On October 17th 1988, I was born to a military bereaved family living on top of paradise at Daliat el Carmel Village in North Israel.
My dad was a Lieutenant Colonel in the IDF Armour Corps and my Mom was a social activist.
Growing up between military bases and a tiny village was amazingly complicated. I remember I started speaking both Arabic and Hebrew at the same time, and somewhere around the age of 6 my English was good enough to mingle with tourists… MTV can be very educational!
I was always over achieving in science yet my heart always asked for the arts.
Like all these over enthusiastic kids, I wanted to do it all, and did it all… scouts, field leaders, student council, extracurricular school activity and everybody is my friend.
All happy and good, yet sad… these were the 90s in Israel. I grow up in the reality of suicide bombing and endless Intifada, loosing friends and family and almost lost my brother in his military service.
In 9th grade I was accepted to Seeds of Peace program; I thought I'll finally have the chance to meet my enemy and tell them how much I wish they suffer the way I did. Instead I met the other side and was busy being amazed of how much in common we have. Since then I am hooked and proud member of this organization.
2006, 2nd Lebanon war, I'm at my finals in high school and working as a tour guide, hip hop dance teacher and in TV production… everything stops for few weeks, some more that I loose, some work with JDC. The war is over and I'm on my way to NYC to make some people drop some tears and take out some money… a month later, UJA in LA, representing JDC programs… I guess I'm very good when it comes to talking
April 2007 I'm drafted to the IDF; basic training and I am officially a translator at the military courts in Judea and Samaria. A stroke, a heart attack and my Dad passes away. Few months later, I become the spokesperson of the unit, working with Media and Human Rights Orgs.
2008, officers school, again this "overachieving" voice hits me, December 2008, you can call me LT Hasson ;)
A day after, operation "Cast Lead" takes place, I am spokesman and foreign affairs officer of the IDF Personnel Directorate. My first challenge, delivering a "killed in action" message to the media about IDF SSGT Lutfi Nasr-Aldeen… will, he is my cousin!
2011 I'm done with my military service… but hey, I'm still a reserve officer. I move to NYC to study architecture, and that's where I am today. Across the sea from Israel, yet never far.
Now a days, my Mom (the bravest alive) is doing something that no one ever did, becoming the first Druze Female to run for Elections for the local municipality, and I'm a proud son and a 24/7 advocate for her ;)