Rabbi’s Blog

I’m excited to share the beginning of my immersive training with Amplify Israel Rabbinic Fellowship. A bit of background: I’ve been selected as part of the second cohort of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue’s esteemed fellowship program. This year-long initiative brings together 24 Reform rabbis from North America and Israel, providing a unique opportunity for professional […]

On our way to Tel Aviv, to start we stumbled upon a remarkable initiative born after October 7, 2023: the “Refreshment and TLC” stations, which have been set up across Israel. As shown in the attached photos, these stations are entirely run by volunteers, offering food, games, reading materials, and, above all, a sense of […]

Today was a powerful and emotional day. I had the privilege of meeting the rest of my group—24 rabbis from across North America—and the experience was nothing short of inspiring. Our first session, led by Rabbi Amiel Hirsch, was a deep discussion on a question that feels especially relevant today: “Why are we here?” It […]

Our day kicked off with a decadent breakfast at the Carleton Tel Aviv hotel. I couldn’t resist snapping a photo of the raw honeycomb slab, alongside the indulgent spread of traditional Israeli breakfast delights. We started our day with a visit to the Magen David Adom headquarters in Ramleh, home to their state-of-the-art, fully secured […]

I was dreading today’s schedule. As an empath, I knew it would likely be one of the hardest days I’ve ever faced—and sadly, it proved true. Our day began at the lookout point at Givat Ha’Tatzpitaniyot (Observers’ Hill), where we gazed out over Gaza while learning about the role of women in the IDF. We […]

Today (Friday) was a somewhat lighter day. I woke up to a beautiful sight from my 11th floor of Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv. Nothing can compare to the Mediterranean Sea. We started with a powerful meeting with Dr. Kochav Elkayam-Levy, a remarkable woman and expert in international law, human rights, and feminist theory. She shared […]

On Shabbat (Saturday), we began our day on a positive note by joining the congregation at Kehilat Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv for Shacharit (morning service) and a Bar Mitzvah celebration. We also had a thought-provoking conversation with Ben Dror Yemini, a journalist and expert on current events and historical context. However, one of the […]

Today marks the final day of our Amplify Israel Rabbinic Fellowship mission in Israel. We began with a deeply moving visit to Kfar Julis, a Druze village in the northeastern part of the country. I’ve long been fascinated by the Druze faith, which is rooted in values of truth, humility, and unity. Their guiding principles […]