Welcome to the Defining Moments podcast. Today we’re joined by Matthew Miller, publisher of Koren Publishers Jerusalem, one of the world’s leading Jewish publishing house. After growing up in a non-observant household and running a British multinational corporation, Matthew made aliyah in 1999. He later acquired Koren Publishers and transformed it from a company publishing just a handful of titles into a publishing powerhouse releasing new works every week. Under Matthew’s leadership, Koren has become synonymous with intellectual rigor and beautiful design, bringing us game-changing works like the Koren Sacks Siddur and the groundbreaking Koren Talmud Bavli. Today, we’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at Jewish book publishing. We’ll hear about working with Rabbis Sacks and Steinsaltz, learn how Koren differs from ArtScroll, discover why aesthetics matter in prayer, and explore Matthew’s remarkable journey from secular corporate executive to the publisher who has fundamentally changed how Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist communities learn and pray.

produced by DABRU

Welcome to “Defining Moments.” Today I’m honored to be joined by Rabbi Hayim Navon, a distinguished Israeli rabbi, philosopher, and writer whose work has profoundly influenced modern Jewish thought. Rabbi Navon has recently published a deeply moving book titled “מעשה בצדיק ואלונקה” – “A Tale of a Righteous Man and a Stretcher.” This powerful work commemorates the students and graduates of Hesder yeshivas who fell in the first year of the war, documenting their lives, values, and extraordinary commitment to Torah study, Chessed, their hobbies, and the defense of Israel.

Don't miss our riveting new Defining Moments podcast featuring Gila Tolub, the visionary Executive Director of ICAR Collective! In response to October 7th's profound impact, ICAR coordinates experts across medicine, psychology, and public health to address Israel's trauma crisis where 60% of Israelis have experienced symptoms of PTSD. Our conversation explores both ICAR's vital work aligning hundreds of fragmented organizations and fascinating research on what truly drives recovery—including the surprising power of community structures and spiritual leadership in trauma healing. Gila shares insights on how coordinated clinical services combined with strong community networks create the most effective path to resilience. Join us for this essential discussion on addressing national trauma through integrated approaches that might not only heal wounds but potentially transform crisis into an opportunity for collective growth and renewed strength.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

In this powerful episode, we meet Roni Bluth, whose life changed dramatically when her husband was severely wounded in combat on Israel's northern border. The bullet missed his brain stem by just one millimeter, beginning a journey that countless families of wounded soldiers face. From explaining to her eight-year-old daughter why dad couldn't speak with his jaws wired shut to eventually putting on a uniform herself to serve in the reserves, Roni's story reveals both the intense challenges these families endure and the remarkable resilience they discover in the face of trauma.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

produced by DABRU

Since October 7th, communities across Israel have faced unprecedented challenges, with religious leaders like Rabbi Zev Rosenfeld at the forefront of offering emotional and spiritual support. In this episode of Defining Moments, Rabbi Rosenfeld, the Chief Rabbi of Talmon, shares his experiences and unique perspective as an Anglo-Rabbi leading an Israeli yeshuv.

Talmon, which has tragically lost four soldiers in the current war, is a community where nearly every family is intertwined with the military. Rabbi Rosenfeld's leadership extends beyond the synagogue, as he supports bereaved families, tends to soldiers' loved ones, and guides the community’s youth through trauma.

Join us to explore how Rabbi Rosenfeld navigates the challenges of war, loss, and resilience, offering insight into the vital role of religious leaders in helping their communities endure and grow stronger.

produced by DABRU

On October 7th, Hamas terrorists hunted Jews house to house, burned families alive, and committed atrocities that immediately evoked memories of the darkest chapter in Jewish history - the Holocaust. While the systematic Nazi genocide remains uniquely incomparable in its scope and horror, the echoes of that period have haunted our collective consciousness since October 7th.

Produced by DABRU

At 14, Avi Samter sparked his family's aliyah with a simple question in his mother's car. By 23, he was commanding an elite IDF counter-terrorism unit during Israel's darkest hours. In this powerful conversation, Avi shares his journey from New York's Five Towns to the frontlines of Israel's war against Hamas, offering a deeply personal account of October 7th, his multiple missions in Gaza, and the profound loss of his close friend Yona Brief. Through his thoughtful reflections on service, sacrifice, and identity, Avi provides a unique window into the generation of young soldiers defending Israel, revealing both the heavy burden they carry and the unwavering spirit that drives them forward.

Mental health awareness has undergone a remarkable transformation in Jewish communities over recent years, and today's guest, Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig, has been at the forefront of this change. Through his groundbreaking work integrating mental health into a halakhic framework and his book 'Nafshi Bishe'elati,' he has helped create a new language for discussing mental health within Orthodox Judaism. While his work has taken on additional urgency in the context of the current war in Israel, Rabbi Rosensweig's mission to destigmatize mental health challenges and provide halakhic guidance for those struggling began long before, and continues to shape how Orthodox communities approach these crucial issues.

In an article about Jewish Comedy Sarah Groustra writes:

"Arguably, the most important aspect of Jewish comedy is release. Judaism is diasporic, which brings with it a legacy of restlessness, fear, and loneliness. The diaspora leaves in its wake the stereotype of neurotic Jewish parents who instill fear of persecution in their Jewish children. Jewish comedy serves to mitigate the tension of living in a world where your background is not always accepted. Jewish comedy is a break, a chance to breathe—a release. I see it as a specific form of catharsis, the 'cleansing' or 'purging' of emotions that we feel in the wake of consuming art. Although the idea of catharsis was originally used by Aristotle to define audiences’ feelings of renewal after witnessing tragedy onstage, comedy can certainly renew us in similar ways."

Comedian Avi Liberman has been making audiences laugh for decades. In the Jewish community he is well known for his comedy for Koby shows, where he brings mostly non-Jewish comics to Israel to raise funds for the Koby Mandell Foundation. Avi was in Israel on October 7th, and shortly thereafter started performing for soldiers and parents of soldiers.

In this conversation, he and I discuss whether comedy is appropriate during times of tragedy, how comedy can help us cope, and even sometimes show that we won’t let those who hate us defeat us. 

We also talked about how a comic develops his material, what it feels like to make people laugh, and much more.  Join us for a serious talk about comedy.

Make sure you go to comedyforkoby.com to get your tickets for the October shows in Israel . All funds go to the Koby Mandell foundation, which helps bereaved mothers, fathers, widows, orphans and siblings to rebuild their lives and create meaning out of suffering.

The recent killing of 12 Druze children playing soccer in Majdal Shams by a Hezbollah missile sent shock waves throughout Israel. That’s only the most recent tragic event, as many Druze soldiers have been killed in the current war, where they have served with distinction in the Israeli army. The Druze are obviously giving and loyal members of Israeli society, and I learned this first-hand when I, along with many others, visited Majdal Shams to pay a condolence call. 

But who exactly are the Druze, and how do they view the Jewish people and the State of Israel? How can we broaden our horizons in order to become better neighbors and friends with our Druze neighbors, and why should we? In this episode of Defining Moments I host Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier, a former pulpit rabbi in America who upon his Aliya founded Yakir, an organization that seeks to raise awareness about the Druze and foster greater friendship and cooperation; and Shakib Shinan, a member of the Druze community who was a member of Knesset and served in the IDF, and whose son was killed in a terror attack while trying to protect worshipers on the Temple Mount in 2017.

Join me to participate in a fascinating conversation, as we take a deep dive into the Druze community.