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We're taking a week off from our main podcast, but we want to share with you an episode of our new podcast, 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers, recorded on Nov. 25. Subscribe to on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to catch the latest episode every Monday.
The true enemy in Israel's current war, Einat Wilf says, is what she calls "Palestinianism."
Once part of the Israeli left, Einat Wilf is a popular political thinker on Israel, Zionism, and foreign policy. Her 2020 co-authored book, "The War of Return," outlines what she believes lies at the core of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: the Palestinian people's "Right of Return" is what makes this conflict unresolvable.
Einat served in Israel's Knesset from 2010 to 2013 and now lectures and writes widely on contemporary issues. She is the author of seven books and hosts the "We Should All Be Zionists" podcast. She has a BA from Harvard, an MBA from INSEAD in France, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Cambridge.
Now, Einat joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including what Palestinianism is, why Israel's war aims are flawed, and the future of Gaza.
This interview was held on Nov. 25.
Here are our 18 questions:
As an Israeli, and as a Jew, how are you feeling at this moment in Israeli history?What has been Israelâs greatest success and greatest mistake in its war against Hamas?How do you think Hamas views the outcome and aftermath of October 7âwas it a success, in their eyes? What do you look for in deciding which Knesset party to vote for?Which is more important for Israel: Judaism or democracy?Should Israel treat its Jewish and non-Jewish citizens the same?What role should the Israeli government have in religious matters?Now that Israel already exists, what is the purpose of Zionism?Is opposing Zionism inherently antisemitic?Is the IDF the worldâs most moral army?If you were making the case for Israel, where would you begin?Can questioning the actions of Israelâs government and army â even in the context of this war â be a valid form of love and patriotism?What do you think is the most legitimate criticism leveled against Israel today?Do you think peace between Israelis and Palestinians will happen within your lifetime?What should happen with Gaza and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict after the war?Is Israel properly handling the Iranian threat?Where do you identify on Israelâs political and religious spectrum, and do you have friends on the âother sideâ?Do you have more hope or fear for Israel and the Jewish People?
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This episode is sponsored by Eden Beit Shemesh. Contact Rina Weinberg at [email protected] for more details.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to a panel of rabbis about yeshiva, seminary, and the âyear in Israel.â Additionally, we hear from Dov Rosenblatt, who more than two decades ago wrote the satirical song âFlippinâ Out.â
Gap-year programs have become one of the primary points of contact that American Jews have with Israel. But, paradoxically, the year in Israel is a quintessentially American experience. In this episode we discuss:
What are the signs of a healthy gap-year experience? How can gap-year programs become more focused on Israel? How has the year in Israel changed in a postâOctober 7 world?Tune in to hear a conversation about how the gap year can meet the needs of this generation.
Interview with Dov Rosenblatt begins at 16:25.
Shaalvim Dinner panel with Ari Waxman, Judah Mischel, and Gershon Turetsky begins at 33:36.
References:
âFlippin' Outâ by Blue Fringe
Flipping Out? Myth or Fact? The Impact of the "Year in Israel" by Shalom Z. Berger, Daniel Jacobson, Chaim I. Waxman
âWhy Space Tourists Won't Find the Awe They Seekâ by Henry Wismayer
18Forty Podcast: âRav Judah Mischel: A Change in Progressâ
ââDumbed-Down Catholicism Was a Disasterââ by Molly Worthen
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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This episode is sponsored by Eden Beit Shemesh. Contact Rina Weinberg at [email protected] for more details.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Mickey and Ortal FlaumenhaftâDavid Bashevkinâs Israeli neighbors in Teaneckâabout their experiences living Jewishly in three different countries.
When the Flaumenhafts were in Israel for their sonâs bar mitzvah on October 7, Mickey made the decision to join his unit in Gaza. In this episode we discuss:
What does a couple consider when making the decision to leave Israel? What can Americans learn from the way Judaism permeates Israeli culture?How has the American Jewish communityâs connection to Israel deepened since October 7?Tune in to hear a conversation about what it means to hold the entirety of the Jewish People in our hearts, no matter where we might be.
Interview begins at 7:45.
Mickey Flaumenhaft is the Director of Development at American Friends of Migdal Ohr, a welfare organization for Israelâs orphaned and at-risk youth. Mickey served reservist duty in Gaza this past year. Ortal Flaumenhaft is a first-grade teacher for Hebrew and Judaic studies at Yeshivat He'Atid in Teaneck.
References:
A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut
To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility by Jonathan Sacks
The Legends of Rabbah Bar Bar Hannah with the Commentary of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook by Bezalel Naor
18Forty Podcast: âBezalel Naor: Rav Kookâs Mystical Vision of Zionismâ
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This episode is sponsored by Eden Beit Shemesh. Contact Rina Weinberg at [email protected] for more details.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Yehuda Turetskyâa rosh mesivta of Yeshiva Shaâalavimâand Dr. Ilana Turetskyâa Yeshiva University faculty member supervising student-teachers in Israelâabout their experience raising kids in Israel.
North American Orthodox Judaism has developed strong boundaries deciding who is in and who is out of the community. But, when we look to our friends in Israel, we find that our approach is by no means the only one. In this episode we discuss:
How does Israelâs Hardal community differ from Americaâs Centrist Orthodox community? What do olim parents think of the way religion and politics are intertwined in Israel? How has âflip-outâ culture in gap-year programs evolved in recent decades?Tune in to hear a conversation about understanding religious growth in ways that transcend ârightâ and âleft.â
Interview begins at 11:41.
Rav Yehuda Turetsky is a rosh mesivta of Yeshiva Shaâalavim. After attending Shaalvim, he returned to Yeshiva University, where he received a B.A. in Psychology, M.S. in Jewish Education, and Semicha as a member of the Wexner Semicha Honors Program. He has published articles on a variety of topics, including Gemara, Medical Halacha, Jewish Education, and the Sociology of the Modern Orthodox community.
Dr. Ilana Turetsky is a faculty member at Azrieli Graduate School of Yeshiva University, teaching online courses and supervising student-teachers in Israel. She holds a Doctorate and Masterâs degree from Azrieli Graduate School, a Bachelorâs degree from Stern College, and a Misrad HaChinuch Teâudat Horaâah in Tanach Education from Herzog College.
References:
Machshava on the Parsha with Rabbi Yehuda Turetsky
âSliding to the Left? Contemporary American Modern Orthodoxyâ by Yehuda Turetsky and Chaim I. Waxman
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This episode is sponsored by Eden Beit Shemesh. Contact Rina Weinberg at [email protected] for more details.
Noam Taragin, son of our recent guest Rabbi Moshe Taragin, was seriously injured in Lebanon. We ask to pray for his quick healing: Noam Avraham ben Atara Shlomit.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Shayna Goldbergâa teacher, mashgicha ruchanit, yoetzet halacha, and authorâabout the unique features of Israelâs Religious Zionist community.
Jews in America are proud of the institutions and culture built over the past century, but we tend to forget that Israelâs Dati Leumi community has developed its own parallelâand vastly differentâculture. In this episode we discuss:
How did Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and Rav Kook lay the groundwork for our different religious communities today? How does religious life in Israel compare with America?How have religious Israeli womenâs attitudes toward army service evolved over the years?Tune in to hear a conversation about how deeply Jewish practice and spirituality penetrate everyday life in Israelâs religious communities.
Interview begins at 12:42.
Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg teaches Israeli and American post-high school students and is the mashgicha ruchanit in the Stella K. Abraham Beit Midrash for Women in Migdal Oz, an affiliate of Yeshivat Har Etzion. She is a yoetzet halacha, a contributing editor for Deracheha: Women and Mitzvot, and the author of the book, What Do You Really Want? Trust and Fear in Decision Making at Life's Crossroads and in Everyday Living (2021).
References:
âRabbi Soloveitchik Meets Rav Kookâ by Jeffrey Saks
Orot HaTeshuvah by Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook
Prepare My Prayer by Rabbi Dov Singer
Works of Rav Shagar
Sus Anochi by Rabbi Jacob Sasson
Zeved Tov by Rabbi Zevulun Charlop
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This episode is sponsored by Eden Beit Shemesh. Contact Rina Weinberg at [email protected] for more details.
Noam Taragin, son of our previous guest Rabbi Moshe Taragin, was seriously injured in Lebanon. We ask to pray for his quick healing: Noam Avraham ben Atara Shlomit.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Malka Simkovichâa scholar of Jewish history, the editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society, and a three-time 18Forty guestâabout previous Jewish diasporas.
We tend to think of âIsrael-diaspora relationsâ as a modern phenomenon. But, as Dr. Simkovich reminds us, that situation existed well over 2,000 years ago, when some Jews returned to the Land of Israel following the Babylonian exile while others remained abroad. In this episode we discuss:
What are the differences between the notions of golah, diaspora, and galut?Did ancient diaspora Jews have a political equivalent to âsupporting Israelâ? How should Jews live when in a partial state of exile?Tune in to hear a conversation about the âproto-messianic mindsetâ throughout Jewish history and today.
Interview begins at 8:58.
Dr. Malka Simkovich is the director and editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society and previously served as the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies and Director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She earned a doctoral degree in Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism from Brandeis University and a Masterâs degree in Hebrew Bible from Harvard University. She is the author of The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria (2016), Discovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism (2018), and Letters From Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity, (2024). This is her third time speaking on 18Forty.
References:
18Forty Podcast: âMalka Simkovich: The Mystery of the Jewish Peopleâ
18Forty Podcast: âMalka Simkovich: The Secrets of Second Temple Judaismâ
Letters from Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity by Malka Z. Simkovich
The Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus
The Elephantine Papyri in English: Three Millennia of Cross-Cultural Continuity and Change by Bezalel Porten
Rosh Hashanah 18b
Ben Sira
Zechariah 8:19
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This episode is sponsored by Eden Beit Shemesh. Contact Rina Weinberg at [email protected] for more details.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rav Moshe Taragin, rosh mesivta at Yeshivat Har Etzion, about the interrelated missions of American and Israeli Jewsâand the stake that each of us holds in the Jewish redemptive story.
In this episode we discuss:
How should young American Jews experience Israel in their formative years? How has October 7 altered the diaspora communityâs orientation toward Israeli society?How can we be less intimidated by the differences between frumkeit in America and Israelâs religious culture?Tune in to hear a conversation about what it means to engage with the âfront stageâ of Jewish history.
Interview begins at 19:21
Rav Moshe Taragin has been a rosh mesivta at Yeshivat Har Etzion in the Gush since 1994. He has semikha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, a BA in Computer Science from Yeshiva College, and an MA in English Literature from City University. Rabbi Taragin previously taught Talmud at Columbia University, lectured in Talmud and Bible at the IBC and JSS divisions of Yeshiva University, and served as Assistant Rabbi at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue. In addition, Rabbi Taragin currently teaches at the Stella K. Abraham Beit Midrash for Women of Yeshivat Har Etzion in Migdal Oz in Gush Etzion. He is a 1983 alumnus of Har Etzion.
References:
Reclaiming Redemption by Rabbi Moshe Taragin
Dark Clouds Above, Faith Below by Rabbi Moshe Taragin
âThe Waste Landâ by T. S. Eliot
Berakhot 5a
18Forty Podcast: âYosef Bronstein: Only for Chabad? Modern Orthodoxy and the Rebbeâ
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We're taking a week off from our main podcast, but we want to share with you an episode of our new podcast, 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers, recorded on Sept. 9. Subscribe to on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to catch the latest episode every Monday.
Until Hamas is gone, Haviv Rettig Gur says, Gaza will be unable to recover after the war.
The Times of Israel journalist and political analyst has emerged as a leading voice for the Israeli public and the Jewish world for deeper understandings of the war's developments. Haviv has covered Israeli politics â domestic and foreign â for nearly two decades and speaks internationally about Zionism, the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, and Israel's future.
Haviv was previously the director of communications for the Jewish Agency for Israel, and currently teaches history and politics at Israeli premilitary academies.
Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the country's leadership, Western media, and the Palestinian future.
Here are our 18 questions:
As an Israeli, and as a Jew, how are you feeling at this moment in Israeli history?What has been Israelâs greatest success and greatest mistake in its war against Hamas?Do you think Western media covers the Israel-Hamas War fairly?What do you look for in deciding which Knesset party to vote for?Which is more important for Israel: Judaism or democracy?What role should the Israeli government have in religious matters?Should Israel treat its Jewish and non-Jewish citizens the same?Now that Israel already exists, what is the purpose of Zionism?Is opposing Zionism inherently antisemitic?Is the IDF the worldâs most moral army?If you were making the case for Israel, where would you begin?Can questioning the actions of Israelâs government and army â such as in the context of this war â be a valid form of love and patriotism?What do you think is the most legitimate criticism leveled against Israel today?Do you think peace between Israelis and Palestinians will happen within your lifetime?What should happen with Gaza and the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict after the war?Where do you read news about Israel?Where do you identify on Israelâs political and religious spectrum, and do you have friends on the âother sideâ?Do you have more hope or fear for Israel and the Jewish People?
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support. -
This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar, and this episode is sponsored by dailygiving.org.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to musician Matisyahu Millerâknown as âMatisyahuââwho has publicly re-embraced his Judaism and Zionism since October 7.
Matisyahuâs public persona has long been subject to scrutiny and analysis. Comparatively few people, though, have listened to his story in depth. In this episode we discuss:
How has the public expression of Matisyahuâs Jewish identity ebbed and flowed throughout his life?Is there anything Matisyahu would change about the Orthodox community?How has the inwardness of Matisyahuâs Jewish identity guided him throughout his life?Tune in to hear a conversation about what it means to be, in Matisyahuâs words, âa pnimius Yid.â
Grammy-nominated artist Matisyahu is a singer, songwriter, rapper, and alternative rock musician. He's known for his skill in blending reggae and hip hop as he provides a raw expression of his spirituality. His long and winding career consists of seven albums including chart-topping Light, Youth, Spark Seeker, Akeda, and Undercurrent with hits such as "One Day", "Sunshine", and "King Without A Crown". Through his lyrics, Matisyahu develops a personal, artistic, and sophisticated way to express the yearning for deep spiritual meaning, and as his own beliefs opened up to find more variety and depth, the desire for his performances to match the unpredictable flow of life developed as well.
References:
The Office
Light by Matisyahu
Akeda by Matisyahu
Holy Brother: Inspiring Stories and Enchanted Tales about Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach by Yitta Halberstam Mandelbaum
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Politics Of Experience by R.D. Laing
"Spiritual Schadenfreude: The Case of Matisyahuâs Beard" by David Bashevkin
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In this special episode of the 18Forty Podcast, in honor of the anniversary of October 7, we revisit and reflect on the conversations weâve had that have helped us process this tumultuous time.
The past year has been long and painful, and weâve been constantly reminded that the trajectory of Jewish history is still at stake. This makes it imperative for us to examine our lives and our relationship to God and to the Jewish People during these Ten Days of Repentance. In this episode we discuss:
What is the role of memory in the Jewish experience, and what are the memories of October 7 that we will hold with us? How has the terror attack altered the way we live and the way we understand the world?How have our theological and ideological beliefs developed over the past year?Tune in to hear a conversation about what it means to be a Jew during this consequential period in the Jewish story.
Interview highlights begin at:
Rachel Goldberg-Polin: 16:17
Danny Brom: 23:27
Dina: 30:23
Jonathan Gribetz: 37:29
Doron Perez: 46:29
Noa Lewis: 59:22
References:
Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Zakhor: Jewish History and Jewish Memory by Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi
âThe Man in the Arenaâ by Theodore Roosevelt
âShomer Yisroelâ by Omek Hadavar
18Forty Podcast: Rachel Goldberg-Polin: âA Hostageâs Mother Fighting for His Freedomâ
18Forty Podcast: âThe Trauma of War: Mental Health Professionals in Israelâ
18Forty Podcast: âA Haredi Mother Sending Her Children To Serveâ
Defining Neighbors: Religion, Race, and the Early Zionist-Arab Encounter by Jonathan Marc Gribetz
Reading Herzl in Beirut: The PLO Effort to Know the Enemy by Jonathan Marc Gribetz
18Forty Podcast: âJonathan Gribetz: Teaching the Palestinian-Israeli Conflictâ
18Forty Podcast: âDoron Perez: One Child Married, One Child Missingâ
18Forty Podcast: âOn Loss: Defending Israel on Oct. 7â
Ecclesiastes 3
18Forty Podcast: âNoa Lewis: How Can We Help Israel?â
Genesis 29:17
Rashi on Genesis 29:17
âForgive Me, My King I Did Not Know You Were Also a Fatherâ by David Bashevkin
Yoma 39b
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This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar, and this episode is sponsored by dailygiving.org.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Emmi Polansky, known on social media as @livingemunah, about her journey finding agency as a single mother.
Sometimes, when we talk about teshuva, weâre referring to repentance for our specific sins. Another type of teshuva, as we explore, is a return to God as we celebrate our own worthiness and tzelem Elokim. In this episode we discuss:
What is it like to participate in chagim and simchas during the process of divorce?How do we pick up the pieces when our plans for a perfect familial and spiritual life fall apart?How did fitness help improve Emmi âs mental and emotional health?Tune in to hear a conversation about what it means to repeatedly return to God in times of apparent loneliness.
Interview begins at 12:21.
References:
Chagigah 15a
As a Driven Leaf by Milton Steinberg
Sinâąaâągogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David Bashevkin
@livingemunah on Instagram
Emunah Minute on WhatsApp
Bilvavi Mishkan Evne
18Forty Podcast: âRav Moshe Weinberger: Can Mysticism Become a Community?â
18Forty Podcast: âMoshe and Asher Weinberger: Heart of the Fireâ
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
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This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar, and this episode is sponsored by dailygiving.org.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Tuvia Tenenbom, a formerly Haredi and now secular Jew and the author of Careful, Beauties Ahead!, about how he developed a new love for Haredi religious life.
When Tuvia Tenenbom wrote a book about Haredim in Mea Shearim, he found that all Jewsâno matter how different their communitiesâare interconnected in more ways than we might think. In this episode we discuss:
How did the Haredi community respond to October 7?What do outsiders misunderstand about Haredi Jews?Is humor the universal Jewish language? Tune in to hear a conversation about what it means to truly love the entirety of the Jewish family.
Interview begins at 28:37.
Tuvia Tenenbom is an Israeli-American theater director, playwright, and author who is the founding artistic director of the Jewish Theater of New York. He authored several books that deal with themes of Jewish life, Jewish culture, antisemitism, and the Holocaust, including his well-known Catch The Jew!. He joins us to discuss the year he, a secular Jew, spent with the Haredi Jews of Mea Shearim.
References:
18Forty Podcast: âJoshua Leifer and Shaindy Ort: How Progressive Activists Rediscovered Traditional Jewish Lifeâ
Tosafot on Pesachim
Careful, Beauties Ahead! by Tuvia Tenenbo
Catch The Jew! by Tuvia Tenenbom
Works of Tuvia Tenenbom
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This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar, and this episode is sponsored by dailygiving.org.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yussie Zakutinsky, rabbi of Kâhal Mevakshei Hashem in Lawrence, New York, about his vision for a Judaism that unites the entire Jewish Peopleâno matter how wide the gaps between us.
Since October 7, of the many schisms within the Jewish People, some have mended while others are torn anew. As a nation, we have much further to go. In this episode, we discuss:
How can we see the divinity in Jews with whom we profoundly disagree?What do we mean when we say âthe entirety of the Jewish People is an expression of Godâ?How can we rescue the divinity within ourselves and within one another?Tune in to hear a conversation about, as the Baal Shem Tov described it, vanquishing the dragon and redeeming the princessâi.e., elevating the good in all the Jewish People.
Interview begins at 20:27.
Rabbi Yussie Zakutinsky is a rabbi and spiritual leader. He is the rabbi of Kâhal Mevakshei Hashem in Lawrence, New York, and is a sought-after lecturer and leader of spiritual happenings.
References:
Mesillat Yesharim by Moses Chaim Luzzatto
Derekh Hashem by Moses Chaim Luzzatto
Avodah Zarah 9a
rabbiywilk.com
Genesis 12:5
18Forty Podcast: âRabbi YY Jacobson: How Did the Rebbe Revolutionize Judaism?â
Works of Rav Kook
Works of Rav Tzadok HaKohen
Divrei Soferim 16
Pachad Yitzchok by Rav Yitzchok Hutner
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This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar, and this episode is sponsored by dailygiving.org.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Joshua Leifer and Shaindy Ort, married progressive activists who are reembracing traditional Jewish life.
Joshua and Shaindy grew up in Conservative and Yeshivish communities, respectively, but struggled to find a Jewish community as they joined left-wing circles, specifically those highly critical of Israel.
After October 7, Joshua resigned from the anti-Zionist magazine Jewish Currents, and in August, he published Tablets Shattered: The End of an American Jewish Century and the Future of Jewish Life, which made headlines after a Brooklyn bookstore canceled Joshuaâs planned talk because it included a Zionist rabbi. In this episode we discuss:
Has October 7 changed anything for progressive Jews highly critical of Israel?Why do left-wing circles struggle to maintain engaged Jewish life?What differentiates the Israeli left from the American left?Tune in to hear a conversation about return and renewal for progressive Jews seeking a life of traditional Jewishness.
Interview begins at 16:44.
Joshua Leifer is a journalist, editor, and translator. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere, and he is the author of the new book Tablets Shattered: The End of an American Jewish Century and the Future of Jewish Life.
Shaindy Ort-Leifer is an attorney who works in the fields of strategic litigation and international law.
Joshua and Shaindy are married.
References:
Orot HaTeshuvah by Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook
Tablets Shattered: The End of an American Jewish Century and the Future of Jewish Life by Joshua Leifer
Siddur Sefard: âUpon Arising, Upon Entering Synagogueâ
Jew Vs Jew: The Struggle For The Soul Of American Jewry by Samuel G. Freedman
After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre
Hirsch Haggadah by Samson R. Hirsch
Arukh HaShulchan by Yechiel Michel Epstein
Kitzur Shulchan Arukh by Shlomo Ganzfried
Deuteronomy
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This episode is sponsored by Nishmat, the Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women, whose Online Beit Midrash returns on Sept. 8. Women of all backgrounds can learn Talmud, Tanach, Halacha, and more from the comfort of home. For a full class schedule and registration, go here.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to historian and professor Pawel Maciejko about the false messiah Sabbatai Zevi, Sabbateanism, and the roots of Jewish secularism.
Gershom Scholem, the scholar of Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism, saw a connection between the 17th-century messianic movement of Sabbateanism and the later movement of Jewish secularism. Was he right? In this episode we discuss:
What was the impact of Sabbateanism after its messianic fervor died down? How can studying Jewish history deepen oneâs connection with Judaism? What is Frankism, and why is it a fascination of present-day antisemitic conspiracy theorists?Tune in to hear a conversation about what the rupture from the Sabbatean movement can teach us about the wide range of Jewish identities we see today.
Interview begins at 17:05.
Pawel Maciejko is an associate professor of history and Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Chair in Classical Jewish Religion, Thought, and Culture at Johns Hopkins University. Between 2005 and 2016 he taught at the Department of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His first book, The Mixed Multitude: Jacob Frank and the Frankist Movement, 1755â1816, was awarded the Salo Baron Prize by the American Academy of Jewish Research and the Jordan Schnitzer Book Award by the Association for Jewish Studies.
References:
Not in the Heavens: The Tradition of Jewish Secular Thought by David Biale
Makers of Jewish Modernity: Thinkers, Artists, Leaders, and the World They Made edited by Jacques Picard, Jacques Revel, Michael P. Steinberg, and Idith Zertal
âThe Holiness of Sinâ by Gershom Scholem
Mishnah Chagigah 2
Ezekiel 1
Accounting for the Commandments in Medieval Judaism by Elliot R. Wolfson
Sabbatian Heresy: Writings on Mysticism, Messianism, and the Origins of Jewish Modernity edited by Pawel Maciejko
The Mixed Multitude: Jacob Frank and the Frankist Movement, 1755-1816 by Pawel Maciejko
âThe Messianic Feminism of Shabbatai Zevi and Sarah Ashkenaziâ by Jericho Vincent
On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World by Danya Ruttenberg
âA Portrait of the Kabbalist as a Young Man: Count Joseph Carl Emmanuel Waldstein and His Retinueâ by Pawel Maciejko
âGershom Scholemâs dialectic of Jewish history: the case of Sabbatianismâ by Pawel Maciejko
Seforimchatterâs Sabbatai Zevi Series
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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak to the Perez family, whose son Daniel, Hashem yikkom damo, was killed defending Israel and the Jewish People on October 7.
Weâre joined by Danielâs father, Doron; his mother, Shelley; and his siblings, Shira, Adina, and Yonatan, to hear about Danielâs courageous life and the unfathomable loss endured by his family and the Jewish People. In this episode we discuss:
What does living a life of sanctity and purpose mean, especially in the face of terror and tragedy? How did Danielâs siblings cope with the loss of their beloved brother? Amid the absence of loss, how can we find the presence of purpose?Tune in to hear a conversation about the clarity of mission that might help us heal from the trauma of October 7.
Interview begins at 28:00.
References:
Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 2:4
Parshat Sh'lach
Shuvi V'nechze Al H'torah by Rabbi Moshe Shapiro
Peri Tzadik by Rav Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin
Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 1:1
Psalms 121
âBrotherâ by Kodaline
Ezekiel 16:6
The Bayit in every Bayit
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We're taking a week off from our main podcast, but we want to share with you an episode of our new podcast, 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers Subscribe to on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to catch the latest episode every Monday.
The Israeli governmentâs draft of Haredi men is no simple matterâbut Yehoshua Pfeffer has some ideas for moving forward.
Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer is a Haredi social thinker and activist intimately involved in Haredi affairs. He heads the Iyun Instituteâwhich operates programs and publications in the Haredi spaceâis the founding editor of Tzarich Iyun journal, and serves on the executive board of Netzah Yehuda, which serves Haredi soldiers in the IDF.
While also teaching as a professor at Hebrew Universityâs law school, he is the rabbi of Ohr Chadash in Ramot Bet, Jerusalem. Yehoshuaâs life is guided by his convictions.
Now, he sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the Haredi draft, Israel as a religious state, Messianism, and so much more.
This interview was held on July 2.
Here are our 18 questions:
As an Israeli, and as a Jew, how are you feeling at this moment in Israeli history?What has been Israelâs greatest success and greatest mistake in its war against Hamas?What do you look for in deciding which Knesset party to vote for?Which is more important for Israel: Judaism or democracy?Should Israel be a religious state?Do you think the State of Israel is part of the final redemption?Is Messianism helpful or harmful to Israel?Should Israel treat its Jewish and non-Jewish citizens the same?Should all Israelis serve in the army?Now that Israel already exists, what is the purpose of Zionism?Is opposing Zionism inherently antisemitic?If you were making the case for Israel, where would you begin?Can questioning the actions of Israelâs government and army â even in the context of this war â be a valid form of love and patriotism?What do you think is the most legitimate criticism leveled against Israel today?Do you think peace between Israelis and Palestinians will happen within your lifetime?Are political and religious divides a major problem in Israeli society?Where do you identify on Israelâs political and religious spectrum, and do you have friends on the âother sideâ?Do you have more hope or fear for Israel and the Jewish People?
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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Eli Rubinâa scholar, Lubavitcher Hasid, and author of the forthcoming book Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity: An Existential History of Chabad Hasidismâabout lifeâs big cosmic questions.
Chabad and the Rebbe are so ubiquitous in Jewish life that we tend to overlook Chabadâs underlying philosophy. Here, we take the time to look under the hood of the Mitzvah Tank. In this episode we discuss:
At its core, what is Hasidism about, and how did the Rebbe implement these essentials in a new time and a new land? What should we picture when we imagine moshiach? Has Chabad splintered off from mainstream Judaism the way some have feared?Tune in to hear a conversation about what it means to want moshiach now.
Interview begins at 11:27.
Eli Rubin, a contributing editor at Chabad.org, is the author of Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity: An Existential History of Chabad Hasidism (forthcoming from Stanford University Press). He was a co-author of Social Vision: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Transformative Paradigm for the World (Herder and Herder, 2019). He studied Chassidic literature and Jewish Law at the Rabbinical College of America and at Yeshivot in the UK, the US and Australia, and received his PhD from the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies, University College London.
References:
Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity: An Existential History of Chabad Hasidism by Eli Rubin
Social Vision: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Transformative Paradigm for the World by Philip Wexler, Eli Rubin, and Michael Wexler
18Forty Podcast: âEli Rubin: How Do Mysticism and Social Action Intersectâ
Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 32
Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 36
Open Secret: Postmessianic Messianism and the Mystical Revision of Menahem Mendel Schneerson by Elliot R. Wolfson
Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 12
Eruvin 13b
The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference by David Berger
The Messiah Problem by Chaim Rapoport
Iggeret HaKodesh: Epistle 27
Engaging the Essence: The Philosophy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe by Rabbi Dr. Yosef Bronstein
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Join our email list to receive, among other great 18Forty content, a coupon code for 10% off your Koren Publishers order, good through Aug. 31.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yosef Bronsteinâa rabbi, writer, and scholarâabout the philosophy of Chabad and the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
For much of the Jewish world, the Chabad movement plays a part in our lives, but itâs not necessarily something we understand deeply. Rabbi Bronstein, author of the newly published Engaging the Essence: The Philosophy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Koren), helps us fix that. In this episode we discuss:
What draws a Litvak to the Torah of the Lubavitcher Rebbe? What were the Rebbeâs essential innovations of Judaism?How might a messianic consciousness enhance our Torah lives?Tune in to hear a conversation about what Orthodox Jews outside of the Lubavitch community can learn from Chabad.
Interview begins at 15:33
Yosef Bronstein received rabbinic ordination and a PhD in Talmudic Studies from Yeshiva University. He is the Rosh Bet Midrash of Machon Zimrat Haâaretz, a community learning center and rabbinical training program in Efrat, Israel, and also teaches Jewish philosophy at Yeshiva Universityâs Isaac Breuer College. Rabbi Dr. Bronstein is a beloved lecturer, writer, and teacher on topics of Jewish thought, and is the author of The Authority of the Divine Law: A Study in Tannaitic Midrash and Engaging the Essence: The Philosophy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
References:
Engaging the Essence: The Philosophy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe by Rabbi Dr. Yosef Bronstein
Tanya
The Steinsaltz Tanya
Lessons in Tanya
Heaven on Earth Reflections on the theology of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe by Faitel Levin
Halakhic Man by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik
18Forty Podcast: "Yosef Bronstein: Rav Tzadok & Rav Kook on Jewish History"
Pirkei Avot 1
Kuzari
Mishneh Torah
Open Secret by Elliot R. Wolfson
The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference by David Berger
Sichos
âBittul Torah or a Taste of the World To Come? Fathers and Young Childrenâ by Yosef Bronstein
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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Chava Greenâan emerging scholar who wrote her doctoral dissertation on âthe Hasidic face of feminismââabout how the Lubavitcher Rebbe infused American sensibilities with mystical sensitivities, paying particular attention to the role of women.
Some stereotype mysticism as something out of this world. But the Lubavitcher Rebbe showed us the importance of having mysticism inform our everyday lives, emphasizing the cosmic impact of the mitzvos done by men, women, and children. In this episode we discuss:
Was the Rebbe really âthe biggest feministâ?How did the Lubavitcher Rebbeâs mysticism translate to the lived experience of his followers? How did Green come to be a self-identified Hasidic feminist? Tune in to hear a conversation about how both the Jewish and feminist worlds contain a wider range of ideas than one might expect.
Interview begins at 8:55.
Chava Green is a writer, teacher, and perpetual student. After graduating with her B.A. in Womenâs and Gender Studies, she attended Mayanot Womenâs Program in Jerusalem and Machon Alta in Tzfat. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Jewish studies at Emory University and lives with her family in Morristown, New Jersey. Her work considers the relationship between Chabad teachings and feminism.
References:
Hidden Heretics: Jewish Doubt in the Digital Age by Ayala Fader
Mitzvah Girls: Bringing Up the Next Generation of Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn by Ayala Fader
Mystics, Mavericks, and Merrymakers by Stephanie Wellen Levine
Social Vision: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Transformative Paradigm for the World by Philip Wexler
Chava Green on Chabad.org
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