Business Hunter Credits Rebbe

By Hamodia

An avid explorer of the African bush, popular Fortune 500 speaker, author of a widely acclaimed book on business development techniques, kiruv lecturer, and most of all, a deeply committed Orthodox Jew, Kivi Bernhard is a fascinating figure.

But the most compelling aspect of his life is the way he uses his talents and opportunities to be mekadesh Shem Shamayim — in some very unusual places.

Mr. Bernhard is the son of Rabbi Nachman Bernhard, the rabbi of the Oxford Synagogue in Johannesburg for over fifty years.

Growing up in South Africa, he became passionate about the African wilderness and its wildlife.

In 1997, Kivi Bernhard, his wife and their four daughters left South Africa and settled in the United States. They arrived in America with $860.22 and got right to work setting up a wholesale loose-diamond business with a small line of credit that a cutter in South Africa had extended them.

However, Bernhard soon realized that he was dealing with a tough market that was not very kind to amateur salesmen, particularly those with no company history.

As he traveled the highways of America, he began to review in his head the hunting strategies of the African leopard that he had been privileged to see in the bush. He realized that he could apply these techniques to selling diamonds — and it worked! With siyatta diShmaya, he developed a successful business.

About 5 years ago, Bernhard further developed this approach, creating Leopardology™ — an audiovisual presentation, and subsequently a book, that applies the hunting methods of the African leopard to business sales, leadership, motivation and strategy.

Since then, Leopardology™ has been incorporated into the MBA programs of some leading business schools, and Kivi Bernhard has become a sought-after speaker in the corporate world; he frequently speaks to international audiences of thousands.

Additionally, Mr. Bernhard has become a speaker for kiruv organizations such as Aish, Discovery, Ohr Somayach and Chabad. His description of the unique opportunity he has to make a kiddush Hashem in Fortune 500 venues has inspired many. Although he has many speaking commitments, Kivi has not forsaken Africa and returns there for visits, finding inspiration for avodas Hashem in the African bush.

I was born and raised in Johannesburg. My father, Rabbi Bernhard, had been studying in Yeshiva University and was a talmid of Harav Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, zt”l.

In 1962, the Oxford Synagogue in Johannesburg approached Yeshiva University for a rabbi. At that time, my father really had a dream to pursue a career in classical music. However, someone arranged an appointment for him with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l, who told him, “I understand that you want to pursue a career in classical music, but Jews in South Africa need to be shown Torah. You have the kochos to do that — go to Johannesburg.”

He remained as rabbi of the Oxford Synagogue in Johannesburg for over 50 years and was one of the key developers of the Jewish community; he also played a pivotal role in the dismantling of apartheid. It was this unique synthesis that the Rebbe had seen in my father, and he knew that this quality would resonate with South African Jewry.

My father also introduced me to the world of nature, and together we explored the African bush. He taught me to find Hashem’s Hand in the natural world. My father would examine the magnificence of a rare fourfoot bateleur eagle, the majesty and power of a full-grown male lion, or the beauty of a gemsbok, and he would always exclaim, “Ma gadlu maasecha Hashem!”

I remember a very interesting encounter I had with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l, when I was still in yeshivah. It was the last time I was to see the Rebbe in person and I was standing on line to receive a dollar from him.

As the Rebbe handed me the dollar, he said, “Yafutzu maayanosecha chutzah,” a passuk from Torah that our Sages often use to express the responsibility we have as Jews to take Hashem into the world at large. It was totally out of context and seemingly random, and people around were a little surprised.

For years, I did not understand what that meant for me specifically. Today I clearly see that the Rebbe was giving me a charge to use my particular abilities to take the concept of Hashem’s existence into the secular corporate realm and serve as His lamplighter wherever I go in His vast, magnificent world.

VIDEO: Bernhard in the South African bush