Now, I know that I’ve always interviewed people who have been in Israel long enough to have perspective, but Michoel Weichbrod’s perspective is so clear, so direct and so focused on Torah that he brings with him many, many centuries of perspective on living in Israel, even though he’s only been here for a few years. I met with him recently in his Ramat Bet Shemesh home, and we talked about his story, as well as the larger issue of Aliyah among the Haredi community in the US. Here’s Michoel Weichbrod, returning again. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/return ..read more

Rabbi Elan Adler is a formerly American rabbi with a fantastic sense of humor, a wonderful story and an inspiring career renewal since making the big move. Rabbi Adler was a successful community rabbi in Baltimore, but eventually, the strong feelings his wife Rivka had for so many years hit him like a ton of bricks, and he knew that Israel was the place for him to continue his family’s life. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/return-again/support ..read more

Rabbi Pesach Wolicki told me that he’s been clear on Israel as his destiny for as long as he can remember. So why is it that he came to Israel as a kid, and went back to Canada, and then, when his parents made Aliyah, he decided to stay back in Canada? And why did he make aliyah, only to leave again to spend 5 years in the US? Well, it’s an incredible story of his commitment to life in Israel – and to the Jewish nation – that led to all those things happening, and I was pleased to sit with Rav Pesach recently to hear all about it. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh ..read more

Ari Abramowitz grew up in Houston, Texas, to a proud Jewish family that believed in the importance of supporting Israel. But for Ari, born Aryeh Yehuda Abramowitz, do so from afar was never going to be enough. That said, his road to living his life here was not totally smooth, and I had the privilege of joining him on Arugot Farm recently, where he and his family live, to take in the breathtaking views and hear his Aliyah story. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/return-again/support ..read more

Rav Gidon Weitzman grew up in the United Kingdom – first in London and then in Cardiff, a town in Wales. He came to Israel as a teenager and dove in head-first into a life of Torah learning and spirituality. He’s now doing important work for Machon Puah, but there have been many stops along the way – including Kansas City, Missouri – and Rav Gidon had some serious wisdom to share. I greatly enjoyed the conversation in his Modiin home. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/return-again/support ..read more

I met Danny Bibbins on a recent vacation I took, and when I heard his story, I just had to figure out a way to have him share it with you, even though it required a 2-plus hour trip up to Kibbutz Tirat Zvi up in the north. It was a ride well-spent. And his story IS great, but it was his perspective on life that truly inspired me.   --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/return-again/support ..read more

Stuart Schnee grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, went to college at Rutgers and seemingly, was living a fairly straight-forward American life. But a couple of childhood trips to Israel, as well as a few "moments" changed his perspective, and his life, forever. This episode also includes a short monologue by Goel about the current situation in Israel. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/return-again/support ..read more

Football, Israel and Torah!? Are you kidding me?! When I heard about today’s guest, Chaim Cohen – coach of the Judean Rebels Israeli football team, I just had to meet him and speak with him about his Aliyah!  And that’s just what happened. I visited him in his Ramat Bet Shemesh home, where we talked about his story, about football, about how a kid who chose his college in part so that he could get AWAY from Jewish people wound up in Israel, and about what ultimately led him home to Israel.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/return-again/support ..read more

David Katz grew up in Cleveland in a pretty Israel-oriented family. And yet, he insists that he’s still not really made Aliyah. Well, in his mind that may be the case, but he and his wife Devorah are the brains and action behind the well-known national Pat BeMelach brand of crackers and bakery in Efrat, and since selling that business they’ve moved on to another concept that I found fascinating. David and I sat at his kitchen table for this one, and I really enjoyed his candid, contemplative and thought-provoking thoughts on living in Israel. And so, here’s David Katz, Returning Again. --- Su ..read more

David HaIvri grew up in New York, in a family of 4. Israel and Aliyah were nowhere near their consciousness, but then David’s father got the bug.  Fast forward a few years, and the family moved to Israel, where they struggled mightily to make a go of it. David is a major Aliya success story, but it was not as rosy for the rest of his family, all of whom eventually went back to the US. So how did David succeed when the rest of his family couldn’t make it happen? Well, let’s just say that Shabbat meals can do amazing things for a young teen looking for inspiration. David (email: haivri@gmai ..read more