Israel Without Walls

24/06/2022

There are so many people Rabbi Michael Stern ob'm, reached, affected and, of course, loved. He looked at each Jew as a holy vessel. When we think of him we associate his attributes to a Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers): "Do not look at the jar. Rather look what is inside". He looked into each Jew and tried to bring them closer to themselves. He had the unique ability to truly understand each Jew, to love every one of them despite their shortcomings, and to help each individual focus on their strengths and inner beauty.

One of Rabbi Mike's major dreams, which sadly he did not live to fulfill, was to settle in Israel, the Holy Land, with his family. He was blessed with the opportunity to live there for a few years as he studied from his Rabbis and grew as a person, which enabled him to accomplish so much when he returned to the U.S. But his ultimate goal was to settle in the holiest place in the world where our Jewish heritage has been rooted for thousands of years. To be there each day with his family would have been Heaven.

Unfortunately for all of us Rabbi Mike left this world way too early. But his dreams are still very much alive. The Stern family is now working to continue his legacy in several ways. One of them is with Israel Without Walls. Our mission is to help bring families to Israel to live and establish communities. One such group is led by Rabbi Nesanel Cadle, a close family friend and a personal spiritual leader. Rabbi Cadle and 40+ families are moving to Afula this summer and that is just the beginning. Rabbi Cadle aims to continue Rabbi Mike's legacy by helping to create a community in which each individual is valued and encouraged to grow in their unique relationship to G-d and to His Torah. They are preparing for a few hundred more families to join them and form Kehilla Chazon Elimelech (KCE). The foundations of this community will be both a synagogue and a school which will accommodate boys and girls from preschool through high school.

We are excited to let you know that our partnership with KCE is now expanding in a special way: our connection will now be everlasting, since the KCE community is planning to house and use a Sefer Torah that is to be dedicated in the memory of Rabbi Mike.

At this time I would like to invite you to join us by contributing to our Sefer Torah Campaign, which launched on June 19th, Rabbi's third yartzeit. We are so proud and excited to offer this opportunity to commemorate Rabbi Mike’s life’s work through the writing of a Sefer Torah. Contributing to this campaign fulfills two important Torah mitzvos: the mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah and the mitzvah of enabling Jews to live in Israel. Please click the link below to donate.

https://charidy.com/kce1

Thank you in advance for your consideration and generosity.

Rabbi Michael Stern was a founding Rabbi and spiritual leader of Aish Philadelphia, PA in 1996 and a significant rabbinic presence in the Yardley, PA community from 2014-2016. Rabbi Stern and his family have also lived in Old City, Jerusalem, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Boca Raton, Florida, becoming p...

08/04/2022

Since last week's parsha from the RWW Email Series included this week's parsha as well (in 2018 Tazria-Metzora was a double parsha), we've decided to send you something different this week: a look back at one of Rabbi Mike's biggest campaigns and class topics, Green Speech.

In this blog post you will find the original article, 10 Habits of Green Speech, written by Rabbi Mike and Aleeza Ben Shalom (published on Aish.com), a video of Rabbi Mike explaining his Green Speech campaign, and finally, a blog post about the concept of Green Speech from a woman named Vivi, who never knew Rabbi Mike but was nevertheless inspired by his words and teachings, even years after his passing.

We always find it so comforting to be reminded that his legacy lives on, in more ways than one, and that he is still doing what he loved: inspiring & teaching others to love Judaism as much as he did. His neshama should have an aliyah each time.

You can read it here: https://www.israelwithoutwalls.org/post/green-speech-revisited-rww-email-series

10 Habits of Green Speech article (Aish.com), Rabbi Stern Green Speech Campaign video, Green Speech article (Vivi's Jewish Adventures)

07/04/2022

Click the link below for last week's blog post from the Rabbi Without Walls Email Series. Featuring Rabbi Mike's dvar Torah for parshas Tazria-Metzora (which was a double parsha in 2018).

RWW Email Series: Davar Torah - Tazria-Metzora (4-20-18) & Shoshie's Yartzeit (4-30-17)

27/03/2022

Introducing the Rabbi Without Walls Email Series!

Being that Israel Without Walls is the next iteration of Rabbi Without Walls, we thought it only natural to use Rabbi Mike's own words. Over the next year, we will be pulling from RWW's email bank to send out weekly Parshiot Hashavua, as well as any of his other classes we feel need to be re-shared with all of you.

It is obvious that Tatti lives on in our hearts and minds, and we hope he does in all of yours as well. Our goal with this email series is to reawaken our love for him, become inspired by him once again, and to give his neshama an aliyah every time his words are read.

Don't miss a parsha: to get these blog posts sent directly to your inbox every week, subscribe to our email list by clicking here: https://www.israelwithoutwalls.org/contact/ -l19loghe

To read our first blog post in the series from this past Shabbas, Parshas Shemini, click here: https://www.israelwithoutwalls.org/post/parshas-shemini-rww-email-series

PARSHAS SHEMINI: How to Move Forward in the Face of Tragedy (RWW Email Series) & The Shoshie Stern Rules: Life Lessons by Rabbi Barnett

04/03/2022

Welcome to Israel Without Walls! We invite you to join us in honoring Rabbi Mike's legacy. Follow us for more information about our organization and the various ways you can support us in the coming weeks!