Why This Rabbi became Vegan with Rabbi Akiva Gersh

In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down with Rabbi Akiva Gersh, known to many as The Vegan Rabbi, for a real conversation about veganism, health, and living with values.Akiva’s story is incredible. He grew up in the U.S. eating a typical American diet, felt disconnected from Yiddishkeit, and then had a major wake up call in college through environmental activism. He became vegetarian, then fully vegan at 19, and that journey unexpectedly became the doorway that led him back to Torah.We talk about what veganism actually means, why it is still so uncommon in the Orthodox world, what a normal day of eating looks like, and how to think about Shabbos, Yom Tov, and tradition in a modern food system that looks nothing like our grandparents’ world.This is not a preachy episode. It’s honest, practical, and thought-provoking.Topics we cover:• How Akiva became vegan at 19• Why veganism was the beginning of his journey back to Judaism• Common misconceptions in the frum world about meat on Shabbos and Yom Tov• Blue Zones and why plant-based eating is linked to longevity• What vegans do about B12, iron, and omega-3• The difference between vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian• How Akiva approaches tefillin and leather from a Torah perspective• What a vegan Shabbos meal can actually look like• Simple ways to start, including “vegan Mondays” and practical meal planningAbout Rabbi Akiva Gersh:Rabbi Akiva Gersh has been educating students for over 25 years and speaks about conscious living, compassion, and plant-based health through a Torah lens. He lives in Israel with his wife Tamar and their four children.Learn more about Rabbi Akiva Gersh:Website: https://www.akivagersh.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veganrabbiJoin the Frum Health Club WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4?mode=gi_t