Vigorously pursuing peace could yield the ultimate in kickass return on investment for our families, businesses, and communities. As entrepreneurs, we have the ability to help. With our incredible Rolodexes, we have the responsibility to help.

Anyway, here is what happened . . .

As I arrived at the stadium, my thoughts drifted to what the Palestinians and Israelis must have been thinking about as they drove through the traffic of Tel Aviv to this historic event.

The Palestinians were braving the indignities and sheer inconvenience of Israeli roadblocks to drive from Ramallah to Tel Aviv. Some may have even faced the scorn of their community for “normalizing the occupation”.

An Israeli member’s family had been murdered by a suicide bomber. Members from both sides were nevertheless willing to engage, just because it may help to make things better—no guarantees. Isn’t that what leadership is about?

I have spent the last year and a half getting to know the YPO members from Palestine. In a typical year, I spend nine or more months living in different communities around the world overseeing our family's foundation initiatives, so I have been fortunate to have been exposed to many different communities. The Palestinian people I have met are among the warmest,  smartest, most compassionate people I have spent time with anywhere in the world.

As an American Jew, I think it would be very unlikely that I would have had the opportunity to be exposed to these special people, except for my involvement with the Peace Action Network.  As a Jew, I would say to my fellow Jews that my first-hand experience with Palestinians has been very different from the general impressions we have formed from a distance. There is someone on the “other side” to talk to. I have met them, and their voices are heard by many others, including their leaders.