Life

Don’t Let History Repeat Itself
I always wondered what I would have done if I were a Jew living in Germany on November 9th, 1938. Kristallnacht, the night when Germans attacked Jews across the country. Would I run? Would I fight? Would it make a difference?

Israel is Not Hamas’ Final Solution
Hamas, with sadistic creativity that made the Nazis look like amateurs, in just a few hours slaughtered 1,500 Jewish civilians. The Nazis tried hard to hide their atrocities. Not Hamas.

Atrocities in Israel
I have shared my thoughts on the horror of what is happening in Israel on Twitter. I was going to write something longer, but it is simply too painful: My son, Jonah, asked me why I hadn’t written anything about what has happened in Israel. I had to pause and think; I was frozen.

My Father – A Life Worth Living
I spent weeks trying to write about my father, but I failed miserably. As a writer, I have learned that there is no such thing as writer's block; either your idea is not fully developed, or there is a conflict between what you want to say and what appears on your pages.

Life Is a Walk – Santa Fe
This trip to Santa Fe is more to us than just a continuation of the tradition my father started in 2003. It goes deeper and further than that; we are continuing the traditions started by my grandparents, and likely those of their ancestors. Life is a walk!

How Not To Lose a Job That’s Yours
Imagine withdrawing a job offer two days after it was made. This is exactly what we did. This letter about how not to lose a job that's yours, contained insights and lessons that could go beyond the intended recipient and could help anyone who is looking for a job.

Russia – History Repeats Itself
A few weeks ago I was asked to speak to the CFA Association of Russia about my most recent book.Here is my reply:

Embrace Good Problems: Advice to Young People Today
A 22-year-old daughter of a friend, for the first time in her life, has hit a brick wall. I told her that, as frustrating as her life may seem right now, she is having a good problem; and happiness in life comes from having good problems.

What I Learned From the Oracle of Omaha & Charlie Munger
My favorite line from Charlie Munger was: “Practicing law today is like a pie-eating contest, where if you succeed, you get to eat more pie.”

Chess Saga Continues
With Hannah’s passion for chess growing and the lockdowns easing, we discovered the wonderful world of chess meetups.

Me, My Boy, and Warren Buffett with 2023 Postscript
The fourteen-year-old Jonah could not sit through the annual meeting; he was preoccupied with anything and everything but Buffett’s and Munger’s wisdom.

Hidden costs of living in Switzerland
After a recent trip to India, the contrast with Switzerland was stark. But there are hidden costs of living in Switzerland as well.

The Real Country of Contrasts: Our Unforgettable Trip to India
My daughter Hannah and I went to a trip to India. We visited a small part of this large country, the most populous in the world.

The trip to Europe that wasn’t about Europe
As I am looking back at this trip, it was really not about Europe, the lakes, the ice cream that we had every evening, or the museums. The best experiences were the conversations we shared while we strolled the streets or had over dinner.

How Stoicism Can Help You Have Soul in the Game
In my interview with “What is Stoicism”, I discuss how stoicism can help us improve our personal and professional lives.

Inspiring Stories & Hard-Won Life Lessons: Introducing My New Book
My newest book, Soul in the Game, is now live and available for purchase. It has nothing to do with investing, but has everything to do with something far more important: living a meaningful life.

Sitting on the Tarmac in The Land of Stoicism
I recently took Jonah and Hannah to NYC for a long weekend. Jonah was leaving for Israel that Sunday and Hannah and I decided to join him for the weekend to inhale the art and culture that New York has to offer. However, this trip to NYC started with me practicing a bit of Stoicism.

Turning a PBS Interviewer into Interviewee
I was interviewed on PBS Newshour about the insanity that is happening in the NFT market. I can sum up my thoughts in one sentence: NFTs, just like cryptocurrencies, are not just a technology of the future, but a speculative bubble induced by excess global liquidity in the present.

Soul in the Game – The Art of a Meaningful Life
This is my newest book. It has nothing to do with investing. In fact, it is a deeply personal collection of inspiring stories and hard-won lessons that weave together insights from classical composers, ancient Stoics, and contemporary thinkers. It's a tapestry of practical wisdom that has helped me overcome some of my greatest challenges - in work, family, identity, and health.

30 Years in America
On the 30th Anniversary of my family's arrival in the United States from Soviet Russia, I reflect on my time here. After recounting the hard early days in a new country when I was "fresh off the boat", I offer perspective on how America has changed since I arrived. What I see now is, in some ways, more troubling than what I found all those years ago as a new immigrant.

Let’s Keep Humans At The Heart Of Hiring Practices
The Financial Times recently published an article about my travails in recruiting. After sharing the article, I expand on what I learned about recruiting, teams, and culture since becoming CEO of IMA.