I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer with your family and friends.
This time of year has always fascinated me. Many schools, yeshivas, and seminaries slow down during the summer months. Hallways become quieter, classrooms empty, and campuses prepare for the excitement of Elul and the coming year.
That is not what happens at Aish.
A few days ago, someone stopped me after noticing a steady stream of young women walking in and out of our seminary building. They looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked, “I thought the seminary was on break.”
I smiled and explained that during the summer our Aish Aspire program is in full swing. Young women from across North America and around the world, many with very little Jewish background, fill our classrooms every day. They are discovering the beauty of Torah, asking thoughtful questions, celebrating Shabbat together, and beginning a journey that will shape the rest of their lives.
Even more remarkable is what happens during Bein Hazmanim, those precious weeks between Tisha B’Av and Rosh Chodesh Elul when many yeshivas and seminaries pause their regular programming. Aish continues learning. The classrooms remain full. The Beit Midrash is alive with the sound of Torah. New students continue to arrive. Jews continue to discover their heritage.
There is something deeply meaningful about that.
Aish has always believed that inspiration should never be limited by a calendar. A Jew’s spiritual awakening rarely follows a semester schedule. Sometimes it begins with a question asked late at night. Sometimes it begins with a conversation over Shabbat. Sometimes it begins with a class online or a friend who extends an invitation. Whenever that moment comes, we want Aish to be ready.
Torah never takes a vacation, and neither does the Jewish soul.
The Mishnah teaches, “Turn it over and turn it over, for everything is in it.” Every generation encounters new questions and new challenges, yet the wisdom of Torah continues to provide clarity, direction, and purpose. The Torah is as relevant today as it was when it was first given at Har Sinai.
The Rambam writes that every Jew is obligated to establish fixed times for Torah study regardless of age, background, or circumstance. Torah is the inheritance of every Jew. It belongs equally to the lifelong scholar and to the person opening a Chumash for the very first time. Our sacred responsibility is to make that inheritance available and accessible to every Jew who is searching.
The Gemara teaches us that Torah protects and saves. Throughout our history, our greatest strength has never been measured by military power, political influence, or financial success. Our greatest strength has always been our connection to Hashem through Torah and mitzvot.
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik often explained that Torah is not simply something we learn. Torah transforms the person who studies it. Every encounter with Torah changes us. It shapes our character, strengthens our faith, and gives us the courage to face whatever challenges lie ahead.
Those teachings feel especially meaningful today.
We live in a world filled with uncertainty. Antisemitism continues to rise across the globe. So many Jews are searching for answers, for meaning, and for a deeper connection to their heritage. Moments like these remind us that our response has always been the same. We draw closer to Hashem. We deepen our commitment to Torah. We strengthen one another. We choose hope over fear because we know that the Ribbono Shel Olam has guided the Jewish people through every chapter of our history.
One of the greatest blessings of my role is the opportunity to spend time with members of our incredible Aish family around the world.
This week I had the utmost pleasure to participate in the wedding of the children of two of our staff: Jordana Baruchov Greenfield, who is a teacher in our Aish Aspire Program, and whose son Yosef Chai Baruchov is marrying Rena Meyer. Rena is the daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Meyer, the Director of Aish Denver. It was inspiring for me to participate in such a beautiful wedding that brought together two Jewish families who are both part of our Aish family.
Also this week I had the privilege of sharing dinner with Aish Pillars Irit and Jothan Tratt, whose warmth, friendship, and dedication to Aish and the Jewish people are truly inspiring.
I also enjoyed a wonderful evening in Los Angeles with Aish Pillars Phil Lieberman and Lori Miller. Every visit reminds me that Aish is so much more than a campus in Jerusalem. It is a global family united by a shared love of Torah, the Jewish people, and the future we are building together. Those conversations strengthen my own resolve and remind me that wherever Jews live, there are extraordinary people committed to ensuring that the next generation embraces its heritage with pride and joy.
Every student who walks through our doors represents hope. Every class that is taught strengthens the Jewish future. Every meaningful conversation plants a seed that can inspire generations. Every supporter of Aish becomes a partner in this extraordinary mission.
Thank you for believing in the vision of Aish. Thank you for making sure our doors remain open every day of the year. Thank you for helping us reach Jews wherever they are, whether they walk into our campus in Jerusalem or discover Torah through one of our many online programs. Together we are ensuring that whenever a Jew is ready to reconnect with their heritage, someone is there to welcome them.
King David writes in Tehillim, “Hashem is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?” Those words have sustained our people for thousands of years. They continue to remind us that our confidence comes not from the absence of challenges, but from the presence of Hashem in our lives.
May Hashem bless you and your families with good health, happiness, and peace. May He continue to strengthen all of Klal Yisrael, and may we merit to see brighter days filled with unity, blessing, and the ultimate redemption.
