Say you’re one of the biggest stars in the world. You’re making hit TV shows and huge movies. You’re influencing millions upon millions of people. And you’re a kid.How do you deal with the challenges, and how might you seize the opportunities? Is it possible to be deeply mission-driven in such a world?This week, Rabbi Ari spoke with Kel Mitchell, the two-time Emmy-nominated actor and comedian who starred in massive shows like Kenan and Kel and All That, and hit films like Good Burger. And who now, in addition to his continued success in the entertainment business, is the youth pastor at Spirit Food Christian Center in Winnetka, California. They talked about Kel’s story; how you balance between inspiration and consistency in faith; why kids’ TV in the 90s had a lot more depth than it does today; why the Bible sees young people as capable of heroism; why social media is so important; and much more!Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Human equality. Justice for all. Political liberty. Hope in the face of despair. We take all of these for granted as essential components of a good life and virtuous society. But where do they come from? Will you find them in Plato and Aristotle? In Cicero or Plotinus? What if we can’t?On this week’s episode, Rabbi Ari sat down with Dru Johnson, Professor of Biblical Studies and Director of the Center for Hebraic Thought at the King’s College, to talk about why the world we live in is incomprehensible without the Hebrew Bible.They talked what’s wrong with the Greek philosophers; what the Hebraic world is all about; what ritual can teach us; why it’s important to fold your underwear; what punk rock has to do with the Bible; whether our body is something we should try to escape; the greatest Biblical story you’ve never heard of; and much more!Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

When we think of the Biblical story, we usually think of a beleaguered population of former slaves fleeing for their lives into a desert. But if you read the Bible’s account of the Israelite story, you’ll see that they’re consistently called upon to take up arms in their own defense. What insight could we gain from interpreting the Bible from a military perspective?On this week’s episode, Rabbi Ari talked unpacked all this with the 40th Inspector General of the entire U.S. Navy—and highest ranking Jew on the Seas—former Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski.They spoke about what it means to be a warrior; whether the United States should adopt a mandatory national service program; what it means to be a part of Jewish history as an immigrant; the reason why sailors of all backgrounds love Passover; President Harry Truman’s Torah scroll; and much more!Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

The emperors of Rome traditionally promoted themselves as deities—as human beings who had ascended to godhood by virtue of their political might. In America, of course, we do not have god-kings, nor do we deify the great leaders of our past. But if there were any political figure in American history about whom it could be said that he had achieved some sort of genuine transcendence beyond the usual political acclaim, it would be Abraham Lincoln.So what made Lincoln great? What were his flaws and triumphs? What does the success of the Lincoln presidency tell us about the American story at large? How, in particular, did his unusual embrace of the American Jewish community make sense within the wider context of the American experiment?On this week’s episode, Rabbi Ari talked unpacked all this with legendary historian at Brandeis, and author of several books on the Lincoln era, Jonathan Sarna. They spoke about Lincoln’s leadership; his attitude towards antisemitism; his Biblical wit and wisdom and his relationship with the Holy Land; whether it’s a hindrance or a help to have political heroes; and much more!Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

America has now gone through this multi-decade long period where the fashionable belief was that people are at their best when living unfettered lives. Things like community, tradition, religion, are mostly—in this view—just hokey, backward relics of a bygone, credulous era. And while living without these things may make us kind of miserable…at least it’s safe and comfortable! If there’s one thing we know how to do well in America today, it’s cheap, shallow, unthreatening culture.But what would our society look like if we aspired to something much greater, albeit scarier. What if we took a chance on commitment to something obligatory; to building community with people we may not particularly like; to experiencing wonder in a de-mystified world?To unpack all of this, Ari Lamm brought on writer and podcaster extraordinaire, Kylie Unell, to talk about God; 19th century philosophy; race and identity politics; “the universe” in pop culture; and what Spinoza got wrong.

John Selden. A name most people today have never heard. But at one of the most crucial political turning points in the history of the West —17th century England — he was widely known as the most brilliant man in Europe, England’s most accomplished lawyer, and a leading Member of Parliament so respected that both sides of the English Civil War desperately sought to recruit him to their side. His ideas were deeply influential on the future of Western liberty, and to this day remain the best alternative to the secular materialism of thinkers like Thomas Hobbes.He was also the most rabbinically learned non-Jew in world history, and a vocal proponent of ancient rabbinic tradition as the best basis for a virtuous political system.Who was this fascinating thinker? What was his story? And why are his ideas so critical today? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Ari brought on historian Ofir Haivry, author of John Selden and the Western Political Tradition. Haivry is also Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Herzl Institute, and Director of its National Strategy Initiative.They talked all things Selden — the most important Western thinker you’ve never heard of!Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

What will it take to build a dynamic future for our society? We talk a lot about infrastructure, manufacturing, supply chains, defense, biotech. But what about restoring a sense of mission, purpose, community and shared values? A truly bright future needs a new Great Awakening—it needs faith.But how do we build that in the world of digital media and tech?To unpack all this, Rabbi Ari brought on Matthew Potter, co-founder of Pray.com, the #1 daily prayer app on the entire planet. They spoke about building out of tragedy; what differentiates faith from other group activities; how faith fits in Silicon Valley; single-player vs. multi-player prayer; what makes a company worth building; the future of faith in Gen Z; and much more!Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

If there’s one thing Western society needs right now, it’s the rejuvenation of community. But what does it take to rebuild community out of the ashes of COVID, andin the face of a loneliness epidemic sweeping across America and the West at large? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Ari spoke to a man who quite literally does this for a living — David Siegel, CEO of Meetup, the largest social media platform for building in-real-lifecommunity in the world, and author of the new book “Decide and Conquer,” out now.They spoke about how to beat loneliness; why Rousseau is wrong; lessons learned from the rise and fall of WeWork; whether community can survive the trajectory of American liberalism;the threat that social media culture poses to community in 2022; and much more! 

We often think of religion as this thing you learn about through texts. Through studying in a seminary. Through quiet contemplation. But as far as the Bible is concerned, religion is so much more than that! It’s embodied, it’s traditional, it reaches every single nook and cranny of our lives. And it’s deeply sensory. It’s about sights, sounds…even smells and tastes!So what can we learn about religion, about culture—about life—from the world of food? To unpack this, Rabbi Ari spoke with celebrity food writer and influencer Adeena Sussman, author (and co-author along with Chrissy Teigen, Candace Nelson, and others) of numerous NYT-bestselling cookbooks.They talked about the revolution in Jewish and Israeli cuisine in the last decade; what you can uniquely learn about a culture through food; the insight cooking gives you into the immigrant experience; the role the Sabbath plays in shaping Jewish cuisine; what Adeena learned from sharing Jewish cuisine with Chrissy Teigen; where she’d eat in Israel if she only had one place to choose; and much more!Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

What does it take to produce one of the most popular podcasts in the world? Especially when it's about the Bible? Rabbi Ari spoke to Tara Leigh Cobble, host of The Bible Recap podcast, about the importance of daily study; the most underrated characters in the Book of Judges; the Bible's political wisdom; the importance of experiencing the Bible in Hebrew (even for those who don't speak or read it!); what doing her podcast has taught her about pedagogy and setting goals; and much more!Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.