I had one of the most meaningful and uplifting Shabbat experiences this past Friday night. I was in Bal Harbour with my family, and the warmth, spirit, and sense of Jewish life there were deeply moving. I am already eager to return in two weeks, when I will be back as a scholar in residence at the incredible Young Israel of Bal Harbour, one of the truly great Jewish institutions in our community today. I will be spending Shabbat speaking multiple times together with Rabbi Gidon and Rebbetzin Malka Moskovitz, who have always welcomed me with such warmth and generosity on every visit. I very much look forward to seeing many of you there and sharing a meaningful Shabbat together.
About a week and a half later, I will once again be back in Bal Harbour for an important gathering of our movement. Following the extraordinary success we achieved in the World Zionist Congress elections, we will be convening for Aish Ha’am. This gathering will be a critical moment for us to come together, reflect on where our movement is headed, and engage in serious and thoughtful conversation about the future. I hope many of you will register and be part of that important dialogue. Bal Harbour has become a place I am spending a great deal of time, and for very good reason.
This past Shabbat itself was filled with moments that will stay with me for a long time. Shabbat lunch was hosted by a beautiful family, Dr Michael and Eva Salzhauer.
Eva participated in Mominary (Aish Ignite), together with others at the table who had also been part of that experience. As many of you know, Mominary is our very special seminary for mothers, and it has become one of the most powerful tools we have for rejuvenating Jewish spirituality. It creates space for women to come and learn Torah, reconnect to themselves, and return home transformed.
At Aish, we believe something very simple and very profound. The secret to the Jewish people is Torah. Every Jew, on their level, through whatever sources speak to them, needs Torah in their life. A Jew without Torah is like a person without water or air. G-d gave us Torah as spiritual nourishment, just as food nourishes the body. That belief drives everything we do.
The opportunities we are now opening up, whether through Mominary or through a very special upcoming program for men who will come to Israel to study with us in person at the yeshiva, reflect that belief. These programs began primarily for parents of our seminary and yeshiva students. They have grown far beyond that initial vision, and I am incredibly proud of what they have become.
Shabbat dinner was an experience of an entirely different magnitude. We were guests in the home of Bari and Daniel Erber, dear friends of Aish, devoted supporters, and the proud parents of a EJ who is currently studying at Aish this year. That evening, we were reunited with Talik and Shira Gvili, the mother and sister of Israel’s last remaining captive in Gaza, Ran Gvili.
Many of you know Ran’s story because I have spoken about him many times. Ran was a hero of the Jewish people, a member of the elite Yassam Police special forces unit. On the morning of October 7, he was scheduled to undergo surgery for a broken shoulder. When he heard what was happening, he left the hospital, put on his uniform, and ran to defend his brothers and sisters. He was killed in battle. Our sick and depraved enemies did not allow his family the dignity of burying him. His body was stolen and taken into Gaza, where it remains to this day.
On Sukkot, the Erbers uphold a beautiful custom of donating a Torah scroll each year. In recent years, they have given these Torahs to communities that lost members defending the Jewish people on October 7. We stood together with the Gvili family that night, celebrating the Torah in Ran’s memory. I will never forget Ran’s father, Iztik, standing on the roof of Aish, the Temple Mount behind him, clutching the Torah and teaching all of us that even in the deepest grief, the way forward is through Torah.
Sharing a Shabbat table again with Talik and Shira, who were in the United States for a conference, was incredibly powerful. Their strength is humbling. The conversation that night ranged widely. Israelis at the table spoke passionately about politics, leadership, and the elections expected this summer or fall. Passions run deeply in Israel, especially now. Yet through all of it, the quiet strength of this family advocating for their son to come home for a proper burial was overwhelming.
One moment that stayed with me came from a very different setting. When I was recently at the White House, President Donald Trump spoke about how negotiating this deal was a major learning experience for him. He spoke about realizing that it was not only about living hostages, but also about bringing bodies home to their families. That resonated deeply for him.
Shortly after October 7, I was interviewed on Newsmax by the remarkable anchor Greta Van Susteren. She asked me to explain the Jewish perspective on burial and the connection between Jews and the remains of the deceased. The world was just learning the care and dedication that we have for the deceased and the effort we were making in identifying the remains. In addition, our enemies know how important remains are to our people, and this is why they kidnapped those already murdered. Judaism understands the body as a sacred vessel that carries the soul through this world. When someone passes away, we often write a Torah in their memory so their life continues to illuminate others. Life is sacred to the Jewish people. That is why accusations leveled against Israel and the IDF are so grotesque and absurd. The IDF is fighting one of the most moral wars in history, with unparalleled efforts to minimize civilian casualties. Anyone who understands the Jewish people knows that life is sacred to us.
The importance of bringing Ran home is not political. It is human. It is Jewish. It is about dignity, closure, and honoring a life that gave everything for Am Yisrael. Seeing how Talik is embraced wherever she goes reminds me that hatred will never defeat us. The Jewish people endure because we carry one another.
This spirit carried into another moment this week that filled me with enormous pride. Aish hosted an extraordinary event in Tel Aviv, coordinated by Aish’s Director of Programming and Partnerships Rabbi Elliot Mathias. There is a quiet revolution happening in Israel today, particularly in Tel Aviv. More and more Israelis are searching for their heritage and meaning.
Rabbi Yaakov Scarr of JAM Tel Aviv has been sending students to Aish for years. He recently approached us with an idea. Getting students to Jerusalem is not always easy, so why not bring Discovery to Tel Aviv? Rabbi Mathias immediately said yes.
This week, three of our incredible scholars, Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen, Rabbi MZ Dubov, and Rabbi Mathias, traveled to Tel Aviv. A modest venue was arranged in Rabbi Scarr’s apartment, space for seventy people. Registration had to be closed due to overwhelming demand. In a world obsessed with short attention spans, a room full of young professionals sat for three full hours, completely engaged, absorbing Torah like a sponge.
This felt like the beginning of something special. Discovery is one of Aish’s flagship programs, presenting the rational foundations of Judaism and belief in G-d. We have invested heavily in revamping it and preparing it to travel to campuses and communities. Tel Aviv was a powerful proof of concept.
Aish is not just an organization. Aish is a movement. When partners like JAM Tel Aviv want to elevate their students, we are ready to act. We go to them. We welcome them to us. That is how movements grow.
Aish exists because Torah is spiritual nourishment. Without it, the soul withers. Much of the confusion and alienation we see today comes from spiritual starvation. When Jews learn their heritage, everything changes. They understand their connection to G-d, the beauty of the Jewish people, the sanctity of the Land of Israel, and their responsibility to be a light unto the nations.
That light must be fueled by Torah. Wisdom gives rise to love. Love creates responsibility. Responsibility changes the world. These are our values.
A charitable foundation head told me this week that what they love about Aish is that we provide bite-sized Torah. I took that as the greatest compliment imaginable. Whether online, in person, short or long, Aish gives people Torah they can carry with them. Torah that nourishes.
That is why we do what we do. That is why we need to continue strengthening this movement together. Aish strengthens the Jewish people so we can fulfill our purpose in this world.
