Ben Volman
Writer, Editor, and Messianic Rabbi in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ben is a Messianic Jewish author, teacher, and currently a doctoral student at McMaster Divinity College. He retired as Messianic Rabbi of Kehillat Eytz Chaim / Tree of Life Congregation in Toronto in December 2021, and stepped down from his position as Vice President of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations in July 2023.
He received his BA from the University of Toronto and a MDiv from Knox College, Toronto School of Theology, Univ. of Toronto (the seminary of the Presbyterian Church in Canada). He became a follower of Yeshua while studying philosophy at the U of T.
Ben was a founding member of Canada's first Messianic Jewish congregation and has had a long career as a Messianic rabbi and taught in hundreds of churches across Canada and the United States. He has also spoken at conferences and congregations in Germany, Thailand and the Philippines. From 2007 to 2021, he was the Toronto Director of Ministry for Chosen People Ministries Canada.
Ben's past work as a freelance writer and editor has given him three national writing awards, two for journalism and one for his popular book on the history of the Scott Mission in Toronto, More Than Miracles: Elaine Zeidman Markovic and the Story of The Scott Mission.The foreword was written by the late Hon. David Onley, Ontario's former Lieutenant Governer.
His numerous Torah commentaries, editorials and feature articles have appeared online with the UMJC, and in publications including ChristianWeek, Chosen People Magazine and Faith Today. From 2002 to 2006 he was the publisher and executive director of an international publication, The Messianic Times.His podcast, MessianicInsight, is available online through Libsyn and Apple and further articles can be found online and at his website, www.messianicinsight.com.
Ben grew up in a secular Jewish home, the son of Israeli immigrants. His late father was a Holocaust survivor. His mother's family immigrated from Germany to Palestine in 1933. His parents came to Canada in the early 1950s and Ben was born in Toronto.
He's been married for 39 years to Sue, and they live with their adult son, Jon.