10 Feb FROM BOCA TO KLAL YISRAEL: STANDING TALL THROUGH VISION, GROWTH, AND COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RABBI EFREM GOLDBERG, THE MORAH DASRA OF THE BOCA RATON SYNAGOGUE

Walking through the Boca Raton Synagogue grounds, one immediately senses that something extraordinary is unfolding. The rapid expansion, the diversity of its minyanim, and the unmistakable energy of its community reflect a vision that extends far beyond Boca itself. Under the leadership of Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, whose weekly column in The Jewish Vues is read by thousands across Brooklyn, the Five Towns, West Hempstead, Staten Island, Queens and beyond, BRS has become a destination and a model for Jewish life in the 21st century.

In this exclusive interview, Rabbi Goldberg speaks candidly about the forces driving Boca’s growth, the migration from New York to Florida, confronting antisemitism with pride and strength, fostering achdus without demanding uniformity, and the evolving role of Rabbanim in an increasingly polarized world. From shidduchim to security, from community building to global Jewish responsibility, Rabbi Goldberg offers a bold and uncompromising vision for Klal Yisrael today.

It’s beautiful to see what’s going on here at Boca Raton Synagogue with all the expansion and building. It’s a testament to all the hard work you do for Boca and for all of Klal Yisrael.

What would you say is the secret behind all the expansion and success going on in Boca? Is it your presence, or is it simply that everyone is running out of New York because of Mamdani?

It’s Siyata D’Shmaya, the Ribono Shel Olam. I think people are migrating from all over. They’re looking for what the free state of Florida offers, and we’re happy to host as a stepping stool, as a stop on the way to Eretz Yisrael, where all Jews belong. We say that Boca is a good place to stop on the way to Eretz Yisrael.

Baruch Hashem, we have shuls and kollelim and yeshivas, girls’ schools and boys’ schools, and all the infrastructure you’d need— mikvah, eruvin, kashrus—we have everything. Plus, throw in the good weather, and it’s not a bad destination on the way to moving to Israel.

What about specifically yourself? There are other shuls, but this shul seems to have worldwide notoriety at this point.

Our shul’s hallmark, what it prides itself on, is diversity and unity. We’re a Klal Yisrael shul, a place that’s comfortable for all people: those who are driving on Shabbos and those who are sitting in shtreimelach. They might be sitting next to each other and becoming friends in the same shul.

On Shabbos morning, we have eight minyanim, ranging from a neitz minyan, Ashkenazi, Sefardi, Nusach Sefard, Nusach Ari, shtiebel, Chabad, to a chaburah minyan that’s a little slower, with a high-level shiur each week afterward. There’s something for everyone.

We’re not trying to make everyone conform or fit into a box. We’re not trying to make everybody dress, observe, look, vote, or think the same way. Each minyan has its own character and cast of characters. Each minyan has its own Kiddush and its own style. We, the rabbanim, make our rounds on Shabbos morning giving drashos, and the drasha is delivered in the style of that minyan.

I think a campus with such diversity within Klal Yisrael, so warm and welcoming, so nonjudgmental, yet so intensely committed to Torah, Torah learning, Torah growth, and to Klal Yisrael, is very attractive. It’s a place where people can find their own way. They can find community within community.

We’re constantly trying to grow larger and smaller at the same time. As more people move in and more people join—we have more than 1,000 families—we’re also trying to grow smaller by creating community within community: different sub-groups, different minyanim, our N’shei, our men’s club, our beis medrash, our midrasha, our youth and teens, our outreach efforts, and our Israel advocacy. All of these are places where people can find their place and find their way, even within the greater whole.

Unfortunately, in many places,people are making Shabbos forthemselves. Everybody wants to be distinct, different, and on demand. Everybody wants it their
own way, in their own sub-group. To be in a place where you can have your flavor, but also be part of something bigger and greater than yourself, to feel connected, to feel part of a community and part of Klal Yisrael—for many, that’s refreshing. They enjoy it. They love it.

On an average day, aside from the countless minyanim, morning, afternoon, and evening, and aside from a beis medrash that’s fully stocked and inviting, where you can sit and learn, aside from our Reb Shayale Café with coffee, slushies, soup, and different foods available, you also have an incredible range of programming. From rebbes and Roshei Yeshiva who give shiurim, to representatives of the UAE and the Abraham Accords, to speakers on Jewish history and antisemitism, it’s a destination for all things Jewish, from cradle to grave.

Florida also offers vouchers in Jewish education, thanks to the hard work of Teach Florida and many others. Families who have a student in a Jewish day school essentially get an $8,000 voucher or tuition deduction. The state of Florida is the biggest donor to Jewish education through that gift.

Florida is also very strong in its anti-hate stance. You have not seen any protests, Free Palestine, Palestinians, Hamas supporters—there have been no protests, bli ayin hara. There have been no college campuses where such behavior has been tolerated. Our governor has deported students on visas who have joined such movements.

Florida also has gun laws structured in such a way that many people are armed and feel able to protect themselves. Baruch Hashem, they haven’t had to use it, but the mere knowledge or presence of it is a great motivator for people not to start up. So Florida has a lot of the things people are looking for, along with the infrastructure of Torah and Jewish community.

Antisemitism in America has been rising… How should the Jewish community navigate this reality?
We have to be cautious and vigilant. We have to invest in security. We have to take care of ourselves, both by hiring professionals and by arranging our own volunteer security. We must be vigilant on our campuses and in our schools, in our shuls, and at home with our families.

But I think the biggest answer to antisemitism, beyond advocacy, laws that will protect us, and police who will protect us, is to stand tall and proud. There are Jewish organizations that have invested millions, tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars, to fight antisemitism, and they have been an utter failure. Antisemitism is at an all- time high because, I believe, they were not investing in the right things.

If that same money were invested in Jewish education, Jewish pride, and Jewish practice, if the Jewish people walked around standing tall, b’komemiyus—then our enemies would be intimidated by us. Our enemies may not love us, but they would fear us and respect us. When we don’t respect ourselves, and we assimilate because we’re afraid, we take off our yarmulkes and Jewish symbols, we hide and cower, this only feeds into the hands of antisemites.

So yes, on the one hand, we must be physically vigilant with security. We must demand from law enforcement and from our elected officials that they make policies and pass legislation that will protect us. But at the same time, we must be proud, practicing Jews, standing tall, observing and practicing unapologetically and non-defensively, and demand that the world respect us as it does other minorities.

I saw you recently traveled to the UAE and met Loay Alshareef, who also visited BRS. The meeting seemed warm, but what was the purpose of engaging with him, and what sets him apart from others who may appear friendly yet oppose us? Should we be rushing to pursue peace with people like him, and will he receive more kavod than a typical guest at your shul? With so much machlokes in our own community, especially around the draft, shouldn’t our priority be fostering shalom within our own ranks first?

I’ll start with the end. I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive. Of course, we work on this every day. As I described, our campus is a place of enormous and incredible diversity, from Satmar and Klausenburg Chassidim who daven here to people who proudly wave an Israeli flag, who can daven in the same minyan, eat in each other’s homes, and be friends.

I think the best way to foster achdus is to practice it, to model it, and to live it, and I don’t believe these goals are mutually exclusive. We can work on achdus within ourselves while also advancing a sense of peace with those outside of us.

The UAE has not just talked the talk; they have walked the walk. The UAE, founded in 1971, established from its very origin a country committed to mutual respect and to making space for people who practice differently. When you go there, you see it, in their laws, on their streets, and in daily life. In fact, they are an outcast in much of the Arab world. For fundamentalist or extremist segments, the UAE, along with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and others, is vilified just as much as the Jewish people and the Jewish state because they have truly lived these values.

Their laws are enforced. Someone once landed wearing a T-shirt that said “Free Palestine” and was put on the next plane home; they were not allowed into the country at all. The UAE condemns Hamas and was the first to do so after October 7th. Flights between Israel and the UAE have continued and are now at record levels. They proudly stood on the White House lawn to sign the Abraham Accords, cooperated economically and in other ways, and additional countries have since joined.

There is no question that this represents a minority. The majority of the Arab world has very different intentions, and we must remain vigilant, cautious, and confrontational when necessary. But
when we encounter minority voices like Loay and others, people like Dr. Ali, senior Emirati leaders, and those who genuinely believe in and practice coexistence, we should celebrate and elevate them. We should amplify their voices, strengthen their impact, and encourage others to join them.

Historically, there were periods when Jews lived alongside Muslim Arab societies with significant cooperation, perhaps even a golden age, depending on how one defines it. Regardless, there were times of real coexistence, and that should be our goal today. We are not trying to make them like us, and they should not try to make us like them. But outside of Israel, why shouldn’t coexistence, cooperation, and mutual respect be possible?

As for hosting Loay: we’re not going to stand when he enters the room—he’s not a Rosh Yeshiva. But we will express appreciation, admiration, and support for his outspokenness, which has come at great personal cost, including risks to his safety and social standing. It is not easy to speak the way he has.

We’ll listen, learn where his views come from, and better understand what he believes. As I mentioned on Shabbos, I invite people to come and judge for themselves: Is he sincere? Is he genuine Or do they find it phony? Let people see how he presents himself, both online and in person.

He was here recently speaking at the IAC conference because there are moderate voices in the Arab world that believe in coexistence and mutual support, and that is our future, if we can make it work.

Politically, I am very right-wing. But embracing friends in a world where the Jewish people and the State of Israel desperately need friends, whether in the evangelical community or the Muslim
community, is essential. They may be a minority, but when we find them, we should celebrate them, elevate them, and encourage others to follow their example.

The Shidduch System and the Loss of the Human Element

The Rav has spoken about how broken the shidduch system has become. With résumés, WhatsApp groups, spreadsheets, and now algorithms and data-driven matching entering the shidduch world, are we losing the human element that once defined shidduchim? How can the community restore trust, normalcy, and dignity to the process while still using modern tools responsibly?

The shidduch system has become increasingly, and overly, complicated, and all this complexity is not bringing greater solutions. It seems that our
challenges are as great as, or greater than, ever. Different segments of the population are still struggling just to be set up in the first place. The inequality between young women and young men within the shidduch system is undeniable, just track the statistics.

I say this across all communities, from Modern Orthodox to Yeshivish to what might be called “not Chassidish.” I can’t speak for the Chassidish world, but broken engagements and divorces at young ages are enormous problems. Shidduchim are challenging enough on their own, kasheh k’krias Yam Suf. When we add layers of complication, we only compound the problem.

I believe we need to return to a time of simplification. One of the ways, one that I strongly advocate for, is encouraging broader community involvement. Our shadchanim are amazing and wonderful, and we should respect and be grateful to them. But we also need to return to a model where average people set others up: friends setting up friends, community members setting up people they know. We shouldn’t make it so hard for people to set you up.

Don’t require forensic research, CIA or Mossad-level investigation before someone feels comfortable suggesting a shidduch. When the process is overly complicated, people become disincentivized from trying at all. We need to make it simple and seamless so that everyone feels empowered and motivated to help.

Take weddings, for example. You go to a chasunah, and between the chuppah and the first dance there’s a lot of downtime. Halevai we could run speed dating sessions during that time! If this
chassan and kallah found each other, chances are some of their friends share common ground as well. Friends of the chassan and friends of the kallah could use that time to meet one another. Everyone is dressed well, putting their best foot forward, and there is already some natural commonality.

Okay, maybe that’s too radical. But how about something simpler? When people are sitting at tables making small talk, reuniting with old camp friends or school friends, why not intentionally create opportunities to think about shidduchim? Imagine having literature or prompts on each table encouraging people to look around and consider who might be right for whom.

We need to empower the amcha again to get involved in shidduchim, rather than relying solely on shadchanim, whether paid professionals or incredible volunteers. Too much of what we call “pants and skirts” is happening: throwing people together without knowing them, representing them, advocating for them, or meaningfully introducing them. We need to return to simplicity.

Aseh Lecha Rav and “Rabbi Shopping”

Chazal emphasize aseh lecha rav— having one primary Rav to guide a person’s halachic and life decisions. Yet today it’s common for people to seek multiple rabbinic opinions until they find a heter that aligns with what they want to hear. Is this ever legitimate, or is it a misuse of the halachic process? How should a sincere ben Torah navigate uncertainty without falling into self-serving “rabbi shopping”?

It’s a complicated question, and the answer can vary depending on who your Rav is. The first step should actually be to ask your Rav what your approach should be regarding asking other Rabbanim.

For example, Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg zt’l wrote a teshuvah to a member of our community in which he held that it is permissible to ask the same question to multiple Rabbanim and then follow the answer one finds most compelling. Most poskim, however, do not agree. They maintain that while one may have different Rabbanim for different areas of halacha, within a specific area one should be consistent with a single Rav. Certainly, once you have asked a question and received an answer, you are bound by it and should not shop it around until you get the answer you want.

This points to a broader issue: our overall approach to halacha. Are we looking for halacha to be convenient and comfortable? Are we trying to make halacha conform to the lifestyle we want to live? Or are we shaping our lives to conform to halacha, to Daas Torah, however one defines that in their own life?

We are living in a time when too many people are trying to make Torah and halacha conform to their lives, rather than making their lives conform to what Torah demands, even when that is uncomfortable or inconvenient. I believe that is the deeper issue.

The Role of Rabbanim in a Polarized World

Today, Rabbanim are expected to be halachic authorities, pastoral counselors, political commentators, and community CEOs, all while avoiding controversy. What is the proper role of a Rav in 2026? Should Rabbanim be speaking more boldly, or less?

I recently had the zechus to give a talk for the 30th yahrzeit of Rabbi Teitz of Elizabeth. In that talk, I highlighted eight qualities that made Rabbi Teitz unusual, a pioneering Rav who was instrumental in building and sustaining Torah in the 20th century, and the lessons Rabbanim today can learn from him.

I find that some Rabbanim today lack necessary skills; others are constrained by concerns about parnassah; and still others lack the courage to speak up and stand out. But Rabbanus is about far more than delivering a drasha or giving a shiur. Rabbanus requires leadership, and leadership requires courage.

We are sheluei d’Rachmana. We represent HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Our role is to advance His will in shaping His world, and that often means not being popular. It means taking stands, fighting for an agunah, leading in support of Israel, combating antisemitism, challenging our communities to grow in halachic observance, Torah learning, middos, and confronting materialism.

Rabbanim must be bold leaders and visionaries not only living in the present, but seeing where the community needs to go and guiding them there. We must challenge people to become leaders themselves.

I spell this out more fully in that talk. I hope that even though I am not perfect and am still working and growing in these areas, others will join me, because the world truly needs it.

I spell this out more fully in that talk. I
hope that even though I am not perfect
and am still working and growing in
these areas, others will join me, because
the world truly needs it.