The Orthodox Conundrum is a forum in which we look honestly at the Orthodox Jewish community, identifying what works well and what does not, so that, through an honest accounting, we can find solutions that will be successful. We will examine some of the major issues that affect the Orthodox world, without exaggeration, whitewashing, or pretending that they don’t exist. Our hope is that the Orthodox Conundrum will spark wider discussion that will enable Orthodox Judaism to continue moving forward in the areas at which it excels, and to rectify the areas that need improvement.
S8 E25 · Mon, April 28, 2025
Colonel John Spencer, one of the world's leading experts on urban warfare, joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about Israel’s war against Hamas. We dive deep into the realities of modern combat, the strict standards of international law, and the false accusations of "genocide" being leveled against Israel. Colonel Spencer also shares insights from his recent high-profile debate alongside Dave Smith on Piers Morgan Uncensored , where he pushed back against the misinformation dominating media narratives. We talk about the dangers of influencer-driven disinformation, the moral challenges Israel faces on the battlefield, and what the world gets wrong about the rules of war. We also discuss whether Israel is succeeding in its stated goals, and how the war can conclude without turning into an endless quagmire. No matter your stage of life, Nishmat's Summer Beit Midrash is the place for you. This program offers transformative Torah learning for women of all backgrounds, in the heart of Jerusalem. Visit nishmat.net/summer-beit-midrash to learn more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Mon, April 21, 2025
The Orthodox Conundrum Podcast is off this week, and we'll be back next week with a brand new episode. In the meantime, enjoy this classic episode about Orthodox Jews who leave Orthodoxy. There’s a phenomenon in the Orthodox world which is called by various names, though most commonly “Off the Derech” or OTD, and “Datlash,” short for “Dati Leshe’avar” - that is, formerly religious. For a community which prides itself on continuity and on passing the tradition from one generation to the next, the idea that people leave Orthodoxy is simultaneously painful and threatening. Why did he or she leave? What didn’t work? Why don’t they see what I see… or perhaps, if we’re being truly honest with ourselves, what do they see that I may be missing? And when the people who reject an Orthodox way of life are members of our family, the difficulties are compounded. Rabbi Alex Israel has given a lot of thought to this issue and these questions, and his insights are humane, generous, and rooted in Torah. Rabbi Israel and Scott spoke about whether the terms OTD and Datlash - and even “dati,” religious - are helpful or misleading, whether the phenomenon of people moving away from Orthodoxy is becoming more common, how it may be different in Israel and in the United States, whether we should actively try to bring those who have left Orthodoxy back into the Orthodox fold, if an emphasis on dogma is partially to blame, how parents should navigate having a child who is less religious than they are, what we can learn from those who leave Orthodoxy, and more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S8 E24 · Mon, April 07, 2025
I’m doing something a little different this week. Instead of discussing an issue in the Jewish world, I want to offer some inspirational words about the Seder as we enter the final week before the beginning of Pesach. To that end, I invited several of my podcast guests from the past year to present ideas that they find meaningful, with the hope that they will enhance your own Seder as we navigate celebrating Pesach during this challenging moment in Jewish history. In this episode, you will hear divrei Torah from Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble, Olivia Friedman, Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin, Rabbi Dr. Judah Goldberg, Rabbi Ben Kelsen, David Bloom, Rabbi Dr. Rafi Zarum, and Rabbi Chayim Soloveichik. You can look in the show notes that accompany this podcast to see the time signatures for each dvar Torah. I hope and expect that their words of Torah and encouragement will resonate with you, and that they will give you additional ideas to think about as we prepare for the Pesach Seder this year. Timestamps for the divrei Torah: 2:06 - Rav Kook on internal freedom (Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble) 4:49 - Israel as God's first born child (Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble) 11:12 - Ha Lachma Ana (Olivia Friedman) 19:37 - Starting with disparagement and ending with praise (Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin) 28:11 - V'hi She'amda (Rabbi Dr. Judah Goldberg) 38:12 - The Ten Plagues (Rabbi Benjamin Kelsen) 55:13 - Dayeinu (David Bloom) 1:00:24 - Pesach, Matzah, u'Maror (Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum) 107:23 - Miyagon l'simcha (Rabbi Chayim Soloveichik) This week's episode is sponsored by Jewish Communal Fund , where strategic philanthropy meets impact. Visit https://jcfny.org/orthodoxconundrum/ to request an information kit. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember t
S8 E23 · Mon, March 31, 2025
We are now less than two weeks away from the night of the Seder, which is almost certainly the most widely practiced example of Jewish education in action. And that raises the issue of how we should define healthy Jewish education in general, and how best we can achieve it. These questions are doubly important because while there are many wonderful Jewish schools, there are, unfortunately, numerous educational institutions where religious growth and educational goals are met through the use of fear, guilt, charismatic authority, manipulation, and condescension. Whether or not it “works” is irrelevant; education that relies on unhealthy approaches is damaging, unfair, and destructive. This episode with Rabbi Dr. Judah and Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg, explores fresh, student-centered approaches to Jewish learning that prioritize autonomy, personal meaning, and emotional well-being. We challenge guilt- and fear-based models, advocating for an education that nurtures curiosity and critical thinking, while emphasizing lifelong love of Torah, Jewish law, and Jewish tradition. How can we empower our children and students to take ownership of their learning while staying rooted in the values we want to impart? How do we create environments where kids feel both supported and free to make their own choices? We examine how Jewish education can inspire, uplift, and cultivate independent, engaged learners who embrace Torah Judaism without losing their sense of self. This week's episode is sponsored by Jewish Communal Fund , where strategic philanthropy meets impact. Visit https://jcfny.org/orthodoxconundrum/ to request an information kit. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit h
S8 E22 · Mon, March 24, 2025
This conversation with Rabbi Moshe Taragin presents an introduction to the profound - and profoundly human - religious philosophy of Rav Yehuda Amital zt'l, the founding rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion. Rav Amital's ideas fill a unique niche in the Religious Zionist world today, and in many ways stand as a corrective to some of the ideology that has become dominant in the dati leumi world. His teachings grapple with some of the most pressing tensions in Jewish thought and life: universalism vs. particularism, the relationship between morality and halacha, and the relevance of Tanach as a guide to contemporary events. In this engaging discussion, Rabbi Taragin and I explore Rav Amital's vision of faith, statehood, and leadership, as well as his emphasis on joy and serenity in religious service. Rabbi Amital’s unique perspective on Zionism, ethics, and spirituality continues to inspire and challenge, offering guidance for those seeking a thoughtful and compassionate approach to Judaism and the modern world. Perhaps more than ever before, we need to hear his voice loudly and clearly so that Religious Zionism can represent the positive and diverse force that it can be, rather than the sometimes narrow and shallow force that, at times, it is in danger of becoming. Tune in as we uncover the depth and relevance of Rabbi Amital’s ideas, bringing his legacy to life for today’s listeners. This week's episode is sponsored by Jewish Communal Fund , where strategic philanthropy meets impact. Visit https://jcfny.org/orthodoxconundrum/ to request an information kit. To purchase Rabbi Taragin's new book, To Be Holy but Human: Reflections Upon My Rebbe, HaRav Yehuda Amital, click here. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patr
S8 E21 · Mon, March 17, 2025
When hundreds of students enthusiastically sing and dance about dodging the draft, while thousands of others protect those same students by spending more and more time in the IDF because of a manpower shortage... something has gone seriously wrong. When institutions that receive millions of shekels of government money actively undermine the State of Israel by encouraging and celebrating draft dodging... something has gone seriously wrong. When a minister in the Knesset is involved in creating a hotline that is used to tell people who have received draft notices to ignore them entirely... something has gone seriously wrong. In this episode, I spoke to Sam Sokol to learn more about the Chareidi political echelon's attempts to enshrine military exemptions into law, and how in the meantime, some Chareidi institutions are literally committing felonies in the service of discouraging military service. There is a lesson for all of us in this, too. As I assert at the end of the episode: if you are absolutely convinced of the rightness of your ideology such that you won’t listen to anyone else, and when that ideology effectively becomes the most important thing in the world, not only does it become a type of idolatry, but it also can potentially lead you to actions that are immoral, unethical, and illegal. And when you have no respect for the institutions that support you, and engage with them only in order to get from them without any expectation of giving anything back, you may end up doing actions that are immoral, unethical, and illegal. In my opinion, this is a tragedy embodied by some leaders in the Chareidi world. This week's episode is sponsored by Jewish Communal Fund , where strategic philanthropy meets impact. Visit https://jcfny.org/orthodoxconundrum/ to request an information kit. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the
S8 E20 · Mon, March 10, 2025
Several recent articles have raised a troubling question: Is Rabbi Meir Kahane making a comeback? In the wake of the horrific murder of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, some influential pro-Israel voices have turned to Kahane’s ideas, reviving a debate that many thought was long settled. In this episode, Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Sinensky and I dive deep into why this is a dangerous trend—one that must be confronted head-on from a Torah perspective. While many may be invoking Kahane’s philosophy with Israel’s best interests at heart, we argue that his ideas are fundamentally flawed—halachically, morally, and philosophically. We’ll explore why it’s crucial to openly discuss why Kahanism should not be part of the Jewish discourse, and why those who cite him must rethink their position before it spreads any further. Tune in to understand why the resurgence of Kahanist thought in certain circles is a threat to the very values we hold dear—and why we must stop it before it gains more traction. This week's episode is sponsored by Jewish Communal Fund , where strategic philanthropy meets impact. Visit https://jcfny.org/orthodoxconundrum/ to request an information kit. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S8 E19 · Mon, March 03, 2025
Domestic abuse is one of those topics that, sometimes, we simply wish would go away. It’s certainly among the very worst experiences that a person can have, yet it brings forward feelings of shame and failure, such that people are often reluctant to acknowledge that they are victims. Sometimes, they can’t even name it - either because they don’t recognize it for what it is, or because they are embarrassed and don’t want to admit it. Yet we can’t ignore it, and all of us need to better recognize the warning signs and the red flags - both for those inside and outside of a relationship - and, should such warning signs exist, what we can potentially do about it. Because this is such an important (albeit disturbing) topic, I was honored to speak to Keshet Starr, the CEO of Shalom Task Force, to learn more. We talked about the distinction between domestic abuse and domestic violence, the prevalence of male to female abuse versus female to male abuse, examples of non-violent abusive behavior (“the abuser’s tool box”), how can we determine when normal behavior crosses the line into emotional abuse or controlling behavior, the range and spectrum of inappropriate controlling behavior, whether the typical abuser is conscious of being an abuser, the way that an abuser often thinks of himself as “owning” his spouse, answering claims that domestic violence does not occur in Orthodox homes, how abuse takes place in ways that we cannot visibly see, the use of Jewish texts and religious ideas to justify abuse and break boundaries, warning signs and red flags, whether abuse should lead to divorce or if can it potentially be worked on (and why professionals won’t offer an opinion on that question), education against abuse, the meaning of spiritual abuse, barriers to getting help, and more. To reach the Shalom Task Force’s confidential hotline, go to https://shalomtaskforce.org/contact . Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out <a href= "http
S8 E18 · Mon, February 24, 2025
The act of talking - dignified and informative conversation, where people connect on a serious level with one another - is essential to the Jewish experience. This goes back to the very creation of Adam; the Torah describes God as breathing a breath of life into Adam, after which he became a nefesh chaya - a living soul. Targum Onkelos famously translates that phrase as ruach memalela - a speaking spirit. Accordingly, the fact that man is able to converse is part of his very essence. In a similar way, the Torah is composed of not only written words, but also the Torah Sheba’al Peh - the conversation that began with Moshe Rabbeinu and has continued through the ages until today. It’s not an understatement to suggest that conversation is part of the lifeblood of Judaism. Nevertheless, it sometimes seems that the art of conversation, like so many other aspects of 21st century culture, is changing in ways both good and bad. For example, the explosion of the popularity of podcasts demonstrates that people still crave stimulating conversation - but on the other hand, the people listening in are not active participants and don’t add to the discussion. In many ways, it seems that deep conversations between people are overridden by the myriad distractions that keep us glued to our phones and less present when someone wants to have our full attention. In a lot of ways, conversation has, at times, become vacuous - with potentially devastating consequences for interpersonal relationships. So this episode of the podcast will be a conversation about conversations, and I was honored to speak to Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble to discuss a wide variety of topics related to authentic dialogue. I really got a lot out of this conversation, and it was actually quite different from many other episodes of this podcast. We dealt with many issues, from the Rambam’s ideas about speech, what we learn from sitting shiva, and the changing nature of teaching Torah, to phone notifications and Spotify playlists and the Red Sox and why we each got into the world of podcasting. It was a lot of fun, it was very informative, and I think you’ll enjoy listening in as much as I enjoyed participating. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at <a href="https://www.patreon.co
S8 E17 · Mon, February 17, 2025
The Torah is very clear that theft is forbidden; no one doubts that this is true. It is, accordingly, very disturbing that religious Jews as a community don’t seem to be more ethical in these matters than people who don’t see the Torah as their guide to life. I am not suggesting that Orthodox Jews are worse than anyone else in these matters; I cannot possibly know if that’s true. It does seem, however, that Orthodox Jews as a whole are not better than any other community when it comes to honesty in business and taxes. We have heard of too many religious people who find themselves in serious legal trouble to pretend that our community actually maintains a higher ethical standard. The fact that people who learn Torah and daven with a minyan - people who are careful about Shabbat, kashrut, and taharat hamishpacha - are sometimes not nearly as careful when it comes to business law, is an embarrassment that we need to rectify. As Torah Jews, we need to be better - and for that reason, I was honored to speak to Rabbi Jeremy Wieder about some commonly disregarded halachot, including tax evasion, paying a worker in cash so he can presumably avoid paying taxes, building in violation of zoning laws without getting permission from the city, the definition of “ona’ah” - overcharging - in a market economy, pyramid schemes, downplaying risk when trying to convince someone to invest money, not declaring merchandise bought outside of Israel when entering the country, and more. We also talked about why in these matters, integrity may require going further than the letter of the law, and a possible reason that people who study Torah may try to justify that which is obviously unacceptable. Finally, we talked about the problem of religious Jews ignoring the crimes of people who give extensively to charity, or even sometimes lionizing them for their faith in God when they were in prison - while conveniently ignoring the reasons that they went to prison in the first place, or pretending that they were victims, or committed “victimless” crimes, when, in fact, this is false. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . <
S8 E16 · Mon, February 10, 2025
Ever since President Trump presented his plan (or his idea, as it’s unclear how planned out this really is) about resettling the Arab population of Gaza, the Jewish world has been in an uproar. Very loud voices on both sides of the issue have been talking not so much about its feasibility - many are extremely skeptical that this could ever come to fruition - but about whether it is ethical. Some insist that this is nothing less than ethnic cleansing, with all the negative implications that the term contains, while others suggest that this is completely different, and that if starting a war of aggression has no long-term negative consequences for the aggressor, then nothing will ever act as an effective deterrent to further attempts at genocide of the Jewish people. This is only one of the ethical issues that has arisen in the weeks since the ceasefire, and I was honored to speak with Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody to hash out some of the major ethical and moral dilemmas presented by the current situation. Along with the question of population transfer, Rabbi Brody and I also talked about leadership and the ethics of taking responsibility, the moral question of toppling a government during wartime, the propriety of exchanging Palestinian prisoners - many of whom have blood on their hands - for Israeli hostages, when it is right to start a war rather than to use diplomacy, how we can define victory in war, how we determine the innocence of civilians who support a terrorist government even if they don’t participate in its atrocities directly, and much more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S8 E15 · Mon, February 03, 2025
What is it like for a doctor, who has spent his life treating patients, to become a patient himself? That was the experience of Dr. Avi Rockoff when he learned that he had a very serious form of prostate cancer, and which he chronicles in his new book, When the Doctor Becomes the Patient . He was exposed to what he terms “the medical industrial complex” from the other side of the physician's desk, and learned about some of the aspects of healthcare that he had taught for years, but from a very different perspective. I found this conversation both fascinating and important, and I have been thinking about it and discussing it with people ever since I recorded it. Avi and I talked about the common reluctance of patients to talk about their conditions with friends and family, the limits of the doctor’s expertise, why it’s possible that not knowing about an illness can sometimes be better that knowing about it and treating it, why offering compassion and hope are essential components of a healer’s job and why that healer should not just be seen as a type of repairman, some of the positives and negatives of the way that medicine has become streamlined, differences between his experience as a patient in Boston versus his treatment in Israel, what gave him encouragement during his illness, how we should speak with friends and family who are ill, and more. Some of these topics are especially resonant to me because a very close friend of mine recently was diagnosed with cancer. Many of you may know him: Rabbi Jonathan Cohen, Harav Yehonatan Eitan hakohen ben Batsheva Bracha. Our family and the Cohens spend Purim together annually, alternating hosting the Purim seudah every year, and our friendship with Jonathan, Tzivia, and their kids is an absolute gift. Jonathan is a wonderful and caring friend to hundreds of people; I don’t think I ever met anyone who is so beloved by so many different individuals in so many different places. For that reason, I want to dedicate this episode with Dr. Avi Rockoff in honor of Jonathan and with a prayer for his refuah shleima, and I ask everyone listening to please include Yehonatan Eitan ben Batsheva Bracha in your tefilot for a speedy and complete recovery. This episode of the Orthodox Conundrum is sponsored by <a href= "https://www.rotemshani.com/en/portfolio/hasavyon-compound-bet-shem
S8 E14 · Mon, January 27, 2025
William Faulkner in Requiem for a Nun famously wrote, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” I repeatedly thought of that line as I read Dr. Malka Simkovich’s recent book, Letters From Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity . In that book she investigates the relationship of Jews living in the Land of Israel and Jews who remained in the diaspora after the conclusion of the Babylonian Exile, when the majority of Jews chose to remain outside of Judea rather than return back to their ancestral homeland. Although this took place over 2000 years ago, in some ways I felt as though I were reading contemporary accounts of the relationship between Jews in Israel and Jews in chutz la’aretz. It reminded me of numerous interactions I have had with listeners both in and out of Israel, in response to the Orthodox Conundrum episode from two weeks ago entitled, Do You Care Enough About Israel? (And Do Israelis Care Enough About You?) . There are so many ways that we have the same goals - and so many other ways that we misunderstand each other. We often misinterpret what our coreligionists believe and care about, and talk past each other regarding who is standing on the front lines of the Jewish future. After talking with Malka Simkovich, I realized that these conversations echo similar tensions from the time of the Second Temple. Strong differences of opinion and misunderstandings are, unfortunately, not a new phenomenon; they have been going on for literally thousands of years. That’s why I was extremely interested to learn about how Jewish communities outside of the Land of Israel first came to be, how they defined themselves, whether they valued aliya and if they frequently visited Judea, how Jews living in the Land of Israel viewed Jews outside, and vice versa, whether Jews living in the diaspora saw Judean Jews as their religious superiors, what happened to those communities in the long run, and much more. The echoes of the present, it seems to me, are uncanny. The history here is fascinating; and the parallels to today are extremely important - both comforting and disturbing. This episode of the Orthodox Conundrum is sponsored by The Eden Project by Rotem Shani , located right across from the Sheinfeld neighborhood in Beit Shemesh. For more information please contact Rina Weinberg by emailing info@edenbeitshemesh.com . Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please
S8 E13 · Mon, January 20, 2025
I recorded this episode hours before the first three Israeli hostages were slated to be released, and as a ceasefire was just beginning to be implemented by Israel and Hamas. Many people have noted that while Hamas is parading throughout Gaza and claiming victory - which is an absurd inversion of reality - and while the vast majority of the world is celebrating the end of hostilities (at least for now), the population which is the most muted about it are the residents of Israel, who have extreme mixed emotions, even as the strong majority of the country support the implementation of the ceasefire. All Jews who care about Israel have no choice but to look back at the past fifteen months - and what came before it, as well - to try to get a sense of perspective, and to understand what has happened, what has changed, and what changes we will experience moving forward. And in terms of acquiring that perspective, there are few people whose words are more welcome than Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt”l, the former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom. Rabbi Sacks passed away over four years ago, and we obviously cannot know what he would say about our world today. However, as today’s guest, Dr. Tanya White, wrote to me, “Since October 7th I’ve been asked countless times, What would Rabbi Sacks say? My answer is always the same - while I can’t answer definitively what he would say, I know what he did say and thus we just need to mine his books to find some answers." For that reason, I was grateful to speak to Dr. Tanya White in order to learn more about Rabbi Sacks and his thought - as well as her own - so that I would better understand how he likely would have addressed the challenges we face today, and the best and healthiest ways for us to move forward. This episode of the Orthodox Conundrum is sponsored by The Eden Project by Rotem Shani , located right across from the Sheinfeld neighborhood in Beit Shemesh. For more information please contact Rina Weinberg by emailing info@edenbeitshemesh.com . Check out Tanya's new podcast, Books and Beyond: The Rabbi Sacks Podcast , at https://rabbisacks.org/books-and-beyond-podcast/ . Visit her website at https://www.tanyawhite.org/ . Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group
Bonus · Thu, January 16, 2025
With the news that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal, Scott spoke to counterterrorism and intelligence expert Dr. Matthew Levitt to learn what the ceasefire entails, in what ways this falls short of Prime Minister Netanyahu's insistence upon total victory, how victory should be defined, why this ceasefire is happening now, whether Hamas is deterred, the the possibility of another October 7th taking place, what happens if a power vacuum forms in Gaza, the future of Palestinian statehood and Saudi normalization, and what must happen next. Two relevant and important articles by Dr. Levitt: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/war-hamas-always-wanted https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/what-hamas-wants-postwar-gaza-power-fight-without-burden-governing Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S8 E12 · Mon, January 13, 2025
Do Jews outside of Israel care enough about Israel? This is a loaded and perhaps unfair question. How could anyone make that determination? Nevertheless, it’s something I’ve been grappling with for some time, and I decided to pose this question on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Many people commented, both on the group and in private communications. And today's episode confronts that question directly through a panel discussion with Israel-engaged individuals in both Israel and the United States. I believe that while the question was phrased somewhat provocatively, it raises an issue - the potential divide between Jews in and outside of Israel - that must be discussed. And for that reason, I was honored to host Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, Dr. Logan Levkoff, and Shira Katz Shaulov to discuss, openly and frankly, whether Jews outside of Israel are doing all that they should to support Israel - and, by extension, whether Jews in Israel are doing what they should for Jews outside of Israel. This episode of the Orthodox Conundrum is sponsored by The Eden Project by Rotem Shani , located right across from the Sheinfeld neighborhood in Beit Shemesh. For more information please contact Rina Weinberg by emailing info@edenbeitshemesh.com . Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S8 E11 · Mon, January 06, 2025
This episode of the Orthodox Conundrum discusses sexual abuse and child sexual abuse material. Listener discretion is advised. Sexual abuse is a problem everywhere, and the Orthodox community is no exception. While there unquestionably is more awareness of the problem today than there was in the past, there is still a long way to go before we can be proud of our record. One of the ongoing and very upsetting issues is when people in power cover up and downplay sexual abuse perpetrated by people whom they know. While there are those who do this for sinister or selfish reasons, many rabbis, doctors, and other people in positions of authority are acting out of ignorance rather than out of malice. They genuinely think that they’re doing the right thing - and they don’t realize the potentially traumatic consequences of their actions. Today I will be speaking about this latter kind of coverup, and the parallel phenomenon of community leaders writing letters to judges on behalf of convicted sex offenders to request leniency in sentencing. These letters very often fully acknowledge the heinous crimes that the abuser perpetrated - but they also say the positive aspects of the abuser’s life that they hope will be taken into consideration, whether it’s his charitable giving, minyan attendance, doing chesed for the community, or whatever other good qualities that, the writers hope, will potentially mitigate a harsh prison sentence. Again: these writers usually mean well and are trying to do the right thing - but they likely don’t understand that they’re acting in ways that are potentially very damaging. This is a difficult but very important topic, and I was honored to host attorney Rahel Bayar, victims’ advocate Asher Lovy, and psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Singer to discuss what’s happening, why it matters, and what should be done about it moving forward. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and re
S8 E10 · Mon, December 30, 2024
We live in times in which, I believe, we in the Orthodox world need to open ourselves to new ideas and new thinking that will help enhance our love and appreciation for God and His Torah. Maybe the best example of a contemporary thinker who has opened the doors of perception while remaining fully committed to Torah, halacha, the Jewish people and the Land of Israel is Rabbi Shimon Gershon Rosenberg, colloquially known as Rav Shagar. I spoke with Rabbis Zachary Truboff and Yehoshua Engelman about Rav Shagar in episode 133, over two years ago. Today, as a special Chanukah presentation, I’m honored to speak to Rabbi Levi Morrow about Rav Shagar. Rabbi Morrow recently published Living Time: Festival Discourses for the Present Age which is an English language collection of some of Rav Shagar’s essays on the Jewish holidays. Because both he and I have found that some of Rav Shagar’s most impactful writing was on the subject of Chanukah, I was excited to speak to Levi about Rav Shagar’s philosophy in general, and to learn from him about some of Rav Shagar’s ideas regarding Chanukah. Among the topics we addressed are the difference between the human and divine viewpoints; why some people don’t relate to Rav Shagar’s philosophy; the importance of “choosing” to be religious, rather than being compelled by facts - and why this existential choice is essential to our religious identity; how Rav Shagar understands the concept of religious obligation; his embracing of contradiction; whether we should be critical of those who leave Judaism, or if we need to respect that choice, as well; if there a place for interfaith dialogue, or learning about other religions; whether Rav Shagar should be thought of as a “Religious Zionist” or a “religious Zionist,” and what he might think about the State of Israel today; if he believed that the State of Israel has religious value, and if so, whether the State of Israel is also part of the redemption; what would he say about the reality of Israel today; and more. Of course, we also dealt with Chanukah - specially how the Shabbat candles and Chanukah candles represent two types of holiness: meaningfulness and fulfillment on the one hand, versus sacrifice without any obvious meaning on the other; the candle of the commandment along with the candle of the human soul; the ways that mitzvot contain divine light - but also that the earthy vessels of the mitzvot are even holier than the light they contain; the way that the mitzvot don’t come from divine wisdom, but from His will (and what that means); what we mean when we say that God is beyond human categories; the relationship between Torah and the outside world and outside ideas; and the way that translation is a valuable method for bringing outside ideas into Torah thought. This is not a typical episode of the podcast. For those, however, who are looking for new approaches that are grounded
S8 E9 · Mon, December 23, 2024
An almost insidious problem that affects so many kids is being “under the radar”... that is, they’re generally ignored in school, camp, or other social settings by the teachers or group leaders because they’re doing “fine” - and I use that word advisedly. He or she is not the class genius, not the kid who asks questions, not the troublemaker, not the class clown. I’m talking about kids who likely have so much more to offer, but are never given that opportunity when the people who should inspire them don’t give them much attention, because other kids are, so to speak, sucking all the air out of the room. Sometimes it’s a matter of a teacher’s not knowing that a student has a talent or interest that matters to him - or that the student herself doesn’t know what she’s capable of doing. Maybe this kid is a late bloomer, and a bit of encouragement would help some amazing abilities emerge. Perhaps the child is good at things that are not emphasized in school, like a perfectly normal kid who doesn’t like Gemara, and accordingly is ignored when the natural Gemara learners get the bulk of the teacher’s attention. And some kids feel safe and comfortable without attracting extra attention, and giving them extra attention might be exactly what they don’t want. No matter what the reason, this is a problem that is difficult to diagnose, but can have long term negative effects. What a shame it is when our children can give so much, but don’t realize it themselves because few people recognize that there’s more to them than meets the eye… yet there always is. On Saturday night, December 14th, I was honored to host a live podcast panel discussion at Congregation Shomrei Torah in Fair Lawn, NJ to discuss “Children Under the Radar: Strategies for Noticing and Maximizing Varied Strengths and Abilities.” It was sponsored by Larry and Nancy Bravman, and was part of their wonderful Inspired by Ilona Organization. (You can learn more by going to inspiredbyilona.com .) The panel consisted of Rabbi Binyamin Krauss, Dr. Rayzel Yaish, and Howard Blas. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse .
S8 E8 · Mon, December 16, 2024
Is Jewish education too focused upon a rationalist and scientific worldview, such that we sometimes don’t leave enough room for the imagination? I think that this may be true for large segments of the Orthodox world, particularly among the Modern Orthodox population. While we dare not undermine the great advances that our scientific worldview has given humanity, an overemphasis on rationality can also eliminate wonder and mystery from our understanding of the universe - and that can undermine our ability to live a full and even colorful Judaism. This doesn’t mean that we should deny a rationalist approach so much as it implies that we shouldn't narrow Torah and Judaism so that only one approach is considered valid. Olivia Friedman is an educator who has given significant thought to this issue, and I was pleased to discuss how Jews in general, and teachers in particular, need to help cultivate the imagination in order to help generate a fuller and richer Jewish experience. This doesn’t mean to just pretend; sometimes it means to open ourselves up to the fact that we actually know much less than we think we do. In that vein, Olivia and I talked about the the difference between “happening truth” and “story truth,” the possibility of taking some surprising midrashim literally, how we we can acknowledge the existence of multiple truths without falling into the trap of thinking of truth as relative, what can we learn from the movie “Wicked” about the different types of truth, why teaching midrash from kindergarten through 8th grade is essential to our kids’ Jewish development (and why using only pshat creates serious educational and theological problems), whether we should we establish a hard distinction between pshat and drash , the importance of pointing out that midrash isn’t just fantasy literature, but a serious genre based on very close reading - and yet why it’s time for the creation of more Jewish fantasy literature along the lines of the work of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, the ways that we unfortunately “shrink the world down to the size of our certainties,” and more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeeh
S8 E7 · Mon, December 09, 2024
While the Jewish people, and all people of good will, continue to face deep uncertainty about what’s happening in Israel and around the world - as I record this on Sunday afternoon, we are just beginning to process the end of Assad’s rule in Syria and trying to figure out if it’s a net positive or negative for democratic countries in general and Israel in particular - we all are in some ways looking for sources of resilience. What are the ways that we can move forward and figure out our roles, while trying to internalize a sense of hope, and without ignoring the sometimes harsh reality that surrounds us? To learn more about potential sources of resilience, I was honored to speak to Rachel Sharansky Danziger. Hers was a very personal presentation, and I was deeply moved by her deep faith and learning, as well as her obvious wisdom. We talked about three key moments on October 7th and what they taught her about how to move forward; the manner in which Torah study and teaching Torah have been spiritual and emotional anchors for her and her students; the possibility of creating our own path to help expand God’s presence in the world, while simultaneously inviting God into partnership with us; the boldness of Chana and her prayer, and the message she has for us today; learning how to accept that even good choices may have negative consequences, and trying to let go of the guilt that accompanies those choices; imagining what the world can still become; and much more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S8 E6 · Mon, December 02, 2024
"Anything is permitted, as long as it's for a mitzvah." Really? We live in a world where consumerism and materialism are not only dominant themes of everyday life, but also positive values in their own right. It’s disturbing that the Orthodox Jewish community is not at all immune to this influence; in fact, many sub-communities within the Orthodox world revel in materialism to the point that any argument that an overemphasis on materialism is not in line with Torah values would likely be met with stares of incomprehension. My guests today, Professor Chaim Saiman and Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt recognized the problem, and wrote an article about it in Tradition Journal entitled, “Materialism and the Rise of ‘modern, Orthodoxy’.” Their research indicated that while Orthodox materialism today is certainly manifest in its classic forms of expensive purchases and vacations, it now also appears in fully religious garb - where almost anything can be classified as “beautifying a mitzvah,” whether it’s an extremely expensive sheitel, a $2500 kippah, a wildly elaborate wedding - or, as we’ll discuss, a million-dollar shtender that once belonged to a rabbinic giant. Among the issues that we address are the ironic 180 degree change that has taken place in parts of Lakewood and elsewhere, a new materialism associated with religious items and the “mitzvification” of new actions (thereby excusing aspects of materialism because the spending is supposedly for a mitzvah), the internal frum culture of materialism that obviates the need to step outside of that culture in order to indulge, materialism enmeshed with spirituality, whether there is a correlation between materialism, consumerism, and wealth, pressure on the middle and working class in Orthodoxy, in what ways the prosperity gospel has infiltrated Orthodox thinking, how social and print media are fueling aspiration, where materialism comes from and why it’s so difficult to address, why the attempt to impose “takana weddings” failed, when going “over the top” may be justified, and more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at <a href="https://www.patre
S8 E5 · Mon, November 25, 2024
Every time I speak with Dr. Erica Brown, I come away enriched by her deep thinking and religious and emotional sensitivity. And this conversation, which delves into psychological and theological questions surrounding anxiety, hope, gratitude, and faith, may be our most memorable discussion yet. The Thanksgiving holiday takes place later this week in the United States; three days later, Erica’s newest book, Morning has Broken: Faith After October 7th, will be released. Those two events, along with the continued fighting in Gaza and Lebanon and on other fronts, were the impetus for what I found to be a deeply moving conversation. We talked about how to deal with despair, finding hope in the midst of tragedy, the idea of faith deposits, how grief and pain are sometimes the price of love, learning how to acknowledge God in good times just as we sometimes question where He is when things are difficult, and the difference between optimism and hope. We also talked about having faith in people as well as God, the ways that Israelis and Jews living outside of Israel often misunderstand each other, the pitfalls of unity and why its absence can lead to anger, and much more. I’m so honored that Erica agreed to be a guest on the podcast again, and I am sure that you will find this interview to be emotionally resonant, as I did. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S8 E4 · Mon, November 18, 2024
There was a time not long ago when aggadah - which, broadly speaking, refers to the non-legal passages in the Talmud - was largely ignored; students studying in yeshiva would run through these texts quickly, if at all, using almost all of their mental energy and time thinking through the halachic, or legal passages of the Gemara. While that was likely a successful methodology for most Talmud students in the past, we have witnessed in the 20th and 21st centuries a renewed emphasis on aggadah; and given the fact that Talmud study is far more widespread today than it was in the past, along with an obvious thirst for greater spirituality and a deeper connection with God, this can only be considered a very positive development. At the forefront of the study of aggadah today is my guest, Gila Fine; and she offers a fascinating, compelling, and perhaps controversial view of how we should look at aggadah. Gila said that we may be the first Jews since the days of Chazal who can truly relate to the radical spirit in the aggadah. In her words, “The rabbis were extremely radical… and then, as generally happens, they lose that radical edge; those subversive elements disappear. [Postmodernism] has allowed us to reconnect to a certain radical property of rabbinic storytelling that has gone underappreciated for most of Jewish history.” We discussed how aggadah is a path to knowledge of God; the way that it gives space for outsiders and people who feel burned by Jewish law; the manner in which it is radical and subversive, and offers a chance for rabbinic self-critique; how aggadah is multivocal, allowing in different ideas and positions rather than one consistent voice, and not necessarily trying to resolve that inherent tension; the way that someone learning Talmud should develop an honest relationship with the text; the difference between the way that God is presented in the Bible versus a much lonelier portrayal in the aggadah; whether aggadah should be regarded as fiction and, if so, whether that undermines its authority; and much more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out <a h
S8 E3 · Mon, November 11, 2024
Over the past two weeks, there has been increasing conversation in Israel among the Religious Zionist community about the continued refusal of many ultra-Orthodox Jews to consider enlisting in the Israeli army. Many of us have been discussing this issue for months or years; but it came to a head in the past couple of weeks largely because of the attempt by the Chareidi political parties in the Knesset to enshrine this exemption through legislation. The most recent attempt was the so-called Daycare Bill, which, if passed, would mean that the status of the father would not be taken into account when determining if a couple is eligible for state subsidies for daycare. This might seem like an obscure bill, but it is understood by almost everyone as a backdoor attempt to effectively legalize draft dodging by the Chareidi population by removing one of the financial disincentives to ignoring a draft notice. The question of Chareidi avoidance of the draft opens up a number of questions about Chareidi political influence on the wider Israeli public. This is obvious in numerous areas, including, most recently, the election of new chief rabbis of the State of Israel. Because the vote for the two chief rabbis is heavily influenced by political factors and by politicians, the Chareidi political parties have a huge influence on who is chief rabbi - more than any other sector - even though, ironically, their communities are largely unaffected by the rabbinate’s authority. There are many other areas where Chareidi political influence is affecting the rest of Israeli society, including kashrut, personal status, marriage and divorce, and conversion. As Rabbi David Stav, the founder of Tzohar, says, the problem is not Chareidi influence; the problem is Chareidim determining the law of the land, while not being bound or affected by the consequences of those laws. This is a serious issue for Jews no matter where they reside - and I was honored to speak to Rabbi Stav about the current situation, and what needs to change. PLUS: A personal editorial comment about the recent election of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse" target="_blank"
S8 E2 · Mon, November 04, 2024
With the United States presidential election only hours away, I wanted to offer a supporter of each major presidential candidate the opportunity to explain why Jews in general, and Orthodox Jews in particular, would be better off supporting either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris for president. To that end, I invited two politically involved Orthodox rabbis, Rabbi Pesach Wolicki and Rabbi Benjamin Kelsen, to explain why you should give your vote to their candidate. This is not a debate; I spoke to both of my guests separately, and tried to give each of them a fair chance to make the best case that they could. This resulted in two informative and entertaining conversations. Whether you already have a preferred candidate or not, I think that these interviews will help you better understand what voters on both sides are thinking. Rabbi Pesach Wolicki is a political commentator, podcaster, and a leading voice in the field of Jewish-Christian Relations. His columns appear regularly in the Jerusalem Post and Israel365news.com. His writings have also appeared in Newsweek, Times of Israel, and many other publications. He appears on many Christian and politically conservative shows such as American Family Radio's Middle East Report, Securing America with Frank Gaffney, the Josh Hammer show, and others. Most notably, he is a frequent guest on the Steve Bannon's Warroom, even cohosting an episode with Bannon. Rabbi Benjamin G. Kelsen is an Orthodox Rabbi and practicing attorney. Rabbi Kelsen attended Cardozo School of Law and received ordination to be a rabbi and rabbinical judge from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). Rabbi Kelsen is involved with various Jewish communal projects and advocates on behalf of the community and Israel with the Federal and State governments. Rabbi Kelsen is frequently in communication with the White House, State Department, and other departments and agencies as well as various parts of the Israeli government. His articles have appeared in the Times of Israel and other blogs and publications. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . <p dir="
S8 E1 · Mon, October 28, 2024
Today I’m talking about something that I’ve spoken about before, repeatedly, both on this podcast and on my Substack, Orthodox Conundrum Commentary : the problem of a large number of Chareidi, or ultra-Orthodox Jews, who receive army exemptions, usually (though not always) because they’re learning in yeshivot. Why am I talking about this again? Haven't we dealt with this issue too many times already? No. There's more to say, and there's good reason to say it. I think that this issue represents, in a real way, the test - the Akeidat Yitzchak - of our time... and some people are simply failing this test. This is the most important issue in Orthodoxy today; so we need to talk about it extensively, and establish clear and irrefutable arguments. I hope that this podcast will contribute to that ongoing need, and that you will share it widely so that this message will be heard by those who need to hear it. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Mon, October 14, 2024
As we complete our seventh season of the Orthodox Conundrum, we're pleased to present a classic episode from three years ago, in which Professor Joshua Berman of Bar Ilan University discusses academic Bible study, Biblical criticism, and Orthodox Judaism. It was a very interesting episode, which raised crucial questions that Orthodox Jews need to confront, as well as suggestions of how we should do so effectively. Because we soon complete the annual cycle of Torah readings and begin again in less than two weeks with parashat Bereshit, this is an excellent opportunity to revisit this crucial issue. Some of the most serious challenges to traditional Orthodox faith come from academic approaches to the Bible, including what is generally termed Biblical criticism. The Rambam formulated thirteen principles of faith; his eighth principle is succinctly (though inexactly) summarized in the well known Ani Maamin, which reads: I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah found currently in our possession is that which was given to Moshe our teacher. And while this is far from a perfect summary of the actual words of the Rambam, it’s close enough to give anyone who has familiarity with both lower and higher Biblical criticism pause. How should a religious Jew relate to academic study of theTorah and the challenges it presents? Are we forced to live with the questions, or are there compelling approaches which defend the traditional view while also being acceptable in the academy? Should a person stay away from these questions, or is the search for truth paramount, even as it may be dangerous? To answer these and other questions, Scott spoke with Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman, Professor of Tanach at Bar Ilan University. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/</
S7 E47 · Mon, October 07, 2024
"Today marks one year since one of the worst days of all of our lives, October 7th. I actually was unsure of how to record an appropriate episode; what, exactly, could I add to the conversation? What is there to say that hasn’t yet been said? And how can I relate it to the season in which we find ourselves, right in between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?" Fortunately, Scott was joined by the outstanding rav of his shul in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Rav Chayim Soloveichik, who provided insights and guidance as to how to think about this first anniversary of October 7th - even though, he acknowledges, October 7th never really ended. Rav Chayim discussed what he has learned from the events of the past year, the ways in which our liturgy during the Ten Days of Repentance is more relatable than ever before, approaches to divine providence and miracles (as well as their apparent absence), how to foster unity in the Jewish people, why the obvious importance of Torah study does not exempt the Chareidi world from serving in the Israeli army, whether there is hope for peace in the future, and more. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E46 · Mon, September 30, 2024
Later this week we will celebrate Rosh Hashanah, also known as the Day of Remembrance, Yom HaZikaron. According to Chazal, Hashem (so to speak) remembers us on this day for the good… and we, too, should look at those people who set sterling examples for us over the past year, and try to learn from their deeply meaningful lives. One of those people whose life was exemplary was Gavriel Bloom, zichrono livracha. Gavriel was killed on January 8th during a mission in central Gaza. He was the second of David and Jennifer Bloom’s six children. David wrote up a series of remembrances and lessons that we all can learn from Gavriel’s life. This episode begins with David's reading the words that he composed. After that, David and Scott have a conversation about Gavriel. They also delve into some serious and painful social topics, such as the general ultra-Orthodox refusal to serve in the IDF, as well as other very troubling trends involving common Chareidi attitudes towards the people of Israel as a whole. Rosh Hashanah is a time to reflect on the past year - which has unquestionably been one of the most fraught and difficult years that many of us have ever experienced. We are honored that David was generous enough to share his thoughts and memories of Gavriel with us. There could not be a more meaningful way to go into this coming Rosh Hashanah. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E45 · Sun, September 22, 2024
One of the beautiful aspects of Torah Judaism is its insistence on eilu v’eilu divrei Elokim chayim - that two different and even potentially contradictory approaches can both represent the words of the living God. Opening our minds to differing ways of seeing Torah - that, in the words of many ancient texts, there are seventy facets to the Torah, and accordingly endless ways of explaining its ideas - is not merely a theological truth, but also a mandate. By accepting that, in the words of Rav Soloveitchik, “The white light of divinity is always refracted through reality’s ‘dome of many-colored glass,’” we demonstrate the greatness of Torah. In contrast, when we insist that there is only one appropriate way to understand Judaism, we make Torah, Judaism, and even God smaller than they really are. Last week, Scott was honored to interview Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies, to discuss what happens when we pray. The conversation was fascinating and inspiring, and many people reached out to complement Rabbi Zarum on his meaningful and clear presentation. With that in mind, we were excited to record a follow-up episode that offers a different perspective on Jewish prayer. Rabbi Zarum's approach broadly fits within the rationalist tradition of Judaism; his theology is clearly and openly influenced by Maimonides. Scott's guest today, Rabbi Dovid’l Weinberg, has a more mystical, Kabbalistic, and Chassidic point of view. Dovid’l talked about many aspects of prayer, including the fascinating idea that just as God used, according to the Kabbalists, the Hebrew letters in order to create and sustain the universe, those who really know how to pray correctly use those same letters to reorganize the world into something different. That was only one idea among the many concepts, both theoretical and extremely personal, that Dovid’l presented. We hope that by learning about two different yet complementary approaches to tefilah, you will gain a greater appreciation for what prayer is and can be, and perhaps even start to develop your own unique approach that offers you even greater spiritual sustenance. To make a tax deductible donation to provide soldiers with life saving equipment, click on this link ; make sure to include "Doniel Pell Sayeret Tzanchanim Unit 20" in your comment. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon sub
S7 E44 · Mon, September 16, 2024
We stand in the middle of the month of Elul, and are moving quickly towards Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - days largely spent in the synagogue in prayer. Throughout those days as well as the rest of the Ten Days of Repentance, we ask that God grant us a year of life, goodness, and peace. While we have so much to be thankful for, we may be forgiven for looking at the past year - and the prayers we offered last Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - and wondering if our prayers failed. We may even wonder what the point of the entire exercise was. Put starkly: does prayer work - and if it does, what does that mean? To understand the place of prayer in Jewish religious consciousness, Scott spoke to Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, who was a popular guest on this podcast right before Pesach. They talked about the definition of prayer, whether it can actually change God’s mind, what it means for a prayer to be successful, why praying for someone else is important, the ways that prayer can teach us about Jewish theology, how prayer can support faith, and more. They even analyzed a scene from the comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm which attacks the very idea of praying for another person, and talked about the response to Larry David’s criticisms of the institution of prayer. Rabbi Zarum’s approach is Maimonidean and rationalist, though he is quick to acknowledge the place of mystical thought and emotions in his own spiritual life. This is a specific approach to prayer, though certainly not the only one; we hope and anticipate that you will find it interesting, important, and inspiring. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E43 · Mon, September 09, 2024
Many people often talk about addiction and dependence; and in doing so, they may use those terms inexactly. When it comes to gambling, however, those words are, unfortunately, correct. Problem gambling is a growing problem in the United States - particularly online gambling, which has been growing exponentially since the Supreme Court decided, in 2018, that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act violated the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. This in turn meant that states, rather than the federal government, would determine whether online sports betting would be legal. Since then, 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized some form of sports betting, and 30 of those states permit online betting. Naturally, there has been an explosion in the amount of money wagered online. According to Forbes , $119.84 billion was spent on sports betting in the United States in 2023, a 27.5% increase from 2022. And this is often not innocuous fun. This past February, the Wall Street Journal posted an article by Katherine Sayre entitled, “A Psychiatrist Tried to Quit Gambling. Betting Apps Kept Her Hooked.” The article told the story of Dr. Kavita Fischer, a former high school valedictorian who recently lost half a million dollars in online betting apps. At one point she even made it all back, going from $750 to $500,000 over six days… and even though logically she knew that she should have stopped then to pay off her massive debts, she simply couldn’t; a day later she had lost almost all of it again. In her words, “There was just something in my brain that made me keep going.” Even more problematic is that the online betting app that she used would entice her to keep going by giving bonus money in order to get her back in when she was on a losing streak. Again in her words, “I would have stopped a long time ago. Those VIP bonuses would get me back in.” The Orthodox world is far from immune to the problems of extreme gambling. In fact, according to Dr. Rivka Schwartz, a higher percentage of Modern Orthodox adolescents gamble than their age equivalents in the general population. We are generally ignoring a problem that is going to grow significantly bigger in the near future, and Scott was honored to speak to Dr. Schwartz to learn more. They talked about the difference between gambling dependence and the so-called addiction to porn or the internet, the history of gambling in the United States and what has changed in the recent past, the data she has accumulated regarding Modern Orthodox high school students and gambling, the probl
S7 E42 · Tue, September 03, 2024
Scott recorded this interview with Dr. Noam Weissman on Monday afternoon, the day after we learned about the terrible execution of six hostages soon before they were discovered by the IDF, presumably in order to make sure that they did not make it back home alive. And today, Hamas continued its psychological torture by saying that it will release video of these six victims. The pure, unbridled evil implicit in these acts and so many others is a reminder of the existential battle that Israel is involved in every day against not just an enemy, but an enemy that advocates the elimination of the State of Israel and the extermination of its Jewish population. Alongside this we continue to experience the terrible disconnect that comes from seeing the way that Israel is often treated in standard media, the denunciations of Israel across social media, and the protests denouncing Israel and supporting Hezbollah and Hamas taking place throughout the globe. The side-by-side comparison of our experience as supporters of Israel who are collectively in a type of mourning, and the demonization of Israel as a genocidal state that is the epitome of evil, makes the enterprise of Israel education in our schools more important than ever before. In order to discuss how our schools should be approaching Israel education, Scott was honored to speak with Dr. Noam Weissman. Noam offered some truly fascinating insights into the ways that we should and should not teach about Israel, as well as the consequences of avoiding Israel education altogether. It was an enlightening and entertaining talk, and it may forever change the way you view Israel education. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Mu
S7 E41 · Mon, August 26, 2024
This podcast is being released less than a day after the Israeli army preemptively struck thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers in Lebanon, doing so just fifteen minutes before those launchers were supposed to fire hundreds of missiles into northern and central Israel. Thank God that as of now, Israel clearly won this exchange. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but for now we can breathe just a bit easier than we did when we first heard the news early this morning. This event, like many others before it, highlights the reality that Israel is a nation that has been experiencing a kind of collective and individual trauma ever since October 7th; and Jews across the world, both because of the rise in antisemitism and because of their deep concern about what’s happening in Israel, have experienced very real trauma, as well. Trauma is not itself a type of mental illness, but it can lead to mental illness - and Jews in general, and Israelis in particular, are at risk of developing PTSD and other mental illnesses as a response to the events of the past year. Many people run the risk of experiencing suicidal ideation, depression, and more - and we need to determine if the medical community has the resources necessary to deal with a potential mental health crisis. Moreover, this also raises important and unavoidable halachic and hashkafic questions for those who diligently follow Jewish law. In order to talk about mental health, including what factors make it a potential crisis, the definition of trauma and PTSD, whether suicide has been on the rise, if any issues are being hidden from the public, the meaning of post traumatic growth, how we can best prevent trauma from blossoming into mental illness, the problem of stigma, and what to do if you suspect that a friend is suffering from mental illness, Scott spoke with Gila Tolub, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of ICAR Collective. Afterwards he had a conversation with Rav Yoni Rosensweig, the founder of Maaglei Nefesh Center for Halacha, Community and Mental Health, about some of the halachic and hashkafic issues that have arisen in the realm of mental health, as a direct consequence of October 7th and the war against Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and Iran’s other proxies. The interview with Gila Tolub begins at 3:42. The interview with Rav Yoni Rosensweig begins at 52:48. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). <p
S7 E40 · Mon, August 19, 2024
The October 7th massacre, and the subsequent war against Hamas, other Iranian proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis, and Iran itself, have caused many people throughout the Jewish world to reconsider what Israel means to them, and what kind of society Israel should create. Many continually return to the idea that Israel should be a light unto the nations, an Ohr laGoyim, or a Medinah l’Mofet, an exemplary nation and society. Although, given the rampant anti-Israel and antisemitic attitudes that pervade societies across the globe, it is unlikely that many plan on using Israel as a model for their own behavior, we still have a responsibility to do so for ourselves - so that even if other people despise us, we are confident that we are creating the most ethical and moral country on earth. Yossi Klein Halevi, a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, recently composed an article for the Wall Street Journal which offers a somewhat different perspective. The article concludes by arguing that rather than concentrating on being a light to the nations, “For now, in this summer of dread, the urgent question for Israelis is how to be a light to ourselves.” In other words, we need to concentrate primarily on healing the schisms and problems within our own society; if we believe that being a light to the nations is not a goal, but an extant reality, then we are lost. Yossi's opinions about how Israel should move forward are simultaneously disturbing and hopeful - the hallmark, that is, of deep thinking that both acknowledges the reality that we face, and the miraculous and unpredictable presence of God. Join Scott and Yossi for a timely and thought-provoking conversation that all Jews - in Israel and elsewhere - need to hear. Nishmat, the Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women, is back with its new semester of Online Beit Midrash learning, starting September 8. Study Talmud, Tanach, Halacha and more with some of the best Torah teachers in Jerusalem - all from the comfort of your home. Classes are open to women of all learning backgrounds. For a full class schedule and registration, go to: https://2ly.link/1zHAZ Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Check out <a href= "https://jew
Bonus · Sun, August 11, 2024
“What does Eichah have in common with climate change deniers, anti-vaxxers, Holocaust deniers and those that claim that the 2020 presidential elections were stolen?” Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman sent this to Scott, who was intrigued and immediately invited him back onto this podcast to discuss what he meant. More than anything else, we need a way to relate to Megillat Eicha in a world which seems so distant from that described in the book. And even the world described in Eicha is complicated; it’s often hard to make sense of exactly what is being said. There are different voices represented, and they often contradict each other, and themselves. The book seems to go back and forth between blaming the community for its own destruction, and saying that G-d went too far - and sometimes neither, just lamenting how terrible everything is. Maybe the real question is whether there is a theology of Eicha at all, or if it's a book with multiple theologies - some of which border on the heretical. Rabbi Berman developed a novel approach to Eicha, and his reading infuses it with new life. Rabbi Berman believes that Eicha was written to be performed like a play, as a dialogue between the prophet Yirmiyahu and Bat Tzion - a composite character who represents the different voices that were being expressed by the grief-stricken people after the Destruction. Rabbi Berman also sees Eicha as representing a type of therapy session between the author and the people, who need to face realities that they’re refusing to acknowledge even when those realities seem blindingly obvious. And crucially, Rabbi Berman sees Eicha as a corrective to common but shallow theology - a theology that, he believes, remains something that we believe until today. Ultimately, any deep understanding of Judaism and acknowledgement of G-d’s love for Israel isn’t complete without the splash of cold water that Eicha provides. It would be nice to advocate a Jewish theology that ignores the difficult parts of our relationship with Hashem; but it wouldn’t be honest or true. This conversation with Rabbi Berman will not only make Tisha B’Av more meaningful, but will also provide serious food for thought that we can take with us long after Tisha B’Av is over. Nishmat, the Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women, is back with its new semester of Online Beit Midrash learning, starting September 8. Study Talmud, Tanach, Halacha and more with some of the best Torah teachers in Jerusalem - all from the comfort of your home. Classes are open to women of all learning backgrounds. For a full class schedule and registration, go to: https://2ly.link/1zHAZ To order Rabbi Berman’s bo
S7 E39 · Mon, August 05, 2024
Sometimes it’s called a move to the right. Other times it is seen as a rejection of lax religiosity. Some people think of it as an admirable commitment to serving God as best as possible. Others decry it as representing an unacceptable change from traditional Jewish practice. All these and more are reactions to the unquestionably real phenomenon of greater stringency in the Orthodox world. Determining whether this is a positive or negative development, however, is not simple. Scott spoke with Rabbi Shaya Karlinsky in order to talk about the concept of chumrot , or stringencies; and Rav Karlinsky offered nuance where it is typically absent. He first insisted upon defining the terms, and understanding the various motivating factors that lead to chumrot . Together they analyzed when this movement should be seen as a positive development, and when and how it can be dangerous or counterproductive. Rav Karlinsky talked about specific categories of stringencies, such as chumrot that lead to leniencies elsewhere, strict behavior which completely misses the larger picture, and stringencies that can be ruinous - but he also discussed many places where chumra is not only welcome, but also an essential part of developing a sense of Ahavat Hashem , love of God. They also talked about minhagim - customs - and how they fit into the larger system of Jewish law, when they are essential and when they can potentially be problematic, and much more. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Tue, July 30, 2024
This is a rush-release bonus episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, to help us all get to the bottom of what happened yesterday at the military detention center at Sdei Teiman. We will learn what the nine arrested soldiers were accused of, the manner that they were arrested, and the reason for the protests of numerous right-wing members of Knesset. What does it mean, and why should you care? What is the rationale of those who decry the arrests, and is there validity to their complaints? What does this episode say (if anything) about Israeli society, and are there lessons that can be drawn which we dare not ignore? Join Scott and Daniel Goldman for a difficult but important conversation about what Sdei Teiman means, and what we should do about it. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E38 · Mon, July 29, 2024
One of the most difficult issues facing Modern or Centrist Orthodox Jews today is the question of how to increase and encourage the participation of more women in leadership roles, while also working within the halachic parameters that set limits on how extensive those leadership roles are allowed to be. When we add two thousand years of socialization where women’s leadership was quite rare, along with the reality that advanced Torah education for women is a relatively new phenomenon, we should not be surprised that there is a very real glass ceiling that cannot easily be broken. Joanne Greenaway encourages women to assume leadership positions both for their own sake, and for the betterment of the wider Orthodox world. In her role as the Chief Executive of the London School of Jewish Studies, one of the United Kingdom’s oldest and most venerated Jewish institutions, and as the Director of Get Cases at the London Beit Din, she has simultaneously learned how to work within existing institutions, while challenging the status quo when necessary. Joanne and Scott discussed the necessity of diverse leadership in general and female leadership in particular, and addressed the fact that women are necessarily limited by Jewish law in terms of what roles they are allowed to fill, and what titles they are allowed to assume. They also talked about the halachic category of “serara” and how she understands it, how halachic authorities work in tandem with social realities, the problem of women having their motivations questioned, the need for male allies and her hopes for the future. Most apparent, however, was her evident optimism, looking at the many opportunities available rather than at the potential limitations, and believing that the future for Jewish women is bright indeed. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit <a href= "https://www.jchpodcasts.com/" target="
S7 E37 · Mon, July 22, 2024
For the past two thousand years, Torah observant Jews have acknowledged that our greatest scholars deserve respect, and have an extraordinarily deep and broad understanding of the vast sea of the Torah sheba’al peh, the Oral Law. In recent times, however, proper respect for talmidei chachamim has often morphed into a pseudo-idolatry of gedolim, where they are seen not just as great experts in Torah, but also as oracles who are, for all intents and purposes, close to infallible. There’s no question that most people who ascribe to this kind of “gadol worship” would deny that these scholars are infallible, or that the term gadol worship is appropriate, or that their attitudes towards gedolim are new. But to many of us, it seems apparent that this is an historical anomaly, and a huge change from the way that things used to be - and the consequences are potentially dire. Rav Yitzchak Shurin had a very close relationship with a gadol of the last century - his revered grandfather, Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky zt"l. Rav Shurin has had strong personal relationships with other gedolei Torah as well, and has also witnessed how things have changed over the past half century. There are few people more well-equipped to discuss the phenomenon of over-the-top reverence of gedolim than Rav Shurin, and Scott was honored that he agreed to share his perspectives on today’s podcast. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E36 · Mon, July 15, 2024
68 years ago, Rav Soloveitchik zt'l identified the timidity of Orthodox Jews as representing a failure to respond to the miracle of renewed Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel. Today, tragically, we seem to have the opposite problem. In 2024, Israel has a religious establishment which has completely lost its sense of shame, and is not only involved in nepotism alongside a lust for money and power, but barely even tries to hide it. To put it bluntly: it’s almost unimaginable that someone would look at the Chief Rabbinate - the most visible arm of Israel’s institutional religious status quo - see its behavior, and be impressed with Torah Judaism. That failure is a textbook example of desecration of the divine name. If God has given us the State of Israel as a miraculous gift, we need to respond to that gift in a way that sanctifies the name of heaven. At the moment, our religious establishment is doing nothing of the sort. And it matters - both to Jews in Israel and to Jews across the world. The decline and fall of the Chief Rabbinate has been especially apparent over the past few weeks, and it’s a story worth talking about - so that maybe, with enough of an outcry, we can help to inspire some change. Rabbi Seth Farber has been working for years to make the Chief Rabbinate live up to Torah ideals, and he has become an expert on its inner workings. It was an honor for Scott to speak with him about the recent events that have taken place, and what needs to be done moving forward. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E35 · Mon, July 08, 2024
This podcast is dedicated לעילוי נשמת אלעזר בן ישראל, a man who accepted the vicissitudes of life with a simple and pure faith. What does it mean to believe in God? This question is absolutely fundamental to Jewish life and living - yet many people feel uncomfortable discussing God at all. In our educational institutions, we often have a broad curriculum that includes subjects such as Talmud, Chumash, Nach, Halacha, and more - but questions in emunah are frequently shunted aside or ignored altogether. On the other hand, even if a school wanted to emphasize a curriculum that gives pride of place to faith in God, what, exactly, would that look like? How shall educators teach faith, or foster faith, in students? How much is faith the result of experience, and what can be taught in a classroom setting? Why do people develop a crisis in faith, and what is the most appropriate way to address it? Are there ways for believers to overcome their doubts, and should they even try? And what is the best way to respond to someone who says that he or she does not believe in God - but they wish that they could? These questions are crucial for any Jewish person, and Scott was honored to speak to Rabbi David Aaron to discuss these questions and many more. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E34 · Mon, July 01, 2024
When you learn Torah, do you consider yourself to be in dialogue with Chazal? According to Scott's guest, Simi Peters, a key element of learning midrash aggadah is being able to become participants in a conversation that began thousands of years ago and continues today. But in order to do so, we need to become students of midrash: learning how to approach it, understanding both the methodologies Chazal used and why they conveyed their messages in that way, and adopting effective methods in order to interpret midrashim in a manner that enables us to truly engage with the text, so that we accurately interpret the messages that our Sages are trying to transmit. Scott and Simi talked about the definition of midrash and the importance of studying midrashim, why Chazal composed midrashim in the manner that they did, whether Chazal intended for midrashim to be taken literally and to be representative of, so to speak, “what actually happened,” the difference between pshat and drash and parshanut and darshanut, how our Sages understood Biblical language, the different methods Chazal use in midrashim, and more. Additionally, Simi offered methodologies that we can use in order to understand midrashim, and she gave some examples of midrashim and what to look for in order to interpret them properly. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . For Zev Brenner's interview with Scott on Talkline Radio go to https://www.youtube.com/live/M0l_0XA68bQ?feature=shared . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensoun
S7 E33 · Mon, June 24, 2024
Schools which identify with the Modern Orthodox world and espouse a Centrist Orthodox hashkafa, nevertheless will sometimes hire teachers who profess a Hareidi worldview. In some ways, this is a welcome development; breaking down the barriers that separate our various communities is generally a good thing, and we should be pleased when we discern a willingness to engage Jews with different viewpoints. On the other hand, it often seems that Modern Orthodox institutions are more willing to hire Torah teachers who hail from ultra-Orthodox communities than the other way around. And according to Rabbi Yitzchak Blau, there may be some serious, albeit unintended consequences to this willingness, that Modern Orthodox Jews may find troubling. Rabbi Blau wrote an article in the journal Conversations entitled “The Hareidi Option” where he outlines some of the messages that our children and students may be hearing from their Hareidi teachers and books which most Modern Orthodox Jews would find extremely objectionable. In this episode, Rabbi Blau and Scott talked about the specific messages he believes that Modern Orthodoxy is receiving, and that need to be called out and identified before our students almost unconsciously adopt them. Among the areas they discussed are differing attitudes towards women, Gentiles, secular Jews, the Zionist movement, the Israeli army, divine providence, the role of great Torah scholars, and more. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Mon, June 17, 2024
(This episode was originally released on Septetmber 26th, 2023, but its message is perhaps even more relevant now, after October 7th and its aftermath, than before. Scott will be back with a new episode next week.) Megilat Kohelet is one of the most difficult books in Tanach: it jumps back and forth between conflicting assumptions, it lacks any obvious narrative or thematic structure, and its statements sometimes seem at odds with what most people would consider standard Rabbinic theology. People didn’t discover these problems today, of course; the Mishnah in Masechet Yadayim questions whether Kohelet was canonized as part of the Bible or not. Moreover, Masechet Shabbat 30b reports in the name of Rav that the Sages wanted to hide Kohelet because of its contradictions; they decided against it because its beginning and end are words of Torah - and as Rashi explains, that means that surely there must be other words of Torah in the middle. Still, the fact that they even considered this tells us that Kohelet was as mysterious to them as it is to us. We read Kohelet on Shabbat chol hamoed of Sukkot - or, in a year like this where there is no Shabbat during chol hamoed, on the first day of Sukkot in Israel, or on Shmini Atzeret outside of Israel. But going through all twelve chapters quickly in shul is not the best way to internalize the many messages of this intriguing book. For that reason, Scott was extremely gratified to welcome Dr. Erica Brown back to the podcast. Erica is the author of Kohelet and the Search for Meaning , and they discussed some of the many questions that are raised by Kohelet. It’s a wide ranging and fascinating conversation that invokes Shlomo HaMelech, the Byrds, C.S. Lewis, William Blake, George Carlin, Sesame Street, and more. It will give you a new appreciation for Kohelet not only as a sacred text, but as a book that speaks directly to the deepest concerns of human beings living in the 21st century. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewish
S7 E32 · Mon, June 10, 2024
We’re approaching the holiday of Shavuot, when we celebrate and commemorate the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Rambam explains that our belief in Torah and in Moshe is predicated upon the fact that all of us were present at Sinai, where we together heard God talking to Moshe. And we have a longstanding tradition as well that God did not stop speaking once ma’amad Har Sinai was over; in fact, He never stopped speaking at Sinai. What made the revelation 3300 years ago unique was not that God was talking, but that the entire nation heard it. But anyone who wants to access that divine voice, we are told, can do so at any time through the study of Torah. For many years, for various reasons, that divine voice was largely accessible only to men. Women and girls learned what they needed to know in order to build a Jewish home; but textual learning largely remained outside of their purview. Over the past century, that has thankfully changed, and Torah has once again become the possession of both men and women. One of the people responsible for bringing serious Torah study to women is Rabbanit Malke Bina, the founder of Matan. In this episode, Scott spoke to her about the progress that has been achieved in the realm of Torah learning for women, and the progress that still needs to take place. They talked about whether there should be any restrictions on anyone when it comes to what Torah topics to learn; whether titles matter, and if it’s appropriate for women to assume the title of “rabbi”; how she approaches difficult texts; what progress outside of the beit midrash is still necessary for Orthodox women; if people should push for greater women’s Torah learning outside of the Modern Orthodox or dati leumi communities; and more. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . One of the main topics that this podcast has addressed over the past eight months has been the future of Religious Zionism, both in Israel and in the Diaspora.. There are numerous visions of what Religious Zionism should be, and understanding the possibilities should be at the very top of the agenda in both the national religious and Modern Orthodox worlds. For that reason, we're excited to invite you to join Scott this Sunday, June 16th at 4:00 PM in Manhattan for a conversation about the future of Religious Zionism. RSVP by writing to aliza@jewishcoffeehouse.com for the location address and additional details. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what
S7 E31 · Tue, June 04, 2024
Is the Israeli army taking care of its soldiers? That’s a question with a potentially painful answer. Daniel Mael has helped donate over 13,000 helmets to IDF soldiers, along with thousands of vests and other equipment - and he argues that the army’s behavior in procuring equipment has been nothing less than scandalous. In fact, he claims, the Israeli army knows that its protective equipment is often out of date and faulty, but for whatever reasons continues to provide that flawed equipment to its soldiers. While others (some of whom are cited on the podcast) argue that Daniel is incorrect, it's difficult to question that there have been real and noticeable equipment shortages and problems; there’s enough smoke, in other words, to worry that the fire is real. If Israel’s leaders are going to send our children to the front lines against a vicious enemy, they also have the absolute responsibility to provide them with equipment that will protect them effectively. If they do not, it’s unacceptable - and Jews across the world should demand accountability and answers. Let’s hope that Daniel’s concerns are overblown, or at least that there’s a reasonable explanation for something that’s upsetting regardless. But if he's right, we need an accounting, and we need it today. To find out more about Unit 11741, to donate, or to contact a representative, go to https://unit11741.com/ . Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . One of the main topics that this podcast has addressed over the past eight months has been the future of Religious Zionism, both in Israel and in the Diaspora.. There are numerous visions of what Religious Zionism should be, and understanding the possibilities should be at the very top of the agenda in both the national religious and Modern Orthodox worlds. For that reason, we're excited to invite you to join Scott on Sunday, June 16th at 4:00 PM in Manhattan for a conversation about the future of Religious Zionism. RSVP by writing to aliza@jewishcoffeehouse.com for the location address and additional details. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at <a href="
S7 E30 · Mon, May 27, 2024
Just as many young people who are not religious become Orthodox, so do many young Orthodox Jews leave Orthodox practice behind. Colloquially, this is often called being “off the derech” - that is, off “the” way of traditional Torah practice. The phenomenon of Orthodox Jews becoming less classically religious is real, and it’s important to think about why it happens. Is it simply a question of disbelief or doubt regarding dogma? Are there other reasons that we, as parents and educators, should take into account? In what ways are our educational methods to blame, how can we work to reform those problems, and can we fix the well-meaning but mistaken messages that may have been imparted to our children? What can we learn from those who leave Orthodoxy, and do we have a responsibility to try to convince them to come back? How can parents of children who are not shomrei Shabbat avoid the sense of failure, or a belief that their kids have rejected them and everything that they believe? On the other hand, if children seem well-rooted in an Orthodox belief system, is there any reason for concern when they attend secular college or the Israeli army? In order to address these questions, Scott was honored to speak to Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . To read Scott's reflections on his father's life, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E29 · Mon, May 20, 2024
Any discussion surrounding tzniut ( loosely - and, perhaps incorrectly - translated as “modesty") is inevitably fraught with challenges and difficulty. Indeed, there are few topics in Orthodoxy that are as triggering to so many people. Rabbi Moshe Simkovich offers a traditional yet unique approach to tzniut , and he attempts to redefine the concept altogether, moving it further away from quantitative questions about dress and sexuality, and towards a vision that, he says, is more in line with what the word means in Tanach and according to Chazal. In this episode, he explains his innovative approach. Scott and Rabbi Simkovich deliberately kept the discussion away from the typical conversation surrounding tzniut , and instead talked about how it applies to other areas - particularly to questions surrounding leadership. Apart from helping to reframe the definition of tzniut , this also allowed them to analyze why tzniut is an important quality for leaders, how it is potentially manifest in leadership, examples and counterexamples of such leadership, ways to inculcate this quality, why humble leadership is not the same as tzanua leadership, and some clues about how to determine if a potential leader possesses the characteristic of tzniut . When all is said and done, using leadership as an example of tzniut allows all of us to better understand how it can and should be implemented in areas like sexuality and dress, as well. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . To read Scott's reflections on his father's life, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Ro
S7 E28 · Mon, May 13, 2024
In his classic work Kol Dodi Dofek , Rav Soloveitchik asserts that God’s gift of the State of Israel demands a response. God wants a dialogue where we answer his generosity by using His gifts to make Him present in the world. The major challenge for Religious Zionism, then, is to decide, as best as we can, what that response should be. Does it mean settling every square kilometer of the Land? Does it mean creating a medinah l’mofet, an exemplary society in every way possible? Discovering what this challenge is - and then meeting it - is our responsibility today. That challenge, in fact, is what informs today’s podcast with Yair Ettinger. Yair is a well-known Israeli journalist who has real expertise in the questions and issues surrounding the Religious Zionist world. Scott and Yair delved into the interesting dichotomy that much of the Religious Zionist community in Israel is largely becoming much more open and less reliant upon standard rabbinic authority in its religious practice, while simultaneously becoming more narrowly right wing politically. They also talked about the National Religious political parties today, and whether they authentically represent the bulk of the Religious Zionist population. They looked at the cracks that are appearing in some of the classic Religious Zionist institutions, and the apparent weakening of certain spiritual monopolies that exist. It was a very informative interview, and it offers some important insights into the future of Religious Zionism in the State of Israel. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . To read Scott's reflections on his father's life, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your
S7 E27 · Mon, May 06, 2024
It’s the little things that hit hardest. The big moments when I expect to be emotional have generally felt unremarkable; I seem to have experienced them with relative ease. The surprises come when I’m taking a walk, talking about a silly childhood memory, or seeing an old friend. Above all, I’ve learned that my emotions are often hidden - from myself as well as from others - and then I think that I’m done having feelings. But I repeatedly learn that they lie barely below the surface, ready to emerge when I least expect them. This is not typical episode. Today I'm going to talk about my dad, and what life has been like since he died of pancreatic cancer three and a half weeks ago. I hope that it's meaningful for you, just as it was for me. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . To read Scott's reflections on his father's life, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Wed, May 01, 2024
In episode 201, Rabbi Alex Israel, citing Rav Kook, asked whether nowadays we need to add a greater prophetic element to Judaism, alongside our continued commitment to halacha. Perhaps today we need a new infusion of prophecy - both in terms of its spiritual content, as well as through a renewed emphasis on Torah values that may sometimes be lost in standard halachic discourse. In that episode, Rabbi Israel and Scott talked about the sad reality that some people feel that halacha alone does not satisfy their spiritual thirst, and they discussed the issue of potentially losing the forest of Torah values for the trees of the myriad details of Jewish law. How, in other words, shall we combine the necessity of including a living prophetic agenda within our commitment to fulfilling the details of halachic practice? Rabbi Yosef Blau, the senior mashgiach ruchani at Yeshiva University, commented that while he greatly respected Rabbi Israel’s approach, he felt that there are some important caveats that need to be added to the discussion. With that in mind, Scott invited him back to the podcast to voice his specific concerns. They spoke about potential problems in the search for spirituality, the dangers of treating rabbis like prophets, and the difficulty in emphasizing Torah values and the fear that they can replace Jewish law. They also spoke extensively about the State of Israel and its current war against Hamas, including whether Israel is living up to its own stated goals of being a medinah l’mofet - that is, the world’s exemplary nation. Rabbi Blau mentioned a major flaw in secular Zionism, and asked whether Religious Zionism as a movement has at times deemphasized what it considers "Western" morality in the service of other Torah values that it holds in higher regard. It was an important conversation, and whether you agree or disagree with Rabbi Blau, you will undoubtedly find his ideas both engaging and important. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Ortho
S7 E26 · Thu, April 18, 2024
Did the Exodus from Egypt happen exactly as the Torah describes? How should we contend with archeological evidence that seems to indicate that certain aspects of the Torah's narrative don't make sense? And, for that matter, how can we contend with similar questions that surround other historical Biblical narratives? Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) and the Rabbi Sacks Chair of Modern Jewish Thought, addresses these and other pressing questions in this special pre-Pesach episode of the Orthodox Conundrum. Listen in so that you can renew your understanding of Yetziat Mitzrayim with greater depth and profundity. To order Rabbi Zarum's book, Questioning Belief: Torah and Tradition in an Age of Doubt, click here. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . To read Scott's reflections on his father's life, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E25 · Mon, April 08, 2024
For over two millennia, the Jewish People has lived in a world largely defined by Jewish law, or halacha. While the Tanach is filled with what might be called prophetic Judaism - a Judaism, that is, which is dominated by those who spoke in the name of God - the Judaism that emerged during the era of the Second Temple and thereafter placed a greater emphasis on the minutiae of halachic practice and the intense study of Torah. This halachic Judaism has been a massive success, and has kept the Jewish people alive for the duration of our long exile. For that entire time, Jews have successfully come into contact with the presence of God through their observance of Jewish law. The question, though, is whether in 2024 we need to add more of the prophetic element alongside our continued commitment to halacha. Perhaps today we need a new infusion of prophecy - both in terms of its spiritual content, as well as through a renewed emphasis on Torah values that may sometimes be lost in standard halachic discourse. Rav Kook entertained this possibility a hundred years ago, and Rabbi Alex Israel presented the potential for a new prophetic Judaism in today’s episode. Rabbi Israel and Scott talked about the sad reality that some people feel that halacha alone does not satisfy their spiritual thirst, and also discussed the problem of potentially losing the forest of Torah values for the trees of the myriad details of Jewish law. They acknowledged that there are some who are simply turned off by halacha’s extreme attention to detail, as well as by the need to rely upon authority in order to fulfill it successfully. Ultimately, the puzzle is how Orthodox Jews can maintain and further halacha, while simultaneously enriching Judaism with greater spirituality and a heightened sense of morality, ethics, and kindness - all of which, ideally, should emerge from within Jewish law. How shall we combine the necessity of including a living prophetic agenda within our commitment to fulfilling the details of halachic practice? Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out <a href= "https://jew
S7 E24 · Mon, April 01, 2024
Jews control Hollywood - or so everyone seems to believe, for better and very often for worse. And it’s true that there are many Jewish people who work in the entertainment industry. But this fact is quite distinct from the question of how Jews are typically portrayed in movies and TV shows - and in that realm, there are serious problems, both regarding the depiction of Jews in general, and the depiction of Orthodox Jews in particular. According to Allison Josephs, founder of Jew in the City, this is a serious problem with long-term consequences, and needs to be addressed. Allison has been at the forefront of trying to change things in Hollywood, and for that purpose founded the Jew in the City Hollywood Bureau. Scott spoke with her about the negative stereotypes of Jews and Orthodox Jews that are both parrotted and furthered by the entertainment industry; the reasons that Jews are often last in line when it comes to inclusion and sensitivity; what has changed since October 7th; whether Jewish people should fight for inclusion in the places where Diversity, Equity and Inclusion holds sway, or whether we’re better off trying to undermine the entire structure; whether there is a problem with non-Jews portraying Jews on screen; examples of some shows where Jews are shown in a positive light, as well as some where they are seen with the typical negative tropes; which celebrities have been vocal in fighting on behalf of Jews and Israel; and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E23 · Mon, March 18, 2024
Last week’s episode of the Orthodox Conundrum was supposed to be a wide-ranging conversation about the present and future of Religious Zionism, including a discussion of our relationship with the Palestinian population in Yehuda v’Shomron and Gaza. As it turns out, Scott and his guests, Daniel Goldman and Rabbi Elie Mischel, ended up spending the entire podcast speaking about that one issue, so they came back this week to discuss many of the topics that they had not yet addressed. That episode generated an unusual amount of feedback, both positive and negative. In particular, Rabbi Elie Mischel’s ideas were the subject of numerous comments, both public and private. As a result of that feedback, Scott dedicated the first part of this episode to further clarifying Elie and Daniel’s opinions about some of the hot-button topics they talked about last week regarding the Palestinians. The majority of the podcast then addressed other subjects that are directly relevant to Religious Zionists, including questions regarding the culture wars, how we as a community should relate to non-Orthodox Jews, our attitudes towards the many ultra-Orthodox people who refuse to serve in the IDF, whether political Religious Zionism is going in a positive direction, if there should be a separation of Torah and State, and more. (Please note that Rabbi Mischel is joining the podcast in a personal capacity, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of the Mizrachi organization.) Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E22 · Mon, March 11, 2024
In some recent episodes of this podcast, Scott and his guests have discussed numerous issues relevant to the Religious Zionist world, including some of the ways that Religious Zionism differs from Modern Orthodoxy. But Religious Zionism is not a monolith; there are many different paths within Religious Zionism, and the differences between these paths can sometimes be vast. For example, the Mafdal - that is, Mifleget Dati Leumi, the old Religious Zionist Party which dominated Religious Zionist politics for decades - was, during the Six Day War, perhaps the most dovish and anti-war of all the parties in the Labor-led government. Today, in contrast, the dominant ideology within Religious Zionism is associated with the philosophy of rabbis like Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook and others who founded the settlement movement. But even though modern political Religious Zionism is generally associated with the right or even the far right on the Israeli political spectrum, the other strains within Religious Zionism still exist, albeit less so in the political arena. In order to discuss the future of Religious Zionism, Scott invited Daniel Goldman and Rabbi Elie Mischel to discuss it on the Orthodox Conundrum. But the issue of settlements and the question of a Palestinian State took up so much time that they decided to make this episode Part One, and deal with other pressing issues in Part Two. So this episode largely deals with different attitudes towards the maintenance and expansion of settlements in the West Bank, the issue of whether to create a permanent civilian Jewish presence in Gaza, the future of the Palestinians who live in the West Bank and Gaza and whether that future should include an independent Palestinian state, questions around the democratic character of Israel and whether Israel should be bound by international law, whether to relate to Tanach as history or as a practical guide, and much more. (Please note that Rabbi Mischel is joining the podcast in a personal capacity, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of the Mizrachi organization.) Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse</
S7 E21 · Mon, March 04, 2024
After October 7th, Jews around the world have felt besieged by some erstwhile allies, as some have been silent in the face of rampant antisemitism, and others have openly supported Hamas and its genocidal goals. While there have been many who openly support Jews and Israel, the war in Gaza has also provided a moment of reckoning as we discovered some unhappy surprises about people we thought were our friends. A good example is the reaction to October 7th by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists, or AASECT. As an organization dedicated to healthy sexuality, and one which has expressed opinions on hot button issues unrelated to its core mission, AASECT certainly should have issued a statement condemning the sexual violence against Israelis on October 7th. That, however, didn’t happen for a long time - and even when it did, the statement felt like a giant hedge. As a result, Scott's Intimate Judaism co-host Talli Rosenbaum, along with some colleagues, resigned from AASECT. In this episode, Scott spoke with Talli, psychotherapist Dr. Shoshana Bulow, and sexual educator Dr. Logan Levkoff about some of the ways that the AASECT debacle is, unfortunately, representative of trends that are emerging in the United States. They also discussed the trauma of October 7th and the war both in and out of Israel, as well as the binary thinking that has led to the demonization of Jews, the prevalence of antisemitism, agendas that are embedded in the system to the Jewish people’s detriment, the fight against anti-Israel activity across the diaspora, and more. To read the research article "War-Time Stress and Sexual Well-Being in Israel" by Talli Rosenbaum, Aryeh Lazar, and Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan, click here . To read Dr. Levkoff's "Open Letter to Sexuality Professionals and Organizations," click here . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.p
S7 E20 · Mon, February 26, 2024
35 years ago, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was essentially unknown among the general public; today, it is spoken about all the time. We’ve learned that some behaviors that were once considered signs that a child didn’t care about school or achievement, or simply lacked normal self control, are actually indicators of a difference in the way the mind works - and instead of criticizing the people whose minds work this way, we need to find ways to help them succeed. Indeed, when understood properly, ADHD can even be a superpower where some people think differently and more creatively than some others. Despite the advances in knowledge and societal understanding, there is still so much that people don’t know - and so many ways that people who have ADHD can fall through the cracks. For Orthodox kids with ADHD, who are supposed to sit quietly in shul, concentrate on Torah learning, avoid leaving the Shabbos table, and more, our religious commitments can end up feeling like a kind of torture. To address the unique needs of Orthodox people who have ADHD, Dr. Simcha Chesner and Dr. Sara Markowitz wrote a new book entitled Kosher ADHD, and Scott spoke with them about the challenges people with ADHD face, and some of the methods that they recommend in order to help them overcome these challenges. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E19 · Mon, February 19, 2024
What does Israel mean to you? For years, this was a theoretical question for many people who live in the diaspora. Given Israel's war against Hamas and its army of terror, however, the question has gained additional resonance and, in some ways, can no longer be put off; it demands an answer. With Israel under military attack, and the Jewish people experiencing verbal attacks unlike any seen since World War II, Jews outside of Israel have been forced to consider what kind of relationship they have and want to have with the Jewish state. Scott was honored to host Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, the cofounder and executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh, in order to ask him some of these questions, and to learn about what has changed, and what hasn’t - since October 7th. They talked about the reasons that a person should and should not make aliya, questions about the independent integrity of diaspora Jewry, the relationship that exists and should exist between Jews in and outside of Israel, if there has been greater interest in aliya over the past four months, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E18 · Mon, February 12, 2024
In Episode 184, Scott spoke with Michael Eisenberg and Rabbi Yehoshua Hershberg about their conviction that the time has come for the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel - often referred to as the Chareidim - to participate more fully in Israeli society, specifically by ending what has effectively become a blanket exemption from military service, and by their becoming integrated into Israel's economic life. What was lacking, however, was an explanation of the Chareidi point of view on these matters. So in the interest of expanding and deepening the conversation, Scott was honored to welcome Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz to articulate the arguments that are commonly used by those who identify as ultra-Orthodox. Rabbi Breitowitz is one of the Orthodox world’s most brilliant scholars; in addition to being an outstanding talmid chacham, he also is a graduate of Harvard Law School and was an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Law before moving to Israel. Rabbi Breitowitz and Scott engaged in a fascinating conversation about Chareidi integration into the military, the economy, and more, and no topic was off limits. Rabbi Breitowitz was asked to explain the Chareidi position as best as he understands it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he identifies with every argument he presents. Nevertheless, there are few individuals who are able to explain Torah ideas and ideals, truly backed by real knowledge and scholarship, as well as Rabbi Breitowitz. His explanations of the thinking behind the policies of the ultra-Orthodox world need to be analyzed and taken seriously in order for Israeli society to progress in a manner that will be beneficial for all Jews - secular, national religious, and ultra-Orthodox alike. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit <a href= "https://www.jchpodcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"
S7 E17 · Mon, February 05, 2024
A week or two ago, on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook, Scott posted a question about the propriety of Jews living outside of Israel going on fancy vacations while the Israeli population is experiencing a world where there are kidnapped Jews trapped in Gaza, where we continue to mourn the loss of 1200 victims of October 7th plus over 200 soldiers who have died in the aftermath, and when almost every family is directly experiencing the anxiety of having family currently fighting in the Israeli army. He suggested that maybe now is a time for Jews outside of Israel to express solidarity, in part, by avoiding so-called “fabulous vacations” - or at least having enough sensitivity not to post about them. In response to that post, Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman, who was on the Orthodox Conundrum after Pesach to talk about the relationship of diaspora Jews to Israel, recommended that we record an episode to give a voice to those Jews who live outside of Israel. As a result of her message, Scott convened a panel with her, Rabbi Pesach Sommer, and HaDassah Sabo Milner in order for them to express what it has been like to be a Jew living outside of Israel since the terrible attack on Simchat Torah. To say the obvious, the reflections that each panelist offered are, by definition, anecdotal and partial; they can’t describe anyone’s feelings but their own. Moreover, they bring only their own life experiences to the table, and for that reason, there are many perspectives which are unfortunately omitted, including those of people living in Jewish communities which are not represented here. Nevertheless, the goal is not to offer a definitive expression of diaspora Jewry regarding the situation in Israel, but to start a conversation between people living in Israel and outside of Israel, so that we can all be enriched by, and more understanding of, each other’s perspectives. As Ruth pointed out in the podcast, we often end up talking past each other instead of to each other; let's hope that this can be a corrective to that, and the start of more productive communications between committed Jews, no matter where they live. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Vis
S7 E16 · Mon, January 29, 2024
In episode 190, Scott and Dr. Mijal Bitton talked about the idea of creating synagogues that follow Orthodox halacha while embracing an egalitarian aesthetic. One of the ideas that they discussed was the balance between using our Torah texts to determine normative Jewish law, versus what Rabbi Dr. Haym Soloveitchik famously described in his seminal essay “Rupture and Reconstruction” as the preeminence of the mimetic tradition - that is, a way of living that is less learned than it is imitated, observed, absorbed, and passed down to the next generation almost automatically. Rabbi Dr. Soloveitchik argued that today, the mimetic tradition is quickly giving way to a reliance upon written sources, even when those written sources directly contradict the common practice of generations. It’s fascinating that while this new reliance upon text is usually associated with a move toward greater stringency, it also can be used to create leniencies that are technically permitted, but have never applied because of a tradition that taught otherwise. This all has a direct bearing on how Orthodox Jews relate to the halachic role of women in Orthodox society. There are numerous examples of areas where, in theory, halachic texts alone may permit greater women’s participation than we normally allow, yet which we often shy away from because our traditions have dictated otherwise. When some attempt to increase women’s halachic role in Orthodoxy, this tension comes to the fore and must be addressed. Finding halachic solutions that favor text over tradition for the sake of greater openness might sound like a natural solution - but consulting text alone has plenty of dangers associated with it, as well. To address this and other relevant issues, Scott hosted Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash, who just completed a forthcoming book that looks at Jewish texts relating to women, gender, and halacha. In this conversation they deal with some important issues regarding the roles that women should and should not play in Orthodox society. They talked about the introduction of women’s voices into halachic discourse, as well as the fact that our classic texts generally do not offer women’s perspectives on halacha; potential areas for greater women’s participation; the question of women’s halachic leadership, and the potential halachic problems with increasing their prominence there; and why it all matters. In addition, they spoke about some specific instances that people often ask about, including the meaning behind women’s exemption from time-caused positive mitzvot, the Talmudic idea that a woman would almost always rather be married than single ( tav l'meitav tan du ), and the morning blessing, shelo asani isha - who did not make me a woman - and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (<a href="https://www.fac
S7 E15 · Mon, January 22, 2024
The war in Israel, which is now well over one hundred days old, has in some ways highlighted the commonalities between all Jews across the world, no matter where they live, and in other ways demonstrated the gaps that continue to exist between an Israeli public that is dealing with the reality of war on their doorsteps, and a non-Israel Jewish world which, despite its emotional investment in Israel, obviously is not experiencing war in the same way that Israelis do. The highlighting of these similarities and differences is at the forefront of the Jewish conversation today, so it seemed appropos to discuss one of the most important areas of both overlap and divergence: namely, the broadly defined Modern Orthodox world that exists outside of Israel, and the Dati Leumi world in Israel - that is, the community that defines itself as National Religious. Shayna Goldberg has been on the Orthodox Conundrum before, and her insights into tricky subjects like this are always nuanced and welcome. For that reason, Scott was honored to have her back on the podcast to talk about the definitions of the words Modern, Orthodox, Dati, and Leumi, and the various ways that these communities are similar and different. They also talked about differences in the way that kids are raised in Israel and outside of Israel, both at home and at school, and some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with each. The insights that Shayna brings to the table will hopefully spark important conversations about how best to raise our children - and how best to live our lives - by assimilating the best from each world into our lives, while avoiding some of the pitfalls that are part of them, as well. You can read two articles that Shayna wrote about raising Israeli kids here and here . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out <a href= "ht
S7 E14 · Mon, January 15, 2024
This podcast is called “The Orthodox Conundrum” and many of us self-identify as Orthodox, pray in Orthodox synagogues, affiliate with Orthodox institutions, and consider ourselves part of the wider Orthodox world. But is that term “Orthodox” - and perhaps the concept of denominations in general - a help or a hindrance? Do denominations lead to the building of walls that separate us, and the creation of institutions that are cornered into an inability to change? And let’s say that they do; is that a bad thing? Perhaps creating such boundaries is necessary, as without them Torah Judaism cannot effectively or functionally operate. These are important questions to consider, and given the radical realignment that may be possible in the wake of October 7th and its aftermath, we need to have these conversations now. For that reason, Scott was honored to speak with Dr. Mijal Bitton. This conversation with Mijal was precipitated not just by a desire to talk about the future of Orthodoxy, but even more by the need to highlight individuals who can help lead Torah Judaism into an as-yet unknown future. It seems that much, though of course not all, of our leadership has failed in this hour, and we must look in new directions in order to highlight new voices. Dr. Bitton is one of those newer voices, and her conversation with Scott covered many different topics, including the subtly changing attitudes of American Jews towards the events in Israel now that the war is 100 days old; the impact of anti-Israel activity on the psyche of the American Jewish community; her role as Rosh Kehilah at the Downtown Minyan in Manhattan and what that shul is doing to stay within the boundaries of Jewish law while trying to create a new model of openness - what she calls a Covenantal/Traditional Community that follows Orthodox Halacha along with inculcating an egalitarian aesthetic; the opportunities and limits of female participation in the synagogue; her work studying Sefaradic and Syrian Jewry: the problems with institutions; and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out <a href= "https://jewishco
S7 E13 · Mon, January 08, 2024
Dr. Erica Brown has been a guest on the Orthodox Conundrum twice in the past six months: once, in episode 170, about leadership, and again in episode 176 about the theology of Kohelet. It's unprecedented to have a guest back so frequently in a short time frame, but Erica’s voice is one which needs to be heard by as many people as possible. Erica composed a type of memoir or spiritual diary in the two months between Simchat Torah and Chanukah, where she openly discussed her thoughts and feelings about the atrocities of October 7th, and the subsequent war against Hamas which, ever since it began, has been occupying our hearts and minds constantly. This extremely personal work is entitled Staying Human , and despite its characterization as a memoir, it effectively captures the emotions and spiritual insights of one individual in such a way that readers can relate to it as well. Perhaps more than anything else written since October 7th, Erica successfully puts much of what so many have been experiencing into words, and in so doing, has allowed us to confront these feelings in new and productive ways. In this conversation, she and Scott talked about why she wrote this book, its interesting structure, and how she would characterize it. They also talked about many of the issues that she raises, including the conflict between what Rav Kook calls the Song of the Nation and the Song of Humanity, the problem of theodicy in Jewish thought, handling the rage we may feel so that it does not become unhealthy, how to relate to the question of innocent Palestinian civilians, why it’s important to identify and name evil, why people so often fall back into moral relativism, ways to rethink social justice given that so many Jewish advocates of social justice feel betrayed by their allies, issues with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the future of leadership when young people have been so much more impressive than our existing political and religious leadership, the dynamic between despair and gratitude, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out <a href= "http
S7 E12 · Mon, January 01, 2024
“The IDF is the most moral army on earth.” We hear this said, and we hope that it’s true. But what does it mean? How is morality defined in wartime? Is the IDF Code of Ethics in line with Jewish teachings? Does the IDF in fact follow its own Code of Ethics? Alongside these general questions, are specific questions that relate to the Torah viewpoint regarding what an army is obligated to do ethically when it is at war. What does Judaism have to say about the ethics of war, and are these ethics essentially the same as those demanded by the Geneva Conventions? To what degree must civilian non-combatants be protected? When is an army spokesperson allowed to lie in order to deceive the enemy? To what degree must we put our own soldiers in danger in order to protect innocents on the other side? Are reprisals against innocent civilians in order to further war aims ever justified? There are also other questions that we cannot ignore, such as how a Torah-based ethic of war deals with difficult passages of the Bible, such as when the Torah obligates Israel to obliterate Amalek and the Seven Canaanite nations. The Torah also allows a king to wage a milchemet reshut, an optional war, for reasons that may not accord with the modern concept of a just war. How do we relate to these laws in establishing wartime ethics predicated upon the Torah? And of course, there are questions that relate directly to the current war that Israel is waging against Hamas. Has the IDF made ethical mistakes? Where has the IDF acted in an exceptional ethical manner? Is the current war considered a milchemet mitzvah, an obligatory war - and if so, is there justification for certain populations to avoid it for the sake of a higher religious goal? This brings us back to that opening statement, “The IDF is the most moral army on earth.” Based on the answers to all of these questions, can we say that the Israeli army is, indeed, the most moral army on earth, or are there areas which need improvement in order for that statement to be considered accurate? To discuss all of these questions, Scott spoke with Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody, whose new book, Ethics of our Fighters: A Jewish View on War and Morality was just published. There are few issues that are as timely as this, and their conversation addressed some of the most important issues facing Israel’s army today. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks
S7 E11 · Mon, December 18, 2023
It has been tremendously disheartening to hear the reactions (or lack thereof) to Hamas’s crimes of October 7th. One of the most obvious instances of this has been the silence of too many organizations dedicated to the protection of women, regarding the rape and mutilation of Israeli victims by Hamas terrorists as they rampaged through southern Israel. There is abundant evidence of gender-based violence perpetrated by Hamas. However, many people who choose to support Hamas are engaged in gaslighting - that is, trying to convince us that people didn’t see what they saw, and don’t know what they know to be true. It can make people question their sanity, which is exactly what these Hamas supporters are trying to do. Some individuals are heroically fighting against this gaslighting, including Scott's guest, Rahel Bayar. She attended a session at the United Nations two weeks ago that was dedicated to presenting testimony about the sexual violence that unquestionably occurred. In this episode, Rahel frankly and graphically describes some of the sexual violence of October 7th, and also talks about what happened at the UN, why this session was important, some possible reasons that so many organizations have remained silent, the reason that we should not castigate these organizations when the issue statements months after the fact, and more. This episode includes graphic descriptions of sexual violence. Please consider whether you want to listen, as well as whether you want to listen while children are present. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Read the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com Follow <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/orthodoxconundrum/" target="_blank" re
S7 E10 · Mon, December 11, 2023
So many people have noted that there are significant parallels between the Jewish world as it exists after the October 7th pogrom and the subsequent war with an enemy determined to wipe Jews and Judaism off the map, and the themes that we pay attention to on Chanukah. In order to discuss some of these ideas in greater depth, and consider the ways that we can uniquely relate to them in 2023, Scott was honored to invite three favorite podcast guests back to the Orthodox Conundrum: Rabbi Judah Mischel, Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, and Dr. Malka Simkovich. Each guest brought a unique perspective to the important ways to relate to Chanukah in today's environment - an environment that includes a war against an enemy that openly asserts its desire to destroy Jews and Judaism, the rediscovery of Jewish feeling among many, a frightening resurgence of antisemitism, and more. All three discussions were free flowing, and were, in many ways, more conversational than typical interviews. We hope that the ideas that were expressed will offer you some new ways of relating to Chanukah so that we can all discover additional layers of meaning in the service of providing chizuk, or encouragement, in these difficult times. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Read the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E9 · Mon, December 04, 2023
Since Israel’s war against Hamas began following the horrific events of October 7th, one of the singular challenges Israel faces has been explaining its position to the world, or what’s called in Hebrew, hasbara . It’s never easy defending Israel in the media, never mind going on the offensive; with a natural skepticism of everything that Israel does, combined with some obvious latent antisemitism, many often portray Israel as seemingly having nefarious intentions, and regularly violating the rules of war. When that is combined with a common willingness to believe Hamas’s narratives while Israel, as a Western democracy, inevitably checks its facts before reporting them - and accordingly often has to respond to an emerging narrative, rather than writing it in the first place - the challenges Israel faces become even greater. Fortunately, Israel has some individuals who are expert at telling its story and in playing the hasbara game - and Scott speaks to two of them in today's episode. Eylon Levy has emerged as Israel’s most well-known and effective spokesperson over the past two months; his fame skyrocketed about a week and a half ago, when he responded expertly, and with astonishment, when a news presenter asked him whether the fact that three Palestinian prisoners were released for every Israeli hostage somehow indicated that Israel thinks that Israeli lives are more valuable than Palestinian lives. Rabbi Pesach Wolicki has become one of the leading advocates for Israel in the world of Christian media. His appearances have largely been on Christian networks like TBN and CBN, which are watched by millions of viewers. This podcast addresses some very important issues that commonly arise for those who defend Israel in the media. But the most important message applies to every listener: how you, when confronting those who castigate Israel, can become an effective spokesperson on behalf of the State of Israel. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Read the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://j
S7 E8 · Mon, November 27, 2023
Many believe that the events of October 7th and their aftermath will lead to a major realignment in many aspects of Israeli and Jewish life. One of the most acute and obvious is the issue of ultra-orthodox deferments from the Israeli military. These deferments are granted based on the assumption that the Torah study in yeshivot is a vital part of the war effort, and on a metaphysical level is a major reason (and perhaps the major reason) for the Israeli army's success. But is this based on an accurate reading of the sources? Can a modern state rely on metaphysical reasoning when making policy? And crucially, is it simply unfair for a large segment of the population to avoid putting lives at risk while other segments are on the front lines, fighting - and sometimes dying - for the sake of the people of Israel? Michael Eisenberg has argued that the long-term health of the State of Israel demands that the Chareidi population be integrated into economy in general, and into the military in particular. Rabbi Yehoshua Hershberg, in turn, asserts that the Chareidi reading of these Torah sources is, frankly, mistaken - and that a genuine respect for Torah and Torah scholars requires that we read them in a more sophisticated fashion. Listen in as Scott and Rabbi Hershberg discuss the Torah texts that are used to justify ultra-orthodox deferments, and as Scott and Michael talk about the economic and social impact of continuing as things are today. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Read the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E7 · Mon, November 20, 2023
The events of the past six weeks - the massacre on October 7th, the kidnappings, the sudden sense of insecurity within Israel - alongside the almost immediate and massive increase in antisemitism around the world, and open calls for the end of the State of Israel in ways that we have never experienced before - have thrown many Jews for a tailspin. Many people have expressed a desire to increase their religious devotion, while others have questioned God and wondered how He could have let this happen. Asking these questions is not a religious problem, but a vital religious necessity. Our greatest exemplars in Tanach regularly asked these questions; there are whole books, like Iyov and Eicha, that are dedicated to what we would now consider philosophical questions. Pretending that these questions don’t exist is often a sign of religious superficiality. On the other hand, asking questions is far from easy, because we may not like the answers that we find. People who choose faith and who are also troubled by the problem of evil in the world and God’s apparently hidden presence, sometimes need chizuk - that is, encouragement and practical methods so that they can live with the unanswerable questions while moving forward in their commitment to God and Torah. In order to facilitate this important conversation, Scott was honored to host Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg and Rabbi Johnny Solomon. Over the course of their conversation, they talked about hester panim , or God’s hiding His face, the meaning of the Talmudic dictum that everything God does is for the good, the proper type of introspection in the wake of tragedy, the meaning of bitachon or trust in God (and what it should not mean), practical methods to help people hold on to faith, and more. This is not a detached philosophical analysis of theodicy. Instead, it is a religious conversation designed to help people who are troubled by current events, but who plan to maintain their faith, find ways to move forward without sacrificing their intellectual honesty. (While Rabbi Solomon referenced Chapter 2 Halacha 4 of Rambam’s Hilchot Ta’aniyot as speaking about war - in contrast to Chapter 1 which speaks about other troubles ('tzarot') - he wanted to add that this point is made even clearer in Chapter 2 Halacha 3.) Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Read the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have
S7 E6 · Mon, November 13, 2023
Two months ago, on September 8th, Scott recorded an interview with Dr. Micah Goodman about Sefer Devarim, the Book of Deuteronomy. The interview was fascinating, both because of the theological insights that Micah provided, and also because of the way that he was able to relate Moshe’s words to current events in the State of Israel. The terrible Hamas massacre of October 7th has changed everything - and Micah Goodman's insights in this interview are now more relevant than ever. He sees Moshe’s words in Sefer Devarim as the primary guide for what Israel needs to do in order to stay in our land and create the kind of society that God wants us to create. As many of us, for the first time in decades, have come to the realization that our hold on the Land of Israel is not unconditional and not free, we also recognize that we need to think about the values that drive Israeli policy in order that Israel remain worthy of the sacrifices that so many have made on her behalf. With that in mind, please listen to this conversation and consider not only what we want Israel to be, but what Moshe Rabbeinu, our teacher Moses, said that Israel has to be. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Read the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E5 · Mon, November 06, 2023
Everyone who listens to this podcast has heard about the waves of antisemitism that have been engulfing the world ever since October 7th; I’m sure that many people who listen have also experienced some of that antisemitism first hand. There is something so fundamentally Orwellian when the reaction to the slaughter of 1400 innocent people and the kidnapping of about 250 hostages is to demonstrate against the victims of the massacre. And that was before Israel responded; now that Israel is defending itself against Hamas in Gaza, the canards about Israeli ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Palestinians have only become louder and more insistent. Until now, the words we say at the Pesach seder sometimes seemed like a remnant from the past. No longer. This promise is what stood by our ancestors and us. For not just one enemy alone rose against us to destroy us, but in every generations enemies rise against us to destroy us; and the Holy One, Blessed is He, saves us from their hand. These words sound not only like history, but also like prophecy. To discuss this rise in antisemitism, I was honored to speak with Avital Chizhik Goldschmidt. We talked about the reasons that the epicenter seems to be on elite college campuses, the ways that these antisemitic protests are different from others in recent years, some of the questions she has received as a rebbetzin, including whether a mother can buy a cross for her son to wear when he is with non-Jews, the conflation of antisemitism and Islamophobia, whether the new antisemitism represents a loud but fringe phenomenon or whether it’s representative of a significant sector of the population, the problem of celebrities with massive influence being weighing in on matters about which they know less than they think, what Jewish people should do in response to antisemitism, and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and
S7 E4 · Mon, October 30, 2023
There are so many questions about where the State of Israel is heading after this war, and so many puzzles about how we ended up in such a precarious position in the first place. We are rightly proud of the sense of unity that we are currently experiencing; but we cannot let it blind us to the reality that things have to change in the future in order to make sure that Israel is not again lulled into a false sense of security. In this episode, Scott spoke with Yaakov Katz, senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute and a former editor of the Jerusalem Post. Among the important topics that they addressed are what failures led to the massacre on October 7th, what was Hamas’s expectation at the time, whether the protests around judicial reform contributed to the security failures, why it has taken so long for a ground invasion to begin, when to believe the government and when to wonder if they are intentionally trying to mislead Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, why so many in the government have been strangely quiet for the past three weeks, what the current crisis has in common with the tragedy in Meron two and a half years ago, what may happen with Israel’s political system when the war is over, why this may present a unique opportunity for change, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E3 · Mon, October 23, 2023
Israel's war against Hamas has brought the Jewish people together in ways many of us have never before experienced. It also has brought new halachic and hashkafic challenges to light that, as religious Jews, we are obligated to address. In this episode, Scott spoke to Rav Yoni Rosensweig about some of these challenges, including the right and wrong way to engage in self-reflection, what sorts of actions we can all be doing now in order to help the war effort and ourselves, the ways that we should face the fact that this seems like a time of hester panim , of G-d’s hiding His face, and how we should face our fears in a healthy and Jewish way. Rav Yoni also discussed numerous halachic queries, including questions regarding using phones on Shabbat, the idea of a soldier writing a document to avoid his wife's (G-d forbid) becoming an aguna, the kashrut of food sent to the front from unknown sources, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Click here to listen to Dr. Matthew Levitt's excellent podcast, Breaking Hezbollah's Golden Rule. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Tue, October 17, 2023
After ten days of war in Israel, Scott talks about the Jewish People, the Divine Presence, people who are emulating the wicked son from the Pesach Seder, why Jews Who Matter need to read the Book of Esther, meaningful support from wonderful people who are not Jewish, and more. It might be disorganized, and it might seem random... but maybe that's the most honest kind of podcast after the events of the past week. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com / for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E2 · Thu, October 12, 2023
There are so many questions, and people want to know what's actually happening. In this special rush-released episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott speaks with Dr. Matthew Levitt about Israel's war against Hamas. Among the issues they discuss are why Hamas decided to commit these atrocities now, what Hamas expected to occur and what actually took place, whether Hamas anticipated Israel's full response, the possibility of a multi-front war, if Jews should be concerned about Khaled Mashal's call for Muslims to demonstrate across the world on October 13th, whether it's possible to fully eliminate Hamas, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Read Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S7 E1 · Mon, October 09, 2023
In this special episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott spoke with Talli Rosenbaum to discuss ways to deal with the very real trauma and emotional distress that the war in Israel has caused, whether or not we live in Israel. He also talked with David Lange of Israellycool.com to get a brief overview of the way that this conflict has been portrayed in the media and over social media - both the good and the distressing. Scott also offers his own reflections on what the war means, and how people who love Israel can help her at this crucial time. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E46 · Tue, September 26, 2023
Megilat Kohelet is one of the most difficult books in Tanach: it jumps back and forth between conflicting assumptions, it lacks any obvious narrative or thematic structure, and its statements sometimes seem at odds with what most people would consider standard Rabbinic theology. People didn’t discover these problems today, of course; the Mishnah in Masechet Yadayim questions whether Kohelet was canonized as part of the Bible or not. Moreover, Masechet Shabbat 30b reports in the name of Rav that the Sages wanted to hide Kohelet because of its contradictions; they decided against it because its beginning and end are words of Torah - and as Rashi explains, that means that surely there must be other words of Torah in the middle. Still, the fact that they even considered this tells us that Kohelet was as mysterious to them as it is to us. We read Kohelet on Shabbat chol hamoed of Sukkot - or, in a year like this where there is no Shabbat during chol hamoed, on the first day of Sukkot in Israel, or on Shmini Atzeret outside of Israel. But going through all twelve chapters quickly in shul is not the best way to internalize the many messages of this intriguing book. For that reason, Scott was extremely gratified to welcome Dr. Erica Brown back to the podcast. Erica is the author of Kohelet and the Search for Meaning , and they discussed some of the many questions that are raised by Kohelet. It’s a wide ranging and fascinating conversation that invokes Shlomo HaMelech, the Byrds, C.S. Lewis, William Blake, George Carlin, Sesame Street, and more. It will give you a new appreciation for Kohelet not only as a sacred text, but as a book that speaks directly to the deepest concerns of human beings living in the 21st century. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com / for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://w
S6 E45 · Mon, September 18, 2023
The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are dedicated to teshuva, commonly translated as “repentance” or “return.” According to the Rambam’s classic formulation, repentance consists of three elements: regret, determination not to repeat the sin in the future, and confession. In many ways it sounds relatively simple… though in practice, it’s often much more difficult. Moreover, from a psychological perspective, the processes of repenting, apologizing, and forgiving are very complex. What does it mean to experience shame, and how is the regret required by Jewish law different from the paralyzing shame that psychologists discourage? Can someone truly experience shame when that person still reaps the benefits of his wrongdoing? Is apologizing to someone different from asking for forgiveness - and what, exactly, is forgiveness, anyway? Are there techniques that can make it easier for us to forgive those who have hurt us? Is it ever wrong to apologize? And what if someone is convinced that he or she is simply unredeemable? In order to discuss these issues from both religious and psychological perspectives, Scott spoke with marriage and family therapist Elisheva Liss on the podcast. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E44 · Mon, September 11, 2023
Rosh Hashanah is a day of judgment, but it also represents renewal, hope, confidence, and optimism as we look toward the future. This is expressed in many ways, but perhaps most obviously in the Torah reading of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, where we read that Sarah, after a lifetime of being unable to have children, gave birth to Yitzchak at the age of ninety. In the haftarah of that same day, we read the similar story of Chanah, who was barren until G-d accepted her prayer; she gave birth to Shmuel HaNavi soon thereafter. But these stories of hope, alongside other themes of Rosh Hashanah, may have the opposite effect for people who suffer from infertility. Seeing families in the synagogue, sitting around a yom tov table alongside couples who have children, and even hearing that G-d answered Sarah yet wondering, “Why hasn’t He said yes to me, too?” - may be exceedingly painful. To discuss some of the issues of infertility, including how we all can develop the proper sensitivity to those who suffer from infertility, Scott was honored to speak with Dr. Aimee Baron, the founder and executive director of I Was Supposed to Have a Baby. Read "59 Things to Talk About Other Than Babies and Kids" here . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . If you subscribe by Thursday, September 14, you will receive a free PDF of The Laws of Tekiat Shofar. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Wed, September 06, 2023
The tefilot of the Yamim Nora’im - starting from Selichot and continuing through Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - are deep and meaningful, but also long and often quite hard to understand. But that difficulty is minor compared with the theological problem of how to relate to God when our prayers go unanswered... when He seems to have abandoned us... when rather than a divine nod of approval, we feel like we are getting God’s cold shoulder. This is a topic which Scott discussed over the past two weeks in his Substack, Orthodox Conundrum Commentary ; it’s also an issue that everyone must confront at one point or another. To that end, Scott spoke with Rebecca Sarchi, a high school principal living in Johannesburg. Right before Tisha B’Av, her son Chaim tragically passed away; despite their intense tefilot and mitzvah observance, God still said no. Rebecca decided that she wants to address what happened, and describe the ways that a person can maintain faith in the face of unthinkable tragedy. She does not provide answers; instead, she simply talks about her and her family’s experience. She mentions the importance of prayer despite the possibility of God’s saying no. She describes the need to cherish every moment, and to live fully in every second. She advocates going outside of yourself, and reaching out to someone else. No, none of these are answers; instead, they are lessons that can hopefully help us gain proper perspective as we enter the end of Elul, and begin the countdown to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E43 · Mon, August 28, 2023
What may a teacher or kiruv professional do in order to make people frum? Do the ends of bringing people closer to Torah justify the means of manipulating them emotionally? And even if the methodology is valid in some way, does it even work? According to Scott, playing mind games in the service of religion is not just wrong, but literally abusive. It potentially causes trauma, and further cements, in both the teacher and the students, the damaging idea that the teacher has special access to spiritual truth that is denied to the student. While someone who has studied Torah hopefully has a greater knowledge of Jewish law, and while he or she may potentially possess insights into spirituality, that does not translate into genuine knowledge of the mind of G-d; in reality, those who abuse often seem to profess shallow inanities that desecrate G-d's name. Yet some abusive rabbis have become famous and popular not despite their hurtful words, but because of them. And there are others - less famous, to be sure - who may be teaching in the schools attended by our children. To learn more about this troubling phenomenon, Scott spoke with Rabbi Mark Dratch and Mrs. Rachel Dratch. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Sun, August 20, 2023
A podcast hosted by an Orthodox comedian recently featured a controversial interview with a child sex offender. In response, Rabbi Scott Kahn and Talli Rosenbaum created a panel to discuss whether there are potential benefits to learning more about people who struggle with attraction to minors and do not offend, as well as those who do. (This episode contains explicit material regarding sexual abuse that some readers may find disturbing.) Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E42 · Mon, August 14, 2023
Is the biggest danger to Torah coming from Israel's own rabbinic establishment? Over the past thirty-plus weeks in Israel, there has been lots of talk about the pros and cons of judicial reform, and about the ways that it should and should not be done. While that issue has taken center stage, other important legislation has also been proposed or passed which has been largely ignored... yet many of these changes will have far-reaching - and potentially detrimental - effects on the nature of religion in Israel. Some of the most recent proposed legislation further empowers the government-sponsored Rabbinate, both at the national and local levels, even as it centralizes rabbinic power more than ever before. And that’s only a piece of a much bigger puzzle. Rachel Stomel of the Center for Women’s Justice has wide-ranging knowledge of the Rabbinate and the consequences of state-sponsored rabbinic power, and provided needed insight into the history of the Chief Rabbinate, the reasons that the Knesset is trying to increase the Rabbinate's power, who is resisting this legislation, and the reasons that religion married to state power is dangerous to Torah Judaism. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E41 · Mon, August 07, 2023
In Episode 99, entitled "The Orthodox Community's Obsession with Materialism," Scott spoke with Rabbi Jeremy Wieder about lavish weddings, luxurious vacations, over-the-top camp programs, and more. But unfortunately, the topic wasn't exhausted; the problem is still here, and there are many other issues that need to be addressed. Among these are whether materialism per se is a violation of Torah, or only if that consumption is conspicuous; in what ways hedonism is inimical to spiritual growth and Torah values; if the problem is the amount we spend, or a general emphasis on lifestyle and possessions; how the high price of yeshiva tuition contributes to the problem; the issue of unethical and illegal business schemes infiltrating many Orthodox communities (and perhaps being ignored); the lessons we failed to learn from Covid; why speaking about materialism matters even if it doesn't seem that anything is changing; and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E40 · Mon, July 31, 2023
Many people are troubled by what appears to be a dearth of moral leadership in the Jewish world in general, and in the Orthodox world in particular. Of course, no one is asserting that there are no admirable leaders; rather, in addtion to these good leaders, there are too many leaders who are incompetent, cowardly, selfish, or immoral. For that reason, Scott was honored to talk with Dr. Erica Brown about whether this common impression is right, what constitutes good leadership according to Jewish sources, and how such leaders are cultivated. They discussed why there are different models of leadership in Jewish texts; some examples of leaders in Tanach including Yosef, Moshe, Rut, Esther, and Kohelet; what’s often called imposter syndrome; the importance of identifying talent and whether this involves favoritism; introverted versus extroverted leadership; the problem when institutional leadership protects itself rather than the people it ostensibly represents; rabbinic scandals and those who enable bad behavior; "protexia" and nepotism; the dangers of charismatic leadership; and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E39 · Mon, July 24, 2023
“What does Eichah have in common with climate change deniers, anti-vaxxers, Holocaust deniers and those that claim that the 2020 presidential elections were stolen?” Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman sent this to Scott, who was intrigued and immediately invited him back onto this podcast to discuss what he meant. More than anything else, we need a way to relate to Megillat Eicha in a world which seems so distant from that described in the book. And even the world described in Eicha is complicated; it’s often hard to make sense of exactly what is being said. There are different voices represented, and they often contradict each other, and themselves. The book seems to go back and forth between blaming the community for its own destruction, and saying that G-d went too far - and sometimes neither, just lamenting how terrible everything is. Maybe the real question is whether there is a theology of Eicha at all, or if it's a book with multiple theologies - some of which border on the heretical. Rabbi Berman developed a novel approach to Eicha, and his reading infuses it with new life. Rabbi Berman believes that Eicha was written to be performed like a play, as a dialogue between the prophet Yirmiyahu and Bat Tzion - a composite character who represents the different voices that were being expressed by the grief-stricken people after the Destruction. Rabbi Berman also sees Eicha as representing a type of therapy session between the author and the people, who need to face realities that they’re refusing to acknowledge even when those realities seem blindingly obvious. And crucially, Rabbi Berman sees Eicha as a corrective to common but shallow theology - a theology that, he believes, remains something that we believe until today. Ultimately, any deep understanding of Judaism and acknowledgement of G-d’s love for Israel isn’t complete without the splash of cold water that Eicha provides. It would be nice to advocate a Jewish theology that ignores the difficult parts of our relationship with Hashem; but it wouldn’t be honest or true. This conversation with Rabbi Berman will not only make Tisha B’Av more meaningful, but will also provide serious food for thought that we can take with us long after Tisha B’Av is over. To order Rabbi Berman’s new book on Eicha, go to https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/book-of-lamentations/5CE9A9C4A6B9159F1CACAE7055C35768?fbclid=IwAR0fU0sjtMUwmMT2o6kGQBche6DL4POuNi29jYYJVfwhDLNtT1mXqy5jw6g . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108<
S6 E38 · Mon, July 17, 2023
The high cost of living an Orthodox life is a big problem. In the United States, for example, the high cost of day school or yeshiva tuition, combined with everything from the need to purchase kosher food to buying a lulav and etrog for Sukkot, adds to a family’s annual bills significantly. When we factor in the reality that standards are getting higher - semachot, for example, are very expensive, while overnight camps often have increasingly elaborate programs that in turn make the price go up - the problem is exacerbated. And then there’s the issue of social or peer pressure, intentional or otherwise. More people go away for Pesach, and programs compete to offer the most luxurious amenities and best entertainment possible. Conspicuous consumption, it seems, has become - among some Orthodox Jews - not a problem that we need to address, but a desired feature that we aspire to emulate. And whether we’re conscious of that fact or not, it affects everyone by raising standards and expectations. Those people who aren’t able to afford the same things as others are often either left feeling “less than,” or - even worse - end up spending more than they are able, and find themselves in real financial trouble. While the problems in every locale are somewhat different, this is an issue that affects many Orthodox communities, including some of those in Israel. There are many consequences of these financial, social, and psychological realities. One of them is the possibility of people falling for ponzi schemes and other get-rich-quick scams, including those that are broadly legal but still unethical; another is the need for chesed and tzedakah organizations to find new and more effective ways to help people who, in the drive to keep up and live an Orthodox life, have fallen into a deep financial hole. Two people who have a broad knowledge of these problems, and who deal with them daily, are Rachel Krich, the Executive Director of Project Ezrah, and Rabbi Avrohom Leventhal, the Executive Director of Lema’an Achai. They and Scott had a frank conversation about all of these topics and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.
S6 E37 · Mon, July 10, 2023
It’s sometimes challenging to feel the aveilut, the mourning of the destruction, when the Jewish people live in a time of unparalleled prosperity, when we can visit and live in a thriving State of Israel, and when we see a beautiful city of Jerusalem filled with Jewish people from around the world. Am Yisrael still absorbs terrible blows; terrorism, the deaths of young soldiers, antisemitism and more continue to plague us. For many people, however, our day-to-day lives are comfortable enough that the destruction of a now-rebuilt city 2000 years ago feels distant from our everyday concerns. One of the ways that some people experience the lack of a Beit HaMikdash is to ascend the Temple Mount. Admittedly, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel has prohibited Jews from doing this, and the majority of great halachic authorities also say that it is not allowed. Rabbi Danny Myers, however, has a very different approach, and suggests that praying on the Temple Mount is not only allowed, but may even be an obligation. Scott discussed this contentious issue with Rabbi Myers, alongside the question of how people can find spiritual meaning during the Three Weeks when we are directed to mourn the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E36 · Mon, July 03, 2023
One of the most important conflicts that many Orthodox Jews face in the 21st century is the clash between authority and autonomy. Orthodox society is largely based upon following the tradition that has been handed down to us, and that tradition is often seen to be largely in the possession of great scholars. Accordingly, it seems like a violation of Torah principles to ignore the directives of gedolei Torah and to do what we want instead. On the other hand, autonomy - the ability and right and even obligation to make our own decisions - is one of the most cherished values of Western society. But autonomy is not just a modern value that is necessarily in conflict with Torah thinking; in fact, autonomy is also an important Jewish value, as well. That makes the question of the clash between autonomy and authority something that we likely deal with almost every day. As Orthodox Jews, we dare not ignore the tradition and do whatever we want without regard for what anyone else says... yet many of us are loathe to sacrifice the right to think independently. This raises many questions: what is the definition of rabbinic authority? How autonomous can and should each of us be? Do I have the right to make halachic decisions on my own? What about in areas of hashkafa, or public policy? Can the gedolim insist that I act a certain way - and do I have the right to defy them? Scott asked these and many other questions to Rav Chaim Ozer Chait, and he offered some fascinating insights, as well as stories from his time studying under Rav Moshe Feinstein and others. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E35 · Mon, June 26, 2023
Many people give little thought to the issue of conversion, and the challenges that people who convert face. In contrast, Rabbi Chuck Davidson, a leader in establishing non-coercive Orthodox alternatives to Israel’s’ Chief Rabbinate for over a decade and the av beit din of an independent conversion court, has spent years researching the halachic background of conversion. In this episode, Scott and Rabbi Davidson address the debate over the halachic requirements for conversion, what is being done in the Israeli Chief Rabbinate about the 500,000 people in Israel who are sociologically Jewish but not halachically Jewish, the argument between Rav Ovadia Yosef and Rav Elyashiv about whether people whose Jewish lineage is unclear should be assumed to be Jewish or not, the social problems that many converts face, the question of which beit din - if any - provides conversions that are universally accepted, retroactive invalidation of conversion, whether a rabbinic court should be welcoming or discouraging to potential converts, and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E34 · Mon, June 19, 2023
Several well-publicized events in the Orthodox world over the past year have brought the issue of the separation of church and state into sharp relief. These include Yeshiva University’s refusal to recognize the YU Pride Alliance - a refusal which, one year ago, Judge Lynn Kotler of the New York County Supreme Court said was a violation of the New York City Human Rights Law; the case is currently under appeal. Another important situation is the recent uproar over the apparent refusal of numerous Chassidic schools in New York to follow curricular guidelines established by state authorities. And of course, the question of judicial reform in Israel inevitably touches on questions of how much the Israeli government can impose religious law, or provide legal exceptions to religious individuals and groups. In order to better understand some of the biggest questions surrounding church and state, Scott spoke with Professor Michael Avi Helfand. They discussed several specific situations, including the YU Pride Alliance and the chassidic school issue, to get past the often-incorrect public perception, and outline the actual legal issues in each case. They addressed whether private schools should be eligible for public funding, if this might lead to government authorities dictating educational requirements that Orthodox schools won’t be able to accept, and whether the government’s mandating aspects of the curriculum is necessarily tied to funding in the first place. They also touched on the philosophy behind the separation of church and state, how much of it is rooted in the Constitution and how much is based on broad interpretation, the definition of “core beliefs” and even the word “religion,” and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all
S6 E33 · Mon, June 12, 2023
When Rivka Herzfeld was younger, she had a feeling that her muscles were not working the way that they should. During her year in Israel after high school, things got serious enough that her research intensified - and she soon discovered that she has an extremely rare degenerative condition that has seriously impacted her ability to use her muscles effectively. Doctors don’t know what to call it, so they use the inexact term “childhood-onset ALS” - and this condition has affected her life in many ways, from needing a motorized scooter in place of walking, to challenges in dating, to her inability to be hired as a teacher - a job for which she is eminently qualified. Yet Rivka maintains her self-confidence, poise, humor, and faith in G-d; she refuses to let her disability define her, even though it sometimes seems that others want to do exactly that. In this conversation, Rivka relates her personal story, and articulates some of the challenges that she faces. She and Scott talk about the ways in which the Orthodox world can develop greater sensitivity and provide increased accessibility, as well as some of the positive and negative experiences that she has had in synagogues, schools, and other institutions. And crucially, they discuss practical steps that we can take to ensure that we treat individuals with the respect they deserve, and find ways to bring all people into our communities rather than perhaps unintentionally walling them off outside. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary newsletter and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E32 · Mon, June 05, 2023
It is forbidden to listen to the voice of a woman singing if she is not his wife. (Aruch HaShulchan 21:3) One of the issues that bothers many poeple in the Orthodox world is the halachic concept of kol isha - that is, broadly defined, the prohibition for men to listen to a woman when she is singing. The exact parameters of this halacha are debated, such as whether this includes recordings, if it applies to a woman singing by herself or to a choir as well, and much more. There are, frankly, a wide range of opinions about many issues surrounding kol isha. But we need to acknowledge, even if it goes against our sense of fairness, that the vast majority of poskim understand kol isha as a prohibition that is fully applicable today. For women who sing professionally, the halachot surrounding kol isha are unquestionably challenging, and today Scott asks three Orthodox female performers how kol isha has affected them, how they navigate the challenges it presents, whether they feel cheated because they cannot perform in mixed-gender venues, if they follow this stricture as it’s traditionally understood, what kind of pushback they’ve received, and more - as well as other aspects of their experience as Orthodox women who sing. Join Scott and Franciska Kosman, Chanale Fellig-Harrel, and Dr. Kerry Bar-Cohn as they address this important topic. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary newsletter and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E31 · Mon, May 29, 2023
In our last episode, Scott spoke with Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody about bringing greater awareness to issues associated with end-of-life and organ donation. This opened up an important conversation - but there’s much more to say, particularly as it relates to clinical insights from people who actively work with dying patients and their families. To that end, Scott spoke with Dr. Blima Marcus, who was a guest in episode 81 of this podcast. Blimi spoke about the very serious questions regarding how Orthodox providers help frum Jews die, and the clinical, emotional, and psychological issues that are involved. It nicely complements the episode with Rabbi Brody, and also highlights a serious area of disagreement. This was a very important conversation. As difficult and perhaps unpleasant as it is to talk about end-of-life, it’s crucial that we confront it honestly and forthrightly so that, when the time comes for our loved ones, we’ll be informed about the issues, and prepared to implement the patient’s wishes. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary newsletter and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E30 · Mon, May 22, 2023
The 49th chapter of Bereshit describes the vivid scene of Yaakov Avinu offering his final words and testament as his children, the progenitors of the twelve tribes, stand around his bed. In many ways, this represents an ideal death: confronting it with time to prepare, with nothing left unsaid, with a faithful family surrounding the person whose life is ending. Of course, very often it doesn’t work that way. Frequently, there are difficult decisions that the patient, or the patient’s family, needs to make. These include questions about when and in what circumstances to keep the patient alive, and when to allow death to occur. They also involve issues regarding hospice care, organ donation, do not resuscitate orders, and more. Understandably, many people are reluctant to discuss these issues before they’re relevant; but waiting until they are relevant often means having no idea what to do when it’s time to make these very serious decisions. Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody, the executive director of Ematai, is encouraging people to have these difficult conversations earlier rather than later, and to better understand the various issues at play - whether halachic, ethical, or medical. Scott was pleased to speak with him about a number of the most important and pressing end-of-life issues. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary newsletter and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E29 · Mon, May 15, 2023
Tzniut is triggering. That became clear when the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast released episode 145 entitled, “The Challenges of Teaching Tzniut & the Challenges of Being Tzanua, with Shayna Goldberg.” That episode, in which Scott asked Shayna to focus on issues related to tzniut (modesty) and clothing, addressed some of the most pressing concerns, and the conversation generated quite a bit of discussion. Today’s conversation is again about tzniut, this time about tzniut as a whole, and from the perspectives of Bracha Poliakoff and Rabbi Anthony Manning, the authors of a very well-received new book entitled, Reclaiming Dignity: A Guide to Tzniut for Men and Women. In this wide-ranging discussion, Scott spoke with his guests about some of the same issues discussed in the earlier podcast as well as some that are quite different. Among the topics are how to define tzniut, what has gone wrong in education for tzniut that so many people are turned off by the very word and the trauma some experience when it comes to tzniut, how to legitimize different approaches, the problem of weaponizing modesty in order to delegitimize others, how much of tzniut is subjective, the confusing of the terms tzniut and erva and the consequent problems, whether obsessing about modesty leads to oversexualization of women, the judgmentalism that seems to be part and parcel of typical thinking about tzniut, and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E28 · Mon, May 08, 2023
Last month, it was reported that due to low enrollment, the beginners and intermediate Talmud courses for women at Yeshiva University’s Stern College would not be offered next year, meaning that the only remaining Talmud course would be the advanced class. We also learned that GPATS - the Graduate Program in Advanced Talmud and Tanach Studies - would only have one Talmud track instead of two, as it did in the past; and that YU was not going to hire a new teacher to replace Rav Moshe Kahn z’l, who taught Talmud at Stern and who passed away several months ago. Although Stern has subsequently reversed course and does plan to offer those Talmud classes, the controversy raised important questions about the place of Talmud in the Torah curriculum for women. Should Gemara learning be a mandatory part of the high school curriculum for girls, as it generally is for boys? Regardless of whether Talmud classes for young women should be optional or mandatory, should they be modeled on the standard yeshiva styles of learning, or should Gemara be taught differently with a different emphasis depending on gender? Was the fact that women were generally discouraged or even prohibited from learning for two millennia a necessary accommodation to reality or, in hindsight, a mistake? Are there still areas of scholarship that, for political or religious reasons, should remain the exclusive province of men? Do we need new methodologies of teaching Gemara to both boys and girls? How should a Talmud teacher address texts that likely won’t resonate with that teacher’s audience, such as a statement that teaching one’s daughter Torah is similar to teaching her “tiflut” - that is, something trivial or even obscene? To discuss these and other questions, Scott spoke with Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber, the founder of Hadran, the teacher of the first online daf yomi shiur taught by a woman, and the creator of the first international Siyum HaShas for Women three years ago. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www
S6 E27 · Mon, May 01, 2023
An important issue raised by our increased reliance on social media is the question of what it has done to the quality of our discourse: that is, the things we say, and the way we say them. It seems that too often, a willingness to engage in casual cruelty has emerged along with the social media revolution; and this has a serious effect on the way we live our lives away from our screens. And, of course, it raises many issues regarding the halachic propriety of how we write and talk. Is it a violation of Jewish law to write intemperate or mean comments on a social media post? How can we try to effect change in society without falling into a problem of lashon hara? How may someone express disagreement, and when is it right to reveal something on social media rather than hiding it? How should we relate to great scholars who also expressed disagreement by disparaging their opponents? Can a person who was wronged publicly shame his tormentor on Facebook, given that the post will be read by people who have no need to know about what happened? And the questions transcend social media alone: when and how should we reveal damaging information that is important, such as before a shidduch? How can we teach a proper type of shmirat halashon without also giving kids the message that we don’t want them to tell us about things that happen to them, like G-d forbid abuse? Is there a way for a journalist to do his job and also follow the rules of lashon hara? In order to receive answers to these questions, Scott spoke to Rabbi Daniel Feldman, Rosh Yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University. You can purchase Rabbi Feldman's book False Facts and True Rumors: Lashon Hara in Contemporary Culture here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provi
S6 E26 · Mon, April 24, 2023
In last week's episode, Episode 155, Scott spoke with Rabbi Mark Wildes of the Manhattan Jewish Experience about whether diaspora Jews have enough engagement with Israel, whether they care enough about Israel, and if they have the moral right to actively try to affect Israeli policies. They talked about whether diaspora communities have independent integrity, or if they should instead be seen as waystations on the way to encouraging all Jews to move to Israel. They addressed other issues, too, like how to increase the care that non-Israeli Jews have for Israel, whether familiarity with Israel has created a type of indifference, and more. Responses to this episode were mixed, to say the least. Some people agreed wholeheartedly and didn’t see anything controversial in what they suggested; others felt that the episode was condescending, shortsighted, and misguided. One of the many comments came from Maharat Ruth Friedman. She concluded by asking, "Do you plan to interview a diaspora Jew who shares alternate views and can shed light on how the American Jewish community viewed the tragedies in Israel in the past two weeks? There is a lot to say on these questions and I think that folks would appreciate proper representation and not being talked about by others." To that end, Scott invited Maharat Friedman to present a very different viewpoint from the one he and Rabbi Wildes espoused last week. The conversation began with talking about a different way for religious Jews who live outside of Israel to view Israel and events in israel; but almost inevitably, they talked about Israeli politics and government, the Palestinian issue, and the meaning of religious Zionism for someone who has no intention of leaving the diaspora, and believes that - l’katchila, as a matter of ideal religious practice - not all Jews should move to Israel. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Ha
S6 E25 · Tue, April 18, 2023
With the terrible and heartbreaking news that came out of Israel over the course of Pesach - a mother and two children murdered by terrorists, a car ramming in Tel Aviv with an Italian tourist dead and others injured, plus rockets launched at Israel from Lebanon and Gaza - some have noted a disconnect between the attitudes of Jews who live in Israel, and those who live in the diaspora. The two groups sometimes seem to possess different mindsets - that is, very different ways of thinking about events like these. In particular, the heaviness that was widely experienced by Israeli Jews may have sometimes been lacking among some Jews outside of Israel. Is this assumption accurate or misplaced? Furthermore, is Israel viewed, emotionally if not intellectually, as just another Jewish community like any other? Is the proximity and ease of getting to Israel and communicating with people in Israel a double-edged sword, taking away some of the mystery and sense of holiness that people otherwise would have? Moreover, what is the place of diaspora Jewry? Is their only role to pack up and move to Israel, or is there a need for Jewish communities to thrive outside of Israel? How can we better inculcate a sense of solidarity with Jews in Israel, and with what's happening in Israel? Is the emotional gap between Israelis and those outside of Israel destined to get larger or smaller? To discuss these and other questions, Scott (who lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh) spoke with Rabbi Mark Wildes (who lives in New York). Their conversation will give you food for thought, especially as they draw upon their own life experiences to discuss the relationship between disapora Jews and Jews living in Israel. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Mon, April 03, 2023
As we approach the first night of Pesach, many people are looking for ideas that will enhance the Seder, and divrei Torah that will be meaningful to people who sit with us around the table. To that end, Scott spoke with the morning seder faculty of Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah, the yeshiva that he directed alongside Rabbi Pesach Wolicki for eleven years. Along with Rabbi Wolicki, he was joined by Rabbi Yaakov Arram, Rabbi Yisrael Herczeg, Rabbi Adi Krohn, and Rabbi Moshe Lichtman. In this conversation, the panel offered short divrei Torah that they find meaningful, and also gave some insights into how to make the Seder engaging for people - adults and children - who might be less enthusiastic than others at the table. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E24 · Thu, March 30, 2023
Israel is in crisis, and Israeli society is deeply torn over the government's proposed reforms to the judiciary. However, while many people talk about what the Likud-led government is trying to do, there is less information about what is actually happening and its ramifications. With the dramatic events of this past week, when Defense Minister Yoav Gallant publicly suggested that the government needs to pause the reforms, then was fired by Prime Minister Netanyahu the next day, which then led to unprecedented protests and strikes by a huge percentage of the population, which in turn led to Netanyahu’s calling for a temporary halt to the judicial reforms while both the coalition and the opposition try to work out a compromise, it became obvious that people need to know what’s really going on, why these events are taking place, what they mean, and what we can expect in the near future. For that reason, Scott was honored to speak with senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur of the Times of Israel, who offered a clear-eyed approach to explain the story in its entirety. Because events are moving at a very fast pace, we're releasing this episode the day that it was recorded. Our hope is that it will provide information and context that, very often, are lacking from public discourse. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E23 · Mon, March 27, 2023
More than any other Jewish holiday, Pesach is associated with questions. That’s obviously true for the Seder, but it’s also true when it comes to the intense preparations that precede the chag. Jewish law regarding cleaning for Pesach is very extensive, and the misconceptions are often very prevalent. For that reason, we're proud to present a conversation with Rav Chayim Soloveichik shlit’a, where Scott asked some of the most common questions people ask as they prepare for Pesach. We thank Rav Chayim for generously giving his time and expertise, and hope that this episode can serve as a valuable resource and guide as people throughout the Jewish world get ready for Zman Cheiruteinu. Among the issues Rav Chayim addressed are: 8:54 - Crumbs and vacuuming 10:39 - Purchasing milk and eggs before Pesach 12:43 - Medicines on Pesach 14:29 - Defining "Nifsal M'achilat Kelev" (something inedible to a dog) 18:24 - New lipstick or ChapStick on Pesach 18:38 - Canola oil 20:28 - At what point do kitniyot become forbidden on Erev Pesach for Ashkenazi Jews, and can they be cooked in a kosher for Pesach pot 23:10 - Egg matzah 23:42 - Checking books for crumbs 24:50 - Selling chometz 27:46 - Preparing the house if you're going away for the entire holiday 29:33 - Roommates who jointly own chometz 30:10 - A car wash before Pesach 30:48 - Foods that don't require special Pesach certification 31:35 - Dismantling pots and pans before kashering them 31:57 - Kashering a pot with a stain 32:21 - Kashering a gas stove 33:55 - Kashering a non-self-cleaning oven 35:16 - The 24 hour rule regarding an urn used to kasher counters and sinks 35:50 - Lining the refrigerator 36:43 - Kashering a metal sink 36:58 - Kashering dishwashers Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to th
S6 E22 · Mon, March 20, 2023
As Orthodox Jews, we usually find the experience of mitzvah observance and participation in the Orthodox community to be a source of great religious meaning, comfort, and fellowship; Torah Judaism is the way that Orthodox Jews interact with G-d, and that reality, alongside the communal and social aspects, has made Orthodoxy a source of pride and joy. We must also recognize that aspects of Orthodox life can be a real source of anxiety and stress. This includes the pressures associated with shmirat hamitzvot, as well as stresses that arise from the everyday requirements of following the Torah. The sense of being commanded, and the concomitant fear of shame and guilt if we fail, can be weighty. And then, of course, there are the other anxieties that are simply associated with observance - such as the very high financial cost of living an Orthodox life, and the perhaps less defensible high financial cost of living in an Orthodox community with increasingly high material standards, as well. Is there a way to deal with this anxiety, and - more to the point - how can we prevent it in the first place so that it doesn’t become debilitating? How can we work on preventing other mental health crises? Is the apparently increasing number of people suffering from mental illness a result of greater awareness, or is there something going on in our communities that is exacerbating the problem? Conversely, are we sometimes guilty of relying on therapy too much? And is the assumption that we can lead perfect lives in perfect communities - and inability to accept imperfection - causing serious problems with long-term ramifications? Scott was honored to speak to Rabbi Dr. Eitan Eisen about these and other important issues relevant to Orthodoxy, anxiety, mental health, and prevention. To order Rabbi Dr. Eisen’s book, Talmud on the Mind: Exploring Chazal and Practical Psychology to Lead a Better Life , go to https://kodeshpress.com/product/talmud-on-the-mind/ Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your
S6 E21 · Mon, March 13, 2023
Nietzsche said, “When you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.” Today's episode deals with a horrible situation where someone retained his sense of meaning, faith, and belief despite staring into the abyss. Ephraim Rimel experienced just about the worst thing that a person could experience, and somehow moved forward with his belief in G-d and Torah intact. He acknowledged that his values were updated, but the same values that drove him before still drive him today. This was a very difficult discussion, and frankly it is not easy listening. Yet Ephraim's experience is a testament to belief that survived in the face of unimaginable challenges. If we are to face life honestly and boldly, we need to listen to Ephraim’s story of tragedy and faith, a story that is simultaneously painful and inspiring. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Sun, March 05, 2023
In preparation for Purim, the Orthodox Conundrum is rereleasing an episode from 2020 with Dr. Zev Ganz, dealing with teenagers and alcohol abuse. Purim is, if not the most joyous holiday on the Jewish calendar, then certainly the most "fun." And therein lies the problem: are we teaching our children and students that having fun requires alcohol? Is teenage alcohol abuse a real danger, or is it healthy to let loose given that it's only one day a year? Is worrying about Purim drinking and the effects of kiddush clubs alarmist, or necessary? What should be done if you suspect that your kid has a problem, and how is "problem" even defined? With only a couple of days until Purim, we hope this episode gives you food for thought. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Thu, March 02, 2023
In preparation for Parashat Zachor, the Orthodox Conundrum is rereleasing an episode from last year with Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, dealing with questions surrounding Amalek. How should Orthodox Jews relate to the mitzvah of wiping out Amalek - a Torah law that might seem immoral? What are we remembering when we think of Amalek, and is there a message within that resonates with committed Torah Jews living in the 21st century? We hope this episode will give you food for thought as we move toward Parashat Zachor and Purim. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Read an article by Rabbi Klapper about Amalek here: http://torahleadership.org/categories/beshalach_5780.pdf http://torahleadership.org/ https://moderntoraleadership.wordpress.com/ Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E20 · Mon, February 27, 2023
There’s a phenomenon in the Orthodox world which is called by various names, though most commonly “Off the Derech” or OTD, and “Datlash,” short for “Dati Leshe’avar” - that is, formerly religious. For a community which prides itself on continuity and on passing the tradition from one generation to the next, the idea that people leave Orthodoxy is simultaneously painful and threatening. Why did he or she leave? What didn’t work? Why don’t they see what I see… or perhaps, if we’re being truly honest with ourselves, what do they see that I may be missing? And when the people who reject an Orthodox way of life are members of our family, the difficulties are compounded. Rabbi Alex Israel has given a lot of thought to this issue and these questions, and his insights are humane, generous, and rooted in Torah. Rabbi Israel and Scott spoke about whether the terms OTD and Datlash - and even “dati,” religious - are helpful or misleading, whether the phenomenon of people moving away from Orthodoxy is becoming more common, how it may be different in Israel and in the United States, whether we should actively try to bring those who have left Orthodoxy back into the Orthodox fold, if an emphasis on dogma is partially to blame, how parents should navigate having a child who is less religious than they are, what we can learn from those who leave Orthodoxy, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108) . The Orthodox Conundrum is looking for sponsors - either to promote your business or organization, or in someone’s honor or memory . If you want to reach thousands of listeners every week, then write to us at scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E19 · Mon, February 20, 2023
It is widely assumed that Jewish law requires the acceptance of certain principles of faith - most commonly associated with the thirteen foundational principles that the Rambam wrote about in his Commentary on the Mishnah in Masechet Sanhedrin. These principles, very broadly summarized, include G-d’s existence, His unity and incorporeality, the fact that G-d is the eternal first cause and that prayer must be directed to G-d alone; that prophecy exists, that Moses was the greatest prophet, that the Torah was given to Israel through Moses, and that the Torah will never be changed or exchanged; that G-d is omniscient, He rewards and punishes, that there will be a messiah and that the dead will one day be resurrected. Again: this is a broad summary, and the actual writing of Maimonides on this matter is more nuanced. Still, these are the principles of Jewish belief that everyone is supposed to assert and, according to the Rambam, not only accept as dogma but also thoroughly understand. What happens, however, when a Jewish person says that he or she cannot accept all of these thirteen principles, or even parts of them? What, for example, if someone believes that G-d communicates with humankind, but doesn’t accept the literal transmission of every word of the Torah through Moses? How should a committed Jew continue observing the Torah when doubts emerge? Rabbi Pesach Sommer experienced these doubts, and it led to a crisis in faith. Crucially, his crisis took place while he was a rabbi teaching in an Orthodox school. And while the crisis for him was very real, he also was able to emerge from it with a more nuanced and, perhaps, stronger faith than before. Today Pesach tells us his story, from how he became a rabbi, to what sparked his doubts, how far down the rabbit hole of doubt he went, and what he was able to do to reinvigorate his faith so that he was able to develop a more mature and in fact deeper connection with G-d and Torah than before. The Orthodox Conundrum is looking for sponsors - either to promote your business or organization, or in someone’s honor or memory . If you want to reach thousands of listeners every week, then write to us at scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out <a href="https://jewishcoffeehouse.com
S6 E18 · Mon, February 13, 2023
In our previous episode, Scott talked with Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll about the challenge to faith that takes place when some rabbis betray their calling by not acting as they should. When leaders fail us, they leave wreckage in their wake - the wreckage of failed expectations, of disappointment, of crisis, and of course the practical issues like, as Shoshanna related, needing to wait years for a get and more. This episode is a type of follow-up to last week’s. The Israeli Chief Rabbinate was formed with positive goals in mind, and there are some wonderful representatives of Torah Judaism who work for that institution. But as Lord Acton said in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” We’re certainly not there yet, but political power in the hands of the Rabbinate - which is the case in Israel in certain areas of Halacha, such as marriage, divorce, conversion, and kashrut - has led to serious problems that are themselves violations of Torah. And while presumably most rabbis in the Rabbinate have noble goals, the reality of the Rabbinate brings to mind a different aphorism: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, the founder and President of Hashgacha Pratit, decided to do something about it. You might agree with his solutions, and you might not. Some of what he suggests may sound quite radical. But either way, remember that we often witness a repeating pattern: that there’s a serious problem that leadership fails to address, so someone else decides to do something - and then is condemned by the leadership that failed to act. Our response should be that if leadership wants a response or solution that it can accept, then leadership shouldn’t drag its feet and wait for someone else to do something. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108) . The Orthodox Conundrum is looking for sponsors - either to promote your business or organization, or in someone’s honor or memory . If you want to reach thousands of listeners every week, then write to us at scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit <a href="https:/
S6 E17 · Mon, February 06, 2023
One of the saddest and most poignant emotions is disappointment - that is, when your illusions are shattered, when you anticipated something great, or magical, and it doesn’t happen. Disappointment often means that a piece of innocence is irretrievably lost. What do we do when people we believe in, people we look up to as paragons of virtue, disappoint us? What happens to our faith when great rabbis in whom we trusted actually, like Hans Christian Andersen's emperor, have no clothes? Join Scott as he talks about disappointment and faith, particularly with regard to trust in Gedolei Torah, with Chochmat Nashim founder Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E16 · Mon, January 30, 2023
On January 18th, Rabbi Moshe Kahn passed away at the age of 71. The tributes to him as an ideal teacher, talmid chacham, and rebbe immediately started pouring in across social media. As one of today’s guests asserted, if a woman wanted to engage in serious Talmud study in New York for the past four decades, Rav Kahn was the address. The obvious love and dedication shown towards him by his students from Stern and Drisha made it clear that he was someone whom we all should know more about, and continue to learn from after his passing. Four close students of Rabbi Moshe Kahn’s - Rabbanit Anne Gordon, Rabbanit Sally Mayer, Dr. Shana Strauch Schick, and Rabbanit Rachel Weber Leshaw - joined Scott on the podcast to talk about his life, his legacy, and what he meant to each of them. They discussed his derech halimud - that is, the methodology he utilized when he learned and taught Torah, whether he saw himself as a revolutionary in teaching generations of women, why it seems that many members of the Orthodox community know very little about him, as well as broader topics such as the future of women’s learning, whether there should be a unique methodology in Torah learning for women that is distinct from men’s derech halimud, and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Check out the Orthodox Conundrum YouTube Channel . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E15 · Mon, January 23, 2023
Tzniut, or modesty, is one of the most controversial issues in the Orthodox world today. Indeed, different people see the issue of modesty through different lenses. Some wonder about how to teach students and children about tzniut so that they’ll be more inclined to follow the halachot and established Orthodox customs; others ask questions from the opposite vantage point, wondering about whether tzniut is an inherently oppressive system that leads to an unhealthy body image, increases a sense of counterproductive shame, and completely ignores the need for self-expression. Some people look at tzniut as representative of a woman's role in Judaism, and others see that attitude as an unhealthy and repressive obsession. With this in mind, Scott invited Shayna Goldberg to have a difficult but necessary conversation about the challenges that surround the issue of tzniut. The topics they discuss include whether we need to redouble our efforts to emphasize that tzniut applies to men as well as to women; why it seems that many women find tzniut more challenging and repressive than other aspects of Torah Judaism; what is a healthy way to teach tzniut without turning it into an obsession; to what degree societal factors influence our perception of what is considered modest behavior; the difficulty in that women are told to downplay their sexuality, whereas this very requirement itself sexualizes them; the fact that the laws of tzniut that women are told to follow were codified by men; whether following tzniut undermines self-expression; the reality that we often use the yardstick of modesty to declare whether someone is religious; and more. To visit the Deracheha website, go to https://www.deracheha.org/ . Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Visit the Orthodox Conundrum YouTube Channel to watch the video of this podcast. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/</
S6 E14 · Mon, January 16, 2023
One of the most difficult issues confronting the Orthodox world today is the question of how to welcome people who identify as LGBTQ+, while simultaneously affirming the Biblical injunction that forbids sex between two men, and the Rabbinic prohibition that forbids sex between two women. This initial question opens up a host of additional challenges, including: how do we explain a mitzvah that appears to many people to be immoral? Can we be welcoming to gay couples without undermining the Torah value that encourages the building of a family with both a mother and a father? Does Torah thought and law accept the idea of defining people based on their sexual preference? Can a gay couple adopt according to Jewish law? Should Jewish law make room for some form of gay marriage? Does it make sense for religious Jews to support pride parades? If we are going to be welcoming, does this include allowing men who identify as gay to lead the synagogue services? How can we understand a mitzvah in the Torah that seemingly commands that people permanently repress their basic sexual drives? On this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott discussed these and other questions with Rav Yoni Rosensweig. Rav Yoni has a voice that carries tremendous religious weight, as he demonstrates deep, unapologetic, and uncompromising commitment to Torah and Jewish law, while concurrently displaying real compassion and understanding of the challenges that many people face. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Check out this conversation on the Orthodox Conundrum YouTube channel . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E13 · Mon, January 09, 2023
Just over a month ago, the Orthodox Conundrum released an episode of this podcast entitled, Confrontation 2022: Jewish-Christian Dialogue and Its Questions, with Rabbi Pesach Wolicki. Pesach discussed why he believes that his work has value, what kind of pushback he’s received, whether he’s providing an opening for missionary activity, how he justifies speaking in churches, and more. Today’s episode is, in some ways, a follow-up to that episode. Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen is one of the leading advocates of Jewish-Muslim dialogue - a discipline which offers great opportunities, at the same time that it creates new questions and serious challenges. In this conversation, Scott asked him about how he talks to Muslims about Israel, whether he avoids the question of sovereignty over the Holy Land, Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount altogether or whether he’s willing to confront it with them head on, if this dialogue is truly mutual, to what degree large Islamic terrorist organizations like ISIS, al Qaeda, and Hezbollah are representative of the wider Muslim population, how he answers Muslim misconceptions about Jews, what he hopes to achieve, and much more. Given the political reality in which Israel finds itself, the success of Rabbi Nagen’s work is potentially of vital importance for the future of the entire Middle East. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com Photograph credit: Dida Mulder
S6 E12 · Mon, January 02, 2023
On December 12th, well-known political commentator Ben Shapiro published an article in the Jewish Press entitled "Modern Orthodoxy’s Moral Failure." Its opening paragraph reads, “Modern Orthodoxy is in a state of crisis. It is in a state of crisis because its leadership has, in large measure, abandoned its central principles in favor of political expedience, surrendering long-term interests for short-term tactical maneuvering.” While it's unfair to summarize a reasonably long article in just a few words, Ben Shapiro focuses on what he sees as the weak-kneed response of numerous Modern Orthodox institutions to the challenges posed by secular morality - and, in particular, the acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities as inherent and definitional. He writes, “ The conflict between Jewish identity – rooted in halachic observance, a belief in the morality of the Torah, and a deep-seated sense of free will – and the secular worldview has reached its apex with the rise of the LGBTQ+ movement. That movement reduces identity to sexual desire – the most powerful feeling human beings supposedly have – and then demands that society’s institutions celebrate all of its claimed identities. The movement goes even further, demanding that society’s institutions celebrate identities that run directly counter to biological fact by giving credence to men identifying as women, and the like.” Shapiro’s article garnered significant comment in the Orthodox world, and many have wondered if his characterization of Modern Orthodoxy, as well as Orthodoxy’s response to the challenges he outlines, misses the mark. Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Sinensky, who wrote a response that was published in the Jewish Press on December 21, spoke with Scott about the points with which he takes issue in Ben Shapiro’s article, where he thinks that Shapiro is correct, and what practical steps are necessary to move forward from here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at h
S6 E11 · Mon, December 26, 2022
This podcast has frequently alluded to the problems that arise when rabbis mistakenly don’t stay in their own lane, and end up advising people in areas that require more than the pastoral counseling they might have learned when studying for semicha. Indeed, there is reason to be concerned about the intersection between rabbinic counseling and psychotherapy, and how the professional - and the congregant or client - knows which is required in any given situation. And the answers are not always so clear cut. For that reason, Scott was honored to speak to Rabbi Larry Rothwachs, a well-regarded congregational rabbi, a licensed social worker, and the Director of Professional Rabbinics at RIETS at Yeshiva University to discuss many of the issues that arise from this potential conflict, including what mental health issues are most prevalent in the Orthodox world, the specific differences between rabbinic counseling and therapy, how to navigate conflicts that arise between a person’s role as a rabbi and a therapist, the problems that result from rabbis and therapists getting involved in areas in which they are not trained, how a person should know when what is being discussed is “above his pay grade,” what a therapist committed to Jewish law should do when a therapist’s response to a problem may differ from what halacha would prescribe, and more. Listen to Praying On Purpose - short motivational messages and Torah insights by Rabbi Larry Rothwachs. Delivered 3x a week, these messages are crafted to inspire increased thought and enhanced awareness of the prayers that we recite, focusing on the “why,” the “how” and the “what” of daily prayer. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit <a href= "https://www.jchpodcasts.com/" target="_blank" re
S6 E10 · Mon, December 19, 2022
Something about Chanukah speaks to almost all of us... which highlights the fact that the message of Chanukah retains enough ambiguity that different groups can understand it in different and even contradictory ways. This ambiguity goes back to the very earliest days of the holiday’s celebration while the Second Temple still stood; it’s reflected in Rabbinic sources and in our liturgy, as well. And that, in turn, leads to a number of fascinating questions about what Chanukah is really about, when we look at it through an historical lens. Chazal famously ask, "Mai Chanukah" - "What is Chanukah?" - and that question still needs to be answered today. Scott welcomes Dr. Malka Simkovich to the podcast in order to address that question, and to hear her fascinating insights about what happened before, during, and after the Maccabean revolt. Dr. Simkovich discusses the story of Chanukah, whether our sources for the Chanukah story should be considered historical (and the associated question of what history meant to people living 2000 years ago), the discrepancies between the story as presented in Masechet Shabbat and in I and II Maccabees, the false binary of emphasizing the miracle of the oil versus the military victory, how early Christians saw the Hasmoneans as Christian martyrs and whether Al HaNisim was written partially in response to that appropriation, why Chazal developed an ambivalent attitude toward the Hasmonean dynasty, what historical event in 63 BCE is widely ignored but changed the course of Jewish history, the different ways that Jews in Israel and in the diaspora understood Chanukah, the concept of “Common Judaism,” what mistaken message do too many people derive from Chanukah, and more. And along the way, Dr. Simkovich also offers some tantalizing ideas about whether our sacred texts are actually describing history as we understand it - and why a more relaxed attitude toward that question might be helpful for all Orthodox Jews today. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them
S6 E9 · Mon, December 12, 2022
On November 14th, the Orthodox Conundrum released a panel discussion dealing with Rav Jonathan Sacks zt’l’s life, leadership, and legacy. Today we offer a sequel to that episode, as Scott speaks with Dr. Tanya White and Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens about the thought and philosophy of Rabbi Sacks. They address many important issues, including Rabbi Sacks’s originality, his idea of covenant, the importance of individual responsibility, for whom he was writing, the controversy around his book The Dignity of Difference and whether he clarified or retracted its most controversial assertion, how communitarianism affected this thinking, his response to fundamentalism, whether he was a religious pluralist, how he dealt with Biblical criticism, what to do when our sense of morality and our understanding of science seem to contradict ideas in the Torah, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com Photo by cooperniall, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
S6 E8 · Tue, December 06, 2022
Scott and his close friend Rabbi Pesach Wolicki founded a yeshiva, Yesodei HaTorah, over 18 years ago. Yesodei HaTorah was dedicated to skill building in reading Jewish texts, and helping each student develop an independent Torah philosophy. And in 2015, the yeshiva closed down when it didn’t recruit enough students to keep it going. At that point, Scott moved into the podcasting sphere. Pesach, in turn, became deeply involved in Jewish-Christian dialogue. Now, seven and a half years later, Pesach probably spends more of his working day talking to Christians than to Jews - even though he lives in Israel. His career move can perhaps be seen as radical, maybe even unique. Why does he think this work is important? What is some of the pushback that he’s received, and how does he answer his colleagues’ objections? Is he providing a bridge that helps Chrisitians missionize Jews? What does he say about Rav Soloveitchik’s prohibiting the very dialogue that he is involved in every day? Is he violating Jewish law by speaking in churches - something he does regularly? And, perhaps most crucially, what does he hope to achieve through his work? Listen to the conversation and see whether you agree. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E7 · Tue, November 29, 2022
On November 12, 2021, Haaretz first reported that several women alleged that popular author Chaim Walder had sexually assaulted them for years, in some cases starting when they were children. Soon after, many more people came forward with similar accusations. And on December 27, 2021 Walder was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, lying next to his son’s grave. This all took place approximately a year ago. Earlier that same year, in March, police opened an investigation regarding allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of Zaka founder Yehuda Meshi-Zahav. In April of last year, Meshi-Zahav tried to kill himself and fell into a coma as a result, dying about five months ago. Before these two cases emerged, there seems to have been a culture of denial in many segments of the Orthodox world. For numerous reasons, there was often reluctance to report sexual abuse to the police; religious media outlets would pretend that it simply didn’t exist. And those who did report sexual abuse would sometimes be ostracized by their communities. Many people wondered if these two high profile cases would spur serious changes regarding sexual abuse in the Orthodox world. Now that some time has passed, it's important to hear whether attitudes towards sexual abuse have moved forward in a helpful direction. In order to learn more, Scott spoke to Shana Aaronson, the executive director of Magen. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E6 · Mon, November 21, 2022
Torah Judaism offers a vision that is kind, loving, just, and G-d-centric. Some Orthodox Jews, however, feel that the community has begun to lose its way, as too many people emphasize peripheral elements at the expense of the Torah's core values. Rabbi Todd Berman wrote about this in a well received Times of Israel blog post entitled, Choosing a Kinder, Gentler Religious Zionism, and Scott spoke to him about where our community may be going, and what we should do to effect change. They discussed some important (and controversial) issues, including the concept of Halacha as the will of G-d and what that says about religious pluralism, how to deal with troubling texts from the Bible, who gets to decide which values are core values and which are not, whether students are picking up racist and xenophobic ideas in our schools, the dereliction of duty by some rabbinic leaders, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E5 · Mon, November 14, 2022
Today, the 20th of Cheshvan, is the second yahrzeit of Lord Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt"l. His impact was enormous; in so many ways, his life represented a sanctification of the Divine name. While many of us are familiar with his important writings and divrei Torah, fewer know about who he was as an individual. To that end, Scott was honored to host Joanna Bennaroch, Rabbi Dr. Daniel Rose, and Rabbi Gideon Sylvester to talk about Rabbi Sacks the human being. The discussion ranged from Rabbi Sacks's original decision to become a rabbi, how he changed over time, what impact he had on British and world Jewry, the reasons for his wide influence, his relationship with the State of Israel, the people who influenced him, his development as a thinker and an orator, his legacy, and more. (This episode is Part One; in Part Two, we’ll discuss Rabbi Sacks’s philosophy and theology.) Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E4 · Mon, November 07, 2022
The Religious Zionist Party in Israel, headed by Betzalel Smotrich, has been vilified as mainstreaming racist, misogynistic, and homophobic attitudes. Yet last week, that party - or, more appropriately, the three parties that ran together under the Religious Zionist banner - won 14 seats in the Knesset. That means that the Religious Zionist Party represents percentage-wise close to 12% of the Knesset. Scott refuses to believe that all or most of the voters who voted for that party fully support some of its more objectionable ideas; he says that the correct response is not to cancel them, but to listen to them... with the hope that they will be willing to listen to the other side, as well. That doesn’t mean that ideas that are outside the pale should be mainstreamed; this isn’t about compromise where it offends our sense of what’s right. But canceling half a million voters who represent the bulk of the Religious Zionist population isn't right, either. The best way to ensure that objectionable ideas stay outside is to talk about it with people who are amenable to listening, rather than declaring that all of their voters did something morally out of bounds. To that end, Scott sat down for coffee with Rabbi David Fine, who ran for the Knesset as a member of the Religious Zionist Party, and Daniel Goldman, a former chair of Gesher and World Bnei Akiva and who has written articles about why he strongly disagrees with the direction of the Religious Zionist Party. Together they talked honestly and forthrightly about their areas of agreement and disagreement. And while no one was converted to the other side, their conversation will hopefully provide some understanding of why they feel passionately about their respective political positions. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.
S6 E3 · Mon, October 31, 2022
Increasingly, members of the Religious Zionist community in Israel have discovered the thinking and writings of Rabbi Shimon Gershon Rosenberg, better known by his initials, Rav Shagar. The more they read the many books that have been released after his early passing in 2007 at the age of 57, the more they are challenged, excited, and inspired by his depth, creativity, and authentic religiosity and spiritual longing. Nevertheless, the larger English-speaking Orthodox world remains largely unfamiliar with Rav Shagar’s life-changing ideas. This is a shame, as Rav Shagar, perhaps as much as any other Orthodox thinker over the past fifty years, deals directly with issues that confront Religious Zionism and Modern Orthodoxy. Whether we're looking for guidance in defining truth, challenges to faith, religious pluralism, the impact of fundamentalism, the mystical experience and so much more, Rav Shagar’s voice is one that needs to carry great weight as Orthodoxy moves deeper into the 21st century. To that end, Scott coordinated a discussion about Rav Shagar with Rabbis Zachary Truboff and Yehoshua Engelman - two individuals who have intimate familiarity with Rav Shagar and his unique path in Torah. We hope that this episode inspires listeners to learn more about Rav Shagar, and to make his thinking a more central part of Orthodox discourse throughout the world. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E2 · Mon, October 24, 2022
“The medium is the message” said philosopher Marshall McLuhan, and the idea that the way we receive information is likely more important and influential than the information itself, is now truer than ever. Because of social media, our world has changed far more than we realize. For Orthodox Jews, who have lived behind literal and symbolic walls for the past 2000 years, the change is one that may completely upend the way we understand the world at large and even the Torah itself. Some communities have responded by rejecting everything associated with the new media landscape; or at least they’re trying. Others welcome it with open arms and perhaps throw all caution to the wind. On this episode, Dina Rabhan offers a broad overview of the social media landscape, and its potential dangers and genuine opportunities for people in general, and for religious Jews in particular. In a fun, informative, and important conversation that cites philosophers from Henri Nouwen ("What is most personal is most universal") to Michael Scott ("Wikipedia is the best thing ever!"), Dina provides information about what social media can offer us, and what it can and does take away. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S6 E1 · Wed, October 19, 2022
On October 28th, 1965, as part of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI promulgated Nostra Aetate, the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions . That event cleared the way for a potentially better relationship between Roman Catholics and Jews. Crucially, the Catholic Church also has officially rejected attempts at converting Jews to Christianity. Despite this positive start, the relationship between Jews and Catholics remains a complicated one. Many people argue that Catholics have made huge steps in the right direction that should be celebrated... though others suggest that things aren’t quite so simple. Some question how much these positive steps have trickled down to Catholics in the pews. Others emphasize that Nostra Aetate was supposed to be the first of several positive moves toward dealing with the Church’s history of anti-Judaism, but instead has been treated by many Catholics as the final word on the subject - thereby ignoring Catholic complicity in anti-Jewish persecution for millenia, and pretending that the process of repentance is finished. Even more troubling is the suggestion that Nostra Aetate implicitly provides absolution for the Church, saying that anti-Jewish attitudes were never part of Church doctrine, and that the Church accordingly bears no responsibility for horrible events like the Holocaust. Rav Soloveitchik famously expressed concern that Catholic overtures toward Jews could lead to attempts at converting them. And some wonder whether there is an intentional double entendre when Pope John Paul II called Jews the elder brothers of Christians… when Jews who study Sefer Bereshit know that the older brother is the brother who is rejected. To discuss the state of Jewish-Catholic dialogue in 2022, and its potentially positive ramifications as well as its potential dangers, Scott had a fascinating conversation with Dr. Malka Z. Simkovich, the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies and the director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check ou
Bonus · Sun, October 02, 2022
During the Selichot that we have been reciting for the past two weeks, we repeat G-d’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy over and over again. Many shuls have the minhag to say them three times when we open the Aron before the Torah reading on Rosh Hashanah morning, and in some synagogues they’re recited every time we open the ark during the ten days of repentance. Most significantly, the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are the central motif of Maariv on the night of Yom Kippur, and during the final prayer before Yom Kippur comes to a close, Neilah. The reason that we repeat them is clear: Chazal quote G-d Himself as saying that reciting these attributes will result in G-d's forgiveness. This idea is called the “Brit Shlosh Esreh” - the covenant of the thirteen. But that only begs the question of why. Why does G-d promise to forgive us just because we say the 13 Attributes of Mercy? Is this some kind of magic trick? And if it works like magic, why do we need to say them more than once? Join Scott as he answeres this question, and offers an explanation of each of the Attributes as explained by Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, in order to help your davening on Yom Kippur be deeper and more meaningful. To print a two page PDF which summarizes these ideas, go to the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 . Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Bonus · Thu, September 22, 2022
As we enter the period of the Yamim Nora’im followed by Sukkot, we are embarking on what might be the most intense spiritual season of the Jewish calendar. Some people find the davening on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur deeply meaningful; others find it interminably long and drawn out. One method that gives some people spiritual meaning - both in the synagogue and out - is the discipline of Jewish meditation. In order to learn about Jewish meditation - what it means, where it comes from, how it’s different from non-Jewish schools, its connection to Maaseh Merkava, Kabbalah, and Chassidut, practical examples of what we can do to integrate meditation into our own davening and much more - including an extensive discussion of the great Jewish meditation teacher, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan - Scott spoke with two well known teachers of Jewish meditation: Rabbi Professor Alan Brill and Rabbi Dr. Meir Sendor. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
S5 E50 · Mon, September 19, 2022
Today’s episode isn’t about Rosh Hashanah in an overt way; but Myra Sack’s story represents one of the most powerful Rosh Hashanah stories imaginable. Myra and her husband Matt had a beautiful little girl named Havi Lev; and, in her words, We lost our first-born daughter, Havi Lev Goldstein, on January 20th, 2021, at 9:04am. She died peacefully in our bed, in our arms. She died from a cruel disease called Tay-Sachs, that strips your mind and body of every function over 12-18 months. Havi was two years, four months and sixteen days old when she died. Myra wrote a story for the Boston Globe Magazine called “Holding Havi,” and as painful and tragic as her story is, it is also profoundly inspiring and uplifting. It combines beauty and sadness, laughter and grief. It offers such important lessons we all need to learn before Rosh Hashanah… and always. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108 ). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse . Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, September 12, 2022
There is a tremendous amount of Torah learning taking place today, and Orthodox Jews should be excited that such study occupies a central place in so many Jewish lives. Daf Yomi has encouraged and inspired people who never before considered learning Talmud to try to learn all of Shas over 7 and a half years. Alongside classes in Talmud, there are shiurim in Chumash, Tanach, Mishnah, Midrash, Halacha, Musar and more. Yes, we spend a lot of time learning G-d’s words. But do we sometimes forget to also learn about G-d? Some Jewish people have intuited this need, and are finding new ways to bring G-d into their lives in a concrete manner. One of these responses has been the growth of what is termed Neo-Chassidut. To find out more about this movement, Scott spoke with Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Zuckier of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, September 06, 2022
Is belief in Judaism self-evident? Are our principles of faith wholly rational and perhaps even obvious to any thinking person? Or is faith in G-d and Torah more complicated and suffused with questions than many would like to assume? Do we have faith? Do we possess authentic trust in G-d? Deep down, what do we really think about the tenets of Torah Judaism? Do we accept them, doubt them, or maybe both simultaneously? Do we affirm them verbally but question them intellectually? In short, how much do we really believe - and why? In order to address questions of emunah, and to get a better sense of whether belief is logically compelling or whether it requires the proverbial leap of faith, Scott spoke with Jeffrey Bloom and Alec Goldstein, two of the editors of the recent book, Strauss, Spinoza, and Sinai: Orthodox Judaism and Modern Questions of Faith. The book, however, was just a starting point; the main focus of the conversation was around why Jews can believe the things that we believe - and why some people don’t. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 29, 2022
This episode is, in some ways, two distinct podcasts in one: one about outreach, and one about some major spiritual challenges that exist in the Modern Orthodox world. Many in the Centrist or Modern Orthodox world are uncomfortable with kiruv and outreach; it’s often associated with acting with condescension towards people who are not Orthodox, objectifying people who are not Orthodox, and not acting forthrightly towards people who are not Orthodox. Perhaps most concerning, though, is the suspicion that kiruv professionals act as though they have all the answers, that Orthodoxy is a perfect society, and that we need to reach out because everything within Orthodoxy is basically perfect. Many of us would argue that we need to get our own house in order before convincing other people to join the team. Rabbi Mark Wildes, though, is one of the rare Modern Orthodox Jews who is deeply involved in, and believes in, kiruv and outreach to unaffiliated and less-affiliated Jews. Scott asked him how he responds to these criticisms of kiruv professionals and organizations, how we should define the real goals of kiruv organizations, and why most kiruv professionals seem to have a Chareidi or Chassidic orientation. Perhaps even more important, however, was an intense discussion of the problems that Modern Orthodoxy needs to address. Their conversation included a discussion of spiritual anemia, problems that exist in synagogues, the longing - or lack thereof - for the Divine Presence, the differences between experience and intellect in the approach to G-d, how much we should emphasize dogma, and - above all - the need to bring G-d back into the center of our consciousness. This conversation - again, really two conversations - was fascinating, and should give you food for thought as we enter Elul and the days leading up to the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Join Rabbi Wildes's WhatsApp group at https://chat.whatsapp.com/LM0bsDb4sV3FmESMyauFaw. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 22, 2022
Lonna Ralbag has been demanding a get from Meir Kin for 18 years and still hasn’t received it. According to Jewish law, this means that she cannot remarry, and is effectively trapped as a type of aguna - a chained woman. Meanwhile, her estranged husband, despite public pressure, seems to revel in having become the king of the get-refusers. He has a YouTube channel and managed to remarry while leaving Lonna unable to do the same. And he does all of this while claiming to be a religious Jew, following Halacha. Indeed, he presents himself as the victim of a smear campaign. It’s clear that Meir Kin’s actions represent a reprehensible perversion of Jewish law and a massive chilul HaShem, desecration of G-d’s name. Lonna’s story is tragic, but she is strong and is working to relieve her plight and that of other women in comparable situations. Lonna’s story is as much a tale of resilience as it is of sadness and frustration. On today's episode, Scott speaks to Lonna Ralbag, her attorney, Daniel Schwartz, and Keshet Starr, Executive Director of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot. If you are interested in participating in a JCH-ORA postnup party, please email scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com and we'll tell you how you can participate. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 15, 2022
We all know that there have been numerous high profile scandals involving sexual abuse on the part of teachers and authority figures in the Orthodox world. We also know that as light is shed on these cases, public awareness grows, and the likelihood of coverups is hopefully lessened. At the same time, we need to explore how to put protocols in place so that schools, institutions, and organizations can avoid many of the problems before they happen, and, should these problems occur, have strong guidelines firmly in place. This ensures that the institution will know how to react, and that parents and people who are connected to the institution will receive real information and have confidence that proper procedure is being followed. In order to discuss this very important topic, Scott interviewed Rahel Bayar, CEO of The Bayar Group, on this week's podcast. Rahel and Scott talked about many issues related to institutions and their reactions to sexual misconduct, harrassment, and boundary crossing behavior. These include questions about what protocols should be put in place, what is involved in a proper investigation, how parents can recognize whether a school is being forthright or is engaged primarily in protecting itself, how institutions can determine if an accusation is credible, whether there are warning signs that schools should look for before hiring teachers, and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, August 09, 2022
Six weeks ago, the Orthodox Conundrum released a panel discussion with Rabbi Moshe Simkovich, Mrs. Rachel Schwartzberg, Mrs. Olivia Friedman, and Rabbi Pesach Sommer entitled The Crisis of Orthodox Teacher Retention. That episode received a fair bit of comment, and at the same time raised as many questions as it solved. For that reason, it was clear that a follow-up episode with expert educational innovators was necessary in order to address additional problems and to suggest further solutions. To that end, Scott invited Rabbi Shmuel Feld and Mrs. Rachel Levitt Klein Dratch to discuss their thoughts about the direction of day school education in much of the Orthodox world. They both combine the expertise that comes from experience and study, with the creativity that is the hallmark of out-of-the-box thinking. Whether they were discussing our overemphasis on titles and how to overcome that problem, or the new ways we need to think about education, or the necessity of involving the totality of community institutions - not just the schools - in using teachers’ skills and hiring them for their programming, Rabbi Feld and Mrs. Dratch were constantly suggesting new ways of thinking about a problem that has been around for decades. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, August 04, 2022
Join Scott Kahn in this rereleased bonus episode for commentaries on 25 of the 40 kinot (lamentations) that Jews recite on the morning of Tisha B'Av. (The time signatures for each commentary are listed below.) Along with all of the Jewish people, we pray that this be the final Tisha B’Av on which we mourn. May the upcoming year be one of gladness, joy, and redemption for us, for all of Israel, and for the whole world. Kinah 6 (שבת סורו) begins at 0:42 Kinah 7 (איכה אצת) begins at 6:17 Kinah 8 (אאדה) begins at 9:04 Kinah 9 (איכה תפארתי) beings at 13:42 Kinah 10 (איכה ישבה) begins at 17:01 Kinah 11 (ויקונן ירמיהו) begins at 19:59 Kinah 12 (אהלי) begins at 25:16 Kinah 13 (אי כה) begins at 29:40 Kinah 14 (איכה את אשר כבר עשוהו) begins at 34:55 Kinah 15 (איכה אשפתו) begins at 40:19 Kinah 16 (זכר את אשר עשה) begins at 41:56 Kinah 17 (אם תאכלנה) begins at 47:35 KInah 18 (ואתה אמרת) begins at 51:11 Kinah 19 (לך ה' הצדקה) begins at 54:59 Kinah 20 (הטה אלקי אזנך) begins at 1:00:30 Kinah 21 (ארזי הלבנון) begins at 1:03:16 Kinah 22 (החרישו) begins at 1:09:51 Kinah 23 (ואת נוי) begins at 1:16:37 Kinah 24 (על אלה אני בוכיה) begins at 1:18:12 Kinah 25 (מי יתן ראשי מים) begins at 1:20:45 Kinah 27 (אז במלאת ספק) begins at 1:24:34 Kinah 31 (אש תוקד בקרבי) begins at 1:30:26 Kinah 36 (ציון הלא תשאלי) begin at 1:34:24 Kinah 41 (שאלי שרופה באש) begins at 1:37:55 Kinah 45 (אלי ציון) begins at 1:41:43 Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast.
Mon, August 01, 2022
This is not an episode about Women of the Wall. It is not an episode about Women for the Wall. It is not an episode about the egalitarian space at Robinson’s Arch. Instead, this is an episode about fairness and respect and dignity - issues that should concern everyone who cares about Judaism, regardless of how you feel about non-Orthodox prayer at the Kotel or about women reading the Torah on the women’s side of the Wall. Let’s be up front about the halachic facts: men have an obligation to pray in a minyan, a quorum, while women do not. For this reason, it’s not unreasonable to expect more men to come to shul than women - and that is often what happens. Moreover, assuming that the Kotel has the status of a synagogue, it’s reasonable to expect more men to come to the Kotel - and, if it’s true that more men visit the Kotel than women, the men’s section should be larger than the women’s. (Of course, we can't ignore the fact that if the ezrat nashim were larger, perhaps more women would come in the first place.) But based on anecdotal experience, the women’s section is frequently - usually? - significantly more crowded than the men’s section. Are we really OK with women having to squeeze in to touch the Kotel while the men have no problem doing so? At the same time, the problem with space at the Kotel is emblematic of a problem with space in general. While as Orthodox Jews, we believe that communal prayer should not involved mixed-gender space, and that synagogues halachially require a mechitza, is there a reason that this has started to extend to places where it’s not required halachically - and that the women’s sections that exist are often treated with such disrespect? To discuss this Scott invited the hosts of the Chochmat Nashim podcast, Anne Gordon and Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll, to talk about the Kotel and the larger problem of disrespecting women in Orthodox spaces, in ways that have nothing to do with halacha. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, July 25, 2022
Today’s episode deals with the very difficult topic of eating disorders from the perspective of a parent, as Judy Krasna tells the personal story of her child’s battle with anorexia nervosa. Some may wonder how this topic is relevant to a podcast that deals with issues within Orthodoxy. While Scott and Judy also discuss specifically Orthodox manifestations of anorexia, the issue of eating disorders frankly concerns Orthodox Jews primarily because we are no more immune to them than any other population. Indeed, some Orthodoxy communities may have additional challenges in their desire to cover it up, to pretend that it’s not a problem. Quite apart from our religious background, we need to confront the reality of eating disorders because, as Judy says at the end of the podcast, they affect so many people. We need to talk about eating disorders in order to eliminate the stigma associated with them. They are illnesses, and they are illnesses that involve tremendous pain, suffering, and sometimes death. We treat them as something other than illnesses at our own peril. Judy Krasna is the Executive Director of F.E.A.S.T.(Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment for Eating Disorders - https://www.feast-ed.org/). She is a writer and an eating disorders advocate, both in Israel and globally. Judy is an active “expert by experience” volunteer in the Academy for Eating Disorders and has been offering peer support to families of people with eating disorders for over a decade. Judy is deeply committed to educating the public about eating disorders and promoting awareness about their danger and consequences, especially after her daughter Gavriella took her own life after a prolonged battle with anorexia nervosa. Judy may be reached at judy@feast-ed.org. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, July 18, 2022
About two weeks ago, two bar mitzvahs and a bat mitzvah took place at the Robinson’s Arch section of the Kotel, which has been designated for egalitarian prayer services. Very sadly, a relatively large number of religious zealots attempted to interrupt and disrupt them in various ways, causing a massive Chilul HaShem and doing nothing productive other than causing additional hatred - this time, perhaps not baseless hatred - in the weeks leading up to our commemoration of the Destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. It’s sickening and represents the opposite of how the Torah expects us to behave, regardless of our opinions about the halachic validity of egalitarian prayer. This unfortunate event offers an opportunity to discuss the ways that Orthodox Jews - who likely would not pray in an egalitarian davening - should relate to the new egalitarian section of the Kotel. In this week’s episode, Scott first speaks to Laura Ben-David, who was the photographer at one of the bar mitzvahs, to find out exactly what happened that day at the Kotel. Following that conversation, he talks to Rabbi Kenneth Brander and then Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein to find out their attitudes and feelings regarding the presence of an egalitarian section at the Kotel. Following the three interviews, Scott offers his own thoughts about the issue. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Photo: Laura Ben-David Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, July 11, 2022
In this episode - a quasi-sequel to Episode 117 - Scott speaks with Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt of the Altneu Shul in Manhattan. Rabbi Goldschmidt spent ten years at the Park East Synagogue after which, in a story that was widely reported in the press, the senior rabbi there effectively pushed him out. From his experiences since that event, Rabbi Goldschmidt has a unique perspective that comes from starting a new shul in Manhattan, and trying to cater to a population that may be looking for new forms of Jewish engagement. But the real focus of the conversation was less the challenges Rabbi Goldschmidt faces as a shul rabbi, and more the possibility of reinventing the very idea of the synagogue, and even the idea of community, in the Orthodox world. So many people feel disenfranchised from our existing institutions, and Rabbi Goldschmidt himself knows what it means for a venerable, existing synagogue to feel threatened by you. In this interview he explains how he is using his unusual opportunity to create a new shul in order to do things differently, to bring more people in who might normally look elsewhere for their spiritual nourishment. To read the New York Times article about what happened at the Park East Synagogue, go to https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/03/nyregion/park-east-synagogue-rabbi.html. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, July 04, 2022
The overturning of Roe v. Wade, which takes away the Constitutional protection of abortion rights, means that every state will decide for itself whether abortion should be permitted - and, where prohibited, what exceptions to the law will be honored. In principle, it also means that a nationwide ban on abortion, legislated by Congress, is theoretically back on the table. Scott spoke with three women, each of whom had an abortion for a different reason, each at a different point in her pregnancy. The point of sharing their stories is not so much to advocate for more liberal abortion laws as to help people internalize the real-life consequences of making abortion more difficult or impossible. The goal was to let each guest simply tell her story so that you, the listener, can decide how that impacts your thinking. Some Orthodox scholars who support the overturning of Roe v. Wade suggest that while many states are banning abortion, this will have little practical effect on the vast majority of Orthodox Jews. First of all, all halachic authorites agree that abortion is not allowed in all circumstances, and there are accordingly many abortions that violate Jewish law, even according to the more lenient viewpoints. Moreover, because of certain exceptions that have been written into the laws, as well as because of the relative ease of interstate travel, women who do have halachic sanction for abortion will have little trouble obtaining one, either in their current state or by traveling to states that have liberal abortion regimes. To address this, Scott asked Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz, who teaches history at SAR high school and is the associate principal of General studies there, whether this is accurate, and what the real-world consequences of the Dobbs decision are. 3:23 - An anonymous story of an abortion at 32 weeks 29:45 - Abbie's story of her pregnancy reduction 42:42 - Leah's story of an abortion after suffering from postpartum depression 1:11:45 - Dr. Schwartz on the legal consequences of Roe v. Wade for Orthodox women Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, June 28, 2022
In the most recent issue of Jewish Action, Rachel Schwartzberg wrote an important article entitled, "The Great Teacher Shortage." She outlined the fundamental problem of day school teachers leaving the profession, without an equal influx of new teachers starting out. She explained some of the reasons why this problem has become acute, and some of the work that is being done to combat it. Because this article has generated a fair bit of discussion, Scott invited Rachel Schwartzberg and three veteran educators - Rabbi Moshe Simkovich, Olivia Friedman, and Rabbi Pesach Sommer - to discuss the issue of teacher retention, the reasons that teachers leave, the reasons young people are reluctant to become teachers, and what we as a community can do to change this. Because if we truly believe that chinuch is the essence of our community’s uniqueness, and the source of its strength, we dare not let the problem linger or even get worse. The problem is serious and must be addressed. To read "The Great Teacher Shortage" go to https://jewishaction.com/religion/education/the-great-teacher-shortage/. To see the Predictive Index referenced on the podcast, go to https://www.predictiveindex.com/?creative=544500752127&keyword=predictive%20index&matchtype=b&network=g&device=m&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_content=bofu-brand-general&utm_term=predictive%20index&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9efx3-3N-AIVBuXICh1T9AFiEAAYASAAEgLI9fD_BwE&fbclid=IwAR35tBPoJEAgP7L3ZrAg2tjv1cB5pFrNxcIBVuAdYGRiBbrDZXqK3LMkfs4. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, June 20, 2022
The position of rabbi is perhaps the most important and central role in Jewish communal life… and no one gets as much grief from the people around him, either. The rabbi is honored and respected, unless he’s completely disrespected and disliked. It's not easy being completely honest and forthright to the people who pay your salary. Beyond the problems with congregants, being a rabbi involves other challenges, as well. The rabbi has to perform many functions and fill many roles for which he may or may not be prepared; there’s a good chance that he’s wildly underpaid; his wife is often expected to work for the synagogue for free. Frankly, the halachic training that is necessary to become a rabbi may end up being the easy part of the job. It’s everything that comes along with it that can make the position of rabbi exceptionally demanding. Rabbi David Fine acknowledges the difficulties, but nonetheless loves being a rabbi and can’t imagine doing anything else. He cofounded an organization, Barkai, which trains rabbis in Israel in the practical rabbinic knowledge that they likely never learned in yeshiva. And while he doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the challenges that rabbis and rabbinic couples face, he has a very optimistic view of what the life of a rabbi can be. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, June 13, 2022
Two weeks ago, on Yom Yerushalayim, many marchers walked into the Old City of Jerusalem, and honorably and admirably celebrated the reunification of Jerusalem 55 years ago. Many thousands of people said prayers of thanksgiving to Hashem Who gave us the merit to live in a time of Jewish sovereignty over a united Jerusalem - a merit that not long ago would have been utterly unfathomable. On that same day, there were some marchers who shouted at and taunted Arab residents of Jerusalem, used racist language against them, chanted “Death to the Arabs” and more. And while this was far from the majority - it certainly was nowhere near the majority - the numbers were significant enough to be upsetting and concerning. And yes, it happened; the video evidence is incontrovertible. Perhaps there are loud voices coming from the Religious Zionist leadership condemning the actions of these individuals; but they haven’t been loud enough for many of us to hear them. This is not the religious Zionism of ten or twenty or thirty years ago. It’s certainly not the religious Zionism that was dominant fifty years ago. Something has changed, moderating voices seem to be drowned out, and that should concern all of us. And make no mistake: these issues are not political issues; they go to the heart of what it means to be a religious Jew who is also a supporter of the State of Israel Is it inappropriate to point this out, as if mentioning these elements is thereby painting all religious Zionists with the same castigating brush? Are these taunts an inappropriate but understandable response to constant Palestinian rejectionism? How else should religious Zionists act and believe, given the deep seated traditional belief that all of Yehuda v’Shomron belongs to Israel? Is refusing to march with flags through the Damascus Gate a sign of moderation, or a form of timidity which will be exploited by our enemies? How can a proud religious Zionist balance valid and deep-seated belief in a unified Jerusalem with respect for its non-Jewish inhabitants? And finally, is ascending the Temple Mount - the focal point of Jewish longing for 2000 years - an act of religious courage, or a dangerous game that gambles with Jewish lives? To discuss this and much more, Scott spoke with Yossi Klein Halevi, the author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor and other books. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creatin
Tue, June 07, 2022
The phenomenon of the individual who grew up in an extreme Chassidish community, then rejects it entirely while physically escaping from it, has become part of everyday discourse regarding Orthodoxy thanks to books and Netflix series such as Unorthodox. It has almost become a type of stereotype, and we might assume that most who leave hold on to bitterness, and feel extreme animosity. Yet Leah Forster does not fit this stereotype at all. She grew up in a Chassidic community in Boro Park, and after she broke some of the norms of the community, she was instructed by her mother not to attend her eventual funeral; that was their final communication. But Leah defends her community, expresses love for her family, and demonstrates genuine faith. Scott and Leah talked about the community she came from, when she realized that she was attracted to women, what was the last straw that drove her family to reject her, how crucial it is to address mental health issues, whether she actually left Orthodoxy at all, and much more. But the purpose of this interview transcends Leah’s story. It can teach us about the trouble with labels; it identifies the danger of caring primarily about what people will think, rather than what is best for our children; it points out that life is far from black and white, and that we can choose to love and defend even the people who hurt us the most. These are lessons that apply to all of us, and we need to take them to heart to ensure that we and our various communities live up to the values that matter most, rather than the values that we want other people to believe that we possess. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, May 30, 2022
On Yom Yerushalayim, we thank G-d for the miraculous gift of a united Jerusalem - and, lest we forget, the miracle of winning the Six Day War which, many had originally feared, would destroy the State of Israel and precipitate a second Holocaust. While some celebrate, many others suggest that Israel doesn’t belong to us at all. In fact, they say, the entire State of Israel is an illegitimate enterprise, born in sin and destined to be transformed into a binational state without a Jewish character. It seems to many that those voices are growing louder and louder. Last month, the Harvard Crimson published an editorial entitled In Support of Boycott, Divest, Sanctions and a Free Palestine (https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/4/29/editorial-bds/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1651260876-1). Are voices like the Crimson's getting louder? Is Israel losing the battle for world public opinion? Should Yom Yerushalayim be a day of celebration, or a day of dread? Rabbi Uri Pilichowski does not accept this doomsday narrative. He argues that Israel is better off than it has ever been before, including in the area of public relations. Listen to this fascinating and hopeful interview to find out why. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, May 23, 2022
One of the more troubling realities of the Modern Orthodox world today is an apparent disconnect between the tenets of Modern Orthodoxy and the beliefs of its adherents. It seems that there are many who identify with the community while lacking traditional beliefs; others live within Orthodoxy but yearn for a life of greater spirituality. What is actually going in the minds and hearts of Modern Orthodox Jews - and does Modern Orthodoxy have a future? Are these problems endemic to Modern Orthodoxy, or do they exist across the Orthodox spectrum? Is there anything that can be done to reinforce spiritual values in our families, synagogues, classrooms, and communities? Scott spoke with Rabbi Johnny Solomon in order to address these questions. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, May 18, 2022
After the tragic events at Meron last year, a safety commission has put new safety protocols in place to ensure that the Lag BaOmer celebrations will proceed without any danger. What are the new rules, will they be implemented, and how effective will they likely be? Scott spoke to Jerusalem Post reporter Eliav Breuer to find out the details. After that interview, Scott offered his own perspective about the correct way for Torah observant Jews to approach Lag BaOmer in Meron this year. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, May 16, 2022
This episode continues our conversations about the roles of Jewish women in Orthodoxy. Scott speaks to the individual who created one of the most important innovations we’ve seen so far - Rabbanit Chana Henkin, the founder of Nishmat and the force behind the Yoatzot Halacha. Yoatzot halacha, or halachic advisors, have studied in order to become experts in the laws of Nidah or Taharat Hamishpacha. It's likely that yoatzot halacha are at least as qualified, and often far more qualified, to talk about hilchot nidah than the average rabbi. And given their training in women’s health as well as other areas that are unknown by most rabbis, they maintain a unique position - and fill a huge role - in the halachic scene today. The conversation includes questions about yoatzot halacha, what they can and cannot do, the criticisms Rabbanit Henkin has received, and much more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, May 09, 2022
On Monday, May 2, Politico obtained a draft majority opinion, written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 court decision that broadly granted federal protection of abortion rights. The Court has affirmed that the leaked document is authentic, but also said that it’s preliminary. Regardless, this means that the 49-year-old constitutional right to abortion may soon be overturned, and instead each of the fifty states will make its own legislative decision regarding the legality of abortion. Jewish people on both sides of this issue are lining up to support or denounce the potential Supreme Court decision, but it seems to be - perhaps only anecdotally - that many are doing so without a full investigation or understanding of what halacha actually says about abortion. As Orthodox Jews, we may or may not want halacha to inform public policy decisions; but we also should at least know the approach of Jewish law before wading into the debate. In order to get a better grasp of the halachic thinking that surrounds abortion, Scott invited Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Wieder back on the podcast to explain the issues involved, as well as to assert what he feels should be the Orthodox approach toward the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade. (Rabbi Wieder asked me to issue a correction: at 23:08 he cites a second explanation of the Baalei Tosafot for why a person can desecrate Shabbat to save a fetus. This terminology used - "חלל עליו שבת אחת" - is used by Ramban, not Tosafot. Tosafot adopt the same fundamental stance, though they actually call it פקוח נפש.) This halachic discussion with Rabbi Wieder includes a significant amount of halachic terminology. While much of it is translated in the course of the podcast, some of it might be unfamiliar to many listeners. With that in mind, I am including a glossary of sorts, along with the time signatures where terms first appear, in posts in the Orthodox Conundrum Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/OrthodoxConundrum/posts/pfbid0teaNi4YJoVHNYYMJKjKX26KqE66Kq2VUomDq4JLZb5CDK4K8pmbPmeiFiBTLfAoul) and the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). If there are other terms that are unclear, please go to the post in the Discussion Group, comment there, and I or another listener will try to explain what the terminology means. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, May 02, 2022
After the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance become embroiled in controversy last month, many people have begun questioning the future of Orthodox feminism. With that in mind, the Orthodox Conundrum will be releasing several episodes dealing with questions of women and their place in Orthodoxy. In today's episode, Scott interviews Dr. Hannah Lebovits, who discusses structural issues in right wing Orthodoxy that prevent women from becoming knowledge holders, questions regarding "commodification" of great rabbis, why she remains part of the right-wing Orthodox world, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, April 25, 2022
This isn't a regular episode of the Orthodox Conundrum; in fact, it's barely an episode at all. But I wanted to share what's been happening in our lives over the past week because, in the words of Henri Nouwen, "The most personal is the most universal, the most hidden is the most public, and the most solitary is the most communal." Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, April 11, 2022
Just in time for the Seder... so that we can approach the questions that are really bothering so many people. Many religious Jews are troubled by the findings of modern academic studies of the Bible. And few issues can be as fraught with emotion and angst as the question of whether Yetziat Mitzrayim - the Exodus from Egypt - actually happened. After all, the reality of that event is the backbone of so much of Jewish belief; our entire relationship with G-d is largely predicated upon it. So when Bible professors question or doubt whether it happened at all, or whether it happened precisely in the way that the Torah describes, the believing Jew may find himself confused and distraught. Rabbi Joshua Berman, Professor of Tanach at Bar Ilan University, who has been a guest on this podcast before, doesn’t shy away from these issues; he confronts them head-on. What’s especially fascinating is that his approach is far from apologetics. He explains that in defending the Torah, we often have it backwards: that instead of seeing other ancient documents and artifacts echoing the Torah, we should expect the Torah to echo ancient documents and artifacts. In so doing, not only does Rabbi Berman explain why the Torah is believable despite the findings of archeology, but he also uses these discoveries as evidence that the the story is historical. Moreover, some of his ideas can shed new light in fascinating ways on what the Torah is trying to tell us. Plus: he describes his amazing trips to Egypt and how they provided him with insights into the Exodus. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, April 05, 2022
It sometimes seems as though the stream of child abuse allegations is never ending. There is certainly greater awareness now than there was in the past, but are we really doing everything possible to keep our children safe? Child safety advocate Rav Yakov Horowitz says it’s time for Child Safety 2.0 - that is, to supplement what we might have done until now with added methods and better understanding and awareness. He talked with Scott about how predators groom entire communities along with their victims, problems in communication between parents and children (even when parents tell their kids that they should report abuse to them), barriers that allow abusers to hide in plain sight, the dangers of the charismatic teacher who is also the resident crazy character, and more. Yedid Nefesh is a passionate community of monthly givers on a mission to end mental health stigma and suffering in our communities... People like you, giving anything they can to prove that change is possible. Your monthly donation can give dozens of people with mental health challenges access to communal and Rabbinic support through our hotline every year. To join Yedid Nefesh, go to https://mnefesh.org/yedidnefesh/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, March 28, 2022
"I always thought that the first time I'd talk about my daughter publicly would be at her funeral." Last week we released an episode about problematic behaviors in Modern Orthodox high schools, with a particular focus on binge drinking. This week, Scott speaks with Lianne Forman, who founded the CCSA organization - Communities Confronting Substance Use and Addiction - along with her husband. Lianne forthrightly discusses drug use in the Orthodox community, the importance of removing the stigma, and what parents need to know in order to help their children - because sooner or later, our kids are going to be exposed to it. Lianne also relates the very personal story of their daughter’s misuse of alcohol and drugs. To learn more go to https://www.jewishccsa.org/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, March 21, 2022
With Purim now in the rear-view mirror, it’s worthwhile to investigate the place of drinking in our Orthodox communities. Rabbi Tully Harcsztark and Dr. Rivka Schwartz assert that it does, indeed, play a troubling role. In fact, scientific surveys have demonstrated that yeshiva high school students are involved in numerous antisocial behaviors, like binge drinking, gambling, and marijuana use - and some of them, at a significantly higher rate than American high school students in general. Parents and educators - and everyone who cares about the future of the Jewish community - need to ask why this is happening, how it is connected to affluence, what can be done to change these behaviors, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, March 15, 2022
How should Orthodox Jews relate to the mitzvah of wiping out Amalek - a Torah law that might seem immoral? What are we remembering when we think of Amalek, and is there a message within that resonates with committed Torah Jews living in the 21st century? Join Scott as he talks with Rabbi Aryeh Klapper about Amalek, and what Parashat Zachor and Purim mean for Jews today. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Read an article by Rabbi Klapper about Amalek here: http://torahleadership.org/categories/beshalach_5780.pdf http://torahleadership.org/ https://moderntoraleadership.wordpress.com/ https://moderntoraleadership.wordpress.com/ Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, March 14, 2022
Rav Eliezer Melamed, the author of the Peninei Halacha series, has recently been condemned by some very important rabbis. These well-respected individuals didn’t merely disagree with his specific opinions, but also used ad hominem language and attacked him personally. What's actually going on? To understand the attempted ban, what Rav Melamed is trying to accomplish, what specific ideas are so controversial, and why the controversy has erupted now, Scott spoke to Rabbi Elli Fischer, the editor of the English Peninei Halacha series. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, March 07, 2022
Two weeks ago, the Orthodox Conundrum hosted a panel discussion with Rabbi Moshe Simkovich, Yoetzet Halacha Tova Warburg Sinensky, and Olivia Friedman about the need for a course in yeshiva high schools that offers a frank presentation of a Jewish sexual ethic. We are now presenting Part Two, where Scott speaks with Yoetzet Bracha Rutner and Adira Botwinick. They talk about some of the difficult consequences that result from a lack of such education, and what more needs to be done - everywhere from elementary school through kallah and chatan classes. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, March 01, 2022
Russia has invaded Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has put Russia’s nuclear forces on alert, 40 million Ukrainians are in peril, including over 100,000 Jews, and the whole world is on edge. What should we, as Orthodox Jews, be thinking and doing? Scott spoke with Rav Judah Mischel and Rav Yonah Bookstein to hear a Torah perspective on the current war, the very mixed history of Jewish life in Ukraine, and what actions we should be taking. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, February 21, 2022
Should intimacy and sex be taught in religious high schools? The members of today's panel believe that it’s not only a good idea, but extremely important and imperative. Many of us have discovered that ignorance when it comes to sex and sexuality can have far reaching consequences. Particularly in light of the recent reports of a rape at Yeshiva University - where the perpetrator allegedly excused his crime by saying, “But it’s fun” - we see that a Jewish sexual ethic is not something that our children and students just acquire by osmosis. If we don’t teach it, we can only blame ourselves when things go wrong. Scott was honored to host Rabbi Moshe Simkovich, Yoetzet Halacha Tova Warburg Sinensky, and Mrs. Olivia Friedman on today’s episode. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, February 15, 2022
Whether we’re talking about extraordinarily lavish weddings, or over-the-top Pesach programs, or the race to beat the next summer camp with trips to ever more glamorous locations, or even the clothes we wear, it’s hard to deny that many of us are caught in a trap of overemphasis on material goods and experiences - an overemphasis which is frankly at odds with Torah values. On the other hand, even saying this can be problematic. First of all, isn’t materialism in the eye of the beholder? It’s almost impossible to define, which means that any complaints might be unfair - and, simultaneously, those who overspend on their lifestyle never have any reason to think that they are doing anything wrong. How do we approach the phenomenon of situations, vacations, programs, and lifestyles that are mehadrin min hamehadrin in all ways related to ritual… while their very existence and foundations violate fundamental Torah values? To learn more about this, Scott was honored to speak to Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Wieder, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, February 07, 2022
The lack of unity among the Jewish people is as obvious as it is troubling. We all know that it’s a problem, and has been a problem for as long as there have been Jews. But the normal way of addressing it is by saying that unity is achievable… just as soon as everyone agrees with my way of seeing things. Obviously, this isn’t a method that is destined to succeed. Sometimes it seems that the gaps are too big, the disagreements too intense, the self-righteousness of all sides too entrenched. JJ Sussman, the International Director at Gesher, says that all is not lost. He asserts that dialogue can do wonders, and - here’s the interesting part - he’s seen some of those wonders with his own eyes. Like when a well-known secular Jew explained the Chareidi refusal to serve in the Israeli army to a Los Angeles family, and was emotional when recounting that for the first time, despite his continued opposition to that way of thinking, he was able to articulate and perhaps even understand where the other side is coming from. Join Scott Kahn for his interview with JJ Sussman to learn more. And check out the whole (unedited!) YouTube video at https://youtu.be/4bt60uVqphM. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, February 01, 2022
On August 25th, 2021 the student newspaper at Yeshiva University, The Commentator, published an anonymous opinion piece entitled, "I Thought Rape Culture Didn’t Exist at YU — Until I Was Raped." Its allegations were deeply troubling, and charged that the university was extremely negligent in its handling of the serious charge that a Yeshiva College student on the basketball team had raped a student from Stern College. In this episode, Scott interviews Shifra Lindenberg and Asher Lovy about the very controversial Non Disclosure Agreement, the failures of the Title IX office, where Yeshiva University went wrong , and what changes need to occur to prevent administrative negligence and failure in the future. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, January 24, 2022
Daas Torah can be broadly defined as the belief that great Torah scholars have unusual insight in all areas of human endeavor, and that the Orthodox community as a whole (as well as its individual members) would do well - or may even be required - to consult with these outstanding rabbis before undertaking any significant action. But is this actually a traditional Jewish belief, or is it a relatively recent innovation? How much does the Charedi public truly accept Daas Torah as normative? Where does it come from and how has it changed over time? Scott spoke with Professor Marc Shapiro to address these and many more questions in this fascinating interview. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, January 17, 2022
Accepting "Daat Torah" nowadays usually means believing that the greatest Torah scholars have unusual insight in areas outside of Jewish law and thought; for this reason, a person should or even must ask their opinion before doing… well, perhaps anything. Minimally, even communal matters that are not halachic issues per se require consultation with the authorities before moving forward. Scott discusses this concept and explains why he thinks that even people who can accept it in theory should reject its modern incarnation. This is not a halachic analysis, and it is not intended to be comprehensive. Rather, it is a series of reflections on the ways that Daat Torah has gone wrong, and how the way it is understood today causes terrible damage to Jews and Torah Judaism. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, January 10, 2022
Apart from the horror that was engendered by the Chaim Walder revelations and his subsequent suicide, there has been significant discussion about the Chareidi media’s varied responses to the terrible situation. Some media outlets lauded Walder after his death, which apparently helped trigger the suicide of one of Walder’s victims. Ignoring truth for the sake of a supposed higher value has consequences, some potentially catastrophic. To better understand ultra-Orthodox media, Scott spoke to Dr. Yoel Finkelman, Curator of the Haim and Hanna Salomon Judaica Collection at the National Library of Israel. (Please note that in this podcast, Dr. Finkelman is speaking as an interested observer of Chareidi media and not in any official work capacity. The opinions expressed are his own.) Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com Head shot of Dr. Finkelman by Yorai Lieberman
Tue, January 04, 2022
The news that convulsed the Jewish world last week about Chaim Walder’s suicide, following many credible accusations against him of sexual abuse and harassment, highlighted Orthodoxy's leadership crisis. Some prominent rabbis in different sectors of Orthodoxy said and did the right things; but many did not. Some of what these other leaders publicly asserted was ignorant, hurtful, and damaging. Some leaders even implicitly or explicitly showed honor to Walder... and last week, a victim of Walder's abuse died by suicide, apparently triggered by the honor shown to Walder after his death. Yes, we have a leadership crisis. The occasion of Walder’s suicide didn’t create that crisis, but it may have caused that crisis to reach a boiling point. The question now is, what do we do about it? To talk about this crisis Scott spoke with Rabbi Yosef Blau, the senior mashgiach ruchani at Yeshiva University. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, December 29, 2021
On December 27, celebrated children's author Chaim Walder was found dead after apparently shooting himself in a Petach Tikva cemetery. In November, Walder had been credibly accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment in an expose published by Haaretz; this was followed by the revelation that these particular accusations were only the tip of the iceberg. Walder, it turned out, was a monster. The news of Walder's suicide has rocked the Orthodox world. Scott asked Shana Aaronson, the executive director of Magen, to join him again on the podcast to answer questions that she has been receiving over the past two days. Although Shana discussed Chaim Walder last month in episode 87, she now answers some of the new questions that have arisen, as well as questions that people asked after listening to the earlier discussion. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, December 27, 2021
Corruption. No transparency. Cover-ups. This, tragically, is too often the reality in the world of Orthodox Jewish charitable organizations. While some tzedaka funds are well-run, honest, and transparent, others are unprincipled and untrustworthy... and sometimes even worse. (Remember when you gave to help someone get a desperately needed kidney transplant? Are you sure the patient even exists?) Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt highlighted this issue in a twitter thread a couple of months ago, and Scott discussed this with her further in this interview. They also talked about her dual role as a journalist and a rebbetzin, the conflicts that are engendered by that dual role, the fine line between journalism and activism, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, December 20, 2021
Jews who live in majority-Christian countries are used to being inundated with Christmas imagery during the month of December. But while that might be innocuous per se, it also raises a more serious question of whether Orthodox Jews need to be concerned about the attempts of some Christian missionaries to convert Jews to Christianity. Many of us likely believe that while we need to combat the conversion of any Jew, Orthodox or otherwise, the danger to Orthodox Jews is minimal, at worst. Rabbi Tovia Singer of Outreach Judaism suggests that the threat to Orthodox Jews is stronger than many assume. Scott spoke to Rabbi Singer in the wake of the Michael Elkohen situation in Episode 67, and this week they discuss the more general risk posed by missionaries targeting Orthodox Jews. Rabbi Singer explains what every Orthodox Jew needs to know, and how Jews can combat the conversion techniques of missionaries. More controversially, he bluntly explains why, in contrast to the opinions of many people working in the area of interfaith dialogue, Christianity is not good for Christians and does not have a real redemptive purpose, and that Evangelical Fundamentalists of all stripes are interested in Jewish evangelism, even if they don’t say so out loud. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, December 13, 2021
Last week, Sam Sokol of Haaretz reported that, “Israel’s ultra-Orthodox parties on Monday declared war on the 'Hellenists' in the government looking to upend the country’s religious status quo, promising to launch a joint national struggle to preserve the state’s Jewish character.” What changes are being suggested - and why do these changes make the Orthodox parties so angry? In order to discuss what the government would like to do, what the religious parties want instead, and what might actually happen and what probably won’t, Scott spoke to Sam Sokol to find out what's really going on. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, December 02, 2021
When many people think about Chanukah, they think about heroism. And that makes sense: the Maccabees were real heroes, defying the might of their Syrian Greek overlords and fighting for Jewish practice in the Land of Israel. At the same time, much of the Jewish world gets the meaning of heroism wrong... or gets it right and chooses to ignore it. What is heroism, where are we failing, and what can we do to start demonstrating real heroism in our Orthodox communities? Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, November 29, 2021
Thursday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, making this an especially appropriate time to reflect on the issue of domestic violence in the Orthodox world. Many assume that domestic violence is an issue with minimal relevance in Orthodox communities; Rachel Stomel of the Center for Women’s Justice, however, argues that this attitude is, sadly, very mistaken. She asserts that not only does domestic violence take place in our communities, but also that some of the systems we have in place - whether we mean the government sponsored Rabbinate, individual batei din, or perhaps even halacha itself - can be contributing factors. This interview presents some disturbing realities. For anyone who cares about Torah and halacha, we need to face these questions head on. You may disagree with Rachel, but as she said on the podcast, raising the issue, even if we don’t know how to create airtight solutions, is a necessary first step. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, November 22, 2021
Just over a week ago, we heard the very disturbing news that the well known and influential children’s author, Chaim Walder, was accused by multiple people of sexually abusing several girls between the ages of 13 and 20. Apart from his celebrity as an author, Walder has worked as a therapist, and is the founder of the Center for the Child and Family in Bnei Brak, a talk show host, and a columnist. After these allegations were published in Haaretz and other media outlets, his newspaper and radio station have discontinued working with him, while numerous stores have stopped selling all of his books. Shana Aaronson, the executive director of Magen, had heard of these allegations before they became public, and Scott spoke with her both about the Chaim Walder situation, as well as about how parents can protect children from sexual abuse. They talked about what parents should and should not do, what are the yellow and red flags they should notice, and if they notice such warning signs, what they should do next. To learn more about Magen, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/magen.lotishtok. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, November 17, 2021
Our last episode featured the first half of Scott's interview with Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, the rabbi of the Pico Shul in Los Angeles and the founder of Shabbat Tent. In that podcast they talked about the difference between kiruv and outreach, and why that difference matters. Today Rav Yonah explains why music and film festivals have provided him with amazing opportunities for healthy Jewish outreach. He even compares the experience of music festivals with that of Matan Torah, and asserts that this comparison is actually crucial to understanding how to reach out to Jews, whoever and wherever they are. This also leads him to tell us what he thinks the future of outreach has to be - and along the way he tells some great stories, too. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also check out https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, November 15, 2021
The Orthodox world has often stressed the importance of kiruv - that is, working to help non-Orthodox Jews become Torah observant. But Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, the rabbi of the Pico Shul in Los Angeles, wants to make a distinction between kiruv and outreach; he personally stresses the latter in his important work with Jews across the spectrum of religiosity. What does that mean? How can we avoid being judgmental when we believe that Torah Judaism represents the proper way to actualize Judaism in our lives? What is defined as successful outreach - and are the terms “success” and “failure” even appropriate at all? Scott spoke with Yonah about these and other important topics regarding the future of outreach. (Make sure to check out part two of this interview, dropping later this week, where Rav Yonah talks about his experiences in reaching Jews through Shabbat Tent at music festivals across the country, how music festivals can be compared to the Jewish People in the desert as seen from Bil’am’s viewpoint - yes, really - and what music festivals have in common with Matan Torah - yes, really, again.) Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, November 08, 2021
Yael Braun is a to'enet halacha, someone who goes to the beit din (rabbinic court) in order to advocate on behalf of her clients. In fact, she says that she is the first and only to'enet halacha in the United States. What is the role of a to'enet, and has she had problems stepping into a job normally occupied only by men? But alongside telling stories and explaining the importance of her job, Yael presents a rather hopeful picture of a number of different issues. She has had a very positive experience in her interactions with Chassidish batei din; despite the common stereotype of batei din being misogynist, she has been warmly accepted and encouraged by the dayanim, or judges. Moreover, she also has seen progress on the issue of get refusal ever since the #FreeChava movement began - a movement in which she played a role. Join Scott and Yael Braun for an entertaining, enlightening, and encouraging discussion. (Listen to the whole episode: towards the beginning, Scott's ignorance about a to'enet's job will become blatantly apparent, and towards the end you'll hear Yael's very funny and appropriate rejoinder when a male to'en calls her a witch.) Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, November 01, 2021
Last week Scott spoke with Rabbi Shalom Hammer about the changes that he feels we must make in order for Israeli society to better deal with mental illness in general, and suicidal ideation in particular. This week he spoke with Rabbi Hammer again, and they had a very difficult and emotional - but important - conversation. Rabbi Hammer's daughter Gila died by suicide almost two years ago; they will be commemorating her passing on chet kislev, which this year falls out on the twelfth of November. He offers his personal insights on dealing with grief, relating to the rest of the children after the death of a child, how it affected his faith in G-d, what has been helpful and hurtful, the process of moving forward, and more. If you would like to contribute - in Gila’s memory - to help Rabbi Hammer break stigmas in mental health, please click on https://www.jgive.com/new/en/usd/donation-targets/58560. Please also visit the following sites to hear more from Rabbi Hammer and to reach out to him: https://www.rabbihammer.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN5oWx1lIrrjkaNs9R8KtjA https://www.facebook.com/rabbihammer https://www.instagram.com/rabbihammer/ Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, October 25, 2021
Less than two years ago, Gila Hammer died by suicide. Since that catastrophic tragedy, her father, Rabbi Shalom Hammer, has been working nonstop to advocate for important changes in the way that the Israeli establishment - medical and governmental - treats mental illness. Rabbi Hammer has also become an important advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. He does this in Gila’s memory, in order to do whatever is possible so that other families do not go through the horror that he, his wife, and children have experienced. In this episode, Scott speaks with Rabbi Hammer about the serious problems that exist, and what can be done to help fix them. If you would like to contribute - in Gila’s memory - to help Rabbi Hammer break stigmas in mental health, please click on https://www.jgive.com/new/en/usd/donation-targets/58560. Please also visit the following sites to hear more from Rabbi Hammer and to reach out to him: https://www.rabbihammer.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN5oWx1lIrrjkaNs9R8KtjA https://www.facebook.com/rabbihammer https://www.instagram.com/rabbihammer/ Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, October 18, 2021
Another episode about COVID-19? Yes - because we need to address the fact that Am Yisrael, which should be a light unto the nations, which should be at the forefront of caring about science and expert opinion, which should be loudly proclaiming to the world that pikuach nefesh - the saving of life - takes precedence over almost anything and everything, has not collectively risen to the challenge. Twenty months into the spread of the coronavirus, we still have large groups of openly Orthodox Jewish people who simply don’t care. Or deny. Or -worst of all - try to convince other people to deny reality as well. This is NOT to take away from the many religious Jews - including roshei yeshiva and Chassidic rebbes and others - who are demanding that their communities vaccinate and be careful. And it’s also not to say that many vaccine and COVID deniers don’t honestly believe what they say, and have honorable and good intentions. But Jewish thought emphasizes behavior, not unrealized motivations. G-d may well judge them favorably, but our job is to be honest: and people who convince others to avoid the vaccine are involved in a type of manslaughter. Dr. Blima Marcus is at the forefront - both in the field and on social media - of fighting against their propaganda. In this episode, Scott speaks to her about her experiences in the ultra-Orthodox community, and why vaccine denial is so anti-scientific and insidious. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, October 11, 2021
One of the most painful challenges for religious Jews is when a child leaves Orthodoxy - in the colloquial phrase, goes off the derech. This event can elicit many different emotional reactions, from anger, to guilt, to sadness, to feelings of rejection, to fears about their other children, to concerns about what the neighbors will say, and much more. Rabbi Menachem Bombach of Beitar Illit in Israel and the director of the Netzach Hareidi Educational Network, has done a tremendous service by publicly discussing his own experience of parenting a child who is no longer part of the Orthodox community. He wrote a blog post in the Times of Israel entitled Thou Shalt Love Your Child Who Leaves Religion and describes forthrightly the challenges and opportunities for parents who face this difficult situation. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, October 04, 2021
Some of the most serious challenges to traditional Orthodox faith come from academic approaches to the Bible, including what is generally termed Biblical criticism. The Rambam formulated thirteen principles of faith; his eighth principle is succinctly (though inexactly) summarized in the well known Ani Maamin, which says: I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah found currently in our possession is that which was given to Moshe our teacher. And while this is far from a perfect summary of the actual words of the Rambam, it’s close enough to give anyone who has familiarity with both lower and higher Biblical criticism pause. How should a religious Jew relate to academic study of theTorah and the challenges it presents? Are we forced to live with the questions, or are there compelling approaches which defend the traditional view while also being acceptable in the academy? Should a person stay away from these questions, or is the search for truth paramount, even as it may be dangerous? To answer these and other questions, Scott spoke with Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman, Professor of Tanach at Bar Ilan University. Rabbi Berman’s latest book, and the focus of this weeks episode of Orthodox Conundrum, is Ani Maamin: Biblical Criticism, Historical Accuracy and the Thirteen Principles of Faith. It may be purchased at https://www.amazon.com/Ani-Maamin-Criticism-Historical-Principles/dp/1592645380. This coming January Rabbi Berman will be leading a tour to Egypt, “In the Footsteps of the Exodus” in conjunction with Kesher Tours. The tour will be the first ever kosher tour of the great sites of Egypt through the eyes of the Tanakh. https://keshertours.com/tours/egypt/ Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, September 13, 2021
In preparation for Yom Kippur, the Orthodox Conundrum presents a conversation between Scott and Rabbi Judah Mischel, the author of the fine new book Baderech: Along the Path of Teshuva. Together they explore the fundamentals of repentance, in order to enable every individual to live a life of meaning and closeness to G-d. To order Baderech, go to https://www.amazon.com/Baderech-Teshuvah-Rabbi-Judah-Mischel/dp/1952370523/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=baderech&qid=1631473503&sr=8-1 Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, September 06, 2021
On Rosh Hashanah, we ask G-d to "remember us with a good remembrance." If G-d remembers everything - which we acknowledge in that same blessing - what, exactly, are we asking Him to do? Scott invokes the broken toilet pump in his basement to provide an answer. We wish everyone listening, along with all Israel and the world, a ketiva v'chatima tova and a sweet new year! Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast.
Mon, August 30, 2021
As American high school graduates start arriving in Israel for a year or two in yeshiva, many people - including students and parents considering a year in Israel in the future, as well as the parents of students who are currently starting yeshiva - have questions and concerns. For that reason, the Orthodox Conundrum convened a panel discussion to address them honestly and forthrightly. Scott discussed many important issues with Rabbis Jonathan Cohen, Boaz Mori, Binny Freedman, and Reuven Taragin, including the purpose of the year in yeshiva, why it’s necessary after 12 years of Jewish day school, whether success in learning is equated with spiritual and moral success, how mental health issues are addressed, preventing sexual abuse, alcohol policies, and more. Please note that this panel discussion is not addressing any particular yeshiva; the panel was designed to talk about how these issues are addressed in general by all the different programs. (Please also note that this particular panel was referencing the boys’ yeshivot rather than the girls’ midrashot; if listeners would be interested in another panel discussion about the seminaries for young women, please let us know by writing to scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com.) Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 23, 2021
There is, thankfully, much greater awareness of mental illness today than there was in the past. This naturally leads to the question of how much mental health should affect halacha, or Jewish law. Is someone with an eating disorder permitted to eat on Yom Kippur - or perhaps the question should be, is that person is allowed to fast? If a person suffering from PTSD needs to smoke on Shabbat, is there room to be lenient? If the key question is how mental illness is related to sakanat nefashot - a danger to life - how can a determination like that be made that is both medically reasonable and halachically proper? Many rabbis, though well meaning, are simply not aware of how mental health concerns intersect with halacha. And when it comes to pastoral counseling and giving non-halachic advice, rabbis might be even more in the dark, and can unwittingly cause serious damage. Rav Yoni Rosensweig is at the forefront of bringing awareness of mental illness into the rabbinic community. He has written a book on the subject, and is starting an institute so that rabbis acquire the knowledge necessary in order to more appropriately confront these issues. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott speaks with Rav Yoni about these very pressing issues. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 16, 2021
Many people believe that there are essentially no mamzerim anymore. Many people believe that if someone is suspected of being a mamzer, the problem is quickly resolved. Many people believe that if a person is determined to be a mamzer, there is nothing left to do. Rivkah Lubitch, of the Center for Women's Justice and an advocate for agunot and mamzerim in Israel, asserts that all three of these assumptions are incorrect. Join Scott for a fascinating and sometimes disturbing conversation with Rivkah about mamzerim in Israel. The Hebrew position paper link can be found at https://bit.ly/MamzerForumHebrew. (An English version will be ready shortly and will soon be posted.) Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 09, 2021
What is the most effective way to generate faith in G-d? What are proper and improper outreach techniques, and how can we avoid condescension when doing kiruv? When should leaders work within the system and when is it time to create new institutions? Are the Jewish People on the right or wrong path? These questions are important and pressing, and Scott spoke with musician, author, teacher, and spiritual leader Rabbi Shlomo Katz to hear his opinion about how best to address them. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 02, 2021
Climate change and protecting the environment is one of the most pressing issues in the world today - and, at least anecdotally, it seems that many Orthodox Jews are behind the curve when it comes to taking it seriously. They likely have good reasons for this, including doubts about its reality, prioritizing other issues that appear more pressing or important, questions about the politics and political background of those who are at the forefront of calling for action, the assumption that nothing substantive can be done at all, and an ingrained tendency to work primarily on internal Jewish issues rather than on universal human concerns. Rabbi Barry Kornblau, however, is sounding the alarm and asserts that ignoring this oncoming freight train is both foolish and a violation of Torah norms. In this episode, Scott speaks with Rabbi Kornblau about what has happened, what should be done, and why Torah Jews must finally take climate change seriously. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, July 26, 2021
The Netflix reality show, My Unorthodox Life, has been the talk of much of the Orthodox world since it was released less than two weeks ago. It tells the story of Julia Haart, who first developed a shoe line, and quickly rose in the world of fashion. She now is the the CEO and co-owner of Elite World Group, the world’s largest modeling network. As most of you probably know, the reason that her story is different from others is that Julia was an Orthodox Jew named Talia Hendler living in Monsey. She had once been a passionate teacher of Torah in an Orthodox high school in Atlanta. About eight years ago, she left her husband and Orthodoxy itself, just days after her daughter’s wedding. Her astounding rise took place entirely in the past eight years. Orthodox Jews have had varied reactions to the series, from complete rejection of Julia’s honesty and experience, to countering her story of oppression with stories of loving being Orthodox under the hashtag #Myorthodoxlife, to accepting and celebrating Julia’s journey. In the latest Orthodox Conundrum Podcast, Scott speaks to Talli Rosenbaum, Anne Gordon, and Shoshanna Keast-Jaskoll to get their reactions to the series - including the question about whether men have a right to discuss Julia's story, the positives and negatives of Julia's interactions with her family, the implications for Orthodoxy, and more. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, July 15, 2021
Join Scott Kahn in this bonus episode for commentaries on 25 of the 40 kinot (lamentations) that Jews recite on the morning of Tisha B'Av. (The time signatures for each commentary are listed below.) Along with all of the Jewish people, we pray that this be the final Tisha B’Av on which we mourn. May the upcoming year be one of gladness, joy, and redemption for us, for all of Israel, and for the whole world. Kinah 6 (שבת סורו) begins at 0:42 Kinah 7 (איכה אצת) begins at 6:17 Kinah 8 (אאדה) begins at 9:04 Kinah 9 (איכה תפארתי) beings at 13:42 Kinah 10 (איכה ישבה) begins at 17:01 Kinah 11 (ויקונן ירמיהו) begins at 19:59 Kinah 12 (אהלי) begins at 25:16 Kinah 13 (אי כה) begins at 29:40 Kinah 14 (איכה את אשר כבר עשוהו) begins at 34:55 Kinah 15 (איכה אשפתו) begins at 40:19 Kinah 16 (זכר את אשר עשה) begins at 41:56 Kinah 17 (אם תאכלנה) begins at 47:35 KInah 18 (ואתה אמרת) begins at 51:11 Kinah 19 (לך ה' הצדקה) begins at 54:59 Kinah 20 (הטה אלקי אזנך) begins at 1:00:30 Kinah 21 (ארזי הלבנון) begins at 1:03:16 Kinah 22 (החרישו) begins at 1:09:51 Kinah 23 (ואת נוי) begins at 1:16:37 Kinah 24 (על אלה אני בוכיה) begins at 1:18:12 Kinah 25 (מי יתן ראשי מים) begins at 1:20:45 Kinah 27 (אז במלאת ספק) begins at 1:24:34 Kinah 31 (אש תוקד בקרבי) begins at 1:30:26 Kinah 36 (ציון הלא תשאלי) begin at 1:34:24 Kinah 41 (שאלי שרופה באש) begins at 1:37:55 Kinah 45 (אלי ציון) begins at 1:41:43 Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast.
Tue, July 13, 2021
Twenty years ago, 15-year-old Malki Roth and fourteen other people were murdered when a suicide bomber went into the Sbarro restaurant in central Jerusalem and detonated a bomb in his guitar case. Yet Ahlam Tamimi, the mastermind behind the murder, remains proud of what she did, and lives a free and charmed life as a celebrity in Jordan. Arnold and Frimet Roth, Malki's parents, are working tirelessly to bring Tamimi to justice. Their story is obviously painful; the indifference shown to them by so many people in power will probably make you angry. But they continue to do whatever they can to get Tamimi out of Jordan and back into jail. Scott spoke with Arnold in this moving, difficult, but very important interview. You can visit the Malki Foundation at https://kerenmalki.org/. A recent article by Arnold Roth can be found at https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/will-joe-biden-grant-my-daughter. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, July 06, 2021
When we look at the State of Israel, we can sometimes be overwhelmed with how incredible, miraculous, and wonderful it is, while simultaneously being completely flustered with how difficult the bureaucracy and other aspects of life are experienced. Very few people have experienced this as acutely as David Ben Moshe. David’s story is fascinating. He was in federal prison in the United States for drug distribution and unlicensed dealing of firearms. After he was released early for good behavior and then sent to a halfway house, he became deeply involved in Baltimore’s Orthodox community, and eventually converted to Judaism and moved to Israel. But despite the fact that it recognized his conversion as valid - he married in Israel under the auspices of the Rabbanut - the Israeli Ministry of the Interior has not yet allowed him to make aliya because, they say, of his criminal past. His story is equal parts fascinating, disturbing, and inspiring. Scott talked to David about how he first became interested in Judaism, his ongoing attempts at making aliya, his love for the Land and People of Israel, his life before converting, the problems of cancel culture, and more. To read David's recent article in Newsweek, go to https://www.newsweek.com/im-black-ex-felon-i-have-message-about-cancel-culture-opinion-1604846. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, June 28, 2021
This episode deals with a topic that a lot of people actively avoid thinking about, but which frankly must be addressed forthrightly to avoid arguments in our families after we’re gone: the allocation of property after we die. And while many of us don’t want to think about this question, caring about our families requires us to do so. We can freely admit that the Torah laws of inheritance are quite different from what most parents would want for their children. In fact, a firstborn son receives a double portion, a wife does not inherit her husband, and daughters do not inherit property when there are also sons. While there are provisions in halacha to take care of the surviving wife and daughters, the simple reality is that the vast majority of people would rather not follow the laws of inheritance as set down in the Torah - and for good reason. Jewish law has provided a solution, which is a halachic supplement to the regular legal will. But how does it work? How is this not a violation of Torah law? What is the legal and philosophical justification for ignoring the Torah’s directive that wives and daughters, in most cases, do not inherit property? To answer these and other questions, Scott spoke with Rabbi Menachem Copperman, the founder and manager of Kadat V'Kadin (RavCopperman@kadatvkadin.com; http://kadatvkadin.com/). Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Click on the "Productions" link, scroll down, and sign up for a free half hour consultation. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, June 21, 2021
When the founders of Torah uMadda spoke about integrating Judaism and culture, they were thinking about Milton and Shakespeare, Bach and Beethoven; sitcoms, action movies, and hip hop are most likely far from what they had in mind. Do you think that modern pop culture can be elevated? Can it serve as a source of spirituality or, at least, as a spur to think about important issues? Or is it just a way to relax (at best) and, if people can avoid it altogether, they should? These are just some of the questions I discussed with Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm, the cofounder of the The Joshua Network and the creator and host of its flagship podcast, Good Faith Effort. Rabbi Lamm feels very strongly about the importance of engaging with popular culture - not merely for relaxation, but also for spiritual exaltation. He is even more adamant that we should be contributing to culture, being producers rather than just consumers - givers, that is, rather than merely takers. He believes that the time has come for Judaism to influence the wider non-Jewish world through such activity, and that the world is now ready to hear traditional Jewish voices. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, June 14, 2021
In the last Orthodox Conundrum (episode 66), Scott talked with Amanda Bradley about the crazy case of Michael Elkohen, a Christian missionary who was masquerading as a Chareidi rabbi, sofer, mohel, Kabbalist, and even kohen. In fact, he wasn’t even Jewish at all, and neither was his wife; his actual last name was Elk, not Elkohen. The question still remains about what damage Michael Elk actually did. After all, Orthodox Jews might be a prime target of missionaries, but Orthodox Jews are far less likely to convert to Christianity than other sectors of the Jewish population. So are Michael Elk and the other imposters like him - yes, he's far from the only missionary pretending to be a rabbi - actually dangerous? To find out the answer to this and other related questions, Scott had an extensive conversation with Rabbi Tovia Singer of Outreach Judaism. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, June 07, 2021
Towards the end of April, the Jewish world was rocked by the revelation that a supposed chareidi rabbi, mohel, and sofer living in Jerusalem, Michael Elkohen, was actually not Jewish at all, and was an undercover Christian missionary named Michael Elk. He had long claimed that he was a baal teshuva from the United States, but it became clear that he had no Jewish ancestry, that he was a believing Christian, and that the so-called yeshiva he had opened, Yarim HaAm, was actually a seminary which was designed to train other Messianic rabbis who would pose as Orthodox Jews while secretly working to transmit a belief in Jesus. Making the story even more complicated - and, frankly, crazier - is the fact that Michael’s wife, Amanda, died from cancer several months ago in Jerusalem. And, it now turns out, Amanda was also an imposter, pretending with her husband to be a baalat teshuva when, in fact, she is a gentile from Washington State without any Jewish ancestry whatsoever. Amanda Bradley lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh, and was a close friend of Amanda Elk’s. In fact, she stayed with her in the hospital the Shabbat before Amanda Elk died. She knows the story of the Elks as well as probably anyone, and is determined to work to make sure that Michael doesn’t try to infiltrate another Orthodox community - which, actually - might be what he’s trying to do. Join Scott as he asks Amanda about the Elks' story, how she found out the truth, and why this situation is so dangerous. Stay tuned next week for Part Two, where Scott interviews Rabbi Tovia Singer of Outreach Judaism to gain further insight into the ongoing threat of undercover missionaries in Israel. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, June 02, 2021
Shira Lankin Sheps, the creator and publisher of The Layers Project Magazine, has been conveying the challenges and triumphs of Jewish women for years, and is passionate about creating spaces for stories that need to be told and changing the dialogue around stigmatized topics. Her new book, Layers, accomplishes this in new and exciting ways. Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Shira about the book's goals, what she wouldn't include and why, the reason there isn't a Layers Project for men, and much more. To purchase Layers, go to https://korenpub.com/products/the-layers-project. Use code LAYERS10 to get 10% off. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, June 01, 2021
Shira Lankin Sheps, the creator and publisher of The Layers Project Magazine, has been conveying the challenges and triumphs of Jewish women for years, and is passionate about creating spaces for stories that need to be told and changing the dialogue around stigmatized topics. Her new book, Layers, accomplishes this in new and exciting ways. Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Shira about the book's goals, what she wouldn't include and why, the reason there isn't a Layers Project for men, and much more. To purchase Layers, go to https://korenpub.com/products/the-layers-project. Use code LAYERS10 to get 10% off. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, May 27, 2021
Members of the large evangelical Christian population in the United States have very often been vocal supporters of the Jewish State. But is that true for the younger generation? Can Israel count upon the support of millennial evangelicals? In the face of rising antisemitism, this question is extremely important. Join Scott as he speaks with Pastor Doug Reed and Rabbi Pesach Wolicki about whether this problem does, indeed, exist, what can be done to counter it, the need for greater and more effective social media activism, the beauty of Shabbat, and more. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, May 13, 2021
Hamas rockets fired into Israel are instruments of terror, and have forced millions of innocent civilians into bomb shelters; seven people have been killed in these attacks, and scores injured. But for many people who love Israel, the Arab-Jewish riots taking place in mixed Arab-Jewish cities have even longer term consequences, with serious implications about the future of Israeli society. Join Scott as he asks Daniel Goldman to explain how we got here, what's actually going on, and what needs to be done to allow Israeli society to progress in a healthy and positive direction. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, May 10, 2021
In several recent episodes of this podcast, we’ve discussed issues related to what might be called ehrlichkeit as opposed to frumkeit: that is, the fact that ethics and honesty are often ignored at the expense of increased stringency in ritual. To continue that discussion, Scott was honored to speak with Rabbi Joseph Dweck, the Senior Rabbi of the S&P Sephardi Community of the United Kingdom. In this interview they talked about the move towards stringency and its consequences, whether there is a de-emphasis on studying ethics, how Orthodox Jews should interact with the non-Orthodox Jewish community without compromising halachic standards, the proper response to what occurred in Meron, and more. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, May 03, 2021
The tragic events on Lag BaOmer have cut all of us deeply, and for those who lost family members the pain is indescribable. We cannot let this moment pass and assimilate it into our memories without making sure that we learn the lessons that are staring us in the face, and point fingers at those who should be held accountable. Join Scott and Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll for a difficult but necessary discussion about what happened in Meron last Thursday. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, April 27, 2021
Over the past couple of months, the issue of freeing "chained women" - that is, women whose husbands refuse to give them a get as Jewish law requires - has gained new momentum, thanks to a major campaign that began on Instagram. Yet the problem of get refusal remains one of the most pressing issues in the Orthodox world today. What motivates some men to withhold the get, and why do certain batei din and communities openly support their efforts? Are there cases of reverse blackmail, where the wife refuses to accept the get while threatening to expose her husband as a get refuser? How can the Halachic prenup solve some of these problems, and does it have any serious limitations? Is it possible that the Orthodox world needs to find a replacement for classic "kiddushin" marriage altogether? To discuss these and other relevant questions, Scott spoke with Keshet Starr, the Executive Director of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA), the only nonprofit organization addressing the agunah (Jewish divorce refusal) crisis on a case-by-case basis worldwide. To reach the ORA helpline, call 1-844-673-5463. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, April 19, 2021
David Schimmel z'l passed away last week. You probably never heard of David Schimmel; but that's about to change. The lessons we can learn from his life and death are lessons that need to inform our lives as religious Jews. לעילוי נשמת דוד בן שלמה ז"ל Uri Pransky may be reached in Israel at 972-52-763-8269. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast.
Tue, April 13, 2021
Orthodox Judaism is demanding. We often need to balance competing values - including the fact that our religious inclinations sometimes lead us into questionable moral territory. Too often, we seem make the wrong decisions. Whether with regard to ignoring Netanyahu's corruption trial, celebrating the merger of Israel's Religious Zionist party with racist and misogynistic factions, supporting obvious falsehoods, or speaking with vitriol against political opponents, we sometimes appear to be losing our moral compass. To discuss these and other issues, Scott Kahn spoke with Rabbi Yosef Blau, the Senior Mashgiach Ruchani at Yeshiva University. At the very least, it's time for Orthodox Jews to take a stand for ethics and morality. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, March 25, 2021
The Orthodox Conundrum normally deals with weighty issues in Orthodox society; but in preparation for Pesach, I really enjoyed this interview with Meir Simcha Panzer and Nachliel Selavan about the history and themes of the Haggadah. Together we discussed some of the surprising ideas that underlie the Pesach Seder, as well as the importance of surprising ourselves and our families every time we read the Haggadah. Meir Simcha and Nachliel, who cohost the Artifact Podcast, never fail to find interesting concepts and themes that you might not have noticed before. As you get ready for Pesach, make sure you listen to make your Seder even more meaningful! Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, March 22, 2021
Jewish law requires that both the husband and wife consent to marriage or the marriage is not valid. In practice, however, certain Chassidic communities effectively force a couple to get married - a process which, while conforming to the technical details of halacha, does not truly give either spouse much choice in the matter. To discuss this difficult topic and the issues of consent that arise from it, Scott Kahn and Talli Rosenbaum spoke with Eve Sacks and Yehudis Fletcher, co-founders of Nahamu, about the markers of forced marriage, how the shidduch system might lead to forced marriage, and what can be done so that both husband and wife can enter a marriage willingly and with their full informed consent. (Also listen to the discussion that Scott and Talli have on Intimate Judaism, which extends the discussion to questions that affect Orthodox Jews outside of the Chassidic world. The episode is entitled "(31) Consent and Coercion: Does Judaism Promote Forced Marriage and Sex?" and can be found here: https://intimatejudaism.libsyn.com/) Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, March 15, 2021
The recent news reports about Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, the founder of ZAKA, have been extremely jarring: Meshi-Zahav, a hero to many throughout Israel, stands accused of many counts of sexual abuse. How can we use this as a teachable moment for our children? How should we deal with the prospect of another presumptive role model being revealed as something very different? And how do we balance teaching our children to be careful without frightening them? Rabbi Yakov Horowitz responds to these issues, and also explains the four basic rules of child safety that every parent and child needs to know. Please listen and share this widely, the message is as important as ever. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, March 08, 2021
Rav Judah Mischel is one of those rare people who are permeated with insight, who possess a unique way of looking at the world, which provides those who meet them with encouragement and, frankly, joy. As we approach Pesach, Scott asked him to share his insights into faith, trusting in G-d, educating our kids, inculcating passionate Judaism, asking and addressing questions, the importance of stories, the place of Chassidut, and more. This was a deep and fun conversation; you definitely do not want to miss it. (And who knew that Rav Judah also considers Mister Rogers to be one of his teachers?) Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, February 24, 2021
(In anticipation of Purim, the Orthodox Conundrum is rereleasing this classic episode from last year. The issues raised, unfortunately, apply just as much this year as last.) Purim is, if not the most joyous holiday on the Jewish calendar, then certainly the most "fun." And therein lies the problem: are we teaching our children and students that having fun requires alcohol? Is teenage alcohol abuse a real danger, or is it healthy to let loose given that it's only one day a year? Is worrying about Purim drinking and the effects of kiddush clubs alarmist, or necessary? What should be done if you suspect that your kid has a problem, and how is "problem" even defined? Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Dr. Zev Ganz in this important and timely episode. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, February 22, 2021
The response to coronavirus protocols in Israeli ultra-Orthodox society has been disheartening. Of course, blaming the entire ultra-Orthodox world for the actions of a subset is absurd and unfair. And claiming that the Chareidi world somehow bears unique blame when the Tel Aviv beaches are often full, and protests against the government continue often without any concern for protocols, seems equally problematic. But we simply can’t ignore the verifiable fact that a significantly greater percentage of Chareidi Jews have contracted the coronavirus than the Israeli national average; and this is at least partially the result of an overly relaxed attitude towards guidelines implemented by the government and recommended by the medical establishment. In order to discuss this problem, Scott spoke with Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo, the Founder and Dean of the David Cardozo Academy and the Bet Midrash of Avraham Avinu in Jerusalem. The reason he reached out to him was because Rav Cardozo released an open letter to HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, who is widely regarded as the spiritual leader of much of the Israeli Chareidi world. The letter was a frank and pained request that he and other Chareidi rabbis do more to address the unacceptable ignoring of protocols among some members of ultra-Orthodox society. You can read the letter here: https://www.cardozoacademy.org/an-open-letter-to-rav-chaim-kanievsky-shlita/ Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, February 15, 2021
In a world in which civil discourse is eroding, and where political or religious opponents are cast as enemies, the Orthodox community must step up and set an example... and we are failing miserably. Orly Wahba, the founder of Life Vest Inside, is actually doing something about it. Her film "Kindness Boomerang" was viewed by 100 million people, and she also created and launched Dance for Kindness, the largest annual worldwide FlashMob which has grown to be a phenomenal leadership training program in over 50 countries. Most recently, in 2019, Orly created and launched a mobile app in memory of her grandfather. The app, Abraham’s Legacy: A Social Network for Prayer connects people across the globe through the power of collective prayer. Join Scott as he speaks with Orly about her projects, and how she knows from personal experience that a change in perspective can be transformative. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. The site will also help you learn about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, February 08, 2021
Mister Rogers has become a symbol of kindness, empathy, and understanding. Tim Madigan, who wrote I'm Proud of You: Life Lessons from My Friend Fred Rogers, says that the person on the TV screen was indeed the real Mister Rogers; and when he spoke to adults, Fred's spirituality, depth, intellect, and almost superhuman ability to be attentive and honest was readily apparent. In a world where polite discourse has too often devolved into shouting, and where those with whom we disagree are considered enemies, the messages offered by Fred Rogers are more important than ever. With that in mind, Scott spoke with Tim Madigan about his own experiences with Mister Rogers, and what we can all learn from him and from his example. If you would like to purchase Tim's book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Im-Proud-You-Friendship-Rogers/dp/1470155117/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=I%27m+proud+of+you&qid=1612773792&sr=8-1 Thanks to all of our new Patreon subscribers, who now have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Sun, January 17, 2021
The Orthodox world prides itself on its family values; nowhere is this more apparent than in the Orthodox emphasis on marriage and children. Getting there, however, can sometimes be fraught with all sorts of problems - what has come to be called the shidduch crisis. According to Anna Sherman, a Registered Psychotherapist, Maternal Mental Health Practitioner, and Clinical Supervisor, it’s not just a problem of getting married; it’s a problem of the wrong messages being sent, creating a divorce crisis even more than a shidduch crisis. Scott and Anna discuss the problems with the shidduch system, the consequences of these problems, and what kind of solutions are available to help Orthodoxy create a healthier way for couples to meet. Thanks to all of our new Patreon subscribers, who now have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy everything that you get! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, January 07, 2021
When protestors attacked the United States Capitol based on the president's words, both Jewish law and Jewish values were torn to shreds. Many Orthodox Jews, while not supporting violence, refuse to recognize what has happened as a result of the Trump presidency. With two weeks left before Trump leaves office, Scott Kahn looks at what too many Orthodox Jews have lost as a direct consequence of Trump idolatry. Thanks to all of our new Patreon subscribers, who now have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy everything that you get! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, December 30, 2020
As 2020 comes to a close, Scott takes a brief look back at the past year for Jewish Coffee House, and looks forward to even more in 2021 - and explains how you can help. Listen to the podcast, then go to https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse (and do it fast to get a cup of coffee on us!).
Tue, December 15, 2020
How do we teach faith and belief to our students and children, when so much of society is dismissive of faith and belief? Should intellectual acquiescence or intimate experience be our primary goal? What are the questions that bother kids the most, and what should parents and teachers do when they don't have satisfactory answers to these questions? To address these and other issues, Scott spoke to Rabbi Pesach Sommer, who has over twenty years of experience teaching in Jewish days schools. He is also involved with Project Makom, an organization for charedim who are looking to find a more comfortable way of expressing their religiosity, where he speaks and offers guidance. Pesach is a popular writer, blogger, and accomplished speaker, and a noted thinker in the area of hashkafa and Jewish thought. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, December 01, 2020
It seems that a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 will be available as soon as next month. Yet many people are nervous about the vaccine, and suggested that they might not be interested in having it administered to them - at least not right away. There are concerns about the speed at which it was developed, the possibility of short and long term side effects that might not yet have been discovered, and more. And these questions persist within the Orthodox community, as much as anywhere else. To discuss the vaccine, both from a public health standpoint and from the perspective of Halacha, Scott Kahn interviewed Dr. Sharon Galper Grossman. Dr. Grossman is a radiation oncologist and former faculty member of Harvard Medical School, where she also obtained a Masters in Public Health. She is a graduate of the Morot L’Halakha program for women’s advanced halakha learning at Matan Hasharon. She writes and lectures on women’s health and halakha and teaches for Matan, Machon Puah and the Eden Center where she is the director of community health programming. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, November 16, 2020
It's difficult to deny that the Trump administration was far more pro-Israel than its predecessor; for that reason, many Israelis and others who support Israel are very nervous about what to expect from a Biden administration. Will the gains of the past four years be reversed? Will Biden reenter the Iran deal? Will Israel receive a warm embrace from Washington, or the cold shoulder? To answer these questions, Scott Kahn spoke to Ambassador Michael Oren. Michael Oren served as the Israeli ambassador to the United States from 2009 to 2013, and is a former Member of Knesset and deputy minister in charge of public diplomacy. As both an historian and someone who knows President Obama and Vice President Biden well, Ambassador Oren is uniquely equipped to provide insight into this pressing issue. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, November 02, 2020
Should rabbis express their opinion regarding the candidate they think is better? Should they articulate "the Torah's viewpoint" when it comes to elections? What dangers could potentially result from doing so? Join Scott Kahn for a special editorial episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, where he tells you whom he voted for (surprise, not Trump), and why he respects those who voted differently... with one specific exception. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, October 19, 2020
Many Jews have ambivalent feelings about Christian support for Israel. On the one hand, we’re thrilled to have friends and supporters; but on the other hand, at what cost? Is Christian Zionism a ploy to support Israel and, in the process, convert unsuspecting Jews to Christianity? Is the missionizing impulse a key aspect of Christian Zionism? What, exactly, do Christian Zionists really want? To answer these questions, Scott Kahn spoke with John Enarson, a Christian who comes from an Evangelical background, and who is the Christian Relations Director at Cry For Zion. Also joining the conversation is Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, a leading media voice in the field of Jewish Christian relations, and an educator and consultant for the Outreach Department of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, October 08, 2020
How can it be that wide swaths of the religious Jewish world have become enamored with conspiracy theories, do-it-yourself research in matters of life and death, and even violence, when they don't like a government's policies? This is becoming the public perception of Orthodoxy, both within and without the Jewish world - and the sad reality is that this perception is not baseless. What can we do? How can we reset everything that has gone wrong? Join Scott Kahn for a presentation of the problem. We may not have the answers; but allowing these weeds to grow in Orthodoxy's garden is no longer an option. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, September 23, 2020
THIS PODCAST CONTAINS EXPLICIT MATERIAL. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Intimacy and sexual experiences are so closely connected with a person’s sense of identity, and so seldom discussed in many religious communities, that they often are the source of tremendous feelings of guilt. When are these feelings misplaced and when do they serve a constructive purpose? How should a religious individual manage his experience of guilt? Is there a way to reframe the experience of shame or guilt in order to create a sense of empowerment? Join Talli Rosenbaum and Rabbi Scott Kahn as they tackle these and other timely questions. (This episode also appears on the Intimate Judaism website - go to https://www.intimatejudaism.com/ for show notes and more.)
Mon, September 07, 2020
Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, Founding Dean of Yeshiva Darchei Noam of Monsey, is finding solutions to enable students to learn Gemara, and to enjoy it. His talk with Scott Kahn included insights into solutions for helping students enjoy Gemara learning, effective testing and evaluation methodologies, thoughts about when students should begin learning Talmud, whether strong students also require skill building, how Rabbi Horowitz got into teaching, and much more. If you would like to order a copy of Rabbi Scott Kahn's "The Laws of Tekiat Shofar" for just $3.00, write to scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 31, 2020
"Everybody moved up. It was transformational for every single kid. Every single kid." Orthodox education emphasizes Talmud. And too often, the main thing that students learn in Talmud class is how much they don't enjoy it. It gets worse: often, they spend years studying and still haven't a clue about what it means, or how to learn it properly. Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, Founding Dean of Yeshiva Darchei Noam of Monsey, recognizes the problem and has set out to rectify it with a new book that attempts to change the way students look at Gemara. In Part One of his conversation with Scott Kahn, he explains what we're doing wrong, and how we can make it right. Plus - all about the Scarlet Letter A, the connection between Gemara, skiing, golf, and guitar, and much more. Don't miss our live Facebook and Zoom discussion about teaching Gemara skills on Thursday, September 3 at 1 PM EDT on the Jewish Coffee House Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/JewishCoffeeH/ Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Mon, August 17, 2020
"The answer is no and continues to be no." Jodi Samuels says that people used to say, “When we grow up, we want to be like the Samuels”; until 2008, everything about her life seemed perfect. But in February of that year, when her daughter Caila was born with Down Syndrome, her life changed dramatically, and she and her husband almost immediately became activists. And when the local Orthodox school refused to allow Caila to enroll, Jodi's activism made news around the world. Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Jodi Samuels about her fight for inclusion, the successes and difficulties she has faced along the way, and her new book, Chutzpah, Wisdom and Wine: The Journey of an Unstoppable Woman. Visit Jodi's website at https://www.jodisvoice.com/. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, August 04, 2020
Several weeks ago, the Orthdox Conundrum released a podcast where two men discussed the Israeli Chief Rabbinate's refusal to allow women to take the exams for rabbinic ordination. The fact that no women were involved in this conversation, as well as the content of the podcast, generated a brand new controversy. Is it offensive for men to discuss women's roles in Judaism without having a woman present? Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Anne Gordon, Rachel Stomel, and Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll - the leaders of Chochmat Nashim - about this important issue, as well as about semicha, women in leadership roles, the future of Halachic Judaism, and much more. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, July 22, 2020
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has had a plan to annex up to 30% of the West Bank... but what that plan is, and whether it will happen altogether, is open to question. What's going on? Is annexation in Israel's best interests? What could go right and what could go wrong? And how might it affect American Jewish support for Israel? Join Scott Kahn as he discusses these and other questions with Dr. Sara Yael Hirschhorn of Northwestern University in Chicago. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com// for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, July 16, 2020
Israel's Attorney General recently declared that women should be allowed to sit for the same rabbinical exams as men, albeit not in order to acquire the title "Rabbi." The Chief Rabbinate, however, threatened to stop all examinations if this plan were implemented. Is the Chief Rabbinate justified? Is there a problem with women being rabbis in Orthodoxy? If so, is there an equivalent position or title which would be acceptable? And are the current steps leading down a slippery slope where traditional gender roles will be undermined? To answer these questions, Scott Kahn spoke with Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, the President and Rosh HaYeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone. They had a frank discussion about his views regarding the role of women in Modern Orthodoxy, and the roles that women can - and should - play in communal spiritual leadership. Here are links Rabbi Brander mentioned in the podcast: https://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/848712/rabbi-dr-kenneth-brander/is-there-a-glass-ceiling-for-the-roles-of-women-in-orthodoxy-/ https://ots.org.il/marching-on-the-glass-floor/ Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com// for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, July 01, 2020
Orthodox Judaism often has a fraught relationship with the arts, characterized by both tension and fascination. Some Torah sources emphasize the great spiritual potential in music and the visual arts, while others consider art a waste of time - or worse. In this live episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn is joined by Franciska Goldschmidt Kosman and a panel of experts - Abie Rotenberg, Simcha Leiner, Moshe Braun, and Chaim Aizenshtat - to discuss Judaism and the arts. They address the way to relate to creative endeavors, how an artist can remain true to both Halacha and his artistic calling, issues surrounding kol isha, including art in school curricula, and much more. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, June 17, 2020
Shaina Be Hirsch was visiting the Temple Mount and videoing it on Facebook Live, when she was accosted by a security guard who demanded that she retract her factual claim that there was a Temple on the site before there was a mosque there. When she refused, and continued to insist on factual accuracy, she was literally arrested by the Waqf. Join Scott Kahn for a disturbing interview with Shaina as she recounts her story, and discusses what has been done and what further needs to be done to ensure that history itself is no longer denied. You can read Shaina's account and watch her FB video here: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/in-the-waqfs-custody/ Check out jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, May 14, 2020
Professionals expect to be paid, and rightly so. Why, then, are so many educators and rabbis in the Jewish world expected to teach, lecture, and officiate for free - and are often viewed as hypocrites when they ask for payment? In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn speaks with veteran educator Sarah Rudolph, a teacher living in Cleveland whose frustration about this very issue inspired her to write a well-received article in The Forward, "The Injustice of Asking Jewish Educators to Do Unpaid Work." Check out jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, March 17, 2020
During this time when many of us are effectively isolated in our homes, many religious questions arise. What should be done about minyan? Should weddings be delayed? Should yeshivot stay open despite the determination of government authorities? What special tefilot should we say? How can we use this time effectively? How should we explain this situation to our children? In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott speaks with Rav Chayim Soloveichik shlit"a, the rabbi of Ohr Shalom in Ramat Beit Shemesh, who provides his unique insights into these and other questions. [NOTE: After the release of this podcast, and after additional restrictions were imposed in Israel, Rav Chayim Soloveichik has decided to close the shul until further notice.] Check out jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, March 03, 2020
"Until then, I only thought I was Jewish." Elisheva Rishon was born in Brooklyn to Orthodox parents, and as a young child, loved everything about being Jewish. Sadly, the response of too many Orthodox Jews to her skin color made her feel excluded from the Orthodox community, and taught her the unfortunate lesson that she would always be treated differently from others. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott interviews Elisheva about her experiences, her perspective as a Black Jewish woman on racism in the Orthodox world, and what concrete steps we all need to take to eliminate this scourge from our community. Elisheva created the empowerment-based brand, Eli7 Designs, to help people heal and learn to love themselves through fashion. Visit her website at https://eli7designs.com/. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, February 25, 2020
Purim is, if not the most joyous holiday on the Jewish calendar, then certainly the most "fun." And therein lies the problem: are we teaching our children and students that having fun requires alcohol? Is teenage alcohol abuse a real danger, or is it healthy to let loose given that it's only one day a year? Is worrying about Purim drinking and the effects of kiddush clubs alarmist, or necessary? What should be done if you suspect that your kid has a problem, and how is "problem" even defined? Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Dr. Zev Ganz in this important and timely episode. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit our Patreon site for bonus episodes, merch, and more at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, February 11, 2020
Gila Hammer, only 18 years old, died by suicide two months ago. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott speaks with her father, Rabbi Shalom Hammer, about Gila's life, her mental illness, the ways that the system failed her, the symptoms that parents need to know, and the lessons everyone can learn from both her life and her tragic death. If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, January 29, 2020
In our previous episode, we discussed the problem of racism within the Religious Zionist community. Left unanswered, however, was the question of why some Religious Zionist communities tend to move in that direction. What is it about Religious Zionist philosophy which can engender racist attitudes? Is it as big a problem as it appears? And what can be done to fight it? Join Scott Kahn and his special guest, Daniel Goldman, for a frank discussion about these and other issues. Join our team, support this podcast, and get great extra stuff! Go to www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse to learn more. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, January 15, 2020
We are rightly proud when religious Jews act in a manner that is a kiddush Hashem. And recently, we have heard of a number of such examples. On the other hand, when there is a chilul Hashem, too often we write it off, attribute it to some bad apples, or perhaps to someone who doesn’t represent our community. For people in the Orthodox world in general, and in the Dati Leumi community in particular, it’s time to acknowledge something rotten that has made its way into our world - and we barely even acknowledge it. Join our team, support this podcast, and get great extra stuff! Go to https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse to learn more. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Thu, January 09, 2020
Antisemitism is a growing problem... and 25,000 people marched in New York as a protest against it. Are we just trying to make ourselves feel better? What are its causes. and can anything be done to reduce it? How is the rise of antisemitism related to Israel, and is it forcing supporters of Israel to go underground? Are Chassidic communities, which have largely been victimized more than other segments of the Jewish world, being adequately supported by other Jews? Join me and Shira Hanau of the New York Jewish Week, and the New York Press Association's 2018 Rookie of the Year, for a discussion which is - perhaps surprisingly - simultaneously somewhat depressing and somewhat hopeful. Go to https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ to check out our updated site, with new podcasts, a blog, and more! Join our team, support this podcast, and get great extra stuff! Go to https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse to learn more. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Tue, December 31, 2019
Sexual abuse is horrific, and can ruin a person's life. When the abusers are community leaders - and the community has a vested interest in making sure that they remain leaders in good standing - there's a double betrayal. Scott Kahn asks Genendy to relate her own story of sexual abuse, along with her message of healing. Genendy was one of subjects of Dalit Kimor's documentary, Unkept Secrets, and is the author of a memoir, The Price of Truth. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Sat, November 30, 2019
Sexual abuse continues to be a scourge in the Orthodox Jewish world; and the lack of awareness applies to all sectors of the population, whether Modern, Dati Leumi, or Chareidi. We can and must take action to address this and prevent it. What can we do? Join me as I speak with Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, Director of the Center for Jewish Family Life and Project Y.E.S., and one of the world's leading experts on sexual abuse in the Orthodox community, in a wide ranging, sometimes disturbing, but ultimately hopeful interview. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com
Wed, November 27, 2019
Among many Orthodox Jews, there seems to be a crisis of faith - and the issue is even more acute among our children and students. Can we teach belief? Are there strategies to help inculcate emunah? Rabbi Shmuel Feld, founding director of the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge, joins me today to discuss some of the problems, and to offer practical techniques that can guide teachers and parents in their quest to develop genuine faith. Music: "Happy Rock" by Bensound.com
Wed, September 25, 2019
Orthodox Judaism prides itself on its emphasis on strong family life; but does that emphasis come at the expense of unmarried individuals in our communities? What sorts of challenges do singles experience, and is there more that we can do to create more a more inclusive Orthodoxy? Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Rabbi Josh Yuter about this important and pressing issue. (This episode continues a discussion which began on the Intimate Judaism podcast; check it out at https://www.intimatejudaism.com/singles-sex-and-orthodoxy-episode-14/) Music: "Happy Rock" by Bensound.com
Sun, April 07, 2019
“President Trump is the most benevolent leader the Jewish people have ever known in their 2,000 years in their Diaspora, believe me.” So said Rabbi Yechezkel Moskowitz, chairman of the recent National Council of Young Israel dinner. Should an Orthodox synagogue organization so openly genuflect before President Trump? Does this express proper gratitude for what the president has done for Israel, or does it celebrate a person whose character represents the antithesis of Torah values? Should the Young Israel involve itself in controversial political decisions in Israel, which it did when it supported Netanyahu's brokering of a merger of the Bayit Yehudi and Otzmah Yehudit parties, the latter of which is run by supporters of Meir Kahane? And why did Rabbi Moskowitz claim that an anti-Trump Facebook group bears some responsibility for the Pittsburgh shooting last October? Join Scott Kahn for a contentious yet respectful discussion with Rabbi Moskowitz about these and other serious issues regarding Orthodoxy, Trump, Israel, and the American Jewish community. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes - just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, February 20, 2019
Talmud is the lifeblood of Jewish education; it is the centerpiece, the central pillar - and with good reason. But with so many students not enjoying or understanding Talmud, is it possible that we're doing something wrong? Is it possible that our educational system is predicated upon a wrong assumption? How can we inspire more students, without losing that which makes Jewish education unique? Join Scott Kahn as he begins the process of evaluating our educational system, on this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum. Please give to the Gift of Life's new campaign to save lives! Go to https://www.causematch.com/en/projects/gift-of-life-2019/ to help people suffering from blood cancers literally get a second chance at life. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes - just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Thu, January 31, 2019
The Orthodox Conundrum has been on unintentional hiatus for a couple of months... but Scott Kahn has a good excuse. He explains everything through a story about a soccer ball hitting his son in his left eye, and the heady events - physical and spiritual - that proceeded as a result of a simple schoolyard game of monkey in the middle. Plus: a dvar Torah about Naaseh v'Nishma, and the unity of Israel. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes - just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, November 21, 2018
Sexual abuse is a terrible problem in all communities, and unfortunately, the Orthodox world is no exception. Is the Orthodox community better or worse than others? Have things improved over the past few years as awareness has increased - or have things gotten even worse? And is there reason to hope for the future? Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Shana Aaronson, the COO of Jewish Community Watch (http://www.jewishcommunitywatch.org/) about a problem that we dare not ignore. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes - just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Thu, October 18, 2018
In our last episode, we asked if the ends justify the means in Torah Judaism; the answer, we stated, must be a resounding NO. Nevertheless, in the realm of politics in Israel, religious political parties often act as though any means - including the violation of Halacha - is acceptable in the service of reaching the parties' goals. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn looks at religious political parties in general, and why he feels that they are doing a disservice to Torah Judaism. Even more to the point, Scott argues that religious political parties are anti-Torah almost by definition. This is not a podcast that recommends any particular candidate or party; instead, it's a serious look at issues that are too often ignored, in the hope that listeners will perhaps think twice before casting their ballots - no matter whom they support. Listen to the podcast for a timely discussion you won't want to miss. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Tue, September 18, 2018
In this bonus mini-episode for Yom Kippur, the Orthodox Conundrum offers a reminder about something we all know, but so often forget: the message we're sending our children, spouse, and friends when we look at our phones while sitting at the table. Please take five minutes to listen, and share the message that starting today, #NoScreensAtTheTable.
Thu, September 06, 2018
Do the ends justify the means? This old question has been debated endlessly, but within Torah Judaism, the answer must be a resounding NO. Nevertheless, too often in the Torah community, the ends are treated as so important that violations of some of the most serious prohibitions in the Torah are countenanced in the context of achieving a seemingly noble goal. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn discusses this issue in the context of the well-known kiruv rabbi, Yosef Mizrachi, and his seemingly questionable methodology. He also carefully distinguishes between elements of Mizrachi's approach with which he disagrees, and those which he claims are a violation of Torah norms. Listen now to this careful yet passionate discussion. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, August 22, 2018
The Israeli Chief Rabbinate has become a lightning rod for criticism - and in many cases, quite deservedly so. The institution is broken; should we try to fix it, or junk it altogether? Rabbi Seth Farber, the founder of ITIM, believes that it can be a force for good - but only if it changes its narrow and, in his opinion, incorrect understanding of Halacha and its place in the State of Israel. In this episode of The Orthodox Conundrum Podcast, Scott Kahn discusses these and other issues with Rabbi Farber, including the op-ed he wrote for the New York Times on August 1, and whether publishing it in so public a forum is merely giving fodder for people who look for new reasons to dislike Israel. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Thu, August 09, 2018
Too often, we ignore the crucial directives implied by the concept of Pikuach Nefesh - saving a life - and allow ourselves to be reckless on the roads through speeding, texting while driving, not using seat belts, and more. When will we realize that safe driving is not only smart, but also an absolute halachic requirement? Join Scott Kahn for a short but powerful episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, where he insists that Orthodox Jews, based on their own principles, act as exemplars of road safety. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, July 25, 2018
We in the Orthodox community are justifiably proud of our emphasis on community. Like all good things, however, this, too, has a dark side: the possibility of people feeling excluded from what often presents itself, or at least sometimes appears, as a community that is insulated from many problems. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn talks to Shira Lankin Sheps, who is giving voice to women whose problems are often swept under the rug. Through The Layers Project, Shira is allowing issues that some people treat as taboo and a source of shame - such as special needs parenting, infertility, infant loss, dating struggles, and more - to be voiced, normalized, and validated. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, July 11, 2018
Is much of the Orthodox community racist? What are the reasons that some members of our community express racist attitudes, use racist language, and demonstrate a lack of respect for people outside the Jewish community who are not white? Join Scott Kahn as he interviews journalist Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt to discuss how prevalent this problem is, how we got here, and what can be done to change things in the future. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, June 27, 2018
What should you do when you have a unique educational approach that isn't fully appreciated by normal institutions? If you're Rabbi Akiva Weisinger - creator of the 19,000-member strong Facebook group God Save Us From Your Opinion - you simply create a new institution for you and other like-minded individuals. Join Scott Kahn for a discussion with Akiva about why Akiva dismisses lables, how far he's willing to go outside the Orthodox box when discovering exciting new educators, what problems in the educational world he's trying to address, and his long term hopes for his various online educational ventures. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, June 20, 2018
The Trump administration's policy (thankfully reversed by executive order) of separating parents and children at the US-Mexico border was cruel and inhumane, and violated basic Torah values. The Orthodox Union and, to an even greater degree, Agudath Israel of America, did the right thing by condemning this policy in clear and unambiguous terms. But what about the Orthodox Jews who support the policy - what Torah values are they advocating? When does support for Trump become a violation of Torah? Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, June 13, 2018
Do Orthodox Jews respect women? That question from our last episode engendered a lot of discussion, and Scott Kahn continues the conversation by answering and discussing some of the many responses and criticisms he received in response to the podcast. Join the conversation - you won't want to miss it. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ortho…rum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, June 06, 2018
It is often claimed that despite their being relegated to the other side of the mechitza, women are shown tremendous respect within Orthodox Judaism. That may be true, but do Orthodox JEWS show this same respect that they claim is warranted by Jewish law? Join Scott Kahn for an honest talk about women on the other side of the mechitza, and the way that - too often - they are made to feel like second class citizens even in the space reserved for them. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes! Just go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/orthodox-conundrum/id1289716034, click on "View in iTunes," and you're ready to go. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Sun, March 18, 2018
THIS PODCAST CONTAINS EXPLICIT MATERIAL. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Halachic sources state that male masturbation is unequivocally prohibited under Jewish law. This prohibition, however, often creates serious conflict and guilt in the religious and private lives of young Orthodox men, with consequences ranging from experiencing feelings of hypocrisy, to dropping out of Orthodoxy altogether, to skewing their perceptions of what marriage is supposed to be. In this episode of The Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn speaks with therapist Talli Rosenbaum about this important topic, and how parents, teachers, and children should navigate the dual tracks of strengthening a commitment to Halacha, while enabling healthy sexual growth and attitudes. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Mon, February 19, 2018
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo is at the cutting edge of Orthodox Jewish thought. He does not shy away from diagnosing problems, breaking barriers, and offering novel - and perhaps disturbing - ways of looking at the tradition, while insisting upon genuine fealty to Jewish law and practice. What is lacking in the Orthodox community's religious practice? How does he suggest addresing these issues? When is halachic change warranted, should these changes come from within the tradition or from without, and how do his solutions differ from those of Open Orthodoxy and the Conservative movement? Should Judaism have dogmas? In what fundamental way does he believe that Rav Soloveitchik was wrong? And what does the future hold? Join Scott Kahn as he and Rav Cardozo discuss these and many other fascinating topics on this episode of The Orthodox Conundrum. Please subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes! Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Mon, February 19, 2018
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo is at the cutting edge of Orthodox Jewish thought. He does not shy away from diagnosing problems, breaking barriers, and offering novel - and perhaps disturbing - ways of looking at the tradition, while insisting upon genuine fealty to Jewish law and practice. What is lacking in the Orthodox community's religious practice? How does he suggest addresing these issues? When is halachic change warranted, should these changes come from within the tradition or from without, and how do his solutions differ from those of Open Orthodoxy and the Conservative movement? Should Judaism have dogmas? In what fundamental way does he believe that Rav Soloveitchik was wrong? And what does the future hold? Join Scott Kahn as he and Rav Cardozo discuss these and many other fascinating topics on this episode of The Orthodox Conundrum. Please subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes! Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Sun, January 14, 2018
One of the worst-kept secrets of the right-wing Orthodox world is that texts are sometimes censored to make sure that they adhere with the worldview espoused within that culture. This includes removing the words of some of the greatest rabbinic figures of all time, such as Rashi and the Rashbam, as well as literally forging the statements of important rabbis. Is this practice limited to publishers in the yeshiva world, or do other streams of Judaism do it, as well? How do those who engage in such practices justify it, to themselves and to others? Is there a basis for it in Chazal? Join Scott Kahn for a fascinating discussion about these topics with Professor Marc Shapiro, who holds the Weinberg Chair in Judaic Studies at the University of Scranton, and who authored the definitive study of this phenomenon, Changing the Immutable: How Orthodox Judaism Rewrites Its History. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Sun, December 10, 2017
THIS PODCAST CONTAINS EXPLICIT MATERIAL. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Rabbi Yosef Karo's halachic opinion on non-vaginal intercourse, as expressed in the Shulchan Aruch, is often seen as standard and normative. The reality, however, is much more complex. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum podcast, Scott Kahn talks with Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro, author of Halachic Positions: What Judaism Really Says About Passion in the Marital Bed, about the influence of the Zohar upon the presumed normative halacha, and about the surprising halachic ramifications with which most people are unfamiliar. (This is the fourth episode of a multi-part series on Sexuality and Jewish Law on The Orthodox Conundrum.) To order Rabbi Shapiro's book, go to https://www.amazon.com/Halachic-Positions-Sexuality-Balanced-Approach/dp/0692563237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512899847&sr=8-1&keywords=yaakov+shapiro+halachic+positions Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Thu, November 16, 2017
THIS PODCAST CONTAINS EXPLICIT MATERIAL. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Although most religious Jews assume that anal and oral intercourse are halachically forbidden, there is significant discussion and disagreement about this issue in the Talmud and the Rishonim. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum podcast, Scott Kahn talks with Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro, author of Halachic Positions: What Judaism Really Says About Passion in the Marital Bed, about this topic, and about the surprising halachic ramifications with which most people are unfamiliar. (This is the third episode of a multi-part series on Sexuality and Jewish Law on The Orthodox Conundrum.) To order Rabbi Shapiro's book, go to www.amazon.com/Halachic-Position…ds=yaakov+shapiro Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Thu, November 09, 2017
THIS PODCAST CONTAINS EXPLICIT MATERIAL. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. In Masechet Nedarim 20a, Rabbi Yochanan ben Dehavai states that certain birth defects are caused by particular actions performed by the husband and wife during sexual intercourse; accordingly, he seems to put severe restraints on what a couple may do while having sex. On the other hand, the Sages say that a husband and wife may do whatever they like during intercourse, and that the halacha does not follow Rabbi Yochanan ben Dehavai's restrictive approach. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn and Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro explore this and other primary Talmudic texts that discuss issues of sexuality, and try to understand the halachic ramifications according to the Rishonim and the author of the Shulchan Aruch. (This is the second episode of a multi-part series on Sexuality and Jewish Law on The Orthodox Conundrum.) To order Rabbi Shapiro's book, go to www.amazon.com/Halachic-Position…ds=yaakov+shapiro Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Wed, November 01, 2017
THIS PODCAST CONTAINS EXPLICIT MATERIAL. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. While many people know that Judaism has a positive orientation toward marriage and sex, people often assume that, even within marriage, there are severe restrictions on what is allowed and what is forbidden. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn speaks with Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro, author of Halachic Positions: What Judaism Really Says About Passion In The Marital Bed, in order to understand the source of these assumptions, and to discover what the Halachic literature actually says about this topic. (This is the first of a multi-part series on Sexuality and Jewish Law on The Orthodox Conundrum.) To order Rabbi Shapiro's book, go to https://www.amazon.com/Halachic-Positions-Sexuality-Balanced-Approach/dp/0692563237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509464226&sr=8-1&keywords=yaakov+shapiro Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
Sun, September 17, 2017
Rabbi Asher Lopatin is the president of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York. Chovevei Torah has long been associated with "Open Orthodoxy," but Rabbi Lopatin recently decided to retire that moniker, and wants his yeshiva to be seen as an integral part of the Modern Orthodox world. Many Orthodox Jews, however, view Chovevei Torah as standing outside of Orthodoxy. Join Scott Kahn as he and Rabbi Lopatin have a frank discussion about the meaning of Modern Orthodoxy, women's roles, gay marriage, the sine qua non of Orthodox belief, including the necessity of belief in Torah from Heaven, and more. Music: Happy Rock by bensound.com
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