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From creative introvert—to Navy SEAL warrior—
to author, filmmaker, and motivational speaker. 

Keynote speaker sharing hard-earned truths about resilience, creativity under pressure, and finding your voice in the world's most challenging environments

I Wasn't Born to be a Navy SEAL—
But I Became One Anyway.

I wasn’t your typical Navy SEAL.

I failed my first attempt to get into the unit. Two weeks into training, I asked my commander to quit. I failed my diving tests and had to start over with a new team. I didn’t excel at anything.

But in almost two years of training, I was the only one who never missed a single drill. I showed up every day. And despite every setback and so-called weakness, I made it. I became a missile specialist in Israel’s elite Navy SEALs—fought in the Second Lebanon War, led missions in Gaza and Lebanon.

Some of the guys in my unit were born for it. I wasn’t. I was the introverted kid who made films in high school. If I was "meant" to serve anywhere, it was in the military’s film unit. But I chose the hardest path because I loved my country—and I wanted to test myself.

That experience taught me everything.

The race isn’t always won by the fastest runner—it’s won by the one who refuses to stop running. I’ve never stopped running. And that’s made all the difference.

Today, I’m an award-winning filmmaker, published author, and co-founder of Big Swell Entertainment, a film company based in Los Angeles. My novel Silent Waters explores the cost of war on love, friendship, and identity. My feature film LISTEN explores the psychological toll of moral decision-making in Israel’s intelligence world.

Though both were completed before October 7th, the war changed everything around them. International screenings and readings became political battlegrounds. Collaborators and publishers backed away. I learned, once again, what it means to stand by your work when the world doesn’t want to hear it—and why it’s more important than ever to keep telling the truth.

I use storytelling to bridge worlds that rarely meet: military and creative, Israeli and universal, trauma and healing.

What began as talks for Israeli teens preparing for military service has grown into keynotes and conversations at universities, synagogues, Jewish organizations, and creative communities around the world.

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Signature Keynote

"Built, Not Born:
An Unlikely SEAL's Journey"

The introverted, creative kid who became a Navy SEAL—and what that taught him about achieving the impossible

"I wasn't the strongest, fastest, or most naturally gifted person in my unit. There was nothing I excelled at. But I was the most stubborn. And sometimes, that's enough."

Perfect for universities, leadership conferences, creative
communities, synagogues, and anyone who's ever been
told they're "not cut out" for their dreams.

Speaking Topics

Each presentation includes a Q&A, is tailored to your audience, and can be combined with film screenings and book discussions.

Creating Art About Israel in a
Post-October 7th World

Standing Firm When the World Stops Listening
Available with or without film screening

Omri's debut feature film LISTEN was completed before October 7th, but when the world changed overnight, so did everything around the film. Collaborators asked to remove their names. International sales collapsed. Festivals became political minefields. This is the raw story of what it means to make honest art about Israel and Jewish experience when the world doesn't want to hear it—and why artistic integrity matters more than commercial success.

Built, Not Born: An Unlikely SEAL's Journey

How the Creative Introvert Became a Navy SEAL

You don't need to be naturally gifted to achieve extraordinary things. Drawing from his journey from teenage filmmaker to elite Navy SEAL, Omri reveals why persistence beats talent, how being "different" becomes an asset, and why the hardest path often leads to the most authentic success.

Writing as Recovery: Turning Trauma into Story

From Pain to Purpose Through Storytelling
Available with or without reading from Silent Waters

After war, how do you find the words? Through creativity, narrative becomes a path not just for self-expression, but for survival. Whether you're processing loss, failure, or just life's hardest moments, there's power in turning pain into meaning—and meaning into connection.

Story as Bridge:
Making the Complex Accessible

Translating the Israeli Experience Through Art
Available with film screening (LISTEN) and/or book reading (Silent Waters)

How do you convey emotional and moral complexity to an audience halfway around the world? Through character-driven storytelling. Using examples from his novel Silent Waters and film LISTEN, Omri shows how narrative—not politics—creates understanding across cultural divides.

Ready to inspire your audience with an unforgettable experience?

Event Type
Speaking Topic of Interest
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