{{Short description|Israeli rabbi}} {{Infobox Jewish leader | honorific-prefix = Rabbi | name = Shalom Arush<br>שלום ארוש | honorific-suffix = | title = | image = Rav Harush.jpg | caption = Arush in 2022 | synagogue = | synagogueposition = | yeshiva = Chut Shel Chessed | yeshivaposition = Rosh Yeshiva | organisation = Chut Shel Chessed Institutions | organisationposition = | began = | ended = | predecessor = | successor = | rabbi = | rebbe = | kohan = | hazzan = | rank = | other_post = <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1952|4|15}} | birth_place = Beni Mellal, Morocco | death_date = | death_place = | buried = | nationality = | denomination = | residence = Jerusalem, Israel | dynasty = | parents = | spouse = | children = | occupation = | profession = | alma_mater = Shuvu Bonim<br>Tel Aviv University | semicha = Breslov | signature = }} '''Shalom Arush''' ({{langx|he|שלום ארוש}}) is an Israeli rabbi and the founder of Chut Shel Chessed Institutions.
Arush works to spread the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, both among Jews and non-Jews, through books and spoken performances. In his lessons, he consistently emphasizes the importance of faith and joy, which form the foundation of Breslov Hasidism.
Arush is the composer of the song "Tamid Ohev Oti", which gained popularity after it was released by Yair Elitzur in 2024.
==Personal life== Arush was one of nine children born to his parents in the town of Beni Mellal, Morocco. He learned in the local Jewish Alliance school and studied Hebrew in the evenings.<ref name="medic">{{cite web |url=http://www.breslev.co.il/articles/society/jewish_world/from_airborne_medic_to_spiritual_leader.aspx?id=10487&language=english |title=From Airborne Medic to Spiritual Leader: An exclusive interview with Rabbi Shalom Arush |last1=Kliger |first1=Aaron |last2=Feldman |first2=Yonatan |accessdate=15 December 2010 |work=Sha'a Tova Magazine}}</ref> His eldest brother married and immigrated to Israel before the rest of the family;<ref name="medic" /> Arush, his parents, and other siblings immigrated to Israel when he was 13.<ref name="Garden">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=juZ9OwAACAAJ |last=Arush |first=Rabbi Shalom |year=2007 |title=The Garden of Emuna: A practical guide to life |isbn=978-1-58330-974-2 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Inside cover text</ref>
The family settled in Petah Tikva, where his parents enrolled Arush in a state-religious school; he later attended a secular high school. In 1970 he joined the Israel Defense Forces as an airborne combat medic, taking part in many missions, including missions during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. During that time, five of his closest friends were killed in a helicopter crash while carrying out an army mission. This event was the catalyst for his religious transformation.<ref name="medic" /><ref name="arush" /> Following his army service, Arush majored in economics at Tel Aviv University.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Besser|first=Yisroel|title=Gardening Tools|journal=Mishpacha Jewish Family Weekly Magazine|date=26 June 2013|issue=465|page=41|url=http://www.mishpacha.com/Browse/Article/3326/Gardening-Tools|access-date=30 June 2013|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103446/http://www.mishpacha.com/Browse/Article/3326/Gardening-Tools|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was introduced to his wife, Miriam,<ref name="relief">{{cite web |year=2009 |title=To Our Honored Donors |url=http://www.israelrelief.org/proj_arush01.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726192910/http://www.israelrelief.org/proj_arush01.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-26 |accessdate=15 December 2010 |publisher=Israel Relief Fund}}</ref> on a shidduch, and the newlyweds moved to Moshav Chazon Yechezkel. Later he moved to Bnei Brak to join Berland's new yeshiva there, and when the yeshiva moved to Jerusalem, he and his family followed.
== Career == Arush attended several yeshivot before meeting Eliezer Berland, who appointed Arush as his personal assistant and protégé.<ref name="arush" /> Arush also studied with Levi Yitzchok Bender and {{Ill|Shmuel Shapira|he|שמואל שפירא (ברסלב)}}.<ref name="arush">{{cite web|url=http://www.breslev.co.il/html/rabbi_shalom_arush.aspx?id=66&language=english|title=Rabbi Shalom Arush: Head of "Chut Shel Chessed" institutions|year=2009|accessdate=14 December 2010|publisher=breslev.co.il|archive-date=21 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221062622/http://www.breslev.co.il/html/rabbi_shalom_arush.aspx?id=66&language=english|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 1985, upon the directive of Berland, Arush opened his own yeshiva, Chut Shel Chessed. Initially he had 15 students; a year later, he had 80 students and the yeshiva moved to its present quarters in the Musrara neighborhood of Jerusalem.<ref name="medic" /><ref name="journal">{{cite web |last=Arfa |first=Orit |date=27 July 2010 |title=Rabbi Follows Marital Advice Success With Book for Women |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/weddings/article/rabbi_follows_marital_advice_success_with_book_for_women_20100727/#When:22:49:19Z |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223175018/http://www.jewishjournal.com/weddings/article/rabbi_follows_marital_advice_success_with_book_for_women_20100727/#When:22:49:19Z |archive-date=23 December 2010 |accessdate=14 December 2010 |work=The Jewish Journal}}</ref>[[File:Chut Shel Chessed sukkah.jpg|225px|right|thumb|The Chut Shel Chessed yeshiva building on Shmuel HaNavi Street in Jerusalem, with its Sukkah.]] Today, Chut Shel Chessed Institutions includes an elementary school, a high school, a yeshiva, and a kollel.<ref name="breslev">{{cite web |url=http://www.breslev.co.il/html/%E2%80%9Cchut_shel_chessed%E2%80%9D_institutions.aspx?id=61&language=english |title=Chut Shel Chessed Institutions: "Its ways are ways of peace" (Mishlei 3, 17) |year=2009 |accessdate=14 December 2010 |publisher=breslev.co.il |archive-date=21 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221025720/http://www.breslev.co.il/html/%E2%80%9Cchut_shel_chessed%E2%80%9D_institutions.aspx?id=61&language=english |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to the school, it "has built a reputation for helping hundreds of people from some of the worst situations to dramatically turn their lives around. Some students have become well-respected rabbis in their own rights, while others have become some of Israel’s top writers, actors and musicians."<ref name="relief" /> Alumni include actor Shuli Rand.<ref name="arush" /> Yair Elitzur has said that Arush inspired his hit single ''Tamid Ohev Oti'' (2024).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-02 |title=How 'Tamid Ohev Oti' became an unlikely Israeli anthem of 2024 |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-831529 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en}}</ref>
In 1998 Arush opened a branch of Chut Shel Chesed in Ashdod and appointed Lazer Brody to head its rabbinic ordination program. In 2006, the Ashdod branch merged with the Jerusalem yeshiva and Brody became its mashpia (spiritual guide), as well as the translator of Arush's books into English.<ref name="arush" /><ref name="lazer">{{cite web |url=http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/meet_lazer.html |title=Meet Lazer |publisher=Lazer Beams |accessdate=15 December 2010 |archive-date=25 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125201530/http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/meet_lazer.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-02 |title=A visit with the renowned mashpia Rav Shalom Arush, shlita {{!}} Ami Magazine |url=https://amimagazine.org/2018/09/02/a-visit-with-the-renowned-mashpia-rav-shalom-arush-shlita/ |access-date=2025-08-22 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Arush has continued to support Berland throughout his trial and conviction for multiple rapes, as well as a separate conviction for fraud and an ongoing murder investigation.<ref>{{Cite web |title="אוי למי שיהרהר אחר הרב ברלנד" |url=https://kikarhashabat.co.il/%D7%90%D7%95%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%99-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%94%D7%A8-%D7%90%D7%97%D7%A8-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%91-%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%9C%D7%A0%D7%93.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211215222757/https://kikarhashabat.co.il/%D7%90%D7%95%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%99-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%94%D7%A8-%D7%90%D7%97%D7%A8-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%91-%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%9C%D7%A0%D7%93.html |archive-date=2021-12-15 |access-date=2021-12-15 |website=כיכר השבת |language=he}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=הרב שלום ארוש: "צריך להיות מטומטם כדי להרהר נגד הרב ברלנד" |url=https://www.srugim.co.il/155603-%d7%a6%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9a-%d7%9c%d7%94%d7%99%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%9e%d7%98%d7%95%d7%9e%d7%98%d7%9d-%d7%9b%d7%93%d7%99-%d7%9c%d7%94%d7%a8%d7%94%d7%a8-%d7%a0%d7%92%d7%93-%d7%94%d7%a8%d7%91-%d7%91%d7%a8%d7%9c |access-date=2021-12-15 |website=סרוגים |language=he}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yekusiel |date=2016-05-03 |title=Rav Arush: Rav Berland Is In Sakanas Chaim |url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/414375/rav-arush-rav-berland-is-in-sakanas-chaim.html |access-date=2021-12-15 |website=The Yeshiva World |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Nachshoni |first=Kobi |date=2015-07-21 |title=Breslov rabbi: A rabbi must never receive women |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4681862,00.html |access-date=2021-12-15 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}}</ref> Brody left Arush in 2019 and now follows Naftali Moskowitz of Ashdod.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hyehudi.org/rabbi-lazer-brody-shlita-abandoned-berland-supporting-shalom-arush-long-ago/ | title=Rabbi Lazer Brody shlita Abandoned Berland-Supporting Shalom Arush LONG AGO! | date=16 September 2020 }}</ref><ref name="goodreads">{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/18120521-end-of-an-era-new-beginning|title=End of an Era, New Beginning|author=Lazer Brody|website=Good Reads|date=2019-03-23|access-date=2020-02-18}}</ref>
==Works== Arush has authored many works, which have been translated from Hebrew into English, Spanish, French, Russian, German, Portuguese, and Yiddish. Brody claims that, combined, they have sold more than a million copies.<ref name="lazer" /> His works available in English are:
* ''Garden of Yearning: The Lost Princess'' (2007) * ''Garden of Peace: A Marital Guide for Men Only'' (2008) {{ISBN|978-5-495-32106-9}} * ''Garden of Emuna'' (2009) {{ISBN|978-1-59526-636-1}} * ''Garden of Riches: A Guide to Financial Success'' (2021) * ''In Forest Fields: A Unique Guide to Personal Prayer'' (2022) * ''Women's Wisdom: Garden of Peace for Women'' (2023) * ''Garden of Gratitude'' (2023)
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[http://www.breslev.co.il/ Breslev Israel (official site)] *[http://nanachnation.org/blog/ Teachings of Rebbe Nachman - Blog]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arush, Shalom}} Category:Breslov rabbis Category:Israeli Hasidic rabbis Category:Sephardic Haredi rabbis in Israel Category:Moroccan emigrants to Israel Category:20th-century Moroccan Jews Category:Baalei teshuva Category:20th-century Israeli rabbis Category:People from Beni Mellal Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Israeli rabbis