Jewish Ideas to Change the World

ABOUT THIS EVENT: Join Valley Beit Midrash’s President & Dean, Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, for the first of a three-part series about the Jewish conception of the afterlife. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz has twice been named one of America’s Top Rabbis by Newsweek and has been named by The Forward as one of the 50 most influential Jews and one of The Most Inspiring Rabbis in America. Rabbi Yanklowitz is the author of nineteen books on Jewish ethics and his writings have appeared in outlets as diverse as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Guardian, and the Atlantic among many other secular and religious publications. He has served as speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and a Rothschild Fellow in Cambridge, UK. Rav Shmuly received a Masters from Harvard University and his Doctorate from Columbia University. He serves as the President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash (Jewish learning center), the Founder & President of Uri L’Tzedek (the Orthodox Social Justice movement), the Founder and CEO of Shamayim (Jewish animal advocacy), and the Founder and President of YATOM, (Jewish foster and adoption network). Rabbi Shmuly, his wife Shoshana, and their four children live in Scottsdale, Arizona. They are also foster parents. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Aviva Richman is a Rosh Yeshiva at Hadar, and has been on the faculty since 2010. A graduate of Oberlin College, she was ordained by Rabbi Danny Landes and completed a doctorate in Talmud at NYU. Interests included Talmud, Halakhah, Midrash and gender, and also a healthy dose of niggunim. ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS CLASS: Mitzvot are oftentimes understood as outward-facing actions, but doing the internal work to develop one’s middot, or character traits, is equally a mitzvah we are called to fulfill. The Torah, both in law and narrative, has much to teach us about cultivating a healthy personality of Humility, Patience, Gratitude, Order, and more. In this series – inspired by the works of Rabbi David Jaffe and Alan Morinis – we will journey through a number of the core character traits, study their appearances in canonical Jewish works, and explore practical ways of becoming better citizens, family members, and friends through the practice of Mussar. Class 6 discusses the trait "Chesed". ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Originally from Los Angeles (where he was a successful child actor), Rabbi Loren Berman is the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Jewish Educator for Moishe House and an Outreach and Engagement Associate at Sefaria. Previously, he was the supervisor of High Holidays programming at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility and a former teacher of Torah in a rural Jewish village in Ghana through the Kulanu Teaching Fellowship. During rabbinical school, Loren Berman completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Mount Sinai Hospital, and interned at the Hunter College Hillel and with Rabbi Uri Topolosky at Kehilat Pardes in Rockville, Maryland. He also participated in a number of rabbinic leadership fellowships through JOIN for Justice, the 92nd Street Y, AIPAC, and the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Loren Berman received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Talmud & Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Over the years, his education has also taken him to Pardes, Drisha, Yeshivat Hadar, and Yeshivat Har Etzion. In his spare time, Loren enjoys exercise and martial arts, travel, and experimenting in the kitchen. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: Join Valley Beit Midrash’s President & Dean, Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, for the first of a three-part series about the Jewish conception of the afterlife. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz has twice been named one of America’s Top Rabbis by Newsweek and has been named by The Forward as one of the 50 most influential Jews and one of The Most Inspiring Rabbis in America. Rabbi Yanklowitz is the author of nineteen books on Jewish ethics and his writings have appeared in outlets as diverse as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Guardian, and the Atlantic among many other secular and religious publications. He has served as speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and a Rothschild Fellow in Cambridge, UK. Rav Shmuly received a Masters from Harvard University and his Doctorate from Columbia University. He serves as the President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash (Jewish learning center), the Founder & President of Uri L’Tzedek (the Orthodox Social Justice movement), the Founder and CEO of Shamayim (Jewish animal advocacy), and the Founder and President of YATOM, (Jewish foster and adoption network). Rabbi Shmuly, his wife Shoshana, and their four children live in Scottsdale, Arizona. They are also foster parents. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Michelle Cohen Farber is the founder of Hadran, whose mission is to advance Talmud study for all women. She is also the founder and teacher of Daf Yomi for Women, the first women's online shiur on daf yomi. Michelle spearheaded the first international Siyum HaShas for Women. Michelle and her husband, Seth, founded and lead Kehillat Netivot in Ra'anana where they live with their five children. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual community event to celebrate Rabbi Mari Chernow! Speakers *Rabbi Dr. David Ellenson (Chancellor Emeritus – HUC-JIR/New York) – KEYNOTE SPEAKER *Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash *Stan Hammerman (Founding Board Chair at Valley Beit Midrash) *Rabbi Darren Kleinberg (Founding Executive Director of Valley Beit Midrash) *Rabbi Elana Kanter (The Women’s Jewish Learning Center) *Rabbi John Linder (Temple Solel) *Rabbi Bonnie Koppel (Temple Chai) *Cantor Ross Wolman (Temple Chai) ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the sixth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Einstein, Freud & Marx vs The Sages In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

A new VBM interview! Adam Lehman (President of Hillel International) interviewed by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz. About the Speaker: Adam Lehman serves as Hillel International’s President and CEO. After beginning his career in Mergers and Acquisitions at Skadden, Arps, Lehman spent two decades developing and growing a variety of new technology, marketing and media ventures, including as a Senior Vice President at AOL. Lehman joined Hillel International in 2015, initially serving as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer for four years, prior to being appointed Hillel International’s fifth President and CEO in December of 2019. Lehman graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. from Dartmouth College and cum laude with a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He was a Harry S. Truman Scholar. Lehman has served as a board member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah and Fair Chance D.C., and as a volunteer at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School and Camp Ramah of New England. He has also been active in the Jewish arts scene, as the author of a series of plays inspired by the Jewish holidays, and as a founding member of the D.C.-based Jewish a cappella group JewKvox. ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS CLASS: Mitzvot are oftentimes understood as outward-facing actions, but doing the internal work to develop one’s middot, or character traits, is equally a mitzvah we are called to fulfill. The Torah, both in law and narrative, has much to teach us about cultivating a healthy personality of Humility, Patience, Gratitude, Order, and more. In this series – inspired by the works of Rabbi David Jaffe and Alan Morinis – we will journey through a number of the core character traits, study their appearances in canonical Jewish works, and explore practical ways of becoming better citizens, family members, and friends through the practice of Mussar. Class 5 discusses the trait "Kavod". ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Originally from Los Angeles (where he was a successful child actor), Rabbi Loren Berman is the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Jewish Educator for Moishe House and an Outreach and Engagement Associate at Sefaria. Previously, he was the supervisor of High Holidays programming at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility and a former teacher of Torah in a rural Jewish village in Ghana through the Kulanu Teaching Fellowship. During rabbinical school, Loren Berman completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Mount Sinai Hospital, and interned at the Hunter College Hillel and with Rabbi Uri Topolosky at Kehilat Pardes in Rockville, Maryland. He also participated in a number of rabbinic leadership fellowships through JOIN for Justice, the 92nd Street Y, AIPAC, and the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Loren Berman received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Talmud & Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Over the years, his education has also taken him to Pardes, Drisha, Yeshivat Hadar, and Yeshivat Har Etzion. In his spare time, Loren enjoys exercise and martial arts, travel, and experimenting in the kitchen. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: Join Valley Beit Midrash’s President & Dean, Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, for the third and final part of a three-part series about the Jewish conception of the afterlife. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz has twice been named one of America’s Top Rabbis by Newsweek and has been named by The Forward as one of the 50 most influential Jews and one of The Most Inspiring Rabbis in America. Rabbi Yanklowitz is the author of nineteen books on Jewish ethics and his writings have appeared in outlets as diverse as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Guardian, and the Atlantic among many other secular and religious publications. He has served as speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and a Rothschild Fellow in Cambridge, UK. Rav Shmuly received a Masters from Harvard University and his Doctorate from Columbia University. He serves as the President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash (Jewish learning center), the Founder & President of Uri L’Tzedek (the Orthodox Social Justice movement), the Founder and CEO of Shamayim (Jewish animal advocacy), and the Founder and President of YATOM, (Jewish foster and adoption network). Rabbi Shmuly, his wife Shoshana, and their four children live in Scottsdale, Arizona. They are also foster parents. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Join Valley Beit Midrash for this virtual panel! ABOUT THIS PANEL: What can the last decade of American Jewish life teach us about what is most urgent about the next decade? PANELISTS: Professor Stan Mirvis, Rabbi Herschel "Brodie" Aberson, Rabbi Nitzan Stein Kokin. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the fifth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Reform Judaism vs. Orthodox Judaism In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS CLASS: Mitzvot are oftentimes understood as outward-facing actions, but doing the internal work to develop one’s middot, or character traits, is equally a mitzvah we are called to fulfill. The Torah, both in law and narrative, has much to teach us about cultivating a healthy personality of Humility, Patience, Gratitude, Order, and more. In this series – inspired by the works of Rabbi David Jaffe and Alan Morinis – we will journey through a number of the core character traits, study their appearances in canonical Jewish works, and explore practical ways of becoming better citizens, family members, and friends through the practice of Mussar. Class 4 discusses the trait "Zerizut". ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Originally from Los Angeles (where he was a successful child actor), Rabbi Loren Berman is the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Jewish Educator for Moishe House and an Outreach and Engagement Associate at Sefaria. Previously, he was the supervisor of High Holidays programming at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility and a former teacher of Torah in a rural Jewish village in Ghana through the Kulanu Teaching Fellowship. During rabbinical school, Loren Berman completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Mount Sinai Hospital, and interned at the Hunter College Hillel and with Rabbi Uri Topolosky at Kehilat Pardes in Rockville, Maryland. He also participated in a number of rabbinic leadership fellowships through JOIN for Justice, the 92nd Street Y, AIPAC, and the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Loren Berman received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Talmud & Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Over the years, his education has also taken him to Pardes, Drisha, Yeshivat Hadar, and Yeshivat Har Etzion. In his spare time, Loren enjoys exercise and martial arts, travel, and experimenting in the kitchen. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the fourth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Rambam vs. Ra'avad In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS CLASS: Recently, the nascent field of social neuroscience has provided research evidence concerning processes contributing to empathy and compassion. The talk will explore this body of research and examine its relationship to traditions that endeavor to cultivate compassion. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. Kaszniak is Professor of Psychology, Neurology, and Psychiatry and is currently Director of the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium Education Core, Director of the Neuropsychology, Emotion, and Meditation Laboratory, Faculty and Advisory Board member of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute. He is the co-author or editor of seven books, including the three-volume Toward a Science of Consciousness (MIT Press), and Emotions, Qualia, and Consciousness (World Scientific). His research, published in over 155 journal articles and scholarly book chapters, has been supported by grants from the U.S. National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, and National Science Foundation, as well as several private foundations and institutes. His work has focused on the neuropsychology of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related neurological disorders, cognition and emotion in healthy aging, consciousness, memory self-monitoring, emotion, and the psychophysiology of long-term and short-term meditation. This project is part of a national program entitled “Scientists in Synagogues,” a grass-roots initiative run by Sinai and Synapses in consultation with the American Association for the Advancement of Science Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion, and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, along with other individual donors. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: Despite our best efforts, we’re all vulnerable to believing things without using logic or having proper evidence—and it doesn’t matter how educated or well read we are. But there is a method for avoiding such pitfalls of human nature, and it’s called skepticism. By using rational inquiry and seeing subjects from a scientific perspective, we can approach even the most sensitive claims with clear eyes to ultimately arrive at the truth. In this lecture Dr. Shermer will surprise, challenge, and entertain you, you will learn how to think, not just what to think—and you’ll come to understand why extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. You’ll discover how skepticism can help differentiate between real science and pseudoscience, as well as between “scientific” history and pseudohistory—distinctions that have serious educational and political implications. As you learn how our brains work to form beliefs, you’ll examine the classic fallacies of thought that lead us to experience mistakes in thinking and to form bad arguments in favor of our beliefs. Is there a God? Is there life after death? Is there a basis for morality without God? Skepticism 101 doesn’t shy away from controversial questions, nor does it give final answers. What it offers are methods and hard evidence for rationally evaluating various claims and positions, and an opportunity to understand why you believe what you believe. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the Science Salon podcast, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of a number of New York Times bestselling books including: Heavens on Earth, The Moral Arc, The Believing Brain, Why People Believe Weird Things, Why Darwin Matters, The Mind of the Market, How We Believe, and The Science of Good and Evil. His new book is Giving the Devil His Due, a defense of free speech and free inquiry. His two TED talks, viewed nearly 10 million times, were voted in the top 100 of the more than 2000 TED talks. Dr. Shermer received his B.A. in psychology from Pepperdine University, M.A. in experimental psychology from California State University, Fullerton, and his Ph.D. in the history of science from Claremont Graduate University. He has been a college professor since 1979, having also taught at Occidental College, Glendale College, and Claremont Graduate University. As a public intellectual he regularly contributes Opinion Editorials, book reviews, essays, and articles to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Science, Nature, Quillette, Aeon, and other publications. This project is part of a national program entitled “Scientists in Synagogues,” a grass-roots initiative run by Sinai and Synapses in consultation with the American Association for the Advancement of Science Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion, and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, along with other individual donors. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS CLASS: Mitzvot are oftentimes understood as outward-facing actions, but doing the internal work to develop one’s middot, or character traits, is equally a mitzvah we are called to fulfill. The Torah, both in law and narrative, has much to teach us about cultivating a healthy personality of Humility, Patience, Gratitude, Order, and more. In this series – inspired by the works of Rabbi David Jaffe and Alan Morinis – we will journey through a number of the core character traits, study their appearances in canonical Jewish works, and explore practical ways of becoming better citizens, family members, and friends through the practice of Mussar. Class 3 discusses the trait "Hakarat HaTov". ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Originally from Los Angeles (where he was a successful child actor), Rabbi Loren Berman is the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Jewish Educator for Moishe House and an Outreach and Engagement Associate at Sefaria. Previously, he was the supervisor of High Holidays programming at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility and a former teacher of Torah in a rural Jewish village in Ghana through the Kulanu Teaching Fellowship. During rabbinical school, Loren Berman completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Mount Sinai Hospital, and interned at the Hunter College Hillel and with Rabbi Uri Topolosky at Kehilat Pardes in Rockville, Maryland. He also participated in a number of rabbinic leadership fellowships through JOIN for Justice, the 92nd Street Y, AIPAC, and the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Loren Berman received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Talmud & Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Over the years, his education has also taken him to Pardes, Drisha, Yeshivat Hadar, and Yeshivat Har Etzion. In his spare time, Loren enjoys exercise and martial arts, travel, and experimenting in the kitchen. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Professor Steven Pinker, Ph.D., is the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. He is the author of multiple bestselling books on cognitive science and psycholinguistics, including Enlightenment Now, The Better Angels of Our Nature, and Rationality (forthcoming). He has also been named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World Today” and Foreign Policy’s “Top 100 Global Thinkers.” ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the third session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Gun Rights vs. Gun Control In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: In this time of pandemic and social disruption, is it wise or naive for us to trust? We’ll explore the experience of trust by looking at the writings of Etty Hillesum, a Dutch woman in her late twenties living in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Etty’s journals and letters have been called “the most spiritually significant documents of our age.” Who was this young woman and what is the impact of her writings in our Jewish communities today? Together, we will examine what gets in the way of trust and how to cultivate it, even in the direst of circumstances. ABOUT THIS SPEAKER: Rabbi Dorothy Richman serves as the rabbi of Makor Or: Jewish Meditation Center and is a founding faculty member of the Romemu Yeshiva in New York City. Her teaching integrates Jewish text, practice, ritual and music to help students connect to themselves, to each other, to the Divine, and to their communities. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS CLASS: Mitzvot are oftentimes understood as outward-facing actions, but doing the internal work to develop one’s middot, or character traits, is equally a mitzvah we are called to fulfill. The Torah, both in law and narrative, has much to teach us about cultivating a healthy personality of Humility, Patience, Gratitude, Order, and more. In this series – inspired by the works of Rabbi David Jaffe and Alan Morinis – we will journey through a number of the core character traits, study their appearances in canonical Jewish works, and explore practical ways of becoming better citizens, family members, and friends through the practice of Mussar. Class 2 discusses the trait "Anavah and Humility". ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Originally from Los Angeles (where he was a successful child actor), Rabbi Loren Berman is the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Jewish Educator for Moishe House and an Outreach and Engagement Associate at Sefaria. Previously, he was the supervisor of High Holidays programming at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility and a former teacher of Torah in a rural Jewish village in Ghana through the Kulanu Teaching Fellowship. During rabbinical school, Loren Berman completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Mount Sinai Hospital, and interned at the Hunter College Hillel and with Rabbi Uri Topolosky at Kehilat Pardes in Rockville, Maryland. He also participated in a number of rabbinic leadership fellowships through JOIN for Justice, the 92nd Street Y, AIPAC, and the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Loren Berman received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Talmud & Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Over the years, his education has also taken him to Pardes, Drisha, Yeshivat Hadar, and Yeshivat Har Etzion. In his spare time, Loren enjoys exercise and martial arts, travel, and experimenting in the kitchen. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the second session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Yitz Greenberg vs. Meir Kahane In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: This will be an hour long discussion with attendees on how Jewish wisdom can inspire a paradigm shift with renewed leadership. ABOUT THIS SPEAKER: Rabbi Yehuda Sarna serves as the University Chaplain and Executive Director at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life at New York University. He is a Senior Fellow at the Of Many Institute for Multifaith Leadership at NYU, where he designs educational experiences and curricula to train the next generation in interfaith action. Rabbi Sarna was one of the principal subjects of Chelsea Clinton’s 2014 documentary, Of Many, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and aired nationally on ABC in 2017. The documentary is utilized as a teaching tool for universities and high schools around the country seeking to establish norms of religious and spiritual diversity within their institutions. The Of Many Institute designed an award winning training module, Faith Zone, to train university students, staff and administrators in religious literacy. Rabbi Sarna was appointed to the Muslim Jewish Advisory Council, a project of the American Jewish Committee and the Islamic Society of North America, to lobby for legislation increasingly vigilant of hate crimes.Within the Jewish community, Rabbi Sarna is known for his innovative disposition in launching new initiatives. In 2007, he started the Jewish Learning Fellowship, a ten-week course in Jewish thought for college students, which has since been replicated on dozens of campuses. In 2010, he helped develop the Jewish Disaster Response Corps (JDRC) which mobilizes the American Jewish community to provide direct support to communities recovering from natural disasters. In 2016, the Bronfman Center incubated Knock Knock Give a Sock, a student led initiative to break the stigma of homelessness which has since launched as an independent venture. He is the editor of The Koren Shabbat Evening Siddur (2011) and Orthodox Forum Series: Toward a Jewish Perspective on Culture (2013). Rabbi Sarna is married to Dr. Michelle Waldman Sarna, a psychologist, and they have six children. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS CLASS: Mitzvot are oftentimes understood as outward-facing actions, but doing the internal work to develop one’s middot, or character traits, is equally a mitzvah we are called to fulfill. The Torah, both in law and narrative, has much to teach us about cultivating a healthy personality of Humility, Patience, Gratitude, Order, and more. In this series – inspired by the works of Rabbi David Jaffe and Alan Morinis – we will journey through a number of the core character traits, study their appearances in canonical Jewish works, and explore practical ways of becoming better citizens, family members, and friends through the practice of Mussar. Class 1 discusses the trait "Hitlamdut". ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Originally from Los Angeles (where he was a successful child actor), Rabbi Loren Berman is the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Jewish Educator for Moishe House and an Outreach and Engagement Associate at Sefaria. Previously, he was the supervisor of High Holidays programming at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility and a former teacher of Torah in a rural Jewish village in Ghana through the Kulanu Teaching Fellowship. During rabbinical school, Loren Berman completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Mount Sinai Hospital, and interned at the Hunter College Hillel and with Rabbi Uri Topolosky at Kehilat Pardes in Rockville, Maryland. He also participated in a number of rabbinic leadership fellowships through JOIN for Justice, the 92nd Street Y, AIPAC, and the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Loren Berman received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Talmud & Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Over the years, his education has also taken him to Pardes, Drisha, Yeshivat Hadar, and Yeshivat Har Etzion. In his spare time, Loren enjoys exercise and martial arts, travel, and experimenting in the kitchen. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Janet R. Kirchheimer is a Clal Teaching Fellow, Assistant to the Presidents, and LEAP Program Manager. A poet, essayist, creative writing teacher, and filmmaker, she is the author of How to Spot One of Us (2007, Clal). Nominated for a Pushcart Prize, her work has appeared in numerous journals, anthologies, and on-line publications. Janet has taught and given talks and readings at a wide variety of organizations. Most recently she was part of a “Six-Word Memoir” storytelling event held at the Tenement Museum in New York City, and her chapter “At the Water’s Edge: Poetry and the Holocaust” appeared in “The Psychoanalytic Textbook of Holocaust Studies” in 2019. Janet is producing, AFTER, a film that explores poetry written about the Holocaust featuring renowned contemporary poets. She is also a gold-star licensed New York City Sightseeing Guide conducting tours about the first Jewish community in North America, founded in 1654. When she’s not giving tours, Janet is busy being a hyphenated American – the daughter of Holocaust survivors, an avid reader, singer, knitter, opera lover, and that’s just the beginning. Janet brings her passion and curiosity about life and Judaism to everything she does at Clal. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: What goes into creating Torah scrolls and other sacred writing? Participants will get an inside peek into the materials used, including parchment and writing instruments, as well as the process of writing, such as letter formation and spiritual intention. ABOUT THIS SPEAKER: Julie Seltzer is a Torah Scribe and Educator living in the Hudson Valley, NY. She was trained by Jen Taylor Friedman and learned with several scribes in Jerusalem. Currently, Julie recently completed her fourth Torah scroll for Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains, NY, and is writing a memoir about her spiritual journey. She is excited to be part of a growing network of women scribes. ★ Support this podcast ★

Hitaloot HaOlam-The Elevation of Existence Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook TZ’L (1865- 1935) is considered by many to be the preeminent teacher of the Torah’s full illumination for our epoch. He was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel from 1920-1935. The close circle of extraordinary students around him came to the conclusion that he was experiencing prophecy. He was the first one to refer to Medinat Israel-The State of Israel (in his writings in 1906) and his influence on the rebirth of Israel physically and spiritually is incalculable and growing. In our ten sessions, we will learn the foundational roots of his teachings and the soaring wings of his vision. The first five sessions will be devoted to the five foundations of his worldview- as defined by his premier student Rabbi David Cohen-HaRav HaNazir TZ’L (with Rav Kook’s agreement). ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the first session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Hillel vs Shammai In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Hitaloot HaOlam-The Elevation of Existence Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook TZ’L (1865- 1935) is considered by many to be the preeminent teacher of the Torah’s full illumination for our epoch. He was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel from 1920-1935. The close circle of extraordinary students around him came to the conclusion that he was experiencing prophecy. He was the first one to refer to Medinat Israel-The State of Israel (in his writings in 1906) and his influence on the rebirth of Israel physically and spiritually is incalculable and growing. In our ten sessions, we will learn the foundational roots of his teachings and the soaring wings of his vision. The first five sessions will be devoted to the five foundations of his worldview- as defined by his premier student Rabbi David Cohen-HaRav HaNazir TZ’L (with Rav Kook’s agreement). ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty-eigth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "39 Ways to Repair the World" series. In celebration of Rabbi Shmuly’s 39th birthday, he is going to teach the 39 melachot over the coming year (1 per week for 39 weeks). He’ll teach the 39 Shabbat Channels from philosophical & theological perspectives. Each of the 39 can move us toward a deeper realization of these 39 dimensions of Shabbat rejuvenation in order that we can bring about 39 strengthened ways to repair & heal the world (& ourselves! & our families! & our communities!) on the other 6 days (emulating Divine creation and transforming our world into a holy dwelling place! DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Join Eddie Chavez Calderon as we honor and share the impact Mexican diplomat Gilberto bosques Saldivar had on the Jewish community during WWII and helped save hundreds of Jews. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/u…-MOSHE-1.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at www.jaburgwilk.com/​ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS CLASS: The dynamics of individuality and community within Jewish settings ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Aberson, who prefers to be addressed as ‘Rabbi Brodie’, received his ordination from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. His degrees include an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from Ben Gurion University of the Negev and a Certificate in Education from the American Jewish University. He also has a BA in Anthropology from Muhlenberg College. Rabbi Brodie’s driving goals are to connect Jews to their traditions, their texts, and to each other. He believes, “By building stronger relationships with each other and our traditions we can build even better communities.” Rabbi Brodie believes Jewish education goes far beyond Bar or Bat Mitzvah. One of his goals is to instill a love of Judaism across the generations. “I felt the love and warmth that this congregation is known for from the first moment I stepped onto the TBSEV campus,” Rabbi Brodie continued, “I am excited to become a part of it, and cherish the opportunity to dedicate my life and work to serving Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley. I hope to make a positive impact, and help guide the way towards another 70 years of Jewish life and learning in the East Valley.” DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/u…-MOSHE-1.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at www.jaburgwilk.com/​ ★ Support this podcast ★

Hitaloot HaOlam-The Elevation of Existence Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook TZ’L (1865- 1935) is considered by many to be the preeminent teacher of the Torah’s full illumination for our epoch. He was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel from 1920-1935. The close circle of extraordinary students around him came to the conclusion that he was experiencing prophecy. He was the first one to refer to Medinat Israel-The State of Israel (in his writings in 1906) and his influence on the rebirth of Israel physically and spiritually is incalculable and growing. In our ten sessions, we will learn the foundational roots of his teachings and the soaring wings of his vision. The first five sessions will be devoted to the five foundations of his worldview- as defined by his premier student Rabbi David Cohen-HaRav HaNazir TZ’L (with Rav Kook’s agreement). ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz and Rev. William Barber, II discuss Voter Suppression, Raising the Minimum, Wage & Spiritual Resilience! ★ Support this podcast ★

Hitaloot HaOlam-The Elevation of Existence Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook TZ’L (1865- 1935) is considered by many to be the preeminent teacher of the Torah’s full illumination for our epoch. He was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel from 1920-1935. The close circle of extraordinary students around him came to the conclusion that he was experiencing prophecy. He was the first one to refer to Medinat Israel-The State of Israel (in his writings in 1906) and his influence on the rebirth of Israel physically and spiritually is incalculable and growing. In our ten sessions, we will learn the foundational roots of his teachings and the soaring wings of his vision. The first five sessions will be devoted to the five foundations of his worldview- as defined by his premier student Rabbi David Cohen-HaRav HaNazir TZ’L (with Rav Kook’s agreement). ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty-eighth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "39 Ways to Repair the World" series. In celebration of Rabbi Shmuly’s 39th birthday, he is going to teach the 39 melachot over the coming year (1 per week for 39 weeks). He’ll teach the 39 Shabbat Channels from philosophical & theological perspectives. Each of the 39 can move us toward a deeper realization of these 39 dimensions of Shabbat rejuvenation in order that we can bring about 39 strengthened ways to repair & heal the world (& ourselves! & our families! & our communities!) on the other 6 days (emulating Divine creation and transforming our world into a holy dwelling place! DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: We will study traditional texts that explore the role of questions and questioning at the Passover Seder and in life. Are some questions more legitimate than others? What are “fake questions,” and can they also help us tell our stories? ABOUT THIS SPEAKER: Channa Lockshin Bob is a Ra”M at Midreshet Amudim in Modiin and the Director of Education at Edu-Together, an online academy. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/u…-MOSHE-1.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: www.jaburgwilk.com/​ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: The commandment to remember the Exodus serves as both a theological and ethical principle which has accompanied the Jewish people throughout our history. Rather than being a static and unchanging perspective on the past, however, this mitzvah has given voice to the responsibilities and hopes of Jews for liberation in different times and varying circumstances of persecution. This raises the question of what role the story of the Exodus plays for American Jews and how it informs both our ethical responsibilities today and how we engage in the study of textual traditions composed by those under oppression. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/u…-MOSHE-1.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: www.jaburgwilk.com/​ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THIS EVENT: In this session, we will explore together the centrality of speech and storytelling to the Seder night. How do our biblical, rabbinic, and mystical texts understand the connection between speech and freedom? And how can we harness their wisdom to use our own speech to bring greater freedom to ourselves, and to our world? ABOUT THIS SPEAKER: Daniel Raphael Silverstein is a rabbi, educator, meditation teacher and MC/poet. He lives in Israel with his family, where he is a faculty member of Pardes, Or HaLev, the Conservative Yeshiva, and the Romemu Yeshiva (NY). Daniel recently launched the online learning portal, Applied Jewish Spirituality, which makes the transformative spiritual wisdom of our tradition accessible to all who seek it. https://www.appliedjewishspirituality.org/ DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/u…-MOSHE-1.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: www.jaburgwilk.com/​ ★ Support this podcast ★

Shmuly Yanklowitz - 39 Ways to Repair the World - Class 37: Mav'ir by Valley Beit Midrash ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Jennifer Wiseman is an astrophysicist, and the Director of the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She studies the process of star and planet formation in our galaxy using radio, optical, and infrared telescopes. She is also interested in national science policy and public science engagement and served as a Congressional Science Fellow of the American Physical Society. Dr. Wiseman studied physics at MIT, co-discovering comet Wiseman-Skiff in 1987, and continued in astronomy with her doctoral research at Harvard. She has worked with several international observatories and is currently a senior astrophysicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Dr. Wiseman is a Fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation and frequently gives public talks to schools, congregations, and civic groups on the excitement of scientific discovery. She grew up on an Arkansas farm enjoying late-night stargazing walks with her parents and pets. This project is part of a national program entitled “Scientists in Synagogues,” a grass-roots initiative run by Sinai and Synapses in consultation with the American Association for the Advancement of Science Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion, and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, along with other individual donors. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/u…-MOSHE-1.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at www.jaburgwilk.com/​ ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual presentation by Dr. David Shyovitz. “The family that prays together,” the famous adage goes, “stays together.” Indeed, many people of faith take for granted that religious observance strengthens spousal, parental, and inter-generational relationships. But to pre-modern Jewish theologians, it was far from obvious that the family was a religiously meaningful institution. Biblical interpreters, mystics, and moralists questioned whether bonds between husbands and wives, or even parents and children, were strictly human constructs, conventional means of structuring the social order–or whether they reflected underlying, preexisting, enduring spiritual realities. This lecture will explore the ways in which medieval Jews used eschatological theology (speculation about the afterlife and the apocalypse) as a means of; thinking through the theological underpinnings of familial relationships. As we shall see, these medieval theological debates have had lasting, and surprising, implications for the development of Jewish liturgy and rituals. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook TZ’L (1865- 1935) is considered by many to be the preeminent teacher of the Torah’s full illumination for our epoch. He was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel from 1920-1935. The close circle of extraordinary students around him came to the conclusion that he was experiencing prophecy. He was the first one to refer to Medinat Israel-The State of Israel (in his writings in 1906) and his influence on the rebirth of Israel physically and spiritually is incalculable and growing. In this sixth session, we will look at The Song of Our Souls DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/u…VATION-5.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: www.jaburgwilk.com/​ [email protected] www.haorot.com www.amazon.com/dp/080912159X/ www.amazon.com/gp/product/9657108535/ @haorotravkook www.youtube.com/user/HAOROTRAVKOOK/videos ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty-sixth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "39 Ways to Repair the World" series. In celebration of Rabbi Shmuly’s 39th birthday, he is going to teach the 39 melachot over the coming year (1 per week for 39 weeks). He’ll teach the 39 Shabbat Channels from philosophical & theological perspectives. Each of the 39 can move us toward a deeper realization of these 39 dimensions of Shabbat rejuvenation in order that we can bring about 39 strengthened ways to repair & heal the world (& ourselves! & our families! & our communities!) on the other 6 days (emulating Divine creation and transforming our world into a holy dwelling place! DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member ★ Support this podcast ★

About the event: Social media is a powerful tool. It can be used for social activism or to connect us (especially when socially distanced). But it can also be used to spread hatred and negativity. As “shaming” and “cancel culture” become more prevalent, we will explore what relevant guidelines can be found in Jewish Law and Thought for these social challenges. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-oIbBcsMNnc_jH1u6HvaimFYs2BsQ4AuHGrXs07Zeo8/edit?usp=sharing For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: www.jaburgwilk.com/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Although we generally think of emotions as experiences of individuals, a great deal of recent research demonstrates that emotions are often socially formed and serve social roles. Societies define when certain emotions are appropriate and often cultivate individuals to experience these emotions in particular circumstances. By endorsing or condemning the experiencing and displaying of particular emotions, groups seek to regulate the behavior of their members. A prime example of the effort at shaping emotional experience is how societies through a variety of media, written, visual, oral, deploy the emotion of “fear.” A group can come to be defined by the people or developments it should fear. The politics of fear is rampant in our world today, as the events of the past year amply demonstrate cultures, religions, and societies, however, have endorsed or condemned “fear” over the course of human history. “Fear” is the most commonly mentioned emotion throughout the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Although there has been a good deal written about “fear” in the Tanakh, including both the fear of God and the fear of humans, the limited analysis of references to “fear” in rabbinic texts has focused primarily upon the fear of the divine, with little investigation of what these texts say about interpersonal fear. In my shiur I will examine what early rabbinic texts say about who and what we ought and ought not to fear. We will come to see how these texts seek to shape the emotions and behaviors of both individuals and groups. Although we generally think of emotions as experiences of individuals, a great deal of recent research demonstrates that emotions are often socially formed and serve social roles. Societies define when certain emotions are appropriate and often cultivate individuals to experience these emotions in particular circumstances. By endorsing or condemning the experiencing and displaying of particular emotions, groups seek to regulate the behavior of their members. A prime example of the effort at shaping emotional experience is how societies through a variety of media, written, visual, oral, deploy the emotion of “fear.” A group can come to be defined by the people or developments it should fear. The politics of fear is rampant in our world today, as the events of the past year amply demonstrate cultures, religions, and societies, however, have endorsed or condemned “fear” over the course of human history. “Fear” is the most commonly mentioned emotion throughout the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Although there has been a good deal written about “fear” in the Tanakh, including both the fear of God and the fear of humans, the limited analysis of references to “fear” in rabbinic texts has focused primarily upon the fear of the divine, with little investigation of what these texts say about interpersonal fear. In my shiur I will examine what early rabbinic texts say about who and what we ought and ought not to fear. We will come to see how these texts seek to shape the emotions and behaviors of both individuals and groups. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/u…-MOSHE-1.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: www.jaburgwilk.com/​ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook TZ’L (1865- 1935) is considered by many to be the preeminent teacher of the Torah’s full illumination for our epoch. He was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel from 1920-1935. The close circle of extraordinary students around him came to the conclusion that he was experiencing prophecy. He was the first one to refer to Medinat Israel-The State of Israel (in his writings in 1906) and his influence on the rebirth of Israel physically and spiritually is incalculable and growing. In this fifth session, we will look at Hitaloot HaOlam DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/VBM-התעלות-העולם-CONSTANT-ELEVATION-5.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: www.jaburgwilk.com/​ [email protected] www.haorot.com www.amazon.com/dp/080912159X/ www.amazon.com/gp/product/9657108535/ @haorotravkook www.youtube.com/user/HAOROTRAVKOOK/videos ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual presentation hosted by Rabbi Alan Yuter ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Alan Yuter, a highly respected American Orthodox rabbi, went on Aliyah with his wife upon his retirement. They currently reside in Jerusalem. Rabbi Yuter teaches at Torat Reeva. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/INTRI-IGROT-MOSHE-1.pdf For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: www.jaburgwilk.com/​ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty-fith session of Valley Beit Midrash's "39 Ways to Repair the World" series. In celebration of Rabbi Shmuly’s 39th birthday, he is going to teach the 39 melachot over the coming year (1 per week for 39 weeks). He’ll teach the 39 Shabbat Channels from philosophical & theological perspectives. Each of the 39 can move us toward a deeper realization of these 39 dimensions of Shabbat rejuvenation in order that we can bring about 39 strengthened ways to repair & heal the world (& ourselves! & our families! & our communities!) on the other 6 days (emulating Divine creation and transforming our world into a holy dwelling place! DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook TZ’L (1865- 1935) is considered by many to be the preeminent teacher of the Torah’s full illumination for our epoch. He was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel from 1920-1935. The close circle of extraordinary students around him came to the conclusion that he was experiencing prophecy. He was the first one to refer to Medinat Israel-The State of Israel (in his writings in 1906) and his influence on the rebirth of Israel physically and spiritually is incalculable and growing. In this third session, we will look at HaAchdut HaKolelet - The All Inclusive Oneness! DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​ LEARNING MATERIALS: https://bit.ly/3jZk0Bl For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash BECOME A MEMBER: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Valley Beit Midrash is proud to host the Jaburg Wilk Learning Season. Learn more about Jaburg Wilk at: http://www.jaburgwilk.com/​ [email protected] www.haorot.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/080912159X/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9657108535/ https://soundcloud.com/haorotravkook https://www.youtube.com/user/HAOROTRAVKOOK/videos ★ Support this podcast ★