So, Who's Behind This Blog?

That’s a really good question. Honestly? I’m still figuring it out myself. But aren’t we all?

Still, here’s a bit of my story — the highlights, the pivots, the passions — just so you know a little bit of who's writing behind the scenes.

I grew up in Canada during the 60s and 70s — a time when life felt simpler, slower, and somehow more grounded. I had a great childhood, full of sports, music and opportunity. I trained as a classical violinist (with some piano thrown in for good measure), but somewhere along the way, I got it into my head that I’d discover the cure for cancer.

So I traded concert halls for chemistry labs and dove deep into the world of biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. From running my high school’s radio station to chasing PhD dreams in Houston, I was all in — but something always felt off. Like the most important piece of the puzzle was missing.

In my mid-20s, I made a bold move — leaving the lab behind to study theology in a quiet East Texas town. I spent 12 years there (yes, despite the fire ants and humidity), and enjoyed teaching college students everything they needed to know for success in med school. I even squeezed in an archaeological dig in Syria and a whirlwind tour through Israel.

Somewhere in that chapter, I married an incredible woman from Minnesota. Together, we raised two amazing sons, and eventually — after years in both science and education — we felt a strong pull toward traditional Judaism. One thing led to another, and in 2012, we made aliyah and settled in Beit Shemesh, Israel where we still live today.

Life since then? A mix of science, teaching, long commutes to Haifa, and extensive soul-searching. After the disruptions of the Covid era, I stepped away from the corporate world and said, "Enough! From now on, with the help of Hashem, only something important, something real."

In time, all the winding paths of my life found their meeting point in Breslov Chassidut. It felt like returning home.

Inspired by a deeply wise Tzaddik in Jerusalem, we launched The Shoemaker Report in April 2022. With G-d’s help, we’re doing our small part to bring much needed light into a dark world — one post, one teaching, one spark at a time.

Thanks for being here. Let's walk this path together.