From Tech to Tradition: Anit Ben Ari's Journey to Judaism

When Anit Ben Ari was just 12 years old, she began a practice that puzzled those around her, without even knowing why. "I had my little corner by the window in my house, which was ‘just mine,’ where I would recite the morning blessings every day. To this day, I have no idea how that booklet containing the blessings even came to me," she recalls with excitement, "It was an amazing and incredible thing. No one asked me or told me about the importance of this mitzvah—yet I was determined to do it."

Ben Ari was born and raised in a secular home without any connection to Judaism. She completed her high school education at the 'ORT' school in Ramat Gan and immediately enlisted in the military. Even then, she felt a pull to use her skills and talents for the benefit of others. She served as a service conditions investigator in the army. As part of her role, Ben Ari frequently had to make house visits in various locations, sometimes as far away as the remote outskirts of Jerusalem. "I don’t know where I found the courage back then," Ben Ari recalls, "to travel alone to these remote areas— a young soldier, alone with an unloaded Uzi on my shoulder—yet I persistently worked, feeling a sense of mission to aid another lone soldier or family in need of military support."

"My Soul Received a Personal Invitation From the Rabbi"

One day, she was handed a case concerning a soldier seeking to be exempted from reserve duty, a request requiring an in-depth examination of his socio-economic status. As was her routine, Ben Ari arrived alone at the address listed in the soldier’s file. To her surprise, the address was none other than the humble residence of the Kabbalist Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi, of blessed memory, whose personal aide was the same soldier in whose case Ben Ari was involved.

Can you tell us about your experience at the Rabbi’s house—what did you see, how did you feel?

"Wow... First of all, what greeted me immediately was the unmissable humble home and courtyard, from which there extended a seemingly endless line of people, waiting to be seen by the Rabbi," Ben Ari recounts excitedly. "People of all ages gathered in the small courtyard, waiting patiently for their turn to consult with the holy Rabbi and receive his blessing. My initial feeling was an indescribable connection to the holiness and awe that permeated the place. I later discovered that the Rabbi and his wife had no children and that the young man who filed the request took care of them around the clock without any compensation. Initially, I came to verify the soldier’s details as part of my job, but after two visits, I found myself returning to the Rabbi’s home of my own accord—outside work responsibilities. From today’s perspective, it felt like my soul was constantly receiving personal invitations from the Rabbi to return."

Within the modest walls of the Jerusalem sage’s home, which had absorbed countless tears and exalted prayers, a recognition of an entirely different world began to grow in her heart and stir her soul. Thus, Ben Ari began to regularly traverse the paths leading to the small courtyard house and its endless queue stretching along it. "Each time I sat in the Rabbi’s house with his aide, hearing miraculous stories of the Rabbi’s deeds, I was moved and brought to tears," Ben Ari recounts. "The aura and sanctity surrounding the Rabbi, his radiant face brimming with purity and love—it's an image I will never forget. Today, when I reflect, it’s possible that the blessings and intentions of the holy Rabbi are what brought me to the profoundly important subject of baking and breaking challah, a mitzvah I had not been aware of until fairly late in life."

"Even a Tech Woman Can Cry"

The experience at the Rabbi’s house left an indelible mark on her heart but did not immediately turn her towards Judaism. After her military service, she enrolled in the Israeli College for Natural Medicine, where she successfully completed four years of alternative medicine studies. Aside from that, being a depth-seeking and knowledge-pursuing individual, Ben Ari engaged in a wide variety of courses and workshops in self-awareness and personal empowerment. These workshops not only connected her more deeply to herself and her life’s purpose but also taught her the greatest lesson: never to give up. "From everything I’ve learned in life," says Ben Ari, "I realized that if there is something I connect to with all my heart and soul, I must not give it up. If I have the desire to learn and expand my horizons in a certain field, I will fight for it until I achieve it. Every achievement I've garnered in life stemmed from that sense of dedication, and today, I share my accomplishments lovingly with the women who attend the 'nights of salvation' I lead, known as my challah-making evenings."

After finishing her studies at the college, Ben Ari started a family and is now a mother to two wonderful daughters and three granddaughters who are 'the light of her life and soul,' as she describes. Eventually, she veered into a less expected path—the tech world, working for a continuous 11 years as a project and procurement manager. "Working in high-tech is demanding and hard, where there’s no concept of leaving work behind at the office," explains Ben Ari, "especially in my role, where even the slightest mistake could inflict irreversible damage on an entire project with a lot of money at stake. Thus, the daily grind, despite its challenges, eventually becomes enjoyable."

"Despite being a naturally sensitive person, I can definitely say I also possess a rational side that can operate under pressure and meet hysterical deadlines. This probably helped me survive in the competitive tech world—though I’m not ashamed to admit there were times when emotions overcame logic, and tears took precedence over the stoic appearance I developed."

When exactly did your life begin to change—what led you to actively practice Torah and mitzvot?

"My spiritual strengthening started around 14 years ago," she smiles, her eyes sparkling. "One of my colleagues at work became religious and began introducing me to concepts of faith regularly. The persistent drop drills a hole in the stone, not by force but by persistence. Thanks to him, I participated in a Jewish outreach seminar and attended Shabbat gatherings by various organizations, each contributing in its own way and helping me realize the beauty, truth, and wisdom within Judaism."

International Tour of Challah Nights

"The actual strengthening of my connection started shortly before attending the seminar. One day, I had an experience that left a profound impact on me. I was completely secular, standing on my balcony and speaking to Hashem. I promised that one day, I would share my Jewish awakening story at Yad Eliyahu stadium. I have no idea where this came from or how I dared to make such declarations—it was the secret between me and Hashem, and it gave me the strength to change."

From that moment, Ben Ari began approaching Judaism rapidly: the following day, she arrived at work fully modestly dressed from head to toe, including a head covering(!). The reactions from her colleagues quickly followed. "At that time, the return to religion phenomenon was less common—not to mention accepted," Ben Ari recalls, "which meant I had to endure many humiliations and insults. Most of the time, I accepted these trials with understanding and love, but there were definitely many moments of weakness along the way."

She began collaborating with the organization 'Hidabroot' a couple of years ago, after Dikla Partush, a Hidabroot activist, participated in one of Ben Ari’s challah-making evenings and approached her for an interview for the Hidabroot channel. "The lovely Dikla came with the directors of the home events department to another of my events, which took place as part of the global challah-making event in 2012, attended by 600 women from all over the country. That is how I became acquainted with 'Hidabroot' and its amazing work in bringing hearts closer and spreading Jewish content—all for the sake of heaven with tremendous devotion by everyone involved. I understood the great privilege that fell into my lap to be an integral part of this significant organization—the rest is history."

Since then, Ben Ari has been involved in leading unique challah-making gatherings around the country and the world, in partnership with 'Hidabroot'—powerful events that have already made quite a 'noise' in higher realms and granted many women the blessings they needed—fertility, matchmaking, complete healing, family peace, good livelihood, and more. She also conducts unique workshops for positive thinking and releasing negative emotions named "Lavan"—a workshop integrating various techniques from psychology and personal empowerment fields.