90 Seconds to Shelter

I just arrived back in New York after two weeks I will never forget.

My wife and I had traveled to Israel to spend time with our family. Visits with our grandchildren are among the happiest moments of the year for us. Those are memories that cannot be replaced by a video call on FaceTime.

Then history intervened.

While we were there, Israel and the United States launched a military campaign against Iran. What began as a joyful family visit suddenly unfolded against the backdrop of war.

Air raid sirens became part of the daily rhythm. When they sounded, we had about 90 seconds to reach a shelter. Israelis are used to living with pressure. Life goes on as families gather and people continue their routines.

But this time the tension was impossible to ignore.

On Saturday night, the United States government began facilitating charter flights to help Americans return home safely. 

We were fortunate to secure seats and make the journey back. I am deeply grateful for the people who worked around the clock to make that possible.

Whenever we visit Israel, we make time to see Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Over the years, we have developed a genuine friendship.

That relationship began in November 2020 when I appeared on his television program to discuss the biblical roots of capitalism. It was a thoughtful conversation about faith, freedom, and the moral foundations that allow free markets to flourish.

Not long after that interview, Ambassador Huckabee became a subscriber to American Prosperity. We began working together more closely and had just finalized an agreement to expand that relationship.

Then, President Trump selected him to serve as the United States ambassador to Israel.

For me, the news carried mixed emotions. I was losing a partner. But our country was gaining exactly the right person for one of the most important diplomatic posts in the world. 

Ambassador Huckabee understands Israel. He understands America. Most importantly, he understands the deep moral connection between the two nations.

Over the years, I have watched him lead with conviction and with heart. During this crisis, he has been right in the center of the storm.

Many people do not realize the role he played behind the scenes in helping secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. It required patience, persistence, and an unwavering commitment to American citizens and Israeli families. 

Now he finds himself serving in Israel during wartime.

The other day, he shared a message on X describing what life has been like during the first week of the conflict. His words were honest and deeply moving.

He wrote that he and his wife, Janet, have been living inside the embassy command center, sleeping on cots so they can respond to events around the clock. 

Missile sirens interrupt the night. Incoming rockets and drones require constant trips to shelters. Phones ring through the day and into the early morning hours as updates arrive.

It is a relentless schedule.

At the same time, the embassy team has been working nonstop to evacuate American citizens. 

In the early days of the war, the airspace was closed, and travel routes were dangerous. The safest option was often to shelter in place until secure evacuation plans could be organized.

Ambassador Huckabee described how the team slowly began moving Americans out of the country using buses to Egypt, then coordinating with airlines and the State Department in Washington to place citizens on outbound flights. 

Thousands of Americans have now been evacuated safely.

The remarkable part is that this work is happening while the embassy staff themselves are living under missile alerts. When the sirens sound, they have only seconds to reach shelter before incoming ballistic missiles arrive. 

Yet they continue serving.

Ambassador Huckabee wrote something that stayed with me. He reminded Americans that the embassy staff works for the citizens of the United States. They see the American people as their bosses. That mindset reflects a deep sense of duty.

In an era when so much commentary is driven by outrage and misinformation, it is easy for people thousands of miles away to misunderstand what is really happening on the ground. But dedicated men and women are serving our country in difficult conditions every day.

They do it quietly. They do it faithfully. They do it because they believe in the mission. 

The ambassador also made clear that he will be the last one to leave if evacuation becomes necessary. That is the responsibility of leadership.

A true leader takes care of the citizens first, then the team, and only after that thinks about himself. That is the kind of leadership that inspires confidence.

We feel enormous gratitude to the embassy staff, the pilots and crews who flew into a war zone, and the countless people behind the scenes who worked tirelessly to bring Americans home safely. 

America remains a remarkable country.

In moments of crisis, America responds as its people step forward and its leaders carry the responsibility. Thinking of Ambassador Huckabee sleeping on a cot in a command center while missiles fall outside reminds me that service, duty, and character still matter.

I pray that the United States and Israel succeed in this mission, that the Iranian people are freed from tyranny, and that lasting peace comes to the Middle East. May our soldiers return home safely after getting the job done. 

May God bless our troops, Israel, and the United States of America.

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Regards,

Charles Mizrahi
Prosperity Insider