NBN Maor Prize winner Akiva Fein featured on JM in the AM

Network and of course the beloved NSN app. And we open up hour number three with a very special guest with us live via telephone. Our friends at Nephesh Benesh have awarded its Mor Youth Prize to nine outstanding young Olim who made remarkable contributions enriching Israeli society amidst the challenges of the past year. The prize, named after the Hebrew word for light, was presented during a moving ceremony on the eighth night of Kanuka, honoring the recipients for their inspiring achievements and positive impact on their local communities in Israel. Selected from a highly admirable group of nominees, this year's recipients, ages 15 through 17, stand out for their young leadership, creativity, and their dedication to making a meaningful impact on their schools and local communities in Israel. With us live this morning is Akiva Fine. and Akiva made aliyah from Cedarhurst, New York Chame in 2009. After October the 7th of 2023, Akiva channeled his fear and uncertainty into thoughtful writing, sharing his perspective as a young teen living through the war on social media platforms. He began studying Israel's history and conflicts in depth, using his growing platform to debunk misinformation and speak openly about life. In Israel today, gaining a significant following. Aka has been invited to speak on a birthright trip and was even offered the opportunity to represent Israeli teens abroad. Aka Fine, a pleasure to welcome you to JM in the AM. >> Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here. >> Uh thank you for being here in Mazalto. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> If I do the math correctly, you made aliyah literally very shortly after you were born. Would that be right? >> Yeah. I was five months old when I made Aliyah. Correct. And in the time we know, you know, we we we think we know a lot about Beamesh, Amate, those neighborhoods, etc. And some people of course always emphasize how there's a large Anglo presence. How would you describe your elementary and high school um uh situation? What was it very uh very much intertwined with the Anglo-Jewish community, very much so with the Israeli community? How would you describe it? It was definitely intertwined because I was raised in an American household with American customs while also mixing the the Jewish and Israeli customs. It was definitely a very mixed situation, especially because in school, everyone was Israeli and then me in American, I just show up and I I kind of don't feel in place. It definitely got worse more in middle school when I joined a more Israeli school. Um, but overall, it was definitely hard to actually find my place. Now, thank God that I'm in 11th grade and high school, I feel more comfortable with the two cultures being mixed, but it definitely was a challenge to start with uh like getting through middle school and elementary school. >> And it's interesting because so many would think you're there from the age of five months. It's as if it's practically as if you were born there. As if, you know, you could get away with acting and and being as if you're there your entire life and that your whole background is actually Israeli and not American. >> You you'll be surprised how Israelis see me as such an American. Americans see me as an Israeli, but yeah, Americans Israelis see me as an American. You'll be surprised how much that does happen here. Um, the way I dress, the way I speak, I can have a slight accent when speaking Hebrew. So, it definitely like people don't actually know who I am. I consider myself an Israeli American. I put Israeli first, but it's definitely even for me now, it's still complicated to actually figure out where I stand more. >> So, that so that transition generation, not that you're here to do the whole aliyah thing, I think it's such an important message. transition generation for any >> family a generation of those who always consider about heading to Israel there's always going to be in that generation again for both your parents and for yours there's going to be a you know a difficulty adjusting even if circumstances point to the fact that it really should be easy >> no there will definitely be uh consequences my father he deals with a lot of new and we sometimes hear stories from friends, family or just stories from around them make it made on magazines or radio shows um of people having challenges when making aliyah and when actually trying to settle in Israel whether they came when they were you know just a couple who came and started their family here or they came you know kids in high school like for us it was middle school and elementary school and me a baby there's always going to be challenges and for everyone it's going to be different ultimately it's the best choice anyone can make a Jewish person moving to is always the best choice. >> Was waiting for that and I appreciate it. >> Kea Fine is with us. >> It's the best one. It's the best choice you can make >> and he's saying it emphatically folks. Kea Fine with us live here on a Monday morning broadcast. So Nephes recognizes you. First of all, what grade were you in when October 7th when that Torah happened? What what grade were you in at that time? >> I was in ninth grade. >> Oh, so you had just started high school. >> Yeah, I'm now in 11th. >> Right. So you yourself were going through you know a lot of changes and new things in your life and this happens of course >> terrible tragedy and a couple of years later Neph Benefish approaches you and says there are teens in Israel that we want to recognize obviously those who are officially Olim who we want to recognize and I read the explanation I read the press release with this audience as you heard but what they say to you why what did they say to you about why they wanted to honor you or present you with the Mora Prize? I think it's because what I'm doing is different from what other teens are doing. What most teens are doing at my age is they volunteer. They, you know, uh, help out their local communities, which I wish I could do. I don't see myself as that kind of person. I find my place to be more in the media. So, I'm not seeing such a large teenage audience, teenage uh like following within uh the media standing up for their future generation, for their generation. So, I decided to actually be the one to take that leap and to actually pursue it to try to do something. Not just, of course, I still do a volunteering thing on the side, just whenever I can to help out my local community, but it's not my main thing that I try to focus on. I try to actually go to the wider Jewish world. and you're expressing yourself on social media and you know and making sure as we read in the release making sure to uh present accurate information. You're doing all this in English, in Hebrew or in both? >> I'm doing it in English. I wish I could start in Hebrew but my audience is already within the English audience. Um I've tried a few things in Hebrew. Doesn't really work out for me. >> And what is the what's the greatest revelation to you? I mean you're speaking obviously the the way things I I can attest to this. people speak to those generally in their age group. So obviously you're speaking to people in their teens and 20s. What has been the biggest revelation for you about this information that you're trying to disseminate and what what they are or are not actually grasping from what you're presenting? >> Oh, what does revelation mean? >> Well, like [laughter] what's been a surprise to you? Like are you >> ah okay >> are are you shocked that people your age and a bit older are as uneducated as they are as are as educated as they are are are prone to want to get involved or the opposite like what have you discovered? >> The biggest shock to me over the past like two three years of you know on the on social media you see so much more. You're not just seeing what's going on you know in Israel or down the road from you. You're seeing the whole world. The biggest shock for me was seeing young young fellows in America and throughout the world, the Jewish fellows, my brothers and sisters, so so to say brainwashed and not knowing what's going on >> and and actually feeling kind of like guilty that I am doing nothing about it and not trying to do anything to actually help them because ultimately even even the non-Jews all the young people of our day now are going to be the ones leading in 20 30 40 years. So if we don't do anything to actually try to make a difference within ourselves, no one will do it for us. Like no, no one's going to change our minds. So we got to change our own minds and actually try to make the future a better place for everybody. >> Uh I would guess you've met or at least have encountered many really good people and probably some people of a >> 100% >> of a different association. That's that's also it's got to be surprising to you when you when you hear of somebody or notice that they're from a certain background or a certain country and they react in a positive manner to you. That must also be a great feeling but also a surprise. >> I I love it when I have people who I would think don't like me as a Jewish person. I've had Iranians who like would message me and give me more support than anybody else would. I've had Muslims do the same to me. I'm not speaking like, you know, against the the Muslims, but I'm just saying in general, you would think someone who is not like you, won't like you, won't respect you. So, it does shock me and it does give me a lot more hope and I wish more people would actually uh like emphasize the importance of showing our differences because if we don't know like what's different, then how could we respect the differences? So, it's important to actually recognize that and actually value it, I would say. Mar prize winner uh Akiva Fine is with us. What was the birthright experience like when you uh approached a group of I assume first-time visitors to Israel, right? Teens or older first-time visitors to Israel and you were asked to to present to them and you know orient them to all these issues. >> So about that that I was asked I did not pursue it because uh things happened but I did not pursue it unfortunately. Um it it did get cancelled. Um but I was ready for it. When I was asked about it, I was looking forward to speaking in front of a group of people who were a bit older than me, but ones who I can still have a big impact on. And I wish more opportunities like that would come up. >> Well, hopefully they will. And you certainly do. >> And and uh and again, the opportunity to to speak to people, as you said in your initial comments, who you know, we'd be shocked at just how uneducated they are. And I think that that's really the majority, right? With all the people that have an opinion on these issues. I think the biggest uh um the biggest issue for you and others that you'd like to speak to people who know more of the facts, so to speak, and have a better background with all of this. >> I would want to speak with people who who know more because then I'm also learning. I don't want to be the only one to give information or the only one to give inspiration or anything. I want to also get something if I'm speaking to anybody. That's why it's also, as I said before, it's important for us as human beings to actually notice the differences between ourselves so that we can actually learn from each other and know how to move forward. >> All right. Uh, finally, what do you say to those who want to do what you're doing? What do you say to those around the world actually that don't have to be in Israel who want to advocate and who are, you know, anxious to get onto the social media sites that appeal to people your age and, you know, make their voices heard. What would you say? >> I would say just do it. You just got to pick up a camera, get get an account, and just do it. Do all that you can. Say it in your own words. Be for real. Don't fake it. You got to be honest with yourself. Be honest. Honest with what you believe in. And don't let the media control what you say for yourself to make a difference. >> Did [snorts] this nef recognition shock you? Did it take you by surprise? >> It did. It did. It did. I I've always loved Nefish Benesh. And thank God I have a sticker right here. benefic um that's from like 3 years ago. So I I have been recognized by them in in small ways but this recognition definitely did shock me a little bit and I was very very very excited when my parents told me at a random midnight that I won. >> Amazing. Our prize winner Akiva Fine go to Nefish Benfish for information about all their amazing work at nbn.org.il nbn.org.il El and Aka, I hope things continue to go well for you and that your >> Thank you so much. >> your presence on behalf of the Jewish people continues to grow. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. >> A pleasure. Stay well, my friend. Aka find everybody here on a Monday morning broadcast at JM in the AM. More coming up on a