"Writing a book when you’re depressed is one serious challenge. But I knew it had to be done, that it was something that could benefit the tzibbur"
What: Yoni has been in the technical writing field for over 20 years. He’s worked for major tech companies, including AT&T, Magic Software, and ECI Telecom, managing teams of different sizes. Prior to his current role at Cross River, he spent six years managing Tech-Tav, a prominent Israeli provider of tech-writing services that provides consultancy services to many companies at the forefront of the Israel high-tech scene. He’s also given presentations about tech writing trends at a number of international events and managed LinkedIn’s “Documentation and Technical Writing Management.”
Where: Yoni was born in Golders Green, London, and made aliyah in 1998. He and his family lived in Ramat Beit Shemesh for about 20 years, and now live in Neve Michael.
Why: “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” This hit me hard when my friend Yoni recently published his book, Depressed (Mosaica Press, 2022). I thought I knew Yoni well. We davened together at KSY and have been friendly for years. He’s always been a paragon for community activism, from being the gabbai at various shuls, working on three Beit Shemesh elections, serving as a volunteer firefighter, and helping numerous chesed organizations. But clearly, he’s been fighting battles I knew nothing about. His new book shares a raw account of what it’s like for a frum man to struggle with depression, with the goal of helping those struggling with this debilitating yet common illness recognize that they aren’t alone. I applaud Yoni for bravely sharing his story, and I encourage everyone to read his book.
I studied law in university but wasn’t really sure that was what I wanted to do. Shortly after graduation, I was talking to a family friend who was involved in marketing. She was explaining the writing aspect of her job to me, and told me she thought I would be very good at it. She also gave me some basic tips, which I still use today. But most importantly, she led me to think of writing as a profession.
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