In Part 2 of our Men’s Seder series, the conversation moves beyond the traditional Seder structure and into the deeper meaning behind Passover.

We discuss the difference between physical freedom and inner freedom, why redemption is never a straight line, and how the story of Joseph reflects the ups and downs of both Jewish history and our own lives.

We also explore the importance of family customs and traditions at the Seder table, and how small rituals and stories are often what children and grandchildren remember most. The Seder is not just about telling a story from 3,000 years ago, but about making freedom relevant today and passing our story to the next generation.

Most importantly, we talk about the idea that leaving Egypt is really about leaving the habits, distractions, and ego that hold us back, and how Passover is really a holiday about personal growth and transformation.

This episode is about freedom, memory, family, and becoming the person we are meant to be.

In this special episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, we bring you highlights from the annual Men’s Seder, where rabbis from across the community share short ideas and stories to help make your Passover Seder more meaningful.

In this episode, you’ll hear insights about the power of small acts, why the Seder is meant to be experiential and memorable for children, the importance of empathy for those who may be alone on Passover, and how gratitude is one of the central themes of the holiday. We also explore the idea that Passover is not just about remembering history, but about reliving it and allowing it to change us.

These short teachings are designed to give you ideas, stories, and conversation starters that you can bring directly to your own Seder table this year.

With Passover just weeks away, Rabbi Daniel Cohen and Dr. Steven Labkoff discuss how the story of the Exodus can remain meaningful in modern life. The episode explores four themes that frame Rabbi Cohen’s upcoming Passover learning series: identifying our own “inner Egypt,” understanding why authentic personal growth unfolds over time, rediscovering awe and gratitude through the rituals of the Seder, and recognizing the generational responsibility embedded in the Passover tradition. Together, they reflect on how the Seder is designed not only to remember a historical event but to challenge each generation to live with greater freedom, purpose, and spiritual awareness.

Can a machine ever have a soul?

In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with Rabbi Dr. Mois Navon — philosopher, Torah scholar, and co-founder of Mobileye — we go deeper into one of the most unsettling questions of our time: What happens if AI becomes conscious?

We explore the “hard problem of consciousness,” the difference between neural computation and lived experience, and whether building biological AI could one day create something truly sentient. From Alan Turing’s theological speculation to cutting-edge organoid research at Stanford, this episode confronts the razor’s edge between innovation and moral catastrophe.

If we create a conscious machine, have we created intelligence — or a slave?

Judaism doesn’t just ask, “Can we do this?” It asks, “Should we?”

A bold and urgent discussion about technology, humility, and the boundaries we dare not cross.

Is AI just another tool — or are we entering a new era of moral responsibility?

In this thought-provoking episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, Dr. Steven Labov and Rabbi Daniel Cohen welcome Rabbi Dr. Mois Navon — philosopher, educator, and tech pioneer — to explore how Jewish thought grapples with artificial intelligence.

From Noah as the first engineer to the ethical challenges of ChatGPT, we examine whether AI enhances human dignity or risks replacing it. What happens to creativity when machines can write sermons? Can AI ever be conscious? And how do we ensure that technology remains our assistant — not our substitute?

A deeply relevant conversation recorded during a turbulent moment in Israel’s history, this episode challenges us to harness innovation without losing our humanity.

In this episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, Dr. Steven Labkoff and Rabbi Daniel Cohen explore Purim through a lens that feels strikingly modern. Set against the backdrop of exile, comfort, and choice, they unpack a lesser-known dimension of the Purim story: the Jews of Persia had the opportunity to return to Israel and chose not to.

What does that choice teach us about Jewish life in the Diaspora today? Is living outside Israel merely geography, or does it carry moral and spiritual responsibility? Drawing on biblical history, rabbinic insight, and contemporary reality, this conversation examines assimilation, belonging, and the enduring question of how Jews everywhere share in a common destiny.

As Purim approaches, this episode invites listeners to reflect on power, comfort, identity, and the meaning of returning “like a bird, not a cloud.”

In this timely episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, Steven Labkoff and Rabbi Daniel Cohen turn to the Purim story to ask a deeply modern question: what does it mean to find your Esther and your Mordechai today?

Esther didn’t seek power, but when history placed her in a moment of consequence, she was pushed to act with courage, despite real personal risk. Mordechai’s challenge to her, “for such a time as this,” becomes a lens for thinking about moral responsibility, leadership, and speaking up in the face of rising antisemitism and division.

The conversation explores whether fighting every falsehood is the best use of our energy, or whether strengthening our sense of “why” as Jews is the deeper work. As Purim approaches, this episode invites listeners to reflect on courage, voice, and the roles we are called to play right now.

In this week’s episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, Dr. Steven Labkoff and Rabbi Daniel Cohen tackle a deeply personal and widely shared experience: facing end-of-life decisions for a beloved pet. Sparked by Steven’s aging cat, Perry, the conversation explores what Jewish tradition teaches about animal suffering, compassion, and responsibility.

What does Judaism say about putting a pet out of pain? How is animal suffering understood differently from human suffering? And do animals possess something akin to a soul?

This thoughtful, grounded discussion blends personal storytelling with Jewish ethics, offering clarity, comfort, and perspective for anyone who has loved a companion animal. A quiet but meaningful episode about grief, gratitude, and the moral weight of caring for life at its most vulnerable.