 He studied medicine and became a doctor, but he abandoned medicine when Jewish education became his all-absorbing passion.Benderly saw variety of forms of Jewish education, “a hodgepodge of congregational schools, khayders, community Talmud Torahs, and private tutors.” He found that the Talmud Torah system would be the easiest to reform.This was because "despite their precarious finances and historical association with the impoverished, the schools enjoyed community support.