In this episode, Rabbi Dan Levin is joined by Rabbis Jessica Spitalnic Mates and Elana Rabishaw, as they discuss their favorite moments and takeaways from our Season 1 episodes and guests, including discussions around the episodes featuring Rabbi Ammi Hirsch, Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Rabbi Jennie Rosenn and more.

In the season 1 finale of Essential Questions, Rabbi Dan Levin speaks with his teacher and friend Rabbi David Ellenson, Chancellor Emeritus and past president of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, about different ways to think about God within Judaism, and if a belief in God is necessary.

Essential Questions will return for a special season 1 recap on Wednesday, July 19 where Rabbi Dan Levin will be joined by Rabbis Jessica Spitalnic Mates and Greg Weisman.  We will also have another bonus episode in August about making the High Holy Days meaningful amidst our busy lives. Thank you so much for listening to season 1 of Essential Questions!

In this episode, Rabbi Dan Levin speaks with Rabbi Jonah Pesner about social justice and its importance in today's society within Jewish values. Rabbi Jonah Pesner serves as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and has led the Religious Action Center since 2015. Rabbi Pesner also serves as Senior Vice President of the Union for Reform Judaism, a position to which he was appointed in 2011. Named one of the most influential rabbis in America by Newsweek magazine, he is an inspirational leader and tireless advocate for social justice.

In this episode, Rabbi Dan Levin talks with Evan Nierman, author of The Cancel Culture Curse, about the definition and impacts of cancel culture and how we can navigate handling when people make mistakes.

In this episode, Rabbi Dan Levin and Rabbi Ammi Hirsch discuss how to recharge Reform Judaism and how Reform Jews can reconcile a Zionist belief with the political turbulence in Israel.

In this episode of Essential Questions, Rabbi Dan Levin speaks with Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, Founder and CEO of Dayenu, an organization mobilizing the American Jewish community to confront the climate crisis with spiritual audacity and bold political action.

In this episode of Essential Questions, Rabbi Dan Levin talks with Rabbi Geoffrey Mitelman, Founding Director of the organization Sinai and Synapses, about how science and religion fit together in our lives.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bret Stephens spoke at Temple Beth El in May 2023 about the state of Israel as Israel celebrates its 75th birthday.

If you had the chance to hear his conversation with Rabbi Dan Levin in person, you know how incredibly informative it was. If not, you can listen to this bonus episode - a recording of the live conversation they had as they tried to answer the following questions:

• What do the changes in Israel’s government mean for American Jews and Diaspora Jews around the world?

In this episode, Rabbi Dan Levin speaks with noted scholar Rabbi Karyn Kedar about how we might use the counting of the Omer to follow a path that leads us to answer the essential question, What Are You Waiting For?

In this episode of Essential Questions, Rabbi Dan Levin speaks with guest Rabbi Josh Feigelson about the importance of questions, and about his Ask Big Questions Initiative which he launched at Northwestern University Hillel.