Detours & Destinations

In this episode, we sit down with award-winning sociologist, humanitarian leader, and author Dr. Georgette Bennett. In dialogue with Rabbi David Ingber, Bennett reflects on her detour-filled life as the daughter of Holocaust survivors, born into a bombed-out Hungarian apartment—a beginning that shaped her perspective on the world. She traces her winding path from a career in criminology and community policing in New York City to her transformative turn toward interreligious leadership. As the founder of the Tanenbaum Center and the Multifaith Alliance, Bennett shares how she mobilized hundreds of millions of dollars in aid for Syrian war victims by bridging divides between historical enemies, driven by the biblical mandate not to “stand idly by.” Exploring themes from her new book, Half-Jew – Full Life, the conversation dives into the extraordinary story of her cousin-in-law, Gary “Pips” Phillips, who chose to identify as Jewish as the Nazis rose to power. Together, they discuss the dangers of binary thinking and the resilience required to build a full life from the ashes of history.

Learn more about Georgette’s work https://bennettny.com/

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode of Detours and Destinations, Rabbi David Ingber sits down with writer, political advisor, and podcaster Dan Senor to explore a life shaped by the intersection of identity, power, and ideas. Senor reflects on his path — from growing up in the shadow of Holocaust memory, to his time on the ground in Iraq during a defining moment in U.S. foreign policy, to becoming a bestselling author with Start-Up Nation and The Genius of Israel. Now, as the host of the successful podcast Call Me Back, he examines the role of narrative in shaping public understanding, particularly in the context of the U.S.–Israel relationship. Against the backdrop of October 7 and its aftermath, this episode grapples with questions of global instability, rising antisemitism, generational divides within American Jewry, and the future of Israel’s place in the world. Ultimately, it is a conversation about navigating uncertainty — personally and collectively — and about the destinations we are still struggling to define.

Learn more about Dan’s work https://www.dansenor.com/

Check out Ark Media’s podcasts https://arkmedia.org/

Follow Dan on X https://x.com/dansenor?lang=en

Dan Senor’s IG https://www.instagram.com/dansenor/

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode, we sit down with three-time Emmy Award–winning journalist Dana Arschin for a conversation about legacy, responsibility, and the moment when reporting becomes personal. In dialogue with Rabbi David Ingber, Arschin traces her path from a childhood on Long Island to a distinguished career in broadcast journalism at News 12 and FOX 5 News, where her on-air reporting and documentary work earned wide recognition. She reflects on the turning point that reshaped her professional and personal trajectory: becoming the first-ever Storyteller at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County. Arschin shares her commitment to preserving the story of her grandfather, an Auschwitz survivor, and to carrying forward the voices of other survivors. Moving between journalism and memory, this conversation explores what it means to transform inherited history into living purpose – and how storytelling can become both vocation and sacred responsibility.

Learn more about Dana’s work as a storyteller for the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance center hmtcli.org/stories

Follow Dana on social media:

FB: DanaArschinStories

X: @DanaArschin

Check out Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode, we sit down with Emmy-nominated writer and showrunner Debora Cahn, creator of Netflix’s hit series The Diplomat, for a wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, power, and the human drama behind global politics. Together with Rabbi David Ingber, Cahn traces her path from training as an actress at Harvard to shaping some of television’s most influential political dramas, including The West Wing, Grey’s Anatomy, and Homeland. She reflects on how growing up as a descendant of Holocaust survivors shaped her understanding of the world and human behavior, and how real-world diplomacy inspired the creation of The Diplomat. Exploring the blurred lines between personal relationships and geopolitical stakes, Cahn discusses writing political drama in an age when reality often outpaces fiction. The conversation touches on mentorship, gender in writers’ rooms, and what fiction writing can teach us about leadership, compromise, and destination–both on screen and in life.

Check out Debora Cahn’s Filmography https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263223/

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode, we sit down with psychotherapist, queer activist, and interfaith minister Chani Getter for a conversation about identity, courage, and the sacred work of becoming. In dialogue with Rabbi David Ingber, Getter reflects on growing up in an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community, entering an arranged marriage at eighteen, and the moment a hidden television, Ellen DeGeneres, and a dictionary gave them language for a truth long felt but never named. Tracing a path from leaving their marriage and religious community at twenty-three to earning advanced degrees, ordination, and building a therapy practice while raising three children, Getter shares how personal rupture became a calling to service. As Scholar-in-Residence at Footsteps and a steadfast advocate for LGBTQ people – including those seeking to remain connected to their Orthodox roots – they explore grief, healing, and spiritual evolution, drawing on themes from their book Mapito to reflect on the detours that ultimately lead us home to ourselves.

Learn more about Chani’s work - https://chanigetter.com/

Read Mapito - https://store.bookbaby.com/book/mapito?srsltid=AfmBOoobB8neXR4ON_iDQVz8eDLXoY-RCakZBm-MSNpjMdKZLS9SkXJt

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode, we sit down with entrepreneur and bakery founder Helene Godin. Together with Rabbi David Ingber, Godin reflects on her professional journey – from a successful career as a corporate lawyer in media and technology, including senior roles at NBC and Audible, to an unexpected midlife reinvention as the founder of By the Way Bakery. She shares the moment she walked away from certainty, how a chance baking class sparked a new creative path, and what it took to build a gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher bakery that grew from a small local shop into a nationally distributed brand. They discuss redefining success, balancing ambition with meaning, and how trusting uncertainty can open the door to more authentic destinations.

Check out By the Way bakery https://www.btwbakery.com/

BTW on IG https://www.instagram.com/bythewaybakery/

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode, we sit down with acclaimed journalist, Peabody Award–winning host, and founder of On Being, Krista Tippett, for a live conversation at the 92NY. Together with Rabbi David Ingber, Tippett reflects on her spiritual and intellectual journey – from growing up in a religious family in Oklahoma, through her work as a journalist in Cold War–era Germany, to becoming the creator and host of a podcast that has reshaped public conversations about meaning and faith. They discuss theology as a lived practice, the evolving place of religion and spirituality in media and public discourse, and how listening itself can function as a moral and spiritual act.

Listen to ON BEING https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode, we sit down with author, lawyer, and former Israeli ambassador to the UK Daniel Taub to explore the ideas at the heart of his book Beyond Dispute: Rediscovering the Jewish Art of Constructive Disagreement. Taub reflects on how Jewish tradition transformed argument into a disciplined, creative, and even sacred practice – one that values listening as much as conviction. Moving between biblical texts, talmudic debates, and modern public life, he considers what happens when disagreement loses its ethical frame, and how ancient models of machloket might help us navigate polarization today. The conversation traces Taub’s own journey in diplomacy and asks what it means to disagree – not to defeat, but to deepen understanding – in a fractured world.

Read Daniel Taub’s book - Beyond Dispute:

https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Dispute-Rediscovering-Constructive-Disagreement/dp/1399815067

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode, we sit down with writer, musician, and activist Ani Zonneveld for a conversation about faith, freedom, and the courage to reclaim tradition. Together with Rabbi David Ingber, Zonneveld traces her journey from a global childhood as the daughter of a Malaysian diplomat – growing up in Germany, Egypt, and India – to a two-decade career in the international music industry, where she navigated sexism and forged her creative voice. She reflects on the spiritual turning point following 9/11 that led her to reexamine Islam for herself, uncovering what she understands as its egalitarian and pluralistic core. As the founder and president of Muslims for Progressive Values, Zonneveld shares how she stepped into religious and social justice leadership – advocating for women’s rights, LGBTQ inclusion, and freedom of conscience at the United Nations and beyond. Drawing on themes from her memoir An Unlikely Social Justice Warrior: Making My Life Count As a Muslim Feminist, the conversation explores music as activism, the dismantling of patriarchy, and the winding path from personal awakening to global impact.

Learn more about Ani’s work: https://www.anizonneveld.com/

Read Ani’s latest book: An Unlikely Social Justice Warrior - Making My Life Count as a Muslim Feminist https://livedplacespublishing.com/book/isbn/9781917566469

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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In this episode, we sit down with poet, author, and spiritual teacher Mark Nepo for a live conversation at the 92NY, exploring the inner journey that has shaped his life and work. Drawing on his latest book, The Fifth Season, as well as beloved earlier works, Nepo reflects on a path marked by illness, healing, and a gradual turning from outward ambition toward deeper presence and artistry. Through poetry, storytelling, and spiritual insight, he shares how listening to the soul’s rhythms can become a source of resilience in times of uncertainty. Together with Rabbi David Ingber, he discusses how faith is forged through pain, and how longing and belonging shape our lives in a fractured world.

Learn more about Mark Nepo’s work  https://marknepo.com/

Buy Mark’s book The Fifth Season https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fifth-season-mark-nepo/1146167757

Follow Mark on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mark_nepo/

Follow Mark on Substack   https://marknepo.substack.com/

Join Mark for a weeklong retreat exploring the Fifth Season in a castle near Milan, Italy, April 18-25, 2027, 

https://peakevents.info/mark-pavone-overview/

Rabbi Ingber’s IG https://www.instagram.com/rabbiingber

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