BJH: Tell us about yourself. Where are you from?
Rabbi Ari Koretzky: I grew up in Baltimore and attended Beth Tfiloh from nursery through 12th grade. After that, I spent three years in Israel, then went to Ner Israel, while simultaneously earning a Master’s in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Hopkins. While at Ner, I slowly helped launch a small kiruv program – called Maimonides – at University of Maryland, College Park, alongside Ben-Zion (Bruce) Luchansky and Rabbi Azriel Burnham. This ultimately blossomed into what is now a full service kiruv organization called MEOR, part of a national network of similar projects.
BJH: Where do you live? Tell us about your family.
RAK: I live in Kemp Mill and daven at Ohr HaTorah, as well as other community shuls. My wife, Malka, is a speech therapist and plays a supporting role in our work. We k”h have four children: Meir, 22, learning in the Mir; Rena, almost 20, who just returned as a madricha in Neve and works for our umbrella, Olami; Shalom, 18, heading to Eretz Yisroel this Elul; and Ahuva, 14, about to begin high school at YGW.
BJH: What initially interested you in getting involved in Kiruv?
RAK: Both of my parents are baalei teshuva who actually first met in Rav Noach Weinberg’s apartment in the early 70’s. Growing up at Beth Tfiloh, I was surrounded by a diverse group of peers, and I was also heavily involved in NCSY, ultimately serving on its national board. I have always felt an intuitive drive to spread Torah and generate kiddush shem Shomayim. And I have always been bothered by the discord and factionalism that exists within our tiny People. So, outside of a teenage stint at Colonial Pharmacy (shoutout Mel Pacino!), this really has been my only job!
RAK: In the more proximate sense, in summer 2003 I met a group of prominent kiruv rabbabim – including my current boss, Rav Beryl Gershenfeld, as well as Rabbi Avraham Jacobovitz. I’ll never forget Slichos night 2003, when I attended a recorded video presentation of “Rabbi J”, who I had just met in person several weeks prior. He thundered: “Ashrei Yoshvei Veisecha! There are 400,000 Jewish students on campuses across North America who do not understand how precious it is to be a Jew!” I remember thinking to myself how much I would love to get involved in this effort, and as hashgacha would have it, around Succos I was offered precisely such an opportunity.
BJH: What makes MEOR unique?
RAK: MEOR focuses primarily on education and deep personal relationships. We offer Shabbos meals, chavrusas (one-on-one or small groups), and a wide array of programs to help students explore Judaism in a sophisticated manner. Our goal is to help students disrupt their own Jewish story, take ownership of their future, and make proactive choices as educated “consumers” in a very complicated world. We work to communicate the “soul” of Judaism through warm and authentic relationships, and ensuring everyone feels welcome, regardless of their starting point.
BJH: What are you most proud of?
RAK: Nothing quite competes with the joy of attending a chuppah of a student who made the courageous and comprehensive choice to embrace Yiddishkeit and live a committed Torah life. We should only celebrate many more such simchas!
BJH: What keeps you motivated day-in and day-out?
RAK: In any venture that demands this much time and emotional output, creativity and innovation are vital simply to stay fresh and inspired. Of course, we need to adapt constantly anyway, as the world changes – sometimes dramatically – and our students change along with it. When I started in this “business,” smartphones did not really exist – okay, there was the Trio – and the students had land lines attached to their dorm room walls. So while the principles and “scaffolding” remain the same, the dynamics are constantly evolving.
BJH: Do you have any hobbies?
RAK: I enjoy playing sports – specifically racquetball and basketball – and being an active member of the beautiful Silver Spring community.
In 2017, I introduced one of the first major Jewish interview podcasts, “Jews You Should Know,” which has since featured a fabulous blend of over 200 community builders, thought leaders and more. I recently launched a new podcast, the “Iyun Podcast,” in conjunction with the Iyun Institute, exploring the nexus between the Chareidi community and broader Israeli society: challenges, inflection points, and possibilities. This latter podcast is a bit more niche, and is more ideological than biographical, so it’s been a nice change of pace and a stimulating process.
BJH: Do you have any final advice about the world of Kiruv?
RAK: B”H we enjoy the blessings of a thriving and flowering Orthodox community, with every conceivable amenity. We could, understandably, be led to believe that such profound Jewish engagement is ubiquitous, when in fact, tragically, it is anything but. In fact, the Jewish People is alarmingly disconnected, and hemorrhaging each year. Our highly educated, highly passionate corner of the Jewish world must become a lighthouse for the millions of others. This can mean many things, from davening for all of our brothers and sisters, to reaching out personally, to materially supporting those laboring day and night to remediate this tragic state of affairs.
To learn more about MEOR Maryland, please contact rabbik@jterps.com. To contribute please visit: Meormarylandonline.org
