Jewish Ideas to Change the World
1,051 episodes — Page 8 of 22
Ep 701The Significance of the Mitzvot of Purim in Our Lives Today
A virtual event presentation by Rabbanit Sharona Halickman ABOUT THE EVENT: On Purim we observe four main mitzvot as well as various customs. Where did these laws and customs originate from and are they still relevant today? ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Sharona holds a BA in Judaic Studies from Stern College and an MS in Jewish Education from Azrieli Graduate School, Yeshiva University. Sharona was the first Orthodox woman to serve as a member of clergy as the first Congregational Intern and first Madricha Ruchanit at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, NY. After making aliya in 2004, Sharona founded Torat Reva Yerushalayim, a non profit organization based in Jerusalem which provides Torah study groups for students of all ages and backgrounds. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 700On Diplomacy & Negotiation – A Book Talk with Former US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk
A hybrid event (in person & accessible virtually) with Ambassador Martin Indyk EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Beth El Congregation ABOUT THE EVENT: Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz will be interviewing Ambassador Martin Indyk about his new book (Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger And The Art Of Middle East Diplomacy), followed by questions from the audience and a book signing. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Martin S. Indyk is distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Previously, he was the John C. Whitehead Distinguished Fellow in International Diplomacy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. From February 2015 to March 2018, he served as executive vice president of Brookings. Indyk served as the U.S. special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations from July 2013 to June 2014. Prior to his time as special envoy, he was vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program and a senior fellow and the founding director of the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 699The Seven Questions You’re Asked in Heaven
A virtual event presentation by Dr. Ron Wolfson ABOUT THE EVENT: When you get to heaven, what questions do you think you’ll be asked about how you lived your life on earth? In the Talmud and through the centuries, rabbis have imagined what these questions might be. In this challenging, poignant and humorous presentation, we’ll study text, share stories, and explore the concept of cheshbon ha-nefesh, a spiritual accounting of the soul. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: DR. RON WOLFSON is the Fingerhut Professor of Education at American Jewish University in Los Angeles, where he has been on the faculty for forty-six years and president of the Kripke Institute. He is the author of seventeen books on Jewish life, including Shabbat, Passover, Hanukkah, God’s To-Do List, The Seven Questions You’re Asked in Heaven, The Spirituality of Welcoming, Relational Judaism, The Relational Judaism Handbook, a memoir, The Best Boy in the United States of America, and his latest book with Dr. Bruce Powell, Raising A+ Human Beings: Crafting a Jewish School Culture of Academic Excellence and AP Kindness. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 698Parshat Vayikra: On Honesty in Our Promises
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 697The Future of Jewish Adult Learning
A conversation with Spertus Institute's leaders Dean Bell & Keren Fraiman at Valley Beit Midrash with President & Dean Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 696Maimonides, Spinoza and Us: Toward an Intellectually Vibrant Judaism
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Marc D. Angel ABOUT THE EVENT: Moses Maimonides (1138-1204) is the classic Jewish thinker who strove to reconcile Judaism and philosophy/science. Baruch Spinoza (1632-1667) is the classic Jewish heretic who revolutionized modern rationalistic philosophy and did much to undermine traditional religious beliefs. By drawing on the teachings of both of these intellectual giants, we can seek a traditional Judaism that is vibrant, intellectually challenging, and meaningful. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Marc D. Angel is Founder and Director of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals (jewishideas.org), fostering an intellectually vibrant, compassionate and inclusive Orthodox Judaism. He is Rabbi Emeritus of the historic Congregation Shearith Israel, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of New York City (founded 1654), where he began serving in 1969. Born and raised in the Sephardic community of Seattle, Washington, he went to New York for his higher education at Yeshiva University where he earned his B.A., M.S., Ph.D. and Rabbinic Ordination. He also earned an M.A. in English Literature from the City College of New York. Author and editor of 38 books, he has written and lectured extensively on various aspects of Jewish law, history and culture. Among his books are Foundations of Sephardic Spirituality: The Inner Life of Jews of the Ottoman Empire (Jewish Lights, 2006); and Maimonides, Spinoza and Us: Toward an Intellectually Vibrant Judaism, (Jewish Lights, 2009), both of which won Finalist Awards from the National Jewish Book Council. His book, Choosing to Be Jewish: The Orthodox Road to Conversion (Ktav, 2005) has reached many thousands of readers. His most recent books are a commentary on Pirkei Avot published by Koren (2015); The Wisdom of Solomon and Us (Jewish Lights, 2016); and A New World: An American Sephardic Memoir (Albion-Andalus, 2019). He serves as Editor of Conversations, the journal of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. Rabbi Angel is Past President of the Rabbinical Council of America (1990-1992). He has served as officer and board member of numerous agencies including the UJA-Federation of New York, the American Sephardi Federation, the Rabbinic Cabinet of Jewish National Fund, and the HealthCare Chaplaincy. He has won awards from many institutions including Yeshiva University, the Orthodox Union, and the New York Board of Rabbis. He is co-founder of the International Rabbinic Fellowship, an association of Modern Orthodox rabbis. Rabbi Angel is married to Gilda Angel. Their children and grandchildren live in New York, Baltimore and Teaneck. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 695Parshat Pekudei: On Building the Inner Tabernacle
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 694Zionism according to a New York Sheriff & a Serbian Kabbalist
A virtual event presentation by Jonnie Schnytzer ABOUT THE EVENT: Serbian kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Alkalai may or may not have heard of New York Sheriff Mordechai Emmanuel Noah and vice versa. Contemporaries, both had a Zionist dream more than half a century before Theodore Herzel. Let’s view the texts which may have influenced the Austrian father of modern Zionism. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Jonnie Schnytzer is a Phd candidate focusing on medieval kabbalah. His dissertation is focused on the kabbalistic system of thought of Rabbi Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi. Jonnie is also preparing a critical edition of Ashkenazi’s commentary on Sefer Yesira. Probably the only PhD student in Jewish Philosophy who can say that he once beat the head of Israeli naval commandos in a swimming race, Jonnie’s also the author of Mossad thriller, The Way Back, which paints a picture of contemporary Israel. Jonnie has recently 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. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 69340 Greatest Debates in Jewish History! - Class 40 - No State, One State or Two States
Enjoy the fortieth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - No State, One State or Two States: Herzel vs. Wise, Art Green vs. Peter Beinart In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 692Parshat Vayakhel: On Being Wise-Hearted
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 69140 Greatest Debates in Jewish History! - Class 39 - Hierarchy vs. Populism: Moshe vs. Korach
Enjoy the thirty ninth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Hierarchy vs. Populism: Moshe vs. Korach In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 690Noah’s Wine vs. Pharaoh’s Beer: The Barroom Brawl and Culture War that Shaped Jewish History
A virtual event presentation by Dr. Jon Greenberg -- ABOUT THE EVENT: The Jewish preference for wine over beer and other beverages for sacramental purposes has extremely ancient roots. The taste for beer may have played an important role in the invention of agriculture and development of the first permanent villages. However, it also had a strong link with polytheism. With cold or outright hostile relationships between farmers and nomadic herders from Cain and Abel to the range wars of nineteenth-century America, wine-drinking Israelites and beer-quaffing Egyptians, Canaanites, and Mesopotamians were inclined to view one another’s preferred drinks with skepticism or disdain. The ten plagues of the Exodus and the prohibition of leaven at Passover can be understood in this light. Wine-related halachot and midrashim such as the laws of kil’ei kerem and the link between Noah’s grapevine and the tree of knowledge provide additional depth of insight into the connotations that these drinks carry and how practical choices of natural products developed into social and theological schisms. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Jon Greenberg received his Bachelor’s degree with honors in biology from Brown University and his Master’s and Doctorate in agronomy from Cornell University. He has also studied with Rabbi Chaim Brovender at Israel’s Yeshivat HaMivtar and conducted research on corn, alfalfa, and soybeans at Cornell, the US Department of Agriculture, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Cancer Research. Since 1989, he has been a science teacher and educational consultant. Dr. Greenberg was Senior Editor of science textbooks at Prentice Hall Publishing Co. Previously on the faculty of Yeshivas Ohr Yosef, the School of Education at Indiana University, and the University of Phoenix, he has taught at the Abraham Joshua Heschel School since 2008. He is a frequent speaker at synagogues, schools, and botanical gardens. Dr. Greenberg publishes his essays on Biblical and Talmudic botany on his Web site, TorahFlora.org. He can be contacted at 201-261-0385 or [email protected]. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 689Parshat Ki Tisa: On the Worship of Money
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 688A Nation That Dwells Alone: Questions and Implications
A virtual event presentation by Dr. Noam Weissman ABOUT THE EVENT: This session will explore the age old question about the ontological nature of the Jewish people. Are the Jewish people separate and apart from the rest of the world? Is Balaam’s prophecy a promise, a description or a prescription? In looking at modern Jewish history, how do we explore this question and what does it mean for us today? ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. Noam Weissman is the Senior Vice President and Head of Content at OpenDor Media, where he spearheads the organization’s educational vision and leads content creation across all divisions. Noam heads a team of producers and writers for the Unpacked YouTube channel, which focuses on reaching 18-34 year old Jews and has over 85,000 subscribers and millions of views. He is also the host of the popular podcast “Unpacking Israeli History,” is the executive producer of the podcast “This Week Unpacked,” and leads a team of educators for the Unpacked For Educators platform which currently has over 1,500 organizations using this content. Noam earned a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Southern California, with a focus on curriculum design. His dissertation is entitled “Approaching Israel Education” and a masters degree from Yeshiva University in Jewish education. Prior to joining OpenDor Media, he served as the Principal of Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles. Noam is also the Founder of LaHaV, a spiraled curriculum and pedagogically advanced approach to Jewish education that enables teachers to collaborate across different disciplines. Additionally, Noam has been rejected from many fellowships and jobs he has applied for. Most importantly, he is married to the great Raizie Erreich, and they are proud parents of Eyal, Liana and Nissa. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 68740 Greatest Debates in Jewish History! - Class 38 - Is Humor A Value?
Enjoy the thirty eighth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Is Humor A Value? Jokes vs. Seriousness In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 686Parshat Tetzaveh: On Persistent Striving
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 685How to Answer a Fool
A virtual event presentation by Professor Christine Hayes ABOUT THE EVENT: What is the best way to engage with those who appear to us to be ignorant or wicked? What can biblical and rabbinic debates over the duty, utility, and virtue of answering a fool teach us about the possibilities and limitations of the disappearing art of civil discourse. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Christine Hayes, Weis Professor of Religious Studies in Classical Judaica at Yale University specializes in talmudic-midrashic studies. Her books include: Between the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmuds (1997 Salo Baron prize); Gentile Impurities and Jewish Identities (a 2003 National Jewish Book Award finalist); and What’s Divine about Divine Law? Early Perspectives (2015 National Jewish Book Award in Scholarship; 2016 award from the American Publishers Association; 2016 Jordan Schnitzer Book Award). Edited volumes include: The Cambridge Companion to Judaism and Law (2017); Classic Essays in Rabbinic Culture and History (2018). She has authored two introductory volumes (The Emergence of Judaism and Introduction to the Bible) as well as numerous journal articles. Hayes is a Senior Research Fellow with the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, and recently served as the President of the Association for Jewish Studies. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 68440 Greatest Debates in Jewish History! - Class 37 - To Fundamentally Trust or Be Skeptical
Enjoy the thirty sixth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Is Life about Struggle or Peace? In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 683Peace-Building Insights After Eight Years of Meeting Palestinians
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger ABOUT THE EVENT: One of the founders of Roots/Shorashim/Judur, the Israeli Palestinian grassroots initiative for understanding, nonviolence and transformation, Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger has spent the last 8 years meeting Palestinians and building bridges of trust and mutual recognition between Palestinians and Israelis, by and large religious Israeli living in the West Bank/Judea and Samaria. In this presentation he will discuss some of his insights concerning the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the hurdles to be overcome in moving towards a lasting solution. Some of the concepts he will be discussing include: identity, trauma, normalization, the hubris of exclusivity, and the difference between coexistence and reconciliation. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger lives in Alon Shvut Israel and is one of the founders of Roots/Shorashim/Judur, The Palestinian Israeli Grassroots Initiative for Understanding, Nonviolence and Transformation. Currently he serves as its Director of International Relations. He also is the founder of the American Friends of Roots, a multi-faith organization dedicated to supporting the work of Roots/Shorashim/Judur. Rav Hanan frequently speaks in the USA together with one of his Palestinian partner about the amazing work of Roots/Shorashim/Judur. Prior to the founding of Roots, Rav Hanan spent his whole career teaching Jewish studies in various seminaries, colleges and frameworks in the Jerusalem area, among them the Pardes Institute, Beit Midrash Elul, Nishmat and Yeshivat Bat Ayin. He also spent two years as part of the Judaic Fellows Program in Boca Raton Florida and over ten years in Dallas Texas, first as Rosh Kollel of the Community Kollel and later as founder and Executive Director and Community Rabbinic Scholar for the Jewish Studies Initiative of North Texas. He and his Israeli–born wife Ayala have four grown children and ten grandchildren. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 682From Flood to Rainbow
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Avi Strausberg ABOUT THE EVENT: Just chapters after the flood that nearly destroyed the world, we see that humankind has quickly rebounded and all of the peoples have joined together to build a tower that nearly scrapes the sky. But, how did we get from there to here? What was it like to step out of the ark and begin again? In this session, we’ll revisit the familiar story of the flood and read it again through the eyes of a modern new midrash that imagines what it was like for the dove and the raven to leave the ark and begin again. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Avi Strausberg is the Director of National Learning Initiatives at Hadar, and is based in Washington, DC. She received her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew College in Boston and is a Wexner Graduate Fellow. Energized by engaging creatively with Jewish text, she maintains a Daf Yomi haiku blog in which she writes daily Talmudic haikus as well as a poetry blog Faith in the Fire inspired by the drashot of the Eish Kodesh. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 681Parshat Terumah: On Internal and External Character
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 680Why America is Tipping from Hate to the Unthinkable: An Interview with ADL's CEO Jonathan Greenblatt
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, President and Dean of Valley Beit Midrash, interviews ADL's CEO Jonathan Greenblatt ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 67940 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 36 - Is Life about Struggle or Peace?
Enjoy the thirty sixth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Is Life about Struggle or Peace? In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 678Parshat Mishpatim: On the Ethics of Debt
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 677Requiring Brit Mikvah for female trans converts?
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Adina Lewittes ABOUT THE EVENT: How does Jewish law, a system based on such binaries as muttar (permitted) and assur (prohibited) and hayav (obligated) and patur (exempt), inform our contemporary understanding of gender which is increasingly shaped by fluidity and in some cases hybridity? In this particular case, would a trans woman who has not had gender confirmation surgery be required to undergo a ritual circumcision as part of her conversion process? Does the mitzvah of brit milah apply only to those whose gender is male or to all those whose anatomy is male? What are the consequences – halakhic, theological and cultural – of the different perspectives on this question? ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Adina Lewittes founded Sha’ar, a northern NJ/NYC-based, values-driven Jewish community oriented around the call to societal, environmental and spiritual sustainability. For nearly twenty years, Sha’ar provided multiple gateways into Jewish life exemplified by a commitment to inclusiveness, diversity, innovation, scholarship, excellence and collaboration. Adina recently served as the Scholar in Residence at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in NYC, a synagogue renowned for its commitment to social justice and spiritual activism. Adina is also a member of the senior rabbinic faculty of the Shalom Hartman Institute, and of the Board of Trustees of the Abraham Joshua Heschel School. In the Spring of 2022 she will serve on the faculty of the Rabbinical School at JTS teaching modern Jewish Law. Previously, Adina served as the Assistant Dean of the Rabbinical School at JTS, and founded a synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey, modelling shared leadership and collective communal responsibility. Adina regularly enjoys speaking engagements in the US and Canada and publishing essays on topics including Jewish identity, modern Jewish law, leadership, Jewish innovation, sexual/gender diversity, multifaith/multiheritage marriage and engagement, and contemporary Jewish spirituality. She is married to Andi Lewittes, and has four children, two stepchildren, and one incredible dog. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 676Hiddur Mitzva: A Journey Through Jewish Ritual Art
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Chaim Seidler Feller ABOUT THE EVENT: A virtual tour of the Seidler-Feller collection of objects of Jewish material culture from Alsace and Iran, from India and Italy and from the US and Israel. Items include an 18th Century embroidered Italian tallit, a Yemenite wedding headdress, ketubot from across the globe and contemporary Israeli silver. The tour will include a reflection on how we came to collect Judaica and the stories that background our acquisitions. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Chaim Seidler-Feller recently celebrated his fortieth year of working with students and faculty as the Executive Director of the Yitzhak Rabin Hillel Center for Jewish Life at UCLA. He is currently Director Emeritus.. He was ordained in 1971 at Yeshiva University where he completed a Masters in Rabbinic Literature. Chaim has been a lecturer in the Departments of Sociology and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA and in the Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University. He is currently a faculty member of the Shalom Hartman Institute,North America and of the Wexner Heritage Foundation. He was the founding director of the Hartman Fellowship for Campus Professionals and a founding member of Americans for Peace Now. In 2014 he initiated a fact finding mission for non-Jewish student leaders to Israel and the Palestine Authority which is now offered on ninety campuses. In 2020 a Festschrift entitled Swimmimg Against the Current: Reimagining Jewish Tradition in the 21st Century was published in Chaim’s honor. He is married to Dr. Doreen Seidler-Feller,a clinical psychologist,and is the father of Shulie,a photojournalist and Shaul, an ordained rabbi who is currently serving as a Judaica consultant at Sotheby’s while pursuing a doctorate in Jewish History at the Hebrew University. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 67540 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 35 - On The Unity of God
Enjoy the thirty fifth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - On The Unity of God In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 674Parshat Yitro: On the Commandment Not to Covet
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 673The Social Justice Torah Commentary – Book Talk with Rabbi Barry Block
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Barry Block ABOUT THE EVENT: An interview between Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz and Rabbi Barry Block on his new book “The Social Justice Torah Commentary”. Book description and where to purchase featured below. What does the Torah have to say about social justice? As the contributors to The Social Justice Torah Commentary demonstrate, a great deal. A diverse array of authors delve deeply into each week’s parashah, drawing lessons to inspire tikkun olam. Chapters address key contemporary issues such as racism, climate change, mass incarceration, immigration, disability, women’s rights, voting rights, and many more. The result is an indispensable resource for weekly Torah study and for anyone committed to repairing the world. Purchase the book here – https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50552 ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Barry H. Block serves Congregation B’nai Israel in Little Rock, Arkansas. A Houston native and graduate of Amherst College, Rabbi Block was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1991, and he received his DD, honoris causa, in 2016. A member of the CCAR Board of Trustees, currently serving as vice president of organizational relationships, Block is the editor of The Mussar Torah Commentary (CCAR Press, 2020), a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. He also contributed to several earlier CCAR anthologies, including Inscribed: Encounters with the Ten Commandments, The Sacred Exchange, The Sacred Encounter, Navigating the Journey, and A Life of Meaning: Embracing Reform Judaism’s Sacred Path, and he is a regular contributor to the CCAR Journal. Rabbi Block currently serves as faculty dean at URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp, similar to a role he previously held for twenty-one years at URJ Greene Family Camp. He is a past board chair of Planned Parenthood of South Texas. He is the proud father of Robert and Daniel. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 67240 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 34 - The Value of the Individual vs. the Collective
Enjoy the thirty fourth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - The Value of the Individual vs. the Collective In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 671Parshat Beshalach: On the Role of Song in Liberation Work
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 67040 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 33 - Care for the Vulnerable vs. Education
Enjoy the thirty third session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Care for the Vulnerable vs. Education: What does every community need? In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 669Parshat Bo: On Reparations for Slavery and Injustice
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 66840 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 32 - Zealousness vs. Tolerance
Enjoy the thirty second session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Zealousness vs. Tolerance In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 66740 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 31 - Halacha vs. State
Enjoy the thirty first session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Halacha vs. State: What's the Vehicle for Progress In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 666Parshat Va’eira: On Softening the Heart
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 665Is A Person Obligated To Receive Medical Assistance?
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig ABOUT THE EVENT: When we don’t feel well, we usually go and see the doctor. But do we have to? Can I let my health slip? Is there an obligation to stay healthy? Come and learn the basic sources behind this question and the meaning behind this technical discussion. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rav Yoni Rosensweig is the Rabbi of the Netzach Menashe community in Beit Shemesh, a teacher in Midreshet Linenbaum, and author of several books. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 664Parshat Shemot: On Leadership and Persuasion
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 663Changing the Mind to Change the World – Book Talk with Rabbi Marc Gopin
A virtual presentation by Rabbi Marc Gopin ABOUT THE EVENT: Around the globe, people who work in the helping professions are often heroic bridge-builders and creators of peaceful societies. They have in common, Marc Gopin argues, a set of cultivated moral character traits and psychosocial skills. They tend to be kinder, more reasonable, more self-controlled, and more goal-oriented towards peace. They are united by a particular set of moral values and the emotional skills to put those values into practice, allowing them to excel in what he calls “Compassionate Reasoning.” In this book, Gopin draws upon the history of ethics along with his own thirty-year career in the field of peacebuilding to develop an understanding of this type of reasoning. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Marc Gopin is the Director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution (CRDC), and the James H. Laue Professor at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, at George Mason University, Arlington, Virginia, USA. Gopin has pioneered multi-million dollar projects at CRDC on peacebuilding in the Israeli/Palestinian, Syrian and Afghanistan conflicts, and consulted with many governmental agencies in the United State and Europe. Gopin has engaged in back-channel diplomacy with religious, political and military figures on both sides of conflicts. He has appeared on numerous media outlets, including CNN, CNN International, The Jim Lehrer News Hour, National Public Radio, Voice of America, and the national public radios of Sweden and Northern Ireland. He has been published in numerous publications, including the International Herald Tribune, the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, and his work has been featured in news stories of the Times of London, the Times of India, Associated Press, and Newhouse News Service. Gopin has received the Andrew Thomas Peacebuilder Award from the New York State Dispute Resolution Association, as well as the Rumi Peace and Dialogue Award. Dr. Gopin received a Ph.D. with honors from Brandeis University in 1993. You can purchase the book here – https://global.oup.com/academic/produ... -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 66240 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 30 - Hobbes vs. Anarchist: A King vs. No King
Enjoy the thirtieth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Hobbes vs. Anarchist: A King vs. No King In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 661Knowing Life Through Death
A virtual presentation by Jonnie Schnytzer ABOUT THE EVENT: Taking a journey back in time with texts from Midrash & Kabbalah, we will look at how death can be understood and as a result, perhaps what life is about (this can be 1-4 lessons spanning from the idea of death in the Bible and the circle of life in kabbalah through to the idea of resurrection of the dead and the secret of death according to Zohar). ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Jonnie Schnytzer is a Phd candidate focusing on medieval kabbalah. His dissertation is focused on the kabbalistic system of thought of Rabbi Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi. Jonnie is also preparing a critical edition of Ashkenazi’s commentary on Sefer Yesira. Probably the only PhD student in Jewish Philosophy who can say that he once beat the head of Israeli naval commandos in a swimming race, Jonnie’s also the author of Mossad thriller, The Way Back, which paints a picture of contemporary Israel. Jonnie has recently 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. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 660Parshat Vayechi: On Legacy and Introspection
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 659Looking to Torah for Leadership in Uncertain Times, an interview with Russ Linden on his new book!
Russ Linden is a management consultant, leadership instructor and author, who's worked with public and nonprofit organizations for 35 years. He's also a regular shul goer, and often gives the D'var Torah R his lay-led Shabbat morning service. You can purchase the book (Loss and Discovery: What the Torah Can Teach Us about Leading Change) on Amazon at the link below! https://www.amazon.com/Loss-Discovery-Torah-Leading-Change/dp/1666701114 ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 65840 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 29 - The Mussar Movement vs. the Hasidic Movement
Enjoy the twenty ninth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - The Mussar Movement vs. the Hasidic Movement In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 657Parshat Vayigash: On Dealing Respectfully with the Other
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 656How Heschel Taught Me To Be An Artist
A virtual event presentation by Mindy Weisel ABOUT THE EVENT: This compelling and candid memoir (AFTER: The Obligation of Beauty) by Mindy Weisel, an internationally acclaimed artist and author, traces her search for beauty in her life, which began as a child born in the Bergen-Belsen Displaced Person’s Camp to parents who had survived the Auschwitz concentration camp. This is not her parents’ story, rather, it is a courageous and honest portrait of her struggle to understand the black hole she was born into. Her successful journey in becoming an artist with her own voice, and an unshakable will to live with beauty, is most inspiring. By weaving an eloquent tapestry of her art, narrative, poetry and journals, Ms. Weisel offers moving insights into her life and work, especially her deep-seated conviction that beauty and love can overcome tragedy. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Mindy Weisel, an internationally renowned artist, author and speaker, was elected into the Smithsonian Archives of American Artists in 2000. Her works are in the permanent collections of the National Museum of American Art, Oxford University, and the Israel Museum, among many other public and private collections. Weisel is the author of DAUGHTERS Of ABSENCE: Transforming a Legacy of Loss; and TOUCHING QUIET: Reflections in Solitude. She is also a member of the United States Art In Embassies Program; and the Jerusalem Biennial. Weisel, the mother of three, resided in Washington, D.C. for over forty years, where she was an Associate Professor at the Corcoran College of Art and Design (1996-2005). She received her BFA at George Washington University and did her post graduate work at American University, Washington, D.C. Weisel’s extensive interviews and TV appearances are documented on her website www.mindyweisel.com. Among them, CNN, Bloomberg, Jewish Women’s Archives. Currently, Mindy Weisel resides in Jerusalem Israel, with her husband. You can purchase the book here – https://www.amazon.com/AFTER-Obligation-Beauty-Mindy-Weisel/dp/1913532550/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Mindy+Weisel+AFTER&qid=1631562301&sr=8-1 -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 655The Pen and the Sword in the Warsaw Ghetto
A virtual event presentation by Dr. David I. Bernstein ABOUT THE EVENT: Mordechai Anilewicz was one of the leaders of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in the spring of 1943. Yet alongside him in the ghetto was another Jewish leader, Emmanuel Ringleblum, who chose the pen over the sword. Two heroes, two different kinds of heroism, for their own time and place — and beyond. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr, David I. Bernstein is the Dean of the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Previously he was the Director of Midreshet Lindenbaum. He has a BA and MA in History and a Ph.D. in Religious Education from NYU. His passion for Jewish history has taken him as historian-in-residence with student and adult groups to Poland, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Berlin and other important European sites of Jewish life. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 654Honeybees and Torah
ABOUT THE EVENT: How are honeybees portrayed in biblical and later Jewish sources? Why is honey kosher? What is the status of other hive products – bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly? Join Rabbi Amalia to discuss this and other issues relating to bees. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Amalia Haas facilitates life cycle events, programming and retreats grounded in Torah, mindfulness, bibliodrama, nature, art and music. She was ordained in 2020 by Yeshivat Maharat and completed a residency in Chaplaincy at the Cleveland Clinic. She is also a Holding Space Consultant with the Institute for Birth, Breath and Death. Her company Bee Awesome markets kosher raw honey for Rosh HaShanah. Her varietal honey tasting and experiential calendar and honey bee programs inspire communities to save the bees and avert climate crisis. She holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University and a B.A. in Musical Performance from Oberlin College. Amalia lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband Adam, six children ages 10 – 24, and many hives. Reach Amalia at [email protected] or 330-552-8BEE. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 65340 Greatest Debates in Jewish History - Class 28 - Spinoza vs. the Rabbis of Amsterdam
Enjoy the twenty eighth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Spinoza vs. the Rabbis of Amsterdam In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi... Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★
Ep 652Hanukkah in the Bible?
A virtual event presentation by Professor Marc Zvi Brettler ABOUT THE EVENT: Hannukah is a prime example of a post-biblical festival—but it has left its tracks in the Bible, and is based on biblical texts. We will look at the earliest evidence we have for this festival, and how it has changed over time. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Marc Zvi Brettler is the Bernice and Morton Lerner Distinguished Professor of Judaic Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University. His books How to Read the Jewish Bible; The Jewish Study Bible (edited with Adele Berlin); and The Bible and the Believer (with Peter Enns and Daniel Harrington). He co-edited The Jewish Annotated New Testament, and co-authored The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently, both with Amy-Jill Levine. He is deeply committed to making the Jewish community more aware of the richness of Jewish literature from the past, including the New testament, and to introducing academic biblical study to the broader community, as reflected in TheTorah.com, which he co-founded. Marc describes himself as a liberal observant Jew. ★ Support this podcast ★