I Just Couldn't Walk Away: Yehuda Lapian

What do the labels dividing Israeli society actually mean? In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and Rabbi Philip Moskowitz sit down with Yehuda Lapian for a thoughtful conversation about identity, community, and the complexity of religious life in Israel. Growing up surrounded by multiple Jewish cultures, from secular Chilonim to Dati and Charedi communities, Lapian experienced firsthand how fluid those categories can be. He reflects on a time when he tried to distance himself from Judaism entirely, only to discover that moments of tradition, like hearing Lecha Dodi on a Friday night, still carried unexpected emotional weight. The conversation also explores Lapian’s work with Peace of Mind, the organization that brings IDF combat veterans to Jewish communities abroad. Those encounters often challenge assumptions on both sides, revealing how Israelis and American Jews see one another... and how those perspectives are changing. This 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. This conversation explores: • What labels like Chiloni, Dati, and Charedi actually mean in Israeli life • Growing up between religious and secular Jewish worlds • Attempting to walk away from Judaism — and discovering identity runs deeper • The emotional power of traditions like Lecha Dodi • Why Israel’s internal divisions are often misunderstood from the outside • The work of Peace of Mind supporting IDF combat veterans • How encounters between Israeli soldiers and American Jewish communities reshape perspectives This is a conversation about identity, complexity, and what it really means to belong in a society that resists simple labels.