Victor Cohen
The requirement of shnayim mikra ve’ehad targum – reviewing the Torah portion each week – is, we might say, “back on the map,” thanks to a unique, groundbreaking initiative called Shnayim Yomi that was launched just six years ago, but has already made waves throughout the Jewish world.
The obligation to read the weekly portion twice in its original Hebrew (“shnayim mikra”) and once in translation (“ve’ehad targum”) is explicitly mentioned in the Shulhan Aruch, and is accepted as halachah. Shnayim Yomi has helped countless Jews across the globe fulfill this requirement through its innovative programs and publications, including a series published by Artscroll, triggering an exciting, worldwide Shnayim Mikra renaissance.
I had the wonderful privilege of speaking with the organization’s founder, Elad Danino, to hear about the history of this initiative, its remarkable achievements, especially over the past year, and its ambitious plans for the future.
The Subway Ride That Inspired a Movement
On January 1, 2020, Elad Danino was traveling on the subway to the Siyum Hashas, the grand celebration of the completion of the 13th Daf Yomi cycle. On the train, he was reviewing the weekly parashah, in fulfillment of the halachic requirement, when a fellow traveler approached and said he was learning the wrong subject. As he was heading toward the celebration of the completion of the Talmud, this fellow said, it would be more appropriate for Elad to learn Gemara, rather than Humash.
Elad explained that he was catching up on his shnayim mikra, and he asked the fellow if he was caught up.
The man replied in the negative. Elad then got curious. He went around the subway car asking the people heading to the Siyum Hashas whether they learned shnayim mikra each week. He was shocked at how few people said they did. Otherwise committed Jews, who make time for a full page of Gemara each day, were regularly neglecting an explicit halachic obligation.
Always having an affinity for challenges, Elad decided to act. He was determined to bring more attention and enthusiasm to this neglected mitzvah.
He perceptively noticed two differences between Daf Yomi and shnayim mikra which led to the latter being so less popular than the former, despite its being an outright obligation: a lack of structure, and the absence of celebrations of milestones. And Elad figured – correctly – that by addressing these two needs, he could precipitate a significant change.
To provide structure, Elad launched a program consisting of a two-minute video of a rabbi delivering a short, uplifting insight into that day’s aliyah, arousing interest and enthusiasm to motivate subscribers to learn that day’s section. For celebrations, festive siyum events are held at the completion of each of the five books of the Torah, each time in a different city. These have taken place in Brooklyn, Miami, LA, and Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel. Thanks to the close connections forged with scores of rabbis around the world – many of whom are active, enthusiastic participants – numerous synagogues and yeshivot happily open their doors to host these unique events.
This proved to be a winning formula, as the numbers indisputably show.
Elad began his program in October 2020 with just 50 participants – all friends and family, who remain members to this day. Already in the program’s second year, Shnayim Yomi signed up over 1,100 members across ten different cities. By 2025, 5000 people were learning every day through Shnayim Yomi, and that number has since grown to the tens of thousands.
It was in early 2025 that Elad began his discussions with Artscroll. They saw what he was doing, and wanted to help with the first-of-its-kind Shnayim Mikra Chumash. Elad worked closely with them and helped develop it in the Shnayim Yomi style – easy to read, with an introduction to each aliyah – written by esteemed author Rabbi Moshe Bamberger – and featuring an English translation to Onkelos (the ancient Aramaic translation of the Humash). The book was produced with the blessings and under the guidance of leading Torah sages, such as Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, shelit”a, and Hacham Yitzhak Yosef, shelit”a, both of whom stated that one fulfills his “ehad targum” obligation by learning this English translation. Thanks to many generous donors, the first volume, on Beresheet, was released in late 2025, just in time for the new cycle following the holidays.
With lightning speed, the next four volumes – covering the rest of the Torah – were completed over the course of 2026, and was Artscroll’s Best Seller. The project’s popularity reveals how so many Jews truly wished to fulfill this weekly obligation, and were just waiting for the right framework that would make it more accessible. A pocket edition is currently in the works for those interesting in learning shnayim mikra on-the-go.
“There are few times we [Artscroll] go to print on pocket-sized sefarim,” said Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz, President of Artscroll. “With the Shnayim Yomi Chumash, that was an easy decision.”
The goal is to make Shnayim Yomi more accessible to all Jews, helping them to fulfill the shnayim mikra requirement each and every week.
Shnayim Yomi Florida
In early 2026, Rabbi Zlotowitz advised Elad to reach out to a Floridian named Eli Neger, who was passionate about the Shnayim Yomi project, and offered to sponsor a free Humash for anyone who signed up for the program through the synagogues and high schools in Boca Raton. Elad flew down to Florida and met a group of remarkable individuals who wanted to take part in this new initiative. These included Mr. Neger, Rabbi Daniel Gross, Rabbi Dovid Bogupolsky, and Rabbi Issamar Mandel. After a mere few hours, Shnayim Yomi Florida was born.
Together with the other rabbis in Boca, the group started a WhatsApp chat, and created their own version of the Shnayim Yomi program. Chat members receive the same daily two-minute videos as other participants, but on Fridays, they receive also a separate video, featuring a different South Florida rabbi each week.
Shnayim Yomi Florida started big – with hundreds of members – but strives to grow even larger, planning to extend throughout the state, to places such as Aventura, Hollywood, Surfside, and North Miami Beach. Elad proudly shared that the project received a glowing endorsement from the renowned Rabbi Yosef Galimidi of the Safra Synagogue in Aventura, who said: “The obligation to do shnayim mikra is on every one of us. Hashem should bless all those that are involved in this holy project.”
Bringing Jews Together Through a Shared Obligation
Elad sees Shnayim Yomi Florida as a model for the future of the movement, whereby each participating community receives both the global program and something specialized and unique, such that Shnayim Yomi can unify Jews across the world while allowing for each region to preserve and express its individuality and distinctive style.
Elad has been contacted by people from many different communities around the world, who reached out to thank him for this initiative and show their appreciation for Shnayim Yomi. Plans are underway for a special project for Chicago and the broader Midwest, involving communities such as Cleveland, St. Louis, and Milwaukee. Besides helping more Jews fulfill the requirement of shnayim mikra, this will also have the effect of bringing together communities spread across hundreds of miles.
There is also an effort to connect the Anglo-Israel community to this project. For many, making aliyah means leaving behind one’s community and network which was built over many years, and starting from scratch. Elad believes that a beautiful way for Anglo immigrants in Israel to connect with one another is through a Torah project – and one which is required of all Jews. Shnayim Yomi Anglo-Israel seeks to bring together Jews who moved to any part of Israel, whether in Jerusalem, Raanana, Beit Shemesh, Netanya, Efrat, or anywhere else.
Shnayim Yomi Teens
But perhaps the most important initiative Elad has undertaken is the effort to reach students through Shnayim Yomi Teens. If youngsters get into the habit of learning shnayim mikra, they are much more likely to keep up this wonderful practice throughout adulthood. Elad has thus made it a high priority to bring his program to as many Jewish teens as possible.
To reach kids, Elad explains, the program must offer enticing incentives. He therefore introduced exciting raffles, prizes, and other perks to generate enthusiasm among teens for this daily learning program.
In addition to incentives, Elad says, kids need role models – figures they look up to who learn shnayim mikra and can motivate youngsters to do the same. Elad therefore brought Zevi Samet, the legendary Yeshiva University basketball star who is also a committed student of Torah, to speak to kids about the importance of shnayim mikra, and how they could best stay on track. One exciting initiative in the works is a special basketball tournament led by Zevi for all students who participate in and successfully complete the Shnayim Yomi program.
Additionally, Elad hopes to bring inspirational singers, dynamic educators and speakers, and famous Jewish figures to help generate interest and excitement for the program among teens. Singer Yaakov Shwekey will also be part of the teen program, adding an exciting and inspiring musical component to the experience.
Throughout this past year, the organization has distributed free Shnayim Mikra Chumashim to boys in various schools across our community.
The 2026-27 Kickoff Event
One of the ways Shnayim Yomi ignites enthusiasm and draws interest in learning shnayim mikra is the annual kickoff event around the time of Shabbat Parashat Beresheet – the first Shabbat after the holidays, when the yearly learning cycle begins anew. Last year’s event was a smashing success – filling two halls in Yad Yosef right here in Brooklyn, with nearly 2,000 attendees. This year – hard as it is to believe – they’re bracing for twice that figure.
Plans are already well underway for this year’s kickoff, scheduled for Sunday, October 11th at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center Hall. Rabbis from across the country are planning to fly in for the event, where they will join many rabbis from our community.
The goal of this event, Elad explains, is to celebrate the past year and to kick-off the new cycle. The two go hand-in-hand: taking pride in what was accomplished, and arousing excitement for the work that lies ahead.
Shnayim Yomi warmly invites the entire community to attend. For those interested in fulfilling the mitzvah of shnayim mikra ve’ehad targum, or in learning more about it, this is ground zero, the place to be. All are invited – whether you’re thinking about jumping on the shnayim mikra bandwagon for the first time, or if you’ve been learning shnayim mikra for years.
Rabbi Joey Haber, who has been a part of Shnayim Yomi for several years, and whom Elad describes as a “mentor” for the program, says, “Shnayim mikra is non-negotiable. We’re celebrating that Shnayim Yomi is allowing and inspiring every one of us to have no more excuses.”
Rabbi Haber has spoken at the kickoff each year, his words uplifting all the participants and many others who tuned in online.
This year’s event will begin with a special Parasha Expo, offering many different Torah learning projects the opportunity to showcase their initiatives. Prominent attendees include OU’s All Torah, Chumash & Rashi Tests, and Parsha by Inkredible Kids. Artscroll is running a mega-sale exclusive to the Shnayim Mikra event, so make sure you attend!
Shnayim Yomi has also held a Shnyaim Mikra Awareness Shabbat (“SMASH”) with many different shuls across the world participating. Last year, 150 synagogues took part, spreading awareness about the importance of this mitzvah and motivating people to make the commitment to fulfill it.
If you’re not a part of the program yet, there’s no better time to sign up then now, as the year comes to a close, and the new cycle rapidly approaches. You can find Shnayim Yomi’s classes at https://www.shnayimyomi.org/, where you will also find information about the WhatsApp chats, this year’s kickoff event, and so much more.
Whatever your background, and no matter whether or for how long you have learned shnayim mikra in the past, Shnayim Yomi invites you to take part in this life-altering learning regimen that connects you not only to the sacred words of the Torah, but also to fellow Jews throughout the world.