Judaism Unbound

How should the Jewish present and future relate to the Jewish past? Yehuda Kurtzer, President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America and author of the book Shuva: The Future of the Jewish Past, joins Dan and Lex for an exploration of the significance of history and memory in contemporary Judaism.

Wrapping up our discussion of Jewish and "extra-Jewish" sensibilities, Dan and Lex begin an examination of which concrete elements of present-day Judaism will likely be retained in the next Jewish future, and which elements may end up "on the cutting room floor."

Craig Taubman, acclaimed Jewish musician and founder of Pico Union Project in Los Angeles, Zach Lasker, the organization's new Executive Director, and Jason Chu, its Chief Storytelling Officer, bring their insights to Judaism Unbound for a timely discussion of art, "soul," loving our neighbors, and knowing our neighbors.

Jay Michaelson, legal affairs columnist for The Daily Beast, contributing editor to The Forward, and teacher of Buddhist and Jewish meditation, joins Dan and Lex for a wide-ranging discussion on contemporary American Judaism. Building on last week's conversation on "Jewish sensibilities," we look at which "extra-Jewish" sensibilities might become part of the Judaism of the future, and then we go on to explore a variety of contemporary Jewish issues.

Judaism Unbound co-host Dan Libenson visits TanakhCast, hosted by past Judaism Unbound guest Dan Mendelsohn Aviv. They dive deep into Yochi Brandes's recently released book, The Secret Book of Kings, exploring the alternative perspective it brings to the Hebrew Bible, ways in which it is relevant for readers today, and more.

Jonathan Woocher and Lee Moore of the Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah join Dan and Lex to kick off a series of episodes beginning to discuss the content of the Judaism of the future by introducing the idea of "Jewish sensibilities," exploring why and how such a framework might resonate with contemporary American Jews and their communities.

Is being "welcoming" and "inclusive" enough? Is pain a necessary prerequisite to the successful implementation of radical, new, Jewish ideas? Benay Lappe, the founder of SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva and recipient of the 2016 Covenant Award for exceptional Jewish educators (considered akin to the "Nobel Prize for Jewish education"), returns to Judaism Unbound as a guest co-host to tackle these questions, and many others, with Dan and Lex.

UpStart Unbound is our first-ever collaborative podcast episode, recorded in front of a live studio audience in Silicon Valley. UpStart has been the premier accelerator of Jewish innovation over the last decade, and we wanted to explore together the idea that the over 40 organizations that UpStart has helped move from idea to organization could be viewed as prototypes that are field-testing some big ideas about the future of Jewish life. The episode was recorded as part of the UpStart Lab, an annual gathering of innovators from across the country.

Rabbi Joshua Lesser, of Bet Haverim (House of Friends), a Gay- and Lesbian-founded synagogue in Atlanta, joins Judaism Unbound for a discussion on being Jewish and Queer, reflecting on the history of Queer Jews in American Jewish life, the positive shifts that have taken place over the past few decades, where there is still work to be done, and the significance of the Queer experience for other Jews who may feel less than welcome in many Jewish spaces.

Sandra Lawson, described in a recent article as "an African-American lesbian who converted to Judaism, eats vegan, and is now studying to be a rabbi at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College," joins Dan and Lex in a discussion on the present and future of Judaism. She offers her take on issues ranging from race, sexuality, and intermarriage to the future of synagogues and emerging forms of digital Jewish life.

In honor of Yom Kippur, Dan and Lex are looking at the four major Biblical readings associated with the holiday. They ask how these texts can apply to 21st century life, and they provide a variety of answers, including many that incorporate historical understandings of the Bible gleaned from Biblical source criticism. In this "mini-episode," they tackle the Book of Jonah.

In honor of Yom Kippur, Dan and Lex are looking at the four major Biblical readings associated with the holiday. They ask how these texts can apply to 21st century life, and they provide a variety of answers, including many that incorporate historical understandings of the Bible gleaned from Biblical source criticism. In this "mini-episode," they tackle Leviticus 18 and 19.

In honor of Yom Kippur, Dan and Lex are looking at the four major Biblical readings associated with the holiday. They ask how these texts can apply to 21st century life, and they provide a variety of answers, including many that incorporate historical understandings of the Bible gleaned from Biblical source criticism. In this "mini-episode," they tackle Isaiah 57-58.

In honor of Yom Kippur, Dan and Lex are looking at the four major Biblical readings associated with the holiday. They ask how these texts can apply to 21st century life, and they provide a variety of answers, including many that incorporate historical understandings of the Bible gleaned from Biblical source criticism. In this "mini-episode," they tackle Leviticus 16, which outlines the ancient scapegoat ritual.

Professor Helen Kim and Associate Dean of Students Noah Leavitt (both of Whitman College) join Judaism Unbound for an episode on their book, entitled JewAsian. The book provides an in-depth exploration of two important groups of people: couples made up of one Jewish partner and one Asian partner (the Asian individuals may or may not be Jewish themselves) and the children of such relationships. Kim and Leavitt discuss their findings with co-hosts Dan and Lex, along with a wide variety of related topics as they relate to the ever-shifting landscape of contemporary American Judaism.