Ben Shefter

Apply for a Blog

Mar 25, 2021, 8:01 AM

The Partners of Bnei Brak

It happened that while Rabbis Eliezer, Joshua, Elazar ben Azaryah, Akiva and Tarfon were reclining at the seder table in Bnei Brak; Shifra, Rabbi Eliezer’s partner, was sleeping on the couch, exhausted from preparing for all the guests in her...

May 22, 2019, 10:12 PM

Kaddish Part 1: What are we praying for?

For the last 4 months I have been reciting the mourners kaddish for my mom. This process has had its ups and downs, many of which revolve around the structure of Kaddish and the place that it holds in...

Nov 23, 2016, 1:59 AM

An Open letter to President Elect Trump

An open letter to President-Elect Donald Trump, Congratulations on your victory. As you transition from the campaign trail to being the president, I feel compelled to share some thoughts with you from the perspective of a parent, teacher, clergy person,...

Aug 14, 2016, 9:43 PM

What are we crying about?

King Solomon in Ecclesiastes famously said “ a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Chapter 3:4). Today, Tisha Bav, is the Jewish communal time for weeping. We cry...

May 6, 2015, 10:33 AM

An empty baseball stadium and social inequality: Reflections and lessons on Baltimore

The lesson of social inequality is to raise our voices and stand with those that are marginalized

Sep 29, 2014, 10:19 PM

The Power of Vulnerability During the High Holidays

Contemporary society presents many challenges vis-a-vis connecting to the high holidays. With all the death and terror we struggle with the idea of the Benevolent God from whom we ask for forgiveness, and with a tradition that pushes us...

Load more

About Me

Rabbi Ben Shefter is a graduate of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical school in Riverdale, New York and the Senior Jewish Educator at McMaster and Guelph Universities as part of Hillel Ontario. He grew up in Balitmore, Maryland, and attended the University of Maryland, where he received a BS in Material Science and Engineering while engaging in pluralistic programming through the organization Heart to Heart. Ben strives to make Judaism relevant and fun by finding activities or topics that people are interested in and showing the Jewish content within. He is a Seymour Siegel Scholar and the Educational Director for Heart to Heart.