Uri L'Tzedek: Orthodox Social Justice

What does Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) Teach Us About Inclusivity and Ethics within the Parameters of Jewish Law? With: Rabbanit Dr. Adena BerkowitzBIO:Rabbanit Dr. Adena Berkowitz is Scholar in Residence and co-founder of Kol HaNeshamah NYC, an organization dedicated to reenergizing the spiritual lives of both affiliated and not-yet affiliated Jews. With a background in law, Jewish studies, and psychotherapy, Rabbanit Berkowitz is the author of the best selling The Jewish Journey Haggadah, now in its second printing; and co-editor of Shaarei Simcha: Gates of Joy, a mini prayer book, and the first liturgical work written in the modern era by Orthodox women. Touro Law Review featured her article "My Body, My Choice: Biblical, Rabbinic and Contemporary Halakhic Responses to Abortion" in Fall 2021 and her article "Brain Death and Organ Donation in Jewish Law" is featured in the just released The Oxford Handbook on Jewish Law, from Oxford University Press. A founder of the Hadassah National Attorneys Councils, Adena has long been active in interfaith dialogue. Currently a Fellow with the Ohr Torah Stone Jerusalem Interfaith Center, she was part of one of the first Jewish delegations to meet with the late Pope Francis. A popular teacher of Torah across the U.S. and Israel, Rabbanit Adena is a practicing therapist and lives in New York with her husband Rabbi Zev Brenner, children and grandchildren. –STAY CONNECTED:🔗 All Socials: https://linktr.ee/utzedek🖥️ Website: https://utzedek.org📰 Newsletter: https://utzedek.org/subscribe🎁 Donate: https://utzedek.org/donate

Rabbi Haim Ovadia, born and raised in Jerusalem, was shaped by strong Zionist ideals and a rich Sephardic rabbinic tradition that values Tanakh, Hebrew poetry, and the sciences alongside the study of Talmud and Halakha, and promotes a humane, inclusive approach to Judaism. He was ordained by Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, studied Talmud at Bar-Ilan University, and earned an MA in Hebrew Literature from UCLA. Over more than thirty years, he has served as a community rabbi in diverse communities across Israel, South America, and both coasts of the United States, and has been a faculty member at the Academy for Jewish Religion of California since 2002. Alongside his rabbinic leadership, he has been active in social advocacy, promoting inclusion and practical, empowering halakhic solutions, and has reached thousands worldwide through teaching, podcasts, YouTube, and distance learning. He is currently teaching at Ramaz High School in Manhattan.–STAY CONNECTED:🔗 All Socials: https://linktr.ee/utzedek🖥️ Website: https://utzedek.org📰 Newsletter: https://utzedek.org/subscribe🎁Donate: https://utzedek.org/donate

STAY CONNECTED:🔗 All Socials: https://linktr.ee/utzedek🖥️ Website: utzedek.org 📰 Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribe🎁Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Soraya M. Deen is a Lawyer, Community Organizer and an award-winning international activist and interfaith advocate.She is the founder of Muslim Women Speakers and Nigerian Women Lead- a grass roots organization mobilizing women to fight extremism, antisemitism, and hate. She has her Public Leadership Credentials from Harvard.--STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Creating a more just world often calls on us to fight forces of exploitation. How do we engage in these fights in a way that honors our and our opponents' humanity without being overcome by bitterness and rage?--Rabbi David Jaffe is the Founder and Executive Director of Kirva, an organization dedicated to integrating Avodah (Jewish spiritual practice) with the work of social change. He is the author of Changing the World from the Inside Out: A Jewish Approach to Personal and Social Change, which won the National Jewish Book Award. –STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Have you ever wondered why does showing the truth about October 7 — and Jewish suffering worldwide — so often fail to reduce antisemitism?Join us to be among the first to be exposed to a new research that challenges conventional approaches and proposes a strategic shift: moving our focus from enemies to allies.Drawing on data analysis and over 100 in-depth interviews with non-Jewish, faith-driven supporters of the Jewish people — from Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and African communities to partners in Japan and the Global South — we will explore how genuine, values-based alliances are already reshaping the landscape.This is not another briefing on antisemitism — it is a strategic discussion about the allies of the Jewish People, why they matter, and why it is about time we shake their outstretched hand.About the speaker:Rabbi Dr. Aharon Ariel Lavi is the Managing Director of the Ohr Torah Interfaith Center, which works with religious leaders worldwide to make religion part of the solution to global challenges. He was also the founder of Hakhel, the Jewish Intentional Communities Incubator in the Diaspora, and MAKOM, the Israeli national umbrella organization of intentional communities (both projects were awarded the Jerusalem Unity Prize by the President of Israel).Lavi holds rabbinic semicha and academic degrees in Economics, Geography, History, and the Philosophy of Ideas. His PhD dissertation explored the migration of ideas between US Jewry and Israeli society. A 2024 Harvard Divinity School postdoctoral fellow, he continued to research Jewishly inspired community building at Bar-Ilan University’s Weisfeld Ma’ayan Institute in 2025. He is a published author on Jewish economic and environmental thought, community building, international religious affairs, and more. He also teaches Jewish economic thought and community building in academia.Outside of his professional life, Lavi is an avid mountain biker, racer, trainer, and trail builder. He lives with his wife, Liat, and their five children in the community they founded together in Shuva, on the Gaza border.–STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Source sheet from this class: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sapwewum29rJnmupUAkeHrtua77lp9aQ/view?usp=sharingWe’d love to have you join us for our upcoming classes, please sign up here → https://linktr.ee/utzedek — Rabbanit Sharona Margolin Halickman was the first Congregational intern and Madricha Ruchanit at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale (1997-2004) where she provided religious education and spiritual direction for the community. She is a graduate of Yeshiva University (BA and MS) as well as Matan’s Eshkolot (Tanach) and Hilkheta programs. Sharona is the founder and director of Torat Reva Yerushalayim and she writes a weekly blog on the parsha for the Times of Israel. Sharona is the author of two books: Parsha Points: Torah from the Land of Israel and Parsha Points: More Torah from the Land of Israel. — Learn more about Uri L’Tzedek: https://linktr.ee/utzedek

Ariel Evan Mayse is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University, the rabbi-in-residence at Atiq: Jewish Maker Institute, and senior scholar-in-residence at the Institute of Jewish Spirituality and Society. Previously he served as the Director of Jewish Studies and Visiting Assistant Professor of Modern Jewish Thought at Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts, and a research fellow at the Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies of the University of Michigan. Mayse holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies from Harvard University and rabbinic ordination from Beit Midrash Har’el in Israel. He is the author of Laws of the Spirit: Ritual, Mysticism, and the Commandments in Early Hasidism (2024), and Speaking Infinities: God and Language in the Teachings of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritsh (2020). His current book project As a Deep River Rises: Judaism, Ecology and Environmental Ethics, is under contract with Brandeis University Press, and he is writing a biography of the Baal Shem Tov for the Jewish Lives series at Yale University Press.–STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Rabbanit Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld is the Chief Learning Officer at Sefaria, an online database and interface for Jewish texts. She is a member of Sinai and Synapses’ working group on Jewish Thought and Jewish Education for the Jewish Future, and an advisor for AI & Faith. Sara also serves as Scholar-in-Residence at Ohev Sholom Congregation in Washington, DC. Sara is a PhD candidate at Gratz College, and her current research and writing focus on the intersection between Jewish ethics and advancements in technology. Sara’s writing has been published in The Atlantic, First Things, and Religion Dispatches, as well as numerous Jewish publications.View Source Sheet here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12nFbZSeZ9Pf3choSmGwZtrHcpJWL_Ieg/view?usp=sharing--STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

This text based analysis of the Biblical obligation to pay workers in a timely fashion will explore the ethical and mystical implications of this important Mitzvah.–Rabbi Mike Moskowitz is the Director of Scholarship and Multi-faith Engagement at The Beacon, a project of Union Theological Seminary. For the past seven years he served as the Scholar-in-Residence for Trans and Queer Jewish Studies at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the world’s largest LGBT synagogue. Rabbi Moskowitz received three Ultra-Orthodox ordinations while learning in the Mir in Jerusalem and BMG in Lakewood, NJ. He is a Wexner Field Fellow, Senior Rabbinic Fellow at the Hartman Institute, and the author of Textual Activism, Graceful Masculinity, Seasonal Resistance, and Ancestral Allyship.Learn more: https://www.rabbimikemoskowitz.com/–STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

The Shabbat Effect: Book Talk with Alan MorinisAlan Morinis received his doctorate from Oxford University which he attended on a Rhodes Scholarship. He is one the leading lights in the revival of the Jewish spiritual tradition of Mussar and is the author of Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (2002), Everyday Holiness (2007), With Heart in Mind (2014) and now The Shabbat Effect (2026).He is a student of Rabbi Yechiel Yitzchok Perr, zt”l, and in 2004 founded The Mussar Institute which has grown to become the world’s leading provider of contemporary Mussar resources and instruction, offering courses, facilitator training, curricula for congregations and organizations, special events, speakers, and retreats. Alan is a sought-after speaker and spiritual teacher who will be on tour with The Shabbat Effect in early 2026.Order his book here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/shabbat-effect-9798881807870/ Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/yIe_wlt2UAE?si=cI0z17k81n4845ee --Sign up for our next class, happening December 11th: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NEeyMNKWQGau-70HKEJn0Q--STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/DDE-Tjnjxkc We’d love to have you join us for our upcoming classes, so please sign up here → https://linktr.ee/utzedek- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Rabbi Uri Topolosky, who is the spiritual leader of Kehilat Pardes - The Rock Creek Synagogue in Rockville, MD. He also serves as the Rav HaKehillah of the Berman Hebrew Academy. He is married to Dahlia, and they are the proud parents of Elyon, Itai, Adi and Liat.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: https://utzedek.org/Newsletter: https://utzedek.org/subscribe/Facebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekAll socials & links: https://linktr.ee/utzedekDonate: utzedek.org/donate

Rabbanit Sharona Halickman at Uri L'Tzedek on "Fulfilling the Goals of Israel's Declaration of Independence" Source sheet from this class: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19H5B_iJlFVrS2HyvZroJUOdS9cpARgOgLEioTI-K-Ro/edit?tab=t.0We’d love to have you join us for our upcoming classes so please sign up here → https://linktr.ee/utzedek—Rabbanit Sharona Margolin Halickman was the first Congregational intern and Madricha Ruchanit at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale (1997-2004) where she provided religious education and spiritual direction for the community. She is a graduate of Yeshiva University (BA and MS) as well as Matan’s Eshkolot (Tanach) and Hilkheta programs. Sharona is the founder and director of Torat Reva Yerushalayim and she writes a weekly blog on the parsha for the Times of Israel. Sharona is the author of two books: Parsha Points: Torah from the Land of Israel and Parsha Points: More Torah from the Land of Israel.—Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:https://youtu.be/VEG4pjU_F_U?si=G-2jXbfTXdUSUdSf - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Abby Levine (she/her) is the first executive director of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable. Under her leadership, the Roundtable has tripled in size, supported sector-wide efforts on civic engagement and racial equity, inclusion, and diversity, and organized two conferences of 150 people from across the network. Previously, Abby led a coalition of 30 local progressive organizations in Columbus, Ohio, with America Votes, served as the founding San Francisco staff member for Progressive Jewish Alliance, now Bend the Arc, and worked in development for DC Vote, which works for DC voting rights and statehood. Abby received a Human Rights Award from the Jewish Labor Committee in 2019 and is a Senior Schusterman Fellow, a Jewish leadership program. She has a BA in political science from Yale University and lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and two children.---Learn more about Uri L'Tzedek here: https://linktr.ee/utzedek

Prior to OLAM, Dyonna served as Director of Education and Service Learning at The Jewish Agency; Executive Director of Bema'aglei Tzedek, an Israeli social change NGO; and co-founder of Siach, a global network of Jewish social justice and environmental professionals.‍A frequent lecturer, Dyonna was named "one of Israel's 50 most inspiring women" by Nashim magazine in 2015. Dyonna was awarded the Simon Rockower Award for Excellence in Jewish Journalism by the American Jewish Press Association; the Schusterman Fellowship; and the World Council of Jewish Communal Service’s Ted Comet Exemplar Award for Outstanding Leadership in Strengthening the Jewish People. Dyonna currently sits on the advisory boards of Yanshoof and the Global Jewry initiative. Dyonna has a BA in International Relations from Columbia University and an MA in Jewish Education from Hebrew University.-----Learn more about Uri L'Tzedek: https://linktr.ee/utzedek

Rabbi Daniel Ross Goodman is the Allen and Joan Bildner Visiting Scholar in Jewish Studies at Rutgers University and the author of three books, including Soloveitchik's Children: Irving Greenberg, David Hartman, Jonathan Sacks, and the Future of Jewish Theology in America (University of Alabama Press, 2023)Register for our upcoming classes here: https://linktr.ee/utzedek

Rabbanit Sharona Margolin Halickman was the first Congregational intern and Madricha Ruchanit at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale (1997-2004) where she provided religious education and spiritual direction for the community. She is a graduate of Yeshiva University (BA and MS) as well as Matan’s Eshkolot (Tanach) and Hilkheta programs. Sharona is the founder and director of Torat Reva Yerushalayim and she writes a weekly blog on the parsha for the Times of Israel. Sharona is the author of two books: Parsha Points: Torah from the Land of Israel and Parsha Points: More Torah from the Land of Israel.Register for our upcoming classes & learn more about Uri L’Tzedek here: https://linktr.ee/utzedek

Professor Corinna Lain is the S. D. Roberts & Sandra Moore Professor of Law at the University of Richmond School of Law. Professor Lain’s scholarship focuses on two areas—Supreme Court decision-making and the death penalty—and she has published numerous articles and essays about lethal injection over the last decade. Her work has appeared in the nation’s top law journals, including the Stanford Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Duke Law Journal, UCLA Law Review, and Georgetown Law Journal, among other venues. Professor Lain is a frequent presenter at both national and international conferences, and is co-author (with Ron Bacigal) of the Virginia Practice Series on criminal law, a four-volume treatise for the bench and practicing bar with new editions each year. Professor Lain graduated summa cum laude from the College of William and Mary in 1992, and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia in 1996, where she was elected to Order of the Coif. She clerked on the Tenth Circuit and then was a prosecutor for three years before joining the Richmond Law faculty in 2001. Professor Lain is a recipient of the University of Richmond’s Distinguished Educator Award and is a veteran of the United States Army. Her first book, "Secrets of the Killing State: the Untold Story of Lethal Injection," released April 2025.

Sign up for our next class, happening October 16: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5nn_k70KQRiGsnI-FwnjPg#/registration--Wendy Zierler is Sigmund Falk Professor of Modern Jewish Literature and Feminist Studies at HUC-JIR in New York. Prior to joining HUC-JIR she was a Research Fellow in the English Department of the University of Hong Kong. She received her Ph.D. and her MA from Princeton University and her BA from Stern College of Yeshiva University and an MFA in Fiction Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. In June 2021, she received rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva Maharat. Her most recent book is Going Out with Knots: My Two Kaddish / COVID Years with Hebrew Poetry (Jewish Publication Society). She is the author, previously, of Movies and Midrash: Popular Film and Jewish Religious Conversation (SUNY Press, Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in Modern Jewish Thought and Experience, 2017) and of And Rachel Stole the Idols: The Emergence of Hebrew Women’s Writing (Wayne State UP, 2004), and many articles in the fields of Jewish literature and Jewish Gender Studies. She is co-editor with Carole Balin, of Behikansi atah, a collection of the trailblazing Hebrew writings of Hava Shapiro 1878-1943 (Resling Press, 2008). Her English translation of Shapiro’s writings, To Tread on New Ground: Selected Writings of Hava Shapiro, also co-edited with Carole Balin, was published by Wayne State University Press in 2014. She is also co-editor of two recent books, These Truths We Hold: Judaism in an Age of Truthiness (with HUC colleague Joshua Garroway, HUC Press 2022), and Building A City: Writings on Agnon’s Buczacz in Memory Alan Mintz (with Sheila Jelen, Indiana University Press, 2023). In 2017, she was appointed Co-Editor of Prooftexts: A Journal of Jewish Literary History, a leading scholarly journal in the field of Jewish Literature. As a fiction writer she has written short stories as well as a middle-grade Jewish fantasy novel entitled, The Return of Gerda Wertheimer. She is married to Daniel Feit, and has three adult children.---Sign up for our next class, happening October 16: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5nn_k70KQRiGsnI-FwnjPg#/registration--STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Uri L’Tzedek’s College Social Justice Fellowship is now accepting applications for Fall 2025! This virtual fellowship brings together observant Jewish college students for four Sunday sessions focused on social justice through a Jewish lens, featuring dynamic speakers, peer learning, and community building.🕒 Priority Application Deadline: Oct 5Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uRZ5UBXnEFOt_V9frKniTGHlJtlo7ltWEb8rSzTiOWE/preview---STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Nomi Kaltmann is a lawyer, journalist, educator and political strategist. She has held senior roles working across law, media, and politics.Nomi is a monthly columnist for The Jewish Independent and previously served as the Australian correspondent for Tablet Magazine (New York). Her commentary and reporting have appeared in The Griffith Review, The Guardian, The Age, Crikey, Mamamia, ABC Religion & Ethics, The Spectator and The Daily Beast, amongst others. She is a sought-after writing teacher, focusing on opinion editorial writing, working with professionals and creatives on how to get published.She holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from Monash University and a Master’s in Legal Practice from the Australian National University.In 2022, Nomi ran as a Climate 200–endorsed independent candidate in the Victorian state election. Representing the seat of Caulfield, Nomi’s campaign was featured in The Australian, Australian Financial Review, Guardian Australia and The Age.Nomi is one of the founding members of the Women’s Orthodox Tefillah Group in Victoria. In 2023 she graduated from Yeshivat Maharat and is also the founder and inaugural president of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) in Australia. Nomi is very involved in interfaith work, and spent many years as a board member of the Faith Communities Council of Victoria (FCCV). She is an in-demand interfaith speaker on gender, religion, and civic leadership. She regularly presents to schools, universities, and public forums on Judaism, ethics and the Holocaust.

Uri L’Tzedek’s College Social Justice Fellowship is now accepting applications for Fall 2025! This virtual fellowship brings together observant Jewish college students for four Sunday sessions focused on social justice through a Jewish lens, featuring dynamic speakers, peer learning, and community building.🕒 Priority Application Deadline: Oct 5Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...---STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Rabbanit Sharona Margolin Halickman was the first Congregational intern and Madricha Ruchanit at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale (1997-2004) where she provided religious education and spiritual direction for the community. She is a graduate of Yeshiva University (BA and MS) as well as Matan’s Eshkolot (Tanach) and Hilkheta programs. Sharona is the founder and director of Torat Reva Yerushalayim and she writes a weekly blog on the parsha for the Times of Israel. Sharona is the author of two books: Parsha Points: Torah from the Land of Israel and Parsha Points: More Torah from the Land of Israel.Uri L’Tzedek’s College Social Justice Fellowship is now accepting applications for Fall 2025! This virtual fellowship brings together observant Jewish college students for four Sunday sessions focused on social justice through a Jewish lens, featuring dynamic speakers, peer learning, and community building.🕒 Priority Application Deadline: Oct 5Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_gTYZnrVY7YJXy2zhF3PvalA6Mlx1E3BQowETA38KGZ4oow/viewformDC Launch Event We're so excited to invite you to the launch event of Uri L'Tzedek's new DC branch! Come celebrate with us on Tuesday, September 9th at 6pm for some light refreshments, local community connection, and Torah learning. RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrhA9rWTiD-1DPrQ3EPjkCG2cahkkdG1T212UQNcLwHt1ONA/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawMmh8hleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFJcFhoN3piMWhVckhHT0pzAR5OuPsYvwhnjcmJGN1_zGKitkSHBLbbLpfxW09j-lZsY9kONfkoSNdkF87uZA_aem_6dAB6X_StazUXJJHP8RU4Q---STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Rabbi David Polsky is an Orthodox rabbi, educator, and Kashrut professional living in Southfield, Michigan with his wife and two children. His main research interest is the interaction between Halakhah and social justice. He published two articles in The Lehrhaus making a Halachic case for police accountability, and his article on water access and Halakhah will be published in a book on Jews and progressivism. He is in the process of writing an article making a Halachic case against the starvation of Gaza. He received his ordination from Yeshiva University.Jewish College Student? Apply for our Fall Fellowship: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_gTYZnrVY7YJXy2zhF3PvalA6Mlx1E3BQowETA38KGZ4oow/viewform?usp=previewRegister for our next class on Orthodox Social Justice: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iES2nLoyS2GwX5dBi9RbPg#/registrationSTAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Join Mark MacCarthy, adjunct faculty in the Communication, Culture & Technology Program at Georgetown University, for an engaging conversation on the future of artificial intelligence.While concerns about the existential risks of advanced AI—ranging from loss of control to human extinction—have been circulating for years, recent developments suggest a different picture. Despite bold claims from some industry leaders that AI is on the verge of surpassing human intelligence, the pace of technological advancement has slowed, and we remain far from creating truly superintelligent systems.Though such capabilities may one day emerge, likely through approaches beyond today’s machine learning models, the immediate priority lies in addressing the real and present harms AI is already causing. With limited resources, researchers and policymakers must focus on the urgent issues at hand before looking too far into the distant future.–STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

While tikkun olam and tzedek tzedek tirdof have become the rallying cries of the Jewish social justice movement, there are many rich texts that provide nuance and depth to the Jewish imperative for social justice. Come explore these texts and, perhaps, even be inspired to find your own personal rallying cry for the work. --Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez is a values-driven Jewish educator, community builder, and visionary leader. Rabba Melissa currently serves the community as a consultant focused on bringing her vibrant energy and varied expertise to organizations nationwide. She is a recent graduate of M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education’s Senior Educators Cohort and an active volunteer leader. Rabba Melissa is known for her uniquely joyful Judaism and Torah-based social justice work.Rabba Melissa received rabbinic ordination from Maharat and a Master's in Social Work from the University of Illinois. She has also learned intensively at Nishmat and Pardes in Jerusalem. In her “free time,” Rabba Melissa enjoys writing (she has been published in several print and digital forums), reading novels, and spending time with her family in beautiful Denver, CO.--STAY CONNECTED:https://linktr.ee/utzedekWebsite: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

In this class we will explore two opposing answers to the most fundamental question raised by the Jewish return to political power,the surprising shift by the Religious Zionist movement, and the practical implications for the burning questions of our day- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Avidan Freedman is a rabbi and activist working to return the prophetic voice of ethics to its rightful place in religious zionist discourse and in Israeli society as a whole. He received rabbinic ordination at YCT Rabbinical School in New York and from the Israeli chief rabbinate. He is an educator at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and is the co-founder and director of Yanshoof, an organization dedicated to ending Israel's arms sales to human rights vioaltors, and establishing moral red lines for Israel's arms sales industry. He and his wife Devorah have 5 children and live in Efrat.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Join Randy Parraz, Co-Founder and President of the Organizing Institute for Democracy. He will share how he was the main organizer behind the takedown of an extremist politician in 2011 and provide a behind the scenes perspective of how ordinary citizens can organize and win when others thought it impossible.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekApple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Check out this cross-Atlantic conversation with leaders from Kehillat Harlem (NYC) and Ayeka (Paris) on the vision, challenges, and impact of creating meaningful Jewish communities. This video is helpful to all- whether you're part of one, building one, or just curious. Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:https://youtu.be/sZJhMejBRmk- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Check out this dynamic Zoom panel with Rabbi Hart Levine and Rabbanit Tanya Farber where they discuss how radical hospitality at the Seder transforms lives and builds community. Discover how opening our homes and hearts can create spaces of belonging, deepen Jewish meaning, and ensure everyone has a seat at the table.Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Listen to this book talk on Fear No Pharaoh: American Jews, the Civil War, and the Fight to End Slavery, as author Richard Kreitner explores how six American Jews navigated the moral crisis of slavery during the Civil War—and what their stories teach us about conscience, courage, and identity.Purchase the book on Amazon!Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Carletta Tilousi, a lifelong advocate and former Havasupai Tribal Council member, will share her story of protecting the Grand Canyon and advancing environmental justice for Indigenous communities. Drawing from over 25 years of leadership, Carletta will explore the sacred significance of Red Butte, the threats to the region’s aquifer, and the powerful legacy of Havasupai resistance and resilience.Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

In this session, participants learned how to be effective allies to immigrant communities facing crisis. We covered what to do if you witness an immigration raid, how to respond safely and legally, and how to distribute "Know Your Rights" Red Cards to vulnerable communities.---------------------------------------------------------------------------STAY CONNECTED:Website: www.utzedek.org Newsletter: www.utzedek.org/subscribe Facebook: www.facebook.com/uriltzedek YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Donate: www.utzedek.org/donate

In this episode, Keshet’s Southwest Community Mobilization Manager, Rachel Gollay, explores the urgent challenges facing LGBTQ+ individuals in the current social climate and how they intersect with Jewish values.Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

In this podcast, Dr. Marc Shapiro discusses his new book on Rav Kook. It focuses on new and surprising insights that have come to light from Rav Kook's recently published (and long suppressed) writings.Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

A dynamic panel discussion between Daphne Lazar Price and Rabbi Nati Helfgot exploring Rabbi Soloveitchik’s teachings as a framework for balancing personal spirituality with communal justice. This conversation dives into the challenges of integrating faith, activism, and ethical commitments in today’s complex world.Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Explore the critical intersection of Jewish values and end-of-life planning in this past fellowship session. Participants examined the importance of designating a healthcare proxy, ensuring medical decisions align with their values. The discussion also delves into how Jewish law informs end-of-life care and the role of a rabbinic consultant in guiding these choices. Practical steps for completing the Netivot directive and initiating meaningful family conversations round out this essential and thought-provoking session.Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Experience Jewish history through a fresh lens as Marko delves into the rich and complex story of Jewish communities in Croatia and the Balkans. From ancient traders to cultural luminaries, from the devastation of the Holocaust to modern revival efforts, this recorded podcast offers a fascinating exploration of resilience, heritage, and renewal.Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

According to halakha, if a woman and a man were married in a traditional Jewish ceremony that included kiddushin, and then the woman was abandoned (e.g., the man went on a business trip, or was drafted into the army, and never returned), the woman is considered still married until he divorces her or his death is proven. A woman in such a situation is termed "Aguna." This is a classic instance of social and gender injustice that is created by halakha itself.Over the centuries some rabbis took pro-active halakhic moves, to prevent a-priori the possibility that many women would become agunot. One such pro-active move was performed by the rabbis of Egypt in 1901.Source sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o_vSsSInChlqRerT4UZuH67C0ojPLd9VY5b9cW0oH-A/edit?usp=sharing----------------------------------STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

In light of the rising antisemitism and growing divisions in our society, this panel reflects on the enduring values of Hanukkah—resilience, courage, and the triumph of light over darkness—and their relevance in addressing contemporary challenges. This conversation explores themes of combating antisemitism, promoting justice, and fostering unity across communities.The panel features moderator Marko Gasparovic, an inspiring rabbinical leader and advocate for social justice, alongside Ruth Messinger and Rabbi Avi Weiss, both of whom have remained deeply committed to activism and leadership, reflecting the enduring message of Hanukkah.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

In our interconnected world, it is time to reexamine theological perspectives on the relationship between Jews and the rest of humanity with fresh insight. In wake of his recent book, Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen presents the foundations for a renewed understanding of a vital aspect of Jewish-gentile relations: Judaism’s view on the beliefs and religious practices of non-Jews.Particularly in the wake of October 7, 2023, as the Jewish people face violence justified by religious fervor and are met with rising waves of anti-Semitism, the need is urgent for religion to become a bridge rather than a barrier—a force that connects, not divides. "God Shall Be One" offers a Jewish approach to world religions that encourages our deepest identities to bring us together, rather than drive us apart, enabling us to collaboratively build a noble future and participate in a shared, unfolding story.Click the following link to purchase Rabbi Nagen's book: https://korenpub.com/products/god-shall-be-oneWatch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

Learn from Rosetta Walker and Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz about the state of democracy post-election and explore how Native American and Jewish communities can continue to support the vulnerable and advocate for marginalized groups. Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate

In this shiur, Rabbi Truboff looks at the writings of Rav Moshe Amiel, a leading Religious Zionist in the early 20th century, who embraced Zionism but also critiqued it.Rav Moshe Amiel was particularly concerned that under the right conditions, nationalism's emphasis on power and violence could become a form of idolatry, and the consequences could be devastating.Watch the video recording of this class on Uri L’Tzedek’s YouTube channel:youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -STAY CONNECTED:Website: utzedek.org Newsletter: utzedek.org/subscribeFacebook: facebook.com/uriltzedekYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC_htFNr9duz-KJiXdtW8pIw Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uri-ltzedek/id1603706369 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4sqRoloAYDiI84oFlBd7q4?si=f414b018ae334706Donate: utzedek.org/donate