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Evolve
Evolve episodes
- #TrendingJewish 10: One Man’s Crusade Against Chosenness
Filmmaker Joshua Gippin discusses his antipathy to the idea that Jews are the chosen people and his journey that led him to embrace Reconstructionist Judaism, which rejects the idea of chosenness. The directory of The Chosen People? A Film About Jewish Identity also examines the challenge of presenting multiple perspectives on chosenness while holding such a strong personal perspective.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Joshua Gippin.
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Links:
- Choosing to Examine the ‘Chosen People’ Idea | Reconstructionist Judaism
— Within the first minute of his documentary “The Chosen People? A Film about Jewish Identity,” filmmaker Josh Gippin looks straight into the camera and tells the audience exactly where he’s coming from: He’s by no means an unbiased journalist.- Film Trailer | The Chosen People? | Joshua Gippin
— This film thoughtfully illuminates the complexities of Jewish identity today. Multiple voices are allowed to speak, and each sheds light on the history, theology, and debates surrounding Judaism - its faith and people - today. Jew and non-Jew alike will profit from this film!Rabbi David Ellenson, Chancellor Emeritus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion- The Birth of Amelia Rose - YouTube
— Dedicated to my wife, Shane, who carried Amelia for 9 months, birthed her, and now spends her days breastfeeding. I am eternally grateful.35 min - #TrendingJewish 9: Welcoming the Stranger
David Lubell discusses what brought him to Ecuador, how we’ve unwittingly taught our children to fear immigrants, and why he’s dedicated his professional life to making America more welcoming to immigrants.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: David Lubell.
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Links:
- Welcoming America
— Welcoming America leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by making everyone feel like they belong. We believe that all people, including immigrants, are valued contributors who are vital to the success of our communities and shared future.- David Lubell | Welcoming America
— David Lubell is the founder and Executive Director of Welcoming America, a burgeoning immigrant welcoming movement that is expanding across the globe.- David Lubell Receives 2017 Charles Bronfman Prize - The Charles Bronfman Prize
— The Charles Bronfman Prize today announced David Lubell, Founder and Executive Director of Welcoming America, as its 2017 recipient for his work creating welcoming communities for immigrants and refugees.- Migration – Why We Need to Talk to Strangers | David Lubell | TEDxBerlinSalon - YouTube
— Migration – Why We Need to Talk to Strangers | David Lubell | TEDxBerlinSalon39 min - #TrendingJewish 8: May God Bless and Keep the Tsar
Too often, people overlook the blessings of being alive. Judaism has, it seems, a blessing for every occasion. Bryan and Rachael are joined by Rabbi David Teutsch, Ph.D., and storyteller puppeteer Marilyn Price to discuss the relevance of Jewish blessings today. Teutsch and Price read from their new book From Gratitude to Blessings and Back and put up with Bryan’s invocation of Fiddler on the Roof.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guests: Marilyn Price and Rabbi David Teutsch, Ph.D..
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- From Gratitude to Blessings and Back
— An exquisite combination of Judaism’s common blessings, stories from everyday life, and tales and wisdom from Jewish tradition, this book is a source of inspiration and a cause for self-reflection.- A blessing - YouTube
- Guide to Jewish Practice
47 min - #TrendingJewish 7: The Dogma of Jewish Time
Abigail Pogrebin, a noted print and broadcast journalist, isn’t an observant Jew but spent a year observing the major and minor Jewish holidays and writing about her experiences. Abigail discusses with Bryan and Rachael about what each holiday asks of each of us, and how the Days of Awe challenge us to consider our own mortality and think about how will prioritize our lives and spend our time and energy.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Abigail Pogrebin.
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Links:
- 18 Jewish Holidays: A Journey to Unexpected Places | Reconstructionist Judaism
— Like the vast majority of American Jews, Abigail Pogrebin couldn’t name all of the Jewish holidays. And, despite being an engaged Jew, she had never experienced the more obscure observances, such as the Fast of Gedaliah or Hoshanah Rabbah.- Videos - Abigail Pogrebin
— Follow one woman’s year-long journey into Judaism:- Reviews - Abigail Pogrebin
— “This standout addition to books about the Jewish calendar presents a wholly new view of all 18 of the annual holy days and commemorative historical days in a witty conversational manner that reads like a novel.31 min - #TrendingJewish 6: The Family Secret
Bryan, Rachael and guest Rabbi Jordan Gendra go medieval, medieval history that is. The Barcelona-born Gendra delves into Spanish history, including the 15th century roots to the recent standoff surrounding Catalan separatism. Bryan and the rabbi get into a friendly debate whether there are analogies between the independence movement in Barcelona and the secession of the South that led to the American Civil War. Oh, and he also charts his own journey from converso to Reconstructionist Rabbi and how that’s helped him reach Jews outside the mainstream.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Jordi Gendra.
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Links:
- 'Converso': Out of the Shadows and Into the Rabbinate - Jewish Exponent
— Though Jordi Gendra wasn't really raised with any sense of religion, as a young boy growing up in Barcelona, Spain, he didn't eat pork, he lit candles for the deceased and, though he didn't pray, he knew that if he ever were to, he'd have to cover his head. He also knew that what he was – Jewish – had to be kept a secret from the outside world.- Spanish Bombs
38 min - #TrendingJewish 5: The Coffee Table Book of Coffee Tables
First, Cosmo Kramer made a coffee table book about coffee tables. Now, we record a podcast about a podcast. In this episode, Bryan and Rachael chat with Emily Cohen, a rabbinical student and creator of Jew Too: Tales of the Mixed Multitude. They discuss the podcast medium, the influence of Star Wars in Bryan’s moral development, and the profound role that non-Jewish families have played in Jewish lives.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Emily Cohen.
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Links:
- Jew Too: Tales of the Mixed Multitude
- The Hamilton Haggadah
- Seinfeld: The Coffee Table Book
41 min - #TrendingJewish 4: Carpooling with Rabbi
What happens when a rabbi and a spiritual seeker carpool to work, stick a camera on the dashboard, and invite the world to watch? You get “Carpooling with Rabbi”, a 36-part Youtube series. Rabbi Seth Goldstein and Kirsten drop by #TrendingJewish to talk about the power of talking and the challenge of driving safely while discussing weighty philosophical topics.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guests: Kirsten and Rabbi Seth Goldstein.
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37 min - #TrendingJewish 3: Wrestling God and the Healthcare System
It was not easy to find faith for Jennifer Janes after years of chronic illnesses. But this spiritual hospice social worker from San Antonio has used Judaism as a guide help her help others in difficult times. How does someone raised as a nominal Christian find a Jewish path in the middle of Texas? Bryan and Rachael will find out!
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Jennifer Janes.
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34 min - #TrendingJewish 2: Asking and Telling
Rabbi Jon Cutler had an incredible career as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy. After celebrating his recent retirement, Jon tells Bryan and Rachael about his challenges being a gay man in rabbinical school and the U.S. military while also being a voice for minority soldiers. Jon also unveils his secret plans for Bryan’s fitness routine!
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Jon Cutler.
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Links:
- How a high-ranking gay Navy chaplain retired with pride | The Times of Israel
— In 2008, under the energetic US Navy chaplain serving with the Marines in Anbar Province, Iraq, a plywood synagogue rose from the grounds of the American air base at Al-Asad once used by Saddam Hussein.It was the first synagogue built in Iraq in 100 years. During the Iraq War, it was a refuge for American Jewish service members who read from its kosher Torah — a rarity in Iraq — and attended High Holiday and Hanukkah services. These were among the many achievements of Rabbi Jon Cutler’s deployment in Iraq from 2008 to 2009.Yet all of those achievements could have been dashed had the military ever learned Cutler’s secret: He is gay.For nearly two decades, fear stalked Cutler and fellow gay, lesbian and bisexual members of the US military under the policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), which was passed by the Clinton Administration in 1993 and became law in 1994.Six years ago on September 20, 2011, the policy was repealed. And on April 30 of this year, when Cutler retired as a Captain, the highest-ranking Jewish chaplain in the Marines, he walked down the aisle at his retirement ceremony with his husband, Thierry Steenberghs.41 min - #TrendingJewish 1: It Sounds Like Judaism in Space
Rabbi Leiah Moser has two passions: studying Talmud and composing electronica music. In this episode, Bryan and Rachael uncover the links between Jewish tradition and funky modern music.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Leiah Moser .
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41 min
About Evolve
From the publisher's feed
Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations features interviews with thought-provoking rabbis, leaders and creators about the urgent issues faced by Jewish people today. As a part of Reconstructing…
Judaism’s multimedia Evolve project (http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org/), this podcast models respectful, sacred conversations about challenging topics.