Rabbi David Cadoch
Maimonides Hospital Beth HaRambam Synagogue, Cote Saint-Luc, Quebec, Canada
Mar 9, 2003
Originally from Rabat, Morocco, Rabbi Cadoch immigrated to Montreal (Quebec), Canada when he was 3 years old.
Rabbi Cadoch received his B.A. in Philosophy/Psychology from McGill University. He then continued onto Concordia University where he received an additional degree in Management Information Studies. For fifteen years, Rabbi Cadoch did research & development as a technical communicator and software developer in the hi-tech industry. In 2002 he left hi-tech and dedicated most of his time to the rabbinate.
Often asked why he entered the rabbinate in the midst of a successful hi-tech career, Rabbi Cadoch responded that "this has always been my life-long dream. However, I wanted to wait for the maturity accrued with life experience in order to accept the responsibility of such a noble calling."
In 2003, he was conferred Yoreh Yoreh Yadin Yadin semicha ordination from the Rabbinical Seminary Merkaz HaTalmud in Montreal, Quebec, Canada under the mentorship of R. Aryeh Leib Baron.
Rabbi Cadoch says that “the most profound experiences of my rabbinical training, for which I am grateful to Hakadosh Baroch Hu, were the nine years of study and apprenticeship, serving and attending to R. Baron’s very busy schedule of Beth Din work, teaching and publishing seforim on halacha and shas. As Chazal teach us, shimush is vital to learning, so was I privileged to acquire mountains of spiritual knowledge through shimush, and to hear chiddushim from my rebbe’s teachers, the gedolim of Europe - R. Elchanan Wasserman, R. Yehudah Finkel, R. Yechezkel “Chatkal” Levenstein. The bond of love that grew between my rebbe and our respective families is one I cherish dearly. I am forever grateful to have been granted such a privilege. I am also grateful for the friendship and guidance of a dear friend and respected rav in our community, R. Sidney Shoham for his invaluable guidance regarding my rabbinic training."
As rabbi of the Maimonides Hospital Beth HaRambam Synagogue, Rabbi Cadoch counsels and serves the needs of the residents as well as local congregants from Cote Saint-Luc who attend services and Torah classes. Rabbi Cadoch regularly teaches Tanach, Talmud and Halacha to young professionals at Kollel Beth David OuShlomo.
Rabbi Cadoch serves on the Beth Din of R. Baron in family court, in the areas of gittin, family counselling and shalom bayit intervention. Rabbi Cadoch has been successful in trying to keep families intact wherever possible. He is a frequent writer on a variety of topics relating to halacha and hashkafa in contemporary society, and has published articles in the Canadian Jewish News. He is also currently working on a book on metaphysical counselling and Torah hashkafah.
In conjunction with McGill Medical Health Center and the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Rabbi Cadoch is presently completing a professional certification in Clinical Pastoral Education.
Rabbi Cadoch lives in Montreal with his wife Ora Rivka (Lucia Picciotto) and their four children, Naomi, Jacob, Elana and Rafael.
