Another year waiting for peace, building anyway
Winter is thinking, spring is doing.
Welcome back to YKC. This week in Israel is one of the most intense emotional shifts you’ll see anywhere. The country moves from Yom HaZikaron to Yom HaAtzmaut, from remembering those who were lost to celebrating the country that exists because of them.
That transition isn’t symbolic. It’s the reality people live with, and it shapes how we think, build, and move forward. And today, that reminder feels more important than ever.
Getting More Out of LinkedIn (Without Overthinking It): I’m hosting a LinkedIn Live on how I think about LinkedIn with founders, investors, and operators, and will give the real strategies I use with clients. I’ll also go through real audience profiles and break down content live, what works, what doesn’t, and what I’d change. April 29 | 12 PM EST. Register here.
“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”
-Molière
Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way by Kieran Setiya: I almost put this book down after I started reading it... not that it wasn’t written well, it was. It was dense, and while I aspire to read more books about philosophy, sometimes it feels like you’re living in the author’s (often neurotic) head. Life is indeed hard, but after reading Kieran Setiya’s work in search of understanding grief, I ascribe a lot of one’s relationship to hardship to temperament and aptitude more than anything else. I suppose there is a nature versus nurture aspect on whether we can learn to weather the storm and not come out too traumatized, but it did not seem to be part of this author’s worldview. There does not seem to be a lot of agency in his writing.
I don’t want to dunk on British writers, and their sometimes skeptical and cautious view of the world. I know there are a lot of things Americans could do better, but envisioning a better world, and going out and creating that future seems like a happier existence then being in your head. I mean, hey, what if it does work out? I agreed with a number of points in this book, but I could not shake the feeling that no matter what happened to the author, he would have a glass empty perspective (obviously, he’s a philosopher). I think it comes down to the daily experience one envisions for themselves, we all deal with setbacks, sometimes catastrophic ones, and yet, I personally want to live a life where I derive meaning from the experience. Not in a toxic positivity way like it’s all for the “good” (that idea robs us of our suffering and meaning), but one in which we experience life in the Amor Fati (love of fate) kind of way. Maybe I’m being a sour podcast bro because he is not a fan of the Stoics, and he does not seem to share a positive view of modern self-development on the internet. He also praised Greta Thunberg on climate activism, so I can only imagine his thoughts on Israel. Maybe ignorance is bliss, and it’s better to life on the razor’s edge instead of being in one’s head, as hard as life may be.
I didn’t expect to come to some of these insights reading this book, I just thought more nuggets of wisdom would be shared with the reader. I would still recommend this book, but reading it made me realize that some people are just better equipped to deal with suffering then others. I’m not stating that as passing judgement, but as lived experience.
Yom HaAtzmaut Celebration With Ambassador Michael Oren: Specialty Event for the young international TLV community. Tribe Tel Aviv invites you to the Outdoor Yom HaAtzmaut Celebration w/ Free Cocktails and Music. Special Guest Speaker: Michael Oren, Former Israel Ambassador to the US, Historian, Former MK & Board Member Tribe Tel Aviv After the War: New Opportunities for Israel with Ambassador Michael Oren. Rambam St 24 Tel Aviv-Yafo. Tuesday, April 21. Starts at 7 PM. Register here.
Shabbat Together: JFE Miami & JNFuture Friday night Dinner: Join them for a special Friday night Shabbat dinner, hosted by JNF and JFE. This is more than just dinner, it’s a chance to unplug, connect, and experience Shabbat in a warm, welcoming community setting. Whether you’re new to Shabbat or it’s something you grew up with, this is your space to show up, meet people, and enjoy the night. Friday, April 24. 7:30 PM. Register to See Address. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Register here.
Raising Your Seed Round: How Investors Actually Decide If You’re a Good Bet: Most fundraising advice is noise. Charlie O’Donnell (Brooklyn Bridge Ventures) joins them to cut through it with insights from his new book, Founder Unfriendly. Learn to master investor incentives, build momentum signals that actually matter, and treat your round like a high-stakes enterprise sale. No fluff; just the logic of the first check. Apr 23, 6:00 – 9:00 PM (EDT). Civic Hall, 124 East 14th Street, New York. Register here.
Israel Tech Week 2026: Israel Tech Week 2026 is opening its Startup Showcases across AI, Cyber, FinTech, DefenseTech, HealthTech, Climate, PropTech, and Travel & Hospitality. Pitch in front of investors, meet enterprise partners, and build real momentum in the U.S. market. Founders: this is your stage. April 27–30, 2026 | Miami. Apply here.
Subliminal & The Shadow Live Concert at Sony Hall NYC: Subliminal and The Shadow, the insanely talented artists with the TACT Family, are coming to the United States!!! With the music that became the soundtrack of our lives, they reunite once again, precise, powerful, and stronger than ever, bringing deep introspection and especially powerful messages for the generation of victory. Tuesday, April 28. Starts at 9 PM. Sony Hall, 235 West 46th Street. New York. Tickets here.