Yisroel tell Chavie about his childhood in Des Plaines, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, where he was raised by parents who were still in the process of becoming more observant. Yisroel opens up about having a stutter as a child, the first time he has ever shared this publicly. He reflects on how it shaped the way he learned to speak, pause, and communicate with intention. He talks about being perceived as a mainstream Chabad yeshiva boy while internally struggling with not fitting in, and how he eventually made the radical decision to leave the regular yeshiva track and spend a year in Tiferes, a yeshiva built for beginners in Morristown, NJ. He shares how that choice changed his relationship with Judaism, Hassidic teachings, and eventually his work as a rabbi. Chavie and Yisroel then trace his unexpected path to Montreal, where he established Chabad of NDG and began working with young Jewish professionals and became known as the “Love Rabbi,” leading to matchmaking and the documentary Kosher Love. Chavie asks what led him to write The Forgiveness Experiment, and Yisroel shares the Yom Kippur Facebook post that opened his eyes to how much resentment people quietly carry, especially toward those in leadership positions. They deep dive into what it’s like to feel wronged by G-d, and what it means to move from waiting to be rescued toward becoming a co-creator in your own life.

Rabbi Yisroel Bernath is the senior rabbi of Rohr Chabad NDG in Montreal and the voice behind a growing global audience online, where he shares heart-open reflections on relationships, healing, and purpose. Known for his honest and relatable style, he brings together Jewish wisdom, Kabbalah, and real-life experience to help people navigate love, pain, and personal growth. He is the author of The Forgiveness Experiment, a #1 Amazon bestseller that explores what life could look like if we truly let go. Through his writing, podcasts, and social media, Rabbi Bernath invites people into deeper, more meaningful conversations with themselves and with each other.

This Week's Prompt
Tell me about your fitness journey! Do you have a routine? How has your relationship with fitness evolved?

This NEW segment at the end of every episode features voice notes from listeners with their personal stories and hot takes on the given prompt.

Referenced On the Pod

Stay in touch with Yisroel!

www.theloverabbi.com

rabbi@jewishndg.com

@montrealrabbi on Instagram

@myrabbi Facebook

www.forgivenessbook.org

The Forgiveness Experiment - Paperback

The Forgiveness Experiment - Kindle

The Forgiveness Experiment Audiobook

Stay in touch with Chavie!
@chaviebruk on Instagram
www.totallyunexpected.blog
Totally Unexpected! on Youtube

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at chaviebruk@gmail.com.