From Fighter Pilot to Gratitude Ambassador: The 'Modeh Ani' Journey

"Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. This is your captain: I express my gratitude before You, living and eternal King...", if this sounds like an impossible scenario, be surprised to hear that these are exactly the words chosen by pilot Oded Shapiro to use at his workplace. As seen in the attached video, Shapiro wasn't familiar with these words until recently, but once he got to know them, he decided to start his day with them, and he is not alone.

Pilot Oded Shapiro

In the past few months, millions of Jews from Israel and around the world have been exposed to a very unique project led by Gideon Sharon, a former fighter pilot living in Kiryat Tivon, who calls upon them to simply say "Modeh Ani" every morning for just 12 seconds, record themselves saying it, add a heartfelt interpretation, and then send the recording to friends and the project system, thus broadening its reach. "I am reaching out to every Jew worldwide, regardless of background or outlook", emphasizes Gideon, "because this is precisely the idea here – to unite all of us around one thing: the recitation of 'Modeh Ani'".

Partners in Something Great

When asked where the idea for the project came from, Gideon takes a deep breath and explains: "It all started before the war period. As we all remember, the hatred and division during those days were immense, the feeling was very difficult, and like many of the people of Israel, I also felt it was weighing heavily on me".

Born into a non-observant family and serving in his youth as a fighter pilot in the air force, with his plane crashing twice, Gideon still maintains good relations with senior air force officials. Today he is among the Chabad followers, living in Kiryat Tivon, and over the past year he has had the chance to participate in many discussions with pilots.

Oded Shapiro at work

"Every time I left those discussions feeling uneasy", he explains, "I had the feeling that all the incitement and division among the people of Israel start from one thing - the erosion of Jewish identity. It seems these people have become products of ignorance, like captives who never had the chance to know themselves, and if they're not connected to themselves, how can they be expected to connect with their brothers in the Jewish people?

"The next step was the idea to create the 'Modeh Ani' project, understanding that saying Modeh Ani in the morning for 12 seconds is really the most personal and direct moment one has with themselves and the Creator, but at the same time it's also what unites them with the rest of the Jewish people, who say those same words in the morning too. The moment everyone recites 'Modeh Ani' together, it no longer matters what exactly they say afterward, because one thing is clear: they are partnering in something great, and will no longer be disconnected from each other. 'Modeh Ani' is essentially a journey to our shared roots".

Millions of Participants

Gideon began promoting the project, not realizing the scale of its impact. "Shortly after we launched the project, the war broke out and gave a big boost to the entire initiative", he explains, "We managed to reach places we never imagined we could, like central Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Hod Hasharon, and many other places around the world where Jews live, many of whom are barely aware of their Jewishness. We constantly receive greetings, and our website already has hundreds of videos where people filmed themselves reciting Modeh Ani, touching all of us with their different and interesting explanations. Many of the videos have also been published on numerous social platforms, triggering a wave of tens of thousands of views and enthusiastic comments." Gideon sounds excited as he mentions that over five million people have been exposed to the videos so far, and the numbers keep rising.

"Every morning, when I myself wake up and say 'Modeh Ani', I thank Hashem also for the unique project He helped us promote", Gideon adds sincerely, "because although I was fortunate to initiate the idea, it's clear that nothing came from me. Hashem Himself grants us this opportunity to experience a journey to our shared roots. May we continue to have this merit and bestow it upon others".