From Building Robots to Building Torah Learning Resources: A Lifetime of Using Technology for Good
What happens when a child who loved computers grows up and discovers that the same creativity, curiosity and innovation can be used to help people connect with Torah?
For Rabbi Eliyahu Shear, this has been a lifelong journey.
At just 10 years old, Rabbi Shear began teaching computers in his father’s computer school. While many children were discovering computers as a form of entertainment, he was already fascinated by their potential to create, teach and share knowledge.
By the age of his Bar Mitzvah, he had built a robot and developed a robotics class—even though he had never formally studied engineering or robotics. He researched, experimented and created, driven by a natural desire to understand how things worked and how he could share that knowledge with others.
As a teenager, he discovered computer software and saw an opportunity to combine technology with helping people. He went door to door introducing people to software, setting it up for them and enjoying the process of connecting technology with real-world needs.
That entrepreneurial spirit and love of innovation never disappeared.
When he later became a teacher, he continued looking for ways to make learning more engaging. At a time when digital graphics were still in their early stages, he was already experimenting with visuals. He was the first in his class to submit typed projects with designed covers, selecting borders and creating graphics to enhance the presentation.
As a teacher, he began creating Parshah sheets to help students engage with the weekly Torah portion. Those resources eventually developed into the popular concept “Parshah in Just Two Minutes“, bringing Torah ideas into a format that was clear, accessible and engaging.
He also created graphics and resources to support other educators, often investing many additional hours simply because he saw a way to help.
Today, all of these different skills have come together.
Through his YouTube channel, Rabbi Eliyahu Shear combines Torah teaching, humour, technology, visual communication and creativity to create learning experiences that are both meaningful and engaging.
His Learn to Translate the Chumash Word by Word series is a perfect example.
Each lesson is supported by carefully prepared graphics, vocabulary tables and visual tools designed to help learners follow the Hebrew text, build their vocabulary and gain confidence with Chumash.
The technology has changed over the years.
The purpose has not.
A computer.
A robot.
A classroom resource.
A graphic.
A YouTube lesson.
Each one has been another way to use creativity and innovation to help others learn.
In a world where technology is often associated with distraction, Rabbi Shear’s work is an example of how technology can also be used to inspire, educate and connect people with something timeless.
After viewers asked if they could receive printed copies of the graphics used in the Learn to Translate the Chumash videos, a new YouTube Membership was created.
For $12.90 per month, members receive printable versions of these learning resources while also supporting the continued creation of Torah content.
Behind every lesson are hours of preparation, research, design, recording and editing. Membership support helps make it possible to continue developing these resources and reaching more learners around the world.
If you are interested in Torah learning, Hebrew vocabulary, creative education, or the positive use of technology, we invite you to explore Rabbi Eliyahu Shear’s channel.
Sometimes the greatest innovations are not about creating something completely new.
Sometimes they are about taking the gifts we have been given and using them for a higher purpose.
