Shows
Unveiling Death: Eternity in About 24 MinutesKaddish Without God: Death & Mourning in Humanistic Judaism: A Conversation with Rabbi Adam ChalomRabbi Adam Chalom is Dean of the North American chapter of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism, serves on the Executive Committee of the Association of Humanistic Rabbis, and is on the editorial board of Humanistic Judaism magazine. Rabbi Chalom is also co-editor of Contemporary Humanistic Judaism: Beliefs, Values, Practices. He has served Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation since 2004.
2025-10-2924 min
In The Spotlight with Abigail PogrebinIn the Spotlight: Adam Chalom - Contemporary Humanistic JudaismIn this enlightening episode of In The Spotlight, Abigail Pogrebin sits down with Rabbi Adam Chalom, a leading voice in Humanistic Judaism and the Dean for North America of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism. Together, they explore the roots, relevance, and real-world application of Contemporary Humanistic Judaism — a movement that celebrates Jewish culture through a secular, non-theistic lens.
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2025-05-2727 min
Break the Silence, Build a FutureHealing Together: The Role of Community in GriefJoining Fartumo Kusow are Rabbi Adam Chalom and Rabbi Jodi Kornfeld, leading voices in Humanistic Judaism, who bring a unique perspective on grief, healing, and the power of collective action. They share insights from their book, Contemporary Humanistic Judaism: Beliefs, Values, Practices, offering practical ways communities can provide tangible support beyond thoughts and prayers.In this episode, we discuss:🔹 How grief can feel like an identity shift and why community matters.🔹 The humanist approach to grief—focusing on action, not just words.🔹 Practical ways individuals and communities can support tho...
2025-02-1946 min
New Books in ReligionAdam Chalom and Jodi Kornfeld, "Contemporary Humanistic Judaism" (Jewish Publication Society, 2025)In their edited volume, Contemporary Humanistic Judaism: Beliefs, Values, Practices (Jewish Publication Society, 2025), Rabbis Adam Chalom and Jodi Kornfeld collect their movement’s most important texts for the first time and answer the oft-raised question, “How can you be Jewish and celebrate Judaism if you don’t believe in God?”Part 1 (“Beliefs and Ethics”) examines core positive beliefs—in human agency, social progress, ethics without supernatural authority, sources of natural transcendence, and Humanistic Jews’ own authority to remake their traditional Jewish inheritance on their own terms “beyond God.” Part 2 (“Identity”) discusses how Humanistic Judaism empowers individuals to self-define as Jews, respe...
2025-01-271h 07
New Books in Jewish StudiesAdam Chalom and Jodi Kornfeld, "Contemporary Humanistic Judaism" (Jewish Publication Society, 2025)In their edited volume, Contemporary Humanistic Judaism: Beliefs, Values, Practices (Jewish Publication Society, 2025), Rabbis Adam Chalom and Jodi Kornfeld collect their movement’s most important texts for the first time and answer the oft-raised question, “How can you be Jewish and celebrate Judaism if you don’t believe in God?”Part 1 (“Beliefs and Ethics”) examines core positive beliefs—in human agency, social progress, ethics without supernatural authority, sources of natural transcendence, and Humanistic Jews’ own authority to remake their traditional Jewish inheritance on their own terms “beyond God.” Part 2 (“Identity”) discusses how Humanistic Judaism empowers individuals to self-define as Jews, respe...
2025-01-271h 07
A Podcast of Biblical ProportionsCollab: The Great Reform of 2 Kings, 232 Kings, chapter 23, is one of the most fascinating chapters in the Bible and contains more layers than would seem at first sight. Rabbi Adam Chalom joins Gil to discuss. Rabbi Chalom is Dean of North America at the International Institute of Secular Humanistic Judaism and Rabbi of his congregation Kol Hadash in Deerfield, IllinoisFor secular Jewish holiday celebrations go to Chagim.org.ilRabbi Chalom co-edited the book Contemporary Humanistic Judaism: Beliefs, Values, Practices (released January 2025) - click here to get it with 40% discount with the code 6AF24.
Join our...
2025-01-0551 min
Beit Halimoud GrenobleDEVARIM H'AZON 5784 : "Adam kadmon"Chers amis,
Le Speed Thora de ce Chabat Devarim ,Chabat H'azon , le dernier avant Ben Hazmanim, est extrait du Noam Elimeleh' de Rabbi Elimeleh' de Lizensk (17é Pologne) un des grands disciples du Maguid de Mezeritch,l' élève du Baal chem tovIl reprend les premiers mots du Sefer Devarim ,censés être d après Rachi une suite de remontrances au peuple juif et montre, comment voir, au delà du passouk un conseil de Moche Rabenou au peuple pour s'élever au dessus de sa condition sur le plan collectif comme sur le plan individuel et se relier au...
2024-08-0838 min
Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSeason 13: Episode 8 It's ComplicatedHigh Holidays 2023Rabbi Chalom discusses where Humanistic Judaism fits in Judaism in America.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2023-09-2721 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSeason 13: Episode 7 The HotelHigh Holidays 2023Rabbi Chalom discusses where Humanistic Judaism fits in Judaism in America.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2023-09-2606 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSeason 13: Episode 5 Yom Kippur Torah ReadingHigh Holidays 2023Rabbi Chalom discusses where Humanistic Judaism fits in Judaism in America.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2023-09-2510 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSeason 13: Episode 6 Israel and the American JewHigh Holidays 2023Rabbi Chalom discusses where Humanistic Judaism fits in Judaism in America.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2023-09-2527 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSeason 13: Episode 4 When nonconformity is a form of conformityHigh Holidays 2023Rabbi Chalom discusses where Humanistic Judaism fits in Judaism in America.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2023-09-2422 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSeason 13: Episode 3 Reading from LiteratureHigh Holidays 2023Rabbi Chalom reads from Jewish Literature and reflects.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2023-09-2404 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsEthnic and Universal HumanismFrom the Archives: Originally recorded in 2017, Rabbi Chalom discusses mindfulness and the culture of blessings.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2020-05-2632 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsThe Culture of BlessingFrom the Archives: Originally recorded in 2017, Rabbi Chalom discusses mindfulness and the culture of blessings.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2020-05-1121 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsNothing SacredFrom the Archives: Originally record in 2009, Rabbi Chalom examines the idea of what is sacred.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2020-04-2721 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsZionismWhen modern Zionism started in 1897, there were already many varieties. They shared the main goal of the creation of an independent Jewish state, which was achieved in 1948. Over 70 years later, “Zionism” has become a controversial accusation. Is Zionism just Israeli nationalism, or is there still relevance to the idea for non-Israeli Jews?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2020-04-2027 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2019: The Reality of MoralityIf this life is the only life we know, how do we find comfort after loss? Death has always defined the human
condition, but are we any better at dealing with it after all this time? How we remember can make all the
difference.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-1110 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2019: What We Can DoOur problems are so large, and our powers seem so limited – what can one person or one community do? Facing
earlier tragedies, the Jewish people trusted both supernatural providence and human effort. What must we do for
human power to be enough for us.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-1122 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2019: Man's Search for MeaningReading and interpretation of Viktor Frankel's Man's Search for Meaning[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-1105 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2019: An Uncertain Jewish FutureThe Jews have been called “the ever-dying people.” Each generation is convinced it is the last. Yet we are still
here and, like our ancestors, we must answer new challenges. Balancing continuity and change is a Jewish
tradition and a key to Jewish survival. As is hope.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-1123 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2019: DeuteronomyReading, translation and interpretation of passage from Deuteronomy.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-1107 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2019: Political Civil WarIt’s been said that “war is the continuation of politics by other means.” Today politics IS war: opponents are enemies, issues are black or white, the other side is not just wrong but evil. In Israel, in America, in Europe, civil society strains at the seams. We have also seen this story before, and we need to change the ending.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-0225 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2019: Babylonian TalmudBabylonian Talmud[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-0204 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2019: Antisemitism and Other HatredPublic expressions of hate are rising, and a rising tide lifts all bigotries. Even if numbers remain small, the haters are louder and bolder. Synagogue (and mosque and church) shootings, antisemitic cartoons, discrimination by both Christian foster care agencies and Dyke Marches – we have seen this before and had hoped never again. Why now? And what to do now?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-0224 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2019: Yakov v. EsauThe rumble in the desert between siblings. Why is it us vs. them? Who are the Goyim?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2019-10-0108 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2018 Evening: Good - EvilIn a post-modern, post-revelation world, defining good and evil is challenging and yet necessary. Can we admit when we have done wrong, and can we accept when our opponents do right? What is an honest difference of opinion, and what is truly evil that must be resisted?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2018-09-2218 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2018 Morning: Here - ThereThe smaller the world gets, the harder it is to live together. Some would abolish all borders and barriers, while others would raise them higher. As America builds walls, as Israelis and “Diaspora” Jews grow farther apart, we grapple with complex identities: individuals, Americans, part of the Jewish family, and human beings. Can we feel connected to “here” and “there”, rather than choosing one or the other?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2018-09-1923 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2018 Morning: Us - ThemRejection and fear of "the other" is deeply rooted in human psychology and culture. Can we build group loyalty on positive attraction rather than suspicion of the outside? An open family that includes both "us" and "them" may be the most successful future for the Jewish people in the 21st Century.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2018-09-1124 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2018 Evening: Me - WeThe eternal battle between individual and community defines the human and the Jewish condition. What to give to others and what to guard for myself? Happiness, freedom, dignity, justice depend on the balance of me and we.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2018-09-1022 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2017 Morning - We're #1!Competition has its place, but also its risks. We become blind to our own faults and exaggerate the danger and deficiencies of “the other.” We magnify our needs and minimize theirs. We need to seek self-esteem while avoiding chauvinism – as individuals, ethnicities and nations. Pride, honesty and humility dance a challenging but necessary waltz towards an ethical life.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2017-10-1118 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2017 Evening - Bad JewWe can be crueler to our own family than we are to strangers. It is all too easy to judge others by our own arbitrary standards. Do they agree with us? Do they value what we value as much as we value it? Do they live t veir lives the way we live ours? If we can worry more about ourselves than what others do, we might just learn there’s more than one way to bake a bagel.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)...
2017-10-0219 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2017 Morning - Judaism SaysCan a tradition of 3,000 years speak with one voice? Too often, we want our identity to fully endorse our personal beliefs and behavior. Just as we cannot claim that all Jews were always secular, others cannot claim Jews were always religious and always united by religion. How can we achieve unity without demanding uniformity?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2017-09-2319 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2017 Evening - Post TruthWe must find a balance between individual perspective and objective reality. There are times it is appropriate to
say, “I don’t know” or “I think,” and there are also times to say, “I DO know.” Human reason is limited — and
partial, and collaborative — and it is also a powerful tool for discovering human truth.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2017-09-2222 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2016 Morning - These HandsWe would love it if the righteous were rewarded, the wicked punished, and everything worked out for our benefit. But wishing does not make it so. In the absence of cosmic providence, the work of justice, compassion, forgiveness and self-improvement is up to us.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2017-01-1618 min
Judaism UnboundEpisode 44: A Secular Humanistic Hanukkah - Adam ChalomAdam Chalom is the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism's Dean for North America and serves as rabbi of Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He joins Dan and Lex for a conversation about Secular Humanistic Judaism, Hanukkah, and trends in contemporary Jewish life.
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2016-12-1642 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 2016 Evening - This LifeThe Jewish "Days of Awe" were traditionally a time of judgment – who would live, who would die, and who would earn a portion in the World to Come. We believe in life before death, making the most of our time in this life, the only one we know. Living the best we can while we are here is the best we can do.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2016-12-0421 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2016 Morning - This WorldOur Humanism is a positive emphasis on this world – what we experience, what we need, what we can know. Our Rosh Hashana does not represent divine creation of the world; rather, it encourages us to discover what the universe truly is, and then to create the world we want.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2016-10-1824 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashana 2016 Evening - Why We BelieveWe celebrate what we share rather than argue the unprovable. Our individual beliefs do not always have to agree in order to find community and common ground. Ours is a Jewish tradition of change, diversity and integrity. And, as Humanistic Rabbi Sherwin Wine once wrote, "Believing is better than non-believing."[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2016-10-0721 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsBook Review: SapiensHuman beings are the most powerful species on the planet, but this was not always so. In a fascinating exploration of our earliest origins through the evolution of modern society, Hebrew University professor Yuval Noah Harari's bestseller delves into the origins of society, religion, economics and much more. Rabbi Chalom's review also marked the relatively new Humanist holiday of Darwin Day, and the interfaith initiative of Evolution Weekend.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2016-09-0641 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5776 - Yom Kippur Kol Nidre - It's My ResponsibilityTaking responsibility is not easy, particularly when others prefer seeking excuses or spreading blame. Dignity and self-respect are children of responsibility, but so too are risk and failure. The confidence we find from taking charge of our lives flows through our actions to the world around us, transforming desire into will, and will into reality.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2015-10-0318 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5776 - Yom Kippur Memorial (2) - Let GoWe want so much to control our lives, and our deaths. Yet experience teaches again and again that we may steer the boat, but we cannot control the current. Learning when and how to say goodbye — and when and how to accept death with dignity — is key to the art of living.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2015-09-3008 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5776 - Yom Kippur (1) - I ForgiveForgiveness can repair relationships, and it can also be healing for both parties in the conflict. But can we learn to forgive ourselves? Guilt is a powerful emotion, and forgiving others can sometimes be easier than facing our guilt. If Yom Kippur is an opportunity for new beginnings, we need to start fresh with ourselves as well.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2015-09-3021 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5776 - Rosh Hashana (1) - I Hear YouAs awful as human suffering can be, it can be even harder to suffer alone without understanding or empathy. The most basic step in overcoming conflict and isolation is an ability we evolved countless generations ago: to speak, and to truly listen.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2015-09-1620 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5776 - Rosh Hashana (2) - I’ll HelpNo one is an island. We grow up in families and societies, and we learn the balance between mutual responsibility and self-actualization. In the space between obligation and freedom lies “help” – a hand we all need from time to time that gives us the strength to do for ourselves what we no longer need others to do unto us.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2015-09-1621 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsDarwinThe Theory of Evolution transformed our understanding of the world and our place in it. And Charles Darwin knew it would; he held back publishing his ideas for many years because of it. Today we understand not only biology, but also culture and economics and many other human endeavors through gradual change over time and "survival of the fittest."[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2014-11-2631 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5775 - Yom Kippur (2) - Why Be Good?Without cosmic judgment, Yom Kippur becomes an internal experience – self-judgment and self-forgiveness. In moderation, both are healthy and important, but only if they lead to changed behavior in the future. In the negotiation between individual self-fulfillment and communal responsibility lies the dignity of proving ourselves to be good people, if we can live up to our own standards.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2014-10-0428 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5775 - Yom Kippur (1) - Why Be a Jew and a Humanist?The religious approach to life has been around for a long time. Believing that people, and only people, have conscious power to improve the world is a much more recent innovation, even if its evolutionary ancestors first appeared centuries ago. But people do terrible things, and some fight modernity and progress with all their might. Is a Humanistic approach to life, and to Judaism, a path to despair or to hope?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2014-10-0424 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5775 - Rosh Hashannah (2) - Why Be Jewish?With rising anti-Semitism in Europe and the Middle East, never-ending and heart-rending conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, militant Orthodoxy fighting modernity on one side and ongoing Jewish integration into Western Culture on the other, who would be crazy enough to want to be Jewish? And yet we do, and we are. The truth is that, with all of its challenges, being Jewish adds deep meaning to our lives.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2014-09-2832 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5775 - Rosh Hashannah (1) - Why Be Anything?Labels divide people - different ethnicities, religions, nationalities, even sports allegiances can be lethal. An infant from anywhere in the world can grow up fluent in any other language and culture, so why should we be attached to the accident of our birth? Yet there are limits to choosing one's own identity. In the quest for balance, how should we negotiate our individuality with our group identities?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2014-09-2726 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsReconstructionist Judaism (Adult Eduation)Rabbi Chalom leads an adult education discussion on Reconstructionist Judaism.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2014-03-231h 02Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsReform Judaism (Adult Eduation)Rabbi Chalom leads an adult education discussion on Reform Judaism.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2014-02-011h 31Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsOrthodox Judaism (Adult Eduation)Rabbi Chalom leads an adult education discussion on Orthodox Judaism.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2014-01-051h 31Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 5774 pt. 2 (2013)The most famous narratives in Jewish and world literature can be very different if we look with new eyes. Our narrative “re-visions” reveal ourselves as well as the figures we thought we knew.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2013-10-0623 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 5774 pt. 1 (2013)The most famous narratives in Jewish and world literature can be very different if we look with new eyes. Our narrative “re-visions” reveal ourselves as well as the figures we thought we knew.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2013-09-2622 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashanah 5774 pt. 2 (2013)The most famous narratives in Jewish and world literature can be very different if we look with new eyes. Our narrative “re-visions” reveal ourselves as well as the figures we thought we knew.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2013-09-0822 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashanah 5774 pt. 1 (2013)The most famous narratives in Jewish and world literature can be very different if we look with new eyes. Our narrative “re-visions” reveal ourselves as well as the figures we thought we knew.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Listen (MP3)
2013-09-0722 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsFree JudaismFor too long, we have understood Judaism as controlled by someone or something else: the past, the Orthodox, the affluent. Our connection to Jewish culture and heritage is not a commodity, packaged and sold.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)
2012-11-0125 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 5773 pt. 3 (2012)No person, and no people, springs from the dust of the ground, without heritage or inheritance. The wise know to evaluate the treasures of the past, and to celebrate what is most valuable.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)
2012-10-0807 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 5773 pt. 2 (2012)Great literature speaks to the human condition. Great Jewish characters – from David to the god Yahveh to Tevye – express what it can mean to be part of the Jewish people, and to be human. Our Torah is the literary creativity of our people, both before and since the Bible.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-10-0819 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsYom Kippur 5773 pt. 1 (2012)The Torah knows nothing of feminism, science of mind, democracy, freedom of conscience or multiculturalism. If we define our own values throughout our lives, why bother exploring what our ancestors considered ethical?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-10-0322 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashanna 5773 pt. 2 (2012)Rosh Hashanna marks the beginning of a new Jewish Year. This year, 5773, Rabbi Adam Chalom explores the text of the Torah and why it is relevant even today. This is part 2 of the High Holiday sermons.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-09-2020 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsRosh Hashanna 5773 pt. 1 (2012)Rosh Hashanna marks the beginning of a new Jewish Year. This year, 5773, Rabbi Adam Chalom explores the text of the Torah and why it is relevant even today.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-09-1822 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsEthics Without a NetAdherance to an ethical standard etched in stone and backed by the promise of eternal reward or damnation is an easy road to take. Decisions are based simply on following the rules. The outcome of following the rules are irrelevant to the righteous. Humaistic Jews have no such net, and as such, are faced to consider the consequences of action or inaction.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-08-1030 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsA Provocative PeopleA Provocative People: A Secular History of the Jews, available at Amazon http://tinyurl.com/ProvocativePeople-amazon .[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-07-1328 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsErnestine RoseDiscover why the Society for Humanistic Judaism selected Ernestine Rose as its person of the year.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-06-0840 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsFAQs of Humanistic Judaism (pt. 2)Being able to explain who we are, what we believe, and how we celebrate our cultural Judaism can be challenging, but also very simple. Explore part 2 of the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) of Humanistic Judaism, as well as some effective answers.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-05-1640 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsFAQs of Humanistic Judaism (pt. 1)Being able to explain who we are, what we believe, and how we celebrate our cultural Judaism can be challenging, but also very simple. Explore part 1 of the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) of Humanistic Judaism, as well as some effective answers.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-05-0144 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsIISHJ Colloquium 2012The International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism Colloquium 2012 takes place on the campus of Northwester University in Evanston, Illinois April 20-22, 2012. This preview with Rabbi Chalom explores some of the topics of the colloquium and why attendees should look forward to this event.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-04-1023 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsConnectionsTraditional Judaism is about a connection to God. Humanistic Judaism is about a connection to people. Rabbi Chalom explains why this connection to people is so important for us as humans and as Jews.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-03-2623 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSunday School for Adults: CalendarThe Kol Hadash Sunday School curriculum is driven largely by the Jewish Calendar. In this episode of Sunday School for Adults, Rabbi delves into that calendar and how it is used in a Humanistic Jewish Education.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-03-111h 12Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsWho Wrote the BibleSpinoza was excommunicated for daring to claim that Moses may not have written the entire Torah. More than 350 years later, the actual history of the writing and editing of the Bible remains a controversial subject. We can certainly appreciate the literature of the Bible as received, but we also want to know who wrote it, and when, and why. Our questions can make the stories even more interesting.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-02-2133 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsIsrael and PalestineRabbi Chalom discusses what promises (or threatens) Israel in 2012.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-02-1028 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation Podcasts2011 Year In ReviewRabbi Chalom reviews the year of 2011 and looks forward with some prognostications for 2012.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-01-1627 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsMoview Review: UshpizinRabbi Chalom reviews the movie Ushpizin and discusses the larger social issues related to this movie for both Hasidic and their interaction with others in Israel.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2012-01-0135 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsAdult Education: Strength of HumanismAgnosticism and Atheism are both philosophies that are based on the denial of something - a personal god or the knowledge of such and existence. Humanism, however, is a positive look at what we do know, that people have the strength to change their world. Rabbi Chalom discusses the strengths of such an outlook.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-12-1845 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSermon: CommunityThere is an irony in creating a community of individuals. A synagogue based on commandments and required observance has authority and structure; one built on personal responsibility and autonomy could become anarchy in belief, practice and function. Of course, we all know the truth of “2 Jews, 3 opinions,” so better to build on reality than denial. But the challenge remains: from many, one.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-12-0120 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsSermon: A Jewish MovieWhat makes a movie a Jewish movie? When artistic expression can be classified as part of a culture, it helps define that culture. Find out why Jewish movies are Jewish.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-11-1520 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5772: Torah ReadingIs Israel a democracy, a Jewish state or a nation that includes the West Bank. Find out why it can't be all three.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-11-0109 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5772: Yom KippurHumanistic Judaism is founded on self improvement. We can use personal honesty to improve our lives and our relationships with others. Rabbi Chalom explains how.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-10-1521 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5772: Kol NidreThe story of Ruth wasn't even real. Yet the story of Ruth is about being yourself (a Moabite) and being part of a community (Hebrew). Explore what we as Humanistic Jews can learn from this tale.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-10-1421 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5772: Rosh HashanaFinding truth in the Hebrew bible can often be difficult. Rabbi Chalom reconciles the value of a fabricated story about being true to oneself.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-09-2923 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHigh Holidays 5772: Erev Rosh HashanaFinding truth in the Hebrew bible can often be difficult. Rabbi Chalom explores the validity of the historical text and how it impacts Humanistic Jews and progenitors such as Baruch Spinoza.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-09-2925 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsBook Review: The Good BookSome see the publication of The Good Book: A Secular Bible by English philosopher A.C. Grayling as an attempt to displace, destroy or otherwise attack “The Bible” that they revere. The truth is that both religious bibles and this new “secular Bible” come from the same source—human experience. What wisdom does Grayling offer, and is it time for a secular sequel to the “Book of Books”?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-09-0640 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsIsrael and AmericaWithout American support, the modern State of Israel would not have begun. Today, however, the relationship is much more complicated. Differences over the Palestinians, Iran and other regional challenges have strained relations as much as at any point in the last sixty years. The American Jewish community has been divided by the tension: some appalled, some angry, some indifferent. What does the future hold for this “strategic partnership”?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-08-1630 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsIsraelIsrael is simultaneously one of the most inspirational and challenging elements of our curriculum. We are inspired by the achievements of secular Jews: a Jewish state, a revived secular Hebrew language and culture, a new ethos of self-confident Judaism. But the challenges of war and peace, religion and government remain. This topic is taught in 7th/8th grade.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-08-011h 01Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsGenerosityShabbat Sermon: Many animals besides humans demonstrate generosity for the good of the colony or the herd. But human generosity can help individuals and communities that have little survival value for ourselves. From where does this impulse spring, and how can it be taken too far? What is the right balance of giving to others and strengthening ourselves?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-07-1629 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsInaugurationIn 2004, Kol Hadash hired Rabbi Adam Chalom as our full-time cultural and philosophic guide. Rabbi Chalom immediately used his energy, talents and good humor to move our congregation forward into our second stage. In this retrospective, Rabbi Chalom's inaugural address to the congregation is featured.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-07-0340 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsAmerican Jewish ExperienceThe history of American Jews is changing. The immigrant experience is fading, and new challenges and dynamics are more intriguing. How have we negotiated multiple identities? What have been our successes and failures? An important part of knowing who we are is discovering how we came to be.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-06-161h 06Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsShabbat: Education (part 2)In December of 1910, the first ethnic (secular) Jewish school opened in New York City. One hundred years later, we are the heirs not only to traditional Jewish culture, but also specifically the secular and sometimes radical innovations of our precursors in cultural Judaism. What can we glean from this legacy?[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-06-0337 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsShabbat: Education (part 1)Education has always been central to Judaism. Explore how teachers are part of that core and how a good teacher is defined.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-05-1615 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsGuest Speaker: Aaron ElsterAaron Elster is a child survivor of the Holocaust. He was born in 1933 in the small northeastern village of Sokolow, Podlaski in Poland. Aaron lived in the Sokolow Ghetto with his two sisters, mother and father until the liquidation of the ghetto in September, 1942. He escaped the liquidation and hid in the surrounding forests and farms. Eventually, Aaron found refuge in the attic of a Polish family, where he hid for two years until the war's end.More information, including how to obtain a copy of his book can be found at http://www.aaronelster.com...
2011-05-0152 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsShabbat Service: The Future of the SynagogueRabbi Chalom explores in further detail the institution of the synagogue by looking towards the future and theorizing the role it will play in modern Jewish life.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-04-1636 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsBonus Content: Rabbi Chalom at Georgetown UniversityOn March 31, 2011, Rabbi Chalom visited Georgetown University and answered the question of "What is Secular Humanistic Judaism?". We hope you enjoy this bonus edition of the Kol Hadash podcast.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)
2011-04-111h 07Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsHolocaust Survivor: Marguerite MishkinSunday School Guest Speaker Marguerite tells her story to the 7th/8th grade class of growing up in Nazi occupied Belgium. During WWII, Mishkin and her sister Annette were placed under the care of a Belgian Catholic family in 1943 following the death of her father in the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1942. Her mother was able to bring the two girls to safety through the help of the Belgian Resistance. They remained under the Belgian family’s care until 1946, during which time Mishkin’s mother was brought to Auschwitz, where she also perished.At the end of WWII, Mishkin and her...
2011-04-0258 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsThe SynagogueThe central Jewish institution for the past 2000 years has not been a house of God; it has been a house of meeting (beit knesset, or “synagogue”). The synagogue has enabled a dispersed nation to survive, and even to thrive, in very diverse circumstances and surroundings. Discover what the origins of the synagogue can teach us about its current challenges and its future.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-03-1533 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsComparative ReligionSunday School for Adults. When we only have our students for a few hours a week, why do we spend their precious time learning about other religious beliefs and traditions? Because the more we know about other visions of reality and the good life, the stronger our choices will become. The secret of a Humanistic Jewish education is, that in the end, your life and your beliefs are your own.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)...
2011-03-021h 14Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsStart-Up NationRabbi Chalom reviews Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle. This book is a fascinating view of Israeli society and culture and what made it one of the world’s leaders in high-tech industry and creativity.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-02-1651 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsPolitics in AmericaRabbi Chalom discusses the political climate in America and analyzes the most recent election results.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcastListen (MP3)Listen (AAC)
2011-02-0123 minKol Hadash Humanistic Congregation PodcastsJews and the Muslim World: Solving the PuzzleShabbat Service. Recorded on 10/29/2010. Available at Amazon.com - Jews and the Muslim World: Solving the PuzzleThree years ago, in the aftermath of the death of Humanistic Judaism founder Rabbi Sherwin Wine, the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism held its Colloquium program under the leadership of newly-appointed Dean for North America, Rabbi Adam Chalom. Now the selected proceedings of that conference have been published, and are more timely than ever.[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes.[RSS MP3] Add the Kol Hadash Podcast feed (in MP3 format)Download the podcast...
2010-11-1040 min