Whiskey, Wisdom, and World Cuisine: South Beach Chabad Reinvents the Torah Class

Once a month in Miami’s South Beach, a long table fills with Jews of all backgrounds in animated conversation. Between sips of single-malt and bites of pistachio-crusted rack of lamb they’ll hash out questions on modern halachic conundrums and Kabbalistic insights. Whiskey and Wisdom, as this monthly meeting has been dubbed, is reshaping what a Chabad Torah class can be.

The brainchild of Rabbi Leibel Khazanovitch who doubles as Chabad in South Beach’s program director and resident chef and bartender, what began as a small experiment — pairing fine whiskey with elevated kosher dishes — quickly became one of the local community’s most anticipated events. Each session features a different dish from around the world that is sometimes not available for kosher consumers anywhere else. And this one is not only kosher, it’s prepared by your local rabbi.

“This is not your average Chabad House with a cholent made up of mostly potatoes,” joked Yaron Benchlouch, who’s been a Chabad attendee for two years.

“We definitely have the best food out of any synagogue I’ve ever been to,” added Josh Zinkovsky. From the weekly Shabbat kiddush to holiday events — whenever there’s a chance to serve food in South Beach, Chabad does it right. But Whiskey and Wisdom is the highlight.

“Some come for the wisdom, some for the whiskey — but everyone comes for the food,” Benchlouch said. “One month it’s Thai, another it’s ‘Ribeyes and Rabbis,’ another time it’s homemade ramen. Every time it’s a totally different gastronomical experience.”

And the wisdom part? “We try to bridge relevance and content,” he explained. The last one I went to was AI-themed. The classes show that the Torah isn’t a history book; it’s a guidebook for the here and now.”

The class is usually led by Rabbi Shragi Mann, director of Chabad in South Beach — though guest speakers are often invited. The goal: connecting ancient texts with modern topics. “We actually read the sources and bring it all together. It’s a serious study session,” said Zinkovsky. One class particularly stood out to him. “A scribe came in and spoke about writing Torah scrolls, mezuzahs, and tefillin — we got to see the process up close and meet the person behind it.”

Zinkovsky tries never to miss a Whiskey and Wisdom evening. “We learn something genuinely interesting every time — AI and Torah, ethical questions, sometimes a deep dive into Talmud or other texts — and it’s accompanied by a multi-course meal: appetizers, soup, mains, dessert,” he says. “Every menu is different. There’s basically no kosher restaurants in South Beach, so this definitely fills that gap — and we get the full experience, elegant plating and all.” His favorite dish is the sea bass — in his Miami lingo: “it’s fuego” — followed by the short ribs in a soy-miso reduction, and the Thai menu — the list goes on. 

“Of course, the whiskey is always top shelf and the food is incredible,” said Ofek Haim Suchard, who’s been living in South Beach for a year and a half. “But for me, the most enticing part is the chance to sit together and tackle meaningful, thought-provoking ideas.”