A discussion about current events, including the recent horrific murder on the New York subway

Contrasting the Jewish religious perspective with American justice.

The role of justice in society and the biblical foundations of punishment.

The importance of objective morality and the challenges of ensuring justice.

The complexities of capital punishment, exploring its historical context, contemporary views, and mental health implications on criminal responsibility.

The balance of accountability, and the societal expectations surrounding punishment.

Public corruption and its impact on the justice system

The intersection of humor, joy, and historical context within Jewish culture, particularly focusing on the significance of Chanukah.

The importance of humor in Jewish identity, the complexities of Jewish joy, and the historical events surrounding Chanukah, including the Maccabees' resistance against Hellenization.

The miracles of Chanukah, the time's political landscape, and the Hasmoneans' legacy.

The rich traditions and cultural significance of Chanukah.

The importance of the menorah, the evolution of Chanukah customs, and the impact of commercialization on the holiday.

The need for a strong Jewish identity and the importance of public displays of Jewish pride, particularly through menorah lightings.

Personal memories, cultural variations, and the significance of maintaining traditions in a modern context.

Some of the most impactful (both positively and negatively) responses to Wiesenthal’s conundrum

The complexities of forgiveness, discussing various perspectives on the moral implications of granting forgiveness to those who have committed heinous acts

How to navigate ethical questions in a world filled with pain and suffering

The moral dilemmas faced by individuals in extreme situations

The cultural and religious differences in understanding confession and regret, and the implications of compassion in conflict.

Whether forgiveness can ever be truly granted in the face of such profound evil and suffering.

The symbolism of the sunflower as a representation of humanity, identity, and individuality.

The importance of memory in preventing the erasure of history

Books referenced in this episode:

The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal

Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning

The Pope at War by David Kertzer

The emotional and ethical dilemmas faced by families of hostages,

Historical precedents in Jewish law, and the teachings of Maimonides.

The implications of valuing captives, gender differences in redemption, and the broader societal impacts of these practices.

Ethical considerations surrounding ransom payments for hostages, particularly in the context of Jewish law and the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The tension between individual needs and community welfare, historical precedents of kidnapping, and the implications of modern warfare on hostage situations.

The political landscape and leadership responses to the crisis, and the challenges in striking the proper balance between individual safety and community integrity.

The complexities surrounding the dynamics of negotiations with groups like Hamas,

The balancing of the enduring principles of Jewish law with the need for a contemporary interpretation and the challenges faced in modern warfare.

Masha’s upbringing in the Soviet Union

Her revelation that she was Jewish when she turned 16

Her early individual activism

The deficiencies within both Jewish homes and formalized Jewish education around Israel and Zionism

How Club Z responded to the October 7th progrom

The importance of empowering students with the knowledge and confidence to be able to articulate the most compelling case for Israel and combat the slanders against it

The importance of developing an adult education curriculum

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Jew

Tragic Awakening

The Perelmuter’s family connections to Poland and the Holocaust

Their visits to Auschwitz, Krakow, Lublin and Warsaw

Cultural observations and heartbreaking stories from their travels

The literal and proverbial Jewish graveyards they visited

The resilience of Jewish identity and culture

The complexities of faith for the survivors

The fact that we won

His early life and spiritual awakening

The impact he had on Jewish spirituality

Early opposition to the Hasidic movement

The distinct customs, modes of prayer, and the joy that Hasidism brought to the Jewish people during a time of despair.

The challenges of faith and the importance of earnestness in one's spiritual journey

The Baal Shem Tov’s emphasis on the importance of unity in the Jewish community

The intersection of politics and the Orthodox community, highlighting the complexities of modern Jewish identity

When we started the show, we began by splitting the episodes into cultural topics and Parsha discussion, but in case you haven't noticed, we only get to the Parsha about 50% of the time. So, to rectify that, we will start recording two episodes each week, one on the cultural topic and a second on the Parsha. We will wait a few weeks to restart the Parsha discussions since we are almost caught up to where we are and will start moving along as the good book does. So be on the lookout for two episodes each week soon.

We decided to start an edJEWcation book club. Here's how it will work: We will announce whatever book we will read a month before the episode, so if you want to read along with us, you'll be able to. Then, we'll discuss the book with an eye toward how Judaism would interpret some of its themes and meanings. I'm very excited about the list we have so far. Some of the books are books you'd expect, and some less so.

The first book we will read is The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal. Please send us your questions about the book or topics you'd like us to cover before we discuss it sometime in early December! We may even have a guest join us.

Finally, we are starting a new series about great Jewish thinkers that will cover the next several episodes. In our episode, we will discuss Maimonides, also known as Rambam.

Why he matters

The world he lived in and how it changed over his lifetime

His two seminal works, The Guide for the Perplexed and the Mishna Torah

How he organized Jewish law into a comprehensive system, making it accessible to all Jews.

The backlash he faced for his authoritative approach to Jewish law.

How his legacy continues to influence Jewish thought and philosophy.

His influence extended globally, impacting Jewish thought across centuries.

His alignments and disagreements with Aristotelian thought

The 13 principles of faith are foundational to Jewish belief.