Judaism Unbound

In moments of polarization, the wisdom of Tehora Hee — the recognition of inviolable goodness in all people—can be a revolutionary tool. In this episode, R' Jericho talks about seventy faces, checking Biblical assumptions, Tehora he (It is pure), pre-prayer tests, two villains from one of my own spiritual wildernesses, Anne Frank, and a practice for bringing Miriam’s living Torah into our own lives.-------------------------------------We are proud to introduce the 3rd podcast in the Judaism Unbound family of podcasts: Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness, hosted by Jericho Vincent. "We are the ancestors of the future." This new podcast offers a spiritual home for listeners seeking to connect Jewish ancestral, feminist wisdom with their own svara: moral intuition. Each episode of this limited series delves into a different story of our ancestor Miriam, illuminating her mystical teachings and offering practical tools for navigating and flourishing in personal or political spiritual wildernesses. We're thrilled to periodically feature episodes of Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness here on Judaism Unbound. But we don't only feature those episodes alone. Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman, two members of Judaism Unbound's team, supplement each episode with some gemara (commentary) as well. We hope that our ideas will help spur you to form your own gemara, and channel your unique teachings -- about this podcast and beyond -- into the world. Subscribe to Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness anywhere that podcasts are found!

Dan and Lex are joined by Rena Yehuda Newman, their colleague at Judaism Unbound who directs the UnYeshiva Certificate Program in Unbound Judaism! This certificate program's 3rd cohort will be beginning in Fall 2025, and applications for it just opened. Together, they explore what the certificate program has achieved so far, and ways in which it will be upping its game in the near future.Apply for the UnYeshiva's Certificate Program for Unbound Judaism by heading to www.judaismunbound.com/certificate!-----------------------------Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 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!

Chag Sameach! Shavuot, the annual festival of receiving Torah/revelation, is coming up soon. And that means.....ShavuotLIVE, Judaism Unbound's 24-consecutive-hour extravaganza of Jewish learning and Unlearning, is back and better than ever! Dan and Lex are joined in this episode by Annie Prusky, a Jewish educator and current rabbinical student who has presided over many of ShavuotLIVE's most popular sessions over the years. The three of them kibbitz about how Shavuot has evolved over the millennia and where ShavuotLIVE fits into that ongoing evolution.You can register for ShavuotLIVE 2025 via bit.ly/2025shavuot, and learn more about what it is by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/shavuot2025. It begins May 31st at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT and concludes on June 1st at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.-----------------------------Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 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! 

The "semi-quarterly glossy home for subversive Jewish culture" during the Bush years -- better known as Heeb Magazine -- is back! Re-launching as Heeb Media, this storied publication is returning, and two of the people behind its revitalization -- Mik Moore and Libby Lenkinski -- join Judaism Unbound for a conversation about reconnecting with those who knew and loved Heeb the first time around, along with building a new audience of younger readers.ShavuotLIVE, Judaism Unbound's annual 24-hour extravaganza of Jewish learning and unlearning, is returning! From May 31st at 8 pm ET through June 1st at 8 pm ET, join hundreds of your friends from all around the world for the biggest event of our calendar year. You can register at bit.ly/2025shavuot!Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 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!

Tirzah Firestone is a rabbi, author, Jungian psychotherapist, and leader in the international Jewish Renewal Movement. She joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation exploring intergenerational Jewish trauma, through the lens of her book Wounds Into Wisdom: Healing Intergenerational Jewish Trauma.-----------------------------------------ShavuotLIVE, Judaism Unbound's annual 24-hour extravaganza of Jewish learning and unlearning, is returning! From May 31st at 8 pm ET through June 1st at 8 pm ET, join hundreds of your friends from all around the world for the biggest event of our calendar year. You can register at bit.ly/2025shavuot!New UnYeshiva mini-courses, leading up to Shavuot, are now open for registration! Learn more about Spirit Guides & Past Lives: Reincarnation in the Kabbalistic Imagination, Disability Torah and Spiritual Subversiveness, and The Torah in the Tarot: The Lost Jewish History of the Tarot by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/classes.Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 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!

We are proud to introduce the 3rd podcast in the Judaism Unbound family of podcasts: Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness, hosted by Jericho Vincent. "We are the ancestors of the future." This new podcast offers a spiritual home for listeners seeking to connect Jewish ancestral, feminist wisdom with their own svara: moral intuition. Each episode of this limited series delves into a different story of our ancestor Miriam, illuminating her mystical teachings and offering practical tools for navigating and flourishing in personal or political spiritual wildernesses. We're thrilled to periodically feature episodes of Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness here on Judaism Unbound. But we don't only feature those episodes alone. Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman, two members of Judaism Unbound's team, supplement each episode with some gemara (commentary) as well. We hope that our ideas will help spur you to form your own gemara, and channel your unique teachings -- about this podcast and beyond -- into the world. Delving into Miriam’s Torah of patience and presence, this episode explores the Jewish mystical teaching of Chakeh-Mah, the ability to “wait for what.” we’ll talk about the power of a Sufi sermon, the narrow place, Spiritual Chutzpah, razzle dazzle slave economics, time travel, moishiachtzeit, and a practice for bringing Miriam’s living Torah into our own lives. R' Jericho talks about the definition of wisdom, Wait for What, what kind of salt we want to be, a concussion, descent for the sake of ascent, why you’re alive in this moment, and a practice for bringing Miriam’s living Torah into our own lives.Subscribe to Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness anywhere that podcasts are found!

Brent Spodek, one of Newsweek's "rabbis to watch" and one of the Hudson Valley's "people to watch," joins Judaism Unbound for a conversation linking recent discussions about Israel-Palestine with an upcoming episode (featuring Tirzah Firestone) on intergenerational Jewish trauma. In it, Spodek argues that Judaism shouldn't be "about Judaism" -- but rather be a platform to channel Jewish wisdom toward pressing questions in our lives as human beings.-------------------------------New UnYeshiva mini-courses, leading up to Shavuot, are now open for registration! Learn more about Spirit Guides & Past Lives: Reincarnation in the Kabbalistic Imagination, Disability Torah and Spiritual Subversiveness, and The Torah in the Tarot: The Lost Jewish History of the Tarot by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/classes.Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 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!

Israel-Palestine, one of the world's most contentious conversations, is also (all the more so!) one of the most contentious conversations among American Jews. Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg close out their recent mini-series of episodes, exploring American-Jewish discourse about Israel-Palestine, with a discussion about Zionism and Anti-Zionism, Jewishly loving Palestinians, and how all of this connects to Judaism Unbound's many years of podcasting about other Jewish topics.----------------------New UnYeshiva mini-courses, beginning just after Passover, are now open for registration! Learn more about Jewish Theology Unbound, Untangling Tselem Elohim, and Moses, Tzipporah and Us (Powerful Interfaith Families, Past and Present) by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/classes.Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 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!

Marques Hollie, an operatically trained vocalist and theater maker, and Daniel Spiro, a published essayist and writer, dive into the world of Passover creativity. They discuss reimagining the Seder, advocating for deeper engagement beyond the Haggadah and encouraging personal storytelling. The conversation unpacks the complexities of freedom, blending tradition with innovation to enhance community connections. Listeners are inspired to enrich their Passover experience, fostering meaningful conversations around identity and shared narratives.

Rafael Neis is a professor, talmudist, historian, artist, and author of When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven: Rabbis and the Reproduction of Species. They join Judaism Unbound for a conversation about why the notion of Tselem Elohim is more dangerous than it appears. They explore human exceptionalism, rabbinic texts that place humans alongside other living creatures, and more -- all as a sneak preview of their upcoming 3-week mini-course in the UnYeshiva, entitled Untangling Tselem Elohim (The Image of God).Register for Untangling Tselem Elohim (The Image of God) by clicking here! Apply for financial aid for the class via this link. Learn more about other mini-courses in the UnYeshiva, including Jewish Theology Unbound and Moses, Tzipporah and Us (Powerful Interfaith Families, Past and Present) by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/classes.Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. 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!