Huffington Magazine Issue 22 | Page 63

COURTESY OF ASAF DARASH BRAIN DRAIN his sister, Merav Darash, 39, a biologist who lives in Israel. “I’ve seen a spark in his eyes. He feels like he has come to a place in his life where he finally knows exactly what he wants to do, and he truly believes in it.” But after his visa was denied, Darash felt lost. He confided in a friend who tried to draw attention to his situation on Facebook: “Urgent visa help needed for a friend to save 15 American Jobs.” Soon, Darash began receiving emails and phone calls from strangers who connected him with immigration HUFFINGTON 11.11.12 lawyers and members of Congress. But his immigration status remained unchanged. Darash then broke the news to his employees. After he spoke, the room went quiet for several seconds. Many had questions: What does this mean for the company? If you leave for Israel, can you come back? “You’ll solve this,” one employee told him. “You’ve solved more complicated stuff.” Yes, he had solved complicated problems before. He spent countless hours creating new technology that he believes will make e-commerce more efficient. But there is a logic to how computers work. Federal immigration offi- Darash and the Regpack staff.