“The Joshniks” New Film for Josh Gordon’s 10th Yarzeit

Very frequently, the team at Chabad.org receives a startlingly similar message. It usually reads something like this: “I’ve been learning with Rabbi Gordon every morning for months. I feel like I know him. I just looked him up, and I’m in shock—I had no idea he passed away years ago.”

This week marks the 10th yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yehoshua B. (“Josh”) Gordon. Yet, the confusion is understandable. For hundreds of thousands of students worldwide who log on to Chabad.org and a cluster of Chabad.org apps to study Chumash, Tanya, and Rambam, he is still very much alive.

A new documentary released this week by Chabad.org, The Joshniks, explores the unique story of the continued impact and legacy of Rabbi Gordon. While Rabbi Gordon’s classroom is global, the film focuses intimately on a community of learners in Port Washington, New York. It captures the story of people who never met him, yet live and learn with him every day, proving that his teaching—witty, clear, and personal—is as eternal as the Torah he teaches.

This presentation was made possible by Russell and Ivy Herman.