The video above is from the AP archive and is about permission being denied for Rabbi Kahane’s memorial service in Israel. You may notice a very familiar face in various parts of this video including the thumbnail still, and that is the face of our own Rabbi Nachum Shifren.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses a bit about the meaning of the upcoming Pesach holiday, the Torah portion Tzav, and a discussion about JDL & vetting.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses a bit about the Torah portion Vayikra, with a few references to the previous combined portion Vayakhel-pekudei, and a discussion about self-preservation.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses a bit about the Torah portion and a bit of a the current state of things and how Jews should respond.

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Quiet. Passive. Apologetic.

Those Jews rarely shape the future.

The ones who do are different. They speak clearly. They stand firmly. And when necessary, they fight.

is one of those figures.

For decades, Shifren has represented a model of Jewish strength that refuses the modern culture of Jewish passivity—Torah rooted, physically disciplined, and unapologetically outspoken. Long before the recent resurgence of Jewish self-defense activism, he was already living a life that fused faith, courage, and identity.

Like many who carry that spirit, his story connects directly to the legacy of Rabbi Meir Kahane.

A Student of Kahane

To understand Shifren’s path, you have to understand the movement that shaped him.

In 1968, Rabbi Kahane founded the Jewish Defense League in New York with a message that cut through decades of hesitation: Jewish blood was not cheap, and Jews had the right to defend themselves.

For the first time in the post-Holocaust diaspora, Jews were organizing not only to protest antisemitism, but to confront it.

Shifren was among those deeply influenced by Kahane’s leadership. During the early years surrounding the movement, he developed a close personal relationship with Kahane and even served as his driver.

For many who encountered Kahane directly, the experience left a permanent mark.

The message was simple: Jewish survival requires courage, clarity, and self-respect.

From Malibu to Israel

Shifren’s early life looked nothing like the typical path of a rabbi.

Born in California in 1951, he grew up in the San Fernando Valley and spent his youth surfing and working as a Malibu lifeguard. The ocean became a defining part of his life.

Years later, that background would earn him the nickname “The Surfing Rabbi.”

But the events of the early 1970s pushed many Jews toward deeper reflection about identity and survival.

Like others of his generation, Shifren felt that pull strongly.

He traveled to Israel, volunteered on a kibbutz, and eventually made aliyah.

There he served in the Israel Defense Forces as a combat fitness instructor, helping train soldiers and paratroopers in physical conditioning.

The surfer from California was now helping train Jewish soldiers in the reborn Jewish state.

Torah and Strength

While in Israel, Shifren immersed himself in Torah study and eventually received rabbinical ordination in 1990.

But his approach to Judaism remained distinct.

He rejected the idea that Jewish life should exist only inside the walls of study halls and synagogues.

Instead, he emphasized something deeply rooted in Jewish tradition: strength of body alongside strength of spirit.

Shifren later wrote Surfing Rabbi: A Kabbalistic Quest for Soul and founded Jewish Surfers International, blending physical experience with Jewish spiritual reflection.

To him, confronting the raw power of the ocean was another way of confronting the power of creation itself. Keep in mind that this man is still actively surfing at 75 years of age. To him, it's not just a pastime or sport from youth, it's a connection to the Creator.

Judaism, in this view, was meant to be lived boldly—not hidden.

A Voice That Refused Silence

Over the years, Shifren became known for outspoken speeches and activism in the United States and abroad.

He spoke at rallies and public gatherings addressing issues of antisemitism, Western civilization, and religious identity.

One widely reported appearance came when he traveled to England to speak at events connected with the English Defence League, expressing solidarity with activists opposing Islamist extremism.

Whether speaking in America, Europe, or Israel, Shifren has built a reputation for saying what many others hesitated to say publicly.

Agreement is never the point.

Clarity is.

In addition to his public speeches and activism, Rabbi Nachum Shifren has become a prominent voice in the digital space.

He regularly appears alongside Naamah Devine on the JDL USA Livestream podcast The Shofar, where he shares insights on Jewish identity, history, and contemporary challenges facing the Jewish people.

He also hosts his own series on the JDL USA YouTube channel, “Darka Shel Torah HaYom HaZeh”, where he examines the weekly Torah portion in light of current events, demonstrating how timeless lessons from the Torah inform Jewish pride, resilience, and strength today.

Through these broadcasts, Shifren continues to educate, inspire, and reinforce the message that Torah and action are inseparable in the defense and affirmation of the Jewish people.

A Pattern Seen Before

If the story sounds familiar, it should.

Jewish history repeatedly produces figures who refuse silence in moments of pressure—Jews who understand that survival requires not only faith, but strength.

That pattern connects Rabbi Nachum Shifren to the tradition represented by Rabbi Meir Kahane.

And it is the same pattern emerging again today in newer voices—people like Naamah Devine—who insist that Jews must reclaim a culture of self-defense, clarity, and unapologetic identity.

Different generation.

Same fire.

The fire that burns away illusion and falsehood. The fire that demands clarity instead of compromise. The fire that comes from the Torah itself.

It is the fire that carried the Jewish people through exile, persecution, and survival against impossible odds.

And it is that fire—still burning—that continues to produce voices who refuse to bow, whisper, or disappear.

The Standard

Movements are not built by comfortable people.

They are built by those willing to stand apart when others remain silent.

From the early days of the Jewish Defense League to the new generation rediscovering Jewish self-defense, one truth remains constant:

A Jew who knows who he is—and refuses to apologize for it—is a force history cannot easily erase.

Rabbi Nachum Shifren has spent a lifetime living that truth. Maybe four lifetimes?

Support the Work

The work of defending Jewish identity, strength, and survival does not continue on its own.

It requires people who are willing to stand up—and a community willing to stand behind them.

If you believe in restoring the tradition of Jewish self-defense and unapologetic Jewish identity, consider supporting the ongoing work of the Jewish Defense League.

Share this article. Spread the message. Support the mission.

Because movements are not sustained by silence.

They are sustained by those willing to act.

____

Visit the rabbi’s website: surfandsoul.org

Get the Literature: books.theJDL.us

Join the movement. Support the mission.: theJDL.us

DONATE NOW: donate.theJDL.us

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the reason why there is no Torah portion made after Moshe our teacher but yet this week's parsga is named after a convert who previously practiced all forms of idolatry, and more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the terrorist attack at Chabad 770, The parting of the Red Sea, and much more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses Jewish Identity, references some discussions with other Rabbis with different views, war and much more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the story of the life of Joseph, how it relates to modern life and much more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the Bondi Beach Intifada and what to do when these things happen, some lessons learned with the Kahane family in Israel, the forgiveness of Joseph, and more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses why some rabbis fear discussing certain parts of Torah, self respect, war and more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the concept of self respect, the methods of dealing with enemies and more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the purpose of the flood, who holds jurisdiction over distributing land among the peoples (hint: it's not Donald Trump), Avraham's naming and the purpose for the world itself.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren is with us in Chicago and discusses the reason for the creation of Earth and mankind and more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the meaning of Sukkot, the Gaza "peace" "deal" and more.

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HA'AZINU

In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the ancient text and what it means for us today. He also discusses the meaning of Yom Kippur and more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discusses the current state of things and the relation to the ancient narrative. He also discusses the projection of Jewish strength versus the projection of Jewish weakness and more.

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In this week's Dvar Torah, Rav Shifren discuses war, identity, the future of the Jewish youth, and much more.

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In this week's dvar Torah, Rabbi Shifren discusses some explanations by Rashi and correlates some modern happenings with the message of the parsha.

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