Bad Jew

Yom Kippur is notorious for the strenuous difficult key feature task of fasting for 25 hours. Beyond just getting the rumbles in your tummy, starving for prolonged periods of time with no water leads to headaches, fatigue, and a lack of ability to focus. So how could it possible do any good for a time when we must reflect and pray?

Rabbi Ari Averbach is no stranger to the importance of this act. Whether it's the high holidays or another fasting day, Rabbi Averbach brings attention to the deeper meaning of this holy ritual. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, learns from Ari, who now heads the synagogue that Chaz grew up in. Learn from Rabbi Ari Averbach and Chaz Volk in order to add more depth to your high holidays. 

00:00 Introduction

04:13 Blending storytelling, Torah, and life's pivotal moments

07:52 Understanding Yom Kippur's significance and practices discussed

12:18 Modern Judaism evolved beyond original Torah teachings

14:51 Yom Kippur fasting questioned for focus validity

17:08 Deciding between comfort and traditional discomfort

22:14 Yom Kippur questions identity in face of death

25:01 Purim and Yom Kippur: Reflection, celebration, identity

28:18 Facing death daily, alleviated by prayer reflections

30:34 Stoicism and reflection: growth through difficult situations

34:41 Conclusion

About Rabbi Ari Averbach:

Rabbi Ari Averbach has served as Senior Rabbi at Temple Etz Chaim since July 2019. 

Rabbi Averbach grew up in Agoura Hills, a student of the public schools and Los Angeles Hebrew High School. He graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, spending several years working in film and television. His volunteering, especially with Jewish World Watch, a non-profit organization fighting genocide in Darfur and Congo, changed his career path. Through this work, he was a guest lecturer at dozens of synagogues, churches, schools and summer camps around Southern California.

Rabbi Averbach was ordained at AJU’s Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, where he was presented the Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence and was honored to be elected the class speaker. During school, he earned certification in chaplaincy at Children’s Hospital, and served as the rabbinic intern at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino.

Rabbi Averbach previously served as Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, Illinois, and volunteered as a chaplain at local hospitals. He was the founding leader of the Rabbinical Assembly affinity group for Assistant Rabbis and served as Treasurer of the local RA chapter.

He was featured on CBS News, quoted in the New York Times, and was a contributor to Says You.

As a family, Ari, his wife Vanessa, a high school English teacher, and their three children, spend free time going for long walks, doing crossword puzzles and riding bikes.

Connect with Rabbi Ari Averbach:

www.TempleEtzChaim.org

Connect with Bad Jew: 

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod

TikTok @BadJewPod

October 7th, 2023 will always be notorious for being the greatest massacre in Jewish history since the holocaust. Everything changed after that Simchat Torah. In the epicenter of this terrible day was the Nova Festival. This music festival was famous for being a "nature party" filled with love, laughter, diversity, and memories that would last a lifetime. This beautiful experience quickly became the source for thousands of attendees' traumas as Hamas terrorists breached the border and massacred anyone in their site. The attendees of this festival were no exception. 

Lee Sasi was one of the survivors from this harrowing day. Having survived under near impossible circumstances, Sasi was changed forever. She nearly lost her life and her survival is nothing short of a miracle. This particular episode comes at a relevant time as we pass the 1 year anniversary of the October 7th massacre. The war that was started by this tragic day still continues in the Gaza strip, and now Lebanon. Chaz Volk collaborates with comedian Ben Berger to hear the full testimony of Lee Sasi. This interview with recorded in the Los Angeles Nova Exhibit. 

Special thanks to the LA Nova Exhibit for letting us record in their studio. For more information, go to: https://www.novaexhibition.com/ 

00:00 Trigger warning

05:09 A chance encounter

11:42 Going to Nova with family

18:09 Getting to the bomb shelter

21:00 Proximity of Gaza

29:22 The ultimate sacrifice 

35:24 Surviving in the shelter

37:27 Mentally escaping the chaos

45:33 Dehumanization

48:32 Numb

56:45 Chaz's recent experiences in Israel

58:41 Remembering Kibbutz Be'eri

01:04:16 Delays from the war

01:11:45 The Nova Community

01:17:05 Honoring lives lost; deep gratitude for participation.

Connect with Lee Sasi:

IG @leesasi

Happy Jew Year! Some people get confused about this: Why do Jews celebrate 2 new years and not 1 like everyone else? Well, a better question might be "Why does everyone else celebrate a different new year?". In all actuality, the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, was first and unlike the secular new year celebrated at Times Square, ours has a lot more meaning. 

Jamie Geller, CMO from Aish.com, speaks to the joys of celebrating the new year to come (5785). This particular new year comes at an auspicious time as we are nearing the one year anniversary of the atrocities of October 7th. Geller speaks on adding depth to the year while also bringing up her favorite recipes that accompany the taste of a sweet new year!

00:00 Introduction

03:20 New Year's resolutions originate from Jewish traditions

09:08 The power of an individual

11:14 Get involved

14:03 The meaning of a moment

17:57 Rosh Hashanah recipes

20:16 A peaceful home

25:53 Shana Tova!

26:25 Conclusion

About Jamie Geller:

As the first Chief Media & Marketing Officer of Aish, Jamie Geller brings years of experience in building her media empire that influences millions every day. An award-winning producer and marketing executive for HBO and CNN, Jamie went on to successfully build a portfolio of Jewish food and lifestyle digital media brands as the Founder and CEO of Kosher Network international (KNi), the #1 Global Kosher Food Media Company and World’s Most Watched Jewish Food Network with an audience of 5 million and 1 billion views.

An eight-time bestselling author who appears regularly on the daytime talk show circuit, Ms. Geller has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, The Wall Street Journal, and many more media outlets. She has joined the Aish executive team to spearhead a digital media strategy featuring entertainment, edutainment, and educational experiences to make Jewish wisdom more accessible and engaging for people across the globe.

Connect with Jamie Geller:

YouTube @jamiegeller  

IG @jamiegeller   

IG @jewlishbyjamie

Learn more at Aish.com

Learn more at Jewlish.com

Connect with Bad Jew: 

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod

TikTok @BadJewPod

Just reading this title, don't you want to sink your teeth into a dense, spongey, doughy texture, chomp on the egg-layered crust, and enjoy the taste of freshly made challah? Of course you do. Anyone who knows anything about Judaism knows that challah is one of the tastiest and most iconic foods of Jewish cuisine. But why do we eat challah and why did we land on this particular recipe for our rituals?

Sarah Klegman, co-creator of Challah Hub, has probably made thousands of Challahs. She's a pro and she shares her recipes, experiences, and knowledge on the vast history of challah with Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew. Sarah and Chaz bond over their love for various recipes while embracing Jewish holidays like Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah. Tune in to grow your appetites and knowledge of challah!

00:00 Introduction

04:10 Local Jewish business owner

06:57 The history of challah

11:23 Cutting vs. Ripping

13:13 Community connections

17:13 Rosh Hashanah challah vs. Shabbat challah

22:21 New challah recipes

25:13 Blessings around Jewish bread

26:26 The role bread plays in meals

30:05 Conclusion

About Sarah Klegman:

Sarah Klegman is a versatile creative professional who wears many hats—writer, international speaker, and strategic consultant. She helps businesses and individuals with brand strategy, growth initiatives, and various forms of writing, from creative projects to professional communications. Her dynamic career has spanned managing stand-up comedians, serving as Chief Happiness Officer for an AI startup, and co-founding a challah company. She facilitates writing workshops for Jewish women and has spoken at Limmud festivals worldwide, weaving vulnerability and Jewish wisdom into her approach. Sarah's work has been featured in The Huffington Post and The LA Times, and she's made appearances on Comedy Central, The Great British Baking Show (PBS), and KTLA.

Connect with Sarah Klegman:

YouTube @sarahkleg  

IG @SarahKleg

X @SarahKleg

LI: Sarah Klegman

ChallahHub.com

SarahKlegman.com

Connect with Bad Jew:

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod

TikTok @BadJewPod

Bad things keep on happening to good people. In what world is that acceptable and how could God let that happen? People who are suffering and undergo unsurmountable levels of pain struggle with this question all of the time. Many lose their belief in God over this question. For others, it strengthens their connection to God.

Rabbi Asher Resnick has gone through a lot in his life, yet he's a great person. Rabbi Resnick is no stranger to pain. He has dealt with things that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Drawing for Torah and Jewish teachings, Resnick shares his wisdom with Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, easing the minds of those who listen ensuring that there's something bigger happening. 

Timeline:

00:00 Introduction

09:06 Dealing with suffering deepened my faith 

13:03 Life distracts from feeling God's unconditional love

15:28 Focus on future

18:07 Using trauma to make the world better

22:44 Judaism emphasizes choice and finding life's meaning

24:45 Finding hope again

30:38 Success from trauma and resilience

32:12 Conclusion

About Rabbi Asher Resnick:

Rabbi Asher Resnick was born and raised in LA, and graduated from UCLA with a BA in Psychology. He received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He served as a senior lecturer at the Institute of Jewish Legal and Medical Ethics in San Francisco, and at the Aish HaTorah Branch in New York.

Rabbi Resnick is currently one of the Educational Coordinators of Aish’s Executive Learning Center, and a senior training lecturer for Aish HaTorah’s Rabbinical Ordination program. As a close student of the late Rabbi Noach Weinberg zt”l, he developed a special expertise in addressing fundamental issues in Judaism, as well as in bringing classical texts to life. He established his JewishClarity.com website to make his wealth of material accessible to a far wider audience.

Connect with Rabbi Asher Resnick:

Buy "Pain is a Reality, Suffering is a Choice": https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Reality-S...

Learn more about Rabbi Asher Resnick at https://yeshiva.aish.com/meet-our-staff/

Connect with Bad Jew: 

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod

TikTok @BadJewPod

Free Will doesn't exist... or does it? Afterall, all of our decisions are impacted by the decisions right before... right? Philosophy may not be your strong suit but surely we simply come into existence and act on our needs and what's around us. It's nice to feel like we make decisions but surely we're just animals like the rest of the living organisms on this Earth, thus we have no free will.... right?

Rabbi M.Z. Dubov has much more to say on this! Free will does exist even with G-d in the picture! Dubov highlights the part conscience and a freed mindset play in the understanding of our place in the universe. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew and someone who once believed there was no free will, takes a deep dive into Jewish philosophy.

00:00 Introduction

06:19 Paradigm shift

08:36 Discovering Jewish tradition

12:06 Realized free will concerns

13:54 Free will exists if a higher consciousness exists

18:28 Debate over free will among believers and atheists

23:46 Determinism vs. free will in Jewish philosophy

27:28 Einstein theory

29:00 Decisions result from inputs.

34:23 Universe is not synonymous with God.

36:58 Humans are thoughts in God's infinite consciousness

40:14 Deterministic existence nullifies genuine human experience

42:34 Universal love, independence, image of God

46:49 Realize you are a soul, not a body

49:39 Survival vs. Lifestyle

52:15 Conclusion

About Rabbi M.Z. Dubov: 

Born in Minsk, Belarus, MZ grew up in Brooklyn in an immigrant family which fled the USSR due to antisemitism. He attended public school until enrolling in the Boston College Carroll School of Management, from which he graduated with a B.S. in Operations & Business Consulting. During his time at BC, he became heavily involved in Israeli Advocacy, co-founding “Eagles for Israel.” While running diplomatic and cultural events, MZ met Rabbi Chananel Weiner, a student of Rabbi Noach Weinberg zt”l (the founder of Aish). Rabbi Weiner opened MZ’s eyes to the depth and beauty of his Jewish roots. After graduation and before jumping into the corporate world, MZ came to Aish to learn more and decided to stay, having found his calling in life. With seven years of Torah study under his belt, MZ received Rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Nachum Barowski and Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl. He acts as the Director of the FoundAISHons program, in which he teaches daily and serves as a mentor to students past and present. Rabbi MZ enjoys playing basketball, hiking, taking joyrides, listening to music, and teaching his kids about this wonderful world in which we live. He and his wife often host for Shabbat in their home in French Hill, Jerusalem.

Connect with M.Z. Dubov:

Aish.com

FeadYourHead.blog

Plus.Aish.com

OlamiTogether.org

Souled.Olami.org

Connect with Bad Jew: 

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod

TikTok @BadJewPod

What's happening with the Jewish people right now? Can we agree on anything? Is it even worth debating anymore? Up is down and down is up. Explanations fall on deaf ears and those who we once thought were Jewish are raising children in a completely different faith. Our identity seems to be in perils... or is it?

Shoshanna Stein, known for being a Jewish teacher and content creator, gives a humbling and realistic take on what is happening to our identity and culture. While Jews are constantly at odds with each other on how to live as a Jew, Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, enters with an open mind to investigate the implications, statistics, and practices that Jews hold so dear (such as Shabbat).

00:00 Introduction

05:53 The Jewish identity is much more meaningful

07:30 Mindfulness in daily life leads to gratitude

11:27 The beauty of unexpected prayers.

14:56 The power of shabbos

19:21 Connecting humanity to Godliness

22:23 Antisemitism in the diaspora

24:07 Strive for unity to uphold Jewish values

29:19 Conclusion

About Shoshanna Stein:

Born into a Chabad family, Shoshanna Stein hails from a highly orthodox background. At 18, she relocated to Israel, she pursued studies in fashion in Tel Aviv where she got her degree.

Shoshanna is a mother of three and is passionate about art, using her experiences to create meaningful and spiritual pieces. Her profound connection to Judaism is evident in her vibrant Jewish life, which combines Chabad and Sephardic influences. A particular focus is the Ki Tov Project, which conveys the belief that everything is essentially good. Now involved in the Hebrew Academy, she aims to bring the Ki Tov Project to schools in Miami and beyond.

Connect with Shoshanna Stein:

https://linktr.ee/mysocalledjewishlife

Connect with Bad Jew: 

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod

TikTok @BadJewPod

How many times have you clasped your hands together, looked up at the sky, and BEGGED G-d for something only to get crickets in return. Praying to G-d can be a disheartening and even intimidating task for some. This is an incredibly valid and real experience and anyone who believes in G-d would be lying if they said that was never their experience. But what if there was a better way to ask for things?

Jesse Orenshein, known for his valiant and impressive efforts on the famous TV show American Ninja Warrior, tells his story about the eye-opening epiphany that changed the course of his Jewish journey. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, who recently learned how to pray and daven from his most recent trip to Israel, refines his understanding thanks to Jesse and his tried and true experiences. 

00:00 Introduction

03:09 Asking G-d for Things

07:16 American Ninja Warrior experience

09:22 Out of Body experience

13:14 Difficulties of competing while religious

18:27 Grace and sacrifice

22:00 Miraculous changes

24:40 Impacts of Israel

26:48 You can't always get what you want

30:06 Persistence and luck

33:58 Custom prayer can follow Rambam's format

35:42 Conclusion

About Jesse Orenshein:

Jesse Orenshein is a children's book author, screenwriter, and 4-time competitor on NBC's hit show, American Ninja Warrior. His recent appearance on Season 16 gained mass Jewish recognition, after Jesse iconically put on a back-up yarmulke when his first one fell in the water. Jesse competes on ANW to inspire Jews around the world, especially the four loves of his life - his wife and three beautiful daughters.

Buy Jesse Orenshein's books at: www.GrandpaHerbiesStories.com

Connect with Bad Jew:

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod

You turn on your TV or go on your phone and the first video that pops up is insurmountable destruction of Gaza. A once complete society is now in rubble, leaving bloodied bodies and children behind. And who's responsible? Israel. Surely this is a genocide, right?

Well, it's true that Gaza is in ruins but characterizing what's going on in Gaza as a genocide is tone deaf. Sam Fried, a former paratrooper and two-time veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces, has continued his fight by speaking on behalf of Israel and the IDF. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, takes common misconceptions and narratives seen from his @badjewpod tiktok account and tests Fried on his responses to dig deeper and find the truth.

00:00 Introduction

03:51 Speaking for peace

06:56 Genocide?

11:22 Echo chambers on social media

16:09 The IDF's draft

18:45 Displacement of Palestinians

20:05 The heinous nature of war

25:40 The principals of the IDF

27:17 Not playing fairly

31:37 Reflections on October 7th

34:43 Dialogue, peace, and disagreement are necessary

36:30 Conclusion

About Sam Fried:

Sam Fried is 27, from New York, works in finance at an international bank, and served in the IDF Paratroopers from 2020-2022. On October 7th, Sam knew he had to take action to protect Jews and eradicate the inhumanity that Hamas brought to the world. Sam is a First-Sergeant Paratrooper reservist in the IDF who recently returned from fighting in Gaza. He served as a commander of a squadron and as a sharpshooter in the middle and south of Gaza for approximately 50 days on the front lines fighting Hamas, as well as several high-priority missions in the West Bank. Since returning home, Sam has been committed to Hasbarah (Israel advocacy), speaking to Jewish and non-Jewish communities around the country whether at universities, churches, mosques, on panels, debates, synagogues, schools, etc. to promote his thee foundational pillars: 1) Empowering Jews and allies to be proud in today’s environment, 2) Peace through dialogue, and 3) Humanizing the IDF.

Connect with Sam Fried:

IG @samfried26

Connect with Bad Jew:

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod

The Torah is central to Judaism. There’s no debate there. But why is it relevant to our daily lives? It’s a history book… about supernatural things that we can’t possibly relate to… right?

Joey Swaid, a young and bright yeshiva student in Jerusalem, Israel, speaks the words of wisdom and truth relating Torah and it’s relevancy to our daily lives. While offering a deeper perspective on the turbulent state of our people, he also provides practical steps to add meaning and depth to your week and perspective on the world’s current state. 

About Joey Swaid:

Joey Swaid is currently entering his third year at Yeshivat Mikdash Melech in Yerushalayim. He is passionate about inspiring others and offering Chizuk. with Hashem’s help, he shares a weekly recording of the Devar Torah on the Parasha every Friday on his WhatsApp chat. 

Connect with Joey Swaid’s WhatsApp Chat here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/lYtALxNy8NI25NQbZV2i42

Connect with Bad Jew:

BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

[email protected]

Ig @BadJewPod