Kari shares how the aftermath of October 7 shook her sense of belonging in Toronto’s arts community—and how making the film deepened her Jewish identity and renewed her sense of purpose. Together, she and Rabbi Yoshi explore the challenges of confronting falsehoods, the importance of including uncomfortable and competing perspectives, and what it takes to help people listen across deep divides.

It is a candid conversation about truth, responsibility, and Jewish resilience—and the hope Kari finds in community, unexpected allies, and the next generation.

Learn more about the film at campaigndoc.com.

Weaving together the Binding of Isaac, a teaching from the Mussar master Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian, and the work of Israeli thinker Micah Goodman, Rabbi Zweiback asks what AI can and cannot give us — and what it means to keep practicing the very human capacities technology can't replace: listening, patience, forgiveness, showing up for one another when there's nothing to fix.

A personal reflection on loss, presence, and the difference between a tool that serves us and a person who makes a claim on our lives.

On this episode of Search for Meaning, I sit down with Rabbi Dr. Tal Sessler, author of Torah for Mental Health: Jewish Wisdom for Psychological Growth. A rabbi, philosopher, spiritual counselor, and psychotherapist-in-training, Tal has spent his career exploring the intersection of Jewish wisdom, philosophy, and the human search for meaning.

His new book begins with a striking Jewish idea: brokenness is not an aberration. According to the Kabbalistic teaching of shevirat ha-kelim—the breaking of the vessels—it is woven into the very fabric of creation. From there, Tal brings Torah into conversation with contemporary psychology, exploring Moses’s despair, Jacob’s wrestling, Joseph as a “wounded healer,” and the extraordinary human capacity for resilience and growth.

We talk about what rabbis can learn from therapists—and therapists from rabbis; the difference between surviving trauma and growing through it; and whether faith and religious practice can actually help heal what the Psalmist calls the “shattered heart.”

We also discuss a particularly moving connection between Tal and Rachel Goldberg-Polin. At the beginning of her memoir about her son Hersh, When We See You Again, she quotes three words from Tal: “Words are redemptive.” We explore what those words mean in the aftermath of unimaginable loss—and why telling our stories can itself become part of the work of healing.

It’s a conversation about brokenness and resilience, Torah and psychology, the power of language, and what Jewish wisdom can teach us about becoming more whole.

Learn more about Tal at https://www.rabbisessler.com

Beginning with a personal story from his own wedding thirty years ago, Rabbi Yoshi explores what it means to love God “b’chol levavcha” — with all of your heart — and why our tradition asks us to bless God not only in the good times, but in the painful ones too. Drawing on this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Vaetchanan, the Mishnah’s teaching on gratitude, and a hidden echo of the Book of Lamentations found in our daily prayers, this message speaks to the moment we’re living through — a “Golden Age” of American Jewish life now shadowed by rising antisemitism — and points toward Tu b’Av, the festival of love, just six days away.

🎥 Recorded at Stephen Wise Temple’s Beach Shabbat, Santa Monica

From there, Amanda unpacks the framework she's spent years refining: the distinct categories of Jews, Judaism, Israel, and Zionism, and why collapsing them into one another fuels both antisemitism and bad-faith political attacks — including on committed Zionists like Rahm Emanuel. She makes the case against binary language like "pro-Israel" and "anti-Israel," and argues for why Zionism still matters as a living movement even 78 years after Israeli statehood.

The second half turns to hope: the Black-Jewish coalition work Amanda has built alongside Rabbi Zweiback and Bishop Michael Fisher, including their trip to Israel timed to the Ethiopian holiday of Sigd, the "wedge issues" that complicate Black-Jewish solidarity today, and what real, non-transactional coalition-building actually requires.

Learn more or get involved at zioness.org.

Most of us were taught that defeating Hitler marked a turning point — that America emerged from the war more tolerant, more unified, more committed to its democratic ideals. Historian Steven J. Ross is here to tell us that story is a myth. And he has the documents to prove it.

In this episode, Rabbi Yoshi sits down with one of America's most compelling Jewish historians to discuss Ross's new book, The Secret War Against Hate: American Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy — a USA Today bestseller that uncovers a hidden chapter of postwar American history. When the war ended, antisemitism and racism didn't recede. They surged. Organized hate groups more than doubled between 1940 and 1946, and a network of domestic terrorists set about — in their own words — finishing the job Hitler had begun.

But that's only half the story. The other half is about the people who fought back: the citizen-spies recruited by the ADL, the American Jewish Committee, and the Anti-Nazi League, who infiltrated these groups at great personal risk and brought their dangerous work to light. Their names have been largely forgotten. Ross gives them back to us.

Rabbi Yoshi and Steve talk about the history, what it illuminates about this moment in American Jewish life, and — in true Search for Meaning fashion — where a man who has spent his career in some of the darkest chapters of human experience still finds hope and meaning.

About Steven J. Ross

Steven J. Ross is Dean's Professor of History at the University of Southern California and the Myron and Marian Casden Director of the Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life. The first person in his family to go to college, he holds degrees from Columbia, Oxford, and Princeton.

His books include Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and Los Angeles Times bestseller; Hollywood Left and Right: How Movie Stars Shaped American Politics, winner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Film Scholars Award; and Working-Class Hollywood: Silent Film and the Shaping of Class in America, nominated for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

His latest book is The Secret War Against Hate: American Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy (Bloomsbury, 2026).

More at his USC Dornsife faculty page: https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/steve-ross/

Learn about the book at https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/secret-war-against-hate-9781635578003/

Recorded June 24, 2026. Released July 3, 2026.

Inspired by the childhood experience of Shayne’s mother, the book tells the remarkable story of the 1943 rescue of Denmark’s Jewish community. When the Nazis moved to deport Danish Jews, ordinary citizens—neighbors, teachers, clergy, fishermen, and members of the resistance—risked their lives to help more than 7,000 Jews escape across the Øresund Strait to safety in Sweden. 

Developed in partnership with the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Hour of Need brings this extraordinary chapter of Holocaust history to life through powerful storytelling and evocative illustrations. 

In their conversation, Rabbi Zweiback and Shayne explore family memory, Jewish identity, the moral courage of ordinary people, and the unique power of graphic storytelling to bring history to new generations. The episode also reflects on the enduring lessons of Denmark’s rescue effort—and what it means for societies today when individuals choose courage over indifference.

Learn more and explore the resources connected to this story:

Book: Hour of Need: The Daring Escape of the Danish Jews during World War II
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Hour-of-Need/Ralph-Shayne/9781499813579

Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org

Educators' Guide

Together, they explore identity, belonging, resilience, and the search for authenticity. Reza reflects on the loneliness of growing up feeling caught between worlds, the pain of rejection, the transformative power of embracing his Jewish identity, and the impact of October 7 on his connection to the Jewish people and Israel. Along the way, he shares hard-earned wisdom about perseverance, gratitude, and his conviction that even life’s greatest hardships can become unexpected gifts. 

As Pride Month invites us to celebrate the dignity and worth of every human being, Reza’s story is a powerful reminder of the courage it takes to live truthfully and the freedom that comes from embracing every part of who we are. His journey—from secrecy and fear to self-acceptance, love, and purpose—offers hope to anyone who has ever wondered whether they truly belong. 

This is an honest, heartfelt conversation about courage, self-discovery, and what it means to live fully and unapologetically as yourself. Happy Pride. 

https://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-Gay-Shah-Persian-Bubble/dp/1464218277

Drawing from the book’s memorable parables about porcupines, dogs, redwood trees, monkeys, and more, the two rabbis explore themes of empathy, connection, resilience, kindness, and spiritual growth. Rabbi Zedek reflects on what children can teach adults, how stories shape moral imagination, and why compassion and community remain at the heart of a meaningful life.

The conversation also touches on Rabbi Zedek’s decades of leadership, teaching, interfaith work, and public dialogue, including his many years hosting Religion on the Line. Filled with humor, heart, and gentle wisdom, this episode is both uplifting and deeply grounding.

https://ascendbooks.com/publications/people-are-like/

Inspired by Abraham Joshua Heschel’s timeless vision of Shabbat as “a palace in time,” the exhibition explores memory, ritual, Jewish identity, family, love, and the holiness embedded in ordinary moments. Through Russell’s luminous still lifes of ritual objects and Edelstein’s evocative paintings drawn from family photographs, the couple creates an intimate meditation on what we choose to remember—and why.

Their conversation with Rabbi Yoshi touches on the relationship between art and spirituality, the emotional impact of October 7, the role of nostalgia in Jewish life, and the experience of creating art as partners in both marriage and creativity. Together, they reflect on how beauty, ritual, and storytelling can help us navigate grief, deepen connection, and reclaim moments of sacred presence in an anxious world.

Thoughtful, moving, and deeply human, this episode is an exploration of how art can become both memory and sanctuary.

Born with a rare form of dwarfism, Brandon shares what it was like growing up facing bullying and exclusion — and how those early experiences shaped his sense of self. With candor and insight, he reflects on the inner work it took to move from feeling defined by others’ perceptions to embracing his own voice and purpose.

Together, they explore the difference between visibility and belonging, the emotional reality of resilience, and the responsibility that comes with being seen as an inspiration. Grounded in questions of dignity and human connection, this conversation challenges us to reconsider how we see one another — and ourselves.

This is a conversation about turning pain into purpose, and about discovering strength in the very places we once felt most vulnerable.

https://brandonfarbstein.com/

Drawing on her personal history as an Iranian-born Jewish refugee, Mandana provides a vital human perspective on the impact of regime change and the nuances of Iranian history that often go overlooked. Together, they explore the core values—gratitude, creativity, and community—that anchor her work and life.

Key highlights of their discussion include:

• The "One Mitzvah a Day" Initiative: Exploring how a simple call to action, rooted in Jewish tradition, serves as a practical framework for purposeful living.
• Identity and Authenticity: A look at the importance of embracing one's full self and finding the courage to navigate significant life transitions.
• Meaning Amidst Uncertainty: Insights into how we can find opportunities for growth and connection, even when the world feels unpredictable.

This conversation is an invitation to live with greater intention and to discover that meaning is often found not by avoiding uncertainty, but by engaging with it. It is a thoughtful reflection on how individual actions can foster a deeper sense of global community.

https://www.mandanadayani.com/

One of Mandana's favorite recipes for lemon saffron chicken 

More Persian Jewish Food

One Mitzvah a Day

Together, they explore what it means to live between worlds — culturally, spiritually, and personally — and how the experience of feeling like an outsider can become a source of compassion, resilience, and connection.

Drawing on Angela’s story of growing up as the daughter of a Korean Buddhist mother and a Jewish American father, the conversation touches on identity, belonging, music, leadership, and the evolving nature of Jewish life in America today.

Framed by the timeless question from the Book of Esther — “מי יודע אם לעת כזאת הגעת למלכות” (“Who knows? Perhaps you have come to this moment for just such a time”) — this episode reflects on how our lives, even the parts that feel uncertain or painful, may be preparing us for something meaningful.

It’s a conversation about faith, courage, and the sacred work of becoming who we are.

To learn more about the book, visit https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697350/heart-of-a-stranger-by-angela-buchdahl/

Recorded on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, at a moment marked by the return of Ran Gvili, the last hostage, and amid rising antisemitism, deep national division, and growing concern about the health of American democracy, this episode engages the moral and spiritual challenges of our time.

The rabbis speak candidly about loving Israel while struggling with its government, about what it means to lead during anxious and polarized times, and about events unfolding in places like Minneapolis that have sparked national debate about law enforcement, immigration policy, and human dignity.

They also confront hard questions about the future of the rabbinate — the challenges facing seminaries, the so-called pipeline issue, and what kind of leadership the next generation of Jews will need.

This is not a conversation of slogans or simple answers. It is a thoughtful, honest exchange shaped by decades of experience, deep commitment to the Jewish people, and enduring hope for the future.

Stay tuned and be inspired.

Recorded on International Holocaust Remembrance Day — just one day after the return of Ran Gvili, the last hostage — this dialogue unfolds at a moment of profound weight for the Jewish community and for American society.

Rather than beginning with politics, the conversation begins with story.

Rabbi Feinstein and Rabbi Woznica reflect on growing up Jewish in Los Angeles, unexpected and sometimes rebellious paths into the rabbinate, and how their understanding of God has evolved over decades of spiritual leadership. They speak candidly about what sustains a life in the rabbinate — and what it costs. About faith and doubt. About calling and responsibility. About the quiet, unseen burdens and the profound privileges of serving a Jewish community.

Honest, searching, and at times unexpectedly tender, this episode invites listeners into a deeply personal exploration of what it means to lead — and to live — with meaning.

Part II of this conversation explores Israel, antisemitism, America, and the future of Jewish leadership.

Stay tuned and be inspired.

The conversation explores what surprised her most about becoming a cantor, the joys and challenges of clergy life, and the ways music opens hearts and builds connection. Lauren also speaks about her passion for Jewish education, her work teaching learners of all ages, and her special connection with her fifth-grade class and bar and bat mitzvah students.

Along the way, Rabbi Zweiback reflects on what a gift it has been to welcome Lauren as a colleague at Wise, highlighting the beautiful voice, intelligence, and warmth she brings to the community, and the meaningful partnership she shares with Cantor Emma.

A warm and inspiring episode about calling, teaching, and the power of music to shape Jewish spiritual life.

https://www.laurenblasband-roth.com/

Rabbi Yoshi first encountered Michal’s work in Israel during the World Zionist Congress, where her lecture left a lasting impression. In this episode, she shares her personal and intellectual journey—from growing up in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish world, at a time when it was still rare for women to pursue advanced Talmudic study, to becoming a major voice in the academic study of Jewish–Christian interactions in Late Antiquity.

Michal discusses her groundbreaking research comparing rabbinic texts and early Christian and monastic literature, including insights from her award-winning books Early Christian Monastic Literature and the Babylonian Talmud and Jewish–Christian Dialogues on Scripture in Late Antiquity. She explains how ancient texts reveal moments of dialogue and shared interpretation where we often assume only separation—and why those discoveries still matter today.

The conversation also turns to the present: living and teaching in Israel during painful and uncertain years, what ancient texts can teach us about resilience and endurance, and how scholarship can help us hold complexity without losing hope.

This episode is an invitation to think more deeply about boundaries and belonging, inter-religious dialogue, and the enduring power of learning to illuminate both the past and the present.

https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/humsos/goldstein-goren/pages/staff/Michal-Bar-Asher-Siegal.aspx

Together, they reflect on growing up Jewish in the Midwest, the quiet experiences of childhood that shape a life, and the distinct journeys that led one of them to the rabbinate and the other to music. Along the way, Steve and Peter share moments of intimate personal reflection and extraordinary creativity, exploring how Torah and song speak to one another—and how friendship can bridge different forms of spiritual expression.

The conversation also turns toward the challenges of our time: the rise of antisemitism, the pain and complexity surrounding Israel, and how to hold moral clarity, courage, and compassion without losing one’s soul.

In a powerful and unexpected closing, we witness a song come into being—born of the moment, shaped by honesty, hope, and shared humanity.

Learn more about Peter Himmelman and his music, writing, and creative work at
https://peterhimmelman.com

Learn more about Rabbi Steve Leder, his books, and teachings at
https://www.steveleder.com

Watch the conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNMxwC80aG8&t=1357s

Their discussion centers on Rabbi Leder’s book, The Beauty of What Remains, written after the death of his father following a long journey with Alzheimer’s. Drawing on more than three decades of rabbinic experience and his own profound loss, Rabbi Leder reflects on the non-linear nature of grief, the limitations of the “stages” model of mourning, and what he has learned from accompanying thousands of people at the end of life.

Together, they explore how memory can be both painful and sustaining, what it truly means to show up for the dying and the bereaved, and how loss can awaken a deeper appreciation for time, touch, love, and connection. With wisdom, honesty, and moments of humor, this conversation offers guidance and comfort to anyone navigating grief—or seeking a more meaningful way to live in its shadow.

Search for Meaning invites listeners into conversations that challenge, console, and inspire. This episode is a reminder that even in loss, there is beauty in what remains.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623578/the-beauty-of-what-remains-by-steve-leder/

Prompted by recent remarks from Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove at the American Zionist Movement Biennial, Rabbi Yoshi explores the growing tensions within Jewish communal life — particularly around Israel — and the ways our conversations can become polarized, judgmental, and alienating, especially for younger Jews.

Turning to Parashat Vayeshev and the story of Joseph and his brothers, the episode uncovers a subtle but powerful distinction in the Torah between sin’ah (hatred) and kin’ah (envy). Drawing on the teachings of Rabbi Eliezer Davidovits, Rabbi Zweiback introduces the rabbinic concept of kin’at sofrim — the “envy of scholars” — a form of admiration that doesn’t fracture relationships but deepens wisdom and understanding.

This episode is an invitation to reimagine disagreement not as a threat, but as an opportunity for learning, curiosity, and growth — and to consider how Jewish tradition can guide us toward more loving, respectful, and constructive conversations, even in times of deep division.

Moshe brings a deeply personal lens to the film. Raised in an ultra-Orthodox home in Brooklyn, with Yiddish as his first language, he eventually left the community of his childhood to pursue a different path—an experience that echoes through his portrayal of Mendele, a young man who also steps outside his community and becomes a filmmaker in the Soviet Army’s propaganda division. In the conversation, Moshe reflects on how his own journey of identity, faith, and separation helped him understand Mendele’s longing, his conflicts, and his complicated return home.

Rabbi Yoshi and Moshe explore the Talmudic nature of Jewish identity—our arguments, our diversity, our longing for unity—and how SHTTL reveals both the beauty and the fragility of a people wrestling with faith, modernity, and danger. They also discuss the film’s most powerful scenes: moments of denial in the face of rising antisemitism, fierce debates about unity and belief, and the urgent relevance of a story rooted in 1941 yet alive with meaning in our own moment.

A moving, timely, and deeply reflective conversation that reminds us how fragile—and how enduring—the Jewish story truly is.

Learn more about the film at: https://www.menemshafilms.com/shttl

Their conversation explores how the legal system can hold powerful institutions accountable, what meaningful change looks like in practice, and where Kasowitz finds hope in an era of rising hate.

This thoughtful exchange offers a rare look at the intersection of law, justice, and Jewish identity—and what it takes to stand up for truth and dignity when it matters most.

Drawing on the wisdom of his grandfather, Jewish tradition, and the moral challenges of our time, Rabbi Zweiback explores the sacred balance between particularism and universalism — between our deep commitment to the Jewish people and our responsibility to all humanity.

Through stories of family, Israel, and acts of compassion near and far, this message invites us to live inside the holy tension that defines Jewish life: to defend our people fiercely, and to love the wider world boldly.

May this new year inspire all of us to bring holiness, empathy, and peace into the world we share.

Michael reflects on his remarkable journey from an advertising career in New York to decades of diplomatic service, shaped by his Jewish upbringing and a deep sense of moral responsibility. He speaks candidly about the challenges of diplomacy, the toll of public service, and the circumstances surrounding his recent and painful forced retirement from the U.S. State Department.

Together, they discuss the complexities of pursuing peace in the modern world and Michael’s thoughts on the Witkoff–Kushner–Trump peace plan for Gaza.

This is a powerful and deeply human conversation about integrity, purpose, and the enduring call to serve.

After touching on her creative work—including her one-woman show You May Think I’m Funny, But It’s Not—the discussion turns to her recent High Holy Day sermon, a deeply personal reflection on her love for Israel and the complexities of wrestling with one’s Zionism. It’s an invitation to imagine a Zionist tent that is broad, diverse, and alive with thoughtful engagement.

This episode offers honesty, heart, and hope at a moment that calls for all three.

🔗 Watch Rabbi Mintz’s sermon here: https://youtu.be/-guvY9As64w?si=9Z7e78ZoyYayV79r

Produced by Amy Shelby • Engineered by Raz Husany
Stay tuned and be inspired.

Together they explore the unique history and religion of the Druze people, their deep integration into Israeli society, and the “covenant of blood” that binds the Druze and Jewish communities through shared sacrifice and loyalty. Rania also sheds light on the persecution of Druze communities in Syria, including the tragic violence in Sweida, and shares how her work through Covenant seeks to amplify Druze voices and build bridges of understanding across cultures.

It’s a moving conversation about identity, resilience, and the power of solidarity in times of crisis.

Stay tuned and be inspired.

Drawing from very different backgrounds—Abby, the daughter of feminist thinker Letty Pogrebin, who grew up in a more assimilated Jewish home, and Dov, who was raised in a Modern Orthodox community, immersed in hours of daily Talmud study—they share how their partnership has shaped their lives, their faith, and their understanding of Torah.

The conversation explores questions of determinism and Tikkun Olam, wrestles with challenging texts like the Sotah ritual in Parshat Naso, and highlights how studying Torah across lines of difference can transform both individuals and communities.

Engaging, candid, and deeply thoughtful, this episode is a celebration of what becomes possible when we open ourselves to dialogue and discovery—together.

https://www.mvpublishers.org/product-page/it-takes-two-to-torah

Learn more at https://www.robkutner.com/.

Together, they discuss memory, trauma, and the ways stories from the past shape our present. Julie reflects on how the weight of history can grow as we uncover it, yet also how these stories can help us learn to manage, process, and move through trauma. This episode offers profound insights into the power of storytelling, the endurance of memory, and the transformative potential of confronting history.

Learn more about Julie Brill and her book at https://www.juliebrill.com
.

📖 In this episode, Jonathan shares the story behind his groundbreaking reporting on Iran’s women-led uprising, sparked by the 2022 death of Mahsa Jina Amini. His book is built on exclusive interviews with protestors and survivors—painting a powerful picture of resistance, resilience, and hope.

🕍 The conversation also explores Jonathan’s identity as a British-born, Persian-Jewish Israeli—and how that multifaceted lens shapes both his writing and his work as 🇮🇱 Israel’s international spokesperson at the United Nations.

🔥 Themes of faith, freedom, moral clarity, and the role of women in reshaping the future of the Middle East come together in this deeply meaningful episode.

📚 Unveiled is more than journalism—it’s a testimony to human dignity and the power of voice.

🎙️ Tune in—and be inspired.

Dr. Eisen shares insights from his lifelong engagement with Jewish thought and spiritual practice, offering reflections that are both deeply intellectual and vulnerably human. Whether you're wrestling with questions of belief or seeking new language for your own faith journey, this episode offers a meaningful dialogue about how we search for the Divine in a complicated world.

Robbins joins Rabbi Yoshi to discuss his new film set on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where a Jewish family hosts Shabbat dinner for their son David and his fiancée Meg, who is preparing to convert to Judaism. As the night unfolds, tensions rise, surprises surface, and laughter and love do battle at the dinner table.

At the emotional center of the film is Meg, whose D’var Torah—something she’s been studying with her rabbi as part of her conversion process—is delivered during the meal as a reflection on that week’s Torah portion. Her words, full of insight and heart, speak to the serendipitous nature of life and the power of choosing one’s path with intention and faith. With a standout ensemble cast including Kyra Sedgwick, Milana Vayntrub, David Paymer, and Method Man as the family’s beloved doorman who is practically family, Bad Shabbos is as funny as it is touching.

Drawing on his extensive diplomatic experience—including his service as U.S. Ambassador to Oman, Chief of Staff to the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Quartet, and senior postings in Jerusalem, Riyadh, and Baghdad—Ambassador Grappo offers a deeply informed analysis of the current crisis, its historical roots, and the broader implications for diplomacy, regional security, and U.S. foreign policy.

Their conversation explores the strategic calculations driving both nations, the risks of further escalation, and the urgent need for clear-eyed diplomacy in one of the most combustible regions in the world. It’s a compelling and essential episode for anyone seeking insight into the unfolding conflict and its global repercussions.

🎧 Listen now on Search for Meaning with Rabbi Yoshi.

#SearchForMeaning #RabbiYoshi #MiddleEastConflict #IsraelIran #DiplomacyMatters #Geopolitics #ForeignPolicy #AmbassadorInsights #IranIsraelCrisis #GlobalAffairs #PreemptiveStrike #InternationalRelations  #BreakingDiplomacy #GaryGrappo

From her groundbreaking start as a stand-up comedian to her acclaimed writing for Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, Ellen, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, to her recent Emmy and Golden Globe wins for Hacks, Leifer reflects on how her Jewish identify, family roots—including a father who was the household “tumler”—and her personal journey as a gay woman in Hollywood have shaped her voice and career.

Carol also discusses her brand-new book, How to Write a Funny Speech for a Wedding, Bar Mitzvah, Graduation & Every Other Event You Didn’t Want to Go to in the First Place—a laugh-out-loud guide for anyone who's ever been asked to speak in public and wished they hadn’t.

With warmth and wit, she reflects on navigating show business, staying true to herself, and finding meaning through humor.

🎧 Listen now for an inspiring look at authenticity, resilience, and the power of comedy to connect us all.

📺 Watch “The Marble Rye” episode of Seinfeld: https://youtu.be/B0lprUNrjkU?si=Hx5OPTPU6Fugk31q

📺 Watch “The Ugly Section" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm: https://youtu.be/YDl3q_24eBE?si=v9zVL7lZUhujiDy1

#CarolLeifer #JewishComedy #SearchForMeaning #RabbiYoshi #LGBTQVoices #ComedyLegends #JewishIdentity #StandUpComedy #WomenInComedy #Seinfeld #TheMarbleRye #CurbYourEnthusiasm #EllenShow #SNL #PodcastPromo #JewishVoices #AuthenticLiving #ComedyWriters

Together, they reflect on the importance of sharing our culture, the transformative magic of Shabbat, and the delicate yet urgent challenge of balancing our values. Against the backdrop of rising antisemitism and the recent tragic murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky outside the Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., David and Rabbi Yoshi consider what it means to protect ourselves while staying rooted in Jewish connection—to our heritage, our people, and our allies.

From Casablanca to Montreal to Los Angeles, David’s journey reflects a lifetime devoted to the Jewish story. This episode is a heartfelt invitation to reflect on what it means to live with courage, purpose, and hope.

Listen now and read more at jewishjournal.com

#SearchForMeaning #RabbiYoshi #DavidSuissa #JewishJournal #ShabbatMagic #JewishCommunity #JewishVoices #FaithAndCourage #AntisemitismAwareness #JewishIdentity #ShabbatShalom #JewishHeritage #ConnectionAndProtection #SpiritualResilience #JewishPodcast #JewishWisdom

Together, they explore what it means to "come out of the closet" — not once, but twice: first as a gay man, and then, more recently, as a proud Zionist in increasingly complex times.

Yuval shares his journey of embracing his authentic self, navigating a world that often demands silence or conformity. He speaks candidly about the challenges and triumphs of living openly, and the new layers of meaning he's discovered in affirming both his sexual identity and his deep connection to Israel.

This conversation is a meditation on resilience, self-definition, and how we find meaning when the world around us feels divided. It is an invitation to consider the power of vulnerability, the importance of solidarity, and the courage it takes to stand in one's truth — especially when it's uncomfortable.

Learn more about Yuval and his work at yuvaldavid.com instagram.com/yuval_david_ x.com/yuvaldavid  Youtube.com/YuvalDavid 

Together, Rabbi Yoshi and Rabbi Gedzelman explore the powerful intersections of Jewish identity, education, culture, and the critical role that visionary leadership plays in shaping the future of Jewish communities both in the United States and globally. They also discuss the World Zionist Organization (WZO) elections, a once-every-five-years opportunity for American Jews to have a direct voice in the future of Israel and global Jewish priorities.

Time is of the essence: Voting in the WZO elections closes on May 4th, and your vote matters more than ever. Rabbi Yoshi is running on the Reform Movement slate, advocating for a vision of Israel that is pluralistic, democratic, and inclusive.

Make your voice heard — Vote now at VoteForReform.org!

In this episode of Search for Meaning, Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback welcomes Adam Mansbach, best-selling author and cultural provocateur, for a conversation about his latest novel, The Golem of Brooklyn — a darkly comic and fiercely relevant tale that reimagines the legendary Golem in the heart of contemporary America.

Known for his sharp wit and literary range, Mansbach delves into the origin of the book, the role of folklore in shaping identity, and how humor can be both a shield and a sword in the face of rising antisemitism. Together, he and Rabbi Yoshi explore the intersections of memory, justice, grief, and myth, while reflecting on how stories help us navigate the complexities of modern Jewish life.

The Golem of Brooklyn is more than a novel — it's a bold statement about who we are, what we fear, and how we fight back. Don’t miss this powerful and thought-provoking conversation.

http://www.adammansbach.com/

NOTE: This episode includes explicit language.

Rabbi Yoshi sits down with Cantor Emma Lutz and Dr. Tali Tadmor to explore the heart and harmony behind their brand-new children’s album, Wow! Shehecheyanu. Produced by Pam Autuori and featuring the incredible Stephen Wise Temple Band, the album is a vibrant, soulful tribute created in honor of the grand opening of the Aaron Milken Center.

With joyful voices from Wise School students and original music that celebrates gratitude, wonder, and Jewish tradition, Wow! Shehecheyanu is a spirited soundtrack for the next generation.

Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, the inspiration behind the songs, and the meaningful role music plays in shaping Jewish identity from an early age.

🎶 Wow! Shehecheyanu is available now on all streaming platforms.
🔗 Learn more about music at Stephen Wise Temple: wisela.org/music

In a heartfelt tribute, they also share memories of fallen comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice, honoring their bravery and reflecting on the enduring impact of their loss.

Learn how the Sky Riders Foundation supports these soldiers with mentoring programs and initiatives to prevent PTSD, ensuring they receive the care they need both during and after their service.

🔗 Sky Rider Unit - IDF
💙 Sky Riders Foundation - Supporting IDF Soldiers

#SearchForMeaning #RabbiYoshi #SkyRiderUnit #IDF #October7 #PreventingPTSD #Resilience #FallenHeroes #JewishCommunity #Podcast #SkyRidersFoundation

They also delve into Ayelet’s poignant New York Times opinion piece, where she reflects on the sacred act of cleaning the homes of those massacred on October 7, and how this intimate ritual became a form of solace and remembrance.

This episode is a testament to the resilience of the human heart and the ways we find meaning in the midst of loss.

🔗 Ayelet Tsabari’s Website
📰 Read Ayelet’s NYT Opinion Piece

#SearchForMeaning #RabbiYoshi #AyeletTsabari #SongsForTheBrokenhearted #October7 #Grief #Resilience #JewishCommunity #Podcast

Jonathan reflects on how memory shapes our personal and collective identities, sharing insights from his own journey growing up at Stephen Wise Temple and how those formative experiences continue to influence his work today.

Through the lens of art, grief, and resilience, this episode explores how we hold onto what matters most—and how we find meaning even in the face of tragedy.

#SearchForMeaning #TheSukkahProject #October7 #Memory #JewishCommunity #Podcast #StephenWiseTemple #RabbiYoshi

🔗 The Sukkah Project at the Skirball
📰 Jewish Journal: Jonathan York’s Sukkah Project

Get ready for a soulful, inspiring conversation as Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback sits down with acclaimed guitarist and Professor of Studio Guitar for USC's Thornton School of Music, Molly Miller. Tune in as they discuss creative processes, how Molly's Jewish identity weaves into her music, the challenges she's faced since October 7, and what gives her life meaning—all followed by a Hatikvah rendition unlike any other!

You can learn more about Molly and her music here. 

https://tulanehullabaloo.com/65669/news/student-testifies-before-congress-voicing-antisemitism-issues-on-campus/

Lisa's memoir debuted as the top solo travel title on Amazon.com when it released on Sept. 19. Her podcast, Make Your Own Map, launched this summer and has been watched on six continents. It was a finalist for two Southern California Journalism Awards in 2023.

Elected this summer as a Congregational Director, Lisa is a graduate of Wise’s religious school program. Wise’s founder, Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin, officiated her bat mitzvah. She began her “nomadic” lifestyle by spending a summer in Israel on LA Ulpan, and went on to study abroad in Jerusalem at Hebrew University. She returned to Israel with her family for Rabbi Zeldin’s 80th birthday celebration. As a journalist, Lisa often shares articles about Wise clergy and services, most often through her column in the Jewish Journal. 

Lisa has taught religious school at Wise and science at Brawerman Elementary, and has spoken at Wise about the Jews of Morocco (join our trip there next February!). Through the Jewish Federation, Lisa was part of the Rautenberg New Leaders Project and a mentor for the Julie Beren Platt Teen Innovation Grants Program.

Lisa’s mother, Judi Niver, also served on the temple’s board and both parents are active members in the temple community. Lisa is a regular at Shabbat services (speaking about her book on Sept. 29) and during COVID, she helped coordinate political leaders to read the prayer for our country.

She's lent her voice to characters in multiple Star Wars video games (including Knights of the Old Republic II). You can hear her work in the Metal Gear Solid (Strangelove), Doom, Diablo, Ratchet & Clank, Mortal Kombat (Sonya Blade and Sheeva, and Mass Effect video game franchises; video game adaptations of the Dune novels, the James Bond franchise, Edgar Rice Burroughs' Conan, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Oh, and she also happens to have been Rabbi Yoshi's dorm neighbor during their freshman year at Princeton. From her parents -- news reporter John Marshall and actress Joan Van Ark -- to her unconventional path from a stand-up comic and plus-sized model to nerd queen, Vanessa tells her story with fun, excitement, and humor, while reflecting on the lessons she's learned. 

Taboo. Outburst. Super Scattergories. Have you played any of these modern classics at family game night? You have Brian Hersch to thank.

Now a General Partner at Hersch and Company, with over $850 million in sales under his belt, Brian didn't set out to design games. His first career was in real estate development, where he honed a keen sense for business.

Then came Trivial Pursuit. When the trivia board game first burst onto the scene in the 1980s, Brian was a natural, so much so that his friends urged him to use his creative energies to invent a game of his own. Bringing his business experience to bear on the idea, he set himself to doing some market research, and found that the game's key feature—its social interactivity—was its most undervalued and under-marketed aspect.

"I'd played games my whole life," says Brian. "It was second nature. Some people watch television and say, 'I want to go into television.' Nobody who plays games says they want to go into games, at least not from our generation."

Brian (a fan of the show who's currently listening to Rabbi Yoshi's interview with Betsy Borns) now runs Hersch and Company with his brother, and is famous for being a creator and proponent of social interactive games.

Hersch has said that the reason he went into adult social games was because they served as a lubrication for rusty social skills. Children are less inhibited, and are more ready, willing, and able to have fun at any moment.

"They don't carry the burdens of life, the responsibilities, the weight of memories both good and bad," Brian says. "Can we facilitate a good time amongst a group of people who may or may not know each other? Can we find the common spark that they share so that they discover that there's something they can enjoy with the same feeling and laughter and pleasure? That's the biggest part of it. My games have always been group games."

His titles have now sold over 45 million copies through strategic relationships with companies such as Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, Mattel, and Western Publishing.

Erez-Likhovski helps listeners understand the controversy surrounding judicial reform, which has fueled massive protests and a historic level of civil unrest in the Jewish state over the last seven months.

Having graduated from the Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University, clerked at the Israeli Supreme Court, and earned her master's in law from Columbia, Erez-Likhovski is a member of both the Israeli and the New York bar, and has argued multiple cases in front of the Israeli Supreme Court. She is, then, perhaps better equipped than most legal experts to explain the differences and similarities between the American and Israeli high courts, and why the right-wing push for judicial reform is far more dangerous than it sounds.

"It's definitely part of a much larger program or scheme or revolution or coup that the current government is pushing for," Erez-Likhovski says. "It's been one of the first things on their agenda: to take the Israeli court system and dramatically weaken it and politicize it. It's a very, very dangerous initiative."

Since Israel famously does not have a constitution (for a variety of reasons), and therefore no process analogous to the United States' doctrine of judicial review (determining whether a law or policy is unconstitutional), the courts are often the last bulwark against efforts to institutionalize discrimination. Many of the 10,000 cases opened by the Israeli Supreme Court hears are petitions against governmental bodies on different cases of discrimination against Reform Jews, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and Israeli Palestinians.

An attorney at the IRAC in Israel since 2004, Erez-Likhovski was the director of the legal department of IRAC from 2014 to 2021. She led the legal struggle against discrimination on the basis of religious affiliation, gender segregation in the public sphere, and racial incitement. She helped abolish gender segregation on public transportation, break the Orthodox monopoly regarding the payment of salaries of state-employed rabbis, and disqualify racist candidates from running for the Knesset.

While the Israeli Declaration of Independence enshrines the rights of "all its inhabitants ... irrespective of religion, race or sex," it does not have the strength of law that a constitution or a bill of rights would have. As such, the most significant tool the courts have to fight corruption and the implementation of discriminatory laws is what is called the reasonableness doctrine. It is what the right-wing government hopes to eliminate.

In short, the doctrine allows the courts to strike down government and administrative decisions seen as having not taken into account all the relevant considerations of a particular issue, or not given the correct weight to those considerations even if those decisions themselves do not violate any particular law or contradict other administrative rulings. The doctrine has been crucial in protecting rights that are not specifically enumerated in Israeli law, but conservatives have long held that the doctrine allows unelected judges to legislate from the bench, intervening in the decisions of elected officials.

Horwich, who hails from Rabbi Yoshi's hometown of Omaha, is the founder of Artists Giving Back, a program she started to bolster the spirits of Ukrainian refugees who have fled their warn-torn country for Poland.

Horwich has long been drawn to the Syrian refugee crisis, but felt helpless as the world turned a blind eye to the horrors wrought by the Assad regime. When Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, she resolved to take action. She eventually connected with Jonathan Ornstein, a friend of Wise and the head of the Krakow Jewish Community Center, which has pivoted from rebuilding the shattered Polish Jewish community to providing food, aid, medical supplies, and housing to those fleeing Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces.

The former Director of Curatorial Affairs for the Aspen (Colo.) JCC, she pitched the idea of using her expertise as an artist to address the psychological trauma experienced by those driven from their homes. A month after they were first introduced, Horwich was on the ground with Ornstein in Poland.

By providing collaborative art therapy to those in need—particularly women, children, and the elderly—Artists Giving Back encourages refugees to get lost in their art, using their imagination and creativity to find healing and community.

The project is funded by generous support from the Staenberg Family Foundation, the Goldrich Family Foundation, Tom and Darlynn Fellman, and Horwich herself. She  hopes to fundraise more to grow and expand the program.

Born in Scotland, Freeman rose to prominence during the Corbyn Labour Jew-hate crisis and quickly became one of his generation's leading voices against anti-Jewish racism. In February of 2021, he published Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People, which became known as the Jewish Pride manifesto. In October of 2022, he followed that book up with Reclaiming Our Story: The Pursuit of Jewish Pride, the second in what will become a groundbreaking trilogy when he publishes his finale in 2024.

Freeman's journey to Jewish Pride marries two distinct identities and experiences. For a long time, his identity as a gay man and his Jewish identity were, as he puts it "totally separate." While he was raised in a vibrant, tight-knit, strongly Zionist Jewish community in Glasgow and proudly served that community for five years, the 36-year-old Freeman was born in 1987, at the height of the AIDS pandemic.

"That really clouded society's perception of what it meant to be gay, and I absorbed that, and I internalized it," Freeman tells Rabbi Yoshi. "I felt a huge amount of shame, and had to do a huge amount of work to undo all of that."

[RELATED: Wise Members Share Their Story at Pride Shabbat]

It wasn't until 2018, when the Jewish community of Britain united to oppose Labour Party MP Jeremy Corbyn's possible ascendance to the office of British Prime Minister, that the connection between Freeman's two identities crystalized. Working at the Hong Kong Holocaust Center, Freeman was somewhat on the sidelines as a firestorm erupted around Corbyn's history of antisemitic behavior, his defense of those espousing antisemitic conspiracy theories, and the increasingly antisemitic attitudes of the party he led. He took to social media with the aim to educate, approaching the situation from with his background as a Holocaust educator.

While he was inspired by the united response from the British Jewish community, he noted the difficulty many high-profile, left-leaning Jews had with calling out the clearly racist and antisemitic tropes present in Corbyn's anti-Israel rhetoric.

"I believe they were so married to their identities as leftists," Freeman says. "That just got me reflecting on my experience with gay pride, how it changed my life, and I thought, 'This is unacceptable. We need a pride movement. We deserve a pride movement,' and I started talking a bit online. I made a video with some friends, being like, 'This is why I'm proud [to be Jewish]; why are you proud?' and it went a little bit viral."

Freeman emerged as a thought-leader on Jewish education, history, and identity, and his trilogy of books is informed as much by that as it is his own experiences with LGBTQ+ pride as a gay man. With his trilogy, Freeman aims to educate, inspire, and empower Jewish people to reject the shame of antisemitism imposed on Jews by the non-Jewish world, as well as non-Jewish perceptions of what it means to be a Jew.

Rabbi Marmur was born and raised in England, the son of two Polish immigrants by way of Sweden. His father, Rabbi Dov Marmur, was proud of the family's working-class background, particularly his own father, who served as a factory foreman. It wasn't until after World War II that the elder Rabbi Marmur pursued a career in the rabbinate. When the elder Rabbi Marmur, a renowned educator, was asked if he came from a distinguished rabbinical family, he would answer, "No, but my children do."

Michael knew he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps for as long as he can remember. He wound up doing so in more ways than one.

Taking his bachelor's degree in Modern History at Oxford, he married his natural affinity for theology with a passion for study. In 1984, he moved to Israel, where he completed his studies in the Israel Rabbinic Program of HUC-JIR in Jerusalem while studying for his master's in Ancient Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

For six years after he was ordained in 1992, the younger Rabbi Marmur worked as rabbi and teacher at the Leo Baeck Education Center in Haifa, where he began to delve into the writings of Rabbi Abraham Heschel as he pondered a subject for his doctoral thesis. As Rabbi Heschel became somewhat of a fascination for the younger Rabbi Marmur, he discovered that his father, too, had read Rabbi Heschel with great interest, carefully annotating his own copies of Rabbi Heschel's works.

"Since then, he's been a major part of what I think about and what I do," Rabbi Marmur says. "Heschel has been a major intellectual, spiritual, religious preoccupation of mine for many, many years."

In 2016, he wrote his first book: Abraham Joshua Heschel and the Sources of Wonder (2016), an exploration into how one of the most significant Jewish thinkers in modern times read, interpreted, and used traditional Jewish sources.

Rabbi Heschel rejected the notion that the spiritual and social/political were separate and distinct, and did not believe that religion should be confined to one's own home. He cited Biblical prophets who advocated for the widow, the orphan, and the poverty-stricken, and the fact that God repeatedly demands justice. Not surprisingly, Heschel actively mobilized for the Civil Rights Movement and voiced his opposition to the Vietnam War.

"Heschel is a good bridge ... [between] my current theological project and my involvement in Rabbis for Human Rights," says Rabbi Marmur.

Rabbi Marmur, who describes himself as "Israel's least significant soldier in its entire history," began his journey to RHR while serving the IDF as a jailor at the Megiddo Prison. As he sat in that prison's synagogue, reading Eugene Borowitz's Renewing the Covenant, he contemplated what happens when Judaism is re-introduced to political sovereignty after a 2,000-year gap.

Rabbis for Human Rights deals with the implications of that paradigm shift. The group of Israeli rabbis promotes and protects civil rights of all who live in Israel and beyond not despite their identities as rabbis, but because that's why they are. Rabbi Marmur serves on the organization's board and was its Chair for three years.

 The two speak about the lost art of letter writing, the process of authoring a book, Jewish symbols and holidays, storytelling, homiletics, and Rabbi Klein Miles' childhood as the daughter of a studio artist. Possessed of a drive to become an author at an early age, Rabbi Klein Miles recalls a seminal moment in her young life when her father told her: "I will not consider you a writer. You are not a writer until you finish a book. It doesn't matter if it is ever published." 

She has since become a prolific author, writing the novel Drawing in the Dust (Gallery Books, 2009) of which Publishers Weekly wrote, “Insight into the world of biblical excavation in Israel raises Rabbi Klein's debut novel from a Jewish Da Vinci Code to an emotionally rich story of personal and historical discovery.” Drawing in the Dust has been published in five countries. Rabbi Klein Miles is also the author of a children’s story The Goblins of Knottingham: A History of Challah (Apples & Honey, 2017), The Scroll of Anatiya (Wipf and Stock, 2009), and Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon, a collection of short stories. Rabbi Klein’s writing is included in The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, Teen Texts, Holy Ground: A Gathering of Voices on Caring for Creation, The Sacred Exchange: Creating a Jewish Money Ethic, and more.  Her poems and prayers are used in houses of prayer around the world.

At Temple Isaiah since 2000, Rabbi Klein Miles has served as the associate rabbi, the senior rabbi, and the director of adult education and engagement. A Connecticut native, Rabbi Klein holds a degree in psychology from Brandeis University. Rabbi Klein Miles pursued the rabbinate out of a passion for ancient texts, mythology, liturgy, and poetry. Twenty-five years ago, she received a master's degree in Hebrew literature and rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York and Jerusalem. In fact, she and Rabbi Yoshi were ordained together.

Klausner's writing credits include Wanderland (2018), Date Night (2010), and Shrek Forever After (2010). He's also worked as a second unit director on Dumb and Dumber (1994), Kingpin (1996), There's Something About Mary (1998), Me, Myself, and Irene (2000), Shallow Hall (2001), and Green Book (2018).

While Klausner aspired to be an actor, his early interest in poetry and his dissatisfaction with the plays he read during his college years led him down the path to becoming a writer. His thesis advisor at Princeton wound up being none other than Tony Kushner, a four-time Oscar nominee who's won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a Tony Award for Best Play, and has collaborated with Steven Spielberg on Munich (2005), Lincoln (2012), West Side Story (2021), and The Fabelmans (2022).

Fascinated by the immediacy and intimacy of theater and the moments just before sleep, and trying to process his own parents' divorce, one of his first works was a two-act play about divorce from the point of view of two brothers. A pre-ordination Rabbi Yoshi had a part in that play, Brothers of the Bearded Lady. 

Using one's own written work to process is far from an alien concept for Rabbi Yoshi, who does so with many of his sermons. The two discuss how writing can be a powerful way to work through ideas, concepts, and emotions, and a way to see older ideas in a new light as they are revisited years later in a different context. Through this lens, they discuss regret, life choices, personal discovery, and more in a deeply personal and philosophical conversation.

During his sabbatical, Rabbi Yoshi spent two weeks in Eldoret, Kenya working with Beyond Fistula, a non-profit charity that aids women and girls in Africa who have recently undergone surgical repair for fistulas, helping them rebuild their lives through education and vocational skills training. It was a transformative experience for Rabbi Yoshi and his family, including Ariela.

Beyond Fistula got its start during Dr. Matityahu's 10-month family trip around the world with her husband and two children in 2010. The Matityahus spent one of those months in Kenya, where they met and worked with Carol's husband, Dr. Hillary Mabeya, the founder and primary surgeon at Gynocare Women's and Fistula Hospital. At that hospital, Dr. Matityahu and her 12-year-old daughter Arielle found a cause.

Obstetric fistulas are holes that occur when a woman undergoes a long and obstructed labor during childbirth. Though largely eradicated in the developed world, obstetric fistulas are still a devastating scourge for women in the world's poorest countries. 

Women laboring in huts in remote villages may push for days—rather than hours—on end with no anesthesia or medical support. The baby's head pinches and necroses the tissue between the vagina and the bladder, and sometimes the vagina and the rectum, destroying that tissue. The tissue erodes off, creating the fistula, which can lead to uncontrolled leakage of urine and feces. Many of the babies do not survive, and the women are left exhausted, incontinent, humiliated, and—all too often—ostracized by their community. 

"I remember one of the young girls that we operated on had such severe internal damage, that I, as a gynecologist who looks at this anatomy almost every day, could not identify what was left inside the pelvis," Dr. Matityahu said. "Everything had necrosed off. No bladder, no vagina, the colon was hanging open ... It was so devastating that I had no idea what I would have done next."

Dr. Matityahu wanted to learn more about that women, and those like her. As she listened to their horrific stories of rape, starvation humiliation, and desperation, she felt like she had to do something. Three of the women she operated on had one desire after surgery: They wanted to go back to school. 

What started with Dr. Matityahu donating money to fund those three women's education grew into an organization that picks up where surgery leaves off. Not only does Beyond Fistula fight the trauma and stigma facing women who suffer from fistulas, but it provides hope and dignity, along with education, room and board, and vocational training on its property in Kenya. Originally set up with one house and a tailoring program for six young women, Beyond Fistula has evolved. They now offer counseling and courses in tailoring, hairdressing, literacy skills, computer skills, and business for women of all ages—from those in their teens and those who have lived with the fallout from fistulas for 50 years. Through partner Farming God's Way, Beyond Fistula even offers a farm skills training program, whose graduates not only leave with training, but a grant to start their own small farming business.

Why should making aliyah be so difficult? That’s the question Cohen asked herself after moving to Israel by herself at 17. Her answer was to create Your Soft Landing, a resource for those looking to make the move to Israel, and for those who have already moved, but still need some help in an unfamiliar place.

Your Soft Landing helps with everything from packing and storage to buying a car to finding a place to live. They even help navigate Israel’s bureaucracy, making appointments and accompanying movers to government offices and ministries to translate and advocate. Need to bring your pet over, or open a bank account? How about finding a drycleaner? These small, seemingly mundane tasks can seem daunting during the course of an intercontinental move.

Coming from a Zionist American family, growing up during the emergence of the BDS movement, and seeing its manifestation on the campuses of colleges she was looking to attend, Cohen didn’t make the decision to move lightly. She was motivated by a need to actively protect Israel. So, instead of going to college, racking up debt, and looking for a job with Homeland Security, she moved to Israel, earning Hebrew in seven months, joining the IDF, and becoming a tank instructor.

As her military journey progressed, her opinion of Haredi Jews changed quickly. Unlike all other Jewish, Druze, or Circassian Israeli citizens, Haredi are exempted from compulsory military service.

“If you want to be a part of this country, you have to give back,” Cohen said. “It goes back to the kibbutz mindset: Everybody pitches in. Everybody is a part. If you don’t want to serve in the army, do two years of community service, where you’re doing national service or you’re volunteering in a soup kitchen or a kindergarten, or doing something for your country. If you’re a pacifist, push pencils. If you’re Haredi, go to a unit in the army where everything is male and everyone is men, but they’re still serving. There is a place for everyone.”

Cohen’s American upbringing, dedication to Israel, and her now-intimate knowledge of the country grant her a unique perspective of the events currently unfolding in the Israeli government and on the streets.

“I’ve heard this saying: ‘Israel is God’s house,’ — we’re kind of guests of God,” Cohen said. “So, I still have faith that, at the end of the day, it’s still God’s house, and He’s not going to let the country fall apart. That being said, we know that we have free will, so if we don’t use our free will, and we don’t get off our butts, then it doesn’t really matter. Things can still fall apart. The fact that I believe that we are still in God’s house, and I look out my window and I see 100,000 people protest, that gives me hope.”

Rabbi Weinberg serves as the Vice President for Israel and Reform Zionism for the Union for Reform Judaism. On Wednesday, March 29, Rabbi Weinberg gave a Zoom briefing (co-sponsored by Wise) on the state of Israeli democracy. Rabbi Yoshi and Rabbi Weinberg met at the URJ headquarters in Manhattan this week to speak about the evolving crisis gripping the country.

In recent weeks, thousands of Israelis have turned out in protest as their government's current ruling coalition—the most right-wing in Israel's history—pushed forward on its agenda of judicial reform. The proposed reforms would significantly curtail the Israeli Supreme Court's power of judicial review, effectively removing checks and balances vital to a functioning democracy and endangering the rights of women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, Arabs, non-Ultra Orthodox Jews, and others.

Though the proposed reforms were tabled, they will likely re-emerge after the Knesset's Passover recess, re-igniting tensions both in Israel and among Diaspora Jewry.

"Here, I think people are genuinely, genuinely afraid, and deeply concerned that Israel will no longer be a democracy," Rabbi Weinberg says.

Having gone through the Israeli rabbinic program, coming from a family of rabbis, and having lived in Israel, Rabbi Weinberg brings a unique perspective as the two discuss American Jewish identity, secularism, pluralism, levels of observance, social justice, the history of Israeli Judaism, tensions between the Reform Movement and Orthodox Jews, and how all of those factor into the current state of affairs in Israel.

The fascinating discussion winds its way through the parallels between the Reform Movement and the Zionist movement, comparisons between the protests in Israel and the Arab Spring, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's own legal troubles, and political science.

In this special episode, Poźniak discusses the immigrant experience and struggle with identity, the impact of growing up under Soviet rule during the Cold War, the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, the power of symbolism, mandatory school visits to Auschwitz, and her success as an artist in the United States. Along with starring as Marina Oswald in Oliver Stone's "J.F.K.," she is a noted director, poet, producer, painter, and award-winning narrator of audio books.

Born behind the Iron Curtain, immigrated to the United States in the late 1980s with, as she puts it, "big hopes and big dreams." Though she was exceptionally high-achieving in Europe -- earning a master's in fine arts with high honors at the age of 22 -- little did she know that she would one day star in an Academy Award-nominated film, much less lobby Congress to recognize a day that had long been celebrated by the international community.

"As a girl growing up in Poland, I really have beautiful memories of this day, because it was a day filled with celebration ... a lot of kindness, recognition, respect," she says. "I felt very special as a girl for that one day. It was very empowering ... My girlfriends would feel very empowered, and we felt that we could take power into our hands and also define ourselves, our own beauty, and how smart and educated we can be. And we learned all that in the schools."

The idea for International Women's Day dates back to 1910. In August of that year, at an International Women's Conference organized to precede the general meeting of the Socialist Second International in Copenhagen, Denmark, German Marxist and women's rights activist Clara Zetkin proposed an annual "special Women's Day." The next year, over one million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland marked the day, protesting for equal rights and suffrage for women across Europe.

When Poźniak arrived in the United States, she discovered that few Americans knew of the day.

"My English was very poor; they thought I was still talking about women's history month," she says. "I thought, 'No, no, it's a day, a day. It's a special day.'"

She decided to spearhead an education effort that eventually led to the introduction of a bill before Congress. In 1994, less than 15 years after Poźniak arrived in the United States, Joint Resolution 316 was passed.

The senior rabbi at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New Jersey, Rabbi Gewirtz had finished a manuscript just before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the outbreak forced him to re-frame (and in truth, re-write) the entire book. He did that while guiding his synagogue through unprecedented challenges and tending to the health and wellbeing of his own family. 

"I had to write the book twice, but the second time, [the publisher] wanted it framed as a memoir," Rabbi Gewirtz says. "He thought that the credibility I would gain from people learning about me as a human being would allow me to make the political commentary I make at the end of the book."

Originally, Rabbi Gewirtz rejected the subtitle, "The Making of a Spiritual First Responder."

"Who are we to be spiritual first responders after all?" he says. "EMTs and doctors and nurses and frontline workers are working with blood and life-and-death emergencies all the time."

His publisher insisted: Clergy like him were serving the soul of people in the same way, and in many instances, throughout the lives of their congregants.

Rabbi Gewirtz -- the son of a Hofstra professor, the dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker raised in Manhattan -- immediately thought of September 11, 2001, when he was a mere four years into his rabbinate. He vividly recalls how his senior rabbi Rodeph Sholom directed the clergy team to look up which congregants had offices in the Twin Towers. They divvied up the list and went from apartment building, knocking on doors and ringing doorbells. He recalls entering the apartment of one congregant who died in the attack, and then, years later, counseling that congregant's daughter through years of having to re-live such a personal loss in front of crowds at memorial ceremonies.

The two rabbis discuss middle-of-the-night calls and unexpected tragedies, but also the miracles they respond to on a daily basis, from weddings to children born to couples who had spent years trying. Both sports fans, they view their lives through the lens of a baseball player who still knows that he can still hit a home run, even after striking out four times the night before. As they delve into the Jewish perspectives on hope and renewal, they explore the roots of the morning prayer for gratitude, "Modeh Ani," the tragedy in Turkey and Syria, and the current political climate.

Observed each February, JDAIM is a unified effort among Jewish organizations worldwide to raise awareness and foster inclusion of people with disabilities and those who love them. JDAIM was founded in 2009 by the Jewish Special Education International Consortium to raise awareness and encourage inclusion for people with disabilities and special needs. Appointed by President Obama to the National Council on Disability (where he served from 2011 to 2014), Koch is a longtime national leader in disability advocacy.

"As the child of a congregational rabbi, who was also a URJ camp faculty member, and himself a former NFTY national officer, I was born into sort of the entire apparatus of the Reform movement at a time when people like me were not a part of that apparatus," Koch says. "In many ways, I benefitted from that. While institutional Judaism wouldn't think about practical strategies for people like me until the turn of this century, it meant that the approach was much more, 'How are we going to include Matan?' and much less, 'What's our strategy for the inclusion of Jews with disabilities?'"

From his childhood summers spent at URJ camps Eisner and Kutz, he saw demonstrations of demonstrated a type of inclusion that would plant the seeds for his future advocacy, and fell in love with song leading.

He began his disability policy career lobbying for a major disability organization in Washington while an undergraduate at Yale (where he was the president of the university's student disabilities community) and was appointed to the city of New Haven disability commission at the age of 18 while a college junior.

After graduating from Harvard Law, he served as counsel for Proctor & Gamble. Working with both the product marketing teams at P&G and its disabilities inclusion network, he developed the perspectives on consumer power and talent maximizing jobs for people with disabilities at the heart of the business case for universal inclusion that he teaches today.

Considered one of the nation’s leading Jewish inclusion experts, he has developed training and materials for many Jewish organizations, including Hillel International, the Union for Reform Judaism, and Combined Jewish Philanthropies. The son of a rabbi and a Jewish educator, he has been speaking on Jewish inclusion since early childhood and has been formally and informally retained by Jewish organizations for the last 20 years.

"This to me is the zinger: So what is the traditional instruction that, you know, resulted in the building of the Mishkan and the building also, later, of the Temple? It is, 'Build Me a space that I may dwell among you,' right? That, that we're building a space for God," says Matan. "And yet, if each of us, with our varying levels of ability, is a reflection of God, then God reflects the totality of all of that, which means that to build a space—to truly build a space for God to dwell among us—it has to be a fully inclusive space, because any person, any attribute, any type, that is excluded from the space that we build, is a facet of God that we are excluding from that."

The founder of the Z3 Project, which fosters renewed conversation on world Jewry and Israel relations, Bodner has spent his career serving the Jewish community. Before taking over OFJCC, he spent 14 years as the Pacific Northwest Regional Director of AIPAC. During his time heading the OFJCC, he oversaw the launch of the Taube Center for Jewish Peoplehood, and helped create the Center for Social Impact, which is committed to tikkun olam initiatives that address poverty, disaster relief, racial justice, and more.

His new book discusses what it means to live a meaningful, relevant, and joyful Jewish life. Bodner touches on the role of Jewish education in general, and Jewish preschools in particular, including Wise's Aaron Milken Center. Bodner also touches on the evolution of interfaith marriages and Judaism's relevance to our increasingly multifaceted sense of personal identity.

What, though, does it mean to "do" Jewish, instead of just "being" Jewish?

"In my mind, how you live and what you do is way more important," Bodner says. "I start the book off with this quote from David BenGurion: 'Words without deeds are nothing,' because it really is, in my mind, about the doing."

There is a lot of tikkun olam in Bodner's conception of "doing" Jewish.

In the midst of an existential crisis while working as a legislative assistant in Sacramento shortly after graduate school, Bodner came to a realization: The meaning of life was to be God's partner in creation. He touches on the kabbalist tradition of divine light: "Our purpose in life, our meaning, is to be God's partners in creation, because when God created the universe, it was imperfect, it was incomplete, so we exist to finish the work, and we do that by fixing the brokenness, by making the pain go away, by helping bring other people joy, and enjoying it ourselves. That was the notion that hit me, all at once."

In the latest edition of his Search for Meaning podcast, Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts singer-songwriter Veronica Zweiback, who talks about her journey in music, as well as her journey of self-discovery in terms of gender identity.

Rabbi Yoshi's niece comes from a musical family. Not only are her uncle a talented guitarist, but father plays the guitar, bass, and drums. Her mother Kimberly Marshall is a world-renowned organist and a professor of music at Arizona State, so fittingly, Veronica played piano (along with the violin, cello, classical guitar) growing up.

She first began songwriting as an 8-year-old, and still remembers looking down at her handwriting as she wrote her artist name. At the time, she thought, it was just what young songwriters did—write out one's band name in cool fonts—but there may have been something deeper behind her choice.

"I had this alter-ego name, and this is so prescient and cute thinking back now," she says. "It was so telling. It was my name backwards, which was 'Noraa,' because my name at birth was Aaron ... There's always this cycle as an artist, especially for songwriters. There's this pressure to have an alter ego or a moniker, so you're often just playing with identity through your songwriting, the different parts of yourself."

At 16, Veronica's friends began calling her Ronnie, inspired by the song "ronnie ronaldo!" written by Greta Kline, whose own stage name—Frankie Cosmos—became the name of her band. Veronica and her band soon began to go by Soft Ronnie when playing shows.

"I was a little fangirl, and she was our favorite artist, and all my friends would geek out about Frankie Cosmos, her band," Veronica said. "She would start singing 'Ronnie,' and we would all go crazy, because that was my nickname. Also, the person it was about was shortening Aaron to Ronnie in the same way that I was at that time."

A music project that defies naming conventions or a traditional genre, Veronica describes Soft Ronnie as sad-guitar-rock/indie-alt/DIY/anti-folk. For the uninitiated, DIY means that Soft Ronnie not only records, but produces, releases, and promotes music. Artists like Jeffrey Lewis (a comic book artist and singer-songwriter) and Daniel Johnston got their start in much the same manner. It was in fact the DIY scene that helped Veronica overcome early insecurities when it came to music.

After some shop talk about music, Rabbi Yoshi and Veronica delve into how the search for gender identity maps onto her experience with and expression through music.

The film—written, directed, and produced by Mintz—tells story of just some of the over 25,000 Jewish partisans who fought back against the Nazis and their collaborators from deep within the forests of World War II's Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and Belarus. Against extraordinary odds, they escaped Nazi slaughter, transforming from young innocents raised in closely knit families to courageous resistance fighters. Mintz and her team interviewed the last surviving partisans for the film, which reveals a stunning narrative of heroism and resilience that shatters the myth of Jewish passivity.

"I set out to make this film in search of an answer to my long-lasting childhood question: 'Why didn't the Jews fight back?'" Mintz says. "What I discovered, through the survivors' searing memories, were riveting stories of courageous and inspiring resistance – a chapter in our collective history about the Jewish partisans that needed to be told."

The Ordination Seminar instructor at HUC-JIR's Skirball Campus, Rabbi Chasen is also the Senior Rabbi at Leo Baeck Temple, which partners with Wise's Center for Youth Engagement and currently hosts our Aaron Milken Center Parenting Center during construction of our transformational new facility.

Before he became a rabbi, Rabbi Chasen wrote music and edited scores for film and television. His love of music—he started playing the guitar at age 10—is intimately entwined with his love of Judaism. As a scrawny 11-year-old at Goldman Union Camp Institute in Indiana, he was first exposed to the blend of Israeli and American folk-style music that would eventually come to define the Reform Movement of the 1980s and 1990s.

"I came to camp not really knowing that my guitar had any efficacy," Rabbi Chasen says.

Within his first four weeks at Goldman, he had talked his way into leading a lunchtime song session.

"The guitar was bigger than I was," Rabbi Chasen says.

The two old friends riff on a variety of topics, from their shared love of music (and their band Mah Tovu), to their midwestern roots, to their sport fandoms ("Football is a secondary religious pursuit," says the Chicago-born and Kansas City-raised Rabbi Chasen), to Rabbi Chasen's unlikely journey from Hollywood to the rabbinate.

The play, which follows a Viennese Jewish family from 1899 through 1955, grapples with the aftermath of the pogroms, assimilation, civil liberties, infidelity, Bolshevism, the rise of the Third Reich, and the devastation wrought by the Shoah. Together, Romy and Rabbi Yoshi—who attended college with Romy's father, officiated her parents' wedding, and attended her baby naming—explore how she got into acting, the casting process, balancing work and school, and how such a young actress (despite a lengthy resume) experiences the very personal adult themes in the show.

From singing songs from "Annie" at age 2, to starring as Elsa in a community theater children's production of Disney's "Frozen" at age 4, Romy has built an extensive body of work, performing in commercials, short films, animated projects, and television series.

Last year, she starred in the award-winning short film "Yes, Chef" (2021), and recently appeared on “Home Economics” (ABC, 2022) and “Face’s Music Party” (Nick Jr., 2022). She can be seen in the major recurring role of Luisa Dubin on the new AppleTV+ series “Best Foot Forward” (2022), and as series regular Leeli in the streaming animated series “The Wingfeather Saga” (2022-23). Soon, Romy will appear in two national commercial campaigns and she'll lend her voice to another streaming animated series. The actress-singer-songwriter plays ukulele and piano, and will also soon be releasing an album of original songs.

Romy prides herself on finding ways to relate to the characters she plays in order to make her portrayal more real, and, she says, "more like I am this character." That task takes on a new dimension in "Leopoldstadt," which is based on the real-life Holocaust experiences of playwright Tom Stoppard's family.

Romy did not initially know that the play was about the Holocaust during the audition process, or what the Holocaust even was. Then she began rehearsals for her dual roles, playing two members of the same family decades apart—one in 1899 (Sally), and the other in 1938 (Mimi).

"I didn't audition for the scary, getting-kicked-out-of-their-house part," Romy says. "I auditioned for the happy-girl-during-Christmas part at the beginning of the play."

In order to bring her 1938 character to life, she drew from her own family's story.

"When we started rehearsals, I had this book about the Holocaust, because my mom and my dad wanted me to learn about the family history," Romy says. "I was getting to that age. I was getting to 9 and 10, which is when I should learn about my family history. It's a dark, dark past. They wanted me to know what went on back then."

After reading the book and discussing it with her mother, Romy researched even further. She is currently in the middle of reading "The Diary of Anne Frank," and read a graphic novel about her life.

"My ancestors ... they experienced that, too," Romy says.

When he was a boy, Rabbi Knobel went to Jewish day school and Jewish day camp, but when his parents gave him a choice one summer of going to Jewish sleepaway camp or working on his grandfather's farm, he chose the farm. After six weeks of working on the same row of lima beans (which brought home all of $5), he swore off farming and signed up for the next summer of sleepaway camp.

Sleeping in the Pennsylvania wilds was nothing compared to Rabbi Knobel's service in the U.S. Army. Rabbi Knobel's father volunteered to serve during the Vietnam War, and his maternal grandfather had served in the Army during World War II. But, by 1997, when Rabbi Knobel secured the recommendation of a local congressman for admission to West Point, the United States had not fought a war longer than 40 days in decades. September 11, 2001, was still four years away when Rabbi Knobel made his first visit to the academy's campus, where he witnessed firsthand the compassion, camaraderie, and support cadets provided one another.

"It was unlike any college tour I'd ever been on," Rabbi Knobel says. "West Point, it wasn't about what they were going to do for you, but what you were going to do for each other ... To a certain extent, it's why I do what I do now. Jewish communal life is about what we can achieve by taking care of each other."

Rabbi Knobel graduated and earned his commission as an officer in June of 2001. Three months later, the Twin Towers fell. In 2003, Rabbi Knobel was deployed overseas. As a junior officer, he recalls the uncertainty surrounding the invasion of Iraq: The day before the invasion, neither he nor his men truly believed it would happen.

Rabbi Knobel served until 2008, having served in Kuwait and Afghanistan. He and Rabbi Yoshi talk about war protests (and the lack thereof), the rationale behind the war, the human cost of the "liberation" of Afghanistan, the aftermath of the United States' military presence in the region, and how Rabbi Knobel's experience helped prepare him for becoming a rabbi, where the lessons he's learned have helped give depth and texture to his teaching.

This was our third time so we knew the drill: the first order of business after helping shlep their luggage to their dorm rooms is the journey to Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

This wasn’t a thing when I went to school more than thirty years ago. My parents took me to Eppley Airfield in Omaha, helped me check in my duffel bags, hugged me tight, wished me luck, and sent me on my way. A few hours later I arrived at my destination and found my way to the shuttle bus which took me to campus. I dragged my heavy bags to the housing office, got my key, and—schvitzing profusely in the August heat—met my roommates for the first time.

Whatever we had forgotten to bring with us, well, the University Store had many essential items and there was a department store in town that was about a fifteen-minute walk away. Over the first few weeks of college, somehow, we managed to procure everything we needed to get ourselves set up.

That’s not how it’s done today—at least not in my experience. By and large, parents accompany their kids to school, and today it seems like it’s the parents’ job to procure those necessary items. Enter into any one of these “domestic merchandise retail stores” situated within a thirty-minute drive of a university campus from mid-August to early September, and you’ll see the same thing: parents pushing shopping carts filled with bins, cleaning products, contraband microwave ovens and mini-fridges, and whatever else is on the list that’s mostly likely been texted to them by their matriculating student. You can witness in real-time panic setting in as you see one parent snatching the last twin size mattress pad in the store. 

A little more than a month ago, I made this pilgrimage for the last time.

We are now officially “empty nesters,” gradually getting used to our quieter, neater home.

Each of these college drop-offs has taught me something powerful and profound about letting go, lessons that can help us and those we love grow and mature, and especially on this Day of Atonement, lessons that can help us achieve healing and forgiveness. 

While some of this wisdom relates to parenting, I want to acknowledge that not everyone in this room is a parent, will be a parent, or wishes to be a parent. But we are all somebody’s child and we all have relationships at our places of work and communities we care about where these lessons are applicable.

The first lesson is that letting go, at the right time and in the right way, is good for others, for our loved ones, our colleagues, or those we mentor. They need us to let go of them.

When our girls were little, we held them so tightly, literally and figuratively. God forbid we’d drop them! We’d check on them in the middle of the night to make sure they were still breathing.

I remember holding their little hands in mine as I helped them take their first steps, releasing them at just the right moment as they’d lurch forward and fall. And then I’d gently help them up so they could try again.

I remember the first time they rode a bike without training wheels, standing there, both proud and heartsick, as the most precious thing on earth to us slowly rolled down the street.

Years later, it was teaching them to drive, me sitting in the passenger seat, gripping the door handle for dear life as they eased the car out of the driveway. 

Each of these moments came in its&

The full transcript of Rabbi Yoshi's Rosh Hashanah sermon is below:

At the end of the movie, "Schindler’s List," Yitzhak Shtern, played by Ben Kingsley, presents Oskar Schindler with a ring. On it, he explains, are engraved words from the Talmud that say: "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire."

Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, is clearly moved. As he reaches out to shake Shtern's hand, he says, "I could have got more out … if I had just …"

"No, no, no," Shtern says: "... There are 1,100 people who are alive because of you—look at them … There will be generations because of what you did."

"I didn't do enough," Schindler says.

"You did so much," Shtern tells him.

The survivors whose lives Schindler saved really did give him a ring as a token of their appreciation. The gold was sourced from their fillings which they volunteered to the ring maker.

But the part about the inscription from the Talmud was the invention of the filmmakers and, if you know your Talmud, you might actually think that they got the quote wrong.

The original text that teaches that "whoever saves one life saves the world entire" comes from tractate Sanhedrin and the context is interesting and important.

It's part of the instructions a judge gives to witnesses in a capital case, warning them to be extra careful with their testimony since a person's life is literally at stake. To prove its point, the Talmud quotes a verse from the Bible, the one that describes the world's first murder—a fratricide—Cain killing his little brother Abel in jealousy and rage

In the story from the Torah, immediately after the murder, God says to Cain, "What have you done?!?! The blood of your brother cries out to me from the ground." (Gen. 4:10) The Rabbis notice though that the word "blood" in Hebrew is in the plural, literally, "the bloods of your brother - דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ." Why the plural? Because, the rabbis reason, Cain didn't just kill Abel. He killed all of Abel's potential descendants—generations that might have come to be had he lived.

And then the Talmud teaches: "Therefore the creation of all humanity began with just one individual soul—the first human—to teach you that whoever destroys one soul …, destroys an entire world. And whoever saves one soul … saves an entire world."

A person is an entire world because all humanity can descend from that one soul.

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The Berkeley-educated Niku has a unique background, coming from an Iranian Jewish family. That background spurred his lifelong love of language and a deep and abiding sense of curiosity.

That curiosity led Niku—who grew up speaking Farsi—to delve into the language his Kurdish grandfather spoke. The more he learned, the more he realized that his grandfather wasn't speaking Kurdish, but a dialect of Aramaic—the language of the Talmud and parts of the Hebrew Bible.

Niku has used language as a window to history, as he has used linguistics to explore the development and nuance in the politics, culture, and faith, not to mention sociology, psychology, and human geography. Through Persian and Jewish languages, he has charted the unique blend of Jewish ritual and worship that developed in Persian Jewish communities.

You won't want to miss a minute of this fascinating look into Jewish history, including a manuscript dating from the 1700s.

The topic of Rabbi Sari's early Jewish learning brings up the subject of gender equity and representation.

A tangent about how New Yorkers use hands to talk—Rabbi Sari just finished reading "True Biz," a novel about the deaf community, which is all about non-verbal communication—leads to a fascinating discussion about liturgical sign language interpreters.

All of these are weaved into the story of how Rabbi Sari came to find her calling, and how she came to Wise.

The only child of a Conservadox mom and a classical Reform dad (both from Long Island), Rabbi Sari's story covers growing up in Manhattan, spending her summers at camp, her first trip to Israel, and her desire to work for the State Department and help solve the Middle East peace crisis.

A lover of languages (and now an avid viewer of Apple TV+'s "Tehran"), she was set to learn Hebrew and Arabic when she got to Northwestern University. When she arrived, though, she experienced something new: As a Jew, she was a minority. Growing up in New York, "There were no shortage of Jews," she says. "That was the overriding culture in New York City. All of these things are so baked in."

She sought out Jewish community in a way that she never had, and took a class that would change her life: Introduction to Judaism. For the first time, she encountered the academic side of Judaism—theology, theodicy, and philosophy—and fell in love.

"I grew up in a family that fostered kids, so I saw that up close," Rabbi Silverman says. "Also, I'm a rabbi, and I really believe strongly in the power of community, so I put the two together."

In 2016, after meeting hundreds of people in dozens of cities across North America while touring with her book, "Casting Lots: Creating a Family in a Beautiful, Broken World," Rabbi Silverman was convinced that many more people would foster and adopt, if only they had support and direction.

"Parenting in general is daunting," says Rabbi Silverman, who has adopted two children. "Foster parenting is extra daunting. The process itself is overwhelming."

Rabbi Yoshi, who now serves on the organization's board, was one of the first people Rabbi Silverman approached with her idea: An organization that would lower the barrier to entry for foster and adoptive parents by providing guidance, fellowship, and community to those who had the desire to foster and adopt, but lacked the expertise, experience, and wisdom such a community could provide. In 2017, she founded Second Nurture.

Fully acknowledging the disproportionate rate at which minority children are separated from families who may very well be able to care for them, Rabbi Silverman has been adamant that Second Nurture operate with racial justice in mind. Studyafter studyhas found that aging out of foster care (or merely being "in the system") carries a strong direct correlation with future incarceration. Beyond providing logistical support to families willing to foster and adopt, Second Nurture also works to address the racial disparities and injustices endemic to the foster care system.

"We are not policy people," Rabbi Silverman says. "We are not the judges who decide these cases. But, we can say, 'We want to know what the situation is.' We want to have a special kind of program where we're able to foster kids and support the bio family ... We can be a part of a solution, and to partner with people who do have the power, so that we can move this forward in a positive way."

In 2005, while attending a talk about the genocide against the Tutsi, Anne Heyman (z"l) learned that Rwanda had no systemic solution to support the well-being and development of its 1.2 million orphans. Recognizing the parallels to the orphan crisis spawned by the Holocaust, Heyman looked to Israel for a solution: After the Shoah, Israel had built residential communities that ensured the orphans’ safety, security, and development. In 2008, applying Rwandan culture to the Israeli model, Heyman opened Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village with a class of 128 students, all survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

More than 1,600 children have come through Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in the last 14 years. Though the children who come through today are no longer survivors of the genocide, they are a part of its legacy of poverty, abuse, drug addiction, and forced prostitution.

Nkulikiyimfura was born to parents forced to flee their country as teenagers. Had Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village existed then, they would have been welcomed. When he first heard about the village in 2010, he was already an adult. Invited by Heyman to visit with his wife, he was blown away.

"We did not understand the concept of a youth village," Nkulikiyimfura says. "We were like, 'OK, this must be an orphanage or a boarding school.' It was none of the above. It was a place, a home, for kids who had lost family members. It was a place where we think our kids are allowed to reclaim their adolescence. It's a place that we believe our parents would have wanted for their own kids, had they been alive."

Having experienced antisemitism as a young man growing up in London, Waksman wrote a stirring article about anti-Zionism and antisemitism in December of 2021: "When it comes to social justice and inclusive marketing, Jews don't count."

The piece was inspired by attacks on Jewish students and Jewish symbols in central London at Hanukkah time, which was only really reported in the Jewish press, a distressing trend that speaks to a much larger and much more concerning issue: Growing antisemitism, cloaked in anti-Zionism, spreading not only across Europe, but across the United States, as well.

Currently in Israel, Waksman delves into how antisemitism and anti-Zionism has complicated international efforts to aid the Ukrainian Jewish community, particularly members of that community who are seeking refuge in Israel. The rise in anti-Zionist sentiment (fueled by growing antisemitism) in Europe and the fear of a proxy war in the Middle East is particularly vexing as the human toll of Russia's invasion continues to rise.

In response to those like Gigi Hadid, who have made comparisons between the Russia-Ukraine dynamic and the Israel-Palestine relationship, Waksman calls such efforts "incredibly dangerous and reductive," because of the level of complexity that accompanies such conflicts.

"When people are comparing one conflict to another, it's never to shine a light on a particular conflict," Waksman says. "It's in order to further an agenda or an opinion, which is not about the specific conflict to begin with. I always find it cynical and ... deeply unhelpful."

Russian President Vladimir Putin initially called his invasion a "de-Nazification" effort, despite the fact that Ukraine's Jewish president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's great-grandparents were murdered in the Holocausts. Zelenskyy's response to that—"How could you possibly accuse me of being a Nazi?"—notably omitted the (likely implied) fact that he was Jewish.

"From what I see, at least at the start of the conflict, he was not the one who led with his Jewish identity," Waksman says. "People then commented, and he did that. He's not the one who put his Jewish identity [forward], nor should he have to. I'm just making the observation."

That leads to a deeper conversation about the state of inclusivity, and how Jews, despite being the quintessential Other for millennia, still don't rank high in the hierarchy of racism. In the words of British author David Baddiel, "Jews Don't Count" in identity politics.

In the latest edition of his Search for Meaning podcast, Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts cardiologist Dr. Afshine Emrani.

Just 12 years old when the Revolution swept Iran, Dr. Emrani and his family moved to England, where he had a doorstep bar mitzvah, courtesy of the local Chabad. After three years, the family moved to Los Angeles.

From humble beginnings dissecting chickens his mother would bring home for dinner, Dr. Emrani went into medicine to help improve patients' lives. That's how he landed on the field of cardiology, where he could not only improve the quality of the lives in his hands, but save them, as well. After graduating from UCLA, he earned his medical degree at U.C. San Diego. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Despite being a natural introvert, Dr. Emrani has become a social media star on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, where he posts on politics, religion, and medicine.

"I don't enjoy talking to a lot of people ... but there is a giant voice inside me, and ideas that I would like to share," Dr. Emrani says. "When I started putting those ideas in words on social media, initially on Facebook, I noticed that people are gravitating towards them."

He speaks in this podcast about his Jewish journey, his friendship with Rabbi David Wolpe, the difficulty of communicating nuance on social media, and COVID-19. Dr. Emrani and Rabbi Yoshi also discuss Jewish philosophy, their complicated thoughts on several past United States Presidents, and their shared love of music.

Author of "Comic Lives: Inside the World of Stand-Up Comedy," Borns is also the creator of the sitcom "All of Us," produced by Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, which ran for four seasons.

From getting kicked out of Hebrew school for telling a dirty joke during as an 8-year-old in Indianapolis, to her rise as a writer and producer in Hollywood, Borns takes Rabbi Yoshi on a ride through the mind of a comedian. One keen insight: the comic sensibility is a defense mechanism, but it's also an impulse to protect other people, finding the funny side of life to prevent people from feeling sad.

"If most people look at life in three dimensions," Borns says, "comedians look at life in four dimensions, and see that there's just another side to it ... Comedians don't just see reality. They see reality, plus one."

Along with being a successful writer, producer, and author, Borns is married to Emmy and Peabody Award winner Jonathan Shapiro. Listen to his conversation with Rabbi Yoshi here.

In this wide-ranging discussion, Lindner—author of the recently-released book "Aspire Higher"—delves into his childhood struggle with weight and self esteem. He and Rabbi Yoshi examine how that struggle shaped not only Lindner's amateur athletic career, but his ascendance as an agent to some of the top news personalities in the United States.

Lindner details how his father's long work weeks led him to develop feelings of insecurity and un-love-ability, which in turn led to toxic emotions, binge eating and bad decisions. At the age of 4, Lindner was so frustrated with his father for his perceived lack of attention and approval that he threw a brick at him. "My aim was as bad as my judgement," says Lindner, who thankfully missed.

The two reconciled and bonded over paddle tennis, which led to Lindner's emergence as a tennis phenom in Brooklyn, where he beat the famed Bobby Riggs. As his confidence grew, he developed discipline and cultivated an even-keeled disposition. He also fell in love with learning. He mastered his emotions, and as he read more broadly, began to examine how control of one's emotions or desires relates to what Judaism says about strength and power.

"I believe every day is a Rosh Hashanah or a Yom Kippur," he tells Rabbi Yoshi. "We should assimilate information every day—what we're doing right, what we're doing wrong, and how to be better."

As Lindner's emotional intelligence and curiosity grew, he began to understand his father more: A Polish immigrant with only the barest of educations, he had lost his father at an early age and worked as he did so that his son could have the education he never did. Lindner discusses his father's role in the establishment of department store T.J. Maxx, and how that led him to a serendipitous encounter with Sam "Cookie" Weisbord, who persuaded him to work at the William Morris Agency, instead of at a law firm that had the agency as a client.

From Bjorn Borg and Vitas Gerulaitis, Air Supply, and Kate Kapshaw, to Lester Holt, Mario Lopez, Colin Cowherd, and Megyn Kelly, to local talents Christine Devine, Dallas Raines, and Pat Harvey, Lindner and his team have worked with a laundry list of stars. He has espoused his positive life choice psychology both in "Aspire Higher" and "Career Choreography," which has its roots in his own experience.

While not officially a client, he's even counseled Rabbi Yoshi. Over a lunch early in their relationship, he suggested to the then Head of School at Wise School that he should apply to be the Senior Rabbi at Stephen Wise Temple. Rabbi Yoshi will be celebrating seven years in that position this year, and he will be honored for his 10 years of service to the Wise community at the Wise Gala on May 7.

From cassette recordings of four-part harmonies with her musical family during her days as a "faculty brat" at the URJ Kutz Camp, Elana has morphed from a classical musician to a secular folk singer to now one of the preeminent voices in modern Jewish music. When she sits down and riffs with Emma, the two buzz with energy when talking about harmonizing and improvisation, the influence of Debbie Friedman, the excitement and beauty of the High Holy Days, and Divine inspiration.

Regarding the book's popularity, Horn tells Rabbi Yoshi, “I wished people liked it a little less, because what I’ve discovered is that I was more right than I thought I was.”

Join Rabbi Yoshi for his discussion with Horn that includes some of the disturbing conversations the book has inspired, the insidiousness of Holocaust inversion, and the recent alarming rise in antisemitism.