[COMMUNICATED] Due to popular demand, a new initiative, to systematically teach the foundations of Emunah to frum girls and women is starting!

For many years, Rabbi Zeldman, a senior lecturer at Aish HaTorah in Israel, has been regularly touring and speaking to secular Jews on college campuses across the country. But then things started to shift. “I was contacted by a Bais Yaakov graduate named Ruchie. She asked if I’d be willing to give one of my kiruv classes on Hashem’s existence to a group of her Bais Yaakov friends. Rabbi Zeldman thought ‘You guys are already frum! Why would you want classes on basic issues of Emunah?’ I began to appreciate that even though the frum community has invested so heavily in chinuch, for some the system still leaves many basic questions unanswered.”

“It began as a grassroots initiative”, Ruchie said. “There are many girls, post-seminary, that are looking for more sophisticated answers to questions like Hashem’s existence, free will, suffering, etc and Aish has an expertise in presenting a clear and mature hashkafa in how to deal with these topics. Suddenly you’re an adult, who knows HOW to daven, keep mitzvos, etc, but aren’t always sure you can explain to yourself and others exactly WHY. So why not bring that expertise into our own communities?”

“I’ve been in the kiruv business for almost three decades now”, says Rabbi Moshe Zeldman, a senior mekarev and Rebbe at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem. “I grew up in a relatively assimilated Jewish home in Toronto and went to university to finish a degree in artificial intelligence and philosophy. And even though years of Jewish day school weren’t able to interest me, I was hit by Rabbi Noach Weinberg zt”l’s Torah. His approach to Jewish wisdom was rational, engaging, and relevant to real life issues and struggles.” Not only did he spend time time delving in, and buying into the power of learning and living an observant life, but also into Rav Noach’s message of taking responsibility to share what you know. He went to Jerusalem, studied in Aish’s kollel and got smicha, and started teaching. Rabbi Zeldman ended up getting involved with starting Aish branches in South America, has taught seminars in over 20 countries, and now teaches thousands of students every year in Jerusalem and abroad.

So things have come full circle for Rabbi Zeldman. He started out completely disconnected from Torah. Found his way in, started sharing it with others, and is now bringing his experience back into the very community, the frum world, that was mekarev him to begin with.

Plans are now in place for a series of seminars, online webinars and other opportunities to get involved in learning and even teaching this material. You can sign up for more information at thelongershorterway.com

Our first event for post-seminary girls and women is Thursday, May 3rd, 8:00-9:30 in Bitbean, located in Lakewood.