Tonight, after White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel spoke to their General Assembly, the Jewish Federations of North America named me “The Jewish Community Hero of the Year“. I’m sure I’m not the first to say, “They made a huge mistake.”

To put it in perspective, I beat a father of nine who gave away his kidney to a stranger. (I think it’s because if they asked him to do it again, he’d say no. Donors like consistency. ) Then I was selected over people who work with thousands of special-needs kids, soldiers, imigrant workers, poor brides, and lost teens. In short, thanks to the wonderful people at the Jewish Federations of North America and their judges, I’m out of karma.

I walked around the Federation’s Assembly in awe of the thousands of Jewish leaders and volunteers who give their time, money, and passion to their communities in the pursuit of knowledge, peace, health, and meaning. There was a great positive energy there, with Jews of all backgrounds gathering to focus on the future. It was a gathering of thousands of heroes.

I’m humbled and grateful that they chose to highlight the work of the thousands of young Jewish heroes who are JCorps.

JCorps exists because committed people create it every day around the world with their actions. From the beginning, Rafi Farber, Barry Berkowitz, Eliana Bavli, Rebecca Saidlower, Ron Arazi, Shira Berenson, Jesse Nowlin, Leora Schanfield, Sara Cole, Doris Miriam, Jennifer Goldman, Jessica Leiter, Rebecca Gross, Oliver Josephs, Jennifer Citak, Steyer Reyhorn, Elad Blumenthal, Matthew Solomon, Nataly Gutflais, Gregg Alpert, and thousands more have contributed to the growth of JCorps, making events happen and getting people involved in making a difference. There would be no JCorps without them. Last year they fed over 21,000 hungry people, visited hundreds of seniors and sick children, and turned acres of unusable park into play-spaces for kids and families.

There are people who inspire and assist me every day. I would not be here without Peretz and Chanie Chein at Brandeis. This is their victory. I am humbled by their unconditional love for all people. They are part of my family, which is one that relishes and reveres out-of-the-box thinking, education, and community. We get that from our passionate and always-amused Grandma and Bubbeh. Mom, Dad, Alana, Mendy & Ariela, Israel, Bina & Tzvi, Elaine & Alan, Rachel & George, Debbie & Larry, Jesse, Danny, Daniel, Jill, Yodels & Bagels, Daniel, Aaron, Janelle, Arianna, Ilan, Max, Yoni, Avner, Mike and Elissa, have all taught me how to laugh and see the world differently. For a few years this resulted in medication, but I am still grateful.

I am grateful to my dear friends who have stood behind my crazy ideas, and supported me constantly. If you can judge a person by the friends they keep, maybe I’m not out of karma. Or maybe they are.

I’m also grateful to those along the way who recognized JCorps’ potential and gave us encouragement, and taught me some of the many things I need to learn. Tamar Snyder and the Jewish Week, the JTA, NATAN and Felicia Herman, Shawn and Joshua at Jumpstart, ROI and Lynn Schusterman and Sandy Cardin, Alan Feld, Blank Rome, Google, David Sarna, Graham Hoffman at Hillel, the Birthright teams, my home town of Teaneck and its neighbor Englewood, Mayor Bloomberg’s  Volunteer Team, and to folks like Seth Godin and TED for priceless, practical wisdom. A special thanks to Andy Neusner and his team at JFNA who shined 500,000 candles on the service done so many great people.

Every night, I get to step into a real-life dream as a comedian, and one of the biggest perks is the people who share that world. It’s a world of artists and writers and performers and professionals and fans. The comedians I work with are some of the nicest people you’ll meet and they encourage and inspire me every night. It’s the best part of my life, and I hope you’ll visit us at a comedy club soon.

I am humbled to even be considered among the true heroes that are Finalists Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Devorah Benjamin, Shmuly Yanklowitz, and Rabbi Yonah Bookstein. I am jealous of them because each is truly dedicated to the Jewish people and if you want to see passion and success ask them about their causes. In my head I have the voice of Wayne and Garth, “I’m unworthy. I’m unworthy.” And the fact that I just quoted Wayne and Garth proves it.

I’m sure I’m missing a lot of people that deserve credit and thanks. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. Now that I have this award, I don’t have to help anyone ever again.

Thanks.

Ari

Join JCorps: http://jcorps.org
Comedy: http://ariteman.com

The Video from the Federation:

With Natan Sharansky (a real hero)

Chances are, you’re already dead.

You have so much you’d like to do in life, but you don’t do it. You put it off. You worry how it would look if you did it now. You worry how it would look if you failed. You worry it wont be what you really wanted.

You worry you don’t know enough, have enough, want enough to do it. You have too many things you have to do before you do it.

You see living as somewhere out there. You see life as distractions keeping you from living. You’re breathing, and moving, and fixing, but you’re not living.

Living is a decision. The decision to take the risk. The decision to pursue and persevere. The decision to make mistakes.

Regret is our most heavy pain. Going through life without making mistakes is the biggest mistake you can make.