Judaism Unbound

Open Tent Be Mitzvah is a two-year experience, offered by the organization Judaism Your Way, that is focused on a student’s coming-of-age journey within a Jewish context. It culminates in a distinctive, meaningful "Be Mitzvah" ceremony that helps a student find their unique Jewish leadership voice. Amy Atkins and Amanda Schwartz, two of Open Tent Be Mitzvah's lead educators, join Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation. They explore together what it looks like when B Mitzvah (or, in their nomenclature, "Be Mitzvah!") is a process that is customized to align with each student's interests and passions -- empowering them to shape Judaism for themselves in the process.This episode is the 4th in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes, honoring Bat Mitzvah's 100th anniversary, and exploring the present and future of B Mitzvah ("B Mitzvah" is a term for Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies, across the gender spectrum). Access full shownotes for this episode via this link.Register for ShavuotLIVE: a 24-Hour Extravaganza of Jewish Learning (Friday May 26-Saturday May 27), by heading to bit.ly/shavuot23!

The Bagel Report: The Bagel Report is a pop-culture entertainment podcast featuring award-winning culture and entertainment writers Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche. Each episode, these entertainment junkies discuss all things Jewish in the arts & entertainment world while exploring how Jewish identity is portrayed on the big and small screen. Follow them on social @estherk and @ebenmoche, and on Twitter and Facebook @TheBagelReport.----------------------------------Episode Notes:Esther D. Kustanowitz and Erin Ben-Moche finally dive into The Mandalorian's Jewish themes with the help of two guests who love Jewish identity, Star Wars and popular culture: J. Editor David A.M. Wilensky and Rabbi Howard Tilman.What is a Mandalorian and does it matter? Why is this show resonating with Jewish viewers? And is a homeland a place or state of mind? Even if you're like Erin, who is new to the fandom, there is something for everyone in this episode, like MCU Easter Eggs, Fiddler on the Roof nods and Harry Potter pivots.Connect with us on socials!Twitter: @estherk, @ebenmoche and @TheBagelReportInstagram: @estherkustanowitz, @ebenmoche and @tbrthepodEmail us at: thebagelreport@gmail.comLINKS:The Mandalorian on Disney+Judaism Corner on House of R Harry Rubenstein on ReelsThe story about Rabbi Akiva and the foxes overrunning a destroyed Jerusalem 

Her name is Zipporah Chava McConnell, but everyone calls her Zippy. See, the thing is...that she's a witch — and this year she's having her Bat Mitzvah!------------------------------------This is the premise of The Witch of Woodland, the latest novel from Laurel Snyder. Snyder is a Sidney Taylor Award-winning author who has written over a dozen works of fiction. She joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about The Witch of Woodland, her ongoing effort to overcome "Jewish Imposter-Syndrome," and the ways in which works of fiction can shape our Jewish world. This episode is the 3rd in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes, honoring Bat Mitzvah's 100th anniversary, and exploring the present and future of B Mitzvah ("B Mitzvah" is a term for Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies, across the gender spectrum).Access full shownotes for this episode via this link.Learn more about Judaism Unbound's UnYeshiva -- a digital center for Jewish learning and unlearing -- by heading to www.judaismunbound.com/unyeshiva. And if you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation. Support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!

ShavuotLIVE, the biggest and best(est) event on the Judaism Unbound calendar, is approaching in just a few weeks (May 26th/27th)! It's a 24-hours-straight festival of digital Jewish learning, and it's entering its fourth year. Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg check in about what Shavuot is (and could be) in 2023, and they also explore what ShavuotLIVE helps to show about the state of digital Judaism today. Register for ShavuotLIVE 2023 via this link! Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. Register for our 3-week mini-courses in the UnYeshiva -- a digital center for Jewish learning and unlearing -- by heading to www.judaismunbound.com/classes! The next block of mini-courses begins in just a few days (the second week of May).

Lauren Grabelle Herrmann, rabbi at SAJ: Judaism that Stands for All -- the synagogue where the first-ever Bat Mitzvah took place in 1922 -- joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about re-visioning B Mitzvah for the next 100 years. This episode is the 2nd in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes, honoring Bat Mitzvah's 100th anniversary, and exploring the present and future of B Mitzvah ("B Mitzvah" is a term for Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies, across the gender spectrum).Looking to immerse in ongoing course offerings at the UnYeshiva? Apply for our certificate program in Unbound Judaism by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/certificate (the application deadline for our inaugural cohort is approaching: April 30th, 2023)! To register for upcoming mini-courses in the UnYeshiva, head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes.Access full shownotes for this episode via this link.  

In March of 1922, the Bat Mitzvah -- now a widely-recognized ritual across Jewish denominations -- made its first appearance on American soil! Judith Kaplan, at the Society for the Advancement of Judaism in New York City, was the pioneer, and in the coming decades, many women would follow suit. Carole Balin and Judith Rosenbaum, who each played a key role in the Jewish Women's Archive's Bat Mitzvah at 100 initiative, join Dan and Lex to talk through the history of Bat Mitzvah, its contemporary iterations, and some of its possible futures.This episode is the 1st in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes, honoring Bat Mitzvah's 100th anniversary, and exploring the present and future of B Mitzvah ("B Mitzvah" is a term for Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies, across the gender spectrum).Looking to immerse in ongoing course offerings at the UnYeshiva? Apply for our certificate program in Unbound Judaism by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/certificate (the application deadline for our inaugural cohort is approaching: April 30th, 2023)! To register for upcoming mini-courses in the UnYeshiva, head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes.Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 

Dan Libenson, one of Judaism Unbound's two co-hosts, and Miriam Terlinchamp, spiritual leader of Temple Sholom in Cincinnati, are co-teaching a course called Judaism In-Bound: An Introduction to Judaism for Everyone in the UnYeshiva. With an initial three classes on consecutive weeks, followed by once-per-month class-meetings for the following 9 months, this course is designed to help people learn about Judaism -- through our unbound Jewish lens. Terlinchamp joins Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about this course. It has been designed especially for folks in the midst of their conversion process -- along with any Jews-by-birth, or non-Jews, who are just interested in an introductory pathway into Jewish learning!Register for Judaism In-Bound by heading to JudaismuUnbound.com/inbound, and check out our other Judaism Unbound course offerings at JudaismUnbound.com/classes. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. Looking to immerse in ongoing course offerings at the UnYeshiva? Apply for our certificate program in Unbound Judaism by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/certificate. 

Passover is here! The traditional seder night(s) passed by (or over?), but there are still a whole bunch of days left in the holiday as this episode is released. Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg explore how we might think a bit more creatively about our seders in future years, along with how the "non-seder days" could be activated towards more meaning-making. They also explore the UnYeshiva's new certificate program in Unbound Judaism -- learn how to apply by heading to www.JudaismUnbound.com/certificate!Register for our 3-week mini-courses in the UnYeshiva -- a digital center for Jewish learning and unlearing -- by heading to www.judaismunbound.com/classes! The next block of mini-courses begins in mid-April.Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 

Elijah the Prophet is a popular guy! To our knowledge, he is the only person invited to every Passover Seder in the world -- and even encouraged to drink wine at each one of those Seders (drink responsibly, Elijah). But uhhh....who exactly is he? If you've opened the door for this fella every year, but never known exactly what his story is, this is the conversation for you! Daniel Matt, scholar of Jewish mysticism and author of the book Becoming Elijah: Prophet of Transformation, joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg to dive into the nearly-3000-year (and still-evolving!) biography of Elijah the Prophet. Register for our 3-week mini-courses in the UnYeshiva -- a digital center for Jewish learning and unlearing -- by heading to www.judaismunbound.com/classes! The next block of mini-courses begins in mid-April.Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 

Catherine Horowitz, the 2022-23 New Voices Magazine/Judaism Unbound fellow, joins Lex Rofeberg for a conversation on how TV, and the way we watch it, creates ritual. They also discuss how we can use TV to further shape our religious practices and communities. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. Register for our 3-week mini-courses in the UnYeshiva -- a digital center for Jewish learning and unlearing -- by heading to www.judaismunbound.com/classes! The next block of mini-courses begins in mid-April.And if you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation. Support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!