Kabbalah Connection: Mysticism and Unity in Prayer

Guest: Rabbi Jeremy Tibbetts, JLIC Director in Jerusalem and Director of Student Leadership for Yavneh

• Main Discussion Topics:

• Building intentional Jewish community in Jerusalem for English-speaking young adults

• Response to October 7th - Community shifted from internal focus to extensive outward aid efforts, including:

• Processing ~70,000 shekels in donations

• Packing 2,000+ meals

• Running a 2-month camp for 100 displaced children




Featured Torah Teaching:

• Before prayer, one must accept the mitzvah to "love your neighbor as yourself"

• Prayer becomes more powerful when combined with genuine care and connection to community

• Importance of bringing others' struggles and pain into one's prayers

• Discussion of mystical understanding of prayer as affecting both internal spiritual state and external world

Guest's Background:

• Came to Orthodox Judaism from non-Orthodox background

• Studied Chassidut for several years before diving deeper into Kabbalah

• Currently pursuing Master's in Jewish Thought at Hebrew University

• Teaches mystical texts while emphasizing their connection to practical religious life and community building