From the CEO

This past week, AISH had the incredible honor of hosting something very special. For the second year in a row, five legendary yeshivas that have been at the heart of the Baal Teshuva movement came together under one roof: Shapell’s, Machon Shlomo, Machon Yaakov, Ohr Somayach, and AISH HaTorah.

This past Sunday, I had the great privilege of attending a very personal and meaningful event. My daughter-in-law, Sydney Burg, graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. It was a beautiful day, a moment of pride for our family, and a truly joyous occasion.

This past week, I had the incredible privilege of spending four days in Israel for a series of deeply meaningful and strategic meetings.

Last Shabbat was one I’ll never forget. I had the honor of hosting five of our student leaders and alumni. Our conversations were long, rich, and filled with dreams for the Jewish future. The highlight was when we hosted a number of couples who were themselves on a Jewish journey.

On Yom HaZikaron, I had the honor of attending the official Memorial/Remembrance Day ceremony at Har Herzl. Being there with so many friends and colleagues was inspiring. What truly stood out was how many people came over to express how thrilled they were that Aish is running the Aish HA’AM slate in the World Zionist Congress elections.

To bring AISH Ha’am to life, I reached out to two extraordinary groups. The first was Jewish influencers, individuals who, in the digital age, have cultivated platforms that reach and inspire thousands.

As we approach the final days of Passover, I hope your holiday has been filled with meaning, laughter, deep conversations, and moments of inspiration. Our hearts are still heavy as we recognize that this isn’t a full celebration of freedom, as we still have many brothers held in captivity at the hands of Hamas in Gaza this year. I hope that, very soon, we will be able to rejoice with them after they are granted their freedom. I also hope that your Seders were filled with wisdom and that they reminded us all of how rich and relevant our tradition is, especially when it’s shared around the table with those we love.

One of the most beautiful rhythms of Jewish life is the cycle of our sacred holidays. Each one brings with it not just rituals but an opportunity to come together with family, to create new memories, and to recall those who shaped us. It’s no coincidence that toward the end of our holidays, we say Yizkor, remembering those we’ve lost. Our loved ones may no longer be physically present, but their legacies continue to illuminate our lives.

It’s been a whirlwind week, with stops across multiple countries and countless meaningful encounters. But nothing, nothing can compare to the personal milestone I am humbled and overjoyed to share with you.

As the World Zionist Congress elections continue, I had the privilege of attending an event for the ZOA slate, led by my dear friend Chagit Sofiev Leviev. Chagit, who also serves as the President of the Bukharian Jewish Congress in the U.S., spoke passionately about her vision for the Jewish future.

I am beyond proud to announce that Aish and Partners in Torah are joining forces! This is a game-changer for Jewish education, combining the reach and innovation of Aish with the powerful one-on-one mentorship of PIT.

The first U.S. showings of our new documentary, Frontline Warriors, took place in Richmond, VA, and Bridgewater, NJ. I attended the New Jersey screening and sat on a panel at the JCC, moderated by Aish Ha’am candidate and one of the film’s producers, Eric Lavitsky.

Everywhere I turned, people wanted to know about Aish Ha’am. The board of governors is heavily influenced by the World Zionist Congress, so the fact that Aish not only has a presence but now has an actual party has sparked a lot of curiosity. What really caught their attention was the incredible slate we’ve put together

This week, I attended the 2025 AIPAC Congressional Summit with Aish’s North American Executive Director, Kevin Fried.

This week, I had the privilege of attending a series of critical meetings at the Knesset, led by Aish’s Global Spokesperson Jamie Geller.

One of the greatest joys of being part of Aish is witnessing the incredible growth of our alumni. Over the past decade, our Yeshiva and Seminary programs have expanded tremendously, with thousands of students passing through our doors each year

For the past ten years, we have worked as a team in Jerusalem to concretize Rabbi Weinberg’s dreams into reality. To strengthen our movement which has literally transformed the Jewish world. I want to share with you a recent important accomplishment that many of you may have missed.

This past week, we hosted a fascinating discussion inspired by an op-ed written by former Jerusalem Post editor Yaakov Katz.

As the Gaza ceasefire took effect we all held our collective breath as we waited to welcome our sisters home. I don’t think there was a dry eye in any Jewish household around the world as we welcomed them home.

Rabbi Rowe was invited to be part of an interfaith group of clergy coordinated by Ohr Torah Stone to travel to the Al-Ziyadne’s home in the village of Rahat to console the family. It was a moving afternoon where tears flowed freely. I was proud that Aish was present and could deliver a hug from all of you.

At Aish, we also strive to grow every day. Last week, I shared that Jamie Geller, our Chief Media and Marketing Officer, has transitioned to the role of Chief Communications Officer and Global Spokesperson for Aish.

Aish has always been a vital voice within the Jewish community. Over the past 15 months, that voice has been more necessary than ever. Since October 7th, the Jewish world has faced a scale of global persecution that was previously unimaginable.

This year due to the confluence of Chanukah falling out in conjunction with the Christian holidays I have found myself being a spokesperson for the Jewish people. In the past few days, I have done eight interviews on cable news programs!

On Monday, I traveled from Israel to Washington for the White House Hanukka Party. As most of my advocacy work now happens in Israel I don’t have the time I’d like to spend in the U.S. with elected leaders. Still, I have always felt that it is important to attend the gathering at the White House no matter which administration is in power.

Shortly after I landed in Israel we hosted an important gathering of journalists in Israel. Under the leadership of Aish’s head of Public Relations Raphael Poch, we have coordinated a number of dinners at the Dan Family Aish World Center for journalists.

Assisted by Aish curriculum expert Andrea Schulman, a schedule was formed that would allow the Moms to immerse themselves in the Seminary experience. This visit to Israel would have no touring on the schedule. The participants would be going back to seminary to study Torah.

Any week that one gets to attend Jewish weddings is a special one. I had the honor of going to the wedding of two incredible Aish families whose children married each other.

Finally this week, we had the most beautiful kickoff event for the launch of our World Zionist Congress party Aish Ha’am. It was an online event attended by over 1000 people. It was so beautiful to see all the different faces that make up our slate.

As a result of the events of October 7 and all that followed, Aish decided that we needed to organize our efforts. We created a party that is running in the upcoming elections of the World Zionist Congress.

This has been a historic election as there are now six Orthodox elected officials serving in New York State. So many Jews are more prominently involving themselves to serve across America to better the country.