What It Takes Podcast Ep 11: Faith & Building a Torah Community from Scratch ft Yoni Rodansky

A Story of Faith & Building a Torah Community from Scratch with Yoni RodanskyWhat it takes to build a Torah community from the ground up? In this episode, we sit down with Yoni Rodansky, a Five Towns native who, along with a wave of other young families, is building a vibrant Jewish community in Louisville, Kentucky.He shares the incredible story of how they went from no daily minyan to a booming community, pulled off a $700,000 fundraising campaign, and used a clever viral marketing stunt that brought in 23 serious family inquiries in just four weeks.This is a raw look at the miracles, the hustle, and the real-life appeal of being a builder in a place where your presence truly matters.💡 In This Episode, We Discuss:◼️ How a kid from the Five Towns ended up as a community builder in Louisville, Kentucky◼️ The powerful lesson that “the yetzer hara can’t stop you, he can only make you want to give up”◼️ The clever recruitment event (with free sushi and babysitting) that first got his wife on board◼️ Why Louisville’s established infrastructure like its Eruv and affordable housing makes it a hidden gem◼️ The wild miracles of launching with no money and still making payroll every single month◼️ How they raised $700,000 for a community outside the major Jewish hubs and what resonated with donors◼️ The $10,000 raffle marketing stunt that went viral and brought in 23 family leads in just one month◼️ What kind of family thrives in Louisville (hint: it’s for builders, not just consumers)◼️ The real talk on making a living, with plenty of job opportunities and a low cost of living◼️ The incredible growth they’re seeing, with six families already scheduled to come for Shabbos⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Welcome to the Jewish Frontier in Louisville, Kentucky1:04 How a Five Towns Kid Ended Up in Kentucky2:04 The Pioneering Rabbis Who Planted the First Seeds3:18 How Tampa Built a Community Overnight4:07 The One Truth About Overcoming Any Challenge5:08 The Clever Trick That Got Wives On Board8:23 Why Louisville is the Secret Gem for Jewish Life12:02 We Launched With No Money and Witnessed Miracles17:29 How We Raised $700,000 on a Leap of Faith21:14 Our Viral Marketing Stunt That Brought 23 Families28:31 Is Louisville Your Next Home? Here's How to Know🔗 Connect with Yoni RodanskyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoni-rudansky-15a029339/🔗 Connect with Tuli KrausX (Twitter): https://x.com/TuliKraus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbird.recruiting/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuli-kraus/