Jeff Bloom: Some Guy Wrote a Book about Jewish Theology [Rationality 1/4]

This series is sponsored by Unpacking Israeli History.This episode is sponsored by Daf Yomi with Shaul C. Greenwald, a fast-moving energetic daf shiur, delivered with clarity and intensity. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to a series of guests who have made aliyah about the practical factors involved with building a life in Israel.Serena Benovitz, Chana Berkowitz, Yehoshua Fass, Edo Lavi, and Ahron Levi shed light on the nuances and complexities involved in moving to Israel, though for many of us, the mere thought of uprooting our lives and going to an unfamiliar place is intimidating enough. In this episode we discuss: What inspires people to leave their homes and begin anew in Israel?What are the difficulties that come with making aliyah?What does the process of moving to Israel generally involve?Tune in to hear a conversation about what is unique about deciding to lead a Jewish life in the Jewish state.Serena Benovitz Interview: 11:58Chana Berkowitz Interview 37:17Yehoshua Fass Interview: 43:27Edo Lavi Interview: 1:40:10Ahron Levi Interview: 2:08:18Aliyah—the "pilgrimage" of moving to Israel that literally translates to "ascent"—is a multi-layered subject. We are joined by Rabbi Yehoshua Fass of Nefesh B'Nefesh to break it down.Rabbi Yehoshua Fass is Co-Founder of Nefesh B’Nefesh and has served as the organization’s Executive Director since 2002. After receiving his rabbinic ordination and degrees in biology and education from Yeshiva University, Rabbi Fass assumed the position of Associate Rabbi of the Boca Raton Synagogue of Florida and served as a member of the Beit Din of the Orthodox Rabbinical Council.This episode is sponsored by Daf Yomi with Shaul C. Greenwald, a fast-moving energetic daf shiur, delivered with clarity and intensity. The shiur moves swiftly through the daf, while still managing to explain well the difficult portions of the sugya. The shiur is available daily on all podcast platforms, All Daf, and on Torah Anytime.References:The Koren Mahzor for Yom Haatzma'ut and Yom Yerushalayim by Jonathan SacksGenesis 12Nefesh B’NefeshTzidkas HaTzadikFreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubnerהארץ אשר אראך by Rabbi Shnayor BurtonBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

15 Maj 20232h 19min

This series is sponsored by Unpacking Israeli History.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Elli Fischer— a writer, translator, and editor—about the relationship between Jewish law and the Jewish state.For almost 2,000 years, we were able to maintain a system of Jewish law without the convenience of a homeland. Yet now, when we have our own state, Jewish law seems more difficult and complicated to implement than ever.In this episode we discuss: What is the effect of halacha on the Jewish state and the effect of the Jewish state on halacha?How can halacha and society be integrated in Israel?What is it about the nature of halacha that puts it outside the domain of the current systems of government?Tune in to hear a conversation about the role of Jewish religion in the Israeli government.Interview begins at 19:27.R. Elli Fischer is an independent writer, translator, and rabbi. Previously, he was the OU-JLIC rabbi and campus educator at the University of Maryland. He holds BA and MS degrees from Yeshiva University, rabbinical ordination from Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, and is working toward a doctorate in Jewish History at Tel Aviv University. He is a founding editor of The Lehrhaus, a web magazine of contemporary Jewish thought. His original writing on religion and politics in Israel, the interplay between legal and nonlegal elements of the Talmud, Jewish religious culture, and Central European Jewish History have been widely published. He is the translator of By Faith Alone: The Story of R. Yehuda Amital and the editor of R. Eliezer Melamed’s Peninei Halakha series in English.References:EzekielThe Invention of Jewish Theocracy: The Struggle for Legal Authority in Modern Israel by Alexander KayeHalakha and the Challenge of Israeli Sovereignty by Asaf Yedidya Isaiah Sefer Lev ha-Ivri by Rabbi Akiva Joseph Schlesinger“Ivri Anochi” by Benny Friedman Rabbi Elli Fischer's translation of Peninei HalakhaState of Halakha: Israel's History in Jewish Law by Aviad TaboryThe Politics of Torah: The Jewish Political Tradition and the Founding of Agudat Israel by Alan L. MittlemanBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

8 Maj 20231h 48min

This series is sponsored by Unpacking Israeli History.This week, we are sponsored by the Inaugural Global Jewish Fertility Support Summit, organized by the nonprofit I Was Supposed To Have A Baby. Taking place on Sunday, May 7th, via Zoom, this summit will include some of the most prominent voices from 15 major fertility organizations worldwide. Whether you're on a fertility journey, a professional, clergy, or lay leader in the space, or if you want to know how to be more sensitive to your friends and family, this summit is for you! Learn more and register for FREE at iwassupposedtohaveababy.org.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Bezalel Naor—author, translator, and expert on Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook—about Rav Kook’s relationship to the Land of Israel.Rabbi Naor helps us see the bigger picture of the Zionist project by exploring the spiritual dimensions of Zionism as demonstrated in Rav Kook’s thought. In this episode we discuss:How did Rav Kook’s love for the Land of Israel begin?Where should one begin when learning the works of Rav Kook?What is the relationship between the nefesh, ruach, and neshama?Tune in to hear a conversation about how the Land of Israel went from an abstract concept in the Jewish imagination to a concrete part of our lived reality.Interview begins at 11:04.Bezalel Naor is a teacher, translator, and author of many books on Rav Kook and Jewish mysticism. His works include Orot (Maggid, 2015); When God Becomes History: Historical Essays of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook (Kodesh, 2016); The Koren Rav Kook Siddur (2017); and Navigating Worlds: Collected Essays (Kodesh, 2021), among other books.References:Navigating Worlds: Collected Essays (2006-2020) by Bezalel NaorOrot by Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook, translated by Bezalel NaorTowards the Mystical Experience of Modernity: The Making of Rav Kook, 1865-1904 by Yehudah MirskyRav Kook: Mystic in a Time of Revolution by Yehudah MirskyRosh Milin: Kabbalistic Insights into the Hebrew Alphabet by Rav KookJerusalem TalmudIgorot HaRaiyah, The Collected Letters of Rav Kook Volume Three by Rav KookGuide for the Perplexed by MaimonidesWhen God Becomes History: Historical Essays of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook edited by Bezalel NaorThe Legends of Rabbah Bar Bar Hannah with the Commentary of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook translated by by Bezalel NaorNine and a Half Mystics: The Kabbala Today by Herbert WeinerThe Souls of the World of Chaos by Rav Kook, translated by Bezalel NaorShemonah Kevatzim by Rav KookBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

1 Maj 20231h 14min

This series is sponsored by Unpacking Israeli History.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Lahav Harkov, senior contributing editor and diplomatic correspondent of The Jerusalem Post, about the media we consume regarding Israel.Living in the diaspora and caring deeply about Israel can be challenging when one does not have first-hand knowledge of current affairs in the land. Lahav Harkov helps us learn how to gain a deeper understanding. In this episode we discuss:How can diaspora Jews be best informed about what is happening in Israel?What do people feel is at stake in the debate over Israeli judicial reform?What are the key differences between American and Israeli politics?Tune in to hear a conversation about how we can experience Israeli issues in a way that doesn’t feel like a “translation.”Interview begins at 20:07.Lahav Harkov is the Senior Contributing Editor of The Jerusalem Post and the Post’s Diplomatic Correspondent, analyzing and reporting on Israel’s relations with the world, the Prime Minister’s office, the National Security Council, the Foreign Ministry, and more. She was the Post’s top analyst and reporter in the Knesset for over 8 years and was The Jerusalem Post‘s news editor and managing editor of JPost.com.References:Good Will HuntingPrint to Fit: The New York Times, Zionism and Israel (1896-2016) by Jerold S. AuerbachReal Jews: Secular Versus Ultra- Orthodox: The Struggle For Jewish Identity In Israel by Noah Efron Khaled Abu Toameh at The Jerusalem PostJPost PodcastSayed Kashua at HaaretzLike Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation by Yossi Klein HaleviBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

25 Apr 20231h 7min

This series is sponsored by Unpacking Israeli History.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Noam Weissman, executive vice president of OpenDor Media, about Israel education.In a world in which Israel is a key component of Jewish identity, young people often are given a sanitized, doctrinaire understanding of the Jewish state, rather than getting to build on an authentic experience of connection. Dr. Weissman helps us try to correct this by unpacking some recent Jewish history. In this episode we discuss:How should we provide Israel education in the contemporary world?How can we further uplift and inspire our enduring connection with the Land of Israel?What is the difference between education and indoctrination?Tune in to hear a conversation about the Jewish people, the Jewish land, and the Jewish state.Interview begins at 18:03.Dr. Noam Weissman is the Senior Vice President of OpenDor Media. Noam is also the Founder and Director of LaHaV. Noam previously served as Principal of Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles. Noam earned a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Southern California, with a focus on curriculum design. His dissertation, entitled “Approaching Israel Education,” argues for a new vision in learning about the modern State of Israel, focusing on Zionist identity development, narrative formation, and the ability to have a mature and loving relationship with Israel without sacrificing empathy.References:Seinfeld“Could Judaism Survive Israel?” by Gary EpsteinJewish History UnpackedGenesis 12:1OpenDor MediaThe Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People by Walter Russell Mead The Wondering Jew: Israel and the Search for Jewish Identity by Micah GoodmanSide by Side: Parallel Histories of Israel-PalestineIsrael: A History by Anita ShapiraIsrael: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel GordisIsrael: A History by Martin GilbertThe Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership by Yehuda AvnerBonus References from Unpacking Israeli History:AltalenaMunich MassacreKishinevWar of IndependenceYom Kippur WarEntebbeDeir YassinSix-Day War UN Resolution 3379Black PanthersRabin's AssassinationBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

18 Apr 20231h 23min

This series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to a son who almost intermarried, the mother of a daughter who married a non-Jew, and Huvi and Brian, a couple whose intermarriage turned into a Jewish marriage—about intergenerational divergence in the context of intermarriage. This Pesach, we have the opportunity to reflect on our childhoods and how, through our families, all of our “beginnings” stretch back far beyond our own lifetimes. How can a Jewish family navigate the prospect of intermarriage?How can we maintain familial bonds with members of interfaith families?What ruptures can happen within families and communities when a Jew dates, or marries, a non-Jew, and how can those ruptures be repaired?Tune in to hear a conversation about how an apparent disaster doesn’t need to be the end of the story.First interview: 16:16Second interview: 50:23Third Interview: 1:17:23References:“Big Gedalia Goomber” by Uncle MoishyArukh HaShulchan, Yoreh De'ah 345 by Yechiel Michel Epstein“Absolute Beginners” by David BashevkinGenesis 12“Family Ties” by David BashevkinShevet Sefer, Yoreh Deah 108 by Simcha Bunim SchreiberBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

28 Mars 20232h 26min

This series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Liel Leibovitz and Lisa Ann Sandell about what happens when one partner wants to increase their religious practice.Liel grew up a secular Israeli, while Lisa was raised in a traditional home of loosening observance. When, eight years ago, Liel brought up the idea of keeping kosher, they realized they were moving in different directions. What first drew Liel toward growing religiosity? How did Lisa react to the changes in Liel’s worldview and lifestyle? How are they able to run a home, marriage, and family together despite being on separate and dynamic paths? Tune in to hear a conversation about being a “helpmate,” someone who both challenges and uplifts their spouse.Interview begins at 11:21.Lisa Ann Sandell is the author of the young-adult books The Weight of the Sky, Song of the Sparrow, and A Map of the Known World. Liel Leibovitz is editor at large for Tablet Magazine and a host of its weekly culture podcast Unorthodox and daily Talmud podcast Take One.References:8 Minute DafTake One“Eli, the Fanatic” by Philip RothLincolnSin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David Bashevkin Daniel Deronda by George EliotHow the Talmud Can Change Your Life: Surprisingly Modern Advice from a Very Old Book by Liel LeibovitzIsaiah 54:10“Everlasting Love” by Rabbi Shlomo & Eitan KatzBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

21 Mars 20231h 8min

This series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Aliza and Ephraim Bulow, a married couple whose religious paths diverged over the course of their shared life. With the loss of a son, granddaughter, and grandson, Ephraim lost his faith in Judaism while Aliza remained an observant believer. As they describe it, now, when making kiddush, Ephraim provides the words and Aliza brings the kavanah. In this episode we discuss: What is it like to stay committed to a marriage when one partner loses their religious faith?Is there any public embarrassment in having a spouse who is less observant than oneself?What might make it worthwhile to keep a religiously divergent marriage intact?Which Jewish experiences do Aliza and Ephraim still share?Tune in to hear a conversation about the love and trust needed to hold a marriage with religious differences together. Interview begins at 12:02.References:Song of Songs “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp)” by Allan Sherman“Seventy-Six Sol Cohens” by Allan ShermanMiriam's Kitchen: A Memoir by Elizabeth Ehrlich Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

14 Mars 20231h 10min