Jewish Insights with Justin Pines

What if your Haggadah could meet you exactly where you are this year — checked out, overwhelmed, full of joy, or somewhere in between? Rabbi Yakov Danishefsky, therapist, author, and creator of the Attached Haggadah - https://www.amazon.com/Attached-Haggadah-Rabbi-Yakov-Danishefsky/dp/B0GN9NDTC1-, joins us for one of our most ambitious episodes yet: unlocking the entire Pesach Seder in one hour. We explore the Attached framework and what it means to bring your full, authentic self to the Seder table. Yakov shares the vision behind the Attached Haggadah — a Haggadah built on dialogue between your inner world and the text — and why this is the Haggadah our generation has been waiting for. We talk about the shift from physical survival to emotional and spiritual coherence, and what it means to truly live with your mind, your marriage, your children, your fears, and your relationship with Hashem. Then we unlock the whole thing — a lightning round through all 14 stages of the Seder, with Yakov bringing a taste of depth and meaning to each stage. Rabbi Yakov Danishefsky, LCSW, CSAT, is a Chicago-based therapist specializing in trauma, addictions, and couples therapy. He is the author of the bestselling Attached, the newly released Attached Haggadah, and the forthcoming The Delight of Shabbos. He leads Avodas HaLev in Chicago and hosts The Attached Life Podcast. Learn more about Rabbi Yakov Danishefsky: https://www.attachedliving.com/

What if the 25 hours of Shabbat weren't just a break from your week, but the very engine of your spiritual growth? Host Justin Pines sits down with Dr. Alan Morinis — founder of the Mussar Institute and a leading voice in the contemporary revival of Mussar, the Jewish tradition of character refinement — to explore his new book, The Shabbat Effect: Jewish Wisdom for Growth and Transformation. Together they dive into how practicing Shabbat with conscious intention creates lasting change — not just on the seventh day, but across the six days that follow. In this episode: The Wine and the Cup — Why spiritual depth requires the structure of religious practice Mussar and Shabbat — How the lens of character refinement transforms weekly rest Hitlamdut (Self-Reflexive Learning) — How to treat your own life as your greatest teacher Complete vs. Temporary Rest — Why a true Shabbat should leave you a different person by Havdalah Joy, Trust & Peace — A deep dive into three of the core traits that Shabbat cultivates Whether you're a lifelong observer or simply curious how ancient wisdom can enhance modern life, this conversation offers a genuinely fresh lens on a 3,000-year-old practice.

How do you turn 2,000-year-old prayers into modern hits? For the 100th episode of Jewish Insights, Justin sits down with the world-renowned Hasidic folk-rock duo, Zusha. Shlomo Gaisin and Zachariah Goldschmiedt open up about their journey from wordless niggunim to electronic soundscapes, and the "idol smashing" required to keep their art authentic. In this episode: The Creative Process: How Zusha bridges the gap between the ancient and the modern. The Evolution: Moving from folk melodies to atmospheric electronic music. God's Voice: Bringing God into their lyrics. Soulful Performance: Exclusive live versions of "Don’t Leave Me On My Own" and "Pull Me Through." Visit the band on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zushamusic/

In this episode of Jewish Insights, Justin Pines welcomes Alana Rifkin Gelnick, founder and CEO of Dreamearly, for a deep dive into the "pedagogy of the Seder." As we navigate rising antisemitism and global uncertainty, Alana explores how the ancient rituals of Passover - from the Ma Nishtana to the Four Sons - provide a timeless framework for modern parenting and education, and healthier relationships in general. Together, they discuss why "kids do well if they can," the power of modeling emotional regulation, and how to meet every type of learner exactly where they are. Whether you are preparing for your family Seder or looking for tools to help the children in your life thrive, this conversation offers tangible takeaways for building confidence, creativity, and care. Alana Rifkin Gelnick is a recognized leader in Jewish education and the host of the Stream of Dreamearly podcast - https://dreamearly.co/podcast/ Her organization, Dreamearly, supports parents and educators through creative coaching and thoughtful content designed to help every child thrive - https://dreamearly.org/ Prior to creating Dreamearly, Alana was the Associate Principal of the Early Learning Center (ELC) at SAR Academy in Riverdale, NY. She is the recipient of the Pomegranate Prize from the Covenant Foundation, recognizing emerging leaders in Jewish education, and the Jewish Education Project’s Robert M. Sherman Young Pioneers Award.

In this episode of Jewish Insights, Justin Pines sits down with one of the most celebrated Jewish historians of our time — Professor David B. Ruderman, the Joseph Meyerhoff Professor Emeritus of Modern Jewish History at the University of Pennsylvania and former founding Director of the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies — for a rich and deeply personal conversation about a remarkable 50-year career, from growing up as a rabbi's son to building Jewish Studies programs at Yale and Penn and teaching across a dozen European cities. At the heart of the conversation is Professor Ruderman's lifelong passion for biography — rescuing lesser-known, unconventional Jewish figures from historical obscurity, what he movingly describes as a kind of tichyat hametim, a revival of the dead. His latest book, The Making of an Anglo-Jewish Scholar, brings to life Solomon Yom Tov Bennett, a defiant intellectual in 19th-century London, as a window into the enduring complexity of Jewish-Christian relations and the power of encounter with the wider world to deepen, rather than diminish, Jewish identity. Together, they also confront the urgent challenges facing Jewish Studies today — the decline of the humanities, the rise of campus antisemitism, and a global retreat from Jewish scholarship — as Professor Ruderman reflects honestly on both the golden era he helped build and his hopes for its renewal. Professor David B. Ruderman is the Joseph Meyerhoff Professor Emeritus of Modern Jewish History at the University of Pennsylvania. Learn more about his work at https://www.history.upenn.edu/people/faculty/david-b-ruderman

In this episode of Jewish Insights, Justin Pines welcomes back Dr. Mijal Bitton for a raw and sophisticated look at the "new reality" facing the Jewish community on occasions of Purim and Shabbat Zachor. Two years after their conversation following October 7thhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzQrygsFtT0], they move past the initial shock to explore what it means to build resilience when the "clarity of evil" transitions into the "ambiguity of the everyday." Dr. Bitton uses the contrast between the explicit commands of Shabbat Zachor and the hidden, dizzying narrative of the Megillah (the Scroll of Esther) to provide a framework for our current moment. Together, they tackle the "illiberalism" of modern campuses, the mutation of antisemitic conspiracy theories across the political spectrum, and the difficult challenge of raising resilient, proud Jewish children without burdening them with constant fear. Dr. Mijal Button is a spiritual leader, public intellectual, and sociologist. She serves as Scholar in Residence at the Maimonides Fund and Rosh Kehilla of the Downtown Minyan in New York City, and co-host of the podcast Wondering Jews https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wondering-jews-with-mijal-and-noam/id1727260478. She shares weekly reflections on Jewish life, identity, and resilience in her Substack newsletter, Committed - https://mijal.substack.com.

Join Justin Pines for a special episode of Jewish Insights, recorded live at the Yeshiva University Seforim Sale! Justin welcomes renowned Tanakh scholar Dr. Yael Ziegler for a deep dive into the "writing revolution" of the Torah. Dr. Ziegler explores how ancient texts like the Epic of Gilgamesh illuminate Tanakh's unique values, the power of writing to process national tragedy, and the foundational themes of exile and redemption in Exodus and Psalms. Discover the ongoing legacy of Jewish writing in Jewish life and the mission of the Matan Kitvuni program to bring women's Torah to print. Dr. Yael Ziegler is an Associate Professor of Tanakh at Herzog College and the Director of the Matan Kitvuni Program. Her work includes books on Ruth and Lamentations (https://korenpub.com/collections/dr-yael-ziegler) Matan Kitvuni Program https://www.matan.org.il/en/beit-midrash/kitvuni/ Koren Publishers https://korenpub.com/ Micah Philanthropies https://www.micahphilanthropies.org The Yeshiva University Seforim Sale https://theseforimsale.com