One of the great privileges of my role at Aish is the ability to connect with extraordinary Jewish communities across the globe. Each visit offers me a front row seat to the strength, resilience, and beauty of our people.
This past Shabbos, I had the honor of spending time with the remarkable Boca Jewish Center. It was especially meaningful for me, as Rabbi Yaakov Gibber was not only a key figure at Aish years ago, but also had the unique privilege of learning one-on-one with our founder, Rav Noach Weinberg zt”l.
Over Shabbos, Rabbi Gibber shared incredible insights and stories that reminded me just how deeply our mission at Aish resonates throughout the Jewish world. He and his Rebbetzin have built a warm, thriving community rooted in chesed and Torah. It was inspiring to witness firsthand the growth and vitality of one of the fastest growing Jewish communities in the world.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to be speaking this coming Shabbos morning at the historic Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London. This is particularly meaningful to me, as this was once the pulpit of one of my greatest heroes, Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l. I’m deeply grateful to Rabbi Daniel Epstein and his wonderful community for the invitation. If you are in London, I would love to see you there!
This week also brought a powerful reminder of the unity we strive for as a people. 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. She was joined by our good friends from Israel, Yaakov HaGoel, Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, and Nerya Meir, Head of the Department of Zionist Affairs in the Diaspora, two true warriors for the Jewish Nation.
On my way out, someone randomly asked why I attended an event for another slate. My answer was simple: these are my friends, and I came to support them. At the end of the day, we are one people. That’s the whole story. We may run on different slates, but our hearts are united in our love for the Jewish people and our desire to strengthen our future.
One of the evening’s most powerful moments came from radio host Sid Rosenberg, who is also running with the ZOA slate. He spoke with such passion about how October 7 woke something up in him. Before that day, he had never been to Israel. Since then, he’s been three times—and plans to return soon.
He spoke from the heart about how that tragic day changed his life. And I see it everywhere I go, Jews from all walks of life, waking up, stepping up, and standing up for one another. What our enemies tried to break, they only strengthened. The soul of the Jewish people is on fire—and it’s burning with purpose.
That’s why we founded Aish Ha’am, built on the core belief that the unity of the Jewish people is non-negotiable. If you haven’t yet, I urge you to go to Aish.com/vote and support our movement.
And I encourage you to watch our powerful new documentary Frontline Warriors, now available at FrontlineWarriorsFilm.com. It tells the real story of what’s happening on our college campuses and how the next generation of Jewish leaders, many of whom are on our Aish Ha’am slate, are rising to meet this moment.
Let’s continue building a strong, unified, and proud Jewish Nation together.
