Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz: How Should We Educate About Social Justice? [Social Justice 2/3]

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Dr. Malka Simkovich—Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies and director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago—about Second Temple Judaism and how it can help us understand what it means to be a Jew in our own time. Malka explores the significance of belief and observance over the history of the Jewish people. •What is the role of mystery in how we understand covenant and chosenness?•What is the relationship between religious life in the ancient world and the Jewish practice we know today? •How does belief facilitate the continuity of the Jewish tradition throughout time? Tune in to hear a conversation about the history and mystery of the Jewish nation.Interview begins at 27:40Dr. Malka Simkovich is 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 Masters degree in Hebrew Bible from Harvard University. She is the author of The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria (2016), and Discovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism (2018). References:The Formation of the Talmud: Scholarship and Politics in Yitzhak Isaac Halevy's Dorot Harishonim by Ari BergmannIntroduction to the Mishnah by MaimonidesHow Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism by Jay M. HarrisFrom Text to Tradition, A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism by Lawrence H. SchiffmanStrauss, Spinoza & Sinai: Orthodox Judaism and Modern Questions of Faith edited by Jeffrey Bloom, Alec Goldstein, and Gil StudentResponse to Michael Wyschogrod by David NovakThe Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria by Malka Z. SimkovichDiscovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism by Malka Z. Simkovich Heritage and Hellenism: The Reinvention of Jewish Tradition by Erich S. GruenDiaspora: Jews amidst Greeks and Romans by Erich S. GruenBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

28 Juni 20221h 26min

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Steven Gotlib, a fellow at Beit Midrash Zichron Dov and Rabbinic Educator at the Village Shul, about the relationship between first principles and how we are to live. Rabbi Gotlib is some rabbi who is a lot more than just some rabbi. Steven has thought long and hard about the truth claims of Judaism and the claim Judaism makes on individuals’ lives. •How does a Conservative Jewish teenager turn into an Orthodox rabbi and outreach professional? •Should the pursuit of truth override pragmatism? •What factors should go into someone’s decision to be Orthodox? •Should experiential knowledge take precedence over rational arguments? Tune in to hear a conversation about the path and process of a rabbi’s struggle with faith and philosophy.Interview begins at 15:37.Rabbi Steven Gotlib received rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, certificates in Mental Health Counseling and Spiritual Entrepreneurship, and a BA in Communication and Jewish Studies from Rutgers University. Read his review on Lehrhaus of the book, "Strauss, Spinoza, and Sinai: Orthodox Judaism and Modern Questions of Faith," titled “(How) Can we Know Orthodox Judaism is True?” (https://thelehrhaus.com/timely-thoughts/how-can-we-know-orthodox-judaism-is-true/#) References:Torah Umadda by Rabbi Norman LammAnother Way, Another Time: Religious Inclusivism and the Sacks Chief Rabbinate by Meir PersoffMystical Experience of God: A Philosophical Inquiry by Jerome GellmanThe Principles of Judaism by Samuel LebensGod in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism by Abraham Joshua HeschelAnd from There You Shall Seek by Joseph B. SoloveitchikNefesh HaChayim by Chaim of VolozhinTanya by Shneur Zalman of LiadiBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

21 Juni 20221h 25min

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jeff Bloom about the assumptions that Orthodox Judaism makes about ideology, and how we ground our faith even if we don’t have irrefutable evidence.Jeff is some guy who is a lot more than just some guy. Jeff unpacks Leo Strauss’s defense of Orthodoxy and explains how our personal life stories dictate how we see the world. - Why have we designed a system in which we don’t rummage around assumptions?- How do we read the Bible in an Orthodox lens?- Is Orthodoxy merely a warm infrastructure or is it a rationally grounded approach to life?Tune in to hear a conversation about intellectual authenticity and the axioms of belief. Interview begins at 14:25Jeffrey Bloom is a graduate of the University of Chicago. After college, he studied in a number of Orthodox yeshivot in Israel and now lives with his wife and family in New Jersey. He works as an analyst at a hedge fund and is the co-editor of Strauss, Spinoza & Sinai: Orthodox Judaism and Modern Questions of Faith. To get an entry point into Jeff’s thinking, read his thoughtful introduction to the book, and once you are there, check out Jeremy Kagan’s thought-provoking article on the history of rational thinking as well as the crucial conclusion to the work, accessible here.References:18Forty - Samuel Lebens: The Line Between Rationality and Mysticism18Forty - Zohar Atkins: Between Philosophy and Torah18Forty - Simi Peters: Building New Faith Foundations18Forty - Shmuel Phillips: Reclaiming Judaism18Forty - Anxiety and Rationality: A Personal Anonymous AccountStrauss, Spinoza & Sinai: Orthodox Judaism and Modern Questions of Faith edited by Jeffery Bloom, Alec Goldstein & Gil StudentJudaism Straight Up by Moshe Koppel“Children of Skeptics” by Thomas MerrillApples of Gold in Pictures of Silver: Honoring the Work of Leon R. Kass edited by Yuval Levin, Thomas W. Merrill and Adam Schulman18Forty - Agnes Callard: A Philosophy of Change“An Argument for Businessmen” by Shalom CarmyPermission to Believe: Four Rational Approaches to God's Existence by Lawrence KelemenPermission to Receive by Lawrence KelemenReason To Believe: Rational Explanations of Orthodox Jewish Faith by Chaim Jachter Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le CarréAni Maamin: Biblical Criticism, Historical Truth, and the Thirteen Principles of Faith by Joshua BermanThe Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis by Leon KassFounding God's Nation: Reading Exodus by Leon KassThe Revelation at Sinai: What Does “Torah from Heaven” Mean? by Gil Student and Yoram HazonyJewish Self: Recovering Spirituality in the Modern World by Jeremy KaganThe Choice to Be: A Jewish Path to Self and Spirituality by Jeremy KaganThe Intellect and the Exodus: Authentic Emuna for a Complex Age by Jeremy Kagan“The Nature and Pursuit of Truth in Different Cultural Context” by Jeremy KaganThe book of DanielBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

14 Juni 20221h 34min

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we listen to voicemails sent in by you, our listeners, and reflect on the community we have built beyond our conversations.- What do Pick-Up Sticks have in common with the sorites paradox?- How has wealth seeped into our subconscious Jewish intergenerational trauma?  - Does an accusation of abuse have the potential to ruin someone’s life even if they’re not convicted?Tune in to hear a conversation about leaky roofs, trench coats, and bobbing boats. Voicemails begin at 11:42.References:Saturday Night Live - Father-Son Podcasting MicrophoneBoJack HorsemanThe Little RascalsIntroduction to Love's Executioner : & Other Tales of Psychotherapy by Irvin D. Yalom18Forty - Alex Edelman: Taking Comedy Seriously: PurimMegillat EstherMegillat EichaTinyana, Likutei Moharan by Rebbe Nachman of BreslovPachad Yitzchak by Rabbi Yitzchak HutnerPirkei Avot 2:1Frum/OTD Dialogue Respectfully Debating Judaism18Forty -  Listener Questions and Behind the Scenes with The 18Forty Team"The View from Pew: Where Do We Go from Here?" 18Forty - Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz: A Healthy Relationship with HalachaThe Rav Rimon Bencher18Forty - Larry And Tzipora Rothwachs: Here Without You — A Child’s Eating Disorder18Forty - Rav Aaron Lopiansky: What Tribes Do You Contain Inside?10 Minute Halacha18Forty - Dr. Tamara Morsel-Eisenberg: Discovering Your Halachic Story18Forty - Marika Feuerstein: The Mentsch of Malden Mills: A Granddaughter Reflects on the Life and Legacy of Aaron Feuerstein"What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank" by Nathan EnglanderBad Jews by Joshua Harmon18Forty - Aharon Schrieber: What Happens When You Call the Police?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

7 Juni 20221h 12min

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Shira Berkovits, president and CEO of Sacred Spaces, about institutional abuse awareness and prevention.Shira is an attorney and psychologist, as well as the founder of Sacred Spaces, which partners with Jewish institutions to prevent and respond to sexual abuse and other abuses of power. Shira explains how Jewish institutions can better respond to and prevent abuse. - What preventative measures can a Jewish institution take against abuse?- Does religious affiliation make responding to incidents of abuse easier or harder? - How do we begin to heal following incidents of abuse?Tune in to hear a conversation about protecting our safe spaces. Interview begins at 20:17.Shira Berkovits is President and CEO of Sacred Spaces. A behavioral psychologist with a research background in creating large-scale organizational change, and an attorney specialized in criminal law, Shira has spent years studying the intersection of psychology and law as related to sexual offending in faith communities. Shira partners with Jewish leaders to build healthy and accountable institutions, working with a uniquely Jewish lens to foster sacredness and reduce the risk of harassment, abuse, and other interpersonal harm. Shira joins us to talk about creating and cultivating safe spaces in our communities.If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please get help.If you are in immediate danger or need emergency assistance, call 911.Shalom Task Force Hotline: 718.337.3700; Toll Free: 888.883.2323 Jewish Board Of Family And Children’s Services Domestic Violence Services: 212.262.7655New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG): 212.613.5000References:The ApostleDoubt“Crisis Change and the Continuous Art of Individual Interpretation and Negotiation: The Aftermath of Clerical Abuse in Newfoundland” by Marion Bowman“God is at Stake: Crisis Communications Following Religious Leadership Crises” by David BashevkinSin-a-gogue: Sin, and Failure in Jewish Thought by David BashevkinThe Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor DostoevskThe Grand Inquisitor by Fyodor DostoevskSacred Spaces“Institutional Abuse in the Jewish Community” by Shira BerkovitsCenter for Court Innovation The Innocence ProjectThe CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) StudyGundersen National Child Protection Training Center2013 Resolution: Preventing Sexual Abuse in our CommunityAleinu Safeguarding Children CampaignKeilim Policy ToolkitThe Office: "Search Committee" (Season 7, Episode 24)“The 10 Best Practices”“Institutional Child Sexual Abuse—Not Just a Catholic Thing” by Kelly ClarkLeviticus 18Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse“I Was Shamed and Shunned for Revealing My Abuse” by Ruth KrevskyMishna Torah - Hilchot Teshuva by MaimonidesStop It NowWhat's OK? Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual AbuseGenesis 27The Child Safeguarding Policy Guide by Shira Berkovits and Basyle Tchividjian“Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-serving Organizations: Getting Started on Policies and Procedures”“Debunking Common Myths”Moed Katan 17aMalachi 2:7 Kiddushin 54aYUTorahTorahAnytimeAdditional Resources: “Preventing Abuse in Jewish Organizations that Serve Youth: Ten Policies to Create Safer Environments” by Shira Berkovits“Vayikra as a Model for Transparent Communal Governance” by Shira Berkovits, Esq., Ph.D. and Rabbi Steven Exler“Closing the Gap in Best Practices for Prevention and Response to Sexual Abuse of Minors in Jewish Organizations”“A Conversation on Safeguarding Youth in Jewish Communities” by Shira Berkovits and Daniella Pitkoff Sacred Spaces Protocols for Safeguarding Children and Teens in Online Communication TrainingCheshbon Hanefesh GuideProtocols for Safeguarding Children and Teens in Online Communications“An Assessment of Menlo’s Church Report” by Zero Abuse Project and Sacred SpacesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

24 Maj 20221h 32min

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rahel Bayar, founder of The Bayar Group, about abuse awareness and education in faith-based communities. Due to the sensitive nature of this conversation, at times, this episode does contain mature language and listener discretion is advised.Rahel is a former assistant district attorney and now runs The Bayar Group, which provides abuse training and serves as a consultant to organizations and institutions. Rahel helps us understand some of the difficult definitions we hear and discusses the importance of establishing boundaries in order to identify red flags. - Why don't we see abuse before it happens?- What can we do to establish healthy boundaries and prevent abuse? - What conversations should we be having with our children to prevent and identify abuse?Tune in to hear a conversation about education, boundaries, and abuse prevention. Interview begins at 5:01.Rahel Bayar is the CEO of the Bayar Group, a group that provides sexual abuse and harassment prevention training for schools, camps, and organizations to create lasting change. Rahel is a former sex crimes and child abuse prosecutor who has worked in the field of sexual misconduct and abuse prevention for over a decade. Rahel served as a Managing Director in the Sexual Misconduct Consulting & Investigations division of a global security and consulting firm, and spent many years as an Assistant District Attorney in both the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes and Domestic Violence Bureaus at the Bronx District Attorney’s office. Rahel is a sought-after speaker for her workshops on sexual misconduct, abuse prevention & detection, safe social media and electronic communication practices, boundary guidelines, and consent. Rahel joins us to talk about establishing healthy boundaries.If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please get help.If you are in immediate danger or need emergency assistance, call 911.Shalom Task Force Hotline: 718.337.3700; Toll Free: 888.883.2323 Jewish Board Of Family And Children’s Services Domestic Violence Services: 212.262.7655New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG): 212.613.5000References:Gittin 56BThe Bayar GroupLaw and Order SVUCSI“I Started the Media Men List” by Moira Donegan@Rahel.Bayar on InstagramYour Whole Body by Lizzie CharbonneauConsent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of YOU by Rachel BrianKingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex RossMaus by Art SpiegelmanBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

17 Maj 202259min

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to ADA Aharon Schrieber about what actually happens when you call the police to report a domestic violence or abuse crime. Due to the sensitive nature of this conversation, at times, this episode does contain mature language and listener discretion is advised.Aharon is an assistant district attorney in the Bronx County Domestic Violence Bureau where he prosecutes domestic violence cases. Aharon shares the ins and outs of what actually happens once a crime is reported and how the case gets handled from a law enforcement perspective. - How does one practically go about reporting a crime to the police? - What can we do to understand and prevent abuse better in our communities? - What messages does Aharon hope to hear more from our community when abuse occurs?Tune in to hear a conversation about abuse, safety, and how we can do better as a community. Interview begins at 17:12.Aharon Schrieber is an Assistant District Attorney (ADA) in the Domestic Violence Bureau of the Bronx County District Attorney's Office, where he prosecutes domestic violence offenses and crimes between intimate partners. Aharon is a graduate of NYU School of Law, and is proud to be on the path that he is on, and to have been rejected from many educational institutions and employment opportunities. Tweets @baronaharon, mostly about Star Wars. Aharon joins us to walk us through the specifics of what happens when the police are brought into an abuse case. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please get help.If you are in immediate danger or need emergency assistance, call 911.- Shalom Task Force Hotline: 718.337.3700; Toll Free: 888.883.2323 - Jewish Board Of Family And Children’s Services Domestic Violence Services: 212.262.7655- New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG): 212.613.5000References:Unholy Catholic Ireland : Religious Hypocrisy, Secular Morality, and Irish Irreligion by Hugh TurpinSafe HorizonLaw and Order: SVUThe Innocence ProjectSerial Podcast“An Unbelievable Story of Rape” by T. Christian Miller, ProPublica and Ken Armstrong, The Marshall ProjectInventing Anna“Maybe She Had So Much Money She Just Lost Track of It” by Jessica Pressler“Soft Power” by Joseph S. Nye“On Star Wars, Sunsets, and Hopes for a Better Tomorrow” by Aharon SchrieberBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

10 Maj 20221h 27min

This series is sponsored by our friend, Danny Turkel. This episode is sponsored by Ari Bergmann in appreciation of Adina's work and scholarship.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Eric and Dr. Adina Yoffie about their journey as a family through ideological differences. Rabbi Yoffie is the President Emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism and his daughter Adina is a Modern Orthodox editor and writer. As Adina journeyed to Modern Orthodoxy, she also had to navigate the implications of her observance to her Reform family, and how she could live by her newfound truth without disrupting her family life. - How does one best respect religious approaches other than their own?- How does one take a principled stand without making someone within their own family feel like their own life and their own practice does not have any standing?- How did Adina’s Orthodoxy affect Rabbi Yoffie’s approach to Reform Judaism? Tune in to hear a conversation about seeing legitimacy in another camp at the same time while holding on to one’s own beliefs and convictions. Interview begins at 16:09Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie (father) is a Reform rabbi, and President Emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism. Since retiring in 2012, he has been a lecturer and writer; his writings have been published in The Huffington Post, The Jerusalem Post, and Haaretz. Dr. Adina M. Yoffie (daughter) is a tutor, editor, and writer living in Manhattan. She earned a Master's and PhD in European History from Harvard University and a Bachelor's in History from Princeton. She has published in the leading journals of her field and has received a Fulbright Award to Germany.Adina can be found at https://www.adinayoffie.comReferences:Mishna Halachos by Rav Menashe KleinThe Formation of the Talmud: Scholarship and Politics in Yitzhak Isaac Halevy's Dorot HaRishonim by Dr. Ari BergmannOp-Ed: Judaism is always ‘tikkun olam’ — and more by Eric YoffieKosher USA: How Coke Became Kosher and Other Tales of Modern Food by Roger HorowitzThe Rebbe's Army by Sue FishkoffThe French Enlightenment and the Jews by Rabbi Dr. Arthur HertzbergThe Fate of Zionism by Rabbi Dr. Arthur HertzbergJudaism, Human Values, and the Jewish State by Yeshayahu LeibowitzWords on Fire: The Unfinished Story of Yiddish by Dovid KatzBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

19 Apr 20221h 9min