The Jewcurious Show

In this "Ask Me Anything" session - recorded LIVE - we talk about Jewish funerals, how to buy your first set of tefillin, Kabbalah books for beginners, and more. Plus I share my favorite Hebrew song and my two favorite arguments in the whole Talmud.

In this live studio recording, Jewcurious people ask questions they have about Passover, including what to do if you hate horseradish, the difference between round matzah and square matzah, and whether Christians should should have seders.

Metzora - this week's Torah portion - starts with a bizarre ritual for changing someones ritual status, using two birds, some water, hyssop, cedar, and a red thread. Given the oddity of some commandments, why might we want to do them anyway?

In last Monday's AMA (Ask Me Anything) we discussed keeping kosher, the Jewish view of cremation, Christian use of Jewish ritual items, and much more. Recorded with a live audience.

Parashat Shemini, the third weekly Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus, gives us a menu: If you eat meat, here's the types of animals you can eat, and the types you can't. The big question is: Why bother following these rules today?

In today's "Ask a Rabbi Anything" we talk about Olam HaBa (the World to Come), reaffirming you Jewish ancestry, what siddur (prayer book) to start with, and much more. Recorded with a LIVE studio audience.

Vayikra - the first Torah portion of the Book of Leviticus - not only teaches us something about how to observe Purim (the drinking part) but also teaches us that each of us has enough and IS enough to join the holy community.

Elad Nehorai aka @PopChassid, founder of the creative community Hevria and leader in the politically progressive Orthodox movement Torah Trumps Hate, shares with us what it's like to be religious without surrendering your identity and values.

How do you find a rabbi who's right for you? Listen and learn what a rabbi is, why you need one, and where to find one - online and IRL - and overcome any fear you have talking to one.

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg - author, teacher, and Twitter maven - talks about her latest book on the spirituality of parenting, and how teaching Torah in spaces of open disagreement is really kind of the point.

Pekudei - the final parashah of the Book of Exodus - teaches us about God's trusting in our creativity as well as forgiving us when that creativity goes wrong. Plus: Live Q&A during this live studio recording.

Jack Wertheimer, Professor of American Jewish History at the Jewish Theological Seminary and author of the new book, The New American Judaism: How Jews Practice Their Religion Today, shares with us the changes in the Jewish religious landscape today.

The Hebrew Bible - aka Tanakh - is the canonized holy text for the Jewish people. Learn what's in it, what's not, and why it's different from what Christians call the "Old" Testament in this live discussion.

Sarah Klegman talks about Challah Hub - the cornerstone of her blossoming gluten empire - her experience as a creative entrepreneur, and what she has learned from trying to fail on as grand a scale as possible.

This episode shares a live Q&A session Rabbi John Carrier hosted on YouTube Live on the topic of Jewish prayer. Hear the answers to some basic (and not-so-basic) questions ask by real people who listen to The Jewcurious Show.

Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, author of "You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right", President of CLAL - the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and one of my most influential teachers, shares profound Torah perfect for our times.

In Season 2 we will be experimenting with the format of the show, starting with a reflection on the weekly Torah portion. What won't change: our great interviews and dedication to serving our Jewcurious community.

Joseph Leket, founder and chairman of Leket Israel started with an unmet need and a Subaru. Now his organization feeds tens of thousands of needy in Israel every day.

Rabbi John Carrier - host of this podcast, author of The Promised Life, and founder of The Jewcurious School - is interviewed about his own path of conversion to Judaism. With Guest-Host Rabbi Jeremy Markiz.

Dance Movement Specialist Rachael Singer talks about growing up in a Jewish community and how that helps her make decisions and supports her journey as an adult.

Three teachers - a rabbinical student passionate about suicide prevention, a chaplain/author who breaks her silence to help others break theirs, and a congregational rabbi leading through tough times in Pittsburgh - help us move from sorrow to strength.

Rabbi Sandra Lawson is a Chaplain at Elon University. Before becoming a rabbi, she was a soldier, a competitive athlete, and a sociologist, and she's been teaching Torah and about inclusion in Jewish settings on social media for years.

Rabbi Scott Westle is the Rabbi-in-Residence at the Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School in Northridge, California. We talk about making Jewish connections with the families of his students, joking with Jay Leno, and his perspective on Jewish diversity.

Rabbi Ariel Sholklapper and Rabbi Jeremy Markiz return to give their takes on the original Jewish holy day, Shabbat, and how to get the most out of one-seventh of the rest of your life.

Rabbi Ben Newman is a teacher, leader of a start-up Jewish community, and author of several children's books exploring Jewish topics. Today he tells us how being a rabbi is like being a cross between a zookeeper and a superhero, and much, much more.

Rabbi Mark Wildes is the Founder and Director of the Manhattan Jewish Experience and author of the new book, Beyond the Instant: Jewish Wisdom for Lasting Happiness in a Fast-Paced, Social Media World. Today we're talking about his new book and more.

Archie Gottesman is the co-founder of JewBelong, a source for meaningful connection to Judaism for those people who occasionally experience "Jewbarrassment." Listen to learn about her "Rosh Haggadah" and how you can feel more secure in Jewish spaces.

Rabbi Ariel Sholklapper of the Jewish Mindfulness Center of Houston teaches us how to enter mindfulness (and heartfulness) to appreciate your life and reawaken your spirit with ancient Jewish traditions and new eyes.

Rabbi Carrier recently took part in the Burbank Human Relations Council's Interfaith Forum, answered controversial (but common) questions about Judaism, and asked hard questions about other faiths.

Three Rabbis (Cheryl Peretz, Jeremy Markiz, and Jewcurious favorite Adam Greenwald) share their wisdom and personal memories about Jewish holidays in the fall (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot) and which one is their personal favorite.

Joey Weisenberg, Creative Director of Hadar's Rising Song Institue, author of 2 books and several albums, shares how to build community, improve worship experience, and deepen your personal spiritual connection through music.

Rabbi Rebecca Sirbu, Director of Rabbis Without Borders at Clal, teaches why it's important to find a teacher you click with, how to find Jewish answers even if you don't feel comfortable in a synagogue, and why we need mikveh bros and wing-Jews.

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, DHL, is an inspiring speaker and educator, a prolific author and regular columnist for the Huffington Post, and a mensch. He holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is vice president of American Jewish University in Los Angeles, where he teaches in the philosophy department, supervises the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program, and mentors Camp Ramah in California. He is also dean of Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany, ordaining rabbis for the European Union. Today he shares his compelling, sometimes surprising, and always compassionate view about God, the Jewish people, and the rabbinic profession.

What does authentic leadership look like, and how do you lead people when you, at first, don't fit their expectations? Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp serves as the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the founder of JustLOVE, a multi-faith movement for activists. She is a past President of The Amos Project, writes for The Cincinnati Enquirer Newspaper Editorial Board, is a Rabbis Without Borders Fellow, and was part of the CLAL/Columbia Business School Spiritual Entrepreneur incubator.

Karla Jenkins is a student in the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program and is planning to convert to Judaism soon. She shares her journey and gives great advice to other people on this path.

Rabbi Idit Solomon, Found & CEO of Hasidah, is a Rabbi Without Borders who started her own nonprofit to help Jewish families struggling with fertility to bring new life into their families and the world.