The Blogs: Discussing outreach with Rabbi Yehoshua Lewis, Executive Director of Mesorah NJ

A few years ago, I had the esteemed privilege of befriending Rabbi Yehoshua Lewis. Rabbi Yehoshua Lewis is the co-founder and Executive Director of Mesorah, NJ, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting Jewish millennials and young professionals (ages 20–30) to their heritage and one another. Based in Highland Park, New Jersey, the organization operates heavily across regions like Jersey City and Hoboken, offering classes, networking events, trips, and Shabbat experiences. Rabbi Lewis was raised in Great Neck, Long Island and graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Mathematics from Queens College. He received his Rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva Ohr Hachaim in Queens and pursued advanced postgraduate Talmudic studies at Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG) in Lakewood, New Jersey.

In 2005, Rabbi Lewis co-founded RJX, a campus organization serving college students at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Realizing that many RJX graduates were moving to North Jersey hubs like Hoboken and Jersey City—which lacked active Jewish engagement networks for young professionals—he and his wife, Rebbetzin Esther Lewis, founded Mesorah NJ in 2015. He also serves as a rabbi for J-Biz: The Career Network for Jews at Rutgers, helping students bridge spiritual life and career advancement.

Under his leadership, Mesorah NJ hosted regular programming—including popular events like “Mesorah Mondays”—often utilizing iconic community venues like rooftop spaces in Jersey City. Beyond education and social gatherings, Rabbi Lewis has mobilized his community for humanitarian efforts, such as organizing volunteer groups and fundraising campaigns to travel and help hurricane victims. In his personal time, he is an avid chess and basketball player. For further updates or event details, you can visit the official Mesorah NJ About Us Page or check out their latest content via the Mesorah NJ Instagram page.

I recently spoke to Rabbi Lewis regarding his unique approach to outreach and Kiruv and what his vision is for Mesorah, NJ, a tremendous organization that makes a great impact on the lives of young Jewish Professionals. Rabbi Lewis conveyed, “I have my father to thank as my inspiration. My father was a product of Kiruv before there was anything called kiruv. He was a public school kid growing up in Long Beach, NY in the 1940’s and there was this guy named Mr. Solomon who started the Bach Shul. He roped him in and had him join this minyan that he started called the Bachurei Chemed. He taught him how to daven, how to read the Torah and years later (after my father had gone off to college and served in the Navy) when his first child was born (my older sister) he decided that the family was going to be Shomer Shabbos and he walked into a Shul and did it (thanks to Mr. Solomon who left a great impact on him). From then on when he joined the Young Israel of Great Neck, my father tried to make his own version of it and his own youth minyan and have every age group participate. I truly feel that it is in my blood to bring people in and to have them as part of the community.”

Rabbi Lewis conveyed that his vision for Mesorah (his Organization) is “to make Torah accessible and to take down the barriers as much as we can. To teach Torah in a way where it is relatable and accessible and not too intimidating. For someone who is not Shomer Shabbos to walk into a religious Shul can be very intimidating. So we go to them and we have a base in Jersey City, a base in Highland Park and we come to them and make it so that the Torah does not only physically come to them but that we can also teach it in a language and in ways that they can understand it and impart it into their life. To give an example, we have a Tefillin Chat group, in which people who may not be comfortable with going to minyan are still able to post pictures and selfies in our Tefillin Club of them wearing Tefillin so that’s their Minyan. In addition, we do Shabbatons and introduce them to the community.”

The last question I asked Rabbi Lewis was regarding what advice he would give to our generation of young professionals who may be inundated with negative news and the rise of antisemitism. Rabbi Lewis replied that “they should cut through the noise, shut it down and not be on social media all the time. They should reflect and ask ‘what am I about’ and then they will get the answers. You should hook up with a mentor and Rabbi that you like, that you connect with and go with it.” I thanked Rabbi Lewis for all of the great work and outreach that he and his Organization does on a daily basis and for creating a positive impact and changing the lives of young professionals on a daily basis.