Can Outreach Compete with Social Media? Rabbi Steven Burg

Can social media inspire Torah growth? Can AI expand access to Jewish learning? And what happens when young Jews are influenced more by online personalities than by communal institutions?In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and Rabbi Philip Moskowitz are joined by Rabbi Steven Burg, CEO of Aish, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of Jewish outreach and engagement.They discuss the growing influence of digital platforms, the opportunities and risks of AI in Torah education, and the challenge of reaching Jews who are shaped more by TikTok and YouTube than by traditional institutions. Rabbi Burg reflects on the responsibility of leadership in a time when Jewish students are encountering antisemitism on campus, absorbing extreme online voices, and questioning inherited identity.The conversation also explores:The difference between institutional outreach and relationship-driven engagementThe rise of online influencers shaping young Jewish thinkingWhy unity among Jewish organizations is more urgent than everThe role of Aish in strengthening identity and prideHow outreach must evolve without compromising authenticityThis season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestein & Darryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton & Malvina Charlestein, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.A serious and forward-looking discussion about how to reach farther by thinking deeper.