This past Shabbos I had the unique and beautiful experience of hosting Rabbi Amit Pinchas and Rabbi Moshe Pinto for a meal in my home. They are leaders in the Hesder community in Israel, and it was a privilege to speak with them and understand the issues they are confronting as they travel across the United States. The conversation reminded me how extraordinary AISH truly is. We are not only a post high school yeshiva. We are also a yeshiva for Baalei Teshuva. We have the largest Spanish speaking yeshiva in Israel. We also proudly have a Hesder yeshiva in Tel Aviv. Our institution is large and deeply connected to the Israeli community. AISH plays a very special and consistent role in educating Israelis and engaging with diverse communities throughout the country.
Speaking with these Hesder leaders was both interesting and thought provoking. AISH plays a major role in Israel for Israelis. There are also approximately one million Israelis living in America, many of whom have children at risk of assimilation. Our mission becomes even more important when we consider that AISH speaks English, Spanish, and Hebrew as its central languages. These three languages are spoken by ninety percent of the Jewish world. The influence of our educational work stretches across continents.
This week included meaningful conversations about Aish U as well. I felt grateful to have recently met extensively with Member of Knesset Ohad Tal. While our initial courses are in English, we discussed the development of programming in Hebrew as well. MK Tal is a member of the Religious Zionist Party and a dedicated educational leader who lives in Efrat. These meetings highlighted a natural common language between our leadership in Israel and America. Rabbi Daniel Rowe, the president of Aish U, was a tank driver in the IDF. Dr. Akiva Covitz, our dean, has a son currently serving in the IDF. Their experiences create a profound bridge between the Israeli and diaspora worlds, enabling our work to resonate in English and Hebrew speaking communities alike.
At this point in the week I found myself reflecting on the deeper spiritual foundations of our mission, which reminded me of a powerful teaching from Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of Israel. Rav Kook wrote that the Jewish soul expands when it embraces responsibility for the entire nation. He taught that true spiritual greatness emerges when a Jew refuses to live only for personal growth and instead carries the pain, struggle, and hope of the collective. He believed that the unity of the Jewish people is not merely a value but a spiritual force that elevates the entire world. His words resonate so strongly today and speak directly to the mission of AISH. Our strength comes from our willingness to lift one another, to care for one another, and to see our destiny as shared across every community and every continent.
Another major moment this week took place within the World Zionist Congress. AISH is the only yeshiva in the world that ran in the WZC elections. As the structure of the World Zionist Organization was finalized for the next five years, AISH was granted a division within the WZO devoted to Zionist issues in the diaspora. This is a tremendous milestone for our institution. Our work on campuses across North America will now grow even stronger. So many of our alumni and current students are fighting for Israel every day in academic and social environments that are increasingly hostile. The battles for Israel are being waged in the streets and on the quads. Partnering with the WZO allows AISH to stand firmly beside our students wherever they are. AISH has always been present on these front lines and this new mandate empowers us even further.
One of the most impactful organizations to emerge from AISH was Hasbara Fellowships. It was one of the earliest initiatives bringing college students to Israel to learn how to advocate for Israel. It was supported by the Foreign Ministry of the State of Israel. It was founded twenty five years ago by Rabbi Eliot Mathias. Rabbi Mathias later founded the AISH Ha’am Party and today leads us into the next generation of activism. AISH Ha’am embodies our core values of Jewish wisdom, love, and responsibility. We believe every Jew must be knowledgeable in their heritage to feel whole and prepared to stand for our people. We believe in engaging every Jew with love. We believe in taking responsibility for the Jewish world.
After completing my meetings in the United States, I traveled to Israel and found myself speaking to our first year EFG seminary students. Two months ago I began teaching them our three core values. I was only able to reach wisdom and love before this week. I finally had the opportunity to teach responsibility. Responsibility is one of the most essential values we possess. It is what makes a Jew a Jew. It means taking responsibility for the world. It means standing for Israel. It means refusing to ignore the challenges facing our people. Spending time with our students filled me with pride. They are remarkable young women. They are driven and curious and passionate.
Our online reach is enormous yet nothing compares to learning together in Jerusalem. I often wish I could bring the entire Jewish world into our Beit Midrash. I believe every Jew who learns with us in person emerges stronger and more committed to fighting for our people. Since we cannot bring everyone to Jerusalem, we built Aish U, a yeshiva and seminary without walls that spreads Torah worldwide.
I also wanted to take a moment, as it is Thanksgiving weekend in the United States to give thanks to the scores of parents who are considering sending their children to AISH. The Dan Family Aish World Center has been a hive of activity for the last week or two as families assess our facilities and gain a deeper understanding of the values that underpin how we aim to educate young Jewish minds.
This week I was doubly blessed to have Rabbi Meyer May with me. He recently began serving as Executive Vice President of AISH. His impact is already being felt throughout the institution. He spent lunches each day with staff and students. One day he met with the rabbis who teach our Baal Teshuva program. Their work is extraordinary. Many of their students arrive without knowing the Hebrew alphabet or the basics of their Jewish heritage. These rabbis patiently guide them step by step until they reach advanced learning. Their dedication is so deep that students often celebrate engagements in their homes.
Another day was spent with our EFG staff. This program has become one of the most popular for modern Orthodox high school graduates from America. These students want to strengthen their learning and discover how to advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. Rabbi May shared his background and experience with them. For nearly fifty years he served as Executive Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. He fought for the Jewish people and for Israel on the world stage. He was moved by our rabbis and the devotion they bring to their work. His presence inspired everyone who met with him.
I also wanted to take a moment, as it is Thanksgiving weekend in the United States to give thanks to the scores of parents who are considering sending their children to AISH. The Dan Family Aish World Center has been a hive of activity for the last week or two as families assess our facilities and gain a deeper understanding of the values that underpin how we aim to educate young Jewish minds.
This week I was doubly blessed to have Rabbi Meyer May with me. He recently began serving as Executive Vice President of AISH. His impact is already being felt throughout the institution. He spent lunches each day with staff and students. One day he met with the rabbis who teach our Baal Teshuva program. Their work is extraordinary. Many of their students arrive without knowing the Hebrew alphabet or the basics of their Jewish heritage. These rabbis patiently guide them step by step until they reach advanced learning. Their dedication is so deep that students often celebrate engagements in their homes.
Another day was spent with our EFG staff. This program has become one of the most popular for modern Orthodox high school graduates from America. These students want to strengthen their learning and discover how to advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. Rabbi May shared his background and experience with them. For nearly fifty years he served as Executive Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. He fought for the Jewish people and for Israel on the world stage. He was moved by our rabbis and the devotion they bring to their work. His presence inspired everyone who met with him.
