18Forty Podcast

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Ari Bergmann - PhD and financier - about the benefits of shemittah.

The current Hebrew year, 5782, is a shemittah year, a year when the land rests. This has extensive economic effects on Israel’s agricultural community, as farmers are not allowed to work on or profit from their land. Ari, as an expert in both Talmud and finances, weighs in on some important questions.

- What are the laws and logistics of shemittah?
- What is the Torah’s motivation for introducing shemittah?
- How do the laws of shemittah affect power differences created by wealth?

Tune in to hear a conversation about the shemittah year.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/wealth

Ari Bergmann is the founder and managing principal/CIO of Penso Advisors LLC, A New York-based manager and advisory boutique specializing in derivatives structuring/trading and systemic risk management. Ari attended Ner Yisrael, holds an MA and PhD in comparative religion from Columbia University, and has taught at Yeshiva University, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Ari lectures widely on the topics of finance, Talmud, and Jewish thought, and is beloved for his knowledge and depth.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Eli Langer and Zevy Wolman - hosts of the Kosher Money podcast - about financial literacy as it relates to Orthodox Judaism.

The cost of living in Orthodox communities is tremendous, and seems to only grow. Between tuition, simchas, and more, families in America’s top one or two percent by income struggle to get by.

- How severe is the issue of cost of living in the Orthodox community?
- What dynamics factor into this issue?
- How should we aim to solve this issue long term?
- How can financial literacy help?

Tune in to hear a conversation about financial literacy and the cost of living in the Orthodox community.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/wealth/.

References:
Thou Shall Prosper by Rabbi Daniel Lapin
https://www.amazon.com/Thou-Shall-Prosper-Commandments-Making/dp/0470485884
You Revealed by Rabbi Naftali Horowitz
https://www.amazon.com/You-Revealed-Torah-Path-Success/dp/1422627462
The Index Card by Helaine Olen
https://www.amazon.com/Index-Card-Personal-Finance-Complicated/dp/1591847680
Dovid Bashevkin on Kosher Money
https://livingsmarterjewish.org/dovid-bashevkin-has-very-interesting-takes-on-money-kosher-money-episode-15/
Watch Kosher Money here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI8a9R9xblEbj3S5R7i35kBL9n8sF6rCl
Listen to Kosher Money here:
https://plinkhq.com/i/1572928547?to=page
More info here:
https://www.livinglchaim.com/

Eli Langer is the CEO of Harvesting Media, and previously worked as social media producer for CNBC. Eli is the host of the Kosher Money podcast, where Eli meets with visiting experts on the financial realities and challenges of life as an observant Jew.

Zevy (Isaac) Wolman is an entrepreneur and CEO of Make it Real, a global toy company. Zevy is a founding member of Living Smarter Jewish, Relief of Baltimore, Bobbie’s Place of Baltimore, and Baltimore Business Loan fund and a board member of the Orthodox Union.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Mark Trencher - founder of Nishma Research - about finances in the Orthodox community.

Mark Trencher founded Nishma Research to survey the Jewish community about various important questions relating to Jewish life. His surveys are of wide-ranging subject matter, including reasons that people go off the derech, political orientation, opinions about vaccines, and of course, finances.

- How taxing is Orthodoxy on peoples’ finances?
- What financial areas do Orthodox families struggle with most?
- Are Orthodox people able to save for retirement?
- How does this financial strain affect peoples’ religiosity?

Tune in to hear a conversation about Orthodox Judaism and finances.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/wealth/.

References:
Rupture and Reconstruction by Haym Soloveitchik
https://traditiononline.org/rupture-and-reconstruction-the-transformation-of-contemporary-orthodoxy/
Wanting by Luke Burgis
https://www.amazon.com/Wanting-Power-Mimetic-Desire-Everyday/dp/1250262488
All Who Go Do Not Return by Shulem Deen
https://www.amazon.com/All-Who-Go-Not-Return/dp/1555977057
The Index Card by Helaine Olen
https://www.amazon.com/Index-Card-Personal-Finance-Complicated/dp/1591847680
Nishma Research
http://nishmaresearch.com/
Kosher Money Podcast
https://livingsmarterjewish.org/series/kosher-money-podcast/
https://twitter.com/awilkinson

Mark Trencher is the founder of Nishma Research, which has conducted nine broad Jewish communal studies since 2015, as well as eight Jewish organizational studies. Mark previously headed research departments at two Fortune 200 financial firms and has taught business statistics on an undergraduate and graduate level. Through Nishma, Mark has studied under-examined issues in the Orthodox community relating to the community’s beliefs, practices, and attitudes. Mark currently sits on the Board of Directors of both the National Council of Young Israel and PORAT (People for Orthodox Renaissance and Torah), and president of the Hartford Kashrut Commission.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Zohar Atkins, Rabbi and philosopher, about the role that philosophy - particularly rationalist philosophy - plays in Judaism.

Zohar is a profound and poetic thinker who tries to lead an examined Jewish life. Despite being a philosopher, he is an advocate of doing, not just thinking. He takes the idea of there being 70 faces of the Torah to heart, endorsing philosophical pluralism in relation to Judaism.

- How do philosophy and the Torah interact?
- Does the Torah espouse any one true philosophy, or is it open to multiple philosophical interpretations?
- What role in Jewish life can rationalism play, and what role should it play?

Tune in to hear a conversation about philosophy and Judaism.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/rational/.

References:
Dialogues of Plato by Plato
https://www.amazon.com/Dialogues-Plato-Enriched-Classics/dp/1439169489
The Kuzari by Rabbi Yehuda Halevi
https://www.amazon.com/Kuzari-Defense-Despised-Faith/dp/0765799707
https://slatestarcodex.com/
https://www.lesswrong.com/
https://twitter.com/ZoharAtkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Zohar is the founder of Etz Hasadeh, a fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, and a popular public thinker. Zohar holds a Dphil in theology from Oxford, where he was a Rhodes scholar, and rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Zohar is the author of An Ethical and Theological Appropriation of Heidegger’s Critique of Modernity (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018), Nineveh (2019), a collection of poems, and thinks aloud about a daily question at What is Called Thinking. Zohar writes a much-loved and deeply contemplative column on the Parsha at Etz Hasadeh.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Simi Peters - author and teacher - about Jewish faith and postmodernism.

Simi is a scholar who is well-versed in both postmodern and Jewish thought. She has attempted to synthesize the two, grounding Jewish faith in postmodernism. While postmodernism calls into question the very ideas of truth and proof, she still believes that Judaism can be given a postmodern, rational grounding.

- What is postmodernism, and what implications does it have for rationality?
- How can one ground their faith in a postmodern world view?
- Where does the education system go right, and where does it go wrong, in attempting to ground its students’ faith?

Tune in to hear a conversation about Judaism and postmodernism.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/rational/.

References:
David Foster Wallace - The Problem with Irony by Will Schoder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2doZROwdte4
The Most Human Human by Brian Christian
https://www.amazon.com/Most-Human-Talking-Computers-Teaches-ebook/dp/B004FEG2S6
The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs
https://www.amazon.com/Year-Living-Biblically-Literally-Possible/dp/0743291484
Learning to Read Midrash by Simi Peters
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Read-Midrash-Simi-Peters/dp/9657108578
The Road Back by Mayer Schiller
https://www.amazon.com/Road-Back-Discovery-Judaism/dp/0873062647

Simi is the author of Learning to Read Midrash (2004) and has been a teacher at Nishmat for over 25 years. Simi has dedicated her life to adult Jewish education and teacher education, specializing in Tanach, Midrash, and Biblical commentary. Simi holds a master’s degree in linguistics from the Graduate Center of CUNY and currently teaches at Matan’s Bellows-Eshkolot Educator’s Program.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Samuel Lebens - philosophy professor and author - about the interaction of Judaism with analytic philosophy and mysticism.

Samuel is an analytic philosopher, trained to analyze philosophical questions in a precise, almost mathematical framework. In his new book, The Principles of Judaism, he attempts to wed the foundations of Judaism to this framework, discussing the ways that one might formalize their Judaism on rational grounds.

- How can one ground their Judaism in precise, rational terms?
- How certain can one be of their Judaism?
- What is the place of mysticism in a rational framework?

Tune in to hear a conversation about Judaism and analytic philosophy.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/rational/.

References:
The Principles of Judaism by Samuel Lebens https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Judaism-Studies-Analytic-Theology/dp/0198843259
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by Ludwig Wittgenstein https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Ludwig-Wittgenstein/dp/0486404455/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_i=0486404455&psc=1
The Nineteen Letters by Joseph Elias https://www.amazon.com/Nineteen-Letters-World-Rabbi-Hirsch/dp/0873066960
Covenant and Conversation by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks https://www.amazon.com/Covenant-Conversation-Genesis-Book-Beginnings/dp/1592640206
Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for God by Jerry Walls, Trent Dougherty https://www.amazon.com/Two-Dozen-Arguments-God-Plantinga/dp/0190842229

Samuel is an associate professor in the philosophy department at the University of Haifa, as well as a rabbi and Jewish educator. Samuel holds a PhD in philosophy from Birkbeck College (University of London), and his academic interests cover the philosophy of religion, metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of language. Samuel teaches at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education and the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies. Samuel’s most recent book, of several, is The Principles of Judaism, a strikingly sharp analysis of the fundamentals of the Jewish religion. Samuel’s first book was a study of Bertrand Russell’s dynamic theories about the nature of meaning.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to author Shmuel Phillips about the upsides and downsides of approaching Judaism rationally.

Shmuel grew up debating religion, always thinking about why he practiced Judaism as he did. While many people practice Judaism because it’s what they grew up with, Shmuel believes that people could give more grounding to their faith. To that end, he authored a book, Judaism Reclaimed, where he explores the modern issues of Judaism in a traditional Orthodox framework.

- How can one reconcile the Torah with the morality and science of the modern day?
- How much should rationality factor into one’s religious experience?
- How can rationality and an experiential relationship with Hashem complement each other?

Tune in to hear a conversation about Judaism in the modern day.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/rational/.

References:
Forgive Us, Father-in-Law, For We Know Not What To Think by Rabbi Shalom Carmy
https://www.amazon.com/Forgive-Father-Law-Know-Think/dp/9657324009
My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer by Christian Wiman
https://www.amazon.com/My-Bright-Abyss-Meditation-Believer/dp/0374534373
Judaism Reclaimed: Philosophy and Theology in the Torah by Rabbi Shmuel Phillips
https://www.amazon.com/Judaism-Reclaimed-Philosophy-Theology-Torah/dp/1946351784
Ani Maamin by Joshua Berman
https://www.amazon.com/Ani-Maamin-Criticism-Historical-Principles/dp/1592645380

Shmuel is an author and Torah scholar based in Jerusalem. Shmuel holds a law degree, and spent two decades studying Torah in Yeshiva and Kollel. Over this time, he wrote an analysis of some of the greatest challenges and opportunities of traditional faith in the contemporary era, Judaism Reclaimed: Philosophy and Theology in the Torah.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to an anonymous guest about the anxieties he experienced in a hyper rational approach to Judaism.

Our anonymous identifies as a rationalist, or someone who likes to analyze the decisions in his life through a logical lens. He applied this to his Judaism. But as time went on, he began having doubts and questions and his life started to fall apart. Eventually he found a different approach to his Judaism that allowed him to moderate his rationality and live a more meaningful life.

- What are the benefits and drawbacks of rationality?
- What balance should one attempt to draw?
- How can rationalists with doubts about Judaism moderate their mindset to have a more meaningful life?

Tune in to hear a conversation about rationality and Judaism.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/rational/.

References:
Why Is It so Hard to Be Rational? By Joshua Rothman https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/23/why-is-it-so-hard-to-be-rational
The Secret of Our Success by Joseph Henrich https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Our-Success-Evolution-Domesticating/dp/0691166854

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk about two impactful books about Shabbos and their authors.

Shemiras Shabbos K’Hilchasa was a seminal work about the halachos of Shabbos in the modern day. The Sabbath was an ode to the beauty and spirituality of Shabbos. Together they give two complementary perspectives, the halachic and the spiritual, on our beloved Shabbos.

- Why are Shemiras Shabbos K’Hilchasa and The Sabbath such important works?
- What do they each tell us about Shabbos that the other doesn’t?
- How do the perspectives they bring, that of halacha and that of spirituality, complement each other, and how are they similar?

Tune in to hear a conversation about the books of Shabbos.

References:
Shemiras Shabbos K'Hilchasa by Rabbi Yehoshua Neuwirth
https://www.amazon.com/Shemirath-Shabbath-Set-Yehoshua-Neuwirth/dp/1583304940
The Sabbath by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
https://www.amazon.com/Sabbath-Classics-Abraham-Joshua-Heschel/dp/0374529752
A Passion for Truth by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Jewish-Lights-Classic-Reprint/dp/1879045419
Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Grandeur-Spiritual-Audacity-Essays/dp/0374524955
Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism by Gershom Scholem
https://www.amazon.com/Trends-Jewish-Mysticism-Gershom-Scholem/dp/0805210423
The Earth is the Lord’s by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Lords-Eastern-Classic-Reprint/dp/1879045427
Man is Not Alone by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
https://www.amazon.com/Man-Not-Alone-Philosophy-Religion/dp/0374513287

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In this special episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Professor Jonathan Haidt about the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in honor of his yahrtzeit.

Rabbi Sacks had a profound impact on the Jewish world, with his eloquent words giving a voice to many. He has spoken at length about how to construct a good and meaningful life using Judaism, as well as about morality, consumerism, spiritual truth, politics, and antisemitism.

- What is the value of commitment to Judaism?
- How can Judaism contribute to our morality?
- How can Judaism contribute to our community?
- How can one keep faith in Judaism in the modern world?

Tune in to hear a conversation about the world of Rabbi Sacks.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl-ebook/dp/B009U9S6FI
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt https://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Mind-Divided-Politics-Religion/dp/0307455777
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Hypothesis-Finding-Modern-Ancient/dp/0465028020
The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt https://www.amazon.com/Coddling-American-Mind-Intentions-Generation/dp/0735224897
Religion and the Rise of Capitalism by Benjamin Friedman https://www.amazon.com/Religion-Rise-Capitalism-Benjamin-Friedman/dp/059331798X

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to author and journalist Judith Shulevitz about the world of Shabbos.

Through The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time, Judith introduced the secular world to the concept of Shabbos. She explores the power of a day of rest and the communal aspect that elevates it.

- Does a secular Shabbos of unplugging work?
- What is so radical about observing Shabbos?
- How important is community for one’s Shabbos practice?

Tune in to hear a conversation about the world of Shabbos.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/shabbos/.

Judith is a journalist, editor, author, and critic. She is currently a contributing op-ed writer for The New York Times. Judith’s book, The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time, is a deep exploration of our favorite day of rest, from its ancient origins until today. This book weaves together the story of a day but also the story of one person, with ideas and memories melting into each other. Judith joins us to talk about the complex beauty, and challenges, of Shabbos.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Senator Joe Lieberman - politician, lobbyist, and attorney - about the gift of Shabbos.

Joe Lieberman lives a life in the public eye as an observant Jew. This exemplary dedication to his values is admirable and gives Joe a unique perspective on the benefits of Shabbos.

- What gifts does Shabbos grant us that we take for granted?
- What lessons can the high-powered life of a politician teach us about powering down for Shabbos?
- Is it difficult living as a politician who observes Shabbos?

Tune in to hear a conversation about the gift of Shabbos.

References:
In the Driver’s Seat by Jenna Weissman Joselit https://www.bjpa.org/content/upload/bjpa/jose/Joselit-Jewish%20leadership.pdf
Half Shabbos is No Shabbos by Jonathan Rosenblum https://jewishaction.com/religion/shabbat-holidays/half-shabbos-is-no-shabbos/
Is Half Shabbos Really No Shabbos? By Rabbi Shalom Baum https://jewishaction.com/letters/is-half-shabbos-really-no-shabbos/
Shabbos: The Political Significance of Jewish Law by Avi Garelick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKvuRm3RzvQ
Everything Is for Sale Now. Even Us. by Dr. Ruth Whippman https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/24/opinion/sunday/gig-economy-self-promotion-anxiety.html
America the Anxious by Dr. Ruth Whippman https://www.amazon.com/America-Anxious-Pursuit-Happiness-Creating/dp/1536628972
The Gift of Rest by Joe Lieberman https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Rest-Rediscovering-Beauty-Sabbath/dp/1451627319
The 39 Avoth Melacha of Shabbath by Baruch Chait https://www.amazon.com/39-Avoth-Melacha-Shabbath-Regular/dp/0873065867

Senator Joe Lieberman is a politician, lobbyist, and attorney, who served as a senator from Connecticut from 1989 to 2013, and was the nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2000 election. Senator Lieberman is an observant Jew, and his thoughtful book The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath is a fascinating look into the spiritual journey from within the halls of power. Above all else, Joe Lieberman’s kindness, humility, and dedication to living a life of service are powerful lessons for all of us who spend our days on Netflix and nights on Youtube. The senator joins us to talk Shabbos, spirituality, and living a life of dedication and balance.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Pini Dunner and Rav Moshe Weinberger about the Yabloner Rebbe and his astounding story of teshuva.

The Yabloner Rebbe was a chassidishe rebbe who helped found Kfar Chassidim. He disappeared and went to Los Angeles, where he went off the derech, but he later returned to Judaism and Kfar Chassidim in a remarkable example of teshuva.

- Who was the Yabloner Rebbe?
- Why did he leave his faith?
- What inspired him to return?

Tune in to hear a conversation about the astounding story of the Yabloner Rebbe.

References:
The God of Loneliness by Philip Schultz https://www.amazon.com/God-Loneliness-Selected-New-Poems/dp/0547249659
The Amazing Return of the Yabloner Rebbe by Rabbi Pini Dunner https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/amazing-yabloner-rebbe
The Astonishing Story of the Yabloner Rebbe by Rabbi Pini Dunner https://rabbidunner.com/the-astonishing-story-of-the-yabloner-rebbe/
Rabbi Pini Dunner Website https://rabbidunner.com/
Mavericks, Mystics & False Messiahs by Rabbi Pini Dunner https://www.amazon.com/Mavericks-Mystics-False-Messiahs-Episodes/dp/1592645100

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/teshuva.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Miriam Gisser about changing, or even rebuilding, one’s life.

Miriam’s husband passed away from a drug overdose, forcing her to rebuild her life for her and her family. She offers unique insight into how one can change and rebuild their life, whether after a tragedy, to do teshuva, or something else.

- What are the scariest parts of change?
- How can we find the inner courage necessary for change?
- How can we deal with and remember our past while looking to the future?

Tune in to hear a conversation about resilience and change.

References:
Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions https://www.amazon.com/Al-Anons-Twelve-Steps-Traditions/dp/0910034435
God of Our Understanding by Rabbi Shais Taub https://www.amazon.com/God-Our-Understanding-Spirituality-Addiction/dp/1602801533

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/teshuva.

Miriam Gisser is a teacher, who currently resides in Ohio. Miriam’s first husband was an addict, and after his untimely death Miriam rebuilt her life from the ground up. Miriam joins 18Forty to speak about the complexities of her family’s path through life, growth, and change.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Agnes Callard - professor of philosophy and author - about the philosophy of change.

Many decisions in life can be made by weighing our values: if an action accords with our values, then we do it, and if it doesn’t, then we don’t. But when it comes to deciding what our values should be, we may need a different paradigm.

- How do we make decisions in relation to our values?
- What decisions don’t function in this normal paradigm?
- How can we decide to change our values themselves?

Tune in to hear a conversation about the philosophy of change.

References:
Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming by Agnes Callard https://www.amazon.com/Aspiration-Agency-Becoming-Agnes-Callard/dp/0190639482
Transformative Experience by L. A. Paul https://www.amazon.com/Transformative-Experience-L-Paul/dp/0198777310
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce https://www.amazon.com/Portrait-Artist-As-Young-Man/dp/1503221431
The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante https://www.amazon.com/The-Neapolitan-Novels-Boxed-Set/dp/1609455053

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/teshuva.

Professor Agnes Callard is a professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago, specializing in ancient philosophy and ethics. Professor Callard received a Masters of Arts in Classics and a PhD in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley. Unlike many academics of philosophy, her writing is powerfully accessible, making her a popular voice on issues of contemporary ideas. Agnes’s book Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming is a stunningly deep exploration of the foundational aspects of change, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the philosophy and psychology of personal growth. Agnes joins us to talk about self-creation, growth, and the philosophy of transformation.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Alex Clare - singer and baal teshuva - about changing identity and what if questions.

Alex was a rising music star who left the music industry to pursue a religious life - what's known as a baal teshuva - then returned following international commercial success. He has faced many life-changing choices, and so has experience with navigating change in a healthy way.

- How can one ensure that the changes they make are navigated healthily?
- What if one regrets the choices they have made?
- Is it useful to think about what if questions?

Tune in to hear a conversation about healthy change and what if questions.

References:
Love’s Executioner by Irvin Yalom
https://www.amazon.com/Loves-Executioner-Other-Tales-Psychotherapy/dp/0465020119
Grendel by John Gardner https://www.amazon.com/Grendel-John-Gardner/dp/0679723110
What Ifs of Jewish History by Gavriel Rosenfeld https://www.amazon.com/What-Ifs-Jewish-History-Abraham/dp/110703762X
A Student's Obligation by the Piaseczno rebbe https://www.amazon.com/Students-Obligation-Advice-Warsaw-Ghetto/dp/1568215177
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel https://www.amazon.com/Sabbath-Classics-Abraham-Joshua-Heschel/dp/0374529752

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/teshuva.

Alex Clare is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer. His song “Too Close” went double platinum in the United States and was in the top-ten in five different countries. Alex, a native of the UK, made the decision to become a religious Jew several years ago, and now resides in Jerusalem, where he creates music inspired by his spiritual life. Alex’s personal path to religion, and his decision to become an Orthodox Jew, has intrigued many, and he joins us to talk about music, religion, and the complex road to growth.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rav Judah Mischel - executive director of Camp HASC and founder of Tzama Nafshi - about change and teshuva.

Change is one of the most difficult things in life. We often wish we could snap our fingers and choose to live differently, but change usually takes time. We can think of change as a journey rather than a destination.

- How can one appreciate the process of change, the ride, as much as we appreciate the destination?
- How can we navigate the waters between hoping for change and embracing ourselves as we are?

Tune in to hear a conversation on change and teshuva, today.

References:
Tzidkas HaTzadik by Rav Tzadok HaKohen MiLublin https://www.sefaria.org/Tzidkat_HaTzadik.4?lang=bi
Baderech: Along The Path of Teshuvah by Rav Judah Mischel https://mosaicapress.com/product/baderech/
Peninei Halakha by Rav Eliezar Melamed https://www.amazon.com/Peninei-Halakha-Laws-Shabbat-Vol/dp/1592644473

For more, visit https://18forty.org/teshuva/.

Rav Judah Mischel is the executive director of Camp HASC, the founder of Tzama Nafshi, and a widely beloved teacher and travel guide to the soul of Jewish life. Rav Judah’s new book, Baderech: Along the Path of Teshuva, is a poignant road map to the pathways of penitence, so check it out now. Rav Judah joins 18Forty to talk about change, authenticity, and what teshuva means to him.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rachel Grady - documentary filmmaker of One of Us and Jesus Camp - about the expressive power of documentaries.

While fiction and non-fiction literature are powerful creative tools to explore an issue, documentaries have a unique power to portray communities from the inside. And while these portrayals may be uniquely powerful, they can also be uniquely controversial.

- What can documentaries achieve that other mediums can’t?
- How can documentaries help their audiences explore unfamiliar communities?
- How are documentaries suited to exploring religious communities specifically?

Tune in to hear a conversation on documentary filmmaking, and for Rachel's recommendations for which documentaries you should watch next.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/rachel-grady-documentary-film/.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to David Hopen - law student and author of The Orchard - about finding truth in fiction, and particularly in myths.

Though fiction and myths are by definition not true, they can still have great significance. Religious stories in particular can help guide us regardless of whether or not they’re literally true. In his book The Orchard, David tries to illustrate this, using fiction to tell deep truths about the place myth can have in the modern world.

- How can fiction tell truths despite it not being true by definition?
- How can myths help forge our identities?
- What truths did David try to tell in The Orchard?

Tune in to hear a conversation on fiction and myths.

References:
The Orchard by David Hopen https://www.amazon.com/Orchard-Novel-David-Hopen/dp/0062974742
The Client by John Grisham https://www.amazon.com/Client-Novel-John-Grisham/dp/0345531922
Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me? By Louis Sachar https://www.amazon.com/Why-Pick-Marvin-Redpost-paper/dp/0679819479
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar https://www.amazon.com/Sideways-Stories-Wayside-School-Sachar/dp/0380731487
Matilda by Roald Dahl https://www.amazon.com/Matilda-Roald-Dahl/dp/0670824399
Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen, Jennifer Bricking https://www.amazon.com/Mollys-Pilgrim-Barbara-Cohen/dp/0062870947
The Secret History by Donna Tartt https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Donna-Tartt/dp/1400031702
Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer https://www.amazon.com/Here-Am-Jonathan-Safran-Foer/dp/1250135753
On Beauty by Zadie Smith https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Novel-Zadie-Smith/dp/0143037749
With All My Heart, With All My Soul by B. D. Da’Ehu https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Heart-Soul/dp/1880880016
Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Jews-Joshua-Harmon/dp/0573702578
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander https://www.amazon.com/What-Talk-About-When-Frank/dp/0307949605
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver https://www.amazon.com/What-Talk-About-When-Love/dp/0679723056

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/david-hopen-fiction/.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt - journalist - about her relationship with writing.

Having appeared in publications like the New York Times and Haaretz, Avital is an accomplished author. Writing since her childhood, she has found inspiration in a variety of arenas, like reporting, Judaism, and advocacy.

- What inspired Avital to start writing, and how did she turn it into a career?
- What are some of the challenges of publishing in the public eye?
- How does Avital get ideas about what to write about?
- Why does she find it meaningful?

Tune in to hear a conversation on non-fiction writing, and to hear about her favorite non-fiction reads.

References:
Tefillin in a Brown Paper Bag by Rabbi Emanuel Feldman https://traditiononline.org/tefillin-in-a-brown-paper-bag/

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/avital-chizhik-goldschmidt-non-fiction/.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Dani Ritholtz - rabbi and author - about the loss of his father to further explore Tisha B’Av’s relationship to loss.

Dani Ritholtz lost his father to Pancreatic cancer in 2014. As part of his grieving process, he wrote a book exploring the development of his relationship to his loss throughout the ordeal. Here Dani talks about the book and its subject matter: how he dealt with the loss of his father.

- How does it feel for a family member to battle a possibly fatal illness?
- How did Dani and those around him cope with their loss?
- What effects did it have on their mental health?
- Why did Dani write his book?

Tune in to hear a conversation on grief and coping.

Musical Credit:
Eim Eshkachech by Itzhak Azulai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0tldz_-0yU

References:
As a Ram Yearns for the Brook by Dani Ritholtz https://www.amazon.com/As-Ram-Yearns-Brook-Journey-ebook/dp/B08FBCX11Z
Time Travel: A History by James Gleick https://www.amazon.com/Time-Travel-History-James-Gleick/dp/0307908798
Kol Dodi Dofek by Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik https://www.amazon.com/Kol-Dodi-Dofek-Listen-Beloved/dp/0881258970

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Josh Grajower - rabbi and educator - about the loss of his wife, as well as the loss that Tisha B’Av represents for the Jewish People.

The Jewish people mourn every year on Tisha B’Av, but it can still be hard to connect with the feelings of the day. Mourning is felt most strongly with those closest to us, and while the things we mourn on Tisha B’Av are of great religious and historical significance, they can feel foreign. Rabbi Grajower lost his wife, Danielle Grajower, giving him intense insight into the mourning process.

- How does it feel to lose someone close to you?
- How do you deal with the finality?
- How does time affect the emotional wound?
- How can your loss affect your relationship with God?

Tune in to hear a conversation on loss and mourning.

Musical Credit:
Eim Eshkachech by Itzhak Azulai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0tldz_-0yU

References:
Holocaust Commemoration and Tish'a be-Av: The Debate Over "Yom ha-Sho'a" by Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter https://www.jstor.org/stable/23263711
A Grief Observed by CS Lewis https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Observed-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652381
It’s OK That You’re Not OK by Megan Devine https://www.amazon.com/Its-That-Youre-Not-Understand/dp/1622039076
The Unwinding of a Miracle by Julie Yip-Williams
https://www.amazon.com/Unwinding-Miracle-Memoir-Death-Everything/dp/0525511350

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, our host, David Bashevkin, reflects on 18Forty’s Jewish peoplehood episodes.

David reassesses 18Forty’s Jewish peoplehood topic from September 2020, which featured Rav Aaron Lopiansky, Laura Adkins, Bethany Mandel, and Samuel Freedman. Using highlight clips from those episodes, David explores what brings together a group of people to form a peoplehood, the ways the Jewish community is divided, and the effect these divisions have on the larger people.

- Why did 18Forty choose this topic?
- What constitutes a peoplehood?
- How does a peoplehood remain united in the face of internal conflict?
- Can it overcome division, even when the division stems from conflicting, deep-seated values, to remain united?
- Can someone truly love a whole nation?

Tune in to hear David reflect on 18Forty’s Jewish peoplehood exploration.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/jewish-peoplehood-roundup/.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with our host, David Bashevkin, to reflect on 18Forty’s comedy episodes.

David revisits 18Forty’s comedy exploration from July of 2020, featuring comedians Gary Gulman and Leah Forster and Rabbi Daniel Feldman. David once again explores the connections between comedy and life, and how comedy can help cope with tragedy. He also explores some of the qualities of Jewish humor.

- Why did 18Forty choose comedy as a topic, and why so early?
- What life lessons can comedy teach?
- What are some of the characteristics of Jewish comedy and Jewish comedians?

Tune in to hear David reflect on 18Forty’s comedy topic.

References:
https://natebargatze.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_Hedberg
http://www.joanrivers.com/
https://18forty.org/articles/gary-gulman-this-impossible-life/
The Most Human Human by Brian Christian https://www.amazon.com/Most-Human-Talking-Computers-Teaches-ebook/dp/B004FEG2S6
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/0807014273/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/comedy-roundup/.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this anniversary episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with our host, David Bashevkin, to reflect on the last year of episodes.

18Forty has explored many important and interesting topics and has helped build a community of people interested in exploring these ideas. But it has been a big undertaking involving many unforeseen factors and complications.

- How has 18Forty decided what topics and guests to feature?
- What has David learned about the process of interviewing?
- How has 18Forty been affected by the community growing around it?
- How has 18Forty dealt with controversy?

Tune in to hear David reflect on 18Forty’s beginning and growth over the last year.

References:
Top Five by David Bashevkin https://www.amazon.com/Top-5-Dovid-Bashevkin/dp/1600918174

For more, visit https://18forty.org/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter - rabbi, professor, and historian - about censorship as it relates to Jewish history.

Though censorship exists in many areas, it is particularly interesting to analyze it from the lens of Jewish history. It can be tempting to idealize the lives of gedolim when writing about them, or to whitewash parts of history that don’t fit with our modern conceptions. It can be tricky to navigate history while preserving a given set of values.

- How should we study Jewish history?
- Is there room for idealization or censorship?
- Or should we always seek the historical truth?
- What should we do when history is problematic in the face of our values?

Tune in to hear a conversation on censorship and Jewish history.

References:
Zakhor by Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi https://www.amazon.com/Zakhor-Jewish-History-Lectures-Studies/dp/0295975199
On the Morality of the Patriarchs: Must Biblical Heroes be Perfect by Rabbi JJ Schacter https://www.academia.edu/37135943/Jacob_J_Schacter_On_the_Morality_of_the_Patriarchs_Must_Biblical_Heroes_be_Perfect_in_Zvi_Grumet_ed_Jewish_Education_in_Transition_Proceedings_of_the_First_International_Conference_on_Jewish_Education_Teaneck_2007_1_9
Changing the Immutable by Marc Shapiro https://www.amazon.com/Changing-Immutable-Orthodox-Judaism-Rewrites/dp/1904113605
Facing the Truths of History by Rabbi JJ Schacter https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/704426/rabbi-dr-jacob-j-schacter/facing-the-truths-of-history/
Rabbi Jacob Emden: Life and Major Works by Rabbi JJ Schacter https://www.google.com/books/edition/Rabbi_Jacob_Emden/-wMmAQAAIAAJ?hl=en

For more, visit https://18forty.org/censorship/.

Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter is a rabbi and historian of intellectual trends in Orthodox Judaism. As a Rosh Yeshiva and professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought at Yeshiva University, Rabbi Schachter lives at the crossroads of the religious and academic worlds. Rabbi Schachter holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages from Harvard University, where he wrote his dissertation on Rabbi Yaakov Emden. He is the author of several works, and is a mentor to many rabbis in the Jewish community. Rabbi Schachter brings to 18Forty his knowledge, wisdom, and nuanced thinking about the questions of censorship and how we approach Jewish history.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jonathan Rosenblum - journalist and author of multiple ArtScroll biographies - about censorship and specifically how it applies to biographies.

One of the many areas in which censorship can be exercised is biography writing. Certain biographies of gedolim have been criticized for censoring their life stories to mask their imperfections, distorting history in the process. But censorship isn’t always about distorting the facts and may instead be about cultivating a certain look or feel.

- What is the goal of censoring the biographies of gedolim?
- What impact does it have?
- What are the intended effects of the biographies in the first place?
- What effects would the uncensored versions have?

Tune in to hear a conversation on biographical censorship.

References:
The Censor, the Editor, and the Text by Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin
Hidden Diaries and New Discoveries by Avinoʻam Rozenaḳ
Pachad Yitzchak: Igrot U’ketavim by Rav Yitzchok Hutner
Sin•a•gogue by David Bashevkin
They Called Him Mike by Jonathan Rosenblum
Between Berlin and Slobodka by Hillel Goldberg

For more, visit https://18forty.org/censorship/.

Jonathan Rosenblum is a journalist who writes for several Orthodox media publications, most notably through his weekly column in Mishpacha. Before entering journalism, Jonathan attended the University of Chicago, Yale Law School, and Ohr Somayach. Jonathan has written several biographies on Jewish figures, and was a founding writer of the Cross-Currents journal. Jonathan brings to 18Forty his commitment and dedication to the spheres of Jewish public opinion, politics, and religious culture.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Altie Karper, editorial director of Schocken Books, about censorship and cancel culture.

Every community has boundaries, and every community needs a way to enforce those boundaries. As Altie’s experience publishing a book that received religious pushback tells us, it can be hard to gauge if something will be deemed appropriate. If a public figure says something that doesn’t fit within the boundaries of a community, there should be criticism, but this criticism can easily become sharp and unjust. We must ultimately remember that there are people behind the mistakes and they deserve to be given some benefit of the doubt.

- What amount of censorship is ok and what amount is too far?
- How should one criticize a public figure for saying something inappropriate?
- What kinds of criticism go too far?
- What is the difference between communal boundaries and cancel culture?

Tune in to hear a conversation on censorship, criticism, and cancellation.

References:
One People, Two Worlds by Ammiel Hirsch, Yaakov Yosef Reinman

For more, visit https://18forty.org/censorship/.

Altie Karper is the editorial director of Schocken Books, a division of Penguin Random House. Schocken has a long history as a major publisher of Jewish literature and an early publisher of great thinkers such as Kafka, Rosenzweig, Buber, and Agnon, among many others. As one of the leading names in Jewish publishing, Altie has worked on many of the great (and controversial) books of our time. No stranger to censorship battles, Altie brings to 18Forty her decades of thoughtful experience in the world of books, the Jewish community, and the boundaries around our ideas.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to an anonymous divorced man who gives us his perspective on the divorce process and the need to protect oneself from his own darkest inclinations.

While one would never assume themselves capable of get (divorce document) refusal, the emotions of uncoupling run high and it's possible to find yourself considering using the get as a bargaining chip. We sit down with a man who was in this exact predicament and he explains why the get should never be used in this way and how signing a halakhic prenup protects both people in the dissolving marriage.

-What role do community leaders, rabbeim, and therapists play in a couple's divorce process?
-What should one do post divorce to better themselves?
-What can men do to protect themselves from even the consideration of get refusal?
-How important is the halakhic prenup for all communities?

Tune in to hear a conversation on divorce, granting a get, and what can be done to protect against our baser instincts.

References:
To Heal a Fractured World by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
The Road Less Traveled by Scott Peck
Game Plan for Life by Joe Gibbs

For more, visit https://18forty.org/agunah

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Bari Mitzmann - Instagram content creator and host of the Women of Valor podcast - about social media advocacy, particularly in regard to the agunah crisis.

With an Instagram audience of 30,000 followers, Bari is often asked to promote causes. One such cause was the recent #FreeChava campaign where Bari's promotion helped spark recent support for agunot. While posting about advocacy on social media seems like a natural thing to do, it can be hard to verify information about the causes being posted. Bari therefore likes to be careful about what she posts, posting sparingly to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Does Bari use her account for advocacy? What kind of advocacy works best on social media? Why did she choose to advocate regarding the agunah crisis? What boundaries can be established on social media to maintain agency and sanity? Tune in to hear Bari Mitzmann reflect on her social media advocacy and the role she played in recent agunah advocacy.

References:
Women of Valor podcast with Bari Mitzmann

For more, visit https://18forty.org/agunah/.

Bari Mitzmann is a content creator, wife, and mother of two, who partners with women of all backgrounds to provide personal growth support. Bari holds a BA in Psychology, a Masters in Education, and has a large following on Instagram, where she thinks and talks about nutrition, social change, and the world of Jewish women. Bari is the host of the Woman of Valor podcast, which offers candid conversation and practical advice for the modern woman. Bari joins 18Forty to discuss social advocacy, change, and how to build a better world through social media.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Keshet Starr - CEO of ORA - about what it’s like to work on the front lines of agunah activism.

As the CEO of ORA - the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot - Keshet is directly involved with many cases of get-refusal, working with both parties to ensure a satisfactory resolution. She is also involved in agunah advocacy - both for specific agunot and to raise awareness for the issue in general - and prevention. While many are averse to the concept of prenups, as it makes them uncomfortable, Keshet works to normalize and publicize the halakhic prenup, as well as other agunah prevention tactics.

What does a typical agunah case look like? What steps does ORA take when helping an agunah? Do they protest on social media and at the get-refuser’s home immediately, or first verify the details of the case and develop a plan of action? Who does the prenup benefit and how does it give newlyweds insurance? Does it create a standard for marriage that’s better for everyone? Tune in to hear Keshet Starr reflect on her work in agunah advocacy, and the contributions she’s made as the CEO of ORA.

References:
Tears of the Oppressed by Aviad Hacohen
Meishiv Milchama by Rav Goren
Marriage, Divorce, and the Abandoned Wife in Jewish Law by Michael Broyde
Gray Matter by Chaim Jachter
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

For more, visit https://18forty.org/agunah/.

Mrs. Keshet Starr, Esq., is the Executive Director of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA), the leading nonprofit organization addressing the agunah (Jewish divorce refusal) crisis worldwide. At ORA, Keshet oversees advocacy, early intervention, and prevention initiatives to eliminate abuse from the Jewish divorce process. Keshet is a Wexner field fellow and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Keshet has written and lectured widely on issues relating to divorce, domestic abuse, and the intersection between civil and religious divorce processes. Keshet brings to 18Forty her passion, wisdom, and commitment to bringing change to individuals and the Jewish world.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Shlomo Weissman - head of Beth Din of America, YU Professor, and former lawyer - about the halakhic complexities of, and attempted solutions for, the agunah crisis.

A halakhic divorce contract, called a “get,” must be given from the husband to wife, and the parties must give/receive the get willingly. When one or the other party doesn’t willingly participate in this process, the marriage cannot be ended, leaving the woman unable to remarry by Jewish law. Traditionally this has lead to women being unable to remarry when their husbands disappeared, but the issue of get-refusal - of husbands refusing to divorce their wives, maybe for leverage or spite, leaving them unable to remarry - is a more recent phenomenon.

Among the topics covered, we discuss the following: What is the scope of the agunah crisis, and more specifically of get-refusal? What halakhic mechanisms does it involve? What makes this problem harder to solve than other problems relating to halakhic contracts? What solutions have been proposed in the past? Tune in to hear Rabbi Shlomo Weissman explain the complexities of this issue, and help contextualize it both in Torah and in modern society.

References:
The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath

Scholarly References:
Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz

For more, visit https://18forty.org/agunah/.

Rabbi Shlomo Weissman serves as the Menahel/Director of the Beth Din of America, one of the foremost institutions for rabbinic legal adjudication. Shlomo received rabbinic ordination from RIETS and is a graduate of Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. Prior to his association with the Beth Din of America, Rabbi Weissmann worked as an attorney at several prominent law firms, including Debevoise and Plimpton LLP. Shlomo lectures widely on the interface of Jewish and secular law, and is an Adjunct Professor at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University. Shlomo brings his decades of knowledge, experience, and dedication to helping agunot to his conversation with 18Forty.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Andrew Solomon - a Pulitzer Prize finalist - about intergenerational divergence, as well as his book, Far from the Tree, which was in some ways the very inspiration for this topic.

Andrew’s experience with intergenerational divergence began as a child, when his gay identity imbued him with a sense of outsiderness that is evident in his work. His book, Far from the Tree, deals with this topic explicitly, exploring the impact of things like deafness on a family’s ability to relate to and provide for their child. Andrew’s distinction between vertical and horizontal identities, referring to the ways in which the child relates to and is distinct from their family, is profound and underlies much of the message 18Forty has tried to convey this month.

Among the topics covered, we discuss the following: What can lead a child to seek support outside of their family? How can parents best prepare for the possibility that their child will be different than they imagined? In such a situation, how can parents best help their child? In the event that they are unable to provide the support the child needs, how should the parents proceed? Tune in to hear Andrew Solomon give his thoughts on coping with generational differences.

References:
Far from the Tree by Andrew Solomon
Welcome to Holland by Emily Perl Kingsley
The Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon
Sound of Metal on Amazon
Far and Away by Andrew Solomon
An Epistle to the Hebrews by Emma Lazarus
Torn in Two by Rozsika Parker

For more, visit https://18forty.org/topics/divergence.

Andrew Solomon, Ph.D., is a writer and lecturer on politics, culture and psychology; winner of the National Book Award; and an activist in LGBTQ rights, mental health, and the arts. He is Professor of Clinical Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University Medical Center, Lecturer in Psychiatry at Yale University, and a former President of PEN American Center.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Menachem Penner—dean of RIETS at Yeshiva University—and his son Gedalia—a musician, cantor-in-training, and member of the LGBTQ community—about their experience in reconciling their family’s religious tradition with Gedalia’s sexual orientation.

When Gedalia realized he was gay as a young teenager, his parents weren’t sure how best to deal with the information. They initially attempted conversion therapy, now known to be ineffective at best and harmful at worst. They have since come to a happier, closer place in their relationship, characterized by love and mutual respect - but the road to this happy ending was long and indirect.

Among the topics covered, we discuss the following: When did Gedalia and his parents realize he was gay? How did they react to this information? What was their initial course of action, and how has that changed over the years? Do they have any regrets? And what would they advise others in similar situations? Tune in to hear Gedalia and Rabbi Penner discuss their journey towards acceptance and mutual understanding.

References:
Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon
When by Daniel Pink
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
JQY
Eshel
Keshet

For more, visit https://18forty.org/topics/divergence.

Rabbi Menachem Penner (father) is the dean of RIETS, the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University, and previously served as the rabbi of the Young Israel of Holliswood in Queens. Rabbi Penner is an eloquent speaker and chazzan, well-known for his rousing lectures on prayer. Gedalia Robinson (son) is a singer-songwriter, musician, and cantor-in-training at the H.L. Miller Cantorial School at JTS. Gedalia is well known for his powerful original music, his work with the Y-Studs, and as a member of Hadar’s Rising Song Residency. Gedalia came out as gay while in Yeshiva University and is a strong advocate and supporter of LGBTQ+ people living in and out of the Orthodox Jewish community. Gedalia currently lives in Philadelphia with his husband, Caleb, and dog, Booker.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi Daniel Grama—rabbi of Westside Shul and Valley Torah High School—and his daughter Aliza—a former Bais Yaakov student and recovered addict—about navigating their religious and other differences.

Daniel is a rabbi in Los Angeles, and has, to some extent, dedicated his life to teaching others about Orthodox Judaism. Aliza experienced a rebellious teenhood in which she left religious observance and succumbed to addiction. As Aliza’s deviation from her Orthodox upbringing became more pronounced, she and her family were forced to come to terms with their differences, and eventually learned to love, understand, and compromise with each other.

Among the topics covered, we discuss the following: When did each side realize their lives were very different? How did they process this during the early years? How did Daniel and Aliza come to terms with the unfulfilled religious expectations of a parent? How have they been able to build a healthy relationship? And what would they have done differently? Tune in to hear Daniel and Aliza ruminate on the difficult years of their relationship and what has happened since.

References:
Mishpacha Magazine
The Body Keeps the Score

Scholarly Mentions:
Donald Winnicott

For more, visit https://18forty.org/topics/divergence.

Daniel Grama (father) is the rabbi of the Westside Shul in Los Angeles, and a rabbi in Valley Torah Yeshiva High School.

Aliza Grama (daughter) lives in the Los Angeles area, and hosts a weekly parsha class with her father on her Instagram, where they model a shared appreciation for Torah that shines through their many differences.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel—speaker, educator, and yoetzet halacha— about the effects of tragedy on emunah.

In 2014, Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel’s son Naftali was kidnapped and murdered in a tragic terror attack. The week before the world learned of his fate was sad but hopeful, leaving many feeling crushed by the outcome. Despite this impossible situation, Rachelle was lauded as displaying emunah, faith, in Hashem, remaining optimistic but devoid of expectation.

-How did or didn’t Rachelle’s tragedy impact her emunah in God?
-What expectations can people have of God when they pray?
-What expectations can people not have of themselves when they pray?
-What should our relationship with God be during difficult times?
-And how should we console those who are themselves going through difficult times?

Tune in to hear Rachelle talk about emunah in the face of tragedy, and how one can blend optimism and realism.

References:
Yosl Rakover Talks to God by Zvi Kolitz
The Blessing of a Broken Heart by Sherri Mandell

Scholarly Mentions:
Emmanuel Levinas

For more, visit https://18forty.org/topics/god.

Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel is a teacher of Torah at Nishmat and the director of Matan’s Hilchata Institute. After her son Naftali was kidnapped and killed along with Gilad Sha’er and Eyal Yifrah in 2014, Rachelle became an international speaker and teacher. Rachelle speaks from the sharpest edges of human experience and her words are marked by a deep wisdom. Listen to Rachelle to hear from a profoundly learned and experienced teacher of Torah and life.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Aaron Segal, philosophy professor and student of both Rav Aharon Lichtenstein and Alvin Plantinga, to discuss God from the perspective of analytic philosophy.

Analytic philosophy is mathematical, breaking claims into small pieces to rigorously analyze the language and concepts. The cost of this approach is its unwieldiness and high standards, which Aaron believes has precluded it from providing a capital-P proof of God’s existence. But one can still reason about God, and though some would claim belief in God is irrational, Aaron thinks its rationality is justified.

-What are the approaches one can take to belief in God?
-What are the limits of analytic philosophy in talking about God?
-What are the limits of a philosophy like Plantinga’s reformed epistemology?
-Can one’s knowledge of God be purely experiential?

Tune in to hear Aaron talk about both the power and limits of reasoning applied to God.

References:
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by Ludwig Wittgenstein
Kuzari by Yehuda HaLevi
Metaphysics by Peter van Inwagen
Advice to Christian Philosophers by Alvin Plantinga
The Source of Faith is Faith Itself by Rav Aharon Lichtenstein
"The Source of Faith..." Examined by Aaron Segal
Kurt Godel's ontological argument - https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ontological-arguments/#GodOntArg

Scholarly Mentions:
Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, Alvin Plantinga, Kurt Godel, Bertrand Russel, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Yehuda HaLevi, David Hilbert, Immanuel Kant, David Chalmers, Georg Cantor, John Locke, David Hume, David Johnson (YU)

For more, visit https://18forty.org/topics/god.

Dr. Aaron Segal is a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and formerly taught philosophy in Yeshiva University. Aaron received his doctorate from the University of Notre Dame, where Alvin Plantinga was one of his thesis directors. He has co-authored and co-edited books on Jewish philosophy, such as Jewish Philosophy in an Analytic Age. Aaron is masterful in his knowledge and comfort in the profound questions of analytic philosophy, and also received Semicha from the Chief Rabbinate in Israel.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi David Aaron, author, thinker, and educator, to discuss what God is and isn’t.

People often think of God as a powerful, heavenly figure giving commandments, but to Rabbi Aaron, God is more of an experience of awe or good that morally inspires. This experience is impacted by our past experiences, often most prominently by those involving our parents. Rabbi Aaron thinks that many atheists are truly believers and would connect to their faith through therapy, not philosophy.

- What is and isn’t God?
- What does it mean to believe in God, and what does it mean to be an atheist?
- Why do people believe in God?
- How does one find and experience God?

Tune in to hear Rabbi David Aaron discuss his views on God and how the subject should be taught in our education.

References:
Tzidkas HaTzadik by Rav Tzadok
The Secret Life of God by Rabbi David Aaron
Getting the Love You Want by Harville Hendrix
Seeing God by Rabbi David Aaron
Ahavas Tzedek

For more, visit https://18forty.org/topics/god.

Rabbi David Aaron is an educator, thinker, and writer, who has put the dynamic God at the center of his life’s work. Uncompromisingly lucid, David puts the deepest and most pressing questions of Jewish theology in human terms. He received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat ITRI and is the Dean & Founder of Isralight (an international organization and center for Jewish learning in Jerusalem’s Old City) and Yeshivat Orayta (which offers a 1 to 2 year program for high school graduates). David is the author of eight books, including Endless Light, Seeing G-d, Love is My Religion, The Secret Life of G-d, Inviting G-d In, Living a Joyous Life and The God Powered Life. Listen to David to hear how Jewish theology can be a personal endeavor.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down for a special session with our host, David Bashevkin, to discuss one of the podcast’s first topics: going off the derech.

There are many preconceptions that come with leaving one’s religious life. People often claim to know the precise psychological reasons that caused someone to leave and what kind of life they’re currently living. There are always reasons, but these reasons can be varied and unexpected, and can lead people to very different places. Some don’t even think of themselves as having left, as they have found a different derech that works for them.

-Why do people leave religion?
-Where do people go instead?
-What struggles do people experience in leaving their old communities?
-How does the desire for community manifest in trying to build a new life?

Tune in to hear David reflect on his conversations with past podcast guests about this phenomenon of leaving one’s religious community, or going OTD.

References:
Shulem Deen interview - http://18forty.org/otd/#deen
Philo Judaeus interview - http://18forty.org/otd/#judaeus
Kelsey Osgood interview - http://18forty.org/otd/#osgood
Judaism and the Twice-Born by Kelsey Osgood
All Who Go Do Not Return by Shulem Deen

For more, visit https://18forty.org/otd.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down for a special podcast with our host, David Bashevkin, to review the first topic that 18Forty covered: Talmud.

Though Judaism has many facets to its practice, Talmud study has long been one of its hallmarks. It is a sprawling text with many commentaries, and so can be analyzed from any number of perspectives. This episode highlight three: those of Ari Bergmann, Chaim Saiman, and Michelle Chesner. From its historical formation to its ideas to its format, the Talmud was analyzed at length for its 18Forty topic, and this episode highlights some of the key questions raised.

-How was the Talmud written?
-What should one make of the often confusing mix of ideas it presents?
-Does the text format itself hold any significance?
-Is Talmud study useful for anything besides Talmud study?
-What similarities does it have to other fields of knowledge?

Tune in to hear David review and reflect on his past conversations with podcast guests about the Talmud.

References:
Ari Bergmann interview - http://18forty.org/talmud/#bergmann
Chaim Saiman interview - http://18forty.org/talmud/#saiman
Michelle Chesner interview - http://18forty.org/talmud/#chesner
Take One podcast - https://www.tabletmag.com/podcasts/take-one
Legal Theology: The Turn to Conceptualism in Nineteenth-Century Jewish Law by Chaim Saiman
Nomos and Narrative by Robert Cover
Jewish Thought: A Process, Not a Text by David Bashevkin
Arba-ah Turim by Jacob Ben Asher
Halakhah: The Rabbinic Idea of Law by Chaim Saiman

For more, visit https://18forty.org/talmud/.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down for a special podcast with our host, David Bashevkin, to discuss the podcast’s namesake, the year 1840.

Though humanity’s history is long and rich, it’s only recently that the world has begun to look like we’re used to. From the renaissance to the scientific and industrial revolutions, technology and information seem to be progressing at an exponential rate. Judaism, along with all tradition, had to contend with modernity as we now know it for the first time. Most of modern Jewry has been affected in some way or another by this modernization of its members.

-What historical significance does the year 1840 have?
-What challenges did it bring for Judaism and other traditions?
-How did Judaism respond to those challenges?
-And in the end, how does modern Judaism differ from its other historical iterations?

Tune in to hear David share why the year 1840 holds such significance for him, and how he feels its effects in his life.

References:
The Europeans Review - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/28/books/review/the-europeans-orlando-figes.html
Israel Bartal article - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10835-005-5978-7
Zohar
The Europeans by Orlando Figes
Jewish Continuity in America - Abraham J. Karp
Zichron Yaakov by Rabbi Yaakov Lipschutz
Sapiens by Yuval Harari

For more, visit https://18forty.org/why-1840.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Eli Rubin – writer and researcher at chabad.org – to think about the stereotypes associated with social justice and vision, and how those seeming boundaries have been transcended.

Social reform requires that one embrace at least some change, leading some to think that it is antithetical to conservative worldviews. While the compatibility of Judaism and social justice movements is not guaranteed, it is often the case, even in some of what are seen as the more right-wing parts of modern Judaism. The modern history of social justice involves figures ranging from Rabbi AJ Heschel to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and challenges some common assumptions.

-Has social justice been associated with mysticism and/or rationalism?
-What might social justice, or tikkun olam, mean within Judaism?
-What have various historical figures interpreted it to mean?
-What association does the Lubavitcher Rebbe have with social justice?

Tune in to hear Eli Rubin share his views on the historical relationship between social justice and the Torah.

References:
Social Vision: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Transformative Paradigm for the World by Philip Wexler, Michael Wexler, and Eli Rubin
To Heal the World? - Jonathan Neumann
Hasidism Beyond Modernity - Naftali Loewenthal

For more, visit https://18forty.org/socialjustice/#rubin.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz – Shalom Hartman Institute Fellow, SAR Associate Principal, and Princeton PhD – to think about ways in which social justice can be incorporated into Orthodox education systems.

History has seen many hierarchical class systems that benefit some to the detriment of others. The Jewish people have not often been the beneficiaries, yet we enjoy much economic and social success in much of the world today. Dr. Press Schwartz thinks that while this success is in part due to our own willpower, certain fluke historical factors have played in our favor, giving us a leg up. She believes that the Torah is compatible with a social view that involves recognizing social privileges and attempting to mitigate them.

-What is privilege?
-How privileged have the Jewish people been throughout history?
-What, if anything, should be done when privileges are identified?
-What does the Torah have to say about this?

Tune in to hear Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz share her views on the Torah, the Jewish people, privilege, and broader social justice.

References:
Dr. Press Schwartz article "Privilege, Perspective, and Modern Orthodox Youth" - https://18forty.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/privilege-perspective-press-schwartz.pdf
Dr. Press Schwartz and David Bashevkin Twitter Exchange - https://twitter.com/DBashIdeas/status/1283400224191504389
Yuval Levin election day NYT op ed - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/03/opinion/2020-election.html
A Time to Build by Yuval Levin
The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein

For more, visit https://18forty.org/socialjustice/#pressschwartz.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi Jeremy Wieder – rosh yeshiva, PhD, Bible professor, and passionate Orthodox moral voice – to discuss what the Torah has to say about social justice.

The Torah serves as a moral guidebook for many, with some citing the avos as exemplifying generosity, even towards those they didn’t know. One might therefore expect that those most engrossed in Torah learning would fight on the front lines for social justice issues, but many make the opposite association. It seems that there may be more to morality than studying Halakhah alone.

-What kind of morality does Halakhah espouse?
-Why is the Beit Midrash not typically associated with social justice if the Torah is our moral guidebook?
-Is Halakhah the only element to the picture the Torah paints of morality, or is there more?
-And as Halakhah is mostly immutable, to what degree, and in what fashion, can the Torah evolve in response to the times?

Tune in to hear Rabbi Jeremy Wieder share his ideas about the Torah’s view on social justice.

References:
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks interview with Tim Ferriss - https://tim.blog/2020/08/26/rabbi-lord-jonathan-sacks-2/
Rabbi Sacks interviews with David Bashevkin - https://ncsy.org/remembering-rabbi-sacks/
To Heal a Fractured World by Rabbi Sacks
Social Vision by Philip Wexler
There Shall Be No Needy by Rabbi Jill Jacobs

For more, visit https://18forty.org/socialjustice/#wieder.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi Meir Triebitz – Rosh Yeshiva, PhD, and expert on matters of science and the Torah – to discuss what kind of science we can learn from the Torah.

The Torah, and especially the Talmud, addresses a wide subject matter including theology, morality, metaphysics, and science. It is sometimes said to contain all knowledge – meaning that we could learn anything from the Torah, which seems to imply that all of the Torah’s scientific claims are true. Some welcome this perspective, while others object to it.

-What is the Torah’s subject matter?
-Does it contain irreconcilable scientific claims?
-Should a statement’s subject matter change how we interpret it?
-What if we aren’t supposed to interpret a statement as scientifically true, but our Halakhah today is in some way predicated on the statement being true?
-And does our not interpreting a statement literally mean it isn’t true, or just that we can’t understand it?

Tune in to hear Rabbi Meir Triebitz discuss his perspective on these age-old science and Torah questions.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/science/#triebitz.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi David Fohrman - author, lecturer, and founder of the Aleph Beta Academy - to discuss in what genre the Torah is meant to be, and how that should influence the way we think about it.

There are many approaches one could take when confronted with science that seem to contradict parts of the Torah. Some, including Nathan Aviezer, orchestrate elaborate readings of the beginning of Bereishis in accordance with Biblical concordism. Some, like Natan Slifkin, feel comfortable reading the pesukim metaphorically, feeling less need to provide literal reconciliations. Rabbi David Fohrman feels that many people could benefit from thinking more about how the Torah and science coexist, particularly the words of the first few chapters in Bereishis.

- In what genre is the Torah?
- How should we treat its content?
- Does it ever try to teach us empirical facts about the world, or is it trying to give perspective on life?
- What other kinds of patterns should we look for in the Torah?

Tune in to hear Rabbi David Fohrman discuss the many ways in which we could think about the pesukim in the Torah.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/science/#fohrman.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Professor Allison Coudert, of the Department of Religious Studies at UC Davis, to discuss the historical interplay of science with religion, and specifically with Kabbalah.

During a 1917 lecture talking about the rational mindset underlying science, Max Weber famously declared that “This means that the world is disenchanted.” Though this sentiment has permeated the public consciousness, Allison thinks the real story is more complicated. She thinks that science and enlightenment philosophy only heightened the magic we humans could experience, and that enlightenment movements have done so historically. In her mind, religion and science aren’t opponents, as they’re so often framed, but engage in a mutually-beneficial relationship, each inspiring and strengthening the other.

- What has the historical interplay of science and religion been?
- What influence has Kabbalah specifically had on scientists’ thought?
- What connotations do the words “modernity” and “enlightenment” tend to evoke in listeners?
- And are these evocations justified?

Tune in to hear Allison Coudert discuss the influence that Jewish thought has had since the Scientific Revolution.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/science/#coudert.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Jeremy England, physicist and biologist, to discuss his lives as a Jew and an academic, and how, if at all, those lives interact.

Jeremy grew up a barely-affiliated Jew and obtained a degree in biochemistry from Harvard, but discovered his love for Judaism and began reading authors like Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Ruth Weiss. He is an accomplished scientist, having posited the theory of dissipative adaptation to explain abiogenesis, but still sees a depth and meaning to the words of the Torah. Though science plays an important role in his life, he feels that has managed to find a role for Torah despite this fact without compromising on the ideals of either.

- What are the abilities and limitations of science?
- What are the abilities and limitations of Torah?
- As a scientist, how did Jeremy reconcile the two as he became more religious?
- How does the study of each compare to the other?
- And what role should they ultimately play in one’s life?

Tune in to hear Jeremy England discuss his theory of abiogenesis and of living an intellectually complete life.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/science/#england.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rav Moshe Weinberger, rabbi and educator, to discuss the role of mysticism in modern-day Judaism.

Rav Weinberger grew up Modern Orthodox and became attracted to Chassidus at a young age. Though he is a fan of the yeshiva system and believes that Halakha cannot be compromised, he has long watched with anguish as countless products of the system have been turned off by the dry, inhumane version of Yiddishkeit taught to them. Rav Weinberger believes that Jewish education must evolve over time, and that Chassidus is as good an approach as any for the current generation.

-How can one go about strengthening their connection to Hashem?
-What are the educational challenges of today’s generation?
-Where does the modern-day yeshiva system succeed, and where does it fail its students?
-And how can we attempt to tweak the system to suit everyone’s needs?

Tune in to hear Rav Moshe Weinberger discuss the challenges that he sees facing today’s generation of young Jews.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/mysticism/#weinberger.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ora Wiskind, professor and author, to discuss her life journey, both as a Jew and as an academic, and her attitude towards mysticism.

Ora grew up in a Reform family in Ohio, receiving a top-notch secular education but a minimal Jewish one. After studying in France and Germany she found herself in Israel, eventually becoming Orthodox despite her rebellious nature. With her background in literature, she has contributed unique, hermeneutic perspectives on some Hasidic masters, like Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, and continues to break new ground with her scholarship on mysticism.

-What are mysticism and rationalism, and what are the appeals of both mindsets?
-How did someone with Ora’s background end up writing about the mystical works of Rebbe Nachman?
-How has her background in literature influenced her writings?
-How does she approach her work as a religious academic, where she must stay objective about the content she studies despite it giving her religious inspiration?
-And how has being an Orthodox woman shaped her career?

Tune in to hear Ora Wiskind discuss mysticism in the modern world and its relation to her academic work.

For more, visit https://18forty.org/mysticism/#wiskind.

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