The What It Takes Podcast Ep 11: Faith & Building a Torah Community from Scratch ft Yoni Rodansky
A Story of Faith & Building a Torah Community from Scratch with Yoni Rodansky What it takes to build a Torah community from the ground up? In this episode, we sit down with Yoni Rodansky, a Five Towns native who, along with a wave of other young families, is building a vibrant Jewish community in Louisville, Kentucky. He shares the incredible story of how they went from no daily minyan to a booming community, pulled off a $700,000 fundraising campaign, and used a clever viral marketing stunt that brought in 23 serious family inquiries in just four weeks. This is a raw look at the miracles, the hustle, and the real-life appeal of being a builder in a place where your presence truly matters. 💡 In This Episode, We Discuss: ◼️ How a kid from the Five Towns ended up as a community builder in Louisville, Kentucky ◼️ The powerful lesson that “the yetzer hara can’t stop you, he can only make you want to give up” ◼️ The clever recruitment event (with free sushi and babysitting) that first got his wife on board ◼️ Why Louisville’s established infrastructure like its Eruv and affordable housing makes it a hidden gem ◼️ The wild miracles of launching with no money and still making payroll every single month ◼️ How they raised $700,000 for a community outside the major Jewish hubs and what resonated with donors ◼️ The $10,000 raffle marketing stunt that went viral and brought in 23 family leads in just one month ◼️ What kind of family thrives in Louisville (hint: it’s for builders, not just consumers) ◼️ The real talk on making a living, with plenty of job opportunities and a low cost of living ◼️ The incredible growth they’re seeing, with six families already scheduled to come for Shabbos ⏱️ Timestamps Welcome to the Jewish Frontier in Louisville, Kentucky How a Five Towns Kid Ended Up in Kentucky The Pioneering Rabbis Who Planted the First Seeds How Tampa Built a Community Overnight The One Truth About Overcoming Any Challenge The Clever Trick That Got Wives On Board Why Louisville is the Secret Gem for Jewish Life We Launched With No Money and Witnessed Miracles How We Raised $700,000 on a Leap of Faith Our Viral Marketing Stunt That Brought 23 Families Is Louisville Your Next Home? Here's How to Know 🔗 Connect with Yoni Rodansky LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoni-rudansky-15a029339/ 🔗 Connect with Tuli Kraus X (Twitter): https://x.com/TuliKraus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbird.recruiting/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuli-kraus/