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About Me

Rabbi Chaim Coffman
Rabbi Coffman has helped people from all across the spectrum to prepare themselves properly for Orthodox Conversion to Judaism. His students admire his vast knowledge and appreciate his warm, personal attention and endearing sense of humor.
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Followers

Welcome to Rabbi Chaim Coffman's Blog!

I would like to thank you for visiting my blog, Beyond Orthodox Conversion to Judaism.

The conversion process can be a lengthy and daunting one to say the least and I want you to know that I am here to help you through it.

I have been teaching newcomers to Judaism for over a decade and over the last few years I have seen that conversion candidates really lack the support and knowledge they need to navigate the conversion process and successfully integrate into the Orthodox Jewish community.

I created my mentorship program in order to help make this whole experience as smooth and as painless as possible! (Can't do much about the growing pains, though ;)

Feel free to get to know me a little through the posts on my blog and visit the mentorship and syllabus page if you are interested in possible joining us.

I sincerely wish you all the best in your search for truth and spiritual growth.

Looking forward to meeting you,
Chaim Coffman

My Rebbe, Rav Moshe Sternbuch

In case you were wondering why I have all of these articles written by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, he is my Rebbe, and one of the gedolei hador (greatest Rabbis of our generation).

Rav Sternbuch fully endorses me and supports my mentorship program.

He is the address for all of my halachic or hashkafic (practical and philosophical) questions that I or my students may have.

The articles are based on his weekly talks on the Torah portion that the Rav gives in Jerusalem in his kollel. As a member of the kollel I get first dibbs on the photocopies and I type them up for my blog so you can all benefit from the Rav's erudition and insight.

Testimonials

BS"D
It was truly a blessing for me to find Rabbi Coffman and start learning with him. He is very thorough and informative and covers all matters of Jewish orthodox life in detail, from the simple to the complex ones.

Rabbi Coffman's classes never failed to inspire me and make me laugh.

He and his wife are very sincere and helpful people, and in my experience whenever there was any question or any situation i needed their advice or involvement - I just had to dial their number.

I wish them all the success and blessing in the world!

Rachel U., NY


I am so happy that Rabbi Coffman has given me the chance to join his class over a conference call.  

I was so astonished to have had the opportunity to meet others like me around the world who shared the same feelings I had about my faith.  

It is always nice to meet others who are going through the same thing it makes you feel less lonely, but learning about Judaism, how can you feel lonely when you  are constantly making blessings and have an immediate interaction with G-d from the moment you wake up.  

I feel so lucky to have had met Rabbi Coffman. 

He is so informative and at time I feel like, wow how blessed am I to have met someone who would give his time and would wake up at the crack of dawn to teach me Torah and the Jewish way of life.  

I couldn't think of any reason why I wouldn't recommend this class to anyone who was at a point in their lives where they felt like converting to Judaism.   

Rabbi Coffman is such an amazing person and I can't thank him enough for finding the strength in him to teach us each morning at like 5am or 12 pm. 

Thank so much Rabbi Coffman!  I have been attending your class for almost 1 yr and still feel the need and the urge to learn more.  Whenever I have to miss a class for some reason, I am amazed at how much I miss Rabbi Coffman's voice and how much I  need to learn more Torah.

Belle, NY


Rabbi Coffman is a unique breed among Orthodox Rabbis. He has always been there for me throughout my spiritual journey.
I recommended him to many of my friends and he has always come through.
His approach to teaching Judaism helps his students better understand the importance of being well educated in any major spiritual decision.
His approachable personality is the key to his success which I find very rare in my encounters with other Orthodox Rabbis.  
I highly respect and admire Rabbi Coffman and feel honored in being considered a friend.
     
Luis Carmona-Tampa. Fl.

We attended classes with Rabbi Coffman for over 2 years. It was a tremendous time
of growth. Rabbi Coffman was always available to answer questions (no matter how
silly or insignificant they seem to us). If he did not know the answer, he was quick to
study the situation and provide us a answer (sometimes even going to his Rebbe, HaRav
Sternbuch).

He has been with us through the complete process of conversion, starting with our
children and finally with us. He continues to be a faithful friend and mentor throughout
the process and I would highly recommend him to anyone desiring conversion. Baruch
Hashem, he even attended our children’s chassanahs (weddings) in Jerusalem!

Yosef Dovid and Ruchamah Leah


B'H
When we decided to convert our first step was to look for a mentor, so after looking for months we were told about Rabbi Chaim Coffman.   It was very exciting to know that if one is truly sincere about converting that Hashem will send you a mentor......Rabbi Coffman was sent to us. 
It has been 20 months with him and no regrets. The classes are absolutely wonderful, when he teaches you can hear the passion he has for Torah. He is a Tzadik!
What I like about his classes is that he is compassionate, caring and hallarious........my Bas Mitzvah age daughter (12) sits in class and also learns. In her school TDS, everyone knows that Rabbi Coffman is the coolest Rabbi in the world. 
We have learned so much with his teachings that people in the community are impressed with our knowledge, 
B'H, we still continue to learn with him.
Hatzlacha
The Allens



BH

This is my first experience with a Mentor and I must say that it has been a wonderful one.

I particularly admire Rabbi Coffman’s passion for teaching and learning and how he can make any topic very interesting – and even fun to learn!

What I particularly find amazing about Rabbi Coffman is his skill to make me think. I have had the chance to chat with him about a couple of topics and I don’t know how he does it, but somehow he always make think and reflect on what I’m doing.

I would never think twice about recommending my Rabbi to anyone considering conversion.
Not only will they enjoy his classes but also they will have a caring, helpful, wise and, above all, a kind friend who will happily share his knowledge and time with them.

Rabbi: I will never thank G-d enough for having sent you to me and I will always be thankful to you for your patience, sense of humor and for giving me a chance to learn from you.

Aracelly Hernandez Urbina
From Mexico

Probably the thing most converts to Judaism have in common is we come from pagan backgrounds. And so it is only natural that converts like my wife and I have insecurities and apprehensions from leaving a lifestyle and realm based upon false teachings and anti-Torah lies that we once thought were true… for a realm and lifestyle of real truth, of which we knew little. Determined to convert to Judaism our main concern was finding a serious Rabbi, based in Israel, who could not only steer us in the right direction but also connect with us on a personal level while helping us understand the intricacies of Judaism and the Torah.
 
Our fears were quickly laid to rest when we met and experienced and continue to experience Rabbi Chaim Coffman’s warmth, understanding, devotion and zeal for HaShem, Judaism and Jews. Equally reassuring is his wealth of understanding the Judaic world. Not only has Rabbi Coffman made it possible for us to convert, but also Rabbi Coffman has opened the way for us to understand what we are learning and why, and how to put it into practical application. Finding that Rabbi Coffman makes the conversion process much easier and meaningful than what we first erroneously assumed, we gladly and most heartily recommend Rabbi Coffman to anyone seriously considering converting to Judaism. We cannot imagine having anyone else to guide us through the conversion process, as well as the reward of making a friend for life.
Kol hakavod, Rabbi Coffman!
 
Sincerely,
Les and Tammy Cowan

One of my big concerns when starting the path to conversion was to find the right
teacher. A rabbi that loves Torah & doesn't water down the mitzvot (commandments). A person with 
personality, knowledge, and real desire to see you succeed. When I found Rabbi Coffman, I 
found exactly that. He has called me to see how things are going and has been very fast about
answering  questions  that I have emailed him.  He conveys how much he wants me
& others to succeed, but he isn't hesitant to tell you that it isn't easy.
 He has been a great blessing to me and I will always be grateful for the time, the teachings, and his sincere encouragement.

Miriam, FL

" My husband and I began taking Rabbi Coffman’s online conversion classes almost two years ago. His classes have been invaluable in our learning process. They are a great resource and help cover subjects that may not be regularly discussed in other classes at the Shul we belong to. We are at the end of our conversion process now and have gained an immense amount of knowledge just from his weekly classes.  We have read all the books required by the Beis din and found that most of what is in the books was already taught to us by Rabbi Coffman.  The classes are very thorough and cover every topic needed for conversion to Judaism.   I would highly recommend Rabbi Coffman’s classes to anyone seeking the path of conversion.  We are very grateful to Rabbi Coffman for his hard work and dedication to helping others. "

Chelsey Kent
Spokane, WA

Taking Rabbi Coffman’s classes was one of the best decisions I made on my journey to convert to orthodox Judaism.  When I think of Rabbi Coffman, the scripture in Jeremiah 3:15 comes to mind -  “And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, and they will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”  
At 2 am one morning, while listening to Arutz Sheva radio, I heard Rabbi Coffman speaking as a guest on the show.  I emailed him and he responded right away. Hashem opened the door for me at that moment in time because I needed a rabbi willing to help me.  I was bouncing around for four years going to different synagogues, websites, reading books and listening to different lectures but didn't have a solid plan until I started his classes.
Taking his classes helped me discipline myself better twice a week and I really learned a lot. His classes are interactive and convenient. As a busy mom, I was on the go listening. The topics were always interesting, down to earth, practical, at time humorous but also serious teaching of halacha, food blessings, holidays, and especially insight on what it means to be a jew or J.I.T. (Jew in Training). I think our class may have invented a new acronym!  Before I started, I didn't know any food brachas.

Rabbi Coffman is a true orthodox rabbi on the forefront of our times helping those with a sincere desire to come out of idolatry. It is hard to find a rabbi as knowledgeable, experienced and willing to teach non-jews the right way.  He gives straight talk of how to serve Hashem, whether as B'nai Noach or for conversion.    
Even though the classes are done over the phone, I still felt like he was right there. I was comfortable emailing him and I connected to him. He was approachable and accessible, even all the way in Israel!  He made my emuna stronger when I listened to him speak and I looked forward to hearing him talk.  I will miss calling him each week but I will continue to watch him on You tube.

I am happy knowing that I have a rabbi now in my life who can understand me and is willing to help me and who I trust in days or years to come for guidance. I am very grateful for his work, time, and knowledge.  
I am forever thankfull to Hashem for giving me Rabbi Coffman as one of the shepherds who helped me and my family along the way. 

Thank you,
Natalie Re - Connecticut

"Conversion is a difficult journey, very hard - harder than we can imagine - and Rabbi Coffman is a trustworthy and knowledgeable guide and mentor, who delivers. If you are meant to complete
Conversion, he will not let you down."


Yehudit Hayward