Tattoo Rabbi Opens English-Speaking Chabad on Israel’s Coast

A former Buddhist-seeking, tattooed college student from a tiny Pennsylvania town now teaches Chasidic philosophy steps from the Mediterranean, guiding a fast-growing English-speaking community in Hadera, Israel.

Raised in a tiny town outside Pittsburgh — “6,000 people, and we were the only Jewish family,” he recalls — Rabbi Braslawsce grew up largely disconnected from Judaism. By high school, he was exploring meditation and Buddhism, searching for meaning he hadn’t found at home.

Everything shifted in college, when a Chabad rabbi began engaging him in deep conversations about Judaism and philosophy. Studying the weekly parsha exposed him to Chassidic thought for the first time, revealing the structure and spiritual depth he had been searching for elsewhere. He later studied in yeshiva and fully embraced Jewish life.

Myriam’s journey was no less remarkable. Originally from a semi-Bantu tribe with Jewish roots in Cameroon, she left Africa at sixteen, completed her conversion in France, and later moved to Israel. Even before they married, she had been teaching once a week in Hadera and felt a strong pull to the city. He wanted Brooklyn; she wanted Hadera. “We compromised,” Rabbi Braslawsce said. “Now we’re in Hadera — on shlichus.”

Together, their backgrounds uniquely position them to connect with the city’s growing English-speaking population — many new families drawn by good schools, affordability, and a calmer lifestyle than other Israeli cities. 

Rabbi Dovid and Myriam Braslawsce moved to Hadera in March 2025 and began their activities under the guidance of Rabbi Yosef Butman of Chabad of Hadera. While the city’s Jewish population is a blend of Sephardic, Russian, Ethiopian, and French families, the Anglos have become an increasingly visible layer — many settling in Givat Olga, the seaside neighborhood the Braslawsces now call home.

Longtime residents say the change is noticeable. Leo Loeffler, who moved to Hadera four years ago, says the community has grown rapidly. “When I first got here, I barely knew any other English speakers,” he said. “Now we have a whole WhatsApp group. It’s really nice to finally have an English-speaking Chabad presence here.”

For Loeffler, it’s about more than language. “The comfort of hearing English and having people who understand where you’re coming from makes a huge difference,” he said. “And having someone who’s looking out for you if you ever need anything — that’s always meaningful.”

Another local, Amram Benchetrit, made aliyah from Los Angeles in 2019, moving to Hadera in 2024. Originally from France and fluent in French, Benchetrit initially connected with the local French Chabad, but says it wasn’t ideal for his English-speaking son. “There was no real English-speaking Jewish framework,” he explained. Through a mutual friend, he was introduced to Rabbi Braslawsce several months ago, and the two began studying weekly at a local French café.

What began as an informal study-session soon became something much deeper — especially for his son. “Rabbi Braslawsce has a way of connecting with young people,” Benchetrit said. “He speaks to my son at his level. Now he’s thirsty for Torah study, thirsty for Judaism.”

To meet the community’s growing needs, the Braslawsces have launched a range of programs, including weekly Torah classes at a local café, a nighttime shiur in their apartment, and a women’s Rosh Chodesh gathering Myriam leads. They host monthly farbrengens, run children’s programs, organize meal trains, and hold holiday and Shabbat services. A daycare is now in the works as well — a response to young families seeking more local early-childhood options.

“People here want to learn, they want to have that sense of community,” Rabbi Braslawsce said. “There’s a real hunger for deeper Torah study and connection, especially in English.”

Once searching for meaning on very different paths, the Braslawsces have come full circle — now guiding others toward the depth and belonging they themselves found.