Defining Moments: Stories of Character, Courage and Leadership

by Gordon Zacks

I was born the year Hitler came to power. There was no Israel. There was a Holocaust. Six million Jews were slaughtered for the crime of being born, and hardly a blip registered on the world's conscience. The world was indifferent-it pretended not to know. Israel was created in 1948, and I decided I wanted to be part of the rebirth of the Land and the redemption of the People of Israel. That has been my passion . . . and my purpose. That was my defining moment.I have had the privilege to work with some extraordinary and courageous people who taught me valuable lessons about leadership and life. These stories are first-hand accounts of how people-some famous, some not-followed their passion, lived their purpose, and aspired to be part of something greater than their selves. These people had the courage to seize their moment and make the world a better place, revealing valuable lessons on the path to a more rewarding life.

Genres: Nonfiction

280 pages, Hardcover

First published September 13, 2006

About the author

Gordy Zacks is Chairman of the R.G. Barry Corporation, the world’s largest marketer and supplier of comfort footwear under the brand-names of Dearfoams, EZ-Feet, and Liz Clairborne. He became president of R.G. Barry in 1965 when it was a small family manufacturer, and he retired as CEO and president in 2004. He is also Chairman of the board of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School, which is a world pioneer in the field of adult Jewish education, and is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network in the world.

Zacks has been active as a volunteer in a wide variety of civic, philanthropic, and political leadership roles at the local, national, and international levels for nearly half a century. During that time he has worked closely with three American Presidents and almost all of Israel’s Prime Ministers. Gordy turned down an ambassadorship and a cabinet post so that he could be an informal advisor to first Vice President and later President George H.W. Bush on crucial policy matters, relating to Israeli-American relations, the Middle East Peace process, Soviet and Ethiopian Jewry, and more.

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starts with stories of people he has known and each one displays a characteristic of leadership or character. This would be enough. But he goes on to help a person write his obituary. Why? Because the term of one's life is unknown and you may think you have time to define the impact of your life, but you may not. This makes the entire book personally relevant.

[Charles Cohen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. Dude LOVES Reagan. And, evidently, himself.