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Is it Kosher to question Kashrut?

A listener writes, “Why do Jews have Kosher rules? And how would you suggest a previously unobservant Jew approach Kashrut, if at all?”

Rabbi Shira admits that teaching the laws of kashrut is one of the hardest things she has to do as a rabbi. She does her best to make sense of it all and gives her best pitch for a mindfulness-based Jewish eating practice.

FAQ about Kosher laws

Read more about keeping Kosher in a non-Kosher world

Read Maimonides' commentary on the laws of Kashrut

Grow and Behold

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Wine is central to Jewish ritual, but what if drinking isn’t safe for you? A listener in recovery dreads what used to be his favorite holiday, Passover. He writes that he dreads all the wine talk and dreads having to explain why he's opting out. He asks, "Can I skip the Seder this year?"

Rabbi Shira and Hanna are joined by Rabbi Sue Reinhold of the Torah of Recovery to explore why wine matters, how Judaism understands both joy and danger in drinking, the stigma around addiction in Jewish communities and practical ways to participate, or not.

Contact Rabbi Sue Reinhold

Study Torah of Recovery

Find a Seder

Read about addiction in the Torah

Read about free will in the Torah, Free Will, by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks 

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With the world feeling particularly heavy, Rabbi Shira and Hanna wonder if, in addition to moments of anger and resistance, they can find a way to bring joy into this year’s Passover Seder. They’re joined by Rav Jericho Vincent, the founding rabbi of Temple of the Stranger, a growing mystical Jewish community in Brooklyn, NY. 

Listen to Jericho’s podcast Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness

Read Jericho’s substack

Read Jericho’s scholarship on the Torah of Miriam

Watch Debbie Friedman's "Miriam's Song" arranged/produced by Daniel Raijman 

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After a listener misgenders someone at synagogue, a torrent of feelings, recriminations and emails ensue, leading one congregant to email another with the subject “Hey Asshole.”

Rabbi Shira and Hanna welcome Rabbi Lily Solochek of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London, whose work focuses on creating inclusive Jewish communities, especially for queer and trans people and families. 

Visit The Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London

Learn more about Rabbi Lily Solochek

Read about Joseph's ornamented coat 

Read about Sarah as a tumtum

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Is Botox kosher?

What about filler, extensions or hair dye? Can a good Jew be too vain? And does Judaism value beauty? 

A listener reaches out for help when her two daughters are horrified to discover their feminist mom has a secret desire for luxurious lashes. 

Rabbi Shira and Hanna help her navigate personal vanity, Jewish values and 21st century parenting. And they reveal their own insecurities and zoom primping rituals. 

Read more about Joseph & beauty in the Torah

Read more about hospitality, vanity and beauty

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We’re back for Season 7!

Purim is a time to reveal the hidden, unmask your shadow self and, perhaps, get super sloshed. But a listener wonders about having a psychedelic experience on Purim.

Rabbi Shira and Hanna get advice from Rabbi Zac Kamenetz, the founder of Shefa, an organization working to integrate safe and supported psychedelic use into the Jewish spiritual tradition.

Learn more about Shefa

Read about the shadow self

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Chutzpod is coming back with new episodes and new real-life questions February 25th!

Rabbi Shira and Hanna will talk about using psychedelics on Purim, whether it’s ok to be vain and how synagogues can be more inclusive to trans members. 

Subscribe to automatically get all new episodes. And submit your own questions to be featured on an episode!

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Did you know that 29% of American Jews struggle to make ends meet? 

What you are about to hear is a session from the 2025 Jewish Federation of North America General Assembly,  the JFNA GA, entitled Redefining Jewish Life Through the Lens of Economic Reality. 

In this session, we examined 2025 data on Jewish poverty in America, and discussed how our communal narratives about money and class obscure the real experiences of Jews across the economic spectrum. The first speaker you’ll hear is Rachel Sumekh, Entrepreneur and CEO of Together Ending Need. You’ll also hear from Jon Hornstein, Program Director at The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, and our own Rabbi Shira. To see some of the data referenced in this episode, go to togetherendingneed.org/ga

New episodes of Chutzpod will be back February 25th! Send your questions and comments to [email protected]. Make sure you're subscribed, spread the word, and we’ll talk to you then! 

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Rabbi Shira and Hanna end the season with a torah study jam packed with family dynamics, sibling rivalry, maternal manipulations, nation-building and birthright.

Read Parashat Toldot

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Rabbi Shira and Hanna help a listener who was invited to a family wedding in Israel, but doesn’t want to go. 

How important are weddings? And what if your conflicting feelings and grief are just too painful? This is a must-listen for anyone experiencing a shift in Jewish identity when it comes to a relationship with Israel.  Rabbi Shira and Hanna help a listener navigate his changing feelings and conflicted opinions about Israel.

Text on importance of going to Jewish weddings 

Read more about Hachnasat kallah: the importance of preparing a bride for her wedding 

Read more about the mitzvah of bringing joy to people getting married

Suggestions for traveling to Israel right now:

MEJDI Tours

Green Olive Tours 

Follow our Instagram to join the conversation this week: How do you feel about traveling to Israel right now? 

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