Jacob sets down the grand strategy for a gripping personal story, catching up with his high school friend Avi Swerdlow, who landed in Israel the day before the new Gulf War erupted. Avi recounts waking to sirens, sheltering with his mother, and navigating a closed airspace in a circuitous scramble to get home - a reminder that geopolitics is always personal.

Note: If you know anyone in a Gulf or Middle Eastern state who has had to scramble in a similar way, or is experiencing the war on the ground, please connect us! We would love to feature their story.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Hello

(01:10) - Meet Avi Swerdlow

(01:58) - Siren Wake Up Call

(02:57) - Did You See It Coming

(05:53) - Flights Canceled Fast

(07:57) - Airbnb Safe Room Help

(10:29) - Embassy Alerts and STEP

(12:29) - Planning Land Escape

(14:07) - State Dept Evac Call

(16:30) - Airport Chaos and Shelter

(22:12) - Boarding DHS Evac Flight

(24:08) - Arrival in Athens

(24:17) - Athens to Rome Reset

(25:25) - Historic Moment Reflections

(26:28) - Evacuation Costs and Embassies

(27:30) - Inside the DHS Plane

(31:26) - Landing in Athens and Relief

(34:00) - Fellow Passengers Georgia Detour

(35:04) - Would You Go Back

(36:27) - Work and Family Back Home

(38:06) - Egypt Plan and Risk Tradeoffs

(39:46) - Other Routes and Final Wrap

Referenced in the Show:

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.