Shows
EvolveRabbi James Greene on Aiding Refugees Despite Government Resettlement PauseJewish tradition emphasizes welcoming the stranger. Many organizations like Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts live that value by helping to resettle refugees. But what happens when government policies make that nearly impossible? Rabbi James Greene, CEO of Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, shares how his organization supports refugees —despite legal and financial obstacles. Greene discusses the impact of recent policy shifts, the power of community-driven advocacy and why helping newcomers to the country is central to Jewish tradition. Tune in for a powerful conversation on justice, resilience and the fight for a more welcoming world.
Th...2025-03-2757 min
Adam Carolla ShowPatrick Warburton + Adam Scott and Jason Schwartzman (Carolla Classics)#1 ACS #390 (feat. Patrick Warburton, Teresa Strasser and Bryan Bishop) (2010)
#2 ACS #623 (feat. Kyle Turley, Alison Rosen and Bryan Bishop) (2011)
#3 ACS #1594 (feat. Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, Gian Grad and Bryan Bishop) (2015)
Hosted by Superfan Giovanni
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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.2025-03-014h 39EvolveRabbi David Jaffe and Yehuda Webster on Anti-Racism and the Balance of CareWhat does it mean to apply the concepts of Mussar (Jewish ethical teachings) to everyday life? What about to confronting racism in the world, at a particular institution or even in oneself? Rabbi David Jaffe, author of Changing the World From the Inside Out and Yehuda Webster, a noted activist and teacher, point to examples of how this can work. Each shares how Mussar taught them how they could have behaved differently in certain situations and where drawing on its lessons led to more positive outcomes. They also discuss anti-racism work in the broader Jewish community, addressing the post...2025-02-2758 minEvolveIlana Kaufman on Jews of Color, Racism and AntisemitismIn a conversation both deeply personal and grounded in history and sociology, Ilana Kaufman, CEO of the Jews of Color Initiative, shares her mission and why the work has been so challenging in a post-October 7 world. Kaufman explains why it’s been so counterproductive to consider Blacks and Jews as separate groups — erasing a sizable population identifying as both. She talks about why statistics and demographic matter for Jews of Color and the entire Jewish community. She shares how she came to write the afterward to Marc Dollinger’s book, “Black Power, Jewish Politics.” The conversation also touches on the Civil...2025-01-301h 06EvolveRabbi Sandra Lawson and Rabbi Alex Weissman on Dismantling Racism“Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out.” The idea is deceptively simple and strongly rooted in Jewish tradition. To change society, individuals must first address their own attitudes, biases and inner lives. Easy to say, much harder to carry out. With funding from the Wabash Center, Rabbi Sandra Lawson and Rabbi Alex Weissman decided to try this approach at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, which is committed to anti-racism. Working with faculty, Lawson and Weissman led a year-long process grounded in mussar (Jewish ethical practice.) The work was set to begin in earnest on Oct. 17, 2023. In this episode, Weissman and Lawson talk...2025-01-1656 minEvolveMyra Sack on Traumatic Loss and Living with GriefIn losing her two-year-old daughter, Havi, Myra Sack suffered the kind of loss most people cannot even fathom. By telling her Havi’s story, Sack discovered she can help others live with grief. Sack is the author of Fifty-Seven Fridays: Losing Our Daughter, Finding Our Way, an excerpt of which appears on the Evolve website. She discusses the important role ritual played after Havi’s diagnosis and following her passing. Sack traces her journey into grief literacy and how she has used her own painful experiences to help others process grief. She talks about the tragic consequences of a doct...2025-01-0252 minEvolveFormer Rep. Andy Levin on Courage, the Election, AIPAC and GazaFormer Congressman Andy Levin sits for a truly wide-ranging interview about the election, his concerns about the incoming Trump administration, Israel and so much more. The passionate Reconstructionist also discusses his Jewish identity, spiritual practice and how he has cultivated courage in public life. He offers honest assessments of his 2022 losing reelection bid and what lessons Democrats can draw from November’s defeat. He also offers a refreshingly candid take on courage in politics and the calculations politicians often make.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purcha...2024-11-261h 17EvolveThe Reconstructionist Connection to Democracy: Past, Present and FutureDemocracy holds a special place in Reconstructionist teachings, liturgy and practice — though most Jews have embraced American democracy as hospitable to Jewish life. Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., and Rabbi William Plevan, Ph.D., dive deep into Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan’s — the founding thinker of Reconstructionist Judaism — thinking on democracy and pluralism and why it matters today. Each shares thoughts on the prospects for liberal democracy at a time when the form of government is under strain across the world — and what it might mean for Jewish communities. As a bonus, Rabbi Jacob Staub, Ph.D., who directs the Evolve pod...2024-10-311h 07EvolveA Palestinian Scientist and Reconstructionist Rabbi Are Working Together to Rebuild GazaTareq Abu Hamed, Ph.D., and Rabbi Michael Cohen talk about the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel’s Negev region. The nearly 30-year-old academic and research institution brings together students and faculty from Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan and elsewhere to build relationships and solve pressing environmental challenges. Arava is partnering with a Palestinian organization on a new plan to meet needs for water, sanitation, hygiene and energy in a devastated Gaza Strip that’s years away from being rebuilt. Abu Hamed and Cohen each share how they hold on to hope in a seemingly hopeless time...2024-10-161h 00EvolveThe Anniversary of October 7 and BINA: the Jewish Movement for Social ChangeIt’s not easy to talk about and process the first anniversary of Oct. 7, 2023, when war continues to widen, hostages remain in Gaza and a ceasefire seems less and likely. This episode aims to model such a conversation. In a wide-ranging interview featuring Rabbi Mira Wasserman, Ph.D., interim vice president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Elliott Glassenberg, senior educator at BINA: the Jewish Movement for Social Change, they and Bryan discuss Oct. 7 and how Israeli and American Jews have been impacted. They also explain the relationship between RRC and BINA and how it may be more important th...2024-09-261h 01EvolveHuman Rights Attorney Turned Rabbinical Student Maria Pulzetti on Confronting Problematic Torah Verses and Examining Reproductive Justice Through a Jewish LensIf we embrace Judaism, what do we do with passages from Torah and elsewhere that seem to directly undermine our worldviews and values? Human rights attorney turned rabbinical student Maria Pulzetti makes a compelling case that we should deal with these problematic biblical passages head-on. Maria and Bryan also examine reproductive justice, as well as the legacy of slavery and systemic racism, through a Jewish lens. Later, they discuss what motivated Maria to become a rabbi, her opposition to the death penalty and her time, in the early 2000s, as a human rights worker in Russia.
Theme song, “Il...2024-08-291h 04EvolveMarc Dollinger on Black Power and Jewish Politics Before and After October 7Marc Dollinger has seen a thing or two. In his academic career, the historian of American Jewry has been labeled a “self-hated leftist Jew” and “right-wing Zionist colonialist.” He’s been criticized for failing to capture the full nuance of black-Jewish relations and been abandoned by his publisher for suggesting that Jews bear some responsibility for the continuance of American racism. And, while he studied leftist anti-Israel sentiments for decades — focusing on its origins after the Six Day War — he’s been utterly shocked by the virulence of anti-Israel sentiment on campuses since Oct. 7, 2023. In this packed interview, Dollinger addresses the na...2024-08-011h 04EvolveReligion Scholar Louis Newman Discusses Shattered Faith, the War in Gaza and Antisemitism on College CampusesFor a certain generation of Jewish Americans, Israel and the memory of the Holocaust represented twin pillars of civil religion, argues Louis Newman, a scholar of Jewish ethics and religion. While these pillars may have shown cracks for decades, Newman says they came crashing down on Oct. 7,2023. Israel had failed its most basic function: keeping Jews and all its inhabitants safe. What does a people do when its faith is shattered? What can we learn from our history? Where do we go from here? Newman discusses all this and more in a thought-provoking interview. The author of a new...2024-07-111h 11
The Playlist Podcast Network‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’: Showrunners Bryan Lee O’Malley & BenDavid Grabinski Dive into their Animated Spin-off, Season 2 Potential, & More [Bingeworthy Podcast]In today’s episode of Bingeworthy, our TV and streaming podcast host Mike DeAngelo gets killed off in episode one while discussing “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.” The Netflix series is based on the Bryan Lee O’Malley Manga book series and the Edgar Wright-directed cult hit film of the same name and follows an alternate take on Scott Pilgrim falling in love with Ramona Flowers, only to find that he has to fight her seven evil exes. The animated show sees all of the film cast returning, including stars Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie...2024-06-2530 minEvolveRabbi Katie Mizrahi on being a Zionist and calling for a ceasefire, working for Palestinian rights and the anti-Israel upsurge on college campusesRabbi Katie Mizrahi is a Zionist who was beyond devastated by Hamas’ mass killings, rape and kidnapping on October 7th. She reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself. And she explains why she is opposed to how Israel has conducted its war and why she joined calls for a bilateral ceasefire. She expands on this line from her essay, “But here is the heart of the matter. I am not ready to become monstrous to defend my people from monsters.” We talk about the difficulty of interpreting events and the deluge of information and making informed decisions about where one stan...2024-05-301h 17
The Art World: What If...?!The Art World: What If...?! with Bryan StevensonIn this episode, we visit the Legacy Sites in Montgomery, Alabama, including the newly opened Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, a 17-acre site on the banks of the Alabama River. We interview their founder, the lawyer and civil rights hero, Bryan Stevenson, who says that a founding narrative of racial difference was created in America that “was like an infection. I believe the infection has spread. We've never treated that infection and the consequences of it are still with us today.” The US has never created cultural sites that have “motivated people to say, ‘never again can we tolerate racial bigotry...2024-05-021h 13EvolveA Supersized Passover Episode: Rabbi Nathan Kamesar on the Israel-Hamas War; Rabbi Maurice Harris on his starring role in the new Netflix series Testament: The Story of MosesIt’s a supersized Passover edition of Evolve! First, Rabbi Nathan Kamesar drops by to discuss his recent essay, "The Legitimacy of the State of Israel: Surviving in a Hostile Region." Bryan and Nathan reflect on their respective relationships with Israel and Israeli politics. Nathan opens up about what it’s like being a pulpit rabbi and spiritual leader during wartime and how he’s been approaching his job the last few months (5:00). Nathan and Bryan offer some of their personal opinions about the Israel-Hamas war and war in general. Nathan shares which of the many unknowns he would most l...2024-04-251h 21EvolveRabbi Haviva Ner-David on Life and Death in War and Advocating for PeaceRabbi Haviva Ner-David, an activist and author, shares what it is like to live in Israel – and be a parent - right now, with all the heartbreak, confusion and glimmers of hope. In this conversation, the author and spiritual director discusses the personal losses she suffered on October 7 and after (9:18) She also shares anxiety about living in Israel’s north and how and why she’s recommitted herself to interfaith peace activism (22:10) and her work with the Standing Together, the grassroots movement mobilizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel in pursuit of peace . With views on the conflict becoming ever m...2024-03-2854 minEvolveRabbi Elyse Wechterman on the State of the Reconstructionist RabbinateThe Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association was founded in 1974 to serve as the professional association of the small but growing number of rabbis affiliated with the Reconstructionist movements. These rabbis were trained with a very different approach than their peers in other movements. Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, the RRA’s CEO for roughly the past decade, discusses the transformation of the rabbinate and why it matters to everyone who cares about Jews and Judaism (5:00). She shares how disparate factors ranging from COVID to the emergence of the gig economy have shaped the rabbinate in unexpected ways (31:50). The discussion turns to how the ev...2024-02-2958 minEvolveBestselling author Jay Michaelson on his new book of fiction, covering the Israel-Hamas war, campus antisemitism, and moreAfter 20 years of work, Jay Michaelson —scholar, rabbi, lawyer, activist, meditation teacher —has published his first book of fiction, “The Secret That Is Not a Secret: Ten Heretical Tales” (03:30). The linked short stories focus on a range of Jewish characters: Men and women, Orthodox and secular, straight and gay, Israeli and American. Yet each carries a secret desire that could be described as queer, and their stories explore the nature of heresy, queerness, kabbalah, mysticism and the sometimes-thin line between erotic desire and religious yearning. Michaelson would probably have preferred we discussed “The Secret That Is Not a Secret” for the full...2024-01-251h 04EvolveLovingkindness in a Time of WarCan individual acts of loving-kindness really make a difference with Israel and Hamas at war? Rabbi Amy Eilberg, a longtime peace activist, says yes. Eilberg, the first woman ordained by the Conservative movement, believes that nearly everyone with a connection to Israel and Gaza — and maybe even those without such a direct connection — are experiencing pain and trauma. In this podcast, Eilberg explains that so many of us are consuming every op-ed and podcast about the conflict as a means to avoid deep pain. She shares her decades-long journey into metta meditation and how she turned to it after Octo...2023-12-211h 07EvolveFor Us, By Us: The Trans Halakhah ProjectHalakhah is for Orthodox Jews. It means Jewish law: what you can do and can’t do. Right? Not according to Laynie Soloman, a passionate teacher of Jewish text and thought at SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva. Soloman says that Halakhah isn’t law, per se, since law – especially when it comes to queer and trans folks – can serve as an instrument of oppression. Rather, Soloman speaks of Halakhah as “Jewish practice and its surrounding discourse,” i.e. what Jews do. Soloman discusses SVARA’s Trans Halakhah Project, which seeks to empower trans Jews. Soloman talks with hosts Bryan Schwartzman ab...2023-11-3051 minEvolveChat GPT, Artificial Intelligence and Jewish Ethical Wisdom“I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that.” That’s the famously chilling line spoken by HAL, a sentient computer, in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. By refusing orders, HAL sets out to kill Dave. Will artificial intelligence do something like this in reality (something on the scale of the Terminator or the Matrix?) Will A.I. put most of us out of work? Or are these concerns overblown? To address these questions, we sit down with Mitch Marcus, a computer scientist and linguist who has been studying A.I. since the 1970s. We discuss how programs like Chat GP...2023-10-261h 01EvolveSukkot: What’s Divorce Got to Do with It?Divorce may be normal, but, in too many Jewish communities, it hasn’t been normalized. This episode features Ariel Collis and Reb. Ezra Weinberg, who each have experienced divorce and been underwhelmed by the response within their Jewish communities and are advocating for change (12:40). In the conversation, Collis and Weinberg imagine what more embracing responses might look like: from organizing meal trains and Shabbat invitations to, possibly, including divorce announcements in synagogue bulletins. Weinberg talks about his work with the group he’s founded: Revoice, a Journey of Discovery for Jewish Families After Divorce. At the top of the show...2023-09-281h 11EvolveHigh Holidays: Making Your Soul a Vessel for ChangeIn this pre-High Holidays episode, Bryan Schwartzman asks Rabbi Nathan Kamesar how he prepares to lead Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. They discuss ways people can the most out of the holidays, whether they go to synagogue or not. Although as a congregational rabbi, Kamesar does make a pitch for showing up in-person or virtually. He also discusses his own contemporary theology as it relates to the High Holidays and also addresses the existential dread many may be feeling from climate change, the perils facing democracy and so much more. More broadly, he offers a defense of Jewish...2023-08-311h 07EvolveReconstructionist Jews and the Struggle Over Israel’s FutureConfused, angered, and heartbroken by the push to weaken Israel’s independent judiciary? Not sure what to think? Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., Reconstructing Judaism's CEO, and Rabbi Maurice Harris, its Israel affairs specialist, don't claim to have all the answers. Yet, they’ve each just spent extended stays in the country immersed in conversations about its future as well as its relationship with Diaspora Jewry. In conversation, they make an impassioned, moral defense of sustained engagement with Israel, even as they take a principled opposition to the government's attempts to strip away the country’s democratic character.
Harr...2023-07-201h 05
Bring The Film PodcastAsteroid City – Interviews with SCARLETT JOHANSSON, JASON SCHWARTZMAN, JAKE RYAN , RUPERT FRIEND, BRYAN CRANSTON'Asteroid City' takes place in a fictional American desert town circa 1955. The itinerary of a Junior stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organised to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events.
Screenplay by: Wes Anderson
Story by: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
DIRECTOR: Wes Anderson
CAST:
Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, and many others.
Anna Smith interviews with SCARLETT JOHANSSON, JASON SCHWARTZMAN, JAKE...2023-07-0116 minEvolveHow to Talk with Kids About RaceHave you ever struggled to explain racism to your kids? Flubbed conversations at the dinner table? Unsure how racism and antisemitism fit together, or how to process the 2020 racial reckoning and subsequent backlash? Then be sure to catch our conversation with Buffie Longmire-Avital, Ph.D., a psychology professor who identifies as a Black American Jewish woman. She shares her research about Jewish families as well as her own perspective as the mother of two biracial sons. She shares the implications of a recent incident at her son’s school, in which white and Black students split into opposing football te...2023-06-291h 08EvolveAn Activist's Journey: From Marching Against Nukes to Empowering Jewish Women in UkraineIt all started with a nightmare. The Midwest had been obliterated by a nuclear attack. Sallie Gratch awoke and realized it wasn’t too late and got to work in the anti-nuclear movement. Gratch is the recipient of the 2023 Keter Shem Tov, or “Crown of the Good Name” award, given at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College’s graduation. In in this interview, Gratch traces her path as an activist, detailing her first encounters with Jews in the Soviet Union. She shares the story of the organization she founded, Project Kesher and its mission to empower Jewish women in the former Soviet U...2023-05-1954 minEvolveA Cry for Help: Breaking the Stigma on Mental IllnessThough Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann’s son, Mint, had faced anxiety and depression before, his cry for help was as alarming as it was unexpected. The teen was thinking about ending his life. Yet by going to his parents, Mint was able, ultimately, to get the help he needed. On Rosh Hashanah, this past year, Rabbi Herrmann shared this most personal of stories to make a larger point: there’s an ongoing stigma around mental illness. As long as the stigma pervades, people's lives are at risk. (The stigma, and concerns for her son’s privacy, were reasons she hadn’t...2023-04-281h 01EvolvePassover (and Judaism) DisruptedThis Passover, please support the work of Evolve and Reconstructing Judaism with a donation so we can continue to build participatory, joy-filled communities that engage Jews, seekers, and our loved ones: https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/make-your-impact-this-passover/
Half a century ago, Rabbi Michael Strassfeld — a leader of the countercultural Havurah movement — co-edited “The First Jewish Catalog.” The book, which sold an astounding 300,000 copies, presented tangible practices for do-it-yourself Judaism. His new book, “Judaism Disrupted: A Spiritual Manifesto for the 21st Century” argues that, some 2,000 years after the birth of rabbinic Judaism, it’s time to fashion Judaism into something new...2023-03-291h 03EvolveThe Grand Canyon, Evolution and Pope FrancisA rafting trip got Rabbi Daniel Swartz — a longtime environmental activist — thinking about the way the human experience relates to the processes of the natural world. How do people live absent the belief that things are getting better, and could quite possibly be getting much worse? How do we muster the resilience to try to make a difference — especially on Climate Change — while simultaneously preparing for real losses, both to the natural world and human civilization? The director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life talks about the philosophical and theological questions he’s wrestled with as he’s marsh...2023-02-2758 minEvolveThe Israeli Government’s War on WomenThis Israeli government is different, unprecedented, more religious, and righter wing than any before. At least, that’s what countless headlines and pundits are saying. According to two Israeli legal scholars and activists, Gila Stopler and Yofi Tirosh, this really is a moment of crisis for Israel. Stopler and Tirosh detail how the dramatic drop in women represented in government — two Orthodox coalition parties have no women representatives — is shaping an agenda that could dramatically curtail women’s rights. Rather than the cosmopolitan place in which women thrive and lead, they warn of a sobering future in which men and wome...2023-01-3157 minEvolveThe State of Democracy in Israel and the U.S.Like many progressive Jews living outside Israel, Marc Overbeck watched the most recent Israeli election returns with mounting concern regarding the future of a democratic Israel. He feared the incoming government – described as the most right-wing in Israel’s history – could turn the country into something unrecognizable. For example, one of Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition partners, Itamar Ben Gvir, has said Arabs should be expelled from Israel. Overbeck, a Reconstructionist leader who has worked in government in two countries, sat down to write his thoughts. What came out was an impassioned defense of the longed-for ideal of Israel as a Jewish s...2022-12-2955 minEvolveThe Heretic: Why an 18th Century Opponent of Rabbinic Authority Matters TodayThis episode features polymath Jay Michaelson, a rabbi, journalist, scholar, LGTBQ activist and meditation teacher. Michaelson spent 20 years researching Jacob Frank for his new book, "The Heresy of Jacob Frank: From Jewish Messianism to Esoteric Myth". In 18th century Poland, Frank led the largest mass apostasy in Jewish history. He was the most notorious Jew in Europe and, not without good reason, history has remembered Frank as something of a scoundrel. However, Michaelson separates myth from fact and explains why Frank’s radical philosophy may have been a precursor to how many non-Orthodox Jews relate to the tradition today. We...2022-11-2355 minEvolveThe Need for Affinity Spaces for Jews of ColorImagine if there were a digital yeshiva where Jews of Color could gather to learn Torah and Jewish practices in a safe, supportive atmosphere in which no one’s Jewishness is questioned. Good news, Ammud: The Jews of Color Torah Academy already exists! In this episode, we speak with Ammud's executive director, Alexandra Corwin, a noted educator and organizer with Ashkenazi, Peruvian, and Quechua heritages. We delve into why Jews of Color need affinity spaces and how such spaces can benefit all Jewish communities. We discuss the nuts and bolts of the digital yeshiva: how it operates, what it te...2022-10-2657 minEvolveWhitewashing Biblical CharactersFrom the time she was a young girl, Rev. Wil Gafney knew something was wrong. Every major biblical figure, in both art and popular culture, was represented as white. Now a scholar and Episcopal priest, Gafney paints a more accurate picture of our Afro-Asiatic forebearers, making a case that engaging with the racist history of biblical criticism and western art is key to forging a more just future. Gafney also briefly discusses her love of sci-fi and Star Wars and tries to dissect the animus aimed at black actors that ventured into the Star Wars universe. She also discusses...2022-09-1454 minEvolveRethinking the Circumcision Part 2, with Rabbi Kevin BernsteinA friend once told Rabbi Kevin Bernstein that he’s the most anti-circumcision mohel they’d ever met. Bernstein isn't against circumcision; he’s performed hundreds of brit millah ceremonies. But he is sympathetic to people’s concerns, questions and downright discomfort with it. In this episode, the veterinarian turned Reconstructionist rabbi offers a Reconstructionist take on this most ancient of Jewish conventual ceremonies. He responds to critics who question the continued relevance and, yes, the safety of circumcision, including our two prior guests, novelist Gary Shteyngart and business consultant Max Buckler. And he attempts to demystify the process and expl...2022-08-1756 minEvolveRethinking the Circumcision Part 1, with Gary Shteyngart and Max BucklerPopular culture and Jewish humor are rife with circumcision jokes. Remember Mel Brooks explaining the practice to Robin Hood and his Merry Men? Seinfeld and Shakey the Mohel? Yet serious examinations of circumcisions and brit millah and what it means today — and why non-Orthodox Jews keep up the practice — are much harder to come by. In this first of a two-part series, we talk with critics — if not outright opponents — of circumcision. The first needs no introduction: Bestselling novelist and memoirist Gary Shteyngart. His New Yorker article about his own botched circumcision as a 7-year-old sparked conversation across the Jewish w...2022-07-271h 09EvolveWarm and Welcoming?Have you ever heard a Jewish organization refer to itself as “warm and welcoming” but, on some level, fail to live up? Walked into a Jewish space and felt like you might as well have been invisible? Or yearned to see LGBTQ Jews, Jews of Color, interfaith families, those with disabilities and so many other fully embraced and at home in Jewish communities? Then listen to Bryan's conversation with Miriam Steinberg-Egeth and Warren Hoffman, Ph.D., about their book “Warm and Welcoming: How the Jewish Community Can Become Truly Diverse and Inclusive in the 21st Century.” The two, longtime friends...2022-05-1957 minEvolveSpecial Live Episode: Addressing Global Climate Disruption Through TorahWhat if the central purpose of the Torah is to ensure was to ensure that people live in harmony with the environment and other living things? That is exactly what Rabbi David Seidenberg teaches, and he believes that Jews have strayed from the Torah’s message for thousands of years. Seidenberg also believes Jews can return to the Torah’s teaching and play a key role in combating climate change – before it is too late.
Seidenberg spoke with podcast host Bryan Schwartzman live from B’Yachad: Reconstructing Judaism together, the movement-wide convention, in late March in Northern Virginia...2022-04-1451 minEvolveBen & Jerry’s, Amnesty International, and the Debate Over Boycotting IsraelEvery week, it seems, there is another controversy related to efforts to boycott Israel and its policies vis-a-vis the Palestinians. When Ben & Jerry’s announced last year that it would cease selling its products in the Occupied Territories, it touched off a brouhaha that lasted months. Rabbi Maurice Harris, Reconstructing Judaism’s lead staff member on Israel affairs, explains why this story garnered such attention and what he thinks it all means. He also delves into a recent Amnesty International report accusing Israel of Apartheid and narrates Reconstructing Judaism's response, both in terms of process and substance. While analyzing the...2022-02-151h 11EvolveBeyond AntisemitismJust days before a horrifying hostage standoff at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, we recorded an episode about antisemitism. Our guest: Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D, president of Reconstructing Judaism. Her Evolve essay, “Beyond Antisemitism,” brings a distinctly Reconstructionist perspective, one that calls upon a full understanding of the movement’s evolution. In this piece, she lays out a positive call to action. Rather than give in to fear, Deborah argues we should lean into Jewish identity, community and coalition-building and link efforts to combat antisemitism with fighting racism, Islamophobia and other forms of intolerance. Rabbi Jacob Staub, Ph.D., th...2022-01-3155 minEvolveThe ReconstructionistRabbi Jacob Staub, Ph.D., has been among the Reconstructionist movement’s most influential thinkers, writers and teachers over the past 50 years. Yet, on the eve of his bar mitzvah, Jacob – raised in his Orthodox home – decided that Judaism just wasn’t for him, he didn’t believe in any of it. In this special episode celebrating his career, guest host Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., president and CEO of Reconstructing Judaism, traces how Jacob went from being a secular college student, intent on pursuing a literary life, to the rabbinate. As we learn about Jacob’s embrace of Reconstructi...2021-12-291h 03Evolve'Adoption Isn’t a Bad Thing, It’s a Tricky Thing'In the public imagination, the practice of adoption is often thought of as children in need of a loving home being matched with couples who get to fulfill deferred dreams of becoming parents. And as a bonus, society lifts one more child out of poverty. It’s a win-win, right? Minna Scherlinder Morse, a writer and editor as well as an adoptive parent, says the reality and the history is far more nuanced. In this episode, timed for National Adoption Month, Morse examines adoption from a Jewish ethical lens and raises many questions. Are birth parents pressured to give up...2021-11-2940 minEvolveLiberation from Opioids: One Rabbi’s JourneyRabbi Michael Perice made a startling revelation to his congregation: For four years, he’d been addicted to opioids. Now, celebrating 10 years of liberation, Perice decided it was time to share his story with his community and the wider world. His goal: to lift the stigma surrounding addiction and bring further attention to the epidemic within the Jewish community and beyond. In this interview, the 2020 Reconstructionist Rabbinical College graduate shares the circumstances that found him dependent upon a highly addictive substance, how he finally recognized his life had spiraled out of control and how he has approached his recovery. He...2021-10-121h 04
DreamPath PodcastAl Di on Rock and Roll, Producing Movies with Heart, and Some of Our StallionsMusician, film producer, and actor Al Di began his career in music before connections in the music world gave him the opportunity to produce movies. Al has produced Dreamland with Jason Schwartzman, Brigsby Bear with Kyle Mooney, Greg Kinnear and Claire Danes, and Lost Transmissions with Simon Pegg, among others. His most recent film, Some of Our Stallions, was written and directed by Carson Mell, executive produced by Mike Judge, and stars Carson, Al, and Olivia Taylor Dudley. What you will learn: How Al got attached to produce the 2018 film Piercing and what attracted him to the...2021-08-2028 minEvolveHidden Jews in the 21st CenturyTo many, the Spanish Inquisition calls to mind one of countless historical examples of the persecution of the Jews. Or maybe it conjures Mel Brooks’ macabre, comedic roost in “History of the World, Part I.” Yet, for hundreds of thousands of people, the Inquisition represents a historical drama that continues to shape their lives. In the past few decades, a growing number of the descendants of Jews who had been forced to flee, convert, or hide Jewish practices during the Inquisition have been seeking to reconnect with their Jewish roots. At times, they have been embraced, other times shunned, and, t...2021-08-171h 02EvolveHope as an Ethical ImperativeIn Barbara Breitman’s telling, hope isn't "some fluffy thing." It's an essential Jewish practice. Hope enables leaders to imagine a different world and work to bring it out about no matter what obstacles stand in the way. Breitman, a spiritual director, therapist and scholar of religion, cites Moses, Noah and Mordechai as Biblical characters who embody this kind of hope. How can ordinary people emulate these examples?
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our ho...2021-07-2252 minEvolveFighting Antisemitism and Racism in Minneapolis“People are really still antisemitic? I thought you all were just regular white people now.” When social justice activist Carin Mrotz heard those words from a Black activist, Mrotz knew she had even more to do: Educating non-Jewish progressives about antisemitism, putting antisemitism on the progressive agenda, building alliances to tackle antisemitism, racism and all expressions of white supremacy. In this interview, Mrotz, executive director of Minneapolis-based Jewish Community Action, discusses how the murder of George Floyd and subsequent conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin has impacted her work. Mrotz also talks about her working relationship with Minnesota Atto...2021-07-0148 minEvolveEnvironmental Justice and RaceWe talk with Rabbi Rebecca Richman of Philadelphia’s Germantown Jewish Centre about environmental justice and the legacy of environmental racism, particularly focusing on her adopted hometown of Philadelpha, whose refinery – which recently made national headlines with a massive conflagration – has harmed Black and brown residents' health for decades. She addresses how the Torah can help us conceive of environmental justice and identify environmental racism. And in an emotional segment, we discuss parenthood in a world that seems spinning out of control. “As a parent...if I don’t take care of this place today, then there is no life for m...2021-04-2843 minEvolveLiberating Your Passover SederAt 87, Rabbi Arthur Waskow still proudly calls himself a radical. His most revolutionary act may have taken place 52 years ago, when he wrote, published and organized the original Freedom Seder. Celebrated, debated and criticized, the Freedom Seder upended the contemporary seder by incorporating contemporary, non-Jewish liberation struggles. We talk about the origins of the Freedom Seder and what it means today. We explore Waskow’s life of activism, including his personal interactions with Rev. Martin Luther King Junior. And Waskow shares what keeps him turning out books and, at increasing risk to himself, taking to the streets and facing ar...2021-03-2356 min
The World Is Wrong...about Bewitched (2005)Nora Ephron and Nicole Kidman do the meta thing with Will Ferrell and this 1960’s TV series about a witch who falls in love with two Dicks. Directed by Nora Ephron. Written by Nora & Delia Ephron. Starring Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Jason Schwartzman, Kristin Chenowith, David Alan Grier, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carrell & Kate Walsh. How is the world wrong about this movie? From Andras & Bryan: If the Razzies hate it, there’s a good chance it’s going to be great. That is the case with this!Link t...2021-03-091h 34EvolveHuman Composting: Good for the Environment, But Is It Kosher?Natural Organic Reduction — or, more colloquially, human composting — is not only legal in Washington State, but also happening, right now. People are choosing to have their remains rapidly converted into soil. How will Jewish leaders and communities respond to a practice that, on some level, is challenging to Jewish law, to centuries of burial practices, and, maybe, to people’s sensibilities?
In this live episode, recorded as part of the 2021 Big Bold Jewish Climate Festival, we speak with Rabbi Seth Goldstein and Rabbi Adina Lewittes, two religious leaders who’ve thought deeply about human composting, the green burial m...2021-02-161h 06EvolveSilver and Gold: Reparations and JudaismSince Ta-Nehisi Coates published his influential Atlantic essay “The Case for Reparations” in 2014, a number of thinkers have made explicitly Jewish arguments for (and against) reparations for American slavery. Discussions have addressed concerns ranging from West German reparations to Israel, to Talmudic arguments, to the Jewish obligation to pursue justice. Educator and activist Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein argues in an article on Evolve that the case for reparations is presented clearly in the Torah itself. In this episode, Bernstein explores this claim, and what he thinks it means for present-day policies and politics. “I would love to reach a point where...2021-01-1443 minEvolveJews and Money: A Frank ConversationEndowments and donor-advised funds: They may sound like boring financial terms, but they're actually part of a fascinating history of philanthropy in the Jewish community. They reflect the ways in which individuals and organizations use financial resources to impact the Jewish community and democratic society writ large. For half a decade, Lila Corwin Berman has been raising eyebrows, and sparking conversation, with her writings about wealth and charitable giving, Jewish communities, and democracy. In this interview with Berman, we explore the origins of both endowments and donor-advised funds, and examine how they have shaped communal decision-making.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi...2020-12-1545 minEvolveCOVID-19 and Jewish EthicsHow can Jewish ethics shape how people make decisions about daily life during a pandemic? Rabbi Mira Wasserman, who directs the Center for Jewish Ethics, explains how ethical considerations have shaped her own decisions — such as whether to drive her child to school or send him on the school bus — and how they should operate on a communal level. She also addresses the narrowness of questions of medical ethics such as best use of limited hospital resources, arguing that a true ethical response to crisis goes beyond the mechanics of triage to address the structural inequities in our health care...2020-10-2239 minEvolveDreams: Judaism's Forgotten Practice"A dream uninterpreted is like a letter not read.” That quote, attributed to Rabbi Hisda in the Talmud, coupled with the frequency and importance of dreams in the Bible, might make you think dream interpretation plays a central role in Jewish tradition. Yet Rabbi Haviva Ner-David, an Orthodox feminist turned “post-denominational, interspiritual rabbi”, says that dreams have long been neglected in mainstream Jewish practice. It was through Ner-David’s exploration of other religious traditions that she encountered dreamwork as a spiritual practice. In this interview, she discusses how dreams offer each of us a tool to better understand ourselves and our...2020-09-0845 minEvolveThe Jewish Studio ProjectMaking art is either for children or acclaimed artists, right? Not if Rabbi Adina Allen has anything to say about it. Allen is the co-founder of the Jewish Studio Project and daughter of a pioneering therapist. In this episode, Allen makes the case that engaging in a creative process is something that adults not only can do, but should do. Art-making, she explains, can be a tool for emotional regulation. It’s also a tool for spiritual exploration, engaging Jewish texts and community, and getting in touch with the place inside oneself that leads an individual to make a be...2020-08-1035 minEvolveDisability JusticeIn our conversation with Rabbi Elliot Kukla, we discuss his essay for Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations about the profound and unexpected ways in which trauma can affect a person's health and overall spiritual wellbeing. In the piece and this interview, he shares some of what he's learned about life by being chronically ill. We discuss his heightened appreciation for the interdependence of people, and what that means for the responsibilities of societies and communities to care for their members, even the most vulnerable. We also talk with Rabbi Kukla about his recent New York Times piece, "My Life Is...2020-07-1449 minEvolveClimate Change, COVID-19 and Racism: A Jewish ResponseAs far back as 1988, Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb was convinced that climate change presented the greatest threat to humanity’s and the earth’s health and survival. He was determined to do everything in his power to safeguard the planet for future generations. So why go into the rabbinate? In this interview, he explains how Jewish values and community have served as the underpinning for his environmentalism, and how many Jewish ideas promote the kind of long-term thinking that is needed right now. Though this interview was recorded before the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests that took plac...2020-06-2954 minEvolveIsrael-Palestine: The Possibility of Healing ConversationsIn many Jewish communities, Israel-Palestine is the third rail that nobody wants to step on. Yet the Jewish community of Madison, Wis., found a way to have a sustained, facilitated dialogue that brought together participants with vastly different viewpoints. In this episode, professional facilitator and mediator Harry Webne-Behrman explains how they did it, what was why dialogue is so central to a healthy democracy. Acknowledging that the model used in Madison can’t be used during a time of pandemic, Webne-Behrman talks about what communities can do now and in the future to spur the kinds of conversations that tr...2020-05-1245 minEvolveConfronting Anti-Semitism and RacismWhen he confronted demonstrators at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va.,hearing the chants of “the Jews will not replace us”, Rabbi Mordechai Liebling came face-to-face with white supremacy and antisemitism. As a child of Holocaust survivors, Liebling has thought about antisemitism his entire life, and as a veteran organizer and activists, he’s worked with a cross-section of groups to combat intolerance in all forms. In this conversation, Liebling describes his experiences in Charlottesville: what brought him there, and what he learned about hate in America. He also reflects on two of his Evolve essays: “Thoughts on Racis...2020-04-1354 minEvolveScenes from the Q of LGBTQ+John Backman wore a dress as a child and had never felt comfortable identifying as a man. And only in the past decade, well into middle-age, John, a writer and spiritual director, began to use the pronouns she and her (and sometimes going by the name Janelle.) Yet, she identifies as gender non-binary, rather than as a woman. What has all this meant for her relationship with her wife of decades? Her adult daughter? Friends and colleagues? In this remarkably candid interview, John describes what it is like to live between society’s definitions of male and female. A Ch...2020-03-0349 minEvolveRacism in the Jewish CommunityImagine you’re an African American Jew-by-choice and made the monumental decision to go to rabbinical school. A fellow synagogue board member says, “wow, you’re more Jewish than the Jews.” Throughout rabbinical school, the first thing you’re asked when you enter Jewish space is “how can you be Jewish?” or “when did you convert?” And then after starting your first job as a campus rabbi, a parent asks if you’re really ordained. In this episode, Rabbi Sandra Lawson shares her personal experiences like these. She seeks to push white Jews to face their assumptions and confront racism within themse...2020-01-3054 min
Retro Movie RoundtableScott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)RMR 0066: Join your hosts Bryan Frye, Chad Robinson, and Russell Guest for the Retro Movie Roundtable as they revisit Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010) [PG-13]
Genre: Comedy, Fighting, Adventure, Romance
Starring: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Lara Phillips, Bill Noble, Brad Smith, Ned Bellamy, Connie Nielsen, Mike Starr, T.J. Jagodowski, Meghan Maureen McDonough, Tab Baker, Frank Gallo, William Dick, Oliver Platt, David Pasquesi
Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Simmons, Mark Webber, Ma...2020-01-131h 24EvolveSlavery and Its Atonement: The Jewish Obligation to Confront Slavery’s LegacySlavery has been described as America’s original sin. Abolished with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865, slavery still casts a shadow over American life. Today, many Americans are seeking to better understand, and respond to, this tortured history. Can Judaism offer some guidelines for how to do that? Do Jews have to atone for the sin of slavery, even though mass Jewish migration to the United States didn’t happen until decades after the Civil War? Rabbi Toba Spitzer answers yes to both questions. In this episode, the religious leader of Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, a Reconstructionist congregation outs...2019-12-2442 minEvolvePreparing our Communities for Conversations on RaceIn our third episode of Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations, we speak with Rabbi Joshua Lesser of Congregation Bet Haverim in Atlanta. A noted civil rights activist and leader, Lesser shares the evolution of his thinking on race and how fighting injustice has always been a core component of his rabbinate. He breaks down the Jewish conversation on race into an internal and external conversation. The internal focuses on efforts to fully embrace and celebrate Jews of color as a central part of North American Jewry. The external focuses on how Jewish communities interact with communities of color and confront...2019-12-0348 minEvolveCongregation Planting in BaltimoreIn episode 2, we speak with Rabbi Ariana Katz of Hinenu: The Baltimore Justice Shtiebl, a new congregation that harkens back to an Eastern European, hyper-local vision of Jewish community. Katz, an under-30 rabbi who once lived in an anarchist collective, describes her efforts to organize a new, intergenerational community convened around spirited prayer and social justice activism. Rather than seeking to overturn the synagogue model, Katz explains she is seeking to revitalize an older model. We also discuss how building an explicitly progressive spiritual community creates an atmosphere that welcomes people whose political views on race, LGBTQ issues, and...2019-10-1838 minEvolveReimagining Synagogues and CommunitiesThis inaugural episode features Rabbi Rachel Weiss of Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, Ill. The discussion focuses on Weiss’s Evolve essay “21st Century Judaism: Reimagining Synagogues and Communities” (You can find the link in show notes, below).
In this inaugural episode, we speak with Rabbi Rachel Weiss of Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, Ill. Weiss describes her community’s effort to remain relevant at a time of great change in Jewish life and North American life more generally. From deep and respectful dialogue on divisive issues, to the transformational use of post-it notes, Rabbi Weiss shares a window...2019-09-1745 min
EvolveComing soon...Coming in late September, this new podcast brings Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations to life. In this preview trailer, Rabbi Jacob Staub, Ph.D., and Bryan Schwartzman, an award-winning journalist, offer a taste of what’s to come. How does Judaism continue to evolve?
Be part of the conversation: Visit our home on the web, Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
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This podcas...2019-08-1602 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 27: Goodbye, Farewell, and AmenAll good things must come to an end. In this final all-banter episode of #TrendingJewish, Bryan and Rachael go behind the scenes of podcast production. Highlights are reviewed, kudos are given, and take-aways are taken away. And last but not least, stay subscribed to this feed for a new podcast coming in September: Evolve.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Support EvolveLinks:Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish ConversationsKehillat Israel Podcasts — Torah study, sermons and seminars on Jewish topics presented at Kehillat Israel, th...2019-07-1025 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 26: The Jewish Camping BrandThis is the second of a two-part series in which we explore contemporary trends in the Jewish camping world. In this episode, Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, shares his journey from corporate executive, working for well-known brands Campbell’s Soup and Manischewitz, to building the collective brand of Jewish day and overnight camps. He discusses ways the foundation has sought to raise the profile of some 160 Jewish camps, while offering training and leadership development for camp directors. He illustrates how Jewish camps are trying to keep up with trends in general camping, including shorter sessions an...2019-06-1853 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 25: Life Without ScreensRabbi Isaac Saposnik, executive director of Havaya Summer Programs, discusses the latest trends in Jewish camping, from shorter sessions to the rise of specialty camps like Havaya Arts. Saposnik makes the case for the valuable role of Jewish overnight camp in developing campers’ Jewish identities and overall sense of self. The discussion focuses on ways to make camps welcoming and embracing for children of all different gender identities and sexual orientation. And yes, he proudly outlines his two camps’ "no screen" policies, and tells us how kids adjust to being separated from their smartphones and iPads.
Subscribe by E...2019-04-1550 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 24: The New American JudaismNoted historian Jack Wertheimer, who is affiliated with the Conservative movement, discusses his newest book The New American Judaism: How Jews Practice Their Religion Today. Wertheimer discusses his research into how “ordinary” Jews are experiencing Judaism in the 21st century. He talks about synagogue efforts to revitalize services, the emergence of new communities and the observance of Judaism in unconventional spaces, such as the annual Burning Man music festival. Considered something of a traditionalist who has sounded alarms about certain trends within American Jewry, in this conversation he talks about his encounters with dozens of vibrant communities and innovative rabb...2019-03-1450 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 23: Forming RabbisBryan and Rachael sit down with Elsie Stern, Ph.D, vice president for academic affairs at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Stern, who is the daughter, granddaughter, sister and sister-in-law of rabbis, discusses her surprisingly circuitous route to leading a rabbinic training program. Stern explains that rabbis are formed rather than made, and that while some methods to training rabbis are constant, others are being reimagined. Stern also recounts her fascination with the Bible, how it’s been transmitted through the ages and how it is taught and understood in Jewish settings today. “Judaism is what happens at the intersection of T...2019-02-2650 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 22: Leave Your Solution At The DoorWhat does social entrepreneurship look like in a Jewish context? How can concepts honed in a business context be employed in a spiritual fashion? And can the beit midrash, the traditional Jewish house of study, be reinvented for a new generation of spiritual seeker and Jewish learner? Bryan and Rachael raise these questions and others with guests Cyd Weissman, Reconstructing Judaism’s assistant vice president for innovation and impact, and rabbinical student Bec Richman. Cyd, who also teaches entrepreneurism, delves into the basic principles and how it is embodied in a grant program she administers. One thing she teaches is...2019-02-1350 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 21: Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish ConversationsRabbi Jacob Staub, Ph.D., who directs Reconstructing Judaism’s new Evolve project, explains why the website came into being. Structured around a series of essays that tackle questions that rabbis said were most pressing to their congregants, Evolve is meant to serve as a model for civil discourse at a time unprecedented societal divisions. As the former editor of the Reconstructionist, he explains how he hopes Evolve can emulate the level of discourse and innovative thinking that existed in the legacy print publication. Co-host Bryan reveals his fascination with Israeli historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari, and asks Ra...2018-12-1345 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 20: Don’t be the Frog: Technology and Our Spiritual LivesRabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., president of Reconstructing Judaism, and Rabbi Nathan Kamesar, associate rabbi of Society Hill Synagogue in Philadelphia, discuss the ubiquity of technology and the opportunities and challenges they bring to Judaism. The two recently authored an in-depth essay, “Harnessing Technology” that asks, “how can we sanctify our online lives by acting according to our values? How can we use the resources on line to enrich our lives?” They mine Jewish tradition for ways to remain sane in a world that demands constant connectivity, and to retain a sense of holiness when interacting with others online. What do...2018-09-2650 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 19: Old School ReportingZoe Greenberg talks about what it is like to be a reporter and researcher for the New York Times. The 26-year-old tells talks about working with noted columnists like Nicholas Kristof; she once researched the number of Americans who die annually in bathtub accidents. We also hear about her original reporting, particularly for the Metro section, and how her colleagues broke the Harvey Weinstein story. Zoe recounts why she got into journalism at a time when the traditional business model for newspapers has broken down and during an era of deep division in American civic and political life. Zoe...2018-08-2835 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 18: The Luxury of Not Having to ShareThis interview with Rabbi Sandra Lawson was meant to focus on the intersection of Judaism and technology. But no illuminating conversation completely goes as planned. Rabbi Sandra explains how it is impossible to discuss her adoption of social media and technology without delving into questions of race, identity and sexuality. In this frank interview, Rabbi Sandra explains how fear, fear of failure, and fear of having others define her according to race and sexual-orientation, that prompted her to take the biggest risks in her life and rabbinical studies. A social media innovator, she explains how technology fits into her...2018-08-1642 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 17: Why Jewish Ethics MattersRabbi Mira Wasserman delves into the ethical questions raised by the dramatic emergence of the #metoo movement. Rabbi Wasserman discusses the ongoing challenge of speaking up against wrongdoing and shifting a culture that casts doubt on victims who have shared stories of abuse. The conversation focuses less on egregious cases of abuse and more on everyday encounters. We also ask: What can Judaism teach us about how to shape a world in bystanders routinely stand up to ensure the human dignity of all is protected? How can liberal Jews design ethical guidelines to live by? Is there a statute...2018-07-3041 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 16: The Greatest Teacher, Failure IsYes, Star Wars fans, our title is taken from a line that Yoda says to his troubled former pupil, Luke Skywalker, in The Last Jedi. In more traditional syntax, Rabbi Shira Stutman says something very similar. The senior rabbi of Sixth & I, a thriving Jewish arts and cultural center in Washington, D.C., talks about learning from failure, and how Jewish organizations must take risks to change and grow. Rabbi Stutman discusses how Sixth & I was both inspired by, and a departure from, Mordecai Kaplan’s vision of a synagogue center. She answers forthright questions about her organization’s busi...2018-07-1642 min
Judaism UnboundBonus Episode: Judaism Unbound on #TrendingJewishDan and Lex visit #TrendingJewish, another Jewish podcast, and they shape-shift from their usual role of co-hosts into that of featured guests. In a conversation with host Bryan Schwartzman, they discuss Judaism Unbound's work, along with the landscape of digital Judaism more broadly.
If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation. Support Judaism Unbound by clicking here.
2018-07-0353 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 15: The DisruptorRabbi Brian Field discusses Judaism Your Way, which, in case you were wondering, is not a congregation. The organization was formed to serve Jews in the Denver area who’d felt marginalized by existing congregations. In particular, Judaism Your Way was created to serve intermarried families. By offering a catered, individualized approach to Jewish experience, the organization has grown large enough that it could be considered a disruptive force in the Denver area. How has Judaism Your Way’s mission evolved as its gone from an upstart to a major force in Denver Jewish life? What does its success mean...2018-06-2545 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 14: Thirteen Million MinutesBimBam, a nonprofit Jewish media studio, has created more than 350 animated video for children and adults. Youtube analytics reveal BimBam’s content has been viewed online for thirteen million minutes, or 24 years. BimBam’s founder, Sarah Lefton, and executive director, Jordan Gill, explain how they have sought to revolutionize Jewish education through digital storytelling and meaningful screen time. Sarah and Jordan explain how they approach funders and the challenge of cultivating for philanthropy in the media sphere. They also address criticisms that they might be adding to the “screentime problem” and encouraging people to skip the text. They also speak at...2018-06-1242 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 13: Turning the Crisis Narrative on Its HeadThis episode introduces another theme we’ll be exploring over several episodes: How is technology impacting Judaism and vice versa? The hosts of Judaism Unbound, Daniel Libenson and Lex Rofeberg, argue that the internet has revolutionized the Jewish landscape and made Jewish texts and knowledge radically accessible. They argue that, rather than entering a period of decline, Jewish life is migrating into an era that is at least partially defined by digital connections.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guests: Daniel Libenson and Le...2018-05-2952 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 12: Talkin' 'bout my GenerationLike a number of upcoming episodes, this show focuses on how Jewish communities are evolving. Rabbi Sid Schwarz, author of Jewish Megatrends, discusses the phenomenon of “tribal Jews” and “culture Jews” and the how the two groups, which largely break down along generational lines, view Jewish life very differently. He also shares lessons learned from his nearly 40 years in the rabbinate.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: Rabbi Sid Schwarz, Ph.D..Support EvolveLinks:Rabbi Sid Schwarz...2018-05-2241 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 11: The Accidental RabbiTaking a page from the Judaism Unbound podcast, Rachael and Bryan ask the questions: What does Judaism do and what it is for? What does it do for those who don’t feel compelled by God to live life according to Jewish law? Rabbi Maurice Harris fields these questions, and also explains why he avoids “outing” himself as a rabbi while he’s a passenger on a commercial flight.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: Rabbi Maurice Harris.Support EvolveLin...2018-02-1948 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 10: One Man’s Crusade Against ChosennessFilmmaker Joshua Gippin discusses his antipathy to the idea that Jews are the chosen people and his journey that led him to embrace Reconstructionist Judaism, which rejects the idea of chosenness. The directory of The Chosen People? A Film About Jewish Identity also examines the challenge of presenting multiple perspectives on chosenness while holding such a strong personal perspective.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: Joshua Gippin.Support EvolveLinks:Choosing to Examine the ‘Chosen People’ Idea | Reco...2018-01-2634 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 9: Welcoming the StrangerDavid Lubell discusses what brought him to Ecuador, how we’ve unwittingly taught our children to fear immigrants, and why he’s dedicated his professional life to making America more welcoming to immigrants.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: David Lubell.Support EvolveLinks:Welcoming America — Welcoming America leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by making everyone feel like they belong. We believe that all people, including immigrants, are valued contributors who are vital to the...2018-01-0538 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 8: May God Bless and Keep the TsarToo often, people overlook the blessings of being alive. Judaism has, it seems, a blessing for every occasion. Bryan and Rachael are joined by Rabbi David Teutsch, Ph.D., and storyteller puppeteer Marilyn Price to discuss the relevance of Jewish blessings today. Teutsch and Price read from their new book From Gratitude to Blessings and Back and put up with Bryan’s invocation of Fiddler on the Roof.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guests: Marilyn Price and Rabbi David Teutsch, Ph.D.....2017-12-0546 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 7: The Dogma of Jewish TimeAbigail Pogrebin, a noted print and broadcast journalist, isn’t an observant Jew but spent a year observing the major and minor Jewish holidays and writing about her experiences. Abigail discusses with Bryan and Rachael about what each holiday asks of each of us, and how the Days of Awe challenge us to consider our own mortality and think about how will prioritize our lives and spend our time and energy.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: Abigail Pogrebin.Support Ev...2017-11-2830 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 6: The Family SecretBryan, Rachael and guest Rabbi Jordan Gendra go medieval, medieval history that is. The Barcelona-born Gendra delves into Spanish history, including the 15th century roots to the recent standoff surrounding Catalan separatism. Bryan and the rabbi get into a friendly debate whether there are analogies between the independence movement in Barcelona and the secession of the South that led to the American Civil War. Oh, and he also charts his own journey from converso to Reconstructionist Rabbi and how that’s helped him reach Jews outside the mainstream.
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This podcast is produced by...2017-11-2137 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 5: The Coffee Table Book of Coffee TablesFirst, Cosmo Kramer made a coffee table book about coffee tables. Now, we record a podcast about a podcast. In this episode, Bryan and Rachael chat with Emily Cohen, a rabbinical student and creator of Jew Too: Tales of the Mixed Multitude. They discuss the podcast medium, the influence of Star Wars in Bryan’s moral development, and the profound role that non-Jewish families have played in Jewish lives.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: Emily Cohen.Support Evolve...2017-11-1440 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 4: Carpooling with RabbiWhat happens when a rabbi and a spiritual seeker carpool to work, stick a camera on the dashboard, and invite the world to watch? You get “Carpooling with Rabbi”, a 36-part Youtube series. Rabbi Seth Goldstein and Kirsten drop by #TrendingJewish to talk about the power of talking and the challenge of driving safely while discussing weighty philosophical topics.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guests: Kirsten and Rabbi Seth Goldstein.Support Evolve2017-11-0736 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 3: Wrestling God and the Healthcare SystemIt was not easy to find faith for Jennifer Janes after years of chronic illnesses. But this spiritual hospice social worker from San Antonio has used Judaism as a guide help her help others in difficult times. How does someone raised as a nominal Christian find a Jewish path in the middle of Texas? Bryan and Rachael will find out!
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: Jennifer Janes.Support Evolve2017-10-3133 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 2: Asking and TellingRabbi Jon Cutler had an incredible career as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy. After celebrating his recent retirement, Jon tells Bryan and Rachael about his challenges being a gay man in rabbinical school and the U.S. military while also being a voice for minority soldiers. Jon also unveils his secret plans for Bryan’s fitness routine!
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: Rabbi Jon Cutler.Support EvolveLinks:How a high-ranking gay Navy chaplain re...2017-10-2440 minEvolve#TrendingJewish 1: It Sounds Like Judaism in SpaceRabbi Leiah Moser has two passions: studying Talmud and composing electronica music. In this episode, Bryan and Rachael uncover the links between Jewish tradition and funky modern music.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.Special Guest: Rabbi Leiah Moser .Support Evolve2017-10-1140 min
The Showdock NetworkAvner Live!: Bryan Schwartzman of the Jewish ExponentOn the second episode of Avner Live!, Bryan Schwartzman of the Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia joins Avner Leib aka Kwass to talk about some engaging topics. They talk about the Ultra-Orthodox protest against the Internet at CitiField, local Conservative rabbis meeting with President Obama, Rallying for school choice in Pennsylvania, and Armenian Birthright.2012-06-0300 min