JERUSALEM โ Israeli President Isaac Herzog met Wednesday afternoon with Rabbi Steven Burg, Chief Executive Officer of AISH, along with senior leadership of the global Jewish educational organization, at the Presidentโs Residence in Jerusalem. The meeting focused on the unprecedented wave of Jewish engagement that followed the October 7 attack and the challenge of sustaining and deepening that engagement in the months and years ahead.
According to statements released by AISH, the discussion centered on a phenomenon observed across Jewish communities worldwide in the immediate aftermath of October 7. Synagogues experienced increased attendance. Jewish education programs reported record enrollment. Many Jews who had previously remained distant from organized Jewish life began actively seeking connection, learning, and community.
Participants at the meeting acknowledged that while the initial surge was powerful, maintaining momentum has grown more complex as time has passed. Leaders emphasized that sustaining engagement requires new approaches that reflect how Jews, particularly younger generations, interact with identity, information, and community.
President Herzog praised AISH for its role in responding to this moment. In a statement following the meeting, he said, โI was pleased to welcome the CEO of Aish, Rabbi Steven Burg, the Executive Vice President, Rabbi Meyer May, and the organizationโs senior leadership to the Presidentโs Residence in Jerusalem. I congratulate Aish on their impressive and impactful work in the field of Jewish education in Israel and around the world. Since October 7, Aishโs broad ranging efforts to engage Jews with authentic educational experiences and meaningful online Jewish content have become more important than ever.โ
Herzog added that AISHโs work reflects the need to combine tradition with innovation to meet contemporary challenges. โMay Aish continue to go from strength to strength,โ he said.
Rabbi Burg described the post October 7 period as both traumatic and transformative. โOctober 7 shattered our sense of security, but it also awakened something profound in the Jewish soul,โ he told the President. โJews who had never felt connected to their heritage searched for meaning. Students on college campuses who once stayed silent became defenders of both Judaism and the State of Israel.โ
He noted that many families began observing Shabbat and expressing their Jewish identity publicly. โAt AISH, we have built our entire mission around this movement, creating pathways for every Jew to discover the depth, wisdom, and beauty of our tradition,โ Burg said.
During the meeting, AISH leaders presented President Herzog with an overview of the organizationโs strategy to address this moment. Central to that plan is the expansion of technological and educational infrastructure designed to deliver Jewish learning at scale while maintaining depth and authenticity.
AISH outlined its development of AI driven educational tools that provide personalized Jewish learning experiences. According to the organization, these platforms allow users to ask questions about Jewish law, history, philosophy, and identity in real time, adapting responses to individual knowledge levels and learning styles. AISH said the goal is to replicate the responsiveness of traditional one on one learning using modern technology.
The leadership also highlighted AISHโs social media strategy, which focuses on delivering Jewish educational content directly into digital spaces where many Jews now encounter antisemitism and misinformation about Israel. Rabbi Burg explained that the organization recognized the need to meet Jews where they already are. โWaiting for Jews to seek out educational institutions may no longer be sufficient,โ he said, noting the central role screens play in shaping identity today.
Another major focus of the discussion was the situation facing Jewish students on university campuses. Since October 7, Jewish students have reported a sharp rise in antisemitism, both online and in person. AISH shared participation data from campus related programs and discussed the resources needed to support students navigating increasingly hostile environments.
Rabbi Burg referred to those newly engaged after the attacks as the โOctober 8 Jew,โ describing both the opportunity and responsibility this moment presents. โThe wave is there,โ he told the President. โWe need to bring our efforts together across the Jewish world to sustain the newfound sense of Judaism and Zionism and strengthen it.โ
Both sides engaged in a candid discussion about outreach methods, acknowledging that while some strategies have succeeded, others require adaptation. Participants agreed that reaching newly engaged Jews requires innovation without compromising the integrity of Jewish teaching.
AISH, founded more than 50 years ago in Jerusalemโs Old City, operates educational programs worldwide. The organization combines traditional Jewish learning with contemporary teaching methods and technology, focusing on its core values of Wisdom, Love, and Responsibility.
As the meeting concluded, both President Herzog and AISH leadership emphasized that sustaining Jewish engagement after October 7 is not a temporary project, but a long term effort critical to the future of Jewish life and connection to Israel.
