Episodios

  • Hope Is a Muscle: The Hatikvah Slate with special guest Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie

    Hope Is a Muscle: The Hatikvah Slate with special guest Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie
    May 1 2025
    Rabbi Deborah Waxman is joined by Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie for a vital conversation about the complexities of Zionism, Israeli identity and progressive Jewish values. As delegates on the Hatikvah slate in the World Zionist Congress elections, Waxman and Lau-Lavie discuss the intersection of personal history, political activism, queer and feminist perspectives and Jewish theology. Each reflects on the legacy of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the power of hope, and the urgency of building a Judaism that is inclusive, resilient and committed to justice for all. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guest: Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.
    Más Menos
    50 m
  • Why Voting for the Hatkivah Slate in the World Zionist Congress Matters: A Conversation Across Generations

    Why Voting for the Hatkivah Slate in the World Zionist Congress Matters: A Conversation Across Generations
    Apr 21 2025
    In this special episode of Hashivenu, Rabbi Deborah Waxman welcomes Rabbi Jodie Siff and her son Aaron Siff-Scherr to discuss their deep personal and political commitments to progressive Zionism. Together, they reflect on how Jewish education, family experiences, and time in Israel shaped their values and why participating in the World Zionist Congress elections matters. With honesty and nuance, they explore the complexities of modern Zionism, antisemitism, and pluralism within Jewish life. This heartfelt conversation is a call to action for American Jews to raise their voices by casting their votes for the Hatikvah Slate in order to help shape a more inclusive future for the Jewish people. Vote now at http://azm.org Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guests: Aaron Siff-Scherr and Rabbi Jodie Siff.
    Más Menos
    42 m
  • Reconstructionist Values, Covenantal Community and War in the Middle East

    Reconstructionist Values, Covenantal Community and War in the Middle East
    Dec 4 2024
    In preparation for Reconstructing Judaism’s December 15 movement-wide virtual convening (https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/event/all-of-the-people-israel-are-responsible-for-one-another-reconstructionist-values-that-shape-our-relationships-with-israelis-and-palestinians/), Rabbi Elliott Tepperman and Rabbi Rachel Weiss join Rabbi Deborah Waxman for a deeply thoughtful and nuanced conversation about the difficult and rewarding work of maintaining unity within Jewish communities that sometimes have diverse views on Israel and Palestine and the War in Gaza. Their reflections on how to cultivate spaces of growth, respect and accountability within the synagogue offer a blueprint for creating Jewish communities that are there for us during moments of joy and celebration as well as times of mourning and crisis. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guests: Rabbi Elliott Tepperman and Rabbi Rachel Weiss.
    Más Menos
    53 m
  • Building Covenantal Community in the New Year and Beyond

    Building Covenantal Community in the New Year and Beyond
    Oct 10 2024
    With the High Holiday season underway, Deborah welcomes Justin Rosen Smolen, Reconstructing Judaism's Vice President for Thriving Communities and Partnerships, for a wide-ranging conversation about covenantal community. They explore how the idea of covenant, from biblical narratives to contemporary community-building, emphasizes relationships, mutual responsibility and interdependence. They consider how liberal religion can help address societal issues like loneliness and division, and advocate for conversations that build inclusive, thriving communities. Later, Deborah and Justin explore a Reconstructionist understanding of covenant, emphasizing the importance of shared values and intergenerational dialogue, and recognizing that while diverse perspectives may create tension, they also provide opportunities for growth and deeper understanding within the community. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guest: Justin Rosen Smolen.
    Más Menos
    45 m
  • Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association

    Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
    May 16 2024
    Rabbi Elyse Wechterman recently announced that she will step down from her position as CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA) in June after leading the organization for the past nine years. Elyse stops by Deborah’s office to look back on her tenure and look ahead to what’s next. The two longtime colleagues commiserate over the day-to-day realities of leading an organization, including a friendly debate over the pros and cons of “zeroing out” one’s email inbox (4:54). Elyse explains how being willing to let some things go in order to focus on what’s important has helped her decision making as a leader (9:21). Elyse reflects on how the RRA has changed over the last nine years and on the accomplishments she’s most proud of, such as increased collaboration amongst rabbinical associations (15:30). Deborah and Elyse discuss the nature of change and how although it can be scary, it is often a positive (26:22). Finally, Elyse shares her favorite verse from the Talmud and why it’s resonating with her as she approaches this transition (34:00). Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guest: Rabbi Elyse Wechterman.
    Más Menos
    39 m
  • Cheryl Cook, CEO of Avodah

    Cheryl Cook, CEO of Avodah
    Mar 28 2024
    Rabbi Deborah Waxman welcomes Cheryl Cook, CEO of Avodah, for a wide-ranging conversation. The two longtime friends and hevrutah partners recall their early conversations about Israel and Palestine (3:00). They discuss the nature of leadership in general as well as their own perspectives as women in leadership (10:10). They touch on the importance of resilience in how they have been able to navigate the turbulence of the last 10 years (12:10). Cheryl lays out the mission and work of Avodah (16:30). Later, Cheryl asks Deborah to reflect on the role of gender in leadership and Deborah shares how her feminist ideals shape her approach (18:15). Cheryl talks about stepping into the role of CEO in 2015 as a mother of young children and how she is making the effort to model a different kind leadership for other women (23:00). They close by looking ahead to future generations of leaders that they hope will include not only women, but Jews of Color and people from underrepresented groups as well (33:03). At the start of the show, Deborah catches us up on all things Hashivenu and previews her upcoming 10th anniversary celebratory event “When Women Lead" (happening Wednesday, April 3rd at 7pm EDT). You can find ticket information here. (https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/when-jewish-women-lead-activating-people-possibilities-through-turbulent-times/) Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guest: Cheryl Cook.
    Más Menos
    39 m
  • How to become our fullest, most expressive selves? Practice, practice, practice

    How to become our fullest, most expressive selves? Practice, practice, practice
    Oct 24 2023
    Weeks ago, Rabbi Deborah Waxman and founder Yoshi Silverstein scheduled this discussion about embodied Jewish practice and antiracism. Did it make any sense to have this conversation in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre of Israeli civilians and hostage taking, the subsequent and unfolding war and its tremendous toll on Palestinian civilians? After pausing to consider, they decided that such a conversation is more important than ever, both to themselves and listeners. Silverstein, founder and director of the Mitsui Collective, explains that in difficult times like these, embodiment practices can help us understand and name the extent to which strong emotions are having an impact on us. Awareness and practice are key to being able to respond to stressful stimuli in a healthy way. He outlines several simple practices that can help, including orienting and box breathing, and quotes Viktor Frankl, the psychotherapist and Holocaust survivor whose writing deeply informs how humans understand trauma. "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guest: Yoshi Silverstein.
    Más Menos
    1 h
  • Yom Kippur: A Celebration of Collective Release

    Yom Kippur: A Celebration of Collective Release
    Sep 12 2023
    In ancient times on Yom Kippur, the high priest of Israel presided over an elaborate, mystical service atop the Temple Mount. Today, many traditional synagogues recount this ritual with the avodah service. In this episode, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., speaks with Rabbi Vivie Mayer about what the avodah service — which they acknowledge is mainly attended by the “die-hards” — can teach us today. “What Yom Kippur is really enacting and celebrating is collective release,” Mayer says. The two discuss what it means to move from the most intense, holy day of the year to the mundane business of daily life and how to bring insights from the former to the later. They delve into the differences between individual and collective atonement and responsibility; wondering about the collective release and catharsis offered by practices of the Second Temple era. They also lift up a contemporary Israeli song, “Seder Ha'Avodah” by Ishay Ribo. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guest: Rabbi Vivie Mayer.
    Más Menos
    39 m
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup