Motti Flikshtein grew up outside Philadelphia. He was raised by Jewish parents, who come from the Ukraine. where it was completely outlawed for them to practice their Judaism. Growing up, Matt had absolutely no Judaism in his life.
The public school district Matt was in had the highest juvenile crime rate in the area, and Matt got swept up in the wrong crowd. He was a rebel – smoking, doing drugs, and acting out from a very young age. By fifth grade, His parents decided it might be time to pull him out of his public school. Only, they had nowhere else to send him.
His parents had friends who had enrolled their children in the Jewish day school. They encouraged Matt’s parents to do the same. His father agreed, after much protesting, on the condition that the moment Matt started becoming religious, they were pulling him out.
According to Matt, they had nothing to worry about. He certainly wasn’t becoming religious. After all, he was a trouble-maker and a rebel.
He was a regular in the principal’s office for smoking, bullying, and acting out. He later became a rapper and continued his behavioral struggles.
At the end of one school year, Matt opened the yearbook and learned that he had won two awards. The first one: Class clown. The second: Matt Flikshtein had unanimously been elected least likely to become a Rabbi.
Teachings
Rabbi Shimon said, “Be meticulous in reciting the Shema and in prayer” (Ethics, 2:13) The Hebrew word for meticulous, “zahir,” relates to the word “zohar,” “to shine.” Rabbi Shimon specified reciting the Shema and praying, not Torah study, because prayer is relevant to every Jew, regardless of his level of learning. Each Jew is enjoined to shine forth and illuminate his surroundings in this manner. Although in general, light is associated with Torah study and not prayer, Rabbi Shimon generated the potential for such light to be produced through reciting the Shema and the daily prayers.” (The Lubavitcher Rebbe)
From Rapper To Rabbi A Journey Back Home
One Shabbos, the Flikshteins went to the nearby Chabad Rabbi for Shabbat morning services and Matt’s parents threatened that if he did not attend, they would take his car keys away. Although he came dressed as gangster as possible, the Rabbi crushed Matt in a bear hug. The family went multiple times, all of which he treated Matt with love. This didn’t lead to immediate changes, but the seeds had been planted.
In the fall of 2003, Matt headed out to college. To practice what he was studying, economics, Matt decided to get hands-on experience by becoming one of the campus drug dealers. So he had lots of drugs. He had lots of money. He was high all the time. He was partying every night. He had lots of friends. He had everything that should make him happy. But he still felt empty inside.
One night, an acquaintance of Matt’s lost his life to drugs. That was a wakeup call to Matt. Torn with grief, he asked himself the question tearing at his insides: If that were me, would I be happy with the life I’m leading? And the honest answer was no.
Matt wasn’t sure what to do with his feelings. He called his best friend Jason Sugarman, who he had met at Jewish day school. Jason was from a traditional Jewish home in Wilmington, Delaware. He was now exploring his roots in Israel, in a Yeshiva. Matt convinced his parents to let him go visit Jason over his break.
Matt spoke to Jason about everything that had happened. After getting it all off his chest, Jason looked him in the eyes and said: ‘Dude, you just don’t get it. You know about rap, and making friends, and money, and drugs. But you don’t know anything about being Jewish.” Those words hit Matt like a ton of bricks. At that moment, Matt knew Jason was completely right.
Jason suggested that Matt attend Yeshiva to learn more about Judaism. Matt began attending Yeshiva the next fall. He also began learning Chassidus, about the deeper level of Judaism. Matt felt a lightbulb go off. He felt full inside. He stopped doing drugs, and returned to Judaism.
Flikshtein returned to the U.S, and finished his degree at Yeshiva University. At the time, he began dating Jason’s sister, Rachel Sugarman. It became clear early on that they would get married. One day, they were talking about career paths. Upon saying that he didn’t know what he wanted to do, Rachel asked Matt what he was truly passionate about. “Well, I love studying Torah and sharing it with others,” Matt replied. “So become a Rabbi,” Rachel suggested. Matt just laughed.
So Matt, now Motti, and Rachel, now Rochel, got married in 2007. They moved to Morristown, New Jersey, where Motti enrolled to get Rabbinically ordained at the Rabbinical College of America. He was ordained in 2010. The young couple decided that they would go out on Shlichus, as emissaries of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
They got an offer to work in northern New Jersey, but before they accepted, they reached out to the Vogels, the Chabad Shluchim with whom Rochel and her family had become close in Wilmington, Delaware. After speaking to the Vogels, both couples thought it was a fantastic idea for the Flikshteins to move to Delaware.
The Flikshteins hit the ground running. Their Hebrew school started with eight kids. Now they serve over 40. They run a day camp every summer. They started a teen program, which is part of an incredible, international teen organization called CTeen. And Rochel started a Chabad school for girls called Bais Chana High School for girls from all over the world.
CTeen has become an incredible international network for Jewish teens, where teens can come to meet other Jewish teens that are just like them. But it’s also a place to really come and explore. What does it mean to be a Jew?
The Flikshteins try to assist and bring out the significance in what the teens are doing, and how teens can find meaning while connecting to their Judaism. The Flikshteins have helped many teens in the Wilmington area do just that. And, when it comes to spreading positive messages, Rabbi Motti Flikshtein still raps.
Rabbi Motti has been to hundreds of communities around the world to share his amazing story and he’s happy to come to yours. To bring him to your community, feel free to reach out to him directly at [email protected]. You can follow him on Instagram at “rapping_rabbi”.
This article is based in part on the Machne Israel / Lamplighters podcast. Edited by Rivkah Dina Butman.
