Mayanot Spotlight, the new blog segment where we catch up with our
alumni, find out about their Mayanot experience in retrospect and see how they’re
impacting their current communities.
Here
we are joining up with Rabbi Yisrael Shurack, and learning all about the
new project he is working on, since finishing Mayanot 8 years ago.
This
is what he had to say, “I attended Mayanot 3 times, because I loved the program
so much. Once in 2001, a second time in 2003 and a third time in 2005. My
favorite part of the program was the relationships I formed with the
Rabbi’s. They weren't just teachers; they were family”.
Rabbi
Yisrael also mentioned that his most memorable moment at Mayanot was when Rabbi Levinger agreed to sell him the 2nd Aliyah on Yom Kippur, if he
would commit to attend every single Chassidus class, in the morning, for 6
months. He not only agreed, he said “I didn’t miss a single class”!
Presently,
Rabbi Yisrael is working on a cooking show that combines great recipes and Chassidus.
When asked, he said, “I see this project as a unique combination of kosher
cooking and Torah insights. I think it is exciting because it has the power to
bring deeper meaning to an everyday activity. I also enjoy revealing G-dliness in everyday
life, and this project is a great avenue for accomplishing that.”
Rabbi
Yisrael had been writing an E-Newsletter entitled “A Shtikel Vort” for the past
several years and one of the columns he regularly wrote was called, “From the
Kitchen” where he would write about a cooking experience with a specific food
and relate it to a Jewish concept or life lesson. When he received
positive feedback from the articles he was writing, he decided to run with the
idea and turn the article into a cooking show. He wanted to include Torah thought
and spread spiritual light through Chassidut, which is exactly what he is doing.
Collaborating with a professional chef to bring the idea to life, has made an
increasing impact on how people view the depth of the food they make and eat.
When
asked how his time at Mayanot impacted his decision to run with this idea, he
remarked, “Mayanot impacts not only this project, but my daily living.
Mayanot taught me foundational principles on how to lead a life built on Torah,
maximize my potential, and the privilege that each person has to spread the teachings of Judaism to the best of their ability”.
Thanks
for talking to us and spreading so much light, Rabbi Yisrael, we hope you go
from strength to strength. Want to learn more about Rabbi Yisrael’s videos and
articles please visit www.ashtikelvort.com
If you are an alumni of Mayanot and
would like to tell us your story please email us at: [email protected]
for more information.
