Jewish Ideas to Change the World

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Micah StreifferThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About the Event: Think your beliefs about God are “out there?“ Think again! In this session, we will delve into the unexpected views of two of Judaism’s greatest thinkers – Maimonides and Spinoza. Both rebel against the “traditional” notion of God found in the prayerbook, but in very different ways. We’ll explore what each of them has to say about what God is (and what God isn’t), and we’ll explore our theology along the way.About the Speaker: Micah Streiffer is a rabbi, teacher, writer, and lifelong student who is known for his engaging style in the classroom and his ability to make Jewish texts and ideas come to life. Micah founded LAASOK, a virtual Beit Midrash (“House of Study”) that empowers liberal Jewish learners to deepen their connection with Judaism through study. He also serves Kol Ami, a Reform congregation in the Toronto area, and hosts the popular Seven Minute Torah podcast. Ordained a rabbi at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Cincinnati 2007), Micah has served as a congregational rabbi for 16 years. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in Jewish thought at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbanit Leah Sarna*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A4EbgCH5S44QjGS2p0OD_UzefcieYvHZ/viewThe event was co-sponsred by BMH-BJAbout the Event: On Hannukah, we light candles and commemorate a time “when the evil Greek kingdom rose against Your people Israel.” Those who love studying Greek philosophy and literature must ask ourselves some big questions on this holiday. Fortunately, the Jewish tradition has much to offer us as we try to make sense of it.About the Speaker: Rabbanit Leah Sarna is Faculty and Director of Teen Programs at Drisha. She previously served as Director of Religious Engagement at Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel Congregation in Chicago, a leading urban Orthodox congregation. She was ordained at Yeshivat Maharat in 2018, holds a BA from Yale University in Philosophy & Psychology, and trained at the SKA Beit Midrash for Women at Migdal Oz, Drisha, and the Center for Modern Torah Leadership. She was a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a winner of the Covenant Foundation’s Pomegranate Prize. Rabbanit Sarna’s published works have appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Lehrhaus, and The Jewish Review of Books. She has lectured in Orthodox synagogues and Jewish communal settings worldwide and loves spreading her warm, energetic love for Torah and Mitzvot with Jews in all stages of life. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Melanie GruenwaldThe event was co-hosted by Beth El Phoenix About the Event: “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” ~ Leonard Cohen Please join us for this workshop on Kabbalistic and contemporary sources and conversations about light, darkness, hope, grief, and resilience.About the Speaker: Executive Director of Kabbalah Experience Melanie Gruenwald brings over 25 years of non-profit leadership and community organizing to her position. Engaged with senior citizens, families, college students, and teens, Melanie has extensive professional experience with communal leadership and informal Jewish education.Melanie is energized by building relationships, understanding people’s needs, and finding ways to connect them. She loves the balance of organizational leadership and teaching, which she engages in daily at Kabbalah Experience.She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Binghamton University (S.U.N.Y) and her Masters in Social Work and Certificate in Jewish Communal Service from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. Melanie has pursued additional Judaic and spiritual studies at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, the Conservative Yeshiva, and most recently, the Kabbalah Experience.Melanie is married to Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald, Associate Rabbi at the Hebrew Educational Alliance, and is a mom to three children Koby (z”l), Hannah, and Micah. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, five-part series presented by Professor Eitan P. Fishbane*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14JGleBQE8nwYtoRTtm2v36G8I4wckb_Y/viewAbout the event: In what would become the legendary kabbalistic hilltop town of Tzfat in the 1500s—the birthplace of such timeless texts as Lekha Dodi and Yedid Nefesh; a location whose larger-than-life figures included such luminaries as Rabbi Yosef Karo, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (the ARI), and many others— there unfolded one of the most remarkable chapters in the entire history of Judaism, and Jewish mysticism in particular. Through various concerns, ideas, and writing genres, the mystics of this time and place focused on the nature of the human self and spiritual psychology: its essence and character, its fundamental state of relationship to Divinity. In the sessions of this course, we will explore a range of these issues and modes of creativity as they appeared in sixteenth-century Tzfat. We will explore such major topics as Soul, Body, and Reincarnation (Gilgul); The Ethics and Piety of Self-Transformation (Kabbalistic Musar); Mystical Autobiography; Emotion, Feeling, and Mind. Please join us as we dive deeply into this fascinating and inspiring landscape of ideas, feelings, and spirituality!About the Speaker: Dr. Eitan Fishbane is a Professor of Jewish Thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), where he has taught for 17 years. A 2015-2016 JTS Chancellor’s Fellow, Fishbane has served on the JTS Faculty Executive Committee; as a B.A. and M.A. Advisor in Jewish Thought; and on The Rabbinical School Council. He is a former Division Chair for Jewish Mysticism at the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS); current Chair of the Oxford Interfaith Forum on Mysticism; and Book Review Editor for Jewish Mysticism at The Marginalia Review of Books. He is the recipient of grants from The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), as well as the Charles A. Ryskamp Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). Among Professor Fishbane’s published books are: The Art of Mystical Narrative: A Poetics of the Zohar (Oxford University Press, 2018); As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist (Stanford University Press, 2009); and, most recently, Embers of Pilgrimage (Panui Poetry Series, 2021). He works on several book projects, including Shabbat in Ḥasidic Thought: Sacred Time and Mystical Consciousness; Self & Identity in Sixteenth-Century Kabbalah; and The Zohar as Mystical Poetry. In addition to these academic projects, Fishbane is working on a spiritual-theological commentary on the Torah cycle and the Jewish holidays, tentatively entitled, Written on the Heart: Meditations & Readings; and he is completing his second volume of original poetry, entitled, Soul Fragments. Fishbane received his Ph.D. and B.A., summa cum laude, from Brandeis University. Visit him at www.eitanfishbane.com. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Zachary TruboffThe event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJ About the Event: One of the ongoing debates of modern Jewish life is the extent to which human beings or God should be given the final say on religious questions of ultimate importance. For many, this dilemma is seen as an either/or, and one must choose a side, but a look at two of orthodoxy’s most influential thinkers can shed light on how the question is far more complicated than most realize.About the Speaker: Rabbi Zachary Truboff is the Director of Rabbinic Education for the International Beit Din, and his work focuses on educating rabbis about halakhic solutions to the agunah problem. He is the author of Torah Goes Forth From Zion: Essays on the Thought of Rav Kook and Rav Shagar, and his writings on contemporary Jewish thought and Zionism have appeared in the Lehrhaus, Arutz Sheva, and Akdamot. Before making aliyah, he served as the rabbi of Cedar Sinai Synagogue in Cleveland, Ohio. He has taught in a variety of adult education settings, such as the Wexner Heritage Program and the Hartman Institute. He received semikha from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, five-part series presented by Professor Eitan P. Fishbane*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qzW3jl5I1ZWug2YIpQ_JAcouT1g51LRe/viewAbout the event: In what would become the legendary kabbalistic hilltop town of Tzfat in the 1500s—the birthplace of such timeless texts as Lekha Dodi and Yedid Nefesh; a location whose larger-than-life figures included such luminaries as Rabbi Yosef Karo, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (the ARI), and many others— there unfolded one of the most remarkable chapters in the entire history of Judaism, and Jewish mysticism in particular. Through various concerns, ideas, and writing genres, the mystics of this time and place focused on the nature of the human self and spiritual psychology: its essence and character, its fundamental state of relationship to Divinity. In the sessions of this course, we will explore a range of these issues and modes of creativity as they appeared in sixteenth-century Tzfat. We will explore such major topics as Soul, Body, and Reincarnation (Gilgul); The Ethics and Piety of Self-Transformation (Kabbalistic Musar); Mystical Autobiography; Emotion, Feeling, and Mind. Please join us as we dive deeply into this fascinating and inspiring landscape of ideas, feelings, and spirituality!About the Speaker: Dr. Eitan Fishbane is a Professor of Jewish Thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), where he has taught for 17 years. A 2015-2016 JTS Chancellor’s Fellow, Fishbane has served on the JTS Faculty Executive Committee; as a B.A. and M.A. Advisor in Jewish Thought; and on The Rabbinical School Council. He is a former Division Chair for Jewish Mysticism at the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS); current Chair of the Oxford Interfaith Forum on Mysticism; and Book Review Editor for Jewish Mysticism at The Marginalia Review of Books. He is the recipient of grants from The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), as well as the Charles A. Ryskamp Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). Among Professor Fishbane’s published books are: The Art of Mystical Narrative: A Poetics of the Zohar (Oxford University Press, 2018); As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist (Stanford University Press, 2009); and, most recently, Embers of Pilgrimage (Panui Poetry Series, 2021). He works on several book projects, including Shabbat in Ḥasidic Thought: Sacred Time and Mystical Consciousness; Self & Identity in Sixteenth-Century Kabbalah; and The Zohar as Mystical Poetry. In addition to these academic projects, Fishbane is working on a spiritual-theological commentary on the Torah cycle and the Jewish holidays, tentatively entitled, Written on the Heart: Meditations & Readings; and he is completing his second volume of original poetry, entitled, Soul Fragments. Fishbane received his Ph.D. and B.A., summa cum laude, from Brandeis University. Visit him at www.eitanfishbane.com. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Ian PearAbout the Event: In a continuation of Rabbi Pear’s first class, we will discuss Rav Goren’s attempts to create a military ethic in the entire Israeli army.About the Speaker: Rabbi Chaim (Ian) Pear, a Rabbi, lawyer, and social activist living in Jerusalem, is the founder of Shir Hadash, a popular Jerusalem Synagogue, Educational Institute, and Community Center, as well as an expert in Israeli and Jewish environmental law – he worked at Israel’s premier environmental law firm, Laster and Goldman – and a leader in the Spiritual Diplomacy efforts made on behalf of Israel. A one-time aspiring standup comedian, Rabbi Pear received his ordination from Yeshiva University and holds law degrees from Hebrew University (LLM, with a focus on Mishpat Ivri) and NYU School of Law (JD, with a concentration in international law), and a degree in International Law, Politics and Security from Georgetown University’s School for Foreign Service. The author of three books, he is married to Dr. Rachel Pear and is the father of five children. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, five-part series presented by Professor Eitan P. FishbaneAbout the event: In what would become the legendary kabbalistic hilltop town of Tzfat in the 1500s—the birthplace of such timeless texts as Lekha Dodi and Yedid Nefesh; a location whose larger-than-life figures included such luminaries as Rabbi Yosef Karo, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (the ARI), and many others— there unfolded one of the most remarkable chapters in the entire history of Judaism, and Jewish mysticism in particular. Through a variety of concerns, ideas, and genres of writing, the mystics of this time and place expressed a pronounced focus on the nature of the human self and spiritual psychology: its essence and character, its fundamental state of relationship to Divinity. In the sessions of this course, we will explore a range of these issues and modes of creativity as they appeared in sixteenth-century Tzfat. We will explore such major topics as Soul, Body, and Reincarnation (Gilgul); The Ethics and Piety of Self-Transformation (Kabbalistic Musar); Mystical Autobiography; Emotion, Feeling, and Mind. Please join us as we dive deeply into this fascinating and inspiring landscape of ideas, feelings, and spirituality!About the Speaker: Dr. Eitan Fishbane is a Professor of Jewish Thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), where he has taught for 17 years. A 2015-2016 JTS Chancellor’s Fellow, Fishbane has served on the JTS Faculty Executive Committee; as a B.A. and M.A. Advisor in Jewish Thought; and on The Rabbinical School Council. He is a former Division Chair for Jewish Mysticism at the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS); current Chair of the Oxford Interfaith Forum on Mysticism; and Book Review Editor for Jewish Mysticism at The Marginalia Review of Books. He is the recipient of grants from The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), as well as the Charles A. Ryskamp Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). Among Professor Fishbane’s published books are: The Art of Mystical Narrative: A Poetics of the Zohar (Oxford University Press, 2018); As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist (Stanford University Press, 2009); and, most recently, Embers of Pilgrimage (Panui Poetry Series, 2021). He is currently at work on several book projects, among them Shabbat in Ḥasidic Thought: Sacred Time and Mystical Consciousness; Self & Identity in Sixteenth-Century Kabbalah; and The Zohar as Mystical Poetry. In addition to these academic projects, Fishbane is working on a spiritual-theological commentary on the Torah cycle and the Jewish holidays, tentatively entitled, Written on the Heart: Meditations & Readings; and he is completing his second volume of original poetry, entitled, Soul Fragments. Fishbane received his Ph.D. and B.A., summa cum laude, from Brandeis University. Visit him at www.eitanfishbane.com.*Source Sheets: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GpesiI8tF9_PYCTkyiR-o2SPsxC4HD17/view- https://drive.google.com/file/d/15TMnZbQhgdSLWFV63YpsELYByIoDxjeE/view- https://drive.google.com/file/d/14iNuRnPDYXnFoyd1lZbaMamCEcL2-6-m/view ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Ian PearAbout the Event:This text-based class will focus on the nature of Israel’s army. It will look at the halachot of being a soldier in a Diaspora army, based on the Chafetz Chaim’s Machane Yisrael, and compare that to being an individual soldier in the Israeli army today.About the Speaker:Rabbi Chaim (Ian) Pear, a Rabbi, lawyer and social activist living in Jerusalem, is the founder of Shir Hadash, a popular Jerusalem based Synagogue, Educational Institute and Community Center, as well as an expert in Israeli and Jewish environmental law – he worked at Israel’s premier environmental law firm, Laster and Goldman – and a leader in the Spiritual Diplomacy efforts made on behalf of Israel. A one-time aspiring standup comedian, Rabbi Pear received his ordination from Yeshiva University, and holds law degrees from Hebrew University (LLM, with a focus on Mishpat Ivri) and NYU School of Law (JD, with a concentration in international law), and a degree in International Law, Politics and Security from Georgetown University’s School for Foreign Service. The author of three books, he is married to Dr. Rachel Pear and is the father of five children. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Avi PosenThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel and Temple IsraelAbout the Event: Why is it that even post-Holocaust, Jews experience a large percentage of the world’s hate crimes, despite being less than 0.2% of the world’s population? That’s because the Holocaust wasn’t an antisemitic exception — it was the culmination of years of religious, scientific, cultural, and political anti-Jewish sentiment. This foundation still exists today. Many still subscribe to anti-Jewish conspiracy theories, resulting in disproportionately high statistics of anti-Jewish sentiment and large numbers of hate crimes. Take a deep dive into antisemitism today and how we can respond accordingly.About The Speaker: Avi Posen is the Senior Director of Israel Education – EMEA at Unpacked for Educators, a division of OpenDor Media. His focus is on content creation and training Jewish educators around the world on how to use Unpacked for Educators materials. Avi has worked as a Judaic Studies teacher, Hillel Director, and Jewish camp director. He holds a Master's in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University in New York and lives with his family in Haifa, Israel.Video Links: https://youtu.be/c3dKIDtAYXk?si=ExCVRQFHHSi5pIDT and https://youtu.be/FAJfddwKraQ?si=MpaenKVOX8WQXw35Unpacked YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UNPACKED/featured ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Andy KahnAbout the Event:As world temperatures continue to rise, and weather patterns, ocean levels, and wildfires continue to shift, change, and intensify, it is easy to feel unmoored and disconnected. The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on our Planet, seeks to provide new ways to approach each other and the earth around us to keep us engaged, connected, and hopeful. This session will review some of the ways the book addresses these issues and will offer tangible Jewish modes of maintaining our equilibrium and earth-consciousness.About the Speaker:Rabbi Andrue (Andy) Kahn (he/they) grew up in Tacoma, Washington, and has lived in New York since 2009. Before starting rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, he received a BA from Kenyon College in Ohio, an MA from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and an MA from the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan. He served as associate rabbi at Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York from 2018 to 2023, where he has invigorated community members in their 20s and 30s, organized interfaith programming, and led people of all ages in deep Jewish learning geared towards spiritual development. He recently joined the team at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, New York as the associate director of Yachad and adult education at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, New York. His edited volume The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on our Planet, was published in June 2023 by CCAR Press. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, five-part series presented by Professor Eitan P. FishbaneAbout the event: In what would become the legendary kabbalistic hilltop town of Tzfat in the 1500s—the birthplace of such timeless texts as Lekha Dodi and Yedid Nefesh; a location whose larger-than-life figures included such luminaries as Rabbi Yosef Karo, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (the ARI), and many others— there unfolded one of the most remarkable chapters in the entire history of Judaism, and Jewish mysticism in particular. Through a variety of concerns, ideas, and genres of writing, the mystics of this time and place expressed a pronounced focus on the nature of the human self and spiritual psychology: its essence and character, its fundamental state of relationship to Divinity. In the sessions of this course, we will explore a range of these issues and modes of creativity as they appeared in sixteenth-century Tzfat. We will explore such major topics as Soul, Body, and Reincarnation (Gilgul); The Ethics and Piety of Self-Transformation (Kabbalistic Musar); Mystical Autobiography; Emotion, Feeling, and Mind. Please join us as we dive deeply into this fascinating and inspiring landscape of ideas, feelings, and spirituality!About the Speaker: Dr. Eitan Fishbane is a Professor of Jewish Thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), where he has taught for 17 years. A 2015-2016 JTS Chancellor’s Fellow, Fishbane has served on the JTS Faculty Executive Committee; as a B.A. and M.A. Advisor in Jewish Thought; and on The Rabbinical School Council. He is a former Division Chair for Jewish Mysticism at the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS); current Chair of the Oxford Interfaith Forum on Mysticism; and Book Review Editor for Jewish Mysticism at The Marginalia Review of Books. He is the recipient of grants from The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), as well as the Charles A. Ryskamp Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). Among Professor Fishbane’s published books are: The Art of Mystical Narrative: A Poetics of the Zohar (Oxford University Press, 2018); As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist (Stanford University Press, 2009); and, most recently, Embers of Pilgrimage (Panui Poetry Series, 2021). He is currently at work on several book projects, among them Shabbat in Ḥasidic Thought: Sacred Time and Mystical Consciousness; Self & Identity in Sixteenth-Century Kabbalah; and The Zohar as Mystical Poetry. In addition to these academic projects, Fishbane is working on a spiritual-theological commentary on the Torah cycle and the Jewish holidays, tentatively entitled, Written on the Heart: Meditations & Readings; and he is completing his second volume of original poetry, entitled, Soul Fragments. Fishbane received his Ph.D. and B.A., summa cum laude, from Brandeis University. Visit him at www.eitanfishbane.com. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Michael WeilThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or Tzion About the event: Throughout history, Jews have been a people on the move, from the nomadic Abraham and Sarah to Moses wandering in the desert, to the massive relocations of the modern era often spurred by antisemitic violence and poverty. As roughly 90% of all Jews now reside in either Israel or North America, it can be argued that in the 21st century, the Jewish people at last achieved a level of demographic stability. Yet, a closer look at the demographic trends in one of these centers, the U.S., reveals that within this population concentration, Jewish inter-regional migration rates are on the increase. About the speaker: Michael Weil, an economist by training, born and educated in Great Britain, has spent most of his career working in strategic change, organizational development, and economic, social, and urban planning. Weil has a B.Sc. in Economics with Technology from City University, London, and an MA in Development Economics from Sussex University. In 2008 Weil was voted one of the 50 most influential Jews in America by the Forward newspaper. Today, he serves as a member of the International Advisory Board of Limmud, the Board of Limmud North America, and the Management Board of the Israel Movement for Urbanism. From 2013-2016, he served on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency as the sole representative of 54 Intermediate Federations. Currently, Michael Weil lives in Jerusalem, Israel, and Scottsdale, Arizona while traveling frequently in between, and works on a select number of strategic assignments. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, five-part series presented by Professor Eitan P. FishbaneAbout the event: In what would become the legendary kabbalistic hilltop town of Tzfat in the 1500s—the birthplace of such timeless texts as Lekha Dodi and Yedid Nefesh; a location whose larger-than-life figures included such luminaries as Rabbi Yosef Karo, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (the ARI), and many others— there unfolded one of the most remarkable chapters in the entire history of Judaism, and Jewish mysticism in particular. Through a variety of concerns, ideas, and genres of writing, the mystics of this time and place expressed a pronounced focus on the nature of the human self and spiritual psychology: its essence and character, its fundamental state of relationship to Divinity. In the sessions of this course, we will explore a range of these issues and modes of creativity as they appeared in sixteenth-century Tzfat. We will explore such major topics as Soul, Body, and Reincarnation (Gilgul); The Ethics and Piety of Self-Transformation (Kabbalistic Musar); Mystical Autobiography; Emotion, Feeling, and Mind. Please join us as we dive deeply into this fascinating and inspiring landscape of ideas, feelings, and spirituality!About the Speaker: Dr. Eitan Fishbane is a Professor of Jewish Thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), where he has taught for 17 years. A 2015-2016 JTS Chancellor’s Fellow, Fishbane has served on the JTS Faculty Executive Committee; as a B.A. and M.A. Advisor in Jewish Thought; and on The Rabbinical School Council. He is a former Division Chair for Jewish Mysticism at the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS); current Chair of the Oxford Interfaith Forum on Mysticism; and Book Review Editor for Jewish Mysticism at The Marginalia Review of Books. He is the recipient of grants from The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), as well as the Charles A. Ryskamp Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). Among Professor Fishbane’s published books are: The Art of Mystical Narrative: A Poetics of the Zohar (Oxford University Press, 2018); As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist (Stanford University Press, 2009); and, most recently, Embers of Pilgrimage (Panui Poetry Series, 2021). He is currently at work on several book projects, among them Shabbat in Ḥasidic Thought: Sacred Time and Mystical Consciousness; Self & Identity in Sixteenth-Century Kabbalah; and The Zohar as Mystical Poetry. In addition to these academic projects, Fishbane is working on a spiritual-theological commentary on the Torah cycle and the Jewish holidays, tentatively entitled, Written on the Heart: Meditations & Readings; and he is completing his second volume of original poetry, entitled, Soul Fragments. Fishbane received his Ph.D. and B.A., summa cum laude, from Brandeis University. Visit him at www.eitanfishbane.com. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Sarit HorwitzThe event was co-sponsored by Temple EmanuelAbout the event: How did the rabbis view women as sexual beings? How does it reflect on their own masculinity? Join us to study a few different Talmudic passages, and explore what it has to say about the rabbis who wrote these stories.About the Speaker: Rabbi Sarit Horwitz is the rabbi of Beth Sholom Synagogue in Memphis, TN. She was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary, was a Marshall T Meyer Rabbinic Fellow at B’nai Jeshurun in NYC, and a Wexner Graduate Fellow. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Anthony RussellAbout the Event:In the 20th century, Yiddish art song acted as a kind of performative repository of Ashkenazi Jewish music-making of all kinds, containing elements of khazones and liturgical music, Eastern European folk song, Yiddish theatre music, and Chassidic music, as well as popular and art music of the time. In this session, we’ll take a brief survey of the genre and explore the meaning it had to its performers and its audiences.About the Speaker: Anthony Russell is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in Yiddish culture. Anthony’s work with Klezmer trio Veretski Pass resulted in Convergence, an exploration of a century of African-American and Ashkenazi Jewish music. His recent release on the Borscht Beat label with accordionist and keyboardist Dmitri Gaskin, Kosmopolitn, features their original settings of Yiddish modernist poetry for voice and string ensemble. Anthony has also been an essayist in several publications, including The Forward, Tablet Magazine, JTA, PROTOCOLS, Full Stop Magazine, Ayin Press, and Jewish Currents. He lives in Atlanta with his husband of eight years, Rabbi Michael Rothbaum.All of the music is played from: https://rsa.fau.edu/judaic ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Rabbi Mary ZamoreThe event was co-sponsored by Temple ChaiAbout the Event:Explore the history of women in the Rabbinate from 1938 to 2023 and learn how this history has impacted Judaism as the face of Jewish leadership continues to change. Much has been accomplished, but there are still many challenges to full equity for women in the rabbinate.About the Speaker: Rabbi Mary L. Zamore is the Executive Director of the Women’s Rabbinic Network, a partner organization of the Reform Movement. For over 40 years, WRN has worked to narrow the wage gap, create safer, respectful Jewish communities, and promote equity, while also supporting and advocating for WRN rabbis. Rabbi Zamore co-leads the Reform Pay Equity Initiative and founded WRN’s Clergy: Safe Employees and Employers program, seeding respectful and harassment-free Jewish communities for all. Rabbi Zamore has been named a T’ruah-The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, Rabbinic Human Rights Hero, 2022. She is in the 2022-23 cohort of JWI’s Jewish Communal Women’s Leadership Project (JCWLP), as well as a fellow with the Association for Public Religion and Intellectual Life at Auburn Seminary, NYC, in the Oppressions and Repair Colloquium. She is the editor of The Sacred Exchange: Creating a Jewish Money Ethic (CCAR Press, 2019) and The Sacred Table: Creating a Jewish Food Ethic (CCAR Press, 2011), designated a finalist by the National Jewish Book Awards. Ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1997, Rabbi Zamore graduated from Columbia College. She proudly served congregations in Central New Jersey for 18 years before joining WRN. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. David SandersThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or TzionAbout the Event: The early Kabbalah focused on the Hebrew letters and language and how this code underlies creation. The beauty of the letters is expressed through their meaning, shape, name, and numerical value. The Hebrew letters are containers for the energies of time, including the months of the year and the 12 Spiritual Senses of Soul explained in Sefer Yetzirah (The Book of Formation).About the Speaker: Dr. David Sanders, Founder and Spiritual Director of Kabbalah Experience, combines over thirty years of experience as both a psychologist and Kabbalist helping guide people to deeper awareness and fulfillment in their lives. His transformation from religious studies to mysticism intrigued him to broaden the study of Kabbalah to practical spiritual growth. Transformative Kabbalah combines traditional mysticism, contemporary psychology, and quantum physics.It is David’s joy to help others challenge their views of themselves and the world. Through study and practice, students regularly change their perceptions and choose to alter or modify their behavior – which in turn brings positive change to their relationships and community, and finds greater and more fulfilling expression of their life purpose. He is the author of 2 books on mysticism and language and is currently writing a book on MASKS, the subject of one of KE’s most popular courses.David maintains an active therapy practice, specializing in working with couples and families. He sees psychological and spiritual growth as a continuum of learning and becoming more aware of the self and others. His creation of the Kabbalah Experience is a way to enter into people’s lives from a different premise – spiritual learning and guidance that does not have a starting point of “my problem.” Based on the methodology of study at KE on adult-centered learning, everyone is linked in the awareness work together, the teacher becomes the student and the student becomes the teacher.David considers it his fortune to live with and learn from his wife Rita every day. With two sets of twins and the eldest son, life is rich for the whole family. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Rabbi David Saperstein & Dr. Tevi TroyThe event was co-hosted by Temple ChaiAbout the Event: As the 2024 elections loom, America and the Jewish community have rarely felt as divided over politics and policies as it does today. Are Jewish interests better served by conservative or liberal approaches to America’s domestic and global challenges? Are the values and lessons of Jewish tradition and history more resonant with the approach of conservatives or liberals to today’s issues? Are the interests of Jews in the U.S., Israel, and the world better served by the Republican Party or the Democratic Party?On issues like abortion, church-state relations, civil rights claims v. religious freedom claims, climate change, economic justice v. economic freedom, autocratic countries that support Israel, immigration, and religious freedom — what are the merits of their respective views? Are bipartisan/cross-ideological comity, compromise, and common ground possible?Dr. Tevi Troy (best-selling presidential historian, former senior Bush White House aide, Deputy Secretary of HHS, and former White House Liaison to the Jewish Community) and Rabbi David Saperstein (former Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom in the Obama Administration) will debate these issues and model how even political protagonists with differing political, religious, and ideological views can debate respectfully and constructively.About the Speakers: Rabbi David SapersteinFor 40 years, Rabbi Saperstein directed the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, representing the Reform Jewish Movement, the largest segment of American Jewry, to the U.S. Congress and Administration. Designated by Newsweek Magazine as the most influential rabbi in America and by the Washington Post as the “quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill,” during the second term of the Obama administration, Rabbi Saperstein served as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, carrying out his responsibilities as the country’s chief diplomat on religious freedom issues. Since leaving government, he has served as the Senior Advisor on Policy and Strategy to the Union for Reform Judaism. Also an attorney, he taught seminars on Church–State law and on Jewish Law for 35 years at Georgetown University Law Center and later at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Center for Jewish Civilization. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations he also serves as a “Distinguished Fellow” at the PM Glynn Center at the Australian Catholic University. Rabbi Saperstein served in 2019-20 as the President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, the international arm of the Reform Jewish Movement. Dr. Tevi TroyTevi Troy is a best-selling presidential historian and a former senior government official. His latest book is Fight House: Rivalries in the White House, from Truman to Trump.On August 3, 2007, Dr. Troy was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As Deputy Secretary, Dr. Troy was the chief operating officer of the largest civilian department in the federal government, with a budget of $716 billion and over 67,000 employees.Dr. Troy has extensive White House experience, having served in several high-level positions over five years, culminating in his service as Deputy Assistant and then Acting Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. Dr. Troy has held high-level positions on Capitol Hill as well. From 1998 to 2000, Dr. Troy served as the Policy Director for Senator John Ashcroft. From 1996 to 1998, Troy was Senior Domestic Policy Adviser and later Domestic Policy Director for the House Policy Committee, chaired by Christopher Cox.In addition to his senior-level government work and healthcare expertise, Dr. Troy is also a presidential historian, making him one of only a handful of historians who has both studied the White House as a historian and worked there at the highest levels. He is the author of the best-selling book, What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House, as well as Intellectuals and the American Presidency: Philosophers, Jesters, or Technicians?, and Shall We Wake the President? Two Centuries of Disaster Management in the Oval Office. He has written over 250 published articles, for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Commentary, National Review, Washingtonian, The Weekly Standard, and other publications. He is a frequent television and radio analyst and has appeared on CNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, Fox Business, and The NewsHour, among other outlets. Dr. Troy’s many other affiliations include adjunct fellow at Hudson Institute; contributing editor for Washingtonian magazine; memb

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz interviews Rabbi David Saperstein. Rabbi David Saperstein (former Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom in the Obama Administration) will debate these issues and model how even political protagonists with differing political, religious, and ideological views can debate respectfully and constructively. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz interviews Dr. Tevi Troy. Dr. Tevi Troy (best-selling presidential historian - Fight House: Rivalries in the White House, from Truman to Trump, former senior Bush White House aide, Deputy Secretary of HHS, and former White House Liaison to the Jewish Community). ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Alan BrillThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About the Event: Much has changed in the last 20 years after 9/11 regarding interfaith, especially the new landscape of accepting religious diversity and the acceptance of the dignity of difference. We will discuss finding wisdom in other religions for self-understanding. This talk will include stories from my recent time spent in Indonesia, Singapore, UAE, India, and within the diversity of the USA. About the Speaker: Rabbi Prof. Alan Brill is the Cooperman/Ross Endowed Chair for Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University, Brill is an expert on interfaith relations. He is the author of many books including Judaism and World Religions: Christianity, Islam, and Eastern Religions (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), and Judaism and Other Religions: Models of Understanding (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010). Brill was a Fulbright Senior Scholar Award for research and teaching at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh India. This research produced his recent volume Rabbi on the Ganges: A Jewish Hindu Encounter (Lexington Books, 2019). His forthcoming book is A Jewish View of the Trinity, Incarnation, and Salvation(Fortress Press, 2025). He has done interfaith work in Indonesia, India, UAE, Turkey, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Gershom SizomuThe event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJAbout the Event: Rabbi Sizomu will speak about the origins of Abayudaya, the challenges occasioned by the dictatorial reign of President Iddi Amin Dada, antisemitism, and living as a minority in a country that is predominantly Christian and Muslim. About the Speaker: Rabbi Gershom Sizomu is a Be’chol Lashon Rabbinic Fellow and the spiritual leader of the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda. Gershom is the current leader of the 100-year-old Abayudaya community of almost 2,000 Jews living in rural villages in Eastern Uganda. He is the grandson of community elder “Rabbi” Samson. He lives near the Moses Synagogue in the village of Nabagogye, which he and others from the community’s early 1980s “Kibbutz movement” built with their own hands. Their goal has been to gather what was left of the Abayudaya community back together after the devastating reign of Idi Amin Dada ended in 1979. As a visionary leader, Gershom’s dream was to attend a rabbinic seminary to understand ancient and modern egalitarian Judaism better and bring the Ugandan community into mainstream Jewish life. Gershom was awarded a Be’chol Lashon Fellowship in 2003 to attend the five-year Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He returned to Uganda in 2008 as the first native-born black rabbi in Sub-Saharan Africa. He opened a Yeshiva to train African teachers and rabbis to serve their ancient and emerging Jewish communities. In 2016, Gershom became the first Jew ever elected to Uganda’s parliament. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Yitz LandesThe event was co-hosted by Beth El CongregationAbout the Event: What is the connection between rain, the Temple, and caring for the other? In this class, we will look at the ways in which these themes connect in ancient Hebrew liturgical poems (piyyutim) written for the holiday of Sukkot. After first gaining a familiarity with the different genres of piyyutim and their liturgical and historical settings, we will read closely from some of the piyyutim for Sukkot—several of which are still recited today—to gain deeper insights into how the holiday of Sukkot has been understood and celebrated throughout history. About the Speaker: Yitz Landes is an Assistant Professor of Rabbinic Literature and Cultures at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. His research focuses on Rabbinic Judaism, the history of the Jewish Book, and Jewish Liturgy. He received his Ph.D. in Religions of Mediterranean Antiquity from Princeton University after receiving a BA in Talmud and Halakha and Comparative Religion and an MA in Talmud and Halakha and Late Antique Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His publications include Studies in the Development of Birkat ha-Avodah (2018) as well as several peer-reviewed articles. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Melanie GruenwaldThe event was co-sponsored by Temple IsraelAbout the Event:Dr. Brené Brown’s teachings on vulnerability, courage, worthiness and shame, will serve as the text, and Kabbalahwill serve as the commentary. We will engage together in this guide to living a whole-hearted life, weaving Dr.Brown’s research and anecdotes, with the timeless teachings of Kabbalah.About the Speaker:Executive Director of Kabbalah Experience, Melanie Gruenwald brings over 25 years of non-profit leadership and community organizing to her position. Engaged with senior citizens, families, college students, and teens, Melanie has extensive professional experience with communal leadership and informal Jewish education.Melanie is energized by building relationships, understanding people’s needs, and finding ways to connect them to one another. She loves the balance of organizational leadership and teaching which she engages in on a daily basis at Kabbalah Experience.She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Binghamton University (S.U.N.Y), and her Master in Social Work and Certificate in Jewish Communal Service from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. Melanie has pursued additional Judaic and spiritual studies at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, the Conservative Yeshiva, and most recently, the Kabbalah Experience.Melanie is married to Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald, Associate Rabbi at the Hebrew Educational Alliance, and is a mom to three children, Koby (z”l), Hannah, and Micah. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presented by Martha Anne TollThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or TzionAbout the Event:How does a novelist approach a historical subject as overwhelming as the Holocaust? What decisions go into jettisoning history, or the reverse, hewing closely to it, when writing a historical novel? Join our conversation with a debut novelist, Martha Anne Toll, to discuss how these considerations and more went into writing THREE MUSES.About the Speaker:Martha Anne Toll‘s debut novel, THREE MUSES, was shortlisted for the Gotham Book Prize and won the Petrichor Prize for Finely Crafted Fiction. Toll writes fiction, essays, and book reviews, and reads anything that’s not nailed down. She brings a long career in social justice to her work covering authors of color and women writers as a critic and author interviewer at NPR Books, the Washington Post, Pointe Magazine, The Millions, and elsewhere. Toll serves on the Board of Directors of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. Her second novel, DUET FOR ONE, will be published in early 2025. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Eliyahu FreedmanAbout the Event: In this session, we will discover the plurality of Jewish groups that lived in Babylonia during the 8th to 10th centuries. Meet important personalities such as Anan Ben David, Mīshawayh al-ʿUkbarī, Saadya Gaon, and Jacob al-Qirqisani. Independent scholar Eliyahu Freeman, gets to the heart of the main issues that concerned Medieval Jews, leading to heated disagreement and conflict between them.About the Speaker: Eliyahu Freedman is an independent scholar and former Ph.D. student at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He studied Judeo-Arabic and is currently a freelance correspondent for Al Jazeera English and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, he has lived in Jaffa, Israel for four years since making Aliyah. While not working on research or writing research, Eliyahu is an avid practitioner of mindfulness meditation and enjoys playing guitar and watching the sunset at the beach. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by David LiebermanThe event was co-hosted by Temple Solel and BMH-BJAbout the Event: This class is about Jewish spirituality…making a palpable connection with God. Judaism teaches that we connect with God by performing the commandments, the mitzvot. Our tradition also teaches that we interpret the Torah and the mitzvot at multiple levels. The focus of this class is on the mystical level called sod. Connecting at this level may be more accessible to a wide range of Jews who might view themselves as “spiritual, but not religious.” Many of us look outside our religion for spirituality. In fact, spirituality can be found right in our own backyard. Over the millennia, there has been an evolution in how Jews connect with God. In an era we call biblical Judaism, we felt a deep connection with God through the practice of animal sacrifices. Now, in the era we call rabbinic Judaism, we make connections through prayer, acts of charity, repentance, and study.The next era may become characterized as transcendental Judaism. Through the meditative quieting of the mind, we can directly experience the “still small voice” that Elijah sensed on that mountaintop. This is not mindfulness. It’s an expansive experience of complete calm, oneness, and a sense of connection with everything around us. Many of us have fallen into that transcendental experience: while watching a sunset or holding a newborn baby. What if we were able to enter into that transcendental experience at will? This class describes how those repeated experiences heal us and influence our actions toward repairing the world.About the Speaker: David Lieberman was raised in a Reform Jewish household and began to immerse himself in the Torah in 2003. He has been an elementary school teacher, management consultant, and spiritual director, and has served on the Board of Directors of VBM. He lives in Phoenix with his wife. They have two daughters.Visit www.TranscendentalJudaism.com for links to order the book and to contact David with questions or to speak at your book club, study group or adult education class. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. James BaskindThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or TzionAbout the Event:Although the Jewish history in Japan is relatively recent and there have never been significant numbers settled in the country, Jews loom large in the Japanese imagination, and popular books that peddle everything from fascination to fear are perennial best-sellers. An avid student of Western culture and technology since the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), much of this Japanese interest stems from European propaganda regarding the Jews; however, not steeped in millennia of European antisemitism, the Japanese reaction, on the whole, was one more of fascination and awe. Although allies with Nazi Germany during World War II, Japan refused to turn over its Jews to the Nazis and even entertained the idea of bringing Jews to Japan in the hopes of bringing about national flourishing. This talk will examine the historical factors that have contributed to this multifaceted and unique perspective toward Jews and their culture.About the Speaker:Dr. Baskind received his Ph.D. from Yale University in 2006. His area of academic research is Japanese Buddhism and culture, with a focus on how Chinese models—represented by the Obaku School—were received in Edo-period Japan. Other areas of research and writing include Buddhist-Christian interaction in early modern Japan, as well as the Zen/Pure Land dialectic as it pertains to Japanese Buddhist discourse. His current project critically examines tea culture in East Asia, and how it became widely perceived as inextricably linked with Zen and its associated arts. Most recently he held the position of Associate Professor of Japanese Thought at Nagoya City University in Nagoya, Japan. While in Japan his research was supported by numerous grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Apart from his academic pursuits he has also studied and practiced the tea ceremony (both sencha and matcha) as well as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which he currently teaches. In addition, he has nearly completed a book on the cultural history of jiu-jitsu, entitled, Jiu-jitsu: A History of Soft Power. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual presentation by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine and Dr. Marc BrettlerThe event was co-sponsored by Beth El PhoenixAbout the Event:The Gospel of Matthew is often considered the most Jewish of the Gospels. We will explore its Jewishness by looking at how it builds upon various passages from the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and how it relates to later rabbinic texts.About the Speakers:Amy-Jill Levine is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace; University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies Emerita and Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies Emerita, Professor of New Testament Studies Emerita, Vanderbilt University.Marc Zvi Brettler is the Bernice and Morton Lerner Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies in the Dept. of Religious Studies at Duke University, and the Dora Golding Professor of Biblical Literature Emeritus at Brandeis University.Together they have edited The Jewish Annotated New Testament, and have written The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Book Differently. ★ Support this podcast ★

A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Rabbi Ian PearAbout the Event:Since Israel’s founding – continuing until today – the relationship between the state’s Jewish majority and its non-Jewish minority has been fraught with challenges. Liberal Democracies, of course, have something to say about such relationships, but Israel is unique in a variety of ways, not the least of which is it was established to be the world’s lone Jewish state. Protecting that reality, while simultaneously protecting the rights of minorities, has not always been easy. A surprising source for guidance and wisdom in this field – a source that can simultaneously promote both of these seemingly conflicting values — is Jewish law itself. This class will survey more than 2000 years of global Jewish thought on the matter, comparing and contrasting Diaspora and Israeli thought, and conclude with an inspiring view of modern-day Rabbinic advice on the topic.About the Speaker:Rabbi Chaim (Ian) Pear, a Rabbi, lawyer, and social activist living in Jerusalem, is the founder of Shir Hadash, a popular Jerusalem based Synagogue, Educational Institute, and Community Center, as well as an expert in Israeli and Jewish environmental law – he worked at Israel’s premier environmental law firm, Laster and Goldman – and a leader in the Spiritual Diplomacy efforts made on behalf of Israel. A one-time aspiring standup comedian, Rabbi Pear received his ordination from Yeshiva University and holds law degrees from Hebrew University (LLM, with a focus on Mishpat Ivri) and NYU School of Law (JD, with a concentration in international law), and a degree in International Law, Politics and Security from Georgetown University’s School for Foreign Service. The author of three books, he is married to Dr. Rachel Pear and is the father of five children. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Barbara SymonsThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel About The Event:For many Jews, the prophets’ voices are only heard during worship if even there, and then only in Hebrew. Even in English, their words are a challenge. After studying the job qualifications and tasks of a prophet and learning when and why Judaism says that prophecy ended, we will use contemporary interpretations to better hear their ancient words which often feel challenging in both form and content. Reaching beyond, we will look at alternative prophet-like voices that can inspire us to realize the words of the haftarah blessing: toward holiness, rest, honor, and glory.About The Speaker:Rabbi Barbara AB Symons graduated from the University of Michigan and was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1994. Since 2006, she has been serving Temple David in Monroeville, Pennsylvania just outside of Pittsburgh. She is thrilled to have even a small part in raising up prophetic voices through the many diverse voices included in her book Prophetic Voices: Renewing and Reimagining Haftarah (CCAR Press 2023). ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Jonnie SchnytzerThe event was co-sponsored by Temple EmanuelAbout The Class:Our journey to come close to God is often sought out alone. Even when praying in a congregational quorum, each individual ties the words of prayer to their own private thoughts. In this class, we will learn of unique teachings which advocated genuine friendship as a prerequisite for God’s presence and ask about God’s role in a social get-together. For those wanting to discover new and perhaps unexpected ways that lead to the path of God, let’s go visit some of the most innovative and socially sensitive minds of early twentieth-century Poland.About The Speaker:Jonnie Schnytzer is probably the only Ph.D. 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's 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 Leila Gal BernerThe event was Co-Sponsored by Rodef ShalomAbout The Event:Having pioneered a new gateway into Torah learning called "kriat hakodesh,” (reading the holy), Rabbi Dr. Leila Gal Berner will lead us through a deep, contemplative journey through the heart of the Parsha, Vayera, helping participants to discover the profound personal meaning of the Torah text. Silence, learning about the text through midrashim, chant, deep personal questions (contemplated privately) and conversation will all be part of the experience. This approach stems from Rabbi Berner’s book, Listening to the Heart of Genesis: A Contemplative Path. About The Speaker:Rabbi Leila Gal Berner was ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and holds a second ordination from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (of blessed memory). She received her doctorate in medieval Jewish history from UCLA, with expertise in the history of Jews in medieval Spain. Her dissertation, “On the Western Shores: The Jews of Barcelona during the Reign of Jaume I, ‘el Conqueridor 1213-1276” has been widely cited and she has taught about the Spanish Reconquista in many Jewish communities. She has also taught in many communities about the “Golden Age of Spanish Jewry under Muslim Rule.”Rabbi Gal-Berner served as Dean of Students of the ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Ordination and continues to teach biblical and medieval history, feminist thought, and midrash. She has recently published Listening to the Heart of Genesis: A Contemplative Path. Dr. Gal Berner has taught in the Departments of Philosophy and Religion at American University and George Washington and Emory Universities, and in the Departments of Religion at Swarthmore and Reed Colleges. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Joshua StantonThe Event Was Co-Hosted by Hebrew Educational AllianceAbout The Event:Our narrative of communal decline overlooks the remarkable growth of the American Jewish community, both numerically and in vibrancy. This conversation will reflect upon the social startups redefining the American Jewish landscape, of which the Valley Beit Midrash is one.About The Speaker:Rabbi Joshua Stanton is spiritual co-leader of East End Temple and Director for Leadership at CLAL – The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, where he focuses on questions of religious pluralism in the United States and Israel. He likewise serves on the Board of Trustees of Interfaith America, the leading interfaith organization in America, and on the Board of Governors of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, which presides over Jewish-Christian relations with the Vatican and World Council of Churches. You may have already seen Rabbi Stanton on CNN or in a documentary film, or read about him in syndicated media, publications, and articles that have appeared in ten languages. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, six-part series presented by Rabbi Dr. Darren KleinbergAbout the Event:In this mini-course, we welcome back Valley Beit Midrash founder, Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, for a new encounter with the Torah. Commonly understood as a book of laws and stories, Rabbi Kleinberg will unlock new ways of reading through the words of Judaism’s foundational sacred text to unlock practices that can be incorporated into our daily lives to increase insight and well-being.About the Speaker:Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow with the Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. In partnership with a group of visionary community leaders, Rabbi Kleinberg became the Founding Executive Director of Valley Beit Midrash in 2007. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Aaron TugendhaftThe event was co-sponsored by Temple Chai and BMH-BJAbout the Event:As anyone who has seen Hamilton knows, George Washington loved to quote the prophet Micah’s vision of humankind each sitting under their own vine and fig tree. This seminar will explore this prophetic phrase within a colonial and American revolutionary context and consider how Washington’s adept use of Micah’s image served a larger purpose of forging the religious character of the early American Republic. Special consideration will be given to Washington’s celebrated letter to the Jewish community in Newport, Rhode Island, and to that letter’s place within a broader correspondence with diverse religious communities at the moment of Washington’s first inauguration.About the Speaker:Aaron Tugendhaft studied history and philosophy at the University of Chicago, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Sorbonne. Since receiving his doctorate in Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies from New York University in 2012, he has taught broadly within the humanities on four continents and has become a staunch advocate of traditional liberal education as a corrective to premature professionalization, academic hyper-specialization, and political polarization. His most recent book, The Idols of ISIS: From Assyria to the Internet (University of Chicago Press, 2020), is a philosophical meditation on the political power of images and the significance of their destruction. Since 2021, he has served as History Department Chair and Director of Interdisciplinary Programs at the Ramaz School in New York City. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, six-part series presented by Rabbi Dr. Darren KleinbergAbout the Event:In this mini-course, we welcome back Valley Beit Midrash founder, Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, for a new encounter with the Torah. Commonly understood as a book of laws and stories, Rabbi Kleinberg will unlock new ways of reading through the words of Judaism’s foundational sacred text to unlock practices that can be incorporated into our daily lives to increase insight and well-being.About the Speaker:Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow with the Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. In partnership with a group of visionary community leaders, Rabbi Kleinberg became the Founding Executive Director of Valley Beit Midrash in 2007. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dov Peretz ElkinsThe event was co-sponsored by Rodef ShalomAbout The Event:The Judaism of the 21st century demands that we each become compelling and thrilling storytellers. Could you imagine a world without a creation narrative that experiences order in the universe, that looks at a rainbow and sees a promise of life, stories filled with real struggles of fathers and sons, brothers, husbands, and wives? At our core is the story of slavery and liberation so powerful that it still motivates freedom fighters around the world. Suddenly, we are standing at Mt Sinai promising to be partners in a covenant, a sacred priestly nation that will transform the world in which we live. Our story takes us to the edge of the promised land described in the book of Deuteronomy, a land in which the king is just and the people righteous and caring of each other and where the widow and orphan, and stranger are protected. Our prophets motivate us to “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God” and comfort us in our pain, giving meaning to our suffering. Each generation added richness, a veritable treasure chest of stories. Every generation has its own stories, from Genesis to the most recent events in the 21st century.About the Speaker:Dov Peretz Elkins is a nationally known lecturer, educator, workshop leader, author, and book critic. He is a popular speaker on the Jewish circuit. Rabbi Elkins is a recipient of the National Jewish Book Award and is the author or editor of over sixty books. His Chicken Soup For The Jewish Soul was on the NY Times best-seller list. Among Rabbi Elkins’ other books is The Wisdom of Judaism: An Introduction to the Values of the Talmud, Bialik: Israel’s National Poet, The Friendship That Shaped Jewish History: Eddie Jacobson’s Role in President Harry Truman’s Recognition of the New State of Israel, A Treasury of Thought on Israel and Zionism, The Battle Between the Menorah and the Magen David, The Amazing Story of Peter Bergson The Hero Who Tried to Sav Jews During the Holocaust, (all from Mazo Publishers).Rabbi Elkins is the rabbi emeritus at The Jewish Center of Princeton NJ.Dr. Elkins lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Miryam. They have six children and twelve grandchildren.Book Recommendations: Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul, Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth: Inspiring Tales to Nourish the Heart and Soul, and The Book of Legends/Sefer Ha-Aggadah: Legends from the Talmud and Midrash ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, six-part series presented by Rabbi Dr. Darren KleinbergAbout the Event:In this mini-course, we welcome back Valley Beit Midrash founder, Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, for a new encounter with the Torah. Commonly understood as a book of laws and stories, Rabbi Kleinberg will unlock new ways of reading through the words of Judaism’s foundational sacred text to unlock practices that can be incorporated into our daily lives to increase insight and well-being.About the Speaker:Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow with the Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. In partnership with a group of visionary community leaders, Rabbi Kleinberg became the Founding Executive Director of Valley Beit Midrash in 2007. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Tali AdlerAbout the Event:What did it look like to find God in the Warsaw Ghetto? How did one man make sense of the deepest human suffering while locating himself uncompromisingly within Jewish tradition? Join us as we study the Aish Kodesh, the Piacezna Rebbe’s weekly sermons delivered each Shabbat in the Warsaw Ghetto, and attempt to uncover how his Torah might help us make sense of our lives today.About the Speaker:Rabbi Tali Adler is a member of the Hadar faculty. A musmekhet of Yeshivat Maharat and alumna of Stern College for Women, Rabbi Adler has studied at a number of institutions including Hadar, Drisha, and Midreshet HaRova. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, six-part series presented by Rabbi Dr. Darren KleinbergAbout the Event:In this mini-course, we welcome back Valley Beit Midrash founder, Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, for a new encounter with the Torah. Commonly understood as a book of laws and stories, Rabbi Kleinberg will unlock new ways of reading through the words of Judaism’s foundational sacred text to unlock practices that can be incorporated into our daily lives to increase insight and well-being.About the Speaker:Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow with the Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. In partnership with a group of visionary community leaders, Rabbi Kleinberg became the Founding Executive Director of Valley Beit Midrash in 2007. ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz (Dean of Valley Biet Midrash) interviews Rabbi Alexander Goldberg in London, England.Rabbi Alex Goldberg is the Dean of Religious Life and Belief at the University of Surrey leading a team of 25 from 8 world faiths and the humanist tradition serving a community of 22,000 staff and students. He is the only rabbi within this role in Europe and serves as the campus and local community rabbi too. He is a barrister and has worked to promote good community relations in inter-governmental, governmental, and community roles.He contributes regularly to BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought and appears regularly on television, radio, and in print media. He is an advisor to the UK Religious Media Centre. He chairs the Football Association's Faith Network and in 2012, was an Olympic / Paralympic Chaplain where his work was recognized by the Olympic Peace Truce Centre. Nominated by the Conference of European Rabbis, he serves as a full member of the European Muslim Jewish Religious Leaders Council and was named an Interfaith Associate and partner in Christian-Jewish and interfaith dialogue by the Lord Bishop of Guildford.He founded the human rights group, René Cassin, was a founding chair of Faiths Forum for London, and was the Mayor of London's Faith Conference. He led delegations to the UN Human Rights Council for over a decade where he successfully changed international law in relation to group access to justice and went on to collaborate with the UN as a consultant on their Faith for Rights project. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yankolwitz (Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) interviews Rabbi Tom Cohen in Paris, France. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Nathaniel BermanThe event was co-hosted by Hebrew Educational AllianceAbout the Event:What can kabbalistic teachings contribute to a world in which rival claims to sacred land continue to cause such suffering? It is true that some kabbalistic teachings make such conflicts worse – bestowing specific sites with absolute value, making compromise impossible. Other kabbalistic teachings, however, insist that we look for true sacredness in unexpected places – strange lands, remote villages, barren deserts – rather than in official holy sites. These teachings embody the deepest kabbalistic imperative: to seek out the holiest in the most profane, whether in the world or in our own souls. We can trace the roots of such teachings too often neglected strands of biblical texts and we can see them flourishing in the writings of key Hasidic sages.About the Speaker:Nathaniel Berman is the Rahel Varnhagen Professor in Brown University’s Department of Religious Studies. He is the author of Passion and Ambivalence: Colonialism, Nationalism, and International Law (Brill 2011) and Divine and Demonic in the Poetic Mythology of the Zohar: the ‘Other Side’ of Kabbalah (Brill 2018). ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, six-part series presented by Rabbi Dr. Darren KleinbergAbout the Event:In this mini-course, we welcome back Valley Beit Midrash founder, Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, for a new encounter with the Torah. Commonly understood as a book of laws and stories, Rabbi Kleinberg will unlock new ways of reading through the words of Judaism’s foundational sacred text to unlock practices that can be incorporated into our daily lives to increase insight and well-being.About the Speaker:Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow with the Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. In partnership with a group of visionary community leaders, Rabbi Kleinberg became the Founding Executive Director of Valley Beit Midrash in 2007. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Bezalel NaorThe event was co-hosted by Beth ElAbout the Event:Rav Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935) was a highly complex individual: legalist and philosopher, mystic and poet. In his role as Chief Rabbi of Eretz Israel (1921-1935), he emerged as a leader of world Jewry. Since his passing, Rav Kook’s literary legacy has exercised generations of scholars and thinkers (such as Rabbis J.B Soloveitchik, Isaac Hutner, and Jonathan Sacks, to name a few). That legacy, which contains elements of nationalism and universalism, continues to baffle his admirers and detractors. In this class, we will glimpse Rav Kook’s spiritual renaissance and his vision of humanity’s evolving consciousness.About the Speaker:Bezalel Naor is the author of many works of Jewish thought in English and Hebrew – philosophy, Kabbalah, and Hasidism – with a major concentration on the writings of the great Seer of Israel, Rav Kook. He is also the translator of Orot, Rav Kook’s seminal work.Naor’s published books include: Navigating Worlds: Collected Essays Vols. 1 & 2 (2021), The Legends of Rabbah bar Bar Hannah (2019), The Koren Rav Kook Siddur (2017), When God Becomes History: Historical Essays of Rav Kook (2016), Mahol la-Tzaddikim; The Controversy between Rabbi Moshe Hayyim Luzzatto and Rabbi Eizik Epstein of Homel Concerning the Divine Design in Creation (2015), Kana’uteh de Pinhas (2013), an analysis of the critique of Leshem Shevo ve-Ahlamah, The Kabbalah of Relation (2012), and The Limit of Intellectual Freedom: Letters of Rav Kook (2011). ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual, six-part series presented by Rabbi Dr. Darren KleinbergAbout the Event:In this mini-course, we welcome back Valley Beit Midrash founder, Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, for a new encounter with the Torah. Commonly understood as a book of laws and stories, Rabbi Kleinberg will unlock new ways of reading through the words of Judaism’s foundational sacred text to unlock practices that can be incorporated into our daily lives to increase insight and well-being.About the Speaker:Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow with the Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. In partnership with a group of visionary community leaders, Rabbi Kleinberg became the Founding Executive Director of Valley Beit Midrash in 2007. ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Jonathan Spira-SavettThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or Tzion & BMH-BJ About The Event:One of the most nuanced recent explorations of teshuvah is a television show that has been described as “the smartest, dumbest show on TV.” The Good Place follows four human beings whom we meet in a “neighborhood” of the afterlife supervised by two eternal beings. (This description will try not to spoil the show for those who haven’t watched it, but the session will definitely have spoilers!) One of the humans is a professor of ethical philosophy, and another quickly reveals to him that she has been sent there by mistake. Together, they get to work keeping her from being expelled to the “bad place”, by studying ethics and applying the concepts to working on her character. In the course of four seasons, the show explicitly teaches concepts in ethical philosophy and portrays their application to moral self-improvement. There is almost no specific religious reference in the show, beyond the gestures to “heaven” and “hell.” But what has intrigued Jewish educators are moves that seem like midrashim on teshuvah in a Maimonidean sense and on the book of Esther, and echoes of many core Jewish ethical concepts. The Tov! podcast began with the idea of just juxtaposing each episode’s theme against Jewish teaching — hardly a sophisticated educational methodology. But the further we went, the more alive certain texts become for me, particularly those about teshuvah. And the more I have been surprised at realizations about the moral significance of things like time, friendship, and theology. In the session, we’ll watch and hear some tastes from the TV show and the podcast along with my own story, and hopefully, you’ll be intrigued to watch the show on your own, or re-watch it with a new lens!About the Speaker:Jon Spira–Savett has served for nearly fifteen years as rabbi of Temple Beth Abraham in Nashua, New Hampshire, and is co-host of Tov! A Podcast About “The Good Place” and Jewish Ideas Jon has taught social ethics, bioethics, and environmental ethics in Jewish day schools, supplementary programs, teen philanthropy projects, and wider community adult education projects, and he serves on the ethics committee of Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua. Jon’s general writings and recordings about Torah and current events are on his blog at rabbijon.net. He is the immediate past president of the Nashua Area Interfaith Council, co-convener of the Greater Nashua Housing Justice Group, and co-founder of “How To Be President”, an initiative to transform how we learn about candidates by asking better questions. Jon was ordained and received his M.A. in Jewish education from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and is an active alum of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship. He did his undergraduate studies at Harvard College. Jon grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a proud alum of the Talmud Torah of St. Paul, to which he owes his interest in ethical philosophy, text study, and Hebrew language. To find more information about Jon and his podcast you can go to his website at tovgoodplace.com ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Jonnie SchnytzerThe event was co-sponsored by Congregation Or TzionAbout the Event:The words of the Jewish prayer may be described as a confluence of the most personal of moments and the story of an entire nation. Diving into its pages we will learn of moments of faith and fears, moments of indescribable ecstasy and sheer suffering – moments that created prayer. Leafing together through its pages, we will come to discover, not only historic moments which led to canonized prayer but also, what our inner prayer book might look like as well.About the Speaker:Jonnie Schnytzer is probably the only Ph.D. 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's 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 ★