BIO
Avi, a fourth generation rabbi, has dedicated his life to informal Jewish education. As the founder of the storied “Ghetto Shul” at McGill university, serving as Harvard Hillel’s campus rabbi and then leading the synagogue and Hebrew School of Boston’s North Shore community of Newburyport, Avi has developed deep and broad knowledge of how to communicate the story of Israel and the Jewish people to individuals of vastly diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Ordained in Jerusalem and continuing his studies in the departments of
Philosophy and History at Bar- Ilan University, Avi is presently serving as ACADEMIC Director of the Ein Prat Leadership HIGHER Academy located in the Judean Desert. Avi and his wife are the parents of four children: Judah, Micha, Rivi and Yeshaya.
TESTIMONIALS
I'm going to cut to the chase and save you some time if you don't want to read this long review - Rabbi Avi is an incredible Rabbi, mentor, spiritual leader, tour guide, hand-holder, humorist, and friend and if you can hire him for your tour, your bat/bat mitzvah, your spiritual guide, or for anything else - DO! (You can thank me later.) I can't remember how I found him online, but having Rabbi Avi officiate my daughter's bat mitzvah in Israel was the single best bat mitzvah-related decision I could have ever made! First, I should explain that we are very reform (American) Jews and were a little intimidated at the idea of having a Bat Mitzvah in the Motherland right near the historic 3000 year old Western Wall. Plus, we had just made an international move to Europe and also my daughter suffers from anxiety, so we had plenty of nervousness, upheaval, and trepidation going on all around. However, Avi was amazing at putting us at ease. He is kind and comforting and fun and friendly and he always brought warmth and positive energy to every interaction. Even my moody teen was quickly won-over by Avi after the first Zoom call they had together. In fact, he immediately put our whole family at ease and was never pushy or strict and he accommodated every one of our desires to keep our ceremony happy, positive, meaningful, and "Hebrew-lite!" (although of course he could do much more religious and observant services too, if that's what you want). Because he is also a licensed tour guide and knows so much about Israel (and works hard to find out things he doesn't know), Avi also gave us great tips on places to go, things to see and do, and even a restaurant to eat at after the Bat Mitzvah. I should also mention that Rabbi Avi is probably the most patient Rabbi on earth! We were originally supposed to have my daughter's bat mitzvah in April 2020, but we all know that Covid threw the entire world (especially Israel) for a loop in 2020, so we had to postpone. I kept thinking the pandemic would end soon, so I ended up rescheduling the entire bat mitzvah for 6 months . . . . then 12 months . . . . then 18 months, each time thinking that Israel would be open for tourists soon. Our bat Mitzvah ended up taking place 2 years after it's originally scheduled date, and Rabbi Avi was with us - dedicated, loyal, and extremely helpful - every step of the way! In the end, despite being held 2 years later than originally scheduled, our bat mitzvah in Israel was absolutely perfect - perfect weather, perfect location, perfect ceremony, and perfect Rabbi! I can't thank Rabbi Avi enough for an incredibly happy and memorable bat mitzvah and help in planning one of our best family vacations ever!
Victoria, Geneva
Avi Poupko is an AWESOME tour guide and I would highly recommend him for any age group. He is wonderful with young adults and children and the depth and breath of his knowledge of all things Jewish is unparalleled. He's engaging, funny and thoughtful. Avi's tours are more than a trip, they are a once in a lifetime experience that will change your life in ways you never imagined possible. Sue Latham, Boston
I had such a great time on my trip to Israel with Avi! He was so knowledgeable, and you can tell he loves helping people learn about this amazing country. He’s also great company- warm, generous, and a great sense of humor! Katie Carey, Chicago
If you ever go to Israel and would like your own personal tour guy....THIS IS THE GUY! Hes compassionate, helpful, and completely selfless. He plans your trip based solely on what you want/would like to see. I cannot say enough about how great he was! Ruth Peshina, Indiana
We cannot thank you enough - the service was beyond beautiful and absolutely perfect for our daughter!! Everything you did exceeded our expectations. Thank you thank you thank you!!! Jessica, New York
