Raaya, Maayan and I

I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. After High School I went to Israel to study in the Old City of Jerusalem at Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh (then Hakotel) for one year. The Yeshiva experience was so powerful, inspiring and unique that I knew I had to stay for longer. The Rabbis whom I had been so impressed with, by their depth, humility and joy had spent so many years studying – I knew that one year was not enough. And because of sincere family support I had the encouragement to pursue studying Torah.

Most of the students and friends whom I had met in Netiv Aryeh only stayed for one or two years and so I looked for a place that had a longer program, which I found in Bat Ayin.

Bat Ayin was a haven of intense Torah study, prayer, joy, seeking, friendship, dancing, singing, music, drum circles, guitars, going out to the forests in the middle of the night, creativity and passion. What began at Netiv Aryeh continued and matured in Bat Ayin, essentially discovering the hidden, richer dimension of Judaism and life.

Towards the end of the Smicha (Rabbinic Ordination) program I was drafted into the Israeli Army, several months after getting married. The 18 months I spent in the army provided to be an experience of challenge, maturation, acceptance and ultimately growth. What was difficult in the beginning of being in the IDF in the end was a gift of enrichment and I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to serve.

After the army I received Smicha from the Yeshiva and from my Rabbi Rav Natan Greenberg (also father in-law) soon before flying off to Halifax, Nova Scotia where I am a Rabbi.

The same reason I wanted to be a Rabbi is the same reason that I began this blog: to share the wonder, beauty, wisdom and power of Judaism. Like anything and everything I hope this to be a relationship more than a soliloquy and look forward to feedback, commentary and questions!

Rabbi Ari Sherbill