Talking Tachlis Podcast: Recent Episodes
Talking Tachlis Podcast
Join us as we discuss the most pressing and interesting issues of the day, relating to Jewish life, and life in general.
How should we really be talking about Israel - in the classroom, or anywhere else? This week, Uri speaks to Dr. Noam Weissman, Executive Vice President of OpenDor Media, where he spearheads the educational vision and leads content creation across all divisions. Noam heads a team of content creators and educators for the Unpacked brand which reaches millions of young Jews each year with articles, videos and social media content. He is also the host of the popular Unpacked podcasts “Unpacking Israeli History” and “The Power Of” as well as the host of the YouTube channel, Today Unpacked.
For more, see:
https://jewishunpacked.com/deir-yassin-the-battle-for-truth/
https://jewishunpacked.com/the-altalena-israels-almost-civil-war/
https://jewishunpacked.com/the-kastner-trial-why-a-jew-who-saved-many-was-put-on-trial-for-working-with-the-nazis/
https://jewishunpacked.com/kfar-qassem-a-wound-that-still-bleeds/
NY Times - the gift that keeps giving. Last week, you may have read: “For Strictly Observant Jews in Brooklyn, the Sabbath Expands," an article that highlights the new, expansive eruv covering most of Brooklyn. Within hours, there were hundreds of comments on the article, many of which were disparaging and mocking towards Orthodox and Chasidic Jews. This week, Uri and Rivky break down the article and comments, but they also go further - are loopholes a bad thing? And just as importantly, what do ritualistic mitzvot mean to us, as observant Jews?
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/nyregion/brooklyn-observant-jews.html
The new Netflix movie “You People” is a romantic comedy centering around Ezra Cohen, a white Jew, who falls in love with Amira, a black Muslim. Very much in the style of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, or Fiddler on the Roof, there are culture clashes and tension, much of which stems from Amira’s dad, played by Eddie Murphy, and Ezra’s mom, played by Julia Louis Dryfus.
The movie touches on a lot of hot button issues that are very much in the news (or, "the culture"), and much negative feedback in the Jewish community centers around particular lines on scenes. This week, Uri and Rivky ask, what were the filmmakers trying to achieve with this film, what does this say about American culture and society, and what does it say about the state of Jews in America?
This week Uri is joined by Aliza Abrams Konig. They start by reminiscing about Aliza's previous appearance on Talking Tachlis, and they touch on a number of hot button issues including lab grown meat, the Netflix movie You People, and Joe Rogan's recent antisemitic comments. They then spend most of the conversation discussing Aliza's experience having a child with a surrogate, including various issues relating to Jewish law, and common misconceptions.
This is a different podcast where Aliza goes into more detail about her experience.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/simultaneously-navigating-surrogacy-a-kidney/id1610003724?i=1000557506816
Last week, Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Zuckier released a thoughtful, interesting piece about a new vision he entitled Ethical Orthodoxy. In this episode, Uri and Rivky sit down with Shlomo to ask him about this manifesto. They ask what its impetus was, what failures he sees in the religious world, and the practical ways he would want to build an Orthodox community around this worldview.
Read more here:
Ethical Orthodoxy: A Manifesto: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0fjD6QnfLBJDtzLzCc3UkTGKm4k5uVYFkJmtS9xC18PR1mMGrpsSwxH1wwJ4DgEuxl&id=100005452486362
Lookback window: https://hareiani.com/tag/lookback-window/
Wow, the NY Times sure has been publishing a lot of recent articles about Orthodox Jews. Uri and Rivky ask, what's that about? And what does it have to do with identity, journalism, and Elon Musk's Twitter takeover?
Recent NY Times piece about Chasidic schools: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/29/nyregion/hasidic-orthodox-jewish-special-education.html
NY Times about Yeshiva University:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/nyregion/yeshiva-university-lgbtq-club.html
Astral Codex Ten: https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/the-media-very-rarely-lies
THE OFFERING opens in theater and on demand starting this Friday, January 13th. Watch the trailer @ https://youtu.be/oMc-iybcRdc
Uri discusses the film and some of its Jewish themes with one of the stars of the film Emily Wiseman, director Oliver Park, Writer/Producer Hank Hoffman, and Producer/Story Developer Yoni Yunger.
George Santos was elected to the US Congress in New York’s 3rd District, representing parts of Long Island and a small part of Queens, and is to be sworn into office today, on January 3rd 2023.
In mid-December, the NYT exposed Santos’s lies, including: false degrees from NYU and Baruch, non-existent work stints at Citi Group and Goldman Sacks, a fake charity, financial crimes. But most interesting to us, he also falsely claimed to be Jewish, and that his grandparents fled the Holocaust.
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss, is Santos different than other politicians? Is the fact that his lies are worse mean that he can’t be trusted in this position of power? Are his lies, including his Jewish identity, offensive? And what does his claim to Jewish ancestry says about the place and perception of Jews in America today?
Kanye. Kyrie. And...Dave Chappelle? Maybe? This week, Rivky and Uri talk about this “resurgence” of antisemitism and ask, what the heck is even happening? And what was with Chappelle’s monologue? Funny? Not funny? Cruel? Offensive? Funny and offensive? And...the three men involved here - Kanye, Kyrie, and Chappelle, are not only three famous entertainers, but three black entertainers. Does that mean anything? If so, what does it mean?
Chappelle's Monologue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m-gO0HSCYk
The movie Kyrie posted: https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/kyrie-irving-antisemitism-non-apology-for-movie-17555214.php
Meyers Leonard scandal: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2935262-heats-meyers-leonard-uses-anti-semitic-slur-during-call-of-duty-live-stream
Kanye. Kyrie. And...Dave Chappelle? Maybe? This week, Rivky and Uri talk about this “resurgence” of antisemitism and ask, what the heck is even happening? And what was with Chappelle’s monologue? Funny? Not funny? Cruel? Offensive? Funny and offensive? And...the three men involved here - Kanye, Kyrie, and Chappelle, are not only three famous entertainers, but three black entertainers. Does that mean anything? If so, what does it mean?
Chappelle's Monologue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m-gO0HSCYk
The movie Kyrie posted: https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/kyrie-irving-antisemitism-non-apology-for-movie-17555214.php
Meyers Leonard scandal: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2935262-heats-meyers-leonard-uses-anti-semitic-slur-during-call-of-duty-live-stream
This week, Uri and Rivky dive into the Supreme Court affirmation action cases being brought, in particular, on behalf of Asian students, who claim that in an attempt to help black American students, Asian American students are being discriminated against, and not given spots in these colleges that are instead going to the recipients of affirmative action. Some have compared these to the famous quotas that many Ivy League colleges had for Jews in the early to mid 20th century. They ask, how do we feel about affirmative action - as people, as Americans, and as Jews?
This week Rivky and Uri are joined by the indomitable Mordechai Levovitz to discuss the latest craze taking over TikTok- Orthodox Jewish musical group The Miami Boys Choir. They try to understand what could be fueling this trend, and they ask, is it good for the Jews?
Times of Israel article - https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-miami-boys-choir-churned-out-generations-of-child-stars-where-are-they-now/ Rolling Stone article - https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/miami-jewish-boys-choir-tiktok-viral-1234602435/
Last Sunday, the New York Times ran a front page article, “Failing Schools, Public Funds: Hasidic Students in NYS Are Deprived of Basic Skills.” The article describes the abysmal track record that many Hasidic schools have on standardized tests, their lack of secular education, and the government funding these schools receive without abiding by the government’s academic standards. There are also accusations of teachers hitting students, the hiring of unqualified teachers, censoring of secular textbooks, inaction from politicians due to Hasidic voting blocs and influence, and the extreme challenges faced by members of the community who leave the fold, but find that they are equipped with the basic skills needed to navigate the outside world.
Rivky and Uri ask, what is this article really about? And what is the point of education?
https://yuobserver.org/2022/09/what-the-pride-alliance-failed-to-learn-from-jewish-history/
https://yucommentator.org/2022/09/the-dangers-of-liberalism-and-why-yu-should-change-its-charter/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTp3R7h5JeieCsugLhZbvPjKjuKcIZnIELjThuwFI4rCSDBqaCK02E0oz1eqXTP8pUeb1TV21WITDWm/pub
https://twitter.com/SruliFruchter/status/1537098109875998720
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/11/nyregion/hasidic-yeshivas-schools-new-york.html
We modern day Jews think of ourselves as the descendants of Israelites....but we're not the only group who thinks that of ourselves. This week, Uri and Rivky speak to Drs. Steven Fine and Jesse Abelman, co-curators for a new exhibit at the Museum of the Bible (MOTB), called The Samaritans: A Biblical People. (A partnership of the Yeshiva University (YU) Center for Israel Studies and Museum of the Bible.)
For more about the opening: https://www.museumofthebible.org/exhibits/the-samaritans-a-biblical-people
The fight about whether to allow the Pride Alliance, the club for LBGTQ undergraduate students at YU, has now been elevated to the Supreme Court. This week, Uri and Rivky attempt to share student voices and ask, does Yeshiva University welcome LGBTQ students in its undergraduate schools? And, what is the end goal for YU and for Modern Orthodoxy?
A couple of weeks ago, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas claimed that Israel had committed 50 massacres, 50 Holocausts, of Palestinians. And we were all set to discuss that. But then, this weekend, journalist and former Talking Tachlis guest Peter Beinart, published an op-ed, taking issue with Jewish groups who accuse critics of Israel of antisemitism.
Are these stories connected? What is antisemitism? And must we reevaluate our definitions of antisemitism?
This week Rivky and Uri speak with Lazar Berman, the diplomatic reporter for Times of Israel, to hear about his recent 3 week trip to Ukraine reporting on the war. They also discuss the latest updates on the current Iran nuclear deal negotiations.
Lazar's work for Times of Israel - https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/
To have Lazar speak in the New York area on either August 21 or September 6, you can reach him at Lazar@timesofisrael.com
Links:
Bill Maher segment about appropriation and "Jewface" https://youtu.be/uDkNmbJLB3o Wall Street Journal Podcast about Ben and Jerry's Israel saga https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly92aWRlby1hcGkud3NqLmNvbS9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcy93c2ovdGhlLWpvdXJuYWw/episode/YzRiZDNiZjQtZDY2Zi0xMWVjLWFkNTQtYmIwNTAxMDk3YTEz?hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwjQ3-6Ohsz5AhUflIkEHd0sAKgQieUEegQIBRAF&ep=6
This week, Rivky and Uri talk about the concept of "Jewface," or when a non-Jewish actor plays a very Jewish role. This will often involve using stereotypical Jewish mannerisms, or even prosthetic noses, as is the case with Bradley Cooper in an upcoming movie about Jewish composer Leonard Bernstein. Do we have a problem with this? Is it antisemitic? Is this phenominon comparable to the more well know practice of Blackface?
Links:
Ben and Jerry’s
https://www.timesofisrael.com/ben-jerrys-seeks-injunction-against-parent-company-as-israel-legal-battle-goes-on/
https://nypost.com/2022/08/09/israeli-students-accuse-ben-jerrys-of-occupying-tribal-land/
Sarah Silverman Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewface-iron-dome-mr-mom/id1533130572?i=1000537086147
https://forward.com/culture/476527/does-sarah-silverman-actually-have-a-point-about-jewface/
Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein
https://www.jta.org/2022/05/31/culture/netflix-releases-photos-of-bradley-cooper-wearing-prosthetic-nose-to-portray-leonard-bernstein-reigniting-jewish-representation-debate
Haaretz
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2022-01-24/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/whats-offensive-its-the-idea-that-theres-such-thing-as-jewish-character-traits/0000017f-dc24-d3ff-a7ff-fda4bbc70000?lts=1660140547361
Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z3efR2Fu18
On this coming Sunday, we’ll be commemorating Tisha B’Av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. Uri and Rivky ask, why isn't Tisha B'Av widely recognized in the Jewish world? And what would have to happen to turn the day of mourning into a day of joy?
New York Times - https://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/holy-ambivalence/ Reform Judaism - https://www.reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/tishah-bav Reconstructionist - https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/article/pondering-meaning-tisha-bav/ If Not Now - https://www.972mag.com/as-u-s-jews-we-need-to-figure-out-what-leverage-we-have-in-ending-the-occupation/
Several weeks ago, during several bar and bat mitzvahs being celebrated at the egalitarian section of the Western Wall, about 50 Charedi young men interrupted their services. They blew whistles, screamed at the attendees, and ripped up their prayer books. Videos show them calling the worshipers “Nazis,” “Christians,” “animals,” “shiksas," and “Reform Jews.”
In a similar-but-different story, Gil Tamary, a Jewish and Israeli Channel 13 journalist, recently snuck into Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, has a total ban on non-Muslims entering the city. Tamary made it clear that he knew he was breaking the law. This event enraged both the government of Saudi Arabia and many Muslims worldwide.
Uri and Rivky ask, are these stories as the same? Who are the "good" and “bad” guys, in either story? And ultimately, is it fair, and is it appropriate, to restrict groups of people from religious spaces?
Lazar Berman: https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/
Rabbi Scott Kahn episode about the kotel episode: https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/egalitarian-prayer-at-the-kotel-how-should-orthodox-jews-respond-121/
Several weeks ago, during several bar and bat mitzvahs being celebrated at the egalitarian section of the Western Wall, about 50 Charedi young men interrupted their services. They blew whistles, screamed at the attendees, and ripped up their prayer books. Videos show them calling the worshipers “Nazis,” “Christians,” “animals,” “shiksas," and “Reform Jews.”
In a similar-but-different story, Gil Tamary, a Jewish and Israeli Channel 13 journalist, recently snuck into Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, has a total ban on non-Muslims entering the city. Tamary made it clear that he knew he was breaking the law. This event enraged both the government of Saudi Arabia and many Muslims worldwide.
Uri and Rivky ask, are these stories as the same? Who are the "good" and “bad” guys, in either story? And ultimately, is it fair, and is it appropriate, to restrict groups of people from religious spaces?
Lazar Berman: https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/
Rabbi Scott Kahn episode about the kotel episode: https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/egalitarian-prayer-at-the-kotel-how-should-orthodox-jews-respond-121/
Last week, NASA released the first images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. This project took 20 years and $10 billion, and these new images are the most detailed, incredible views into deep space that humans have ever seen.
This week, Uri and Rivky ask, is it worth it? What is the point of NASA, and space exploration? And what does any of this have to do with us Jews?
This Supreme Court's first term as a six-justice conservative majority has been really something, as least as it comes to religion. Uri and Rivky discuss, how do we feel about the SC becoming such a "pro-religion" court? Is this a good thing for all religious Americans - or just for Christians?
Adam Liptak: https://www.nytimes.com/by/adam-liptak
It's America's Independence Day, and we want to know how we should feel about that. Are we proud to be Americans? What does it mean to be patriotic? Do we have a unique perspective on this as Jews? How might other groups feel differently? Rivky calls in from Israel for this international July 4th edition of Talking Tachlis.
NY Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/opinion/liberal-patriotism-july-fourth.html
Frederick Douglass Speech - What To The Save Is July 4th: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/what-to-the-slave-is-the-fourth-of-july/
Grateful Dead - US Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr-iGxbALnc
Love Actually airport scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0fJSvGJOuI
Last week, the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade, a momentous decision upending nearly 50 years of precedent on abortion. Uri and Rivky aren't legal scholars, or political savants. So instead, this week, they focus on their “unique” contribution, the question of how this relates to our community.
Uri and Rivky are back!! And just in time, too. Last week, the NY Supreme Court ruled that Yeshiva University must recognize the YU Pride Alliance, an LGBTQ student group on campus, as an officially sanctioned Yeshiva University club. Many students, and alumni, are seeing this as a victory. YU is appealing, so we don't know the final decision, but Uri and Rivky ask, who is right here? What could have happened differently? And what meaningful reactions have we seen about this ruling?
Did you watch the Oscars on Sunday night? Trick question, because whether it’s a yes or no, you know about this week’s topic. Uri and Rivky break down the Chris Rock-Will Smith slap heard ’round the world and ask, what the heck happened?
[Update: mid-recording, Will Smith issued a public apology to Chris Rock, but Rivky and Uri, the diligent hosts they are, weren't looking at their phones.]
YULA students last week were treated to a Purim spiel mocking Shalhevet, the other LA-based MO school, for its students’ progressive stances on racial justice and gender and sexual equality, displaying signs with slogans like, “Don’t Misgender Me,” “#BlackLivesMatter,” “#StopAsianHate” and “Free the gays.”
This week, Uri and Rivky ask, does this mean anything bigger about the state of modern Orthodoxy, and its education? Is this a Jewish thing? A frum thing? A high school boy thing?
Is this just representative of the country?
This week Uri follows up with Times of Israel correspondent Lazar Berman, after he spent over a week in the Ukrainian city of Lviv reporting on the war. They discuss the war's escalation, it's ramifications for the current Iran nuclear talks, the Jews of Ukraine, and Israel's perspective on the war. Lazar's articles on the war for Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/
Music:
Ukrainian folk song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5MyOZ4VQRk
Ukrainian national anthem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDeQVaoTvJM
This week, Uri and Rivky speak to Lazar Berman, correspondent for Times of Israel, who is currently on the ground covering Ukraine. They discuss what's happening in the country, Israel's delicate tightrope, and what to expect in the coming days.
If you haven't yet seen The Tinder Swindler on Netflix, check out the wild story about Shimon Hayut, an Israeli con man, and the women he bilked for hundreds of thousands. In this episode, Uri and Rivky are joined by repeat guest Dr. Shayna Weiss, professor and expert in Israeli history, society, and media, to talk about Hayut's con, how his Israeli, Charedi, and Mizrahi identities come into play, and "gvir culture."
Two years into Covid, our community is as fractured as ever. Recently, Rabbi Steven Burg, CEO of Aish, stepped into the fray, criqituing Yeshiva University for the process and mask/vaccine mandates for entering the Seforim Sale this past week. His tweets went viral, and so did his follow-up Facebook post. And as we talk about this story, we ask, what is happening in our community, and how can we get through it?
Last week, we all watched a meltdown in real time, when actor and TV host Whoopi Goldberg asserted that the Holocaust wasn’t about race. She doubled down that night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, before finally apologizing on social media that night, and then on The View the next day. Uri and Rivky ask, were Whoopi’s comments antisemitic? Can we just blame it on inadequate Holocaust education in America? What does this whole episode say about “cancel culture”?
Whoopi Goldberg on The View - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhITfM4bqO8
Whoopi Goldberg on Late Show with Stephen Colbert - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdkhVQZGSSU&t=7s
Whoopi Goldberg apology - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2PZ50UeDVU
Joe Rogan apology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXupo-FHFgc
https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/deep-shtetl/61f992de9277230021ae11f7/are-jews-a-race-whoopi-goldberg-holocaust/
https://twitter.com/WhoopiGoldberg/status/1488320164517101574
https://www.timesofisrael.com/whoopi-goldberg-apologizes-after-claiming-holocaust-was-not-about-race
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-695487
Miriam Anzovin is a millennial content producer for JewishBoston.com with a semi-viral, and hyper-niche TikTok account in which she shares reflections on the daily daf. Anzovin’s videos are very different than most; they’re fun, irreverent, and not quite traditionally educational. So, naturally these videos have created a stir. Uri and Rivky wonder, while some in the Jewish community are obsessed, is Anzovin approaching Torah in a fresh, exciting, new way, or are her videos inappropriate and outside the bounds of reverence for Torah and the Talmud? Is there sexism here? Is there a level of “appropriateness” when we’re involved in Torah?
Links:
https://twitter.com/SamMgelman/status/1487575760277753862
https://www.jta.org/2022/01/28/opinion/raunchy-sarcastic-tiktok-talmud-commentary-isnt-profane-its-torah https://forward.com/culture/480764/daf-yomi-recaps-on-jewish-tiktok-miriam-anzovin/ https://www.heyalma.com/a-woman-went-viral-on-tiktok-for-talking-about-talmud-then-came-the-critics/ https://www.jewishboston.com/read/an-atheist-does-daf-yomi/ https://www.tabletmag.com/podcasts/take-one
This past shabbat, the rabbi and three worshippers were taken hostage while they prayed at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. Three days later, Uri and Rivky talk about what happened, and the reaction across the Jewish community to this terrifying antisemitic incident.
Related links:
Zac Beauchamp: https://twitter.com/zackbeauchamp/status/1482540030082129921
Bari Weiss: https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/being-jewish-in-an-unraveling-america Rabbi Charlie Cytron Walker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErorId3xt6o Bend the Arc: https://twitter.com/jewishaction/status/1483147042457272324?cxt=HHwWiICy9ZCYmZUpAAAA Avi Mayer: https://twitter.com/AviMayer/status/1482497819529428998?cxt=HHwWjIC-lbH68ZIpAAAA Manishtana: https://twitter.com/MaNishtana/status/1482925365148463109?cxt=HHwWisC5oeiwtJQpAAAA
This week, along with clips and letters from listeners, Uri and Rivky reflect on last week's doozy of an episode.
This week, Uri and Rivky speak to Amer Zahr, Palestinian Arab American comedian, speaker, writer, academic, and professor of law. They speak about whether Jesus was Palestinian, Palestinian identity, a binational state, and what peace can and should look like.
Relevant links:
https://twitter.com/AmerZahr?
https://www.facebook.com/amer.zahr/videos/10109485183153743/?t=198 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_David_Accords https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_exodus_from_Arab_and_Muslim_countries https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_in_the_Middle_East_and_North_Africa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Jews https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-DNOnmKkUaY5PZL4kwVKfceXPI8G-lIV Bob Dylan - Neighborhood Bully - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ETdLfXI6r8
The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in Carson vs Makin, in which parents of Maine students alleged that their First Amendment rights were infringed upon by not allowing their children to attend religious schools using the state funding, when other private schools were allowed. Rivky and Uri discuss the court case, and ask, as religious Jews, what do we think about the separation of church and state, school vouchers in general, and government funding of religion?
Links:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/opinion/public-schools-religion.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/08/us/politics/supreme-court-religious-schools-maine.html
https://advocacy.ou.org/content/uploads/WSJ-The-Supreme-Court-Takes-Up-Religious-LibertyAgain.pdf?
https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/492/573
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=mihT_GNeRN8
This week, Joshua Malina, Jewish actor best known from The West Wing and Scandal, published an article in The Atlantic entitled Cancel Mel Gibson: Why is Hollywood still hiring this raging anti-Semite? Malina expresses frustration that Mel Gibson’s “Jew-hatred” has not yet gotten Gibson excommunicated from Hollywood. Uri and Rivky discuss Mel Gibson, whether antisemitism is taken less seriously than other bigotry, and whether Gibson be cancelled? Then they end up getting into Chanukah movies (or lack thereof), Seth Rogan and Santa Inc., and basically just talk about media in all its glory.
Links:
Joshua Malina article: https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/12/mel-gibson-anti-semitism/620873/
Seth Rogan tweet: https://twitter.com/sethrogen/status/1275496311102427136
Seth Rogan tweet #2: https://twitter.com/Sethrogen/status/1466565919023403012
Santa Inc trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEx_CBxNrXY Mel Gibson Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDfUhlBgfoU Paul Mccartney - Wonderful Christmastime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TfWo3GsIII
“Blood is flowing in the streets of the Holy Land,” began an open letter signed by just under 100 rabbinical students, and published in May. Last week, Marc Tracy of the NY Times published an article about the letter, its backlash, and what it all means. In this week's episode, Uri and Rivky ask, is it true? Is American Zionism unraveling? NYT: Inside the Unraveling of American Zionism - The New York Times (nytimes.com) Letter https://www.google.com/amp/s/forward.com/scribe/469583/gates-of-tears-rabbinical-and-cantorial-students-stand-for-solidarity-with/%3fgamp Response https://forward.com/scribe/469900/my-rabbinical-students-letter-shows-imbalance-and-a-lack-of-empathyfor/?_gl=1g4r2ni_ga*YW1wLTBULWsxN2psSG1HYnpCdzZPaXFvb3NxWGVvVkZ0VlVyQzhTSkZvYVVkOVM4Vzh0THFfUkNvNGV5QnhwRHJIRUo.
Park East, a historic synagogue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, is going through a critical upheaval. Over the last month, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, the 91-year-old senior rabbi, fired the shul's assistant rabbi, Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt, over an alleged coup. Teams have been formed, and allegations thrown around. This week, Uri and Rivky speak to Ben Sales, JTA reporter, about this story and ask, is this merely salacious gossip about real people and their lives, or does this story actually signify something bigger?
Relevant links:
https://www.jta.org/2021/10/20/ny/park-east-synagogue-pushes-out-assistant-rabbi-sparking-protest
https://www.jta.org/2021/10/27/ny/a-world-famous-rabbi-a-popular-assistant-and-a-succession-crisis-inside-the-rupture-at-park-east-synagogue
https://www.jta.org/2021/10/29/ny/park-east-fired-rabbi-says-accusations-of-synagogue-coup-are-completely-unfounded-and-personally-hurtful
https://www.jta.org/2021/11/02/ny/fired-park-east-rabbi-holding-rival-services-blocks-from-his-old-synagogue
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/park-east
This week, Uri and Rivky speak with Laura Adkins, Opinion Editor for the Forward and author of the recent piece, “How To Lie With Statistics, Antisemitism Edition." They ask Laura, what do people get wrong about antisemitism? Is antisemitism overblown? What are her fears for the future?
https://forward.com/opinion/477551/conflating-anti-zionism-with-antisemitism-erases-violence-orthodox-jews/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/opinion/how-to-protect-new-yorks-jews.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/10/27/antisemitism-left-rising/
https://forward.com/opinion/438006/to-fight-anti-semitism-we-must-expose-its-conspiratorial-irrational-and/
This week, Uri and Rivky speak to Ma'ayan Seligsohn, a rebbetzin in Riverdale, NY, who recently came out publicly as trans and nonbinary and use they/them pronouns. They speak to Maayan about their story, the Orthodox community, and their relationship with God. (So, you know, nothing too heavy.) Check out Ma'ayan's trans media list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kfhVjbsLz5cXU5G0OyvSp8IOHSJlFWaUmSXYL-I8S7c/edit?usp=sharing
You might have heard about SB8, the new Texas abortion bill. This week, Rabbanit Leah Sarna joins Uri and Rivky to talk about why the bill is anti-religion, why Judaism doesn't fit neatly into the left-right political binary, and the clash (or not?) between Jewish and Western values. Gary Shteyngart in The New Yorker - https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/11/a-botched-circumcision-and-its-aftermath Rabbi Hayim Lieter response to Gary Shteyngart - https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-new-yorkers-botched-circumcision-article/ NYT Abortion Rights and Trans Rights Are Two Sides of the Same Coin - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/10/opinion/trans-abortion-rights.html Torat Chayim Statement on SB8 - http://www.toratchayimrabbis.org/orthodox-rabbis-oppose-texas-senate-bill-8.html?fbclid=IwAR35nvjMLTQFDtF2-qun_n2-1USHQragtPP6ZFXJd520vcxbOvblwNfZ33k https://forward.com/life/406674/orthodox-jewish-women-abortion-stories/
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to give $1 billion to Israel for its Iron Dome missile-defense system. Even though it ended up passing with overwhelming support, the whole kerfuffle and removal of the Iron Dome funding from the larger spending bill angered centrist Democrats, and led vocal Republicans to label the party as anti-Israel. Uri and Rivky break down the vote, and ask, is this breakdown of bipartisan support real? What’s actually going on?
Divestment from Unilever
https://www.ai-cio.com/news/states-divest-unilever-stock-over-ben-jerrys-boycott/
Kamala Harris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6gmAiVU7UA
AOC Letter explaining her "present" vote
https://twitter.com/RepAOC/status/1441488402906447872
Rashida Tlaib and Ted Deutch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_63LUw57E8
Michael Oren in Tablet
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/aid-israel-michael-oren
Did you hear about the crazy Shabbat Naftali Bennett, other high level officials, and journalists spent in a DC hotel last week? This week, Uri and Rivky speak to Lazar Berman, diplomatic reporter for The Times Of Israel about that Shabbat, being a diplomatic correspondent, and bias in media. Links: Understanding false rape allegations:
https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Publications_NSVRC_Overview_False-Reporting.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20180101025446/https://icdv.idaho.gov/conference/handouts/False-Allegations.pdf
https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/1996/96sec2.pdf
New Statement from YU-
https://yeshiva.imodules.com/controls/email_marketing/view_in_browser.aspx?
Commentator article about the aftermath - https://yucommentator.org/2021/09/campus-sexual-assault-harassment-are-yus-top-priority-dean-bacon-says/
Stuck in hotel for Shabbat with Bennett -
https://www.timesofisrael.com/getting-to-know-the-pm-our-unexpected-shabbat-in-a-dc-hotel-with-bennett/
Other pieces by Lazar Berman -
https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-walling-itself-in-israel-learns-to-hazard-the-jungle-beyond/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iron-dome-has-saved-many-lives-but-has-it-made-israel-safer/
Music:
Phish - Avinu Malkenu -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az1dEW2LTIw
Traditional Persian Music -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD0PmMDBZow&t=429s
Scottish Gaelic Music -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJolZxVvj-0
Rivky and Uri discuss an anonymous piece published in the Yeshiva College student newspaper. A female student at YU describes being raped by a fellow student and subsequently receiving little to no support from the university. How should we respond to this very troubling story? Is YU indeed as at fault as this woman describes? Should universities be handling sexual assault investigations in the first place?
Links:
Article in Commentator - https://yucommentator.org/2021/08/i-thought-rape-culture-didnt-exist-at-yu-until-i-was-raped/ YU Statement - https://yucommentator.org/2021/08/university-statement/ Columbia Rape Case - https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/07/24/media-circus-surrounding-mattress-girl-case-changed-conversation-sexual-assault 5% false allegation rate - https://eprints.qut.edu.au/91459/ Music - Santana - Soul Sacrifice - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFvLDAU6EhA
Sadly, you're about to hear an Uri-less episode. But Rivky tried! This week, Rivky had an incredibly interesting conversation with Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz, an educator and "amateur sociologist of Orthodoxy." They discussed her recent tweet thread comparing our community's reaction to an Orthodox baseball player to LGBTQ members, dealing with painful Jewish law, and asked, what are the priorities of the modern Orthodox community?
You watching the Olympics? We are...kinda. This week, after their regular Ben & Jerry's segment (they can't stop!), Uri and Rivky talk about #sports. Specifically, the Olympics! Is it weird that many of the Israeli athletes aren't really, ya know, Israeli? They also discuss the Iranian defector who dedicated his medal to Israel, and the Palestinian-American sprinter, Hanna Barakat. Ben and Jerry's in NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/opinion/ben-and-jerry-israel.html Tablet articles about Yeshivish speak https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/community/articles/politics-and-the-yeshivish-language https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/community/articles/long-live-jewish-english Iranian-Mongolian Silver medal winner in Judo dedicates medal to Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/winning-judo-silver-in-tokyo-iranian-defector-mollaei-dedicates-medal-to-israel/ Music Abie Rotenberg - Yeshievishe Reid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od9-pn4LsLA John Williams - Olympic Fanfare and Theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCqUESCoB1w
You probably haven't heard of this new show, My Unorthodox Life. Or heard any feedback or responses to it, right? This week, Uri and Rivky discuss, does the show give a fair representation of Orthodox Judaism? And at the end of the day, is this good for the Jews or bad for the Jews? (and does it matter?) Head of Ben and Jerry's board Anuradha Mittal on Twitter https://twitter.com/AAlwuhaib1977/status/1416474183433863172 DeBlasio Press Conference https://youtu.be/jQu8o7-DhRY?t=2925 NYT review of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's new book https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/09/books/review/ayaan-hirsi-ali-prey.html R.E.M. - Losing My Religion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKvCV8MFIaw
Uri and Rivky open this episode jumping around - from Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz's comparison between Orthodox MLB players and Orthodox LGBTQ Jews, to Ben and Jerry's, to My Unorthodox Life. But they settle on this week's topic: namely, is social medial evil? How did Facebook, run and started by two Jews, become something seen as so evil? Dr. Schwartz tweet: https://twitter.com/Doc_RPS/status/1417434623915839520 Jacob Steinmetz drafted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXg2mLnnAyo Ben and Jerrys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1INSCM9Xnxc The Forward - How Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg Created the World's Most Dangerous Golem: https://forward.com/culture/472950/how-mark-zuckerberg-and-sheryl-sandberg-created-golem-sheera-frenkel/ Commentary Magazine - What Is To Be Done About Facebook: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/christine-rosen/what-is-to-be-done-about-facebook/ My Unorthodox Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a553JOZq-4
Last month, June 2021, In The Heights, the movie, was finally released. Rivky and Uri both have deep ties to Washington Heights, so they feel connected to this movie. They discuss the film, its controversies, and, hey, where are the Jews at?
Boycotting Israel and Israeli products is common these days. But a recent incident in Philadelphia stood out. An organization called “Eat Up the Borders” whose mission is to “help promote small, family, or immigrant owned businesses” organizes a food festival, called “Taste of Home,” which was meant to showcase local immigrant chefs and the cuisine of their countries of origin. One of the participating food trucks was “Moshava,” a local food truck run by Israeli born chef Nir Sheynfeld. In the days leading up to the event, Sheynfeld’s truck was disinvited from the festival due to rumored protests and what the organizers said was a concern for the safety of the Moshava food truck. Following an uproar regarding this decision, the entire event was canceled. Were the actions of the festival antisemitic or merely a form of protest against the state of Israel? Links: Food Truck: https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/07/01/philadelphia-city-council-approves-hearing-over-food-truck-festival-that-disinvited-israeli-vendor-mishandled-antisemitic-threats/ https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-a-food-truck-made-peter-beinart-too-zionist-for-the-pro-palestinian-left-1.9928921 Joe Rogan: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/01/business/joe-rogan.html https://open.spotify.com/episode/2B07nNz3WIl7ptnCpu3TEy Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeYPLhCFrP0&
Last month, during the latest flareup between Gaza and Israel, dozens of Jewish and Israel studies scholars published an open letter, in which they defined Zionism as “a diverse set of linked ethnonationalist ideologies … shaped by settler colonial paradigms … that assumed a hierarchy of civilizations” and “contributed to unjust, enduring, and unsustainable systems of Jewish supremacy.” This week, Uri and Rivky interview Dr. Joshua Karlip, professor of Jewish History, who wrote a response article in Tablet, arguing that these scholars are blaming Jews for antisemitism. Related links: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/the-flight-from-jewish-peoplehood https://israelpalestinejs.weebly.com/ https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/the-un-jews-natan-sharansky
Israel had another election last week, but instead of talking about politics, this week Uri speaks with first time author Ira Mosen about coexistence and peace in Israel. His book, First Among Nations, deals with many of the tensions in Israel, from the conflict with the Palestinians to the rifts within Jewish Israeli society. They talk about the motivation behind writing the book, some personal anecdotes relating to these themes, and more! https://iramosen.com/ https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-7353741-0-9 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/first-among-nations-a-novels-complex-view-of-soccer-and-coexistence-656982 https://www.amazon.com/First-Among-Nations-Struggle-Perseverance/dp/1735374105
This week's guests started an organization called Nahamu, which fights against forced marriages in the Jewish community. Eve Sacks and Yehudis Fletcher discuss why they became activists on this issue, how they define forced marriage, some of the challenges they have encountered, and even some parallels between these issues and the Meghan and Harry saga with the British royal family. http://nahamu.org/ Nahamu Position Paper: http://nahamu.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Position-Paper-on-FM-Nahamu-Feb-2021.pdf
Uri talks with Dr. Steven Fine about his scholarship in Jewish history and archaeology. Why are these subjects important? What are some of the challenges a religious person could encounter when studying these subjects? They also discuss some of Dr. Fine's work related to the Menorah, the Arch of Titus, the Samaritan people, and more! YU Center for Israel Studies: https://www.yu.edu/cis Samaritans Project: https://www.yu.edu/cis/samaritans-project Arch of Titus project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj4ZMG6hpdI NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/nyregion/chasing-5th-century-clues-from-a-womans-tombstone.html?smid=em-share Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/yeshiva-students-challenge-myths-of-the-menorah-1408069132
Jewish Horror is not a film genre you hear about often, but there is an excellent new movie in that category, and it's called The Vigil. This week Uri speaks with the creative team behind The Vigil- Writer/director Keith Thomas Star of the film Dave Davis Actor and Associate Producer Malky Goldman Producer Rafi Margules They discuss the inspiration for the film, the setting of Hassidic Williamsburg, learning Yiddish, hearing about shadim and Jewish demons as kids, and much more. Thank you to IFC Films and Tamar Simon of Mean Streets Management for making this conversation possible. Movie Synopsis: A Tale of Supernatural Horror in Hassidic Brooklyn. A man providing overnight watch to a deceased member of his former Orthodox Jewish community finds himself opposite a malevolent entity, in writer-director Keith Thomas' electrifying feature debut. https://www.thevigil.movie/ The Vigil trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsMcckth7oU Zusha - Ashrei: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgtim2kxFaA
On last week's episode of Saturday Night Live, Michael Che, the co-host of the Weekend Update segment (and SNL's head writer) made a joke about Israel only vaccinating Jewish citizens. People have called the joke misleading and hurtful, and many have demanded an apology. To talk about this issue we are joined this week by Jewish comedian Eli Lebowicz. Eli and Uri discuss a range of topics including- when is it ok to make jokes about Jews and Israel, is there a double standard in comedy when it comes to Israel, are Holocaust jokes ever OK, and more. Eli's website www.elicomedy.com www.purimfunnystory.com SNL Michael Che Israel Joke https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=78&v=9X_HgJ3KMvY&feature=youtu.be What Jewish comedians made of Michael Che's Israel joke https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/what-jewish-comedians-made-of-michael-ches-israel-joke-660127 Dead Goyim Leg https://nypost.com/2021/02/24/nbc-pulls-nurses-episode-accused-of-being-anti-semitic/ Elon Gold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4QmfK_UImIt
This week Uri speaks with former president of Yeshiva University Richard Joel. President Joel recalls his childhood and discusses some of his reflections from his time at YU. They also talk about creativity in the Orthodox community, the future of YU and modern Orthodoxy, and President Joel clears up once and for all whether or not he is first cousins with Billy Joel.
This week Uri interviews Dr. Phillip Schwartz, who received his Ph.D. in neurobiology/development/oncology from Harvard Medical School and is currently working on a Covid-19 vaccine. They discuss the different types of vaccines, the potential risks involved with vaccines, and the current Covid-19 vaccine rollout in both the US and Israel. They also discuss the possible origins of the Covid-19 virus, as well as the mutations it is currently going through.
This week Uri speaks with the very talented Dr. Shayna Weiss. They discuss Dr. Weiss's upcoming book about gender separation in Israel, her experience teaching at the US Naval Academy, her involvement with sometimes controversial Israeli TV shows, and more! Shayna's Twitter page https://twitter.com/shaynamalka Shayna's essay about teaching Israeli history at the US Naval Academy https://www.dropbox.com/s/m3lh9tatf46varo/Teaching%20the%201948%20War%20at%20the%20Naval%20Academy%20final%20version.docx?dl=0 Aviv Alush on Instagram https://instagram.com/avivalush?igshid=rfjo93ue6b72
This week Uri speaks with the eclectic and fascinating Dr. Moshe Koppel. They discuss Koppel's new book, as well as his political work advising members of Knesset, his work with machine learning and artificial intelligence, his rivalry with Google, and more. To purchase Judaism Straight Up by Moshe Koppel visit https://korenpub.com/products/judaism-straight-up Review of the book https://www.jpost.com/judaism/computer-scientist-explains-and-challenges-religion-in-new-book-653131 Authorship Analysis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S3ISNNAuLk Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern piece in Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/god-at-the-inauguration-11611252044?fbclid=IwAR3KKVqQKuLsGEvljK8b_lttNkHKlUovJPVEgWDFdiYiiyVAatCjaBWYDc8
Somehow almost a full year has passed since Covid has entered our lives, and although the vaccine is certainly some much needed good news, especially coming at a time of rising cases and hospitalizations, the vaccine comes along with its own set of challenges. The primary question being, who should get the vaccine first and what should be the hierarchy of recipients as the vaccine is rolled out over the next few months? An example of this that hit close to home for a lot of us was the story that broke this week about the Parcare Community Health Network, which serves predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in and around NYC. While current NY regulations state that only frontline healthcare workers and nursing home residents and staff are currently eligible to receive the vaccine, Parcare was administering vaccines to many people not in these categories, including some prominent modern Orthodox Rabbis. This week, we ask, what happened there? And how should we be making decisions about prioritization of vaccination? Parcare Scandal: https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-brooklyn-covid-vaccine-probe-20201228-gp56ud4vxrb6na5ujowpqvjazq-story.html Yair Hoffman: https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1932616/the-vaccine-scandal-the-cdc-and-murder.html Kathleen Dooling CDC Presentation: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2020-11/COVID-04-Dooling.pdf NYT Whom Do We Save First With The Vaccine: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/24/magazine/who-should-get-the-covid-vaccine-next.html Healthworker Letter Supporting BLM Protests: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/05/health/health-care-open-letter-protests-coronavirus-trnd/index.html Losing Trust in the CDC: https://www.persuasion.community/p/why-im-losing-trust-in-the-institutions Mayor De Blasio and Vaccine Priority Zip Codes: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/de-blasios-perfect-patsies SNL Christmas Time For The Jews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGzO1ghRKp4
Chanukah has come and gone but we are still in the midst of the "holiday season"! This week Rivky and Uri speak with special guest Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern about an article he wrote in Tablet Magazine last week. The article is titled "Why I Won't Let My Kids Watch That Very Special Christmas Episode". We talk to Stu about what motivated him to write the article, some of the feedback he's gotten about it, the tension between particularism and universalism, and more! Links: Tablet Article - https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/holidays/articles/saying-no-to-very-special-christmas-tv-episodes Stu's Books - https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AStuart+Halpern&s=relevancerank&text=Stuart+Halpern&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
It's Hanukkah! Chanukah! Hannukkahh! That can only mean one thing - it's time for us to be told, on the pages of national newspapers, what the meaning of Chanukah is. So...what is it? Is it about the victory of nationalism over assimilation? Is it about finding light in the darkness? Something else entirely? In this week's episode, Uri and Rivky definitively come up with an answer. You're welcome. Ari Lamm: https://nypost.com/2020/12/09/why-the-cultural-elite-truly-despises-hanukkah/Sarah Prager: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/parenting/hanukkah-family.htmlSarah Prager backlash: https://jewishjournal.com/news/325688/nyt-criticized-for-running-saying-goodbye-to-hanukkah-op-ed/Michael David Lukas: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/01/opinion/sunday/the-hypocrisy-of-hanukkah.htmlAvi Shafran: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/opinion/hanukkah-history-materialism.html
This week, signs started popping up around Washington Heights, telling residents about a public meeting considering changing the name of Bennett Park, named after a famous (and racist) New Yorker. As we ponder this name change, we wonder: when is it appropriate to change a name, or take down a statue? Who should be deemed worthy of a statue, or naming of a park, or a school, or a street, or anything else, if anyone? And the most important question, can Tach-heads join the meeting en masse and push for naming the park Tachlis Park? Links: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/bennett-park/history https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/nyregion/nyc-fire-department-bennett-medal.html https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/leave-peter-stuyvesant-alone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Redskins_name_opinion_polls
Election Day! This year, more than ever, it feels like "Jewish values" and even halachic arguments seem to have made their way to the forefront of politics in the observant community - including rabbis and halachic authorities making an explicit pitch for a candidate. Is this good? Bad? Should rabbis stay out of politics, and should the only authorities on political matters be Rivky and Uri? https://www.timesofisrael.com/thank-you-rabbis-trump-tweets-after-support-letter-from-13-orthodox-leaders/ https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10218953018199094&set=a.1088917545815 https://www.jpost.com/us-elections/senior-orthodox-rabbis-endorse-donald-trump-647739 https://jewishlink.news/151-community-news/40139-why-orthodox-jews-must-vote-for-joe-biden https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/meet-the-new-york-orthodox-rabbi-voting-for-biden/ https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/10/30/is-it-halachically-permissible-to-vote-for-a-menuval/ https://www.facebook.com/aryeh.klapper https://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/20/opinions/charlottesville-clergy-round-up-opinion/index.html https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-rabbi-shai-held-is-shaping-the-conversation-around-love-and-politics/ Music: Johnnie Taylor - I Could Never Be President https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHpTAzUzvQA
Last week, Americans for Peace Now held a Yitzhak Rabin 25-Year Memorial Event, remembering the Israeli politician, statesman, and general, 25 years after his assassination. US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a rising star in the progressive wing of the Democratic party, had been scheduled to attend the commemoration, but withdrew after backlash from journalists and Palestinian civil rights groups. Uri and Rivky ask, why did AOC decide not to participate? Was she wrong? And fundamentally, is there room for Zionism in the progressive world? Related links: Roger Cohen NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/09/opinion/aoc-rabin.html Yair Rosenberg on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yair_rosenberg/status/1309514850792599552 Bari Weiss Tablet: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/stop-being-shocked
Many of us have been shocked by mainstream news stories about very large weddings and other Orthodox gatherings in Brooklyn, large resistance to people wearing masks, and even protests that have turned violent. This week, Uri and Rivky speak to Dovid Teitelbaum, to try to understand how the ultra-Orthodox or charedi community is handling the pandemic, and why. Since March, Dovid has been active on social media, posting and writing constantly, trying to raise awareness in the Jewish community about the dangers of Covid-19. Relevant links: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/seeing-the-coronavirus-affair-in-new-york-from-the-orthodox-perspective-645887? https://blog.campsdeichemed.com/2020/03/an-open-letter-to-the-torah-umesorah-vaad-roshei-yeshiva-and-klal-yisroel.html https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10218629446468017&set=a.1570828791309&type=3&theater
Rosh Hashanah and the holiday season are fast approaching. There are all kinds of spiritual and logistical preparations that many of us have already begun, but let's not forget...food. In particular, meat. What does Judaism have to say about our meat-eating habits? The Jewish sources on eating meat are somewhat nuanced. Are we meant to be vegetarians, or is that left-wing moralism? More broadly, how should we be thinking about this issue? BONUS: Stay until the end for an interview with Anna Hanau, co-founder of Grow and Behold. Grow and Behold: https://www.growandbehold.com/
This week, Uri and Rivky are joined by Rabbi Denise Handlarski, the creator and leader of the online community Secular Synagogue. She talks about leading a secular congregation, being a humanist rabbi, what makes Jewish identity/religion important, and the challenges and strengths of intermarriage.
This week, Uri and Rivky play clips from and discuss Seth Rogen's recent appearance on WTF with Marc Maron. Seth and Marc got into fascinating - and Jewy - discussions, which we jump off of, about the lies they were fed about Israel in their childhood, the value of marrying another Jew, chasidic Jews, how they define the “chosen people,” and how their grandparents might reflect on them, looking at their lives today. WTF: http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-1143-seth-rogen Israel Hayom: https://www.israelhayom.com/2020/08/09/seth-rogens-israel-comments-illustrate-fraying-israel-diaspora-ties/ An American Pickle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBC0pTh6GDM
This week, Uri and Rivky spoke to Yossi Klein Halevi, American-born Israeli author and journalist. Halevi had a lot to say about last week's guest, Peter Beinart, and his recent article calling for a one-state solution. He also talked about the difference between dialogue with Palestinians and dialogue with left-wing Jews, and shared reflections on 15 years after the disengagement from Gaza. Links: Letter To My Neighbor Website: https://www.letterstomyneighbor.com/ Yossi Klein Halevi's books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=yossi+klein+halevi&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
This week, Uri and Rivky sit down for a thought-provoking conversation with journalist and political commentator Peter Beinart. Beinart has made a recent splash in his recent political conversion: he no longer believes in a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine; rather, Beinart sees hope in a single secular binational state, with equal rights for Jews and Palestinians. Uri and Rivky ask him about fears for this new state, if he's given up on both Israeli and Palestinian self-determination, and how Judaism has impacted his evolving thoughts. They also discuss antisemitism in America and in the Arab world, the symbolism of the destruction of the Temple, and what other political positions Beinart has changed over the years - and what causes true change. Links: Peter Beinart Jewish Currents https://jewishcurrents.org/yavne-a-jewish-case-for-equality-in-israel-palestine/ Peter Beinart New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/08/opinion/israel-annexation-two-state-solution.html Peter Beinart 10 years ago https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2010/06/10/failure-american-jewish-establishment/ Response from Anshel Pfeffer https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-peter-beinart-s-one-state-solution-sounds-so-perfect-it-s-practically-utopian-1.8983601 Response from Dan Shapiro https://twitter.com/DanielBShapiro/status/1280965854759395328 and https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/end-the-jewish-state-lets-try-some-honesty-first/ Helen Thomas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVlg01QMN3k
Last week, DeSean Jackson, wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, found himself in hot water after posting several insensitive social media posts about Jews. Though he was widely condemned, he was also supported, by fans, teammates, and too many others. Uri and Rivky talk about Jackson's posts and his apologies, and ask, what makes this bigotry different than other bigotry? Related links: Malcolm Jenkins on Drew Brees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljO-TXjk3-Y Malcom Jenkins on DeSean Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URMhErLdfEk Desean Jackson Hitler post https://twitter.com/StopAntisemites/status/1280276810509488128 Desean Jackson 2nd apology attempt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MZmOURgFuI Desean Jackson 3rd apology attempt https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/07/07/desean-jackson-apologizes-again-vows-to-show-its-more-than-just-words/ Julian Edelman on Desean Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQa2vNNQ9bI Zach Banner on Desean Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I94ahSB9qFc Mitch Albom on Desean Jackson and Anti-Semitism https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/mitch-albom/2020/07/12/mitch-albom-desean-jacksons-anti-semitic-jewish-hitler/5421550002/
Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, the longtime leader of Yeshiva University and staunch believer in centrist Orthodoxy, passed away two weeks ago. This week, Uri and Rivky speak to his grandson, Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm, about Rabbi Lamm's legacy, including his complex approach to divisive issues, how his sermons speak to us through every generation, and his rabbinic leadership. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/obituaries/Norman-Lamm-Dead.html
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss the tragic death of George Floyd, and the countrywide protests that have been taking place in response. Links: NYT timeline of events https://www.nytimes.com/article/george-floyd-protests-timeline.html Trevor Noah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c&t=958s
Ignoring the strict guidance from rabbinic and medical leadership, several members of Young Israel of Deerfield Beach held a "secret" minyan - and the response has been swift and fierce. Uri and Rivky ask, were the consequences appropriate? How should we treat people who go rogue? Letter from YIDB leadership: https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/featured/1860074/read-this-letter-florida-shul-to-throw-our-members-who-attended-rouge-minyan.html Elon Musk on Joe Rogan Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcYjXbSJBN8 Rabbi Yitz Greenberg: How Charedi Orthodox Theology Failed Its Followers https://njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com/how-charedi-orthodox-theology-failed-its-followers/ Shaul Magid: Covid 19, Haredi Jewry, and "Magical" Thinking https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/belief/articles/covid-haredi-magical-thinking
This week, the cohosts of the Joy of Text podcast, Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus and Rabbi Dov Linzer, speak to Uri and Rivky about their podcast, how to live with the clashes that can come up between Judaism and sexuality, and what healthy sex education could look like in the Orthodox school system.
Danny Senter is many things: a rabbi, EMT, car enthusiast, beekeeper, umpire, clock repairperson, forager, beer brewer...and that's just the beginning. This week, Uri and Rivky speak to the most interesting man in Teaneck about his reflections on the coronavirus pandemic from his perspective as an EMT, as a rabbi in Teaneck, the epicenter in NJ, and about having so many unusual hobbies in the observant community. Beekeeping links: http://njbees.com/index.html https://youtu.be/mjODllEBUm8?t=534
Many of us look around and are driven to despair. But this week, Uri and Rivky speak to Rabbi Dr. Gil Perl, head of school at the Kohelet Yeshiva, about how Kohelet has pivoted in the last few weeks, fabricating special face shields for local Philadelphia medical professionals who are on the front lines battling COVID-19. Rabbi Perl tells us how this project came about, why he sees this as fitting perfectly into the educational model of Kohelet, and how he sees the lessons going forward into a post-corona age, whenever that may be. To donate to the face shield project: https://www.koheletyeshiva.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=804651&type=d&pREC_ID=1875779
We're now finishing our third full week of social distancing due to COVID-19. It's been draining, isolating, and painful for many of us, but as our guest Marc Fein reminds us, loneliness and isolation isn't new, for many members of our community. Uri and Rivky talk to Marc about mental health in the Jewish community, tips for handling solo seders, and how we can be resources to one another during this difficult time. Marc, What I Be project, http://whatibeproject.com/portfolio-item/i-am-not-my-role-2/ Solo Seder webinar: https://zoom.us/rec/play/6MZ4dL_5_Dw3GoXDtASDB_Z8W43oKv-s1XQWqfZbzh63UnZVMVbyNbIXYbYlxzpmvG95wtme5zKPtkXZ Ideas for Solo Seder: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jtPnU8a55zz0RRH8EuMOCCyIBtg8IGJApX6F5Di2wGs/edit Marc tells his story about depression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6ccs19L5n0
This week has been another heavy week. Many of us are seeing illness and even death within our circles, and even beyond that, changed routines, loss of control, and anxiety are pervading our lives. Uri and Rivky speak to Dr. Aviva Goldstein, an educator and family counselor based in Jerusalem, about how to deal with the overwhelming anxiety many of us, including children, are facing about the unknown and the future. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-kids-of-corona-cultivating-character/ https://www.avivagoldstein.com/
This week, Rivky and Uri speak with Michael Berkowitz, founder of luxury outerwear brand Norwegian Wool. They discuss how Covid-19 has affected New Rochelle, how it has affected his business (much of which is based in Italy) and they touch on some broader takeaways from the crisis we've all been thrown into over the last few weeks. Links: Norwegian Wool: https://norwegian-wool.com/
As we try to get used to our new reality, we hope everyone is staying safe and staying home. This week we spoke with Rabbi Heshie Billet from the Young Israel of Woodmere to get an idea of what he has been dealing with in his community and beyond (and for some much needed humor!).
This week, with Coronavirus spreading around the world, we hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Instead of addressing the current crisis, we want to take you back to a simpler time, specifically 3 weeks ago... After our episode with Arun Viswanath, Uri had a conversation with his grandparents. They talk about their families, their childhood, and their relationship with the Yiddish language.
This week, Uri and Rivky interview special guest Rabbi Daniel Atwood - yes, that Rabbi Daniel Atwood. Daniel talks about how the recent YCT brouhaha upended his life, changed the way he thought, and has affected him in the year since. They also discuss what the boundaries of Orthodoxy are (or should be), what it means to be an Orthodox leader, and how being gay impacts him as a rabbi.
This week, Uri and Rivky interview special guest Rabbi Ben Greenfield. Over the last few years, Ben has created and coordinated hundreds of Jewish communal events, including a Yom Hashoah levaya, a Yom "Ki"Purim celebration, Shavuot seders, and Hanukkah symposiums. We talk about what some of these rituals look like and we ask, what is this? What does it mean about us that we are creating new ritual? Is it even Orthodox to do things like this?? They also discuss what it means to be a rabbinic leader today, in the age of social media and controversy. To speak more with Ben about these rituals, including a copy of his Shavuot haggadah, email him: ben@greenpointshul.org
This week, on our very special 100th episode, Uri and Rivky interviewed Arun Viswanath, who recently translated and published the Yiddish translation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (ALREADY SOLD OUT!!). Arun, Uri, and Rivky discuss the new book and ask, what is Yiddish and why is it important? Why shouldn’t we let it die? How is Yiddish similar, or different, to other religious cultural aspects? And, can Yiddish be separated from Judaism? (P.S. Recognize the dulcet tones on that Yiddish song? Hi Uri!) To pre-order the second edition of the book: https://harrypotter.olniansky.com/ Arun in Tablet: https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/culture-news/298268/harry-potter-translated-yiddish
Kobe Bryant, basketball legend, died last week at the age of 41 in a sudden accident. Immediately, as often seems to happen, people flocked to social media, some posting about the amazing player and person he was, and others reminding us that he is still accused of rape and assault. And, of course, legacies are complicated. How does this Kobe situation, from 15 years ago, relate to “cancel culture” - does it? How “bad” does accusations about a person have to be, to be a part of their legacy? How do we determine who gets to be “forgiven” - does the accuser make that decision? Do we as society? Related links: https://www.thedailybeast.com/kobe-bryants-disturbing-rape-case-the-dna-evidence-the-accusers-story-and-the-half-confession https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/sports/basketball/kobe-bryant-rape-case.html https://jill.substack.com/p/kobe-bryant-and-complicated-legacies?fbclid=IwAR24xKgTEu8HJAck_Hv4gs_nnGESfNu6neVa4bPicXNa_ptYyojaExwooto https://medium.com/@martin.m.morrow/dear-white-women-d2b2ce2c4ba6
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss two topics about the mixing (or lack thereof) of religion and politics. In Israel, Rav Yoel Bin Nun denounced religious Zionist politics parties, and argued that religious leadership in the Knesset has been an epic failure. In America, Espizona vs. Montana is just another event in the saga of the separation of church and state. Uri and Rivky ask, is there room for the mixing of religion and politics? What place, if any, should religion have in the public sphere, and how does our identity as religious Jews affect our perspective on this issue? Related links: Separation of Church and State in America https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States#Supreme_Court_cases Espinoza v Montana Dept of Revenue - https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/01/argument-analysis-justices-divided-in-montana-school-choice-case/ Kobe Bryant short film Dear Basketball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9saQ-4_8Csk
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss a recent Tablet article: “Secular Synagogues Take Root in Israel.” (Thanks to astute Tach-head Adi for the tip!) As the article documented, there is a recent rise of non-observant Israelis looking for deeper spiritual connection to Judaism, and they're finding it in new ways, like through secular synagogues. But is a secular synagogue an oxymoron? Is this movement inspiring, or sacrilegious, or both? And could/should such a movement exist here in the United States? Related links: Secular Synagogues Take Root In Israel: https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/295429/secular-synagogues-take-root-in-israel Reform/Conservative Movements In Israel: http://jppi.org.il/new/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RisingStreams.pdf Neturei Karta clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUjiJpshGCw
This week, Uri and Rivky speak about the recent march against antisemitism, where over 10,000 marched from Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn to protest the recent antisemitic incidents. Many have mentioned the less-then-huge participation of Hasidic and Haredi groups. Uri and Rivky ask, when is it appropriate to focus on, or let go of, different factions within a larger community? How do we foster love, community, and unity when some groups reject others? See more here: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/05/nyregion/anti-semitism-solidarity-march-nyc.html https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/25000-people-march-against-anti-semitism-in-new-york-city/ AOC at the march: https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1213915349302882304
This week, instead of hearing from Uri and Rivky, we hear from you: the Tach-Heads! You spoke about who you tend to agree with, the issues from this past year that you thought were the most important, the things you want us to discuss in the future, and the people you want us to interview.
In the last few weeks, antisemitism has been back in the news. (Did it ever leave?) President Trump released his executive order on combating antisemitism, and, in that same week, Jews were gunned down in a kosher grocery store in Jersey City, an unprecedented act that shook many of us to our core. Uri and Rivky ask, what about the executive order was so controversial? And, what happened in Jersey City? Is there a larger meaning to it all? And, ultimately, is there any connection we can draw between these two events? Links: Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-combating-anti-semitism/ NY Times The Daily "A Fight Over How to Fight Anti-Semitism": https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/podcasts/the-daily/anti-semitism.html? The Hill "Why We Should Applaud Trump's executive Order On Anti-Semitism": https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/474271-why-we-should-applaud-trumps-executive-order-on-anti-semitism Yair Rosenberg "Trump's Redefinition of Jewish Identity That Wasn't": https://yair.substack.com/p/trumps-redefinition-of-jewish-identity Mark Stern "No, the Trump Administration Is Not Redefining Judaism as a Nationality": https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/12/trump-antisemitism-executive-order-israel-judaism.html Met Council in Jersey City: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNaq3neip3w&t= Rabbi Jill Jacobs tweet chain: https://twitter.com/rabbijilljacobs/status/1205573834667151360 Music: Boyz II Menorah - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5YNNkR1hJI
This week, Uri and Rivky spoke with Gary Rosenblatt. Before retiring several months ago, Gary had been the Editor In Chief at the Jewish Week for almost thirty years, and he now serves as Editor At Large. They spoke about the responsibilities of journalism, what “Jewish” journalism looks like, and how to filter bias and respond to criticism when reporting on your own community. Gary also reflects on the most important stories he wrote, and didn’t write, over his career in journalism. Between the Lines: Reflections on the American Jewish Experience -A Collection From 20 Years of Columns as the Editor of The Jewish Week: https://www.amazon.com/Between-Lines-Reflections-Experience-Collection/dp/0615917496 Gary Rosenblatt, "Stolen Innocence": https://www.bjpa.org/content/upload/bjpa/stol/Stolen%20Innocence%20-%20Gary%20Rosenblatt%20-%20Jewish%20Week%20-%20Sexual%20Abuse.pdf NY Times on Lanner article: https://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/10/business/media-paper-seen-as-villain-in-abuse-accusations-against-rabbi.html Yedidya Gorsetman and Gary Rosenblatt, "Has The ‘Tough Love’ Rebbe Gone Too Far?": https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/has-the-tough-love-rebbe-gone-too-far/
This week Rivky and Uri discuss a recent article written by Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, entitled "The First Modern Orthodox Jew: Two Models." Rabbi Pruzansky contrasts Avraham and Lot, and uses them as models for two ways Orthodox Jews can approach the secular world, specifically the world of secular college. Rivky and Uri ask, does this article accurately depict the MO world? Too harsh? Not harsh enough? And what do we think in general about this type of approach to Jewish life? Links: Rabbi Pruzansky's blog https://rabbipruzansky.com/ Rabbi Pruzansky's Wikipedia page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Pruzansky Music: Phish - Avinu Malkenu 12/1/19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4yBXU8o2-k
This week, Uri and Rivky welcome writer and activist Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll, who believes that the attempt to erase women from Judaism is a scourge Orthodoxy must take seriously. Uri, Rivky, and Shoshanna discuss activism and feminism, and ask, is this really as big a deal as people think? How can you be frum and feminist? And what are the fundamental goals for this movement?
Last month, The New Yorker published a piece entitled, “Astrology in the Age of Uncertainty,” in which the writer asked, what’s with all these educated millennials who see no contradiction between using astrology and believing in science? Uri and Rivky speak to some of those same millennials, and ask, what’s the deal? Why do we seem to find astrology so compelling? What do Jewish sources tell us about astrology? And, is it real, and does that matter? Links: New Yorker Article https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/10/28/astrology-in-the-age-of-uncertainty Wikipedia Jewish Astrology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_views_on_astrology Enneagram https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enneagram_of_Personality Ari Moshe Wolfe http://www.arimoshe.com/ Shifra Baderhttp://kosherastrology.com/ Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c7Q4hjcBjA
What are the defining issues for the American Jewish community to tackle in the 21st century? To speak to this, Uri and Rivky speak to Dr. Elana Stein Hain, Scholar in Residence at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, and leading Orthodox thinker and speaker. They also get into lots of the most relevant questions of our day, including: is Zionism is essential to being a religious Jew? How should we handle religious text that make us cringe? And, why we don’t speak about God when we speak about religion?
Though the majority of Jews in America see themselves as left-leaning, the majority of Orthodox Jews lean more to the right. This week, Uri and Rivky spoke to Rabbi Mark Gottlieb, Senior Director of the Tikvah Fund and Dean of the Tikvah Summer Institute at Yale University. We ask Rabbi Gottlieb: What is Tikvah? What is Jewish conservatism? We also discuss some challenges facing modern Jewish education, as well as the lessons that Jews can learn from other religious groups, such as Christians and Muslims. Jews and Conservatism conference: https://www.jewishleadershipconference.org/
It’s been one year since the shooting at Tree of Life, in which a right-wing gunman entered the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and killed 11 people, and injured 6 more. At the one year anniversary, Uri and Rivky analyze the articles and think pieces published about American antisemitism - particularly Bari Weiss, Zack Beauchamp, and Deborah Lipstadt. They ask, how has the American Jewish community changed since Tree of Life? What is a more “important” focus - left-wing antisemitism, or right-wing antisemitism? And, is is "good" that, for some, fear or negativity has become motivation for Jewish life or Jewish community? Related links: One Year Since Tree Of Life: https://www.wtae.com/article/one-year-commemoration-of-tree-of-life-synagogue-shooting-marked-around-the-world/29601905# Zack Beauchamp On Anniversary Of Shooting: https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/10/18/20899208/tree-of-life-anniversary-pittsburgh-shooting-american-jews Bari Weiss (from one year ago): https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/opinion/synagogue-shooting-pittsburgh.html Judith Butler’s Book Review Of How To Fight Anti-Semitism: https://jewishcurrents.org/bari-weisss-unasked-questions/ Deborah Lipstadt On Fighting Antisemitism With Joy: https://forward.com/opinion/433264/the-best-way-to-fight-anti-semitism-jewish-joy/ Trends in American Antisemitism: https://www.adl.org/audit2018#themes-and-trends Antisemitism On College Campuses: https://www.adl.org/resources/reports/schooled-in-hate-anti-semitism-on-campus How Safe Do You Feel As An American Jew, 1 Year Later?: https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/EXT-INTERACTIVE-a-year-after-pittsburgh-shooting-do-you-feel-safe-as-a-jew-in-america-1.8031157 Music: Ringo Starr - No No Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCSjKXEy65g
This week, Uri and Rivky start by talking about Yom Kippur in Israel, as well as the recent controversy regarding the NBA and China. Then they dive into their main topic: a recent letter released by the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC), addressing the upcoming legalization of recreational marijuana in the state of Illinois. The letter strongly states that recreational marijuana violates halacha and is forbidden. Uri and Rivky discuss the relevance of this statement, as well as some very interesting Jewish sources relating to all kinds of other mind-altering substances. Links: Yom Kippur in Israel: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-shuts-down-for-yom-kippur-2/ NBA China controversy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA450uGN6fk Various Jewish sources relating to marijuana: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/20405?lang=bi Lubavitcher Rebbe discusses alcohol: https://www.academia.edu/9320130/The_Lubavitcher_Rebbes_Decree_Against_Drunkenness_Booklet_titled_To_Drink_Like_a_Chossid_ Rambam discusses alcohol: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/43617/being-intoxicated-a-sin Lubavitcher Rebbe discusses LSD: https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/letters/default_cdo/aid/3190865/jewish/Should-I-Take-LSD-to-Attain-Spiritual-Heights.htm Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan and Kaneh Bosem: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/82554/who-says-that-keneh-bosem-is-cannabis Theory that Moses was on drugs: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-525993/Moses-high-hallucinogenic-drug-received-Ten-Commandments-claims-academic.html Shitta/Acacia Tree in the Torah: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shittah_tree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Acacia_species_known_to_contain_psychoactive_alkaloids Music: Ishai Ribo - Seder Ha'avodah ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECy3CMxShIQ The Beatles - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naoknj1ebqI
On the first episode of 5780, Rivky and Uri start by going over some feedback from last week's episode. Then in the spirit of Yom Kippur and the 10 Days of Repentance, they talk about what makes a good apology, they play some clips of great thinkers discussing the topic, and they analyze some famous apologies (and non-apologies) from this past year. Links: Paul McCartney on Colbert https://youtu.be/475Yc5YlqAU?t=440 Atone Phone Colbert http://www.cc.com/video-clips/liknzb/the-colbert-report-atone-phone---ira-glass-calls SNL Pete Davidson and Dan Krenshaw The original joke - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukbtA3df8BI&t=83s The apology - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKaakjMVtyE&t=7s Naftali Bennet ad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFGWJ1vIf44 Music: B-I-B-L-E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxe0SD0_DzI Justin Bieber - Sorry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRh_vgS2dFE
This week, Uri and Rivky first break down some of the recent feedback from the YU March episode - and Uri offers an Elul apology. They they dive into today's topic, a recent article published by Rabbi Gil Student - "Is 929 Kosher?" 929 is the Tanach equivalent of Daf Yomi, in which people study a daily chapter of Tanach. Alongside the actual text study, the website both offer interpretations and commentaries from modern thinkers - both Orthodox and non-Orthodox. In Rabbi Student's essay, he argues that because there are “non-traditional interpretations of Tanakh,” and “perspectives from people who do not consider the text to be words of prophecy,” we, the public, should we wary about learning from them, because, “Studying non-Orthodox perspectives on the Bible is not recommended.” Uri and Rivky ask, is 929 as problematic as Rabbi Student seems to find it? Should there be limits to what people learn? What are those limits? Relevant links: 2017 YU Commentator "Where Are The Pitchforks? Being An Openly Gay Student At Yeshiva University: https://yucommentator.org/2017/02/pitchforks-openly-gay-student-yeshiva-university/ Dr Aaron Koller "On Halacha and LGBTQ": https://yuobserver.org/2019/09/on-halakha-and-lgbt/ About 929: https://www.929.org.il/pages/aboutEN.html Is 929 Kosher?: https://www.torahmusings.com/2019/09/is-929-kosher/
This week, Uri and Rivky begin with feedback about the Rabbi Linzer interview and surmise that everyone's biggest shock was how traditional Rabbi Linzer is. (Some like that, and some hate that, go figure.) They then dive into the main topic for this week’s episode, Yeshiva University and the student march for LGBTQ representation, and the follow-up, the #PledgeNotToPledge campaign. They ask, how homophobic is YU? (What is homophobia, anyway?) If you strip down the five “goals” the organizers are asking for - what do you think is the focus? Is homophobia more common among the students, or among the university staff and rabbis? Does it matter? Relevant links: YU March, including pictures, videos, and their five demands: https://www.facebook.com/events/336023320677992/ #PledgeNotToPledge: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PledgeNotToPledge/ Deena Klein on Talking Tachlis: https://soundcloud.com/user-355770813/shes-here-shes-queer-shes-machmir Rachael Fried on Talking Tachlis: https://soundcloud.com/user-355770813/66-lgbtq-and-orthodox-paradox-or-possibility-with-special-guest-rachael-fried
This week, Uri and Rivky speak with Rabbi Dov Linzer, the President and Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and a leader in the liberal Orthodox world. We’ve discussed Rabbi Linzer and YCT on the show many times, but sitting down with him is a whole other story! After discussing a little bit about his background, we dove into some important topics, such as: should biblical criticism be a part of Orthodox education? [What is out of bounds? Are there bounds?] What about Zionism, and a love for Israel? We also spoke about a classic TT topic, the role of a rabbi today, and asked, what makes YCT and liberal Orthodoxy unique from YU and Hadar, two institutions YCT is often compared to? Lastly, what are issues in the liberal Orthodox world, and can we turn to other Orthodox movements for guidance? Note: we made the conscious choice to not explicitly bring up the recent tension regarding Rabbi Dan Atwood and YCT, when YCT decided not to give Rabbi Atwood rabbinic ordination several weeks before his would-be graduation. For a discussion on that topic, see our episode, The Gay Orthodox Conundrum: https://soundcloud.com/user-355770813/64-the-gay-orthodox-conundrum Related links: Clip from The Frisco Kid (amazing movie!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXf2yK7ojBE Rabbis in spiritual crisis: https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4406721,00.html The Rise of Social Orthodoxy: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-rise-of-social-orthodoxy-a-personal-account/ Revelation Restored: https://www.amazon.com/Revelation-Restored-Critical-Responses-Traditions/dp/0813333474
This week Uri and Rivky start off by getting a little deeper into the Jewish dual loyalty conversation. Should American Jews who serve in the IDF feel weird telling non-Jewish Americans about their army service? They also look at some historical examples of groups of Americans who's loyalty was questioned. Then they dive into the main topic: What do we think about the death penalty? Is there ever a reason to use it? More specifically, should the perpetrator of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life shooting be punished by death? Finally, should this decision take into account the fact that many of the survivors and congregants of the Tree of Life synagogue have pleaded with the Attorney General not to pursue the death penalty? Related links: Harvard student has visa rejected and then accepted, finally arrived at school: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2019/9/3/harvard-student-turned-away-arrives/ US resumes capital punishment https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/us/politics/federal-executions-death-penalty.html?module=inline Death penalty sought for Pittsburgh shooter: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/26/us/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting-death-penalty.html Mishna in Makot about capital punishment https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Makkot.1.10?lang=bi&with=English%20Explanation%20of%20Mishnah&lang2=en Music: R.E.M. - Exhuming McCarthy https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=NGc2kkPw-6Y
This week, Uri and Rivky first touch on the new HBO series "Our Boys." Don't worry, no spoilers, but watch along with us! Next, our topic at hand: as Jewish Americans, many of us feel a connection to Israel. But how does that relate to Jewish dual loyalty? Is it real? If America and Israel came into conflict, would we pick a stand? Where? And, are other groups and religions accused of dual loyalty in the same way that Jews are? Related links: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-doubles-down-calling-jewish-democrats-disloyal-israel-n1044861 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/21/us/politics/jews-disloyal-trump.html http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/02/omar-israel-hawks-allegiance-foreign-country-anti-semitism.html "Our Boys" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4AVfDnwCIE Music: "American Idiot," Green Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee_uujKuJMI
Uri and Rivky spent the past week attempting to stay away from Tlaib, Omar, Bibi, and Trump. They were soooo close, but...no cigar. In this week's ep, they first review the extensive feedback re: last week's episode, about women and the daf yomi videos. Then they talk a little about Tlaib and Omar's cancelled trip to Israel, and a lot about Trump's charge of "disloyal" Jewish American Democrats and ask - is this just a dumpster fire? Is there anything we can get out of this? Music for the ep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk4DJIss1Oc
In a few months, we will be celebrating the completion of the Daf Yomi, a seven-and-a-half-year cycle of learning the entirety of the 2,711 pages of the Babylonian Talmud. Last time, the largest gathering for the celebration took place at MetLife Stadium in NJ, where a sellout crowd of 90,000+ came to listen to speeches, sing, dance, and celebrate this huge milestone. This week, Uri and Rivky discuss a few videos that have been created and promoted by Agudat Israel, the organization that creates this mega event. The first shows a few of the men who are completing the Talmud, and speaks to how highly they value their wives' contribution to their learning. The second is a video of Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner, called A Woman’s Relationship to Limud HaTorah. These videos make us ask, how should men and women relate to Torah learning? And what is the appropriate reaction to feeling uncomfortable with the way others are choosing to live? And, what do we think of the daf yomi in general? Related links: Men talking about their wives: https://www.facebook.com/seth.farber.5/videos/2625174774168921/ Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner: A Woman’s Relationship to Limud HaTorah: https://vimeo.com/330799139
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss David Frum’s piece in the Atlantic, “What If They’re Not Coming for the Jews This Time? Trump poses a new test for the American Jewish community.” Frum asks, what if Trump and his world are actually pro-Jewish and pro-Israel? What does that mean for us? As Frum puts it, “Jews generally believe ourselves to be bound by an ethical code of tolerance and decency larger than our own parochial interests. Trump seems intent on putting that belief to the test. Will we meet it as a united community? Or by tempting Jews with privileges denied to other, more marginal groups, will he split religious Jews from secular; more communally minded Jews from more universalist; more conservative from more liberal?” Uri and Rivky ask, this world David Frum asks us to imagine - is that our reality? And do we recognize his challenge? What do we do if/when we have to make a choice? Frum's article: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/07/has-trump-abandoned-anti-semitism/594619/ Phish - Run Like An Antelope - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETBSTYHmVUI
On this phantastic episode, Uri and Rivky talk to Phish aficionado Jonny Miller about the unique phenomenon that is the band Phish, and their fans, affectionally called Phishheads. Why does Phish have such a large and passionate following - particularly among the Jewish community? [Don't worry - you don't need to be a Phishhead for this episode to be fun. Just ask Rivky, who is, as of yet, unconvinced.] PSA: Our conversation went a little longer than usual, so we decided to release the episode in 2 versions, a long one and a short one. Just be thankful we didn't make this a 5 part episode (we were tempted!). Check out the links below to dive deeper into the Phish pond, but most importantly, read the effing Book! Related links: Why do so many Jews love Phish? https://www.jta.org/2019/05/21/culture/why-so-many-jews-love-the-band-phish NYT interview with Trey: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/24/magazine/trey-anastasio-phish.html Baker's Dozen: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/arts/music/phish-bakers-dozen.html Analyze Phish Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/earwolf/analyze-phish Read The Book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDo0qKkvfcQ Songs from the episode: Tweezer Reprise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOD65CEX-_Y Avenu Malkenu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE7L4PAv0Rc Yerushalayim Shel Zahav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG8k2jRdmLA Halley's Comet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4MZWwYtQdk More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnZ9i180wJE Drift While You're Sleeping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlukEsPKgws Down With Disease: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuTK-MGr6q0&t=27s Cool Amber and Mercury: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdwCblgzap8
On this phantastic episode, Uri and Rivky talk to Phish aficionado Jonny Miller about the unique phenomenon that is the band Phish, and their fans, affectionally called Phishheads. Why does Phish have such a large and passionate following - particularly among the Jewish community? [Don't worry - you don't need to be a Phishhead for this episode to be fun. Just ask Rivky, who is, as of yet, unconvinced.] PSA: Our conversation went a little longer than usual, so we decided to release the episode in 2 versions, a long one and a short one. Just be thankful we didn't make this a 5 part episode (we were tempted!). Check out the links below to dive deeper into the Phish pond, but most importantly, read the effing Book! Related links: Why do so many Jews love Phish? https://www.jta.org/2019/05/21/culture/why-so-many-jews-love-the-band-phish NYT interview with Trey: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/24/magazine/trey-anastasio-phish.html Baker's Dozen: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/arts/music/phish-bakers-dozen.html Analyze Phish Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/earwolf/analyze-phish Read The Book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDo0qKkvfcQ Songs from the episode: Tweezer Reprise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOD65CEX-_Y Avenu Malkenu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE7L4PAv0Rc Yerushalayim Shel Zahav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG8k2jRdmLA Halley's Comet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4MZWwYtQdk More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnZ9i180wJE Drift While You're Sleeping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlukEsPKgws Down With Disease: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuTK-MGr6q0&t=27s Cool Amber and Mercury: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdwCblgzap8
Last week, the Jewish Press, a weekly newspaper geared towards modern-right Orthodox Jews, published an opinion piece entitled “The Pride Parade - What Are They Proud Of?” The Jewish Press’s Editor in Chief, Elliot Resnick, shared the article on Facebook with the caption “Sin, or the unusual predilection to commit a certain sin, is nothing to be proud of." Over the following few days, a heated conversation ensued in the comments section of that post, and it was also shared by a number of people who called for his dismissal from the newspaper, or for people to boycott the Jewish Press. In the following days, Resnick argued that he's entitled to his opinion, and that everyone who wants to "shut him up, and destroy him," is completely out of line. Is he completely off base? More broadly, when someone says something that we not only disagree with, but that offends us, where do we draw the line between “agree to disagree” vs “that person needs to be shut down?" What is an appropriate response to people and ideas we disagree with? Relevant links: Jewish Press article: https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/the-pride-parade-what-are-they-proud-of/2019/07/11/ Elliot Resnick original FB post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=469787010522218&set=a.117247352442854&type=3&theater Elliot Resnick reaction FB post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=469896543844598&set=a.117247352442854&type=3&theater
U-S-A! U-S-A! Talking Tachlis wishes a huge mazal tov to the US Women's National Soccer Team! They then dive into this week's topic: patriotism and our military. On July 4th, President Trump gave a much anticipated and controversial address at the Lincoln Memorial that focused on American patriotism and pride, mostly centering around the armed forces and US military victories. And this week, Fivethirtyeight profiled “The Guy Who Wants To Bring Back The Draft.” Chris, a 40 year old white man from Tennessee believes the United States should implement mandatory military service for all young men and women as a way to include all different types of people into the American civic fabric. Uri and Rivky ask, are we, as Americans, missing a sense of civic pride, or connection to our country? Does a draft, or the military, address these issues? How does any of this relate to questions about nationalism, militarism, pride in the American flag, or kneeling for the anthem? Links: Trump's July 4th speech: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-salute-america/ Bringing back the draft: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/political-confessional-the-guy-who-wants-to-bring-back-the-draft/ Colin Kaepernick July 4th Tweet: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cruz-adds-context-after-kaepernick-quotes-from-frederick-douglass-fourth-of-july-speech Context for Douglass' Speech: https://time.com/5614930/frederick-douglass-fourth-of-july/
We're baaaack! This week, Uri and Rivky review the many emotional reactions to last week's concentration camp conversation. They then excitedly cheer on the US Women's Soccer Team - Uri just can't get enough of #sports! And lastly, they dive into the recent essay by Rabba Rachel Kohl Finegold about her decision to shift her title from Maharat Rachel to Rabba Rachel. Uri and Rivky ask, what do titles mean, exactly? And has there been a shift in our community, in regards to women's rabbinic leadership? Related links: AOC concentration camps: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/06/18/ocasio-cortez_trump_administration_is_running_concentration_camps_on_the_souther_border.html US Holocaust Museum Statement: https://www.ushmm.org/information/press/press-releases/statement-regarding-the-museums-position-on-holocaust-analogies Holocaust Academics Respond to Museum Statement: https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2019/07/01/an-open-letter-to-the-director-of-the-holocaust-memorial-museum/ US women's soccer lawsuit and why it relates to the World Cup: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/07/us-womens-soccer-must-win/593161/ US Women's Soccer interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SRVyZwcPys Maharat: https://forward.com/life/faith/426611/i-am-an-orthodox-clergywoman-and-i-am-changing-my-title/
Rivky and Uri are back in New York and they dive right into some of this week's hot topics. First they talk about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's heartfelt pajama-clad Instagram Live video where she compares the terrible conditions in migrant detention facilities on the US-Mexico border to concentration camps. The Tach Team asks if this comparison is accurate, and even if it isn't, is criticizing AOC more important than criticizing the conditions in these camps? Then, they talk about the latest college admissions scandal. Harvard has retracted an offer of admissions to Kyle Kashuv, for racist and sexist remarks he made in a private Google Doc when he was 16. Did Harvard make the right decision or should Kyle's apology be enough to allow him to keep his spot at Harvard? Links: AOC Concentration Camps: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/06/18/ocasio-cortez_trump_administration_is_running_concentration_camps_on_the_souther_border.html https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/inside-a-texas-building-where-the-government-is-holding-immigrant-children https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/23/opinion/trump-migrants-camps.html https://www.jta.org/2019/06/24/politics/how-jews-reacted-to-alexandria-ocasio-cortezs-controversial-concentration-camp-comment Harvard Admissions Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj_cSiDarDE https://twitter.com/KyleKashuv/status/1140605133346283521
Rivky and Uri were both in Israel last week, and they got to visit their favorite Israeli podcast- The Promised Podcast! Listen to the shout out they get from their podcasting idol, Noah Efron https://tlv1.fm/full-show/promised-podcast/2019/06/13/the-labor-savers-edition/ Since the Talking Tachlis crew were in Israel, they decided to hit the streets of Jerusalem and find out what real Israelis of all stripes think about America's president. What they hear may surprise you... Music: Hanan Ben Ari - Tutim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfLHAJrNnsM Café Shahor Hazak - Rak Laalot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh1rDsKiTTg Moshe Peretz - Kos Shel Yayin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNtw_r0n8-I Eden Ben Zaken - Tazizu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryHLrr4J1M4 Jerusalem Boys Choir - Super Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFK6a4JBrWU
Welcome to our first virtual episode! This week, Uri and Rivky record from different studios - Rivky in the classic Drive In Productions spot, in NYC, and Uri from the satellite studio in Jerusalem. Uri begins by sharing some observations about his trip - such as, why do so many young, generally progressive, Israeli Jews love Trump? They then dive into this week's topic - Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, and its flag dance/march/parade. Uri and Rivky work through some complicated feelings about this day and ask, is it off-putting or is it exciting? Is it nationalistic or is it religious? And more! Jerusalem Day: https://www.timesofisrael.com/tens-of-thousands-join-flag-march-to-mark-unification-of-jerusalem Super Trump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFK6a4JBrWU&t=2s
[Disclaimer: while there are no spoilers in the description, there will be spoilers in the episode itself!!] This week, we all finally watched the series finale of Game of Thrones, HBO's hugely popular epic fantasy TV series, based on George RR Martin's series of novels, "A Song of Ice and Fire." Uri and Rivky talk about their experiences of the show and ask, is it weird that, as religious people, we are so casually and publicly invested in a show filled with graphic violence, graphic sex, and graphically violent sex? They also ask about the show's treatment of women, and religion, and explore what the implications of both have for our society today. Related links: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/teaneck/2019/05/19/israeli-ambulance-service-fundraiser/3709830002/ https://groknation.com/culture/game-of-thrones-is-back/?fbclid=IwAR2Pwv0KUNY4wh0bZh3NwWM7KGVAUR7UeoCv7RYSEswJkDXZoHXnGimBMxY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6YFcwzOubM
Rashida Tlaib, freshman Congressmember from Michigan, is back in the news, this time for comments she made on Skullduggery, a Yahoo podcast, last week, speaking about Israel, Palestine, the one-state solution, and her ancestors' roles during the Holocaust. Her comments were blasted, but why? What did she actually say, and what did she mean? Were Tlaib's words taken out of context? Were they purposely false? Misleading? Inexcusably ignorant? Antisemitic? None of the above? All of the above? Tlaib on Skullduggery: https://play.acast.com/s/skullduggery/fromrashidawithlove Tlaib on The Daily: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/22/podcasts/the-daily/house-democrats-rashida-tlaib.html
This week, Uri and Rivky have a special guest, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, unusual Orthodox Jewish educator and author of new book, Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought. They talk about what it means to fail and sin in today's world - how should we cope with both our own failure, as individuals, and with leadership and rabbinic failure, as a community? They also dive into the difficulties and failures of Jewish organization and rabbis and ask, what are the goals of Jewish education? Check out Dovid's book: https://www.amazon.com/Sinagogue-Failure-Thought-Perspectives-Post-Rabbinic/dp/1618117963 And you gotta follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DBashIdeas
This week, Uri and Rivky have a special guest - friend of the show (and friend of the hosts), Rachael Fried, deputy executive director for JQY, Jewish Queer Youth, a nonprofit organization supporting and empowering LGBTQ youth in the Jewish community. They start by talking about Daniel and YCT. (For the last time, really! Well, probably not, let's be real.) Then they branch out, talking about what it looks like to be an LGBTQ member of the Modern Orthodox community and ask, will LGBTQ members of our community ever be fully accepted? What would that look like? How can marginalized groups be included? And honestly, what does/should it look like to be frum and gay in today's world? For listeners who want to learn more about JQY, check out JQYouth.org, or email info@jqyouth.org
This week, Uri and Rivky start by sharing some of the feedback from last week's episode about Chovevei and Daniel Atwood. Spoiler - some positive, some negative! They then dive into this week's topic: the current standout in the Democratic Party primary, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigeig. There is a lot to talk about when it comes to Mayor Pete, but Rivky and Uri focus specifically on his religion, which he is very vocal about. They ask, is his religion important? Who is the real Christian, Buttigeig or Mike Pence, who he attacks often? Is there a growing "religious left"? And, more globally, it even appropriate for presidential candidates to be speaking about religion in the first place? Read more here: https://www.jta.org/2019/04/12/politics/pete-buttigieg-keeps-calling-mike-pence-a-pharisee-heres-why-that-angers-jews https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/opinion/stacy-abrams-pete-buttigieg.html https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/02/opinions/buttigieg-and-religion-qa-beck/index.html
Last week, we read that Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a liberal Modern Orthodox rabbinic school in NY, will not be granting ordination to one of its 4th year students, Daniel Atwood, who is gay. The details of this particular case are depressing, confusing, and unclear - which didn't stop many in the community erupting in strong reactions - some firmly behind Rabbi Dov Linzer, the president and Rosh Yeshiva of Chovevei, and some very angry with him, others blaming Daniel, and others strongly supporting him. We don't know all the details about this particular situation - but let's step away from the specifics: what does this say about the larger questions? Do we still see a space for a gay Orthodox religious leader? What would that look like? Where does, or should, Orthodoxy draw the line? Read more about Passover seders: https://forward.com/food/397452/why-are-christians-starting-to-have-passover-seders/ http://www.schechter.edu/the-origins-of-the-seder/ Read more about YCT and Daniel Atwood: https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/liberal-orthodox-yeshiva-says-it-will-not-ordain-gay-student/ https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/fundraiser-for-gay-orthodox-rabbinical-student-raises-3000-in-under-an-hour Fundraiser for Daniel: https://www.facebook.com/donate/409390213192359/
Hope everyone is recovering well from Purim! This week, Uri and Rivky talk about two recent scandals from the past week - the allegations against megadonor, Michael Steinhardt, for sexual harassment, and against the Sackler family, who have begun to face criticism for their alleged role in creating the opioid crisis (as founders of Purdue Pharma, the distributors of OxyContin). They ask, how do we judge Steinhardt and the Sacklers? What is the responsibility of nonprofit organizations, especially Jewish nonprofit organizations, when it comes to donors? Does it matter how slimy they are, or their money is? (Big thanks to listener Arielle for the title suggestion!) Related links: White House press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90G89gK0iD0 Michael Steinhardt: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/nyregion/michael-steinhardt-sexual-harassment.html Sacklers and the opioid crisis: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/health/opioids-purdue-pharma-oklahoma.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/arts/design/sackler-museums-donations-oxycontin.html Music: The Beatles - Money (That's What I Want): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeWjEYhk7Xo
This week, Uri and Rivky dive into discussion about the college cheating admissions scandal. They ask, cheating is bad, but how does it compare to legacy, affirmation action, tutoring, coaching, and a long, long list of ways we boost students? Links: Woman who got football scholarship for a men's team: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/28/sport/missouri-female-football-player-scholarship-spt-trnd/index.html College Admissions Scandal: https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2019/03/13/college-cheating-scandal-felicity-huffman-lori-laughlin-kaye-pkg-vpx.cnn NYT Snowplow Parents: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/16/style/snowplow-parenting-scandal.html Music: Talking Heads - Life During Wartime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLwZvg46jms
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss feedback about Ilhan Omar and antisemitism/islamaphobia. Then they dive into their main topic: the US Women's "institutionalized gender discrimination" lawsuit, fighting for better pay and better treatment. They ask, what's the basis for this lawsuit? Are they facing discrimination based on their gender? And what other issues might come into play here? As usual, Rivky begs Uri to be a fellow sports fan, because she's getting lonely over here. Related content: Jeanine Pirro Controversy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OW20SEcvlU Linda Sarsour on Sharia: https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/598327052727615488?lang=en https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/719301817771892737?lang=en https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/116922589967949824?lang=en https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/534073703588700160 US Women's Soccer Law Suit: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/sports/sports-gender-disparity.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/sports/women-sports-equality.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZlWtu1HZnE Could Serena Williams beat a top ranked male player?: https://www.businessinsider.com/roger-federer-vs-serena-williams-who-would-win-2018-3 Music: Rod MacDonald - Freedom Of Religion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOB33VdY5Jk Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO23WBji_Z0 Gatorade commercial Michael Jordan vs Mia Hamm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGQAb0Pw5i8
This week, Uri and Rivky break down the term "out of town," based on a tach-head listener email - Hi, Aaron! Next, they ask about Michael Cohen's testimony last week, and his teshuvah - real? Contrived? (And, is the red bendel amazing??) And, in their main topic, they discuss Representative Ilhan Omar and the controversies surrounding her anti-Israel (antisemitic?) comments. How bad are these statements? Is the reaction to her and her statements appropriate? Is latent Islamophobia responsible for some of her reaction? They also can't let the episode go without touching on Otzma Yehudit, internal Young Israel politics, and whether Bibi will escape unscathed. Related links: Michael Cohen Opening Statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9PuSd7EhVE Forward Article: https://forward.com/opinion/419730/if-you-called-out-the-womens-march-over-farrakhan-you-better-call-out/ Ilhan Omar's twitter: https://twitter.com/IlhanMN Omar's speech about "dual loyalty": http://jewishinsider.com/15799/reps-omar-and-tlaib-anti-semitism-charges-shut-down-criticism-of-israel/ Ilhan Omar poster in WV: https://www.npr.org/2019/03/02/699699805/sign-linking-muslim-congresswoman-ilhan-omar-to-9-11-sparks-outrage-in-west-virg NCYI comments on Otzma Yehudit and Bibi: https://www.timesofisrael.com/young-israel-head-says-defense-of-netanyahu-did-not-speak-for-all-its-synagogues/ Music: Joey Vine - The Out of Towner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGAHU7jy4Vg One Republic - Apologize https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rKUT6zugJ0
Welcome back! First, Uri and Rivky break down some great feedback they got about last week's episode about kashrut. (Bottom line, which they should have said last week: trust your own decision-making process to make kashrut decisions!) Then, Uri and Rivky discuss the depressing story of Jussie Smollett. They ask, what does this mean for our society and community, and the narratives we build around these incidents? How does this story impact the way we think of "victimhood"? And what exactly are hate crimes, anyway? Links: Chicago Police Briefing On Jussie Smollett Arrest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8syC9FDuDN4 Music: Uncle Moishy - Kosher Medley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BHhRTjv_sU
This week, Uri and Rivky are joined by a guest - Josh Wilensky, manager of NY Brat Factory and previous manager of Amsterdam Burger! Rivky, Uri and Josh talk about what the kosher industry is really like on the inside. Josh shares some funny stories from the restaurants, and we ask, why is it so hard to keep a kosher restaurant open? What's with the expenses, like the mashgiach - are they worth it? And are kosher consumers really as annoying as our reputation? Relevant links: Kish Kash: https://forward.com/food/403673/kish-kash-einat-admonys-newest-venture-finally-opens/ Why can't kosher restaurants stay open?: https://forward.com/food/416599/why-did-nyc-lose-15-kosher-restaurants-in-2018/ Exception that proves the rule: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule https://grammarist.com/phrase/the-exception-that-proves-the-rule/
This week, Rivky and Uri did a quick run-through of recent topics - Ilhan Omar and her tweets; the tragic killing of Ori Ansbacher; and more. They then discuss reactions to last week, and what makes a good rabbi - transitioning nicely into the current rabbinic controversy, the RCBC's recent decision to oust Rabbi Nati Helfgot, Rabbi of Netivot Shalom, in Teaneck, NJ, over their female rabbinic intern, a current student in Yeshivat Maharat. We ask, is the RCBC wrong? What is the role of rabbinic organizations? How much flexibility should individual shuls, and rabbis, get? With, undoubtably, a very unnatural transition, they then launch straight into a discussion of JOFA's recent panel on the women's march and antisemitism and ask, after hearing the moderator and panelist, have our concerns been assuaged? Have we solved this problem once and for all??? Relevant links: Rabbi Helfgot and RCBC: https://www.jta.org/2019/02/08/united-states/in-nj-orthodox-rabbis-vote-to-bar-a-colleague-for-training-female-clergy https://www.jewishlinknj.com/editorials/29334-rcbc-draws-boundary-line-on-women-rabbis https://www.jewishlinknj.com/letters/29333-allow-each-rcbc-rabbi-to-reach-the-best-halachic-and-public-policy-decisions https://www.jewishlinknj.com/letters/29486-rcbc-hopes-rabbi-helfgot-will-remain-a-member-of-the-rcbc-community Women's March and Antisemitism Panel: https://www.facebook.com/events/357357555046121/
This week, Uri and Rivky discussed the current rabbinic search at Mt. Sinai Synagogue - and they asked, hey, what's the point of a synagogue rabbi, anyway? Do we even need a rabbi? What do we value in a rabbi? And, on the flip side, what makes someone a horrible rabbi? Relevant links: Julian Edelman in Israel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odynJMMu9HA R.E.M. - Welcome To The Occupation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XARqoTAJFuM Weird Al Yankovic - Pretty Fly For A Rabbi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usPkL2EQPYo
This week, Uri and Rivky review the story we can't shake, about the Covington high school students in DC. They then dive into last week's opinion piece by Michelle Alexander, opinion columnist for the NY Times, entitled, "Time to Break the Silence on Palestine," in which Alexander argues that, though Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was clearly pro-Israel when he was alive, if he were still alive, he would clearly be distraught at what Israel, and the occupation, has become. Uri and Rivky ask, is she right? What do we think of her arguments? And, if she is right, what does it mean for us today? Relevant links: David Brooks: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/opinion/call-out-social-justice.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/21/opinion/covington-march-for-life.html Nick Sandmann interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8ZhDGaQMS4 Nathan Phillips interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-9-qmN0Hmw Michelle Alexander: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/opinion/sunday/martin-luther-king-palestine-israel.html Shai Held's excellent FB posts: https://www.facebook.com/shai.held
This week, Rivky and Uri tackle "call out" culture - or, the phenomenon of publicly denouncing people who are engaging in something we think of as evil. Last week, David Brooks published in the NY Times that he is not a fan: "Really? Do we really think cycles of cruelty do more to advance civilization than cycles of wisdom and empathy?" Only a day later, we saw the conflict in DC: boys in MAGA hands, Native American activists, Black Hebrew protestors, and we couldn't wait to call everyone out. And, on top of that - a bagel store in Passaic throws a menu with sexist overtones into the mix. What a week! Uri and Rivky ask, is David Brooks right? And if he is, what's the solution? Should we just ignore injustice? Relevant links: David Brooks: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/opinion/call-out-social-justice.html Run-down of the Confrontation in DC with videos: https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2019/01/22/native-american-maga-teen-confrontation-washington-dc Bagels in Passaic: https://forward.com/life/faith/417879/why-is-this-kosher-establishment-selling-donuts-to-boys-and-salad-to-girls/ Yehuda Kurtzer FB post: https://www.facebook.com/yehuda.kurtzer/posts/10157204529877174
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss a recent flurry of articles discussing the relationship between American Jews and Israeli Jews. In the Forward, Peter Beinart warns that American Jews reject Birthright if they don't address, head on, Israel's fraught relationship with the Palestinians. In the New York Times, Jonathan Weisman warns that American Jews are facing a division between their brethren and their values. And in Times of Israel, Daniel Gordis, responding to Beinart and Weisman, tells American Jews to take a step back and have some hubris in their approach to Israel. After reading all three, Rivky and Uri have to ask, who's right? If this problem is real, is it fixable, or is the breakup inevitable? And do American Jews, or Israeli Jews, really think it's a problem that they care to fix? Relevant links: Peter Beinart on Birthright: https://forward.com/opinion/416968/birthright-will-fail-if-it-cant-adapt-to-the-needs-of-young-jews-that/ Jonathan Weisman on the potential split: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/04/opinion/sunday/israeli-jews-american-jews-divide.html Daniel Gordis telling American Jews to calm down: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-american-zionist-assault-on-israel/
Rivky's back! (Took her long enough.) And this week, after Rivky and Uri's quick recaps of the last two weeks of their lives, they dive into this week's topic, Shira Hanau's recent article in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin: High Stakes For Politically Liberal Modern Orthodox Jews. They ask, is it truly so hard being a liberal Modern Orthodox Jew? What about being a conservative Modern Orthodox Jew? Let's be honest - do we want a more mixed community, or do we want others to be more like us? And what do the arguments in this article say about the state of the Modern Orthodox community? Relevant links: Shira Hanau article: https://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/articles/autumnwinter2018/high-stakes-politically-liberal-modern-orthodox-jews Orthodox Union and Jeff Sessions: https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/justice-justice-you-shall-pursue-on-the-ou-honoring-jeff-sessions/ Liberals can't stand Trump supporters: https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-fix/wp/2017/07/20/half-of-liberals-cant-even-stand-to-be-around-trump-supporters/ Music: Phish - New Year's Eve - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXEjX_SVAOQ&t=955s Phish - Breath And Burning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4fWNNY5P34
This week Uri is joined by another very special guest, the amazing Aliza Abrams-Konig! They start off with a discussion about the future of lab grown meat, which gets them into kosher certification and its boundaries, including this week's controversy surrounding comedian Leah Forster. They then talk about the recent controversy surrounding an anti-Semitic Instagram post from Lebron James. Finally, Aliza and Uri discuss their shared experiences on service learning trips, and conclude with a discussion about some of Aliza's recent personal challenges. Links: WSJ video about lab grown meat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjSe-0vSRMY 15 Kosher restaurants closed down last year: https://forward.com/food/416599/why-did-nyc-lose-15-kosher-restaurants-in-2018/?fbclid=IwAR0gI3IH4WCbocg_UW7_PNNytGpP_hswwv72g3pc0SVhQC10xyqpwg96XN4 Leah Forster allowed to perform: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-metro-jewish-lesbian-comic-20181231-story.html?fbclid=IwAR2ukVEnt_H0WCoNVJ6Ov99QdvkPrQyHWFaTSTdommaviSijexcOidNKnzc Lebron James Instagram controversy: https://www.jpost.com/OMG/Lebron-James-apologizes-for-antisemitic-Instagram-post-575254 Aliza's Layers Project: https://thelayersprojectmagazine.com/alizas-story-the-ultimate-gift/ Music: 21 Savage - ASMR (explicit lyrics) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiuQXje057M
This week Uri has a conversation with the amazing Abbie Wasserman AKA Abbie Sophia. They discuss Abbie's unconventional background, the challenges of starting a business, proper social media etiquette, some surprising aspects of being a photographer in the Jewish community, and much more! There is also a cameo appearance from one of the youngest Tach-Heads out there. Music: Bonnie Raitt - Something To Talk About https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQLpRBDrhn8 Jackson Browne - Running On Empty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WhDTS2AeLw
This week, Uri and Rivky dive into a sensitive and difficult topic: why Jewish law? Is it because God commanded it? Because it's moral? Because it impacts the world? (None of the above?) Why do we have the Torah’s laws? Music: Talk Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hHnOBlwU3A
This week, Uri and Rivky ask about the recent reporting about their Charedi brothers and sisters. Namely: A. the measles outbreak that was recently brought from the Charedi community in Israel to the Charedi community in America. And B. the recent NY State decision to push for a deeper investigation into Charedi schools, which detractors claim provide graduates with basically no secular education. They ask, what responsibilities do religious communities have towards their adherents? And, what rights should religious communities have to make their own choices, medical, educational, or otherwise? And, what happens if the government decides to go further, say, into things that are more "controversial" - e.g. regulating circumcision, ritual slaughter, and more? Related links: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/han/alert/2018/alert39-measles-outbreak.pdf https://www.app.com/story/news/health/2018/11/19/measles-outbreak-new-jersey-health-experts/1981507002/ https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/national_news/nyc-warns-about-measles-outbreak-among-orthodox-jews-in-brooklyn/article_bf2f2939-a102-5560-84b5-fed0998eeb42.html https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/1631188/rav-moshe-sternbuch-writes-letter-to-rav-malkiel-kotler-about-the-halachic-requirement-to-vaccinate.html? http://www.5tjt.com/letters-to-the-editor-the-vaccination-debate/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/opinion/yeshivas-literacy-new-york.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/nyregion/yeshivas-lawsuit-secular-education.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/23/opinion/yeshiva-orthodox-jews-deblasio.html Music: Six13 Bohemian Chanukah - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P30ckBf1wk Glass Walls video by Paul McCartney - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql8xkSYvwJs&has_verified=1
This week, Uri and Rivky talked about the bipartisanship that showed itself, as usual, in the responses to the death of George H.W. Bush, before they got into their main topic: the NY Times opinion piece published last week, entitled “The Hypocrisy of Hanukkah.” Michael David Lukas, a secular Jew, grapples with what it means to be a Jew in modern America, especially one who wants to commemorate Hanukkah, but doesn't feel comfortable with the underlying messages of the holiday. We ask, is Lukas's argument fair? Do we sympathize with his dilemma? Is the original meaning of Chanukah no longer something worth celebrating? Or is he missing the point? George Bush and Dana Carvey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfVAEcxv4vo
Last week, Airbnb announced it would stop listing homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Much of the world considers the settlements, built on land Israel captured in the 1967 war, to be a violation of international law - but Israel considers the land to be disputed, not occupied. Immediately, many in our community were up in arms, with many calling for a boycott of Airbnb. Uri and Rivky ask, should we be boycotting Airbnb? Is Airbnb’s removal of Jewish homes in the West Bank antisemitic? Is BDS, by definition, antisemitic? And finally...they solve the settlement issue! You’re welcome, y’all. Relevant reading: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/world/middleeast/airbnb-west-bank.html https://forward.com/opinion/414774/tantrum-over-airbnb-in-west-bank-settlements-shows-adls-moral/ https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-liberal-zionists-faced-a-test-with-airbnb-we-flunked-it-1.6682739? https://twitter.com/DrMichaelOren/status/1064569695901229056 Music from the episode: Portnoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaBiW75Tz-g Zhankoye : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-0JGDM7pAI
This week, Uri and Rivky compare their travel woes from last week's storm, and then Uri gives several more disclaimers about how he isn't a supporter of Jews for Jesus. (The lady doth protest too much?) They then dive into this week's topic - an article written by writer and editor, Gal Beckerman, entitled American Jews Face A Choice: Create Meaning or Fade Away, which reviewed five new books touching on American Jewish identity, and what will sustain it in the future. Beckerman argues that what defines the experience of non-Orthodox Jews in America today is not antisemitism, it’s assimilation. So, how will American Jews continue to affiliate as Jews? What will continue to bind them to any sort of Jewish identity? Uri and Rivky ask, is non-Orthodox Judaism really doomed to be killed by assimilation? How does Israel, and Zionism, relate to this? And how does Orthodoxy fit into this? Relevant articles: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/books/review/steven-weisman-chosen-wars.html?module=inline https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/17/style/ivanka-trump-jared-kushner.html
On Saturday morning, October 27, a gunman entered the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and injuring 6 more. The shooting is being called the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history. What lessons can we learn from this horrible tragedy? Does this represent a resurgence of antisemitism? Is that resurgence connected to the rise of Donald Trump? Is it fair to tie the threat of antisemitism to the Republican party? Relevant links: FBI Hate Crimes Statistics: https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2017/topic-pages/tables/table-1.xls https://www.commentarymagazine.com/politics-ideas/the-slaughter-in-pittsburgh/ https://twitter.com/simonerzim/status/1056504354444902400 https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/03/us/new-york-temple-antisemitic-messages/index.html https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-farrakhan-s-hate-speech-leads-to-actual-abuse-of-jews-i-experienced-it-1.6634780
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss Avi Shafran's opinion piece: “A Safer Space For Women In Orthodox Judaism’s Rules For Sex.” Shafran argues that the secular world might do better with adopting some of Orthodox Judaism's rules for modesty - and that maybe they would protect women, especially in the age of #metoo. They ask, is it true? Does Orthodoxy has a safer, more respectful approach to women than the secular world? Relevant links: 1. Shafran: https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/272690/a-safer-space-for-women-in-orthodox-judaism 2. Jankovits response: https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/273000/no-rabbi-orthodox-women-are-not-safer 3. Shafran, redux: https://www.rabbiavishafran.com/a-safer-space-for-women-redux/
This week Rivky and Uri start with some feedback: should the podcast be more Jewish? Then they discuss the recent case of Lara Alqasem, an American student who was detained in Ben Gurion airport for her ties to the BDS movement. Why did Israel do this? Do actions like that have counter-productive results? Finally, Rivky and Uri discuss what they will do when they win the $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot. Links: Bechdel Test: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechdel_test NYT Op Ed: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/opinion/israel-lara-alqasem-bds.html US law prohibiting unsanctioned boycotts: https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/enforcement/oac#boycottlaws French law considering BDS to be a hate crime: https://brandeiscenter.com/french-courts-treat-bds-as-a-hate-crime/ Lorde Lawsuit: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/world/middleeast/israel-lorde-concert-boycott-law.html White Flight Of Derek Black: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-white-flight-of-derek-black/2016/10/15/ed5f906a-8f3b-11e6-a6a3-d50061aa9fae_story.html?utm_term=.d37a6044a211 Music: Salt-N-Pepa - Ain't Nuthin But A She Thing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na3u8S9tF9o Avril Lavigne - Complicated https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPBIwQyPWE
This week, Uri and Rivky break down an exciting new film, Empathy Inc., by an up and coming director, Yedidya Gorsetman. They then dive into their main topic. 3 academics have revealed an elaborate hoax - they wrote 20 fake scholarly papers, that they then submitted to various prestigious academic journals in the fields of Gender and Sexuality, Feminism, Queer studies, and Race studies (which they grouped in a field they called "Grievance Studies.") Each paper used fashionable buzzwords and made up data to support purposely absurd and ridiculous conclusions. Too many were accepted for publication. Uri and Rivky ask, what was the point of this hoax? Did they succeed? Is academia too concerned with constructivism, and not concerned enough with "objective truth"? Related links: https://www.newsweek.com/ben-shapiro-genius-academic-hoax-exposed-liberal-arts-colleges-dont-care-1155013?amp=1 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/arts/academic-journals-hoax.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVk9a5Jcd1k
Rivky and Uri are back! Talking Tachlis has finally returned after our long break for the holidays. This week, they talk about the only thing to discuss: Judge Brett Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. They ask - how can we possibly separate the people from the politics? Is there a war on men? And, in a more global, philosophical sense, when we're in an unprovable he said/she said argument about sexual misconduct - who do we believe?
This week, Uri and Rivky look back on 5778 and the first year of Talking Tachlis. What were our most controversial topics? Which episodes got the most listens? Which episodes were our favorites? Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IsSpAOD6K8 Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwOfCgkyEj0
This week, Uri finally tried the Impossible Burger! When we finish wishing Uri mazal tov, Rivky and Uri dive into the recent report from Ramaz about sexual abuse in the school. The report is thorough, and sad, and prompts us to ask - how do we feel about Ramaz, and the way they handled this situation? Should we have a gender bias when we consider abuse, and especially, abuse of children? What do we expect differently from our schools and institutions in the future? The Ramaz report: http://files.constantcontact.com/3b4ce217001/846bf29b-0cd5-4b37-b4c0-10908bebfa1e.pdf Legendary Orthodox Rabbi Aware Of Sexual Abuse Of Children, Report Says: https://forward.com/news/national/409376/legendary-orthodox-rabbi-aware-of-sexual-abuse-of-children-report-says
This week, Uri and Rivky dive into the light and breezy topic we all know and love, Nazis. They discuss the recent deportation of the 95-year-old Jakiw Palij, a former Nazi volunteer guard. They ask, why deport Palij? Did Palij get what he "deserved"? What is justice, and who does it serve? NY Times https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/nyregion/nazi-queens-deported.html NPR https://www.npr.org/2018/08/21/640474479/alleged-nazi-labor-camp-guard-deported-to-germany The Believer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psJbF8G6Zjw
This week, Uri tells Rivky about his new favorite movie: 93Queen. Then they dive into the insane story of Professor Avital Ronell and the sexual harassment investigation brought against her by her former graduate student, Nimrod Reitman. The story is made even more upsetting by a letter signed by dozens of leading intellectuals and academics, supporting Dr. Ronell. Rivky and Uri ask, what should we focus on??? Are their identities - queer, Israeli, academic - important? What does this “reverse” #MeToo moment teach us about power? How much does identity politics play a role? Read all about it here: 1. NY Times broke the story: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/13/nyregion/sexual-harassment-nyu-female-professor.html 2. Professor Zizek explains why he signed the letter: https://thephilosophicalsalon.com/why-did-i-sign-the-letter-in-support-of-avital-ronell/ 3. Jezebel: https://jezebel.com/what-are-we-to-make-of-the-case-of-scholar-avital-ronel-1828366966 4. Splinter News on sexual harassment in the academy: https://splinternews.com/in-academia-professors-coming-onto-you-is-on-the-sylla-1826669829 5. Salon fills out the profile, and delves into Ronell’s background (and it gets very weird): https://www.salon.com/2018/08/18/when-a-woman-is-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-the-strange-case-of-avital-ronell/ 6. Judith Butler’s apology: https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/letters/judith-butler-explains-letter-in-support-of-avital-ronell/ 7. Judith Butler on Hamas/Hezbollah: https://radicalarchives.org/2010/03/28/jbutler-on-hamas-hezbollah-israel-lobby/, https://thecharnelhouse.org/judith-butlers-infamous-2006-remarks-considering-hamas-and-hezbollah-as-progressive-forces-of-a-global-left/ https://mondoweiss.net/2012/08/judith-butler-responds-to-attack-i-affirm-a-judaism-that-is-not-associated-with-state-violence/
Rivky is back! This week Uri and Rivky start off by catching up on their adventures from the last couple of weeks. Then they get into Israel's new Nation-State bill. What is it? Is it good? Is it bad? Does it actually change anything? Catch up on everything below: The Nation-State Bill: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Law:_Israel_as_the_Nation-State_of_the_Jewish_People The Atlantic (critique of the law): https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/07/israel-nation-state-law/565712/ The Forward (defense of the law): https://forward.com/opinion/406355/everything-youve-heard-about-israels-nation-state-bill-is-wrong/ Music: Come Back - Moshav Band - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvGmJ5W_uy4&list=PLMDLWerIqLUutFdnYvLEAooH19CUv7qeY
This week Uri speaks with another very special guest host, immigration lawyer Laura Berger. But before getting into a discussion about America's immigration policies, they first try to make sense of the ever decreasing interaction and dialogue between liberals and conservatives in the US. Washington Post article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-fix/wp/2017/07/20/half-of-liberals-cant-even-stand-to-be-around-trump-supporters/ NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/16/opinion/sunday/family-separation-immigration-trump.html Brookings Institution: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2018/06/26/violence-drives-immigration-from-central-america/ Music: Paul McCartney - Let Em In https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y0v7zpHJkU
This week we have another special guest co-host! Former Maccabeat Imu Shalev joins Uri for a conversation about their favorite music videos, as well as Imu's current work with Aleph Beta. What is Aleph Beta? You'll have to listen to find out! Aleph Beta: https://www.alephbeta.org/ Maccabeats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRaQSbuTiBg
Rivky checks in to say hi and give her take on last week's discussion. Our first mini episode, and a chance to get your "Rivky fix" until she returns to the studio in a couple of weeks!
This week Uri has a conversation with returning guest host Miki Friedmann. Miki wants to know- what's the deal with Rivky and Uri always starting every topic with a disclaimer about who they aren't? They take a short trip down memory lane, and then they discuss the trials and tribulations of living life with a kippah on one's head.
This week, Uri and Rivky recap last week's episode and special guest Deena Klein. They then discuss Sasha Baron Cohen's new show, " Who Is America?" and ask - is the show any good? Is it unfair to the guests? And, of course, is it good for the Jews? Next, they dive into Scarlett Johansson (another member of the tribe). Was it wrong for Johansson to be cast as a transgender man? And, what about Business Insider - were they correct in removing Greenbaum’s article from their website? What about Greenbaum’s very public decision to resign over this whole thing? Clip from SBC new show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkXeMoBPSDk Joe Walsh explanation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9LjwRRO9fk&t=3s Guam capsize question https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cesSRfXqS1Q Scarlett Johansson https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/13/entertainment/scarlett-johansson-film-exit/index.html Daniella Greenbaum removed article https://www.weeklystandard.com/daniella-greenbaum/here-is-the-column-about-scarjo-that-business-insider-spiked-to-appease-a-social-justice-mob Greenbaum's response https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-social-media-mob-is-a-danger-to-society/2018/07/12/eef13834-860b-11e8-9e80-403a221946a7_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.eed3afdc6094 Ali G Animal Rights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_la5XiQJdk
This week with Rivky away preparing for her wedding, Uri has a conversation with friend of the podcast, Deena Klein. She discusses what it's like to be gay in the Orthodox community, and where she sees things heading in the future. Eshel Pledge: http://www.eshelonline.org/pledge/ Ruth Bader Ginsberg on SNL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II8IkwDVnsI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzSd-Kz-zA
This week, Rivky and Uri discuss the activist group IfNotNow. The group's goal is to protest the Israeli occupation. What do we think about their mission statement? What do we think about their tactics? Catch up on everything below: If Not Now website: https://ifnotnowmovement.org/ Birthright walk off: https://forward.com/fast-forward/404314/birthright-participants-publicly-walk-off-trip-to-visit-west-bank/ Judaism Unbound: http://www.judaismunbound.com/ Music: Kaveret - Medina Ktana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TElqr2PWU3o Song explanation https://www.jmeshel.com/135-kaveret-medina-ktana-little-country/
This week, Rivky and Uri discuss a panel discussion that took place on June 12 and was organized by Hadar, an egalitarian institute of Jewish learning. The title of the event was "What Feminist Torah Needs To Look Like." Is it about gender? Power? Marginalized identity? Audio of the Hadar event https://www.hadar.org/torah-resource/what-feminist-torah-needs-look The Eurythmics - Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drGx7JkFSp4
This week, Uri and Rivky dive into the issue on everyone's minds: the OU honoring Jeff Sessions at their annual policy conference, after the emergence of reports of children being forcibly separated from their parents by immigration authorities. They ask, what is really going on? What are these policies, really? How are the policies under Trump different than Obama, or Bush-era policies? And what about the OU - did the OU make a mistake? What should they have done? Is the anger against the OU deserved? Catch up on everything below: The Trump policy: https://www.vox.com/2018/6/11/17443198/children-immigrant-families-separated-parents https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/16/opinion/sunday/family-separation-immigration-trump.html Jewish groups letter: https://www.ou.org/community/notices/jewish-communal-letter-condemning-family-separation-policy/ Orthodox Union Event: https://www.c-span.org/video/?446982-1/attorney-general-sessions-backs-supreme-court-decision-colorado-baker-case Orthodox Union Letter: https://www.ou.org/blog/news/update-ou-takes-a-stand-on-zero-tolerance-immigration-policy/ OU's decision: http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/justice-justice-you-shall-pursue-on-the-ou-honoring-jeff-sessions/ Related podcasts: NY Times, The Daily, "How Separating Migrant Families Became U.S. Policy": https://www.nytimes.com/podcasts/the-daily NPR, Up First: https://www.npr.org/2018/06/19/621277687/tuesday-june-19th-2018 Vox, Today Explained, "2,000": https://www.vox.com/pages/podcasts Where are the kids being held: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/inside-casa-padre-the-converted-walmart-where-the-us-is-holding-nearly-1500-immigrant-children/2018/06/14/0cd65ce4-6eba-11e8-bd50-b80389a4e569_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.8022bed9754f Conservative perspective: https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/05/illegal-immigration-enforcement-separating-kids-at-border/ https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/06/ice-loses-1500-children-myth-shows-media-bias/ Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo2ZsAOlvEM
This week, Uri and Rivky begin with some feedback from last week's contentious episode on Michael Chabon's speech. (Hi, Michael!) Then, they dive into the meta-discussion about journalism. What is responsible journalism? Why does Trump, and do politicians in general, seem to have such a contentious relationship with the media? What responsibility do journalists have? What about Jewish journalists - is there a problem with "airing dirty laundry"? Is there media bias? Catch up on everything below: Jewish Week http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/three-pulitzer-winners-one-message-seek-the-truth/ Tuvia Grossman http://honestreporting.com/the-photo-that-started-it-all/ Songs: Michael Jackson ft Paul McCartney - The Girl Is Mine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHp0s2wKajw The Beatles - A Day In The Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usNsCeOV4GM
This week, Uri and Rivky talk about their cravings for the newly-kosher "Impossible Burger" - the first kosher cheeseburger. They ask, what does kashrut mean, when we increasingly approach a world in which everything is kosher? Then, they discuss Michael Chabon's speech at the HUC graduation, in which Chabon makes the case for intermarriage, and tearing down all fences - literal or otherwise. Is Chabon crazy? Does he have a point? Is he racist, or are we? Catch up on everything below: Kosher Cheeseburger https://forward.com/food/401073/the-worlds-first-kosher-cheeseburger-is-here/ Michael Chabon The Speech transcript: http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/262965/michael-chabon-commencement Article and video of speech: https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/michael-chabon-slams-jewish-inmarriage-in-speech-to-new-rabbis-1.6117366 Graduate who walked out: http://atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/why-i-walked-out-on-my-graduation/ HUC statement: https://www.jta.org/2018/05/25/news-opinion/invited-critic-is songs: McFadden & Whitehead - Ain't No Stopping Us Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJTxnxXUMA0 Jimmy Buffett - Cheeseburger In Paradise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJi4bln-hHQ Mordechai Ben David - Chevron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlLAfJy2WVc
This week, Uri and Rivky recap Shavuot, and two interesting lectures Uri attended: the first by Bret Stephens and second by John Podhoretz (possible friend of the pod??). Then, they discuss Michael Pollan's new book, "How to Change Your Mind," in which Pollan brings in mountains of research and makes a case for mushrooms, LSD, and other psychedelics. Uri and Rivky ask, does he have a point? How should we, especially in the Jewish, or spiritual, community, think about drugs? Are they a valid path to bring us to meaning, or are they a distraction, another form of escapism? Catch up on everything below: NY Times book review "How to Change Your Mind": https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/14/books/review-how-to-change-your-mind-psychedelics-science-michael-pollan.html NY Times Magazine cover article: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/15/magazine/health-issue-my-adventures-with-hallucinogenic-drugs-medicine.html? A Religious (Christian) perspective: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/the-psychedelic-dante/ Maslow's Hierarchy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs Music from the show: Strawberry Alarm Clock, Incense and Peppermints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RghL1rViX34 The Beatles, Tomorrow Never Knows: https://vimeo.com/257346228
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss the winner of Eurovision 2018 - Netta Barzilai. They then present some pushback to the new Amy Schumer movie, "I Feel Pretty," especially Amy Hess' fascinating takedown in the New York Times about "beauty standard denialism." They discuss some of the history of feminism, and how different approaches to feminism have dealt with issues of beauty standards and women's empowerment. Catch up on everything below: Netta Barzilai, "Toy": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CziHrYYSyPc Amy Hess, ‘I Feel Pretty’ and the Rise of Beauty-Standard Denialism: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/23/movies/i-feel-pretty-amy-schumer-beauty.html Emily Ratajkowski in Spaghetti Video (NSFW): https://www.instagram.com/p/BcO-ubGgyjh/?hl=en Amy Schumer on being "brave": http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/dont-call-amy-schumers-nude-photo-brave/news-story/d1224c218ccad41481143f9c86f1e178
This week, Uri and Rivky recap the latest Kanye West drama, and talk about some of the backlash. Then, they talk about Bob Dylan's new whiskey company, and they ponder the concept of "selling out." Finally, they recommend a recent episode of This American Life, which tells the story of a group of inner city high school students who were taken to see Schindler's List. Catch up on everything below: Kanye: Slavery is a choice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWJBWU7asEg George Bush doesn't care about black people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIUzLpO1kxI Bob Dylan's New Whiskey: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/28/business/media/bob-dylan-heavens-door.html Tom Jones Coca Cola: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qTvhdVYVdE Neil Young "This Note's For You": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSSvzCNBvlQ This American Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI9Num-9EWg
This week, Uri and Rivky talk about this week's hottest event, the Woman Seder, and they discuss Yeshiva University's new Giving Day videos, featuring famous athletes, comedians, and more, and ask, why do we give to YU? Then, they discuss Jordan Peterson, the alt-right's new favorite "public intellectual." They ask, is Jordan Peterson as brilliant as he's made out to be? Is he harming or helping our public discourse? And what does it really mean? Catch up on everything below: Jordan Peterson: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/05/jordan-petersons-gospel-of-masculinity https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/who-is-jordan-peterson-favorite-figure-of-the-alt-right-1221615171523 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvsPbOY5Lgg YU ads: https://www.facebook.com/YeshivaUniversity/videos/ New Kanye song about his Trump support! https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/28/entertainment/kanye-west-new-song-donald-trump/index.html
This week, Uri and Rivky ask: we're phasing out signatures on receipts - but why do we have receipts at all?? Then, they discuss what we're all talking about - Natalie Portman's "boycott" of the Genesis Prize ceremony. They ask, what is the Genesis Prize? Does it matter that Natalie Portman isn't attending the ceremony? Is it truly a boycott, or something else? And what does it really mean? Catch up on everything below: NY Times about credit card signatures: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/08/business/credit-card-signatures.html The Forward Is Obsessed With Natalie Portman: https://forward.com/tag/natalie-portman/ What is the Genesis Prize?: http://www.genesisprize.org/ Al Jazeera on Natalie Portman: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/natalie-portman-real-story-180423142753277.html Rachel Azaria: https://twitter.com/azariarachel/status/987209717909991424 Media in the show: Mitch Hedberg on receipts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVTLFoB6yHk Natalie Portman SNL rap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A0iftflme4
This week, Uri and Rivky ask, is there anything offensive about repurposing the Passover story - especially when the Palestinians are sometimes seen as modern day Israelites? Then, they tackle the protests at the Israeli-Gaza border. They ask, what/who are the Palestinians protesting? Hamas claims that the protests are non-violent, and the IDF claims that the protests are smokescreens (literally) for terror - who's lying? Catch up on everything below: NY Times is on it: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/world/middleeast/gaza-palestinian-protest-israel.html Sinwar video: https://www.facebook.com/StandWithUs/videos/10155587475332689/ https://www.facebook.com/StandWithUs/videos/10155585464647689/
Rivky's back! This week, Uri and Rivky discuss Louis Farrakhan, Trayon White, and Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef. They dive into the relationship between the Jewish community and the Black community and ask - is there an intrinsic tension? If so, why is there? (And can they even talk about this without a black person in the conversation? David Brooks weighs in!) Catch up on everything below: Louis Farrakan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quMHNp8QwzI Trayon White: http://www.newsweek.com/dc-councilman-trayon-white-sr-suggested-jews-control-weather-says-sorry-850610 Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-cheif-rabbi-black-people-monkeys-yitzhak-yosef-talmud-sephardic-a8267666.html David Brooks, Speaking As A White Male: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/opinion/speaking-as-a-white-male.html Music in the show: Black and Jewish, Funny or Die: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TXNU1nh4E4
This week, Uri introduces a guest host, Miki Friedmann, good friend of Talking Tachlis! They review the Man Seder conversation, and then discuss Rachel Delia Benaim's personal piece in the Forward, about her changing relationship with Orthodox Judaism, in which she argues that there's a new category of millennial Modern Orthodox Jewry - one that cares about Judaism, and Orthodoxy, but is less focused on legalism. Miki and Uri ask, does the Orthodox Jewish community really have a responsibility to include everyone? And, going further, they ask, what does it mean to be "religious" today? Catch up on everything below: Rachel Benaim in The Foward: https://forward.com/life/faith/396266/why-are-modern-orthodox-millennials-like-me-looking-for-a-different-path/ Tova Warburg Sinensky in The Lehrhaus: https://www.thelehrhaus.com/commentary/supporting-womens-avodat-hashem-across-the-lifespan-reflections-and-recommendations/ Neo-Chasidism in the Modern Orthodox Community: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Hasidism#In_Modern_Orthodoxy Music in the show: Men In Tights, from Robin Hood: Men In Tights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc1am3KyYgA Fiddler on the Roof, Tradition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw
This week, Uri and Rivky first revisit their discussion on racism in the Orthodox community, and then they dive into AIPAC, which had their annual policy conference last week. Uri and Rivky ask, who is AIPAC really serving? Is it good for the Jews? America? Israel? They end with Rivky's latest book recommendation in the segment, "Did You Read It?" Catch up on everything below: AIPAC: https://www.aipac.org/ AIPAC and Progressives: https://www.jta.org/2018/03/11/news-opinion/aipac-wont-win-back-progressives-faces-hard-truths-israel Trump at AIPAC: https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-jews-most-of-whom-oppose-trump-cheer-us-president-at-aipac/ Music in the show: Throw the Jew Down the Well, Borat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb3IMTJjzfo
This week, Uri and Rivky break down a recent fascinating panel called Social Justice in Modern Orthodoxy. The panel took place in the Jewish Center, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and was co-hosted by the UJA and Hitoreri. Sitting on the panel: Dr. Elana Stein Hain, Rabbi Saul Berman, and Rabbi Elie Weinstock. They ask, what is social justice? Should it be part of Modern Orthodoxy, and if so, why isn’t it? What did we learn from this panel, if anything? Catch up on everything below: The panel: https://vimeo.com/256616927 Music in the show: We Are the World, USA For Africa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRiqpd9pRbI
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss the legacy of Billy Graham, "America's Pastor," who died last week at age 99. Graham changed the face of evangelical Christianity, and was the leader in using modern media to advance his message. Of course, they delve into the infamous Nixon tapes, in which Nixon and Graham chat about the Jewish problem in America. Next, Uri and Rivky talk about the new trends of the "Man Seder" - and ask, why do we have events like these? Are these events divisive and perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes? Or are they simply a creative way to bring men back into the synagogue? Catch up on everything below: 1. Billy Graham obituary: 2. The Nixon/Graham tapes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jNr0_AUSR0&t=40s 3. Billy Graham sermon in Chicago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U89zkUZPd5w 4. George Will on Billy Graham: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/billy-graham-was-no-prophet-thats-why-america-loved-him/2018/02/21/398ce31a-1722-11e8-92c9-376b4fe57ff7_story.html 5. Man-Seder Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/153770041996959/ 6. WSJ on 'Man Seders': https://www.wsj.com/articles/man-seders-flow-with-steak-and-scotch-1427320586 Music in the show: 1. A Diamond In The Rough, Johnny Cash feat. Billy Graham: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcy587SlmiM 2. Macho Man, Village People: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkTV2--PcDI 3. Tightrope, Janelle Monáe feat. Big Boi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnefUaKCbc
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss Facebook - specifically, the new Wired article, Inside the Two Years That Shook Facebook—and the World. We ask, is Facebook responsible for the proliferation of "fake" news? Or this even a new phenomenon? Next, we tackle Poland's new controversial new law, which makes it a criminal act to blame Poles for Holocaust crimes. Does Poland deserve blame? Should we feel sympathetic to Poland, after their own experience in WWII? Catch up on everything below: 1. Wired, Inside the Two Years That Shook Facebook—and the World: https://www.wired.com/story/inside-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-2-years-of-hell/ 2. Check out this fascinating new technology!: www.facebook.com 3. Background to yellow journalism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism 4. Poland's new Holocaust law: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/06/world/europe/poland-holocaust-law.html, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/19/the-guardian-view-on-holocaust-responsibility-poland-cannot-wholly-escape-blame 5. Is Bernie Sanders "Polish" or "Jewish"?: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/us/politics/bernie-sanders-jewish.html 6. Sheep-Human Hybrids Made in Lab—Get the Facts: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/sheep-human-hybrids-chimeras-crispr-organ-transplant-health-science/ Music from the show: 1. A Day In the Life, The Beatles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usNsCeOV4GM 2. Not Guilty, The Beatles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uTsbBWBzcc 3. Portlandia, Did You Read It: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JLWQEuz2gA
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss the Israel's new decision to deport Eritrean and Sudanese refugees and ask, is this the right choice? Which "value" should Israel live by - accepting refugees, or creating a strongly Jewish homeland? (Or is that oversimplifying it? Perhaps.) Next, they discuss a new Forward article, in which Eli Steinberg claims that while anti-Semitism is no longer in vogue, instead, the world has shifted to become anti-Orthodox. Catch up on everything below: 1. Hava Nagila routine: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-figure-skater-alexei-bychenko-s-routine-to-hava-nagila-1.5808599 3. Sarah Silverman interviews Rabbi Susan Silverman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDjbhCrO8vk 4. NY Times refugees article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/07/opinion/israel-refugees-africa.html 5. UN on refugees in Israel: https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/01/1000062-un-refugee-agency-urges-israel-halt-forced-relocation-african-asylum-seekers 6. How do refugees affect the economy: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/refugees-may-be-good-for-the-economy/ 7. Anti-Orthodox is the New Anti-Semitism: forward.com/opinion/393858/anti-orthodox-is-the-new-anti-semitism/ 8. Mahwah eruv drama: https://forward.com/opinion/378608/seriously-mahwah-opposing-an-eruv-is-anti-semitic/ 9. The Thin Jew Line: http://www.cc.com/video-clips/1jsrl7/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-the-thin-jew-line Music from the show: 1. Hava Nagila: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSTOcyevIOE 2. Live Like A Refugee, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFnOfpIJL0M
This week, Rivky and Uri talk about the Super Bowl, and ask, why are there so many Jewish NFL team owners, but so few NFL players? They also discuss the recent Orthodox Union announcement about female clergy. Catch up on everything below: 1. Jewish Super Bowl: http://www.jpost.com/OMG/A-Jewish-Super-Bowl-trifecta-540377 2. Jewish boxing: https://forward.com/scribe/366045/the-secret-jewish-history-of-boxing/ 3. OU on female clergy: https://www.jta.org/2018/01/31/news-opinion/united-states/orthodox-union-will-not-penalize-synagogues-with-women-clergy 4. Survey of Modern Orthodox American Jews: http://nishmaresearch.com/assets/pdf/Report%20-%20Nishma%20Research%20Profile%20of%20American%20Modern%20Orthodox%20Jews%2009-27-17.pdf Music from the show: 1. The Story of OJ, JAY-Z: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM7lw0Ovzq0 2. Just A Girl, No Doubt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzOOQfhPFg
This week, Rivky and Uri watch VP Mike Pence's speech in the Knesset, and ask, is this - overall - good for the Jews? Good for Israel? They also discuss the UK's recent appointment of a Minister for Loneliness and ask, if this the government's problem? And if this is a real issue, how can we "solve it"? Catch up on everything below: 1. Mike Pence speech (transcript): http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Full-transcript-of-Pences-Knesset-speech-539476 2. Minister for Loneliness: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/britain-minister-of-loneliness-brexit-jo-cox 3. Hearing Aids to combat loneliness: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2016011/article/14671-eng.pdf Music from the show: 1. The Sound of Silence, Simon and Garfunkel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4 2. Eleanor Rigby, The Beatles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuS5NuXRb5Y
This week, in their first episode of 2018, Rivky and Uri talk about the recent brouhaha involving Rivky's alma mater, Frisch, and their recent email encouraging students to write to Trump, thanking him for his embassy announcement. They then discuss Seattle's hottest new grocery store, Amazon Go, and ask, should we be more worried, or more excited? Catch up on everything below: 1. Haaretz broke the Frisch story: https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-parents-protest-pro-trump-campaign-at-kushner-s-old-high-school-1.5743721 2. All the way to Newsweek!: http://www.newsweek.com/jared-kushners-high-school-making-children-write-letters-support-donald-trump-783538 3. Jewish Week's take: http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/jared-kushners-jewish-high-school-wants-students-to-advocate-for-israel-thats-a-bad-thing/ 4. Amazon Go story: https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/22/amazon-go-convenience-store-of-the-future-makes-me-nervous/ 5. Minority Report trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG7DGMgfOb8 6. Amazon Go video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrmMk1Myrxc Music from the show: 1. Hello, Lionel Richie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84RxK4N1wfE 2. Lach Yerushalayim, The Amranim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aux-1qSEaqs 3. Robots, Flight of the Concord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IPAOxrH7Ro
This week, as 2017 draws to a close, Rivky and Uri take stock of the political roller coaster of the last year, and especially ask about Trump's relationship to the Jews. But before getting there, they first discuss (and argue) about the biggest news of the week - the Rubashkin release. Catch up on everything below: Rubashkin release: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/12/21/how-trump-came-to-commute-an-ex-meatpacking-executives-27-year-prison-sentence/ Songs: Folsom Prison Blues - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xyp63MaSBs Jerusalem - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYr4Fz14C6w Phish New Year's Eve - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHbj-5sPOxI&t=383s
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss a critical question - are aliens among us? And if they are, how does that affect the way we think about GOD? You know, little things like that. We also say goodbye to Chanukah, and ask, what do we do when there are parts of Torah, or our history, that are a little emotionally difficult for us to grapple with? Catch up on everything below: Articles 1. UFOs - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/pentagon-program-ufo-harry-reid.html 2. Is The Earth Flat? - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/11/21/this-man-is-about-to-launch-himself-in-his-homemade-rocket-to-prove-the-earth-is-flat/?utm_term=.f36ae29e143d Songs 1. KMAG YOYO - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NYE7RdrRjs 2. Maccabeats - Candlelight - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU Sponsored by www.driveinproductions.com
This week, Uri and Rivky talk about Birthright - is it a good thing for the Jews? For Israel? What is the value of Birthright? In their second topic, they pick up where Howard Dean, Melissa Harris-Perry, David Brooks, and Robert George leave off, and ask - do liberals hold the moral high ground? Catch up on everything below: 1. The Nation, Romance on Birthright Israel: https://www.thenation.com/article/romance-birthright-israel/ 2. Debate: https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/liberals-hold-moral-high-ground 3. The G.O.P. Is Rotting: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/opinion/the-gop-is-rotting.html Video/song links https://www.hulu.com/watch/217024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6i-gYRAwM0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfLHAJrNnsM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCnt-drXsiU
This week, Uri and Rivky discuss last week's controversial panel on anti-Semitism, Anti-Semitism and the Struggle For Justice. The panel was held at the New School and organized by New School’s journalism program, Jewish Voice for Peace, Haymarket Books, Jacobin Magazine and Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, or JFREJ. They ask, how can you tell the difference between anti-Zionism and ant-Semitism? What did we learn from this panel, if anything? Catch up on everything below: 1. The Panel: https://www.facebook.com/jacobinmag/videos/1965805270112831/ 2. Linda, Honey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP8RB7UZHKI 3. Bob Dylan's Neighborhood Bully: https://bobdylan.com/songs/neighborhood-bully/ 4. Commentary: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/new-jew-hatred-right-left/
This week, we ask, what is the estate tax? Why do Republicans want to eliminate it, and are they right? And we discuss the #metoo phenomenon and the implications for the (Jewish and non-Jewish) artists who have been exposed - how do we deal with the art they have created? Catch up on everything below: 1. https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-tax/ten-facts-you-should-know-about-the-federal-estate-tax 2. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/02/resistance-estate-tax/470403/ 3. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/10/woody-allen-wonder-wheel/537876/ 4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP8RB7UZHKI&t=20s
This week, Uri and Rivky present a Very Special Episode for Thanksgiving. They ask, as American Jews, what is our relationship to our country? What do we owe our government, and our community, as citizens of America? Catch up on the Jack Flamholz Memorial Yom Iyun, "Judaism in America: Intersecting Values and Identities": http://drisha.org/yomiyun/
This week, we break down Ekow Ankah's opinion piece in the New York Times: Can My Children Be Friends With White People? And we discuss Larry David's SNL monologue - groundbreaking humor, or horribly offensive? We end the episode with recommendations for must-read articles in our newest segment, "Did You Read It?" Catch up on everything below: 1. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/11/11/opinion/sunday/interracial-friendship-donald-trump.html? 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0eeNijdv3I 3. https://www.wired.com/story/i-forgot-my-pin-an-epic-tale-of-losing-dollar30000-in-bitcoin/ 4. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/can-a-robot-join-the-faith?
In Episode 1, Rivky and Uri discuss Eitan Gross' article in Times of Israel, Andrew Altman's article in the Forward, and the use of social media. For further reading: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/modern-orthodoxy-from-a-teenagers-perspective/ http://forward.com/scribe/386754/why-i-chose-to-attend-public-high-school-even-though-im-ultra-orthodox/ https://www.amazon.com/Circle-Dave-Eggers/dp/159413961X
