One Email That Made Me Stop Everything

In times like these, living in Tel-Aviv, nothing really feels normal.

The headlines keep coming. Conversations feel heavy. Tension lingers in the air.

And still – like many of us- I find myself jumping from one task to another, trying to hold it all together.

Then came the email.

From someone named… Amir.

An entrepreneur. From Iran.

Same name. A world apart.

But what was written in that email made me stop everything.

Not because it was about business.

Not because he wanted something from me.

But because it was human. Real. Profoundly moving.

A Dream Interrupted

Amir shared how, at 17 years old, he was living his dream as a rising athlete –

Until he was forced to withdraw from a major competition.

Not because of an injury.

Not because he failed.

But because his opponent… was from Israel.

Politics, not performance, ended his run.

At that moment, something inside him broke.

He left his country. Struggled to survive. Rebuilt himself from the ground up.

And eventually — found his way back into the world of sports.

Not as an athlete, but as a founder.

As someone who wants to help the next generation of athletes chase their dreams…

Even though his was taken from him.

The Line I Can’t Forget

He ended the email with a line that’s still echoing in my mind:

“I dream of visiting Israel. Of meeting, you. And one day – hosting you in a free Iran.”

I had to sit with that for a while.

Why I’m Sharing This

Because in a world that often feels fractured and fragile, this story reminded me why we do what we do.

It reconnected me to something deeper –

To the power of sport.

To the importance of creation.

To the unshakable belief that innovation, hope, and human connection can transcend any border.

I don’t know when we’ll meet, Amir.

But I hope we will.

Not as an Israeli and an Iranian.

But as two people who love sport, believe in possibility, and choose hope – every single day.

With love for sport and innovation,

Amir