that the destruction to Gaza is horrific and tragic, with 40,000 people killed, but the problem is that it is not 40,000 civilians. Recent reports state that 30,000 of those were Hamas fighters or their family members.

Jack blames Hamas for the destruction, but also emphasizes the morality and the need not to damage one's own cause. He shares first-hand testimony from his son, who describes his experience as a surveillance unit officer in Khan Yunis. He encourages people from outside Israel to focus on being “pro peace” rather than being “pro Israel” or “pro Palestine”.
The Tech Industry in Israel
Jack, an investor and startup expert, discusses the impact of travel restrictions on the tech industry in Israel as the travel restrictions due to missile attacks from Hamas,  Hezbollah and Iran have been problematic for Israeli companies. Despite the obstacles, he notes that Israeli companies have been able to function during this period.  In addition, it is common with Israeli technology companies for the CEOs to relocate to New York, Silicon Valley, Boston, or Austin, while the tech teams remain in Israel. Jack believes that the war is not good for the Israeli economy and that it is clearly awful for the lives of Palestinians, South Lebanon residents, and even people in Tehran. He believes that the US needs to take a more muscular reaction to the situation and help the parties find a way to end the war.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Jack discusses his experiences at Harvard, including courses taught by Stanley Hoffman, Michael Sandel, Louise Richardson, and others. He mentions his appreciation for Professor Stanley Hoffman's course Ethics and International Relations.  Jack was in touch recently with Professor Emeritus Michael Walzer of Princeton whose book he studied in that course and who had defended Israel's war against Hamas and Hezbollah but was critical of the alleged Israeli involvement in the Pager attack. Jack also mentions his love for Professor Michael Sandel, and Dame Louise Richardson, who was his junior faculty seminar professor when he was 21 and became his thesis advisor. She was a young professor who wrote a great book called What Terrorists Want, which became one of the most popular courses at Harvard after September 11.

Timestamps:

02:52: Transition to Venture Capitalism and Personal Life 

08:17: Impact of the 2023 Conflict on Jack's Family 

17:27: Community Response and Personal Reflections 

25:48: Professional Challenges and the Future of Israeli Tech 

26:00: Reflections on Harvard and Influential Professors 

Links:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jack-levy-2a8137

Featured Non-profit:

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