Displaying 1 - 10 of 20
Wholly Jewish: Noa: The Beauty of Taking Up Space
On the season finale of Wholly Jewish season 2, we are joined by NYU student and college organizer Noa Baron (they/them). Noa shares the personal and Jewish and significance of their name (and their Jewish name-changing ceremony), the importance of deep listening to the queer community, their aspirations as a trans Jewish leader, and the beauty LGBTQ+ Jews bring to the Jewish community.
Stories We Tell: Hero Israel
Sara is a great listener. She listens to everything, with her mind like a sponge soaking up as much teaching as possible—but sometimes she hears things a little differently than others. What happens when her classmates find out? Rabbi Josh Weinberg tells his original story.
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Va-et'chanan: Why We Should Bring Politics to the Pulpit
Everybody has an opinion on whether politics should be brought to the pulpit, but according to Rabbi Jacobs, this debate was settled centuries ago.
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Eikev: A Seat at the Table
A chapter in Parashat Eikev reads, “when you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless.” What does it mean to be satisfied, and what kind of power does a good meal have?
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - R'eih: Eating With Compassion
Parashat R’eih includes that infamous line: “you shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.” Jewish tradition categorizes the mitzvah of not mixing milk with meat as one without specific reasoning, but many scholars think th
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: Two Jews, Three Opinions, One Heart -Parashat Chayei Sarah
Sometimes, what isn't said is more provoking than what is said.
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Stories We Tell: The Scholar and the Merchant
When a scholar boards a ship with a group of merchants, the merchants are confused. What does a scholar have to sell that could compete with their radiant perfume and beautiful scarves? When pirates storm the ship, they find out in this story retold by Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism. You can find a written version of this story, titled “The Sefer Torah,” in the book Three Times Chai: 54 Rabbis Tell Their Favorite Stories by Laney Katz Becker.
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Stories We Tell: Happiness
Once upon a time a king fell seriously ill, and nobody could figure out how to cure his ailment. Finally, a healer suggested a remedy: if the king could wear the shirt of a person who was absolutely happy, he would be healed. So, a team set out to find a person who was absolutely happy. Did they succeed? Shira Kline, performance and ritual artist and director of worship at Lab/Shul retells the story.
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Stories We Tell: Whatever You Do, Don't Bite Off the Pitom
Every year Moshe begs his father for an etrog, and every year, his father says they can’t afford it, until one special Sukkot when they scrimp and save and finally bring home an etrog. But what happens when Moshe can’t resist the pitom and Boris the Beet Borscht Baron from Belarus with very strong hands comes to bless the etrog? As Rabbi Steven Bob reminds us, “Whatever You Do, Don’t Bite Off the pitom”!
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Stories We Tell: Don't Apologize to Me, Apologize to Him
Joseph, on his way to a new town, meets a beggar on the train. His beard is tangled, his clothing is tattered, and he appears to be dirty. When the beggar speaks to Joseph, Joseph responds that they probably shouldn’t speak to each other until they arrive at their destination. What happens next? Listen to this story, retold by Rabbi Marc Katz. For a written version of the story, read “Forgiveness” in Three Times Chai by Laney Katz Becker.
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