This series is sponsored by our friends, Daniel and Mira Stokar.In this episode of 18Forty, tech entrepreneur Antonio Garcia Martinez discusses his powerful “Why Judaism?” essay series, chronicling his conversion to Judaism and his views on the deficiencies of secular liberalism. A formerly Orthodox man who was moved to change his life after reading Martinez’s essays chimes in.—What is the toll of a culture of optionality?—What is the value of unchosen commitments?—How does Martinez reconcile his deeply scientific worldview with Judaism?Interview begins at 10:21.Antonio García Martínez is a New York Times best-selling author and tech entrepreneur. He is a former product manager for Facebook, the CEO-founder of AdGrok, and a former quantitative analyst for Goldman Sachs. His book Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley, an insider look into Silicon Valley, was a New York Times bestseller. Antonio reflected on his choice to engage with Judaism in a deeply thoughtful piece, “Why Judaism? On abandoning secular modernity.”References:Why Judaism? On abandoning secular modernity by Antonio García MartínezWhy Judaism?, part שני: On the question of God in modernity by Antonio García MartínezNineteen Letters by Rabbi Samson Raphael HirschThe Benedict Option by Rod DreherRethinking Sex by Christine EmbaSeven Types of Atheism by John GrayThe Sabbath by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Antonio García Martínez: Optionality and Choosing Judaism [Teshuva 2/6]

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Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.In this special episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rachel Goldberg-Polin—whose son, Hersh, was kidnapped by Hamas and is still held hostage in Gaza—about heading into Passover with our loved ones still captive.Normally, Intergenerational Divergence feels like something of a choice. But now, Jewish families have been split apart by force. In this episode we discuss:How do we foster a continued connection to the members of our family who are missing?What difficult thoughts and questions will we bring to the Seder table this year?What does it mean to express hope via the Pesach Seder amid these bitter times? We hope wholeheartedly that this conversation about missing our children at the time of Passover will be made irrelevant and the hostages will soon return home. Interview begins at 7:17.References:“One Tiny Seed” by Rachel Goldberg-Polin“To the Boys in the Room” by Rachel Goldberg-PolinSefer HaMenucha on Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread 8:2“A Prayer for Israel To Add to Your Pesach Seder” by Yosef Zvi Rimon

Rachel Goldberg-Polin: A Hostage’s Mother Fighting for His Freedom

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to a Haredi mother named Dina about her two children who serve in the IDF, one of whom was critically wounded in the current war. Oct. 7 accelerated the already-complicated conversation about Haredi service in the army. Here, Dina shares with us her first-hand experience as a mother of chayalim. In this episode we discuss:What is it like being in the Haredi minority of IDF parents—and what is it like being one of the comparatively few IDF parents in the Haredi community? What is the experience of religiously raised soldiers remaining observant in the army?What is it like for a mother to send her son into battle?Tune in to hear a conversation about how we might, as Dina puts it, be machmir about how we relate to others. Interview begins at 7:16.References:“A Mother’s Miracle” by Sara BonchekBook Journeys are already back—and we're making them better than ever. We're partnering with Maggid Books, an imprint of Koren Publishers, to ship the books directly to you for an exclusive low price. Until April 24, all the books can be purchased and delivered to your home for $20 per book, or $60 for all three! Get your books and sign up on our website. 

A Haredi Mother Sending Her Children To Serve [Divergence 4/5]

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.This episode is sponsored by the incredible organization Osey Chail, a non-profit organization serving lone soldiers from Haredi and Hasidic homes who are serving in the IDF. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to four Haredi soldiers who served in the IDF about breaking from family and communal expectations by enlisting, and the subsequent Intergenerational implications. We also speak with Yael Ruzievich of the “adoptive family” of lone soldier David Mittelman, who was killed on Oct. 7. Hashem yikkom damo. In this episode we discuss:How do soldiers from the Haredi world relate to their parents after joining the IDF?What does the “adoptive family” of a Haredi lone soldier look like? How can we do more for those who make immense sacrifices to defend the Jewish People?Tune in to hear a conversation about how to handle divisive debates—such as Haredim enlisting for Israeli military service—as a unified Jewish family. First soldier interview begins at 16:47.Second soldier interview begins at 26:06.Interview with Yael Ruzievich begins at 50:46.Third soldier interview begins at 1:32:01.Fourth soldier interview begins at 1:40:45.Haredi soldiers are in a difficult place, often struggling with a lack of social and familial support, due to their community’s stance on army service. The organization Osey Chail fills this gap, supporting soldiers from Haredi backgrounds with kosher food, foster families, apartments, and unity events, among other programs. We’re honored to speak to Haredi soldiers who were part of Osey Chail, as well as families that adopted them.References:Shomer YisraelOsey Chailנגמר by Idan AmediDonate Dog TagsDonate Toward Mittelman ParkPesach is approaching—and Twillory has what you need. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of orders of $139 or more. (Keep an eye out for their one-of-a-kind Air Suits.)

Finding a Home for Haredi IDF Soldiers [Divergence 3/5]

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.A pre-Pesach message from our partners at Twillory: You can use the coupon code PESACH18 for $18 off all orders of $250  or more, or use the coupon code PESACH36 for $36 off all orders of $350 or more..In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with an intergenerational rabbinic pair: Rabbi Haskel Lookstein and his son, Rabbi Joshua Lookstein.Following in the footsteps of a successful parent can involve a crushing degree of pressure. In the Jewish world, perhaps the quintessential case of this is the challenge of being the scion of a prominent rabbinic family (what some might call a “dynasty”). In this episode we discuss:How did family, friends, and congregants react to Joshua leaving the family pulpit? How can children find agency amid family expectations?How do leaders of Jewish institutions manage the most foundational Jewish institution: the family? Tune in to hear a conversation about how we can grapple wisely with professional divergence across generations.Interview begins at 12:53.Rabbi Dr. Haskel Lookstein is the Rabbi Emeritus of Kehilath Jeshurun in Manhattan, where he served most of his entire rabbinic career. He was also the principal of the Ramaz School from 1966 through 2015. R. Lookstein has been highly involved in leadership in the Jewish community for decades. He serves as the Joseph H. Lookstein Professor of Homiletics at Yeshiva University, where he has taught since 1979. He also serves as a Vice President of the Bet Din of America. Rabbi Joshua Lookstein is the Associate Head of School at the Ramaz School. Rabbi Lookstein previously served as the Head of School at Westchester Day School and a Major Gifts Officer at UJA-Federation of New York, and as Executive Director of the S. Daniel Abraham Foundation. Rabbi Lookstein is responsible for ensuring the values of the school are sustained throughout a student’s education.References:“The Lookstein Legacy: An American Orthodox Rabbinical Dynasty?” by Adam S. FerzigerThe Shawshank RedemptionWhy We Sleep by Matthew WalkerThis episode is sponsored in honor of Robert and Sandy April, loyal congregants and students of Rabbi Lookstein for many years. May they continue to learn from Rabbi Lookstein's lessons and actions for many years to come.

Haskel and Josh Lookstein: Finding Your Path in a Rabbinic Dynasty [Divergence 2/5]

This series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.This episode is sponsored by Twillory. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of all orders of $139 or more. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we pivot to Intergenerational Divergence by talking to Rachel Yehuda, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, about intergenerational trauma and intergenerational resilience. In many ways, Oct. 7 reactivated a sense of Jewish trauma that many of us had never experienced in our lifetimes. And yet, it was a feeling that we somehow felt we were returning to as Jews. In this episode we discuss:How does trauma get passed on across generations? How do the Jewish holidays teach us to cultivate resilience from within trauma? How can the Jewish community be more adept at handling traumatic events?Tune in to hear a conversation about how, together, we find the courage to continue.Interview begins at 11:01.Dr. Rachel Yehuda is a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, the vice chair for veterans affairs in the psychiatry department, and the director of the traumatic stress studies division at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Yehuda also established and directs the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research. Dr. Yehuda’s research on second-generation Holocaust survivors, showing the epigenetic effects of trauma across generations, has made her a seminal figure in the field of intergenerational trauma and resilience.References:“The Rabbi vs. the Jewish People” by David Bashevkin“Yonatan Adler: What Archeologists Find”“Hazon Ish on Textual Criticism and Halakhah” by Zvi A. Yehuda“Hazon Ish on the Future of the State of Israel” by Zvi A. YehudaThe Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der KolkTrauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror by Judith Herman “Resilience definitions, theory, and challenges: interdisciplinary perspectives” by Rachel Yehuda and more“What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank” by Nathan Englander

Antonio García Martínez: Optionality and Choosing Judaism [Teshuva 2/6]

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