From Bokuritome, Florida, this is Behind the Bima.

On this episode, the rabbis are joined by Rabbi Steven Berg, CEO of Aesha Tora,

who has spent many years helping guide the organization through change while carrying forward the legacy of Ravnawuf Weinberg.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Berg reflects on leadership and institutional responsibility,

talks about the changing landscape of Torah outreach, and discusses

the opportunities and risks of using monitor tools like social media and AI to reach people

where they are without losing what matters most. All this and more, Behind the Bima.

This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestine and Darrell Benjamin in honor of

their grandparents, Morton and Malvina Charleston, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.

Welcome back to Behind the Bima. We got a great episode for you, a conversation with Rabbi

Steven Berg, the CEO of Aish International, doing enormous, amazing work. But first, the great

Rabbi Moskowitz is back and better than ever. Back and better than ever with the great Rabbi Gobel. Now great Rabbi Mosk, which is back and better than ever.

Back and better than ever with the great Rabbi Goober. Now, Rabbi Goldberg, this is a momentous

few weeks here in Boca Raton. We are not just teaching Torah, but we are spreading Torah. And these are

the weeks where you really put yourself out there to encourage people who benefit from your Torah

to be able to support the Torah. Is that uncomfortable for you as a rabbi who views himself primarily as a teacher, someone whose mission in life, is to spread Torah? Obviously, fundraising and enabling you to do that is part of the process, but is that uncomfortable for you? For those people watching or listening who think that this was like a setup, but we don't in advance, we don't know what we're going to cover, and we don't know the answers we're each going to give. In fact, in fact, our wives sometimes wish we scripted this a little bit better. Sometimes we get some feedback afterwards. Perhaps we should have, maybe we will. It's a great question. It's a big question. Do rabbis belong in fundraising? Some rabbis won't touch

it with a 10-foot pole. It's not their job responsibility. I'm a religious spiritual leader.

I teach Torah. I'm there to pastor the flock and monetary money mundane other people should do.

And other rabbis live for fundraising. They love it. The thrill of the chase, when you get a yes, when you land, when you, they get a, I'm somewhere in between. To me, fundraising isn't necessarily evil. I wish I didn't have to do it. In fact, it's possible I play the lottery more often than I should. Not for myself, Barach Hashem, but I have all conversation with the Almighty every time I buy a ticket. It's irrational because I only buy a ticket when the lottery is over some insane amount. As if winning $50 million wouldn't change the shul in my life. It's only when it's closing it on a billion that I'm willing to buy the ticket. It's irrational and it makes no sense, but I do buy it. And every time I have a little conversation with your bonus sholum, before I purchase it,

here's what I do, here's what I said, how I'd use it, here's who I'd hire, here's what I'd build. And every time he's like, nice try, you're going to go have to go out and do the work the old-fashioned way. You're going to have to raise it. I don't get a thrill from it. I don't love it. I don't live for it. I get enormous relief when it's done.

But I also entirely embrace the responsibility of it.

I don't love it. I don't live for it. I get enormous relief when it's done. But I also entirely embrace the responsibility of it. I don't, I mean, rabbis are entitled to no judgment whatsoever of rabbis who see themselves in their roles differently. But if you have dreams and you want to make them happen, then that's what it takes. Ain't kamachin Torah. I mean, the reality is it takes it takes the money and resources to pursue the dreams. So it's hard to have dreams and expect somebody else to raise the money or give the money for it. And they see through that. If you're not the one who's willing to put yourself out and make the time and become emotionally vulnerable and do the ask, then do you really believe it? And how badly do you really want it? So I think it's important for rabbis to do it.

...