Jewish Ideas to Change the World

A virtual event presentation by Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn, BCCAbout The Event: Rabbanit Alissa will share personal stories and reflections on her new book, “Shabbat Guidebook for Parents: Halacha of Caring for Infants, Toddlers, and Young Children on Shabbat and Yom Tov”, also available on Amazon. This guide is an easy go-to for parents to learn how to care for infants, toddlers, and children on Shabbat and Yom Tov. Based on real-life situations and informed by the author’s shul and chaplaincy experiences as well as her life as a mom, this guidebook offers to-the-point halachic guidance paired with meaningful spiritual reflections. The content itself generally follows the timeline of Shabbat and holidays, with additional pastoral resources on self-care for parents and spirituality in parenting.About The Speaker: Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn, BCC is the Rabbanit at Congregation Netivot Shalom in Teaneck, NJ. Netivot Shalom is a Modern Orthodox shul, which she leads together in partnership with Rabbi Nati Helfgot. Rabbanit Alissa is a Board Certified Chaplain and full-time staff chaplain at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where she has specialties in Palliative Care, Critical Care, and Emergency Psychiatric Care, and she is the president of NAJC (Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains). Rabbanit Alissa is also the Moishe House Based-In Teaneck clergy and an Atra fellow in the inaugural Northern New Jersey Rabbinic (re)Design Fellowship. From 2014 to 2022, Rabbanit Alissa served as a spiritual leader at B’nai David-Judea Congregation, as the first Orthodox female clergy in Los Angeles. A frequent writer and speaker, she received her ordination from Yeshivat Maharat and graduated from Brandeis University. Rabbanit Alissa and her husband Akiva live in Teaneck with their children, Ella and Liam. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey ClaussenAbout The Event:Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey Claussen’s new book, Jewish Ethics: The Basics, is designed to help us think critically about the diversity of Jewish ethics—on topics including authority, human rights, war, land, power, gender, sexuality, environmental ethics, animal ethics, and more. In this session, we will consider how Jews have passionately disagreed about fundamental moral claims and about what constitutes Jewish ethics, and we will consider how we may understand our ideas within the history of Jewish debates.About The Speaker: Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey Claussen is a Professor of Religious Studies, Lori and Eric Sklut Professor in Jewish Studies, and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Elon University. His books include Sharing the Burden: Rabbi Simhah Zissel Ziv and the Path of Musar (2015), Modern Musar: Contested Virtues in Jewish Thought (2022), Jewish Virtue Ethics (2023), and Jewish Ethics: The Basics (2025). ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Zachary TruboffThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About The Event: Franz Rosenzweig has long been considered one of the most brilliant and insightful Jewish thinkers. At the heart of his thought is the belief that the Jews’ covenant with God marks them as different and, as a result, orients them differently in the world than all other peoples. By neither embracing nor rejecting Zionism, Rosenzweig sought to mark a path for Judaism in modernity that would allow it to remain true to its deepest commitments.About The Speaker: Rabbi Zachary Truboff is the Director of the International Beit Din Institute for Agunah Research and Education, a think-tank founded by the IBD to address the halachic dimensions of the agunah problem. He is also the author of “Torah Goes Forth From Zion: Essays on the Thought of Rav Kook and Rav Shagar." His writings on Jewish thought and Zionism have appeared in various publications. Before making aliyah, he served for nearly a decade as the rabbi of Cedar Sinai Synagogue in Cleveland, Ohio. He has taught in various adult education settings, such as the Wexner Heritage Program and the Hartman Institute. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Jen, and their four children. For more of his writing and classes, see zachtruboff.com. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Devora SteinmetzThe event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJAbout The Event: The Passover seder challenges us to see ourselves as participants in an ancient story. In this session, we will look at a variety of ways in which the hagada helps us enter into our ancestors’ story and make it our own.*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13b0-sp_J-Q4-WfRZbZAwrtIiHG5YYZgJ/viewAbout The Speaker: Devora Steinmetz serves on the Hebrew College Rabbinical School faculty and the Mandel Leadership Institute. She founded Beit Rabban, a Jewish day school profiled in Daniel Pekarsky’s Vision at Work: The Theory and Practice of Beit Rabban. She is the author of scholarly articles on Talmud, Midrash, and the Bible as well as of two books, From Father to Son: Kinship, Conflict, and Continuity in Genesis and Punishment and Freedom: The Rabbinic Construction of Criminal Law. She has served on the faculty of Drisha, the Jewish Theological Seminary, Yeshivat Hadar, and Havruta: a Beit Midrash at Hebrew University. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Ethan DavidsonAbout The Event: Inspired by his own experiences and the tragic events of October 7, 2023, And They Arose Early To Do Sexual Violence: My Personal Mirror of Torah by Ethan Daniel Davidson challenges readers to consider how ancient narratives parallel humanity’s ongoing struggle with violence and the responses to such violence; be they measured and justified, or disproportionate and unjustifiable. We will explore the story of Dinah using excerpts from Davidson’s latest book and discuss parallels to the Israel/Gaza war.*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GpZ4gCZ5LIsbYUpNtTCuDOvxEONc-Bra/viewAbout The Speaker: Author, musician, and philanthropist Ethan Daniel Davidson has authored two books, recorded 15 albums, and toured throughout North America and Europe. In 2005, he left his touring life and returned to his Detroit roots, where he helped run the William Davidson Foundation established by his late father, Bill Davidson. The private family foundation strives to fulfill its founder’s legacy by advancing the economic, cultural, and civic vitality of Southeast Michigan, the State of Israel, and the Jewish community for future generations. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi David JaffeThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About The Event: According to 20th Century Mussar master, Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, much of our behavior is determined by past choices, habits, education, and family culture. Patterns of behavior can be passed down from generation to generation, for better or for worse. The Purim and Pesach season offers us Jewish spiritual technologies for seeing and breaking out of these patterns. This session will explore Esther as a model of facing and overcoming limiting behaviors that offer us a model for the movement towards freedom that begins during these days of Purim to Pesach.*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15Jv87xTA2jAdWZ6_ABDn_J-T0CZB6uwH/view?usp=sharingAbout The Speaker: Rabbi David Jaffe is the Founder and Executive Director of Kirva, a national education and training organization that integrates Mussar and Chassidic wisdom and practice with the work of social change. He is the author of Changing the World from the Inside Out, and the winner of the National Jewish Book Award. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbanit Shalhevet CahanaThe event was co-hosted by Beth El PhoenixAbout The Event: Often celebrated as the one who saved the Jewish people from certain downfall, how exactly did Esther do it? A close reading of the text indicates that Esther’s true brilliance lies not only in her bravery to even attempt it on the pain of death but also in her deft and magnificently subtle manipulation of events.This class will analyze the layers of Esther’s calculated, cunning, and clever strategy. Far from relying on chance alone, she masterfully cast doubt on Haman, transforming him from a trusted advisor into a suspect in the eyes of King Achashverosh. We will explore how her subtle moves and reliance on Divine providence turned an otherwise “innocent” Haman into the architect of his downfall, revealing Esther’s genius as a leader and tactician.About The Speaker: Rabbanit Shalhevet Cahana teaches Judaic Studies at the Jewish Leadership Academy, a groundbreaking Jewish Day School in Miami. She serves as the Community Scholar at Beth Jacob Congregation in Oakland, CA – a position she has held for seven years. She has delivered shiurim (classes) and drashot (sermons) to more than 75 synagogues and campuses in North America, France, and Israel.Additionally, she is a Kallah Teacher, trained by Merkaz Eden in Yerushalayim, guiding couples in Mikvah and Shalom Bayit (marital harmony) in the months preceding their wedding.Rabbanit Cahana previously studied at Maimonides School, Migdal Oz, and Stern College for Women and their advanced Gemara program called the Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Studies (GPATS). ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard, Ph.DThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or TzionAbout The Event: Why is Jewish Law important and relevant for us today? Written and oral Torah has been an ongoing adaptive legal system for over 3500 years. Its central institutions have been Justice and Loving Kindness, the Sabbath, and the Temple system. This talk will explore the ideals that have guided and still guide Jewish law in its search to fulfill the Divine will.About The Speaker: Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard, Ph.D teaches at the Law Faculty of Humboldt University in Berlin and is an adjunct at Fordham Law School in New York. He also taught and consulted with Jewish leadership groups across North America for many years. Rabbi Blanchard is the co-author of Embracing Life and Facing Death: A Jewish Guide to Palliative Care, as well as academic articles, parables, and stories. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Adina AllenThe event was co-sponsored by: About The Event: Join us for an inspiring book talk with artist and educator Rabbi Adina Allen, author of The Place of All Possibility: Cultivating Creativity Through Ancient Jewish Wisdom. Creativity offers us a portal to transformation, spiritual connection, and revelation. It is there for us when we feel stuck, divided, or disconnected. When we bring our creativity to the Torah, we can surface new and potent insights that can support us in times of challenge. In her highly anticipated first book, Rabbi Adina Allen delivers a paradigm-shifting and powerfully accessible reading of the Torah as a contemporary guidebook for creativity and invites us to rethink and transform ourselves, our lives, and the world around us.About The Speaker: Rabbi Adina Allen is a spiritual leader, writer, and educator who grew up in an art studio where she learned firsthand the power of creativity for connecting to self and the Sacred. She is co-founder and creative director of Jewish Studio Project (JSP), an organization that is seeding a future in which every person is connected to their creativity as a force for healing, liberation, and social transformation. Based on the work of her mother, renowned art therapist Pat B. Allen, Adina developed the Jewish Studio Process, a methodology for unlocking creativity, which she has brought to thousands of activists, educators, artists, and clergy across the country. A national media contributor, popular speaker, and workshop leader, Adina’s writing can be found in scholarly as well as mainstream publications and on her website at www.adina-allen.com.*This podcast is sponsored by the Jewish Tuition Organization, known as the JTO. For more information about the Jewish Tuition Organization or to donate* ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi J. Rolando MatalonThe event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJAbout The Event: Composed and sung in different lands from the 3rd or 4th century CE on, piyut is the sung sacred poetry that has accompanied individuals, families, and entire communities in the spiritual journey of life throughout Jewish history and which represents the core of the Jewish people’s spiritual world.Piyutim are the sacred songs that have made the experience of Shabbat and the Jewish holidays beautiful and holy, both at the synagogue and around the table at home, as well as lifecycle celebrations: the birth of a child, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, and marriage.*Sources: https://www.nli.org.il/en/discover/music/jewish-music/piyut/piyutAbout The Speaker: Roly Matalon is the Senior Rabbi and Rosh Kehillah (Head of the Congregation) of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in New York City. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was educated in Buenos Aires, Montreal, Jerusalem, and New York City. After his ordination at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1986, Rabbi Matalon came to BJ and helped revitalize the congregation and turn its focus to prayer, learning, service, social justice, and interfaith cooperation.Rabbi Matalon’s visionary leadership has had a profound impact on revitalizing Jewish synagogue life in the US and Israel. His involvement in the New York, Jewish, and Israeli communities is broad and deep.Rabbi Matalon is a founding co-director of the Global Piyut Music project, a partnership with Invitation to Piyut in Israel, which is dedicated to the dissemination of liturgical music from Jewish communities around the world. A student of Arabic and Turkish music, Rabbi Matalon plays the oud (Arabic lute). ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz sits down with author Maggie Anton. Maggie Anton is an award-winning author of historical fiction, a Talmud scholar, and an expert in Jewish women's history. Her novels include the Rashi's Daughters trilogy; Rav Hisda's Daughter: Apprentice (a National Jewish Book Award finalist) and its sequel, Enchantress; and The Choice: A Novel of Love, Faith, and the Talmud, which is a cross between midrash and fan fiction inspired by Chaim Potok's early novels. She also won a Gold Ben Franklin Award in the religion category for Fifty Shades of Talmud: What the First Rabbis Had to Say about You-Know What, a lighthearted in-depth tour of sexuality within the Talmud. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbanit Batya HefterAbout The Event: Avraham is the father of faith for all monotheistic religions. What was so unique about Avraham that God should choose him? To answer this question, we’ll consider the Torah’s narrative, then learn a classic midrash and finally delve into an innovative and surprising Hasidic insight. Learning about Avraham’s spiritual journey may open the door to learning about our own.*Source Sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hMqF7wECfUuQGvtZfbI3WhGEnRFgN_s4/editAbout The Speaker: Rabbanit Batya Hefter is the founder of Lev Nachon – Center for Transformative Torah, transmitting the Hasidic masters teachings into a vital ethical and spiritual path for the modern seeking Jew. Batya is completing the manuscript of her first forthcoming book, Opening the Window: Hasidic Readings for Life – The Teachings of Rabbi Ya’akov Leiner of Ishbitz-Radzyn, and she just released her for song, entitled L’David Hashem Ori. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Mark WashofskyThe event was co-sponsored by Temple SolelAbout The Event: Reform Judaism has long taught and preached that our tradition permits us to participate fully in the life of the surrounding culture. But the sources of that tradition seem to communicate a very different message. In our session, we’ll read how two responsa—one Reform and one Orthodox—translate those sources into decisions that draw a (hopefully) proper balance between Jewish distinctiveness and citizenship in the wider world. In doing so, we’ll consider how responsa work to make contemporary meaning out of some very old sacred texts.About The Speaker: Mark Washofsky, emeritus professor of Rabbinics at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, is chair of the Solomon B. Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah. His academic publications focus upon the literature of Jewish law (halakhah) and the application of legal theory to the understanding of the Jewish legal process. He served as chair of the Responsa Committee of the Central Conference of American Rabbis from 1996-2017. He is the author of Reading Reform Responsa: Jewish Tradition, Reform Rabbis, and Today’s Issues and of Jewish Living: A Guide to Contemporary Reform Practice. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Rabbi Jack MolineThe event was co-hosted by Congregation Beth Israel About The Event: We live in a time in which the acquisition and deployment of political power has overshadowed the values of civic engagement and public service. What is the essential message of the defining document of the United States, and how can it help us to restore a sense of authenticity to both the left and the right? Rabbi Jack Moline will draw on his years as a successful congregational rabbi, prominent interfaith activist, and advisor to presidents, governors, and senators to look, as a Jew, into the Constitution and highlight its central message: empathy. On the way he will offer perspective on the role of faith in society and even what the concept of eruv teaches us about the National Mall!About The Speaker: Jack Moline is President Emeritus of Interfaith Alliance and also Rabbi Emeritus of Agudas Achim Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia, where he served in the pulpit for 27 years. Rabbi Moline is the author of two collections of contemporary Torah commentary, Different Chapter, Same Verse (Amazon), Volume 1 (September 2024), and Volume 2 (January 2025), in addition to earlier books on leadership, mourning, and Jewish humor. Rabbi Moline also contributes to many publications, both print and web-based, and is the host of the webcasts “The American Purpose” and “Stay Home, Stay Focused.” He is a popular speaker, featured on radio, television, and web broadcasts and in synagogues, churches, and organizations. He has been named one of the top rabbis in the United States and has advised Presidents, Senators, Members of Congress, and a lot of just good people. He lives in Alexandria with his wife Ann, and they are the parents of three happily married children and the grandparents of five.The event was present in loving memory of Dr. Sherman Minkoff. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz interviews Rabbi Jack Moline about hope. Jack Moline is President Emeritus of Interfaith Alliance and also Rabbi Emeritus of Agudas Achim Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia, where he served in the pulpit for 27 years. Rabbi Moline is the author of two collections of contemporary Torah commentary, Different Chapter, Same Verse (Amazon), Volume 1 (September 2024), and Volume 2 (January 2025), in addition to earlier books on leadership, mourning, and Jewish humor. Rabbi Moline also contributes to many publications, both print and web-based, and is the host of the webcasts “The American Purpose” and “Stay Home, Stay Focused.” He is a popular speaker, featured on radio, television, and web broadcasts and in synagogues, churches, and organizations. He has been named one of the top rabbis in the United States and has advised Presidents, Senators, Members of Congress, and a lot of just good people. He lives in Alexandria with his wife Ann, and they are the parents of three happily married children and the grandparents of five. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Dalia MarxThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About The Event: Time is crucial for our self-perception, cultural orientation, and social structure: whoever controls time controls the conversation. We will examine ancient and more recent debates regarding the Jewish calendar and will ponder why there are few such controversies today—with one notable exception.About The Speaker: Rabbi Dalia Marx, Ph.D., is the Rabbi Aaron D. Panken Professor of Liturgy and Midrash at HUC-JIR’s Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem and teaches in various academic institutions in Israel and Europe. Marx, a tenth-generation Jerusalemite, earned her doctorate at the Hebrew University and her rabbinic ordination at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem and Cincinnati in 2002. She is involved in various research projects and is active in promoting liberal Judaism in Israel. Marx writes for academic and popular journals and publications.Marx is the lead editor of the Israeli Reform siddur, Tfillat HaAdam (2020). Her book From Time to Time: Journeys in the Jewish Calendar (Yeditos Sfarim 2018), was translated into several languages and is available in English from the CCAR Press. She is the author of When I Sleep and When I Wake: On Prayers between Dusk and Dawn (Yediot Sfarim, 2010, in Hebrew), A Feminist Commentary of the Babylonian Talmud (Mohr Siebeck, 2013, in English), About Time: Journeys in the Jewish-Israeli Calendar (Yediot Sfarim, 2018, in Hebrew) and the co-editor of a few books.Her new book, From Time to Time: Journeys in the Jewish Calendar (CCAR 2023) presents a fascinating exploration of the treasures of the Jewish year and artfully blends traditional and contemporary perspectives on each Hebrew month and its holidays. See Marx’s website for more information.Marx lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Roly Zyblersztein, Ph.D. They have three children. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Chaim TureffThe event was co-hosted by Temple ChaiAbout The Event: A book talk with Rabbi Chaim Tureff. A groundbreaking book that explores one aspect of each Torah portion to help readers find personal meaning and practical application in the realm of recovery from addiction.Recovery in the Torah offers guidance to those who have struggled with addictive behavior, their acquaintances, and anyone who seeks spiritual clarity in a chaotic and uncertain world.About The Speaker: Rabbi Dr. Chaim Tureff endeavors to build human connections and help all people relate to one another. He is the founder of STARS, which guides people struggling with addiction by focusing on the spiritual component through seminars, groups, and one-on-one coaching. He is also the Rav Beit Sefer at Pressman Academy in Los Angeles, a spiritual advisor at Soberman’s Estate in Arizona, a member of the Teachers on Fire Kollel, and a regular contributor to the Jewish Press. He is a producer on an upcoming documentary about African-Americans and Jewish Americans and recently wrote a book Recovery in the Torah: Models of Spirituality and Healing, which deals with the intersection of Torah and addiction recovery. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz has a sit-down conversation with Marko Gasparovic. Marko Gasparovic is an educator dedicated to advancing social justice through the lens of Jewish values. With over 10 years of experience teaching piano and a background in Musicology and Music Management from the Sorbonne University in Paris, Marko has redirected his focus towards a career in the rabbinate. Currently studying at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York, he is passionate about integrating Torah learning with activism, fostering inclusivity, and uplifting marginalized voices. Marko is committed to aligning Jewish tradition with the pursuit of justice, making a meaningful impact within and beyond the Jewish community. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Abigail Pogrebin and Rabbi Dov LinzerThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel, The Denver Kehillah, BMH-BJAbout the event: Orthodox Rabbi Dov Linzer and Reform Journalist Abigail Pogrebin will be in conversation with Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz about their unlikely journey together through the Five Books of Moses during two of the most turbulent years in American history.About the Speakers: Abigail Pogrebin is the author of the National Jewish Book Award finalist My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew” and “Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish.” She’s written for The Atlantic, the Forward, and Tablet and moderates public conversations for The Streicker Center and the Jewish Broadcasting Service. Rabbi Dov Linzer is the President and Rosh HaYeshiva (Rabbinic Head) of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, an Orthodox rabbinical school and Torah center, which promotes a more open and inclusive Orthodoxy. He has written for the Forward, Tablet, and The New York Times and hosted highly popular Torah podcasts. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Abigail Pogrebin and Rabbi Dov LinzerThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel, The Denver Kehillah, and BMH-BJ.About the event: Orthodox Rabbi Dov Linzer and Reform Journalist Abigail Pogrebin will be in conversation with Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz about their unlikely journey together through the Five Books of Moses during two of the most turbulent years in American history.About the Speakers: Abigail Pogrebin is the author of the National Jewish Book Award finalist My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew” and “Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish.” She’s written for The Atlantic, the Forward, and Tablet and moderates public conversations for The Streicker Center and the Jewish Broadcasting Service. Rabbi Dov Linzer is the President and Rosh HaYeshiva (Rabbinic Head) of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, an Orthodox rabbinical school and Torah center, which promotes a more open and inclusive Orthodoxy. He has written for the Forward, Tablet, and The New York Times and hosted highly popular Torah podcasts. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbanit Bracha JaffeThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or Tzion & BMH-BJAbout The Event: Moshe grew up with many mothers; we will learn about each of them and discuss their impact on Moshe, the man, our greatest leader and teacher.*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BpeHchB_qMoPzqoGkAp0RywuKFfxhSi5/view?usp=sharingAbout The Speaker: Rabbanit Bracha Jaffe serves as the Associate Rabba at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in Bronx, NY. She is grateful for the opportunity to teach Torah classes, instruct the conversion program, answer Halachic questions, facilitate tefillot, offer pastoral guidance, craft lifecycle events, and connect with families and singles, young and old. She has taught many to leyn, and her voice is featured on the JOFA website reading four Megillot and selected Torah portions. In HIR, the children know her as the rabbi who sings Israeli children’s songs and gives out stickers! Rabbanit Bracha is passionate about bringing mental illness out of the shadows and has spoken about it in different settings. She loves connecting people and encouraging them to be their best selves. Some of her favorite pastimes are kickboxing and reading books to her grandchildren. Rabbanit Bracha lives in Riverdale, NY, with her husband Martin. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Stephen M. Felton Ph.D., M.D.The event was co-sponsored by the Bureau of Jewish Education and the Phoenix Holocaust Association. EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY:About The Event: Join us for a powerful event where Dr. Felton will share his story. He will discuss what it was like to be born into the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto and read excerpts from his mother’s memoirs which are published in the book “I Shall Lead You Through the Nights.” Alongside this, Dr. Felton will recount his journey to America and later return to Poland. He will also discuss the emotional significance of the “Righteous Among the Nations” honor bestowed upon the Matacz family, who risked their lives to save him.About The Speaker: Stephen was born in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1942. He came to the U.S. with his mother in 1947. He grew up in Brooklyn, went to Brooklyn College, and obtained a Ph.D. in chemistry at Rutgers University. He then did a postdoctoral fellowship in bio-organic mechanisms at Univ. of California at Santa Barbara. He obtained an M.D. from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of N.J. and then did an ophthalmology residency at Wills Eye Hospital. He started a practice in Princeton, N.J., which became the Princeton Eye Group. He is now retired, is married to Barbara, and has several children and grandchildren. He published his mother’s holocaust memoirs, “I Shall Lead You Through the Nights”. He has spoken of his holocaust history at schools, synagogues, and clubs. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Elias SacksAbout The Event: Ever since the nineteenth century, it has been common for thinkers to declare that “God is dead”—that it no longer makes sense to believe in a deity (and perhaps never did). However, even as critiques of belief in God have become increasingly prevalent, a wide range of thinkers have challenged this perspective, arguing not only that there are good reasons to believe in God, but also that this type of belief is more important now than ever before. In this session, we will explore these issues, wrestling with diverse Jewish responses to questions such as: Does it make sense to believe in God? Does Judaism require that we believe in some type of deity, or are Judaism and atheism compatible? And what difference—if any—should believing (or not believing) in God make for how we think about ethics, politics, and the decisions we make about how to lead our lives?*Source Sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lpgn2HUAC--4s-gdQuR_MvVUYp5LcN83p4NUap1K-tI/edit?tab=t.0About The Speaker: Elias Sacks is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he studies Jewish thought, philosophy of religion, Jewish-Christian relations, religious ethics, and religion and politics. He is the author of Moses Mendelssohn’s Living Script: Philosophy, Practice, History, Judaism (2017), as well as articles on medieval and modern thinkers including Mendelssohn, Moses Maimonides, Baruch Spinoza, Nachman Krochmal, Hermann Cohen, Franz Rosenzweig, and Jacob Taubes. Previously, Sacks served as Director of The Jewish Publication Society. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Jonnie SchnytzerAbout The Event:The climate crisis and its challenges need no introduction. But what of medieval kabbalists whose mystical contemplations may be more relevant in the age of the Anthropocene than ever before? Learning how specific kabbalists perceived inanimate objects as hopeful beings will forever change the way we view even a plastic bottle.About The Speaker:Jonnie Schnytzer is probably the only PhD in Jewish Philosophy focusing on medieval kabbalah, who can say that he once beat the head of Israeli Naval Commandos in a swimming race? His dissertation focused on the scientific kabbalah of Rabbi Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi. Jonnie’s forthcoming book is about Ashkenazi’s Kabbalah as well as a critical edition of the Kabbalist’s majestic commentary on Sefer Yesira. Jonnie’s also the author of Mossad thriller, The Way Back, which paints a picture of contemporary Israel. Jonnie also orchestrated the publishing of an English edition of ‘The Hitler Haggadah,’ an important piece of Moroccan Jewish history from the Holocaust. Jonnie has also taken on several leadership roles in the Jewish world, including advisor to the CEO of Birthright and executive manager with StandWithUs. He lectures on a wide variety of topics relating to Judaism and Israel, especially about the untold stories and unspoken heroes of Jewish history. Jonnie is happily married with four gorgeous little kids, lives in Israel, and thinks that Australian Rules Football is the greatest sport ever invented. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Haim OvadiaThe event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJAbout the Event: Sephardic Halakha does not necessarily come from Spain – Sefarad, nor is it practiced solely or by all Sephardic rabbis. It is a way of life that balances religious behavior and knowledge with general sciences and with the necessities of life. It is the product of cross-cultural fertilization with Islam in its early and formative years, and it is markedly different from the Ashkenazi approach, which evolved under Catholic influence and which currently dominates Jewish religious life. This discussion will explore the historical roots and expressions of the Sephardic approach, as well as the potential it holds for a better future for Jews in Israel and abroad.About the Speaker: Rabbi Haim Ovadia was born in Jerusalem. His family has roots in Baghdad and Damascus, with ten generations of rabbis, poets, and authors. He holds a BA in Talmud from Bar Ilan University, MA in Near East Languages and Cultures from UCLA, and is currently a doctoral student at Bar Ilan cept. of Contemporary Judaism. Rabbi Ovadia has been a pulpit rabbi in Israel, South America, and both coasts. A faculty member at AJRCA. Founder of Torah VEahava – Torah with love. Teaching at Ramaz High School in Manhattan. His research focuses on finding practical solutions for halakhic problems, making Judaism accessible to all, and bridging gaps within the Jewish people. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Suzanne SingerThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About the Event: Did Eve tempt Adam to eat the fruit of the tree? Was Hagar a victim or a prophet? Who were the women warriors? Through biblical stories and midrash (rabbinic interpretations), we will uncover how these women challenged the patriarchy.About the Speaker: Rabbi Suzanne Singer served Temple Beth El in Riverside, CA, for 15 years before retiring in 2023. She now serves Congregation Havurim in Temecula monthly, in addition to teaching Introduction to Judaism for the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and serving on the board of End of Life Choices California (EOLCCA), among other activities.As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, she is keenly aware of the need to make our world a better place. She recently served as a member of the Reform movement’s Commission on Social Action, as President of PARR (Pacific Area Reform Rabbis), as a member of the City of Riverside’s Task Force on Police Reform, and as a commissioner for the City of Riverside’s Human Relations Commission. She has led advocacy efforts through local interfaith organizations and succeeded in helping pass alternatives to jail and aid-in-dying legislation. She was named a Riverside “Champion of Justice” in 2010 and a Riverside “Woman of Distinction” in 2015. In addition to an OpEd in The New York Times re. Rikers Island, her essays have been published in The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, the CCAR Journal: The Reform Jewish Quarterly, and in several CCAR Press collections. Before coming to Riverside, Rabbi Singer served at Temple Sinai in Oakland, CA. She also served both as Director of the Introduction to Judaism Program for the Pacific Southwest Council of the Union for Reform Judaism and as Coordinator of a leadership initiative at Hebrew Union College’s (HUC) Los Angeles campus.Rabbi Singer grew up in New York City and attended the Lycée Francais de New York from elementary through high school. She holds three Master's Degrees: Before attending HUC, Rabbi Singer spent twenty years as a television producer and programming executive, primarily for National Public Television (PBS) and primarily in news and public affairs. As executive producer of a national documentary series, POV, she won two national Emmy awards. She also co-created and produced a national preschool series, The Puzzle Place, designed to help children respect and appreciate diversity. Rabbi Singer is married to actor/acting teacher Jordan Lund. She is also the aunt of seven nieces and nephews with whom she is very close. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz sits down with Rabbi Dov Linzer to explore Jewish laws grounded in core Jewish values.Rabbi Dov Linzer is the President and Rosh HaYeshiva (Rabbinic Head) of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, an Orthodox rabbinical school and Torah center, which promotes a more open and inclusive Orthodoxy. He has written for the Forward, Tablet, and The New York Times and hosted highly popular Torah podcasts. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Abigail Pogrebin and Rabbi Dov LinzerThe event was co-sponsored by Temple SolelAbout the event: Orthodox Rabbi Dov Linzer and Reform Journalist Abigail Pogrebin will be in conversation with Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz about their unlikely journey together through the Five Books of Moses during two of the most turbulent years in American history.About the Speakers: Abigail Pogrebin is the author of the National Jewish Book Award finalist My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew” and “Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish.” She’s written for The Atlantic, the Forward, and Tablet and moderates public conversations for The Streicker Center and the Jewish Broadcasting Service. Rabbi Dov Linzer is the President and Rosh HaYeshiva (Rabbinic Head) of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, an Orthodox rabbinical school and Torah center, which promotes a more open and inclusive Orthodoxy. He has written for the Forward, Tablet, and The New York Times and hosted highly popular Torah podcasts. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Professor Zvi ZoharThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or TzionAbout the Event: In ancient times, some rabbis held that since one is commanded to study Torah day and night (Joshua 1:8), other intellectual realms could be acquired only ‘when it is neither day nor night.’ An exception could be made only for learning a practical profession, enabling one to earn a living. (See, e.g., JT Pe’ah 1:1).Following in the spirit of those ancient scholars, many East European Rabbis in recent centuries were against secular studies for boys and men and viewed such studies as antithetical to the true Torah. So, too, some rabbis permitted secular studies as a practical concession enabling one to gain a livelihood.Rabbi Yosef Hayyim was one of the greatest rabbis in the entire world in the half-century leading up to WWI. He was an all-round scholar – Halakhist, Kabbalistic, interpreter of Aggada and Midrash, composer of religious poetry, and famous for his lively and compelling sermons. Nevertheless, many people have not heard of him, as he was a Sephardic/Oriental rabbi who spent his entire life in Baghdad. In addition, many people imagine Sephardic Jews (and rabbis) to be simple, naïve traditionalists – as opposed to the cleverness and sophistication of European/Ashkenazic Jews.However, it was specifically the ‘Sephardic/Oriental’ Rabbi Yosef Hayyim who strongly advocated that Jewish schools offer a curriculum offering both Torah and ‘general’ studies in tandem, not because general studies are needed to earn a living but because of their inherent intellectual and spiritual religious value.In this session, we will study (in translation) the original texts of Rabbi Yosef Hayyim on this topic and discuss the significance of his views.*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c0bJtwOQ0FWHA-G_cf8wND9XqiOY2Lyt/view?usp=sharingAbout the Speaker: Zvi Zohar is a senior research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute. He is the Chauncey Stillman Professor of Sephardic Law and Ethics at Bar-Ilan University, where he teaches in the Faculties of Law and Jewish Studies and is editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Law, Religion and State. At Shalom Hartman Institute, he heads the Alan and Loraine Fischer Family Center for Halakha.Professor Zohar’s main area of research is the history and development of halakha from the earliest times to the present. He has a special interest in the halakhic writings of Sephardic and Mizrahi rabbis in modern times. Professor Zohar has published more than 100 books and scholarly articles in Hebrew, English, French, and German.His most recent book in English, Rabbinic Creativity in the Modern Middle East, was published in 2013 by the Hartman Institute’s Kogod Library of Judaic Studies in conjunction with Bloomington Academic Press. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Joel GereboffAbout the Event: Although most Jews know that it is traditional to fast on Yom Kippur, the latest Pew Study of American Jews shows that only half of American Jews do fast. In many ways, Jews seek to find reasons to fast or to make fasting a meaningful experience. This presentation will examine guidance provided in contemporary Machzorim (prayer books) regarding the meaning of fasting.About the Speaker: Joel Gereboff is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Arizona State University. His research and publications focus on early Rabbinic Judaism, American Judaism, Jewish ethics and Judaism, and emotions. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Zev FarberAbout The Event: When Israel undergoes a famine, King David learns that the cause is Saul’s slaughter of the Gibeonites “out of zealotry for Israel and Judah” years earlier. This is not the only slaughter we hear about regarding Saul. And yet Saul was the first king of Israel, chosen by God and Samuel, and was the person most responsible for putting Israel on the map as an independent power. How do we understand the fuller picture of the man? The connection between Saul’s successes and his downfall may be his fundamentalism.*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x8C3T7JrM5bJj6w_DslTvj3CTT_3h5uD/view?usp=sharingAbout The SpeakerDr. Rabbi Zev Farber is the Senior Editor of TheTorah.com and a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute. His newest book, The Bible’s First Kings: Uncovering the Story of Saul, David, and Solomon (co-authored with Avi Faust), is forthcoming from Cambridge University Press. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Gila FineThe event was co-sponsored by The New Shul and BMH-BJAbout The Event: “Women in the Talmud are generally marginal and almost always anonymous – the daughters, sisters, and wives of prominent rabbis. The Madwoman in the Rabbi’s Attic explores the stories of the exceptions, the six named heroines of the Talmud: Yalta the shrew, Homa the femme fatale, Marta the prima donna, Heruta the madonna/whore, Beruria the overreacherix, and Ima Shalom the angel in the house. As their epithets suggest, all of these women appear to embody an antifeminist archetype. Yet in each case, a careful rereading reveals that there is a lot more to the story than initially meets the eye, that the heroine is far more complex than she first seems, and that the rabbis had rather surprising – so as not to say proto-feminist – views of marriage, sex, childbirth, and what it means to be a woman in the world. In presenting us with archetypes that systematically break down, the Talmud imparts profound moral teachings about how to read the characters of a text and, ultimately, how to regard the people in our lives.”*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hkPqg6xF8_N6IMGxZF9GFzlmRE9MirEy/view?usp=share_linkAbout The Speaker: Gila Fine is a lecturer in rabbinic literature at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, she explores the tales of the Talmud through the lenses of philosophy, literary criticism, psychoanalysis, and pop culture. She is the recipient of the Maimonides Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. She serves on the faculties of the Nachson Project, Amudim Seminary, the Tikvah Scholars Program, and the London School of Jewish Studies. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Elias SacksThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About The Event: We live in an anti-intellectual age—a time of scientific skepticism, doubts about the value of higher education, and hostility toward many forms of expertise and advanced learning. But anti-intellectualism is not an exclusively modern development; on the contrary, it has a long history in religious traditions, including Judaism, where many figures have cast science, philosophy, and other forms of rigorous intellectual inquiry as irrelevant at best and dangerous at worst. In this session, we will explore the history of Jewish anti-intellectualism, wrestling with diverse Jewish responses to questions such as: Do scientific and philosophical studies have a place in religious life? Do Jews have an obligation to pursue such forms of knowledge, or do these disciplines represent threats to religious practice and belief? And what resources—if any—does the Jewish tradition offer to individuals and communities troubled by anti-intellectual attitudes in the United States and worldwide?About The Speaker: Elias Sacks is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he studies Jewish thought, philosophy of religion, Jewish-Christian relations, religious ethics, and religion and politics. He is the author of Moses Mendelssohn’s Living Script: Philosophy, Practice, History, Judaism (2017), as well as articles on medieval and modern thinkers, including Mendelssohn, Moses Maimonides, Baruch Spinoza, Nachman Krochmal, Hermann Cohen, Franz Rosenzweig, and Jacob Taubes. Previously, Sacks served as Director of The Jewish Publication Society. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz and esteemed scholar Dr. Mehnaz Afridi come together for a virtual conversation on Muslim-Jewish collaboration in support of democracy and tolerance. Dr. Afridi, a respected Muslim expert on genocide, has been a powerful ally to the Jewish community. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Steven WindmuellerThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About The Event: This session will examine the history of Jewish political engagement, explore the types of Jewish political actors, and analyze why American politics has such significant meaning and impact on the Jewish community. As we approach one of this nation’s most critical elections, what should we know about this election and its specific importance to Jewish Americans?About The Speaker: Dr. Steven Windmueller is an Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Studies at the Jack H. Skirball Campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. Before coming to HUC, Dr. Windmueller had served on the staff of the American Jewish Committee (1969-1972), directed the Albany (NY) Jewish Federation (1973-1985), and the JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Committee) of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation (1985-1995).During his tenure at the College, Dr. Windmueller served for ten years as the Director of its School of Jewish Nonprofit Management and, in 2005, was named to the deanship of the LA campus (2006-2010). In 2009, he was named to an endowed chair, and in 2014 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Hebrew Union College.The author of four books and numerous articles, Professor Windmueller holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania. His research has been primarily focused on Jewish communal trends, Anti-Semitism, and Jewish political behavior. His articles have appeared in several secular and Jewish publications.Currently, Dr. Windmueller is consulting with national agencies, federations, synagogues, and foundations in connection with his current studies on virtual and privatized Judaism, the impact of COVID, and the broader social, economic, and political trends reshaping American Jewish life. In 2014, he had occasion to teach in China, offering lectures on American Jewry, Israel, and Zionism at various universities in the Peoples Republic.He recently served as guest editor for USC’s Casden Institute, producing The Impact of Donald Trump’s Presidency on American Jews and Israel (2021)and is now focused on producing a volume analyzing 21st Century American Judaism and continues to write on Jewish political behavior for the Times of Israel and other publications in advance of the November 2024 elections.Dr. Windmueller serves as a Fellow of the Jerusalem Institute of Public Affairs and as a Board Member of the Pat Brown Institute at Cal State, Los Angeles. For the past eight years, he has been on the faculty of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, teaching across the globe. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbanit Bracha JaffeThe event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJAbout the Event: A Journey from Peshat to DerashFollow the story of Serach, the daughter of Asher. There is a mountain of Midrashim written about her, yet only six words are written in the Torah! We will follow the breadcrumbs and piece together the story of her life as imagined by our sages while finding a textual basis for each piece.*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XN2UQqH6jfNoqJpgta6gapy5zcRtCh8q/view?usp=sharingAbout the Speaker: Rabbanit Bracha Jaffe serves as the Associate Rabba at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in Bronx, NY. She is grateful for the opportunity to teach Torah classes, instruct the conversion program, answer Halachic questions, facilitate tefillot, offer pastoral guidance, craft lifecycle events, and connect with families and singles, young and old. She has taught many to learn, and her voice is featured on the JOFA website reading four Megillot and selected Torah portions. In HIR, the children know her as the rabbi who sings Israeli children’s songs and gives out stickers! Rabbanit Bracha is passionate about bringing mental illness out of the shadows and has spoken about it in different settings. She loves connecting people and encouraging them to be their best selves. Some of her favorite pastimes are kickboxing and reading books to her grandchildren. Rabbanit Bracha lives in Riverdale, NY, with her husband, Martin. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Jonnie Schnytzer The event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or Tzion. About The Event: We all know that way back when the Torah was given to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai. But was it only given to the Israelites? Was it an event that already happened, or is it an event constantly in the making? Learning from texts spanning across geographies and historical periods, we come to rediscover Mt. Sinai. About The Speaker: Jonnie Schnytzer is probably the only PhD in Jewish Philosophy focusing on medieval kabbalah, who can say that he once beat the head of Israeli Naval Commandos in a swimming race? His dissertation focused on the scientific kabbalah of Rabbi Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi. Jonnie’s forthcoming book is about Ashkenazi’s Kabbalah as well as a critical edition of the kabbalist’s majestic commentary on Sefer Yesira. Jonnie’s also the author of Mossad thriller, The Way Back, which paints a picture of contemporary Israel. Jonnie also orchestrated the publishing of an English edition of ‘The Hitler Haggadah,’ an important piece of Moroccan Jewish history from the Holocaust. Jonnie has also taken on several leadership roles in the Jewish world, including advisor to the CEO of Birthright and executive manager with StandWithUs. He lectures on a wide variety of topics relating to Judaism and Israel, especially about the untold stories and unspoken heroes of Jewish history. Jonnie is happily married with four gorgeous little kids, lives in Israel, and thinks that Australian Rules Football is the greatest sport ever invented. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Steven Windmueller The Event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJ. About The Event: The Gaza Conflict has no doubt changed the landscape of the Middle East, redefined Israeli society and culture, and impacted American Jewry. In this presentation, we will be examining these key transformative factors, evaluating the long-term implications of this moment on Zionism, Jewish history, and the Jewish people. About The Speaker Dr. Steven Windmueller is an Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Studies at the Jack H. Skirball Campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. Before coming to HUC, Dr. Windmueller had served on the staff of the American Jewish Committee (1969-1972), directed the Albany (NY) Jewish Federation (1973-1985), and the JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Committee) of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation (1985-1995). During his tenure at the College, Dr. Windmueller served for ten years as the Director of its School of Jewish Nonprofit Management and, in 2005, was named to the deanship of the LA campus (2006-2010). In 2009, he was named to an endowed chair, and in 2014 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Hebrew Union College. The author of four books and numerous articles, Professor Windmueller holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania. His research has been primarily focused on Jewish communal trends, Anti-Semitism, and Jewish political behavior. His articles have appeared in several secular and Jewish publications. Currently, Dr. Windmueller is consulting with national agencies, federations, synagogues, and foundations in connection with his current studies on virtual and privatized Judaism, the impact of COVID, and the broader social, economic, and political trends reshaping American Jewish life. In 2014, he had to teach in China, offering lectures on American Jewry, Israel, and Zionism at various universities in the People's Republic. He recently served as guest editor for USC’s Casden Institute, producing The Impact of Donald Trump’s Presidency on American Jews and Israel (2021) and is now focused on producing a volume analyzing 21st Century American Judaism and continues to write on Jewish political behavior for the Times of Israel and other publications in advance of the November 2024 elections. Dr. Windmueller serves as a Fellow of the Jerusalem Institute of Public Affairs and as a Board Member of the Pat Brown Institute at Cal State, Los Angeles. For the past eight years, he has been on the faculty of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, teaching across the globe. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Rabbi Jonah PesnerThe event was co-hosted by Temple Chai and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix About The Event: Kol Kolot – Every Voice, Every Vote – Why the American Jewish Community and our society more broadly needs to work for an Inclusive Democracy, in which all voices are heard and every vote is counted – and what you can do to make it happen.About The Speaker: Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner serves as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and the Senior Vice President of the Union for Reform Judaism. Named one of the most influential rabbis in America by Newsweek magazine, he is dedicated to building bridges to collectively confront anti-Semitism, racism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate and bigotry.Rabbi Pesner organizes Jewish communities to reach across lines of race, class, and faith in campaigns for social justice. He has led efforts to expand healthcare access, restore voting rights, and for LGBTQ equality, among others. Rabbi Pesner is widely published, including “Moral Resistance and Spiritual Authority: Our Jewish Obligation to Justice.” He teaches all over the world including at Harvard University where he has served as a visiting scholar. He sits on various boards including the NAACP, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Faith-Based Security Advisory Council for the Department of Homeland Security, and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation Solidarity Council on Racial Equity, among others. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz interviews Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner serves as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and the Senior Vice President of the Union for Reform Judaism. Named one of the most influential rabbis in America by Newsweek magazine, he is dedicated to building bridges to collectively confront anti-Semitism, racism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate and bigotry.Rabbi Pesner organizes Jewish communities to reach across lines of race, class, and faith in campaigns for social justice. He has led efforts to expand healthcare access, restore voting rights, and for LGBTQ equality, among others. Rabbi Pesner is widely published, including “Moral Resistance and Spiritual Authority: Our Jewish Obligation to Justice.” He teaches all over the world, including at Harvard University, where he has served as a visiting scholar. He sits on various boards, including the NAACP, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Faith-Based Security Advisory Council for the Department of Homeland Security, and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation Solidarity Council on Racial Equity, among others. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz has a conversation with Rabbis Elie Feder and Aaron Zimmer, hosts of the "Physics to God" podcast. Elie Feder earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and received Rabbinic ordination from his rebbe, Rabbi Yisrael Chait. Since 2004, Elie has been a mathematics professor at Kingsborough Community College and a maggid shiur at Yeshiva Bnei Torah. He has published many papers and delivered numerous talks on graph theory, his mathematical research field. As a teacher, Elie has a passion for simplifying complex topics for his students. Recently, he authored a book, “Gematria Refigured,” which presents a rational, nonmystical approach to gematria to uncover the significance of quantity and fine-tuning in the Torah, life, and the universe. Elie hosts the Gematria Refigured+ and the Physics to God podcasts. He resides in Far Rockaway, New York, with his wife and their four children. After earning a physics degree and receiving rabbinical ordination from his rebbe, Rabbi Yisrael Chait, Aaron Zimmer considered furthering his education through graduate school. However, his intellectual curiosity extended far beyond the realm of physics, encompassing a diverse array of fields, including philosophy, mathematics, and psychology. Capitalizing on his blend of analytical and philosophical skills, Aaron utilized his resources to venture into commodity futures trading. This endeavor involved oil, natural gas, cotton, sugar, and coffee. His strategic approach was deeply rooted in the conceptual frameworks of physics and the intricate Brisker Method for Talmudic analysis. After an eleven-year career marked by success in commodity trading, Aaron decided to retire. In his retirement, Aaron channels his intellectual energy into studying various branches of knowledge, including the Talmud, philosophy, and physics. He co-hosts the Physics to God podcast and resides in Lawrence, New York, along with his wife and their five children. Podcast: https://www.physicstogod.com/3-proofs-of-god-from-science; https://www.physicstogod.com/podcast-episodes Facebook: Physics to God X/Twitter: PhysicsToGod Instagram: physics_to_god ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Josh Feigelson, PhDThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel and BMH-BJAbout The Event: Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Jewish spiritual practices like Jewish meditation, Jewish yoga, and contemplative Torah study were becoming increasingly mainstream. The pandemic only accelerated these trends, as record numbers of people sought meaningful Jewish spiritual practices to engage alongside others while remaining at home. What has driven this boom? How is it impacting the present and future of Jewish life?About The Speaker: Josh was appointed Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality in January 2020 and became President & CEO in April 2022. He received ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School in 2005. He served for six years as the Hillel Rabbi at Northwestern University, where he also earned a PhD in Religious Studies. In 2011, Josh helped found and served as Executive Director of Ask Big Questions, an initiative of Hillel International, which won the inaugural Lippman-Kanfer Prize for Applied Jewish Wisdom. Josh has also been a consultant and Senior Fellow at The iCenter for Israel Education. Most recently he served as Dean of Students at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Josh is a Wexner Graduate Fellow and was the founding co-chair of the Wexner Fellowship Alumni Committee. Author of Eternal Questions: Reflections, Conversations, and Jewish Mindfulness Practices for the Weekly Torah Portion (Ben Yehuda Press, 2022). Josh lives with his wife Natalie and their three sons in Skokie, IL. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Avidan FreedmanAbout The Event: The ideology espoused by the elected representatives of the party called “Religious Zionism” is, understandably, seen to represent Religious Zionist philosophy and the philosophy of the Religious Zionist community. But this is far from accurate, both from an ideological perspective and a historical sociological perspective. In this class, we will encounter texts from various Religious Zionist thinkers that are at odds with what is seen as the current mainstream philosophy, and discuss the nature and significance of the change, and what it means for Religious Zionism and Israeli society.About the Speaker: Rabbi Avidan Freedman completed a Masters Degree in Jewish Education at the Azrieli Graduate School, and received rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and the Israeli Rabbinate. He is an educator at the Shalom Hartman Institute’s high school and post-high school program and an activist who founded Yanshoof, an organization dedicated to establishing moral limits for Israeli weapons exports. Learn more at www.yanshoof.org ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Ariel Evan MayseThe event was co-hosted by Temple SolelAbout The Event: Explore the full range of Jewish literature connected to environmental consciousness and action, from Tanakh, Talmud, and halakhah to mysticism, poetry, and philosophy. We aim to grapple with some of the pressing ecological, social, and theological issues facing us today. Please join us in diving deeply into Jewish sources while putting them in conversation with contemporary questions and the possibilities of communal response.About The Speaker: Ariel Evan Mayse is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University, rabbi-in-residence at Atiq: Jewish Maker Institute, and the senior scholar-in-residence at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and Society where he is the founder of Nahara: Beit Midrash for Environmental Renewal. He holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies from Harvard University and rabbinic ordination from Beit Midrash Har’el in Israel. His publications include Speaking Infinities: God and Language in the Teachings of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritsh (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2020), the two-volume A New Hasidism: Roots and A New Hasidism: Branches, with Arthur Green (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society and University of Nebraska Press, 2019), and Laws of the Spirit: Ritual, Mysticism, and the Commandments in Early Hasidism (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2024). He is currently working on a book about Jewish mysticism and environmental ethics, and another exploring how Jewish spirituality can help us rethink the purpose, aims, and practice of higher education. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Elias SacksThe event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJAbout The Event: For centuries, it has been common for Jews to tell the following story about ancient Jewish and Christian history: while Jesus was a Jew who never intended to break from Judaism, one of his followers, the apostle Paul, was born Jewish but had a conversion experience, abandoned Judaism, and created a new religion known as Christianity. However, in recent decades, a wide range of Jewish thinkers, Christian theologians, and academic historians have challenged this narrative, insisting that Paul was a profoundly Jewish figure who never meant to leave Judaism—and one who offered a vision of Jewish life that is strikingly relevant to contemporary conversations about religion, ethics, and politics. In this session, we will explore these issues, wrestling with questions such as: What did Paul think about Judaism? How did Paul fit into the ancient Jewish world? And what—if anything—do his writings offer twenty-first-century Jews?*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z1uI0ZRwbYJXQ8uZsVMHSYOeP0G36jDc/viewAbout The Speaker: Elias Sacks is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he studies Jewish thought, philosophy of religion, Jewish-Christian relations, religious ethics, and religion and politics. He is the author of Moses Mendelssohn’s Living Script: Philosophy, Practice, History, Judaism (2017), as well as articles on medieval and modern thinkers including Mendelssohn, Moses Maimonides, Baruch Spinoza, Nachman Krochmal, Hermann Cohen, Franz Rosenzweig, and Jacob Taubes. Previously, Sacks served as Director of The Jewish Publication Society. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz interviews Rabbi Dov Linzer & his Co-Author Abigail Pogrebin about their new book together "It Takes Two to Torah" published by Fig Tree Books. Their book discusses 52 weekly readings of the Torah in this adaptation of their Parsha in Progress podcast. Rabbi Linzer studied for many years at Yeshivat Har Etzion, was a member of Yeshiva University’s Gruss Kollel Elyon, and received his ordination from the Israeli Rabbinate. He is a recipient of the Javits Graduate fellowship and a doctoral candidate in Religion at Columbia University. Rabbi Linzer headed the Boca Raton Kollel for the first two-and-a-half years of its existence, giving classes to the rabbis of the Kollel, and lecturing throughout the South Florida communities. He has published Halakha and machshava articles in Torah journals and lectures widely at synagogues and conferences on topics relating to Halakha, Orthodoxy, and modernity. Rabbi Linzer spearheaded the development of the YCT Rabbinical School curriculum into an innovative four-year semikha program. In addition to overseeing the Yeshiva’s Torah curriculum, he teaches advanced Halakha in a broad range of areas across all four sections of the Shulchan Aruch. Rabbi Linzer teaches advanced classes in Talmud and a year-long class in Contemporary Challenges of Modern Orthodoxy. *Jewish Learning Center of New York *Abigail Pogrebin is the author of My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays; One Wondering Jew, which was a finalist for the 2018 National Jewish Book Award. She is also the author of Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk about Being Jewish, for which Abigail interviewed 62 famous American Jews — from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Steven Spielberg — about their religious identity. Her book, One and the Same delved into every aspect of growing up as a twin — of which Abby is one. (The identical kind.) Her bestselling Kindle Single, Showstopper, chronicled her teenage adventures on Broadway in a rare Sondheim flop. She was an Emmy-nominated producer for Mike Wallace at 60 Minutes, and before that produced for Bill Moyers on PBS. She has moderated conversations at The Streicker Center, The JCC in Manhattan, the UJA Federation, and the Shalom Hartman Institute. Tablet Magazine’s podcast, “Parsha in Progress” features a regular Torah discussion with Abigail and Rabbi Dov Linzer (President of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah). Abby received the “Impact Award” from the JCC in Manhattan, and the “Community Leader Award” from The Jewish Week in 2017. She served as President of Central Synagogue from 2015-18 and was Director of Jewish Outreach for Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential campaign.*Abigail Pogrebin website* ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabba Shani GrossThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About the Event: In this class, we will explore what, if anything, Jewish tradition has to say about why we gather. What is the unique potential that can take place in Jewish communal gatherings, and what might be the dangers or pitfalls? Together we will explore the relationship and tensions that surround Jewish expression as individuals and in community with others.*Source Sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LxBpasLuv9kSzSV0RTHOYc3l08A1qAQXVewlDpa77rg/edit?usp=sharingAbout the Speaker: Rabba Shani believes that Jewish texts can serve as a shared language to connect Jews to their tradition and each other. This passion is what drives her work as the Senior Director of Education at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Before joining Pardes, Shani was the Founding Director of the Silicon Valley Beit Midrash. She earned a rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva Maharat and her Bachelor's Degree from Yeshiva University. Shani is a Wexner Graduate Fellow/Davidson Scholar, a Hillel International Fellow for Rabbinic Entrepreneurship, and a fellow of Va’tichtov: a fellowship aimed at elevating Jewish women’s scholarship. Shani has studied at several Batei Midrash including Migdal Oz, the Drisha Institute of Jewish Education, and of course the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Shani particularly loves teaching Tanakh, Talmud, and Midrash. She lives in Berkeley, California with her husband Chaim, and their three sons, Elan, Navon, and Shalom. ★ Support this podcast ★

Community member and attorney Judy Schaffert talks about judicial integrity, its appearance on this year's ballot, what’s at stake, and what it entails.Judy Schaffert, a longtime member of Temple Solel in Paradise Valley, studied as a member of the Wexner Foundation Heritage Program, mentors with the Women’s Leadership Institute, and has taught at Arizona Limmud and the Arizona Bar Foundation. A retired career civil servant, she served most recently as chief staff attorney of the Arizona Supreme Court. Before that, practiced law as an assistant Arizona Attorney General and clerked for Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice William A. Holohan. A native of New Jersey, she earned a B.A. from Yale in English, and her JD from the UCLA School of Law. Judy is also a past president of the National Association of Appellate Court Attorneys, the Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School, the Jewish Tuition Organization, and Temple Solel. She and her husband Mike have two adult sons. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Sarah Bunin BenorThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or TzionAbout the Event: Over the past two centuries, migrations and other historical events have led to major changes in the linguistic profile of Jewish communities around the world. Yiddish is thriving in Hasidic communities, even as its use is diminishing elsewhere. Several longstanding Jewish language varieties have become endangered, as they are spoken primarily by older people, including Ladino, Judeo-Arabic, Jewish Neo-Aramaic (Iraq-Iran), and Jewish Malayalam (Southern India). At the same time, Jews are engaging with these languages in postvernacular ways, such as through song and food, and new Jewish language varieties are developing, including Jewish English, Jewish Latin American Spanish, and Jewish Russian. This talk explains these developments and makes the case for the urgent need for documentation and reclamation.About the Speaker: Sarah Bunin Benor is Vice Provost and Professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (Los Angeles campus) and Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California Linguistics Department. She received her Ph.D. from Stanford University in Linguistics in 2004. She has published and lectured widely about Jewish languages and names, sociolinguistics, Yiddish, and American Jews. Her books include Becoming Frum: How Newcomers Learn the Language and Culture of Orthodox Judaism (Rutgers, 2012) and Hebrew Infusion: Language and Community at American Jewish Summer Camps (Rutgers, 2020). Dr. Benor co-edits the Journal of Jewish Languages (Brill) and directs the HUC-JIR Jewish Language Project, which features the Jewish Language Website and the Jewish English Lexicon. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Yitz GreenbergThe event was co-sponsored by Arizona State University Jewish Studies About the Event: Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash, will interview Rabbi Dr. Yitz Greenberg about his latest book, The Triumph of Life: A Narrative Theology of Judaism.The Triumph of Life is Rabbi Greenberg’s magnum opus—a narrative of the relationship between God and humanity as expressed in the Jewish journey through modernity, the Holocaust, the creation of Israel, and the birth of Judaism’s next era.About the Speaker: In the words of Professor Steven T Katz, chair of the Elie Wiesel Center for Judaic Studies at Boston University, “No Jewish thinker has had a greater impact on the American Jewish community in the last two decades than Rabbi Yitz Greenberg.”Rabbi Dr. Irving Greenberg (known affectionately as “Rav Yitz”) is perhaps our time's leading Jewish scholar and theologian. An author of many influential books on Jewish thought, ethics, and philosophy, Rav Yitz is the Past President of CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and Past President of Jewish Life Network/Steinhardt Foundation. Before these positions, he served as Rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Center, was an Associate Professor of History at Yeshiva University, and was the founder, chairman, and Professor in the Department of Jewish Studies of City College of the City University of New York. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard and received ordination from Yeshiva Beis Yosef.Rabbi Greenberg is a singular leader of contemporary American Judaism, having shown leadership on many vital Jewish communal initiatives from the 1960s to the present. He served as Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and has written extensively on the complexity of post-Holocaust theology as well as Jewish pluralism about the theology of Jewish-Christian relations and beyond. ★ Support this podcast ★