18Forty Podcast David Bashevkin & Malka Simkovich: Can Judaism Survive the AI Revolution? (Fifth Year Anniversary)
Jun 17, 2025
Malka Simkovich, a prominent Jewish scholar and director of the Jewish Publication Society, joins David Bashevkin for a thought-provoking discussion. They tackle how AI might influence rabbinic authority and the fabric of Jewish conversations. Personal anecdotes shed light on the tension between tradition and modernity, while young people's struggles with identity amidst technological advancements are explored. The conversation emphasizes the need for community unity and adaptability in the face of change, reflecting on faith's evolution in a tech-driven world.
01:27:50
Podcasting as Living Torah
- Podcasting uniquely engages Torah Sheba'al Peh, or the oral Torah from personal experience.
- It connects tradition with lived experience in a dynamic, conversational way.
Crisis of Rabbinic Authority
- Jewish leadership is more divided now than possibly ever before, creating community destabilization.
- Young people face unprecedented complexity as they navigate information and diverse communities.
Accepting Hashkafic Homelessness
- Many Jews feel "hashkafically homeless," lacking a perfect institutional fit for their beliefs.
- It is healthy to hold fluid relationships with institutions, family, and personal identity.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app 1 chevron_right 2 chevron_right 3 chevron_right 4 chevron_right 5 chevron_right 6 chevron_right 7 chevron_right 8 chevron_right 9 chevron_right
Intro
00:00 • 3min
Celebrating Community and Accomplishments
02:45 • 14min
Navigating Change and Growth in the Jewish Community
16:58 • 2min
Reflections on Community and Faith
18:48 • 9min
Navigating Tradition and Modernity Through Personal Struggles
27:41 • 3min
Navigating Identity in a Tech-Driven World
30:53 • 20min
Navigating Jewish Identity in a Modern World
50:23 • 25min
Finding Wholeness Through Community
01:15:11 • 9min
Judaism and the Impact of Artificial Intelligence
01:24:35 • 4min
The Nineties
Chuck Klosterman
In 'The Nineties', Chuck Klosterman provides a comprehensive analysis of the decade's significant events and cultural phenomena, including grunge music, the rise of the Internet, notable films like 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Reality Bites', and political shifts.
The book explores how these elements have influenced contemporary society and culture.
Passover Haggadah: Just One
None
David Bashevkin
Just One: The NCSY Haggadah is a Passover Haggadah tailored for use by NCSY, the youth movement of the Orthodox Union.
The Haggadah contains the traditional text and rituals of the Seder, but also incorporates contemporary themes and discussion points relevant to Jewish youth.
This haggadah fosters meaningful engagement with the Passover story and its messages of freedom, redemption, and Jewish identity.
It encourages participants to ask questions, share insights, and connect the Seder to their own lives and experiences.
This Haggadah includes educational resources and discussion prompts that enable youth leaders to facilitate interactive and thought-provoking Seders.
The most human human
Brian Christian
In this book, Brian Christian delves into the intersection of artificial intelligence and human nature through his participation in the 2009 Loebner Prize competition, a variant of the Turing Test.
Christian examines what makes humans unique by comparing human abilities with those of advanced computer programs.
He explores various fields such as chess, psychiatry, and the law to understand the philosophical, biological, and moral issues raised by AI. The book discusses how our interactions with computers are forcing us to reevaluate what it means to be human and intelligent in the 21st century.
Discovering Second Temple Literature, The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism
Discovering Second Temple Literature, The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism
Malka Z. Simkovich
Time must have a stop
Time must have a stop
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley's "Time Must Have a Stop" delves into themes of mortality, immortality, and the search for meaning.
The story follows the life of Sebastian Barnack, a young poet, as he navigates love, loss, and the complexities of human existence.
The novel explores the perspectives of various characters on the nature of time and the significance of life's fleeting moments.
It examines the desire for transcendence and the different paths individuals take in their quest for meaning.
Huxley weaves together philosophical reflections with character-driven narrative to create a compelling exploration of the human condition and the search for lasting significance.
Top 5: Lists of Jewish Character and Character
Top 5: Lists of Jewish Character and Character
Lists of Jewish Character and Character
David Bashevkin
David Bashevkin's "Top 5" presents a collection of lists that explore various aspects of Jewish character, values, and identity.
The book offers a lighthearted and engaging approach to Jewish learning, drawing on a wide range of sources and perspectives.
It presents thought-provoking questions and encourages readers to reflect on their own Jewish identities.
Through these creative and accessible lists, Bashevkin provides insights into the richness and diversity of Jewish culture and tradition.
This book is intended to spark conversation, inspire personal growth, and deepen readers' appreciation for the complexities of Jewish life.
The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria
The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria
(2016)
Malka Simkovich
Malka Simkovich's "The Making of Jewish Universalism" examines the transformation of Jewish identity during the exilic and post-exilic periods.
It analyzes how the experience of exile in Babylon and the subsequent encounter with Hellenistic culture in Alexandria shaped the development of Jewish universalism.
The book traces the evolution of Jewish thought as it grappled with questions of identity, inclusion, and the relationship between Judaism and the broader world.
It argues that the encounter with different cultures and the challenges of maintaining Jewish identity in diaspora led to new understandings of Jewishness.
By examining key texts and historical contexts, Simkovich sheds light on the intellectual and cultural forces that shaped early Jewish universalism.
Einstein's Dreams
Alan Lightman
In 'Einstein's Dreams', Alan Lightman imagines the dreams Albert Einstein might have had in the months leading up to his submission of the special theory of relativity in 1905.
The book consists of 30 chapters, each representing a dream that explores a different mechanism of time and its effects on human experience.
These dreams range from time standing still, to time rushing quickly at the edges but standing suspended at the center, to time being cyclical and repetitive.
The novel also includes interludes that return to Einstein's waking life, offering insights into his personal struggles and his relationship with his friend Michele Besso.
The book is a blend of science, philosophy, and fiction, exploring themes of time, free will, and the human condition.
B’Rogez Rachem Tizkor
B’Rogez Rachem Tizkor
In Anger, Remember Mercy
David Bashevkin
David Bashevkin's Hebrew work, "B'Rogez Rachem Tizkor," examines the complex relationship between anger and mercy in Jewish thought.
The book explores the ways in which these seemingly contradictory emotions can coexist and inform human behavior.
It delves into rabbinic texts, philosophical treatises, and mystical writings to illuminate the nuances of anger and its potential for both destruction and transformation.
Bashevkin examines how mercy tempers anger and how both emotions play a role in shaping moral and spiritual development.
This book offers a sophisticated and nuanced understanding of these powerful human emotions within the framework of Jewish tradition.
Gödel, Escher, Bach
An Eternal Golden Braid
Douglas Hofstadter
This book by Douglas Hofstadter is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary work that explores the interrelated ideas of Kurt Gödel, M.C.
Escher, and Johann Sebastian Bach.
It delves into concepts such as self-reference, recursion, and the limits of formal systems, particularly through Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem.
The book uses dialogues between fictional characters, including Achilles and the Tortoise, to intuitively present complex ideas before they are formally explained.
It covers a wide range of topics including cognitive science, artificial intelligence, number theory, and the philosophy of mind, aiming to understand how consciousness and intelligence emerge from formal systems.
Letters from Home
The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity
Malka Simkovich
Synagogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought
Synagogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought
David Bashevkin
On June 29, Eden will be hosting a webinar to speak in detail about the vision for this project. In order to register please click here or email info@edenbeitshemesh.com to find out more.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin and historian Malka Simkovich discuss the future of technology, AI, and the Jewish People. This episode was recorded live at the Moise Safra Center as 18Forty celebrated its Fifth Anniversary with our community.
We begin with words from Sruli Fruchter and Mitch Eichen delivered at the program, as well as questions from the audience to conclude. In this episode we discuss:
Introduction from Sruli Fruchter begins at 9:05.
Introduction from Mitch Eichen begins at 12:50.
Interview begins at 17:26.
Dr. Malka Simkovich is the director and editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society and previously served as the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies and Director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She earned a doctoral degree in Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism from Brandeis University and a Master’s degree in Hebrew Bible from Harvard University. She is the author of The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria (2016), Discovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism (2018), and Letters From Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity, (2024). She has been a three-time guest on the 18Forty Podcast and led our Book Journey on the essence of antisemitism.
David Bashevkin is the founder and host of 18Forty. He is also the director of education for NCSY, the youth movement of the Orthodox Union, and the Clinical Assistant Professor of Jewish Values at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University. He completed rabbinic ordination at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, as well as a master’s degree at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies focusing on the thought of Rabbi Zadok of Lublin under the guidance of Dr. Yaakov Elman. He completed his doctorate in Public Policy and Management at The New School’s Milano School of International Affairs, focusing on crisis management. He has published four books: Sin·a·gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought, a Hebrew work B’Rogez Rachem Tizkor (trans. In Anger, Remember Mercy), Top 5: Lists of Jewish Character and Character, and Just One: The NCSY Haggadah. David has been rejected from several prestigious fellowships and awards.
References:
“18Forty: Exploring Big Questions (An Introduction)”
18Forty Podcast: “Philo Judaeus: Is There a Room for Dialogue?”
18Forty Podcast: “Daniel Hagler and Aryeh Englander: Can Jews Who Stay Talk With Jews Who Left?”
The Nineties: A Book by by Chuck Klosterman
Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
Time Must Have a Stop by Aldous Huxley
“Laughing with Kafka” by David Foster Wallace
The Most Human Human: What Talking with Computers Teaches Us About What It Means to Be Alive by Brian Christian
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter
"Failure Comes To Yeshivah" by David Bashevkin
For more 18Forty:
NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join
CALL: (212) 582-1840
EMAIL: info@18forty.org
WEBSITE: 18forty.org
IG: @18forty
X: @18_forty
WhatsApp: join here
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin and historian Malka Simkovich discuss the future of technology, AI, and the Jewish People. This episode was recorded live at the Moise Safra Center as 18Forty celebrated its Fifth Anniversary with our community.
We begin with words from Sruli Fruchter and Mitch Eichen delivered at the program, as well as questions from the audience to conclude. In this episode we discuss:
- What is the point of academia and asking questions?
- Will AI replace rabbinic authority or the conversations we have on 18Forty?
- Is there any topic that 18Forty will never take on?
Introduction from Sruli Fruchter begins at 9:05.
Introduction from Mitch Eichen begins at 12:50.
Interview begins at 17:26.
Dr. Malka Simkovich is the director and editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society and previously served as the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies and Director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She earned a doctoral degree in Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism from Brandeis University and a Master’s degree in Hebrew Bible from Harvard University. She is the author of The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria (2016), Discovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism (2018), and Letters From Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity, (2024). She has been a three-time guest on the 18Forty Podcast and led our Book Journey on the essence of antisemitism.
David Bashevkin is the founder and host of 18Forty. He is also the director of education for NCSY, the youth movement of the Orthodox Union, and the Clinical Assistant Professor of Jewish Values at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University. He completed rabbinic ordination at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, as well as a master’s degree at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies focusing on the thought of Rabbi Zadok of Lublin under the guidance of Dr. Yaakov Elman. He completed his doctorate in Public Policy and Management at The New School’s Milano School of International Affairs, focusing on crisis management. He has published four books: Sin·a·gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought, a Hebrew work B’Rogez Rachem Tizkor (trans. In Anger, Remember Mercy), Top 5: Lists of Jewish Character and Character, and Just One: The NCSY Haggadah. David has been rejected from several prestigious fellowships and awards.
References:
“18Forty: Exploring Big Questions (An Introduction)”
18Forty Podcast: “Philo Judaeus: Is There a Room for Dialogue?”
18Forty Podcast: “Daniel Hagler and Aryeh Englander: Can Jews Who Stay Talk With Jews Who Left?”
The Nineties: A Book by by Chuck Klosterman
Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
Time Must Have a Stop by Aldous Huxley
“Laughing with Kafka” by David Foster Wallace
The Most Human Human: What Talking with Computers Teaches Us About What It Means to Be Alive by Brian Christian
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter
"Failure Comes To Yeshivah" by David Bashevkin
For more 18Forty:
NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join
CALL: (212) 582-1840
EMAIL: info@18forty.org
WEBSITE: 18forty.org
IG: @18forty
X: @18_forty
WhatsApp: join here
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.