The Wildescast

Rabbi Wildes celebrates Yom Haatzmaut (Israel's 75th birthday) by sitting down with the fascinating Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel who is a teacher, a farmer, and a pioneering entrepreneur. He is also a retired decorated IDF soldier, an author, a musician, and one of Israel's premiere Jewish media personalities. He is the founder of the Land of Israel Network, with millions of views and downloads from over 120 countries, broadcasting Torah and sharing the beauty of Israel with the world. Rabbi Gimpel, along with his wife Tehila and their six children, founded the Arugot Farm and Educational Center at the edge of a Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria. It has become a global destination for people looking to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Judean Mountains and encounter a living example of Ahavat Eretz Yisrael and Torat Yisrael. They discuss how the building of his farm in Judea and Samaria and interacting with his Arab neighbors inform his view on how Israel and the Palestinians can achieve peace, the current instability in Israel regarding judicial reform, how he'd stop the cycle of brainwashing that the Palestinian leadership perpetuates on their youth, the Biden administration's policy towards Israel, Israel's role to play in bringing the final redemption, and more. Timestamps: 2:00 - Building A Farm in Judea & Samaria 10:30 - Achieving World Peace 15:49 - Can A Two-State Solution Work? 24:17 - Deprogramming Palestinian Hatred 33:30 - Judicial Reform Protests 46:20 - Birthright 48:48 - Israel = Beginning of Mashiach 50:15 - Connecting to Israel in Exile

Rabbi Wildes celebrates Israel's 75th birthday by focusing on Judaism's focus on life in this world as opposed to what happens in the next world and displays how the modern State of Israel has incorporated the Torah's message of living in the here and now. Join MJE for Yom Haatzmaut as we commemorate fallen IDF soldiers for Yom Hazikaron with an inspirational program and musical prayers. Then celebrate Israel's independence (Yom Haatzmaut) with MJE's Shuk Party! Falafel and hummus bar, Israeli snacks and candies, photobooth, Israeli wine bar, Israel beer and more!! Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mje-yom-haatzmaut-israel-independence-program-celebrate-75-years-tickets-592619349427

Rabbi Wildes interviews Holocaust survivor Manny Korman at MJE in front of a packed audience to commemorate Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). The event concluded with some inspiring words from Israel's Minister of Aliyah and Integration and member of the Knesset Ofir Sofer and a stirring rendition of The Hatikvah. Manny Korman was born on December 21, 1931 in Hamburg Germany. Shortly before his 7th birthday, he and his family were taken from their home by the Nazis, and expelled into Poland where he and his older brother Gerd were eventually separated from their parents. After an incredible series of events (which you will hear in this episode) Manny and his brother found his way to England right as WW2 broke out in 1939. The brothers eventually found their way to Brooklyn, NY. Manny attended Queens College and started an illustrious career in education including being the principal of Adrien Block Junior High School in Flushing, NY. He currently mentors principals around the city in developing their own careers. Timestamps: Intro (0:00) Manny Korman's Story of Survival (7:30) Knesset Member Ofir Sofer and Hatikvah (1:06:00) Join us next week Tuesday April 25th at 7PM as we commemorate fallen IDF soldiers for Yom Hazikaron with an inspirational program and musical prayers. Then celebrate Israel's 75th year of independence (Yom Haatzmaut) with MJE's Shuk Party! Falafel and hummus bar, Israeli snacks and candies, photobooth, Israeli wine bar, Israel beer and more!! RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mje-yom-haatzmaut-israel-independence-program-celebrate-75-years-tickets-592619349427 If you would like to come to Israel with us this Summer for the trip of a lifetime, visit https://www.jewishexperience.org/israel

As we continue through the book of Vayikra which focuses on animal sacrifices to Hashem, Rabbi Wildes reveals the fascinating connection between these sacrifices and the virtuous quality of humility emulated by Moshe.

Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld is world-renowned for his incredible podcasts which intersect contemporary issues of trauma, anxiety, and addiction with the ancient texts of Torah, Kabbalah, and Chassidut. Rabbi Wildes speaks with Rabbi Rosenfeld about how those who enjoy yoga and meditation can find those experiences within the Jewish tradition, reframing the traumas in our lives as opportunities for elevation, the greater picture behind the postmodern moment of relativity and the denial of objective truth, what makes this generation's relationship with God different from previous generations, and more. Timestamps: 1:20 - Meditation 5:00 - Breath & Mindfulness 16:00 Is Positivity a Choice? 23:00 Accepting God as King 34:00 Trauma 48:00 Postmodernism 58:00 Finding the Light in the Darkness

It is our responsibility to answer those who don’t have the knowledge or interest to ask about their Judaism, but miraculously are. At our 24th Annual Dinner I was honored to address close to 350 people who take our mission of reconnecting our Jewish brothers and sisters seriously. Thank you to all who came and donated. It was a magical night that will, please God, usher in many more spiritual moments of connection to our spiritual heritage. Shabbat Shalom! Click here if you'd like to donate to MJE and contribute to the reconnection of our unaffiliated brothers and sisters to their heritage: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/1391059

"I'm spiritual but not religious." You hear this statement more and more these days but is there any validity to it? Take a journey with Rabbi Wildes through the mountains of India to an Allman Brothers concert in New York City and find out. We are hosting our 24th Annual Dinner on March 21st where we raise the majority of our donations, so please consider attending here (https://www.wizevents.com/mjedinner2023/?id=7683) or donating at www.jewishexperience.org to help us continue our holy work.

Rabbi Mark Wildes joins the Judaism Demystified podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on the current state of Jewish outreach. Rabbi Wildes shares his journey in Kiruv and delves into the reasons behind the lack of engagement of many Jews with Judaism. Is there a place for both a rationalist and mystical approach to outreach? Is blind faith a Jewish idea? What are the difficulties faced by the post-Kiruv Baal Teshuvah who eventually loses his/her initial inspiration? Our 24th Annual Dinner is on March 21st where we raise the majority of our donations for the year. Buy tickets here (https://www.wizevents.com/mjedinner2023/?id=7683) or if you cannot make it, please consider donating so we can continue this holy work. (https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/1391059) You can subscribe to the Judaism Demystified podcast here: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/judaism-demystified-a-guide-for-todays-perplexed/id1572203778)

What is the connection between the holiday of Purim and the series of Parshas that we are currently reading detailing the building of the Tabernacle? The answer reveals the solution to a significant issue currently facing the Jewish community - is Judaism about the practice of mitzvot, or the philosophy behind them? To watch the video version of this sermon and more inspiring video content from Rabbi Wildes, subscribe to the Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/markwildesmje

In the final part of our series on the divinity and authenticity of the Torah, Rabbi Wildes sits down with Rabbi/Dr. Jeremy England. Dr. England has been called the next Charles Darwin by various respected scientists in his field due to his research on the spontaneous emergence of life. Despite this background which on the surface would seem to run counter to a Creationist view of the world as well as not growing up in an observant household or community, Dr. England came to believe in the divinity of the Torah later in life as he started delving deeper into the text. In this fascinating conversation, we discuss what he specifically sees in the Torah to indicate its divinity, his problem with the oft-cited argument of intelligent design for God's creation of the world, the limitations of Science and how they are similar to atheistic arguments against the existence of God, being a character in a Dan Brown novel and more. You can follow Dr. England on Twitter @LifeLikePhysics and buy his incredible book "Every Life is on Fire" wherever books are sold. TimeStamps: Maintaining Belief as a Physicist (2:40) Spontaneous Emergence of Life (9:30) Intelligent Design Argument (13:20) Torah vs. Science (18:40) The Divinity of the Torah (26:30) Belief in the Divine Creator (45:00) Power of Prayer (53:00) Limitations of Science (1:03:00) Dan Brown and God Tapping You on the Shoulder (1:09:00)