Hill Havurahdcast

In Episode #12, Rabbi Hannah talks to Havurah member Katya Hoppe about how to protect yourself against the physically toxic effects of social isolation, and her own struggles with living alone. Katya has been part of the Havurah's effort to reach out and call every member, to check in and see how they are doing. Then, Rabbi Hannah chats with her friend and child development expert Jillian Best Adler about how to talk to young kids about George Floyd, police brutality, and racism. Rabbi Hannah reached out after seeing Jillian talk with her own 5-year-old son, in this Facebook video: https://www.facebook.com/100012209014313/videos/978240022592956

In this episode, Rabbi Hannah talks with Havurah member Jonathan Make. Jonathan is Executive Editor of Communications Daily, which covers the telecoms and media industry. Rabbi Hannah ask him how journalists in these emotional times can remain neutral and how they express their personal views, if they can at all. Jonathan also talks about how - given all he knows about the industry - he manages his son's internet use. Then Rabbi Hannah listens to another guest, who is being completely public about her personal and political views: Catherine Sherman is a rising senior at Washington Latin Public Charter School and has been attending the recent Black Lives Matters protests in Washington D.C.

In this Havurahdcast, Rabbi Hannah interviews Havurah member (and founder) Sig Cohen, and Brenda Richardson. The two belong to the Cross River Dialogue, a circle of African American and Jewish community builders from both sides of the Anacostia River who meet regularly to share experiences, find common ground, and support each other. This interview was recorded before the social unrest exploded across the country, but while the conversation starts with the pandemic, it quickly shifts to deeper issues that come up in the Dialogue: police brutality, and social inequity, and the importance of building relationships and trust across lines of race and social class. The Havurahdcast is edited and produced by Jessica Smith. Artwork by Sarah Burford, @sarahmburford on Instagram. Original music by Rabbi Hannah Spiro.

Want to know how to pull off a Zoom Bar/Bat/B'nai Mitzvah? In this week’s episode of the Havurahdcast, Rabbi Hannah speaks with Havurah member Adam Ruben about his sons' recent B’nai Mitzvah, which required tough decisions and creative thinking. Adam is Campaign Director for the Economic Security Project, a non profit that’s been involved on the stimulus check programs coming from Congress, so Rabbi Hannah asks him about his work, and his insights into stimulus politics.

Rabbi Hannah Spiro is back with another episode of the Hill Havurahdcast, her weekly chat with Havurah members about life, work, the pandemic and spirituality. This week, Rabbi Hannah talks to Rachel Usdan, a structural engineer who left her job to become a full-time volunteer activist, and is now the DC Chapter Leader of Moms Demand Action, the anti-gun violence organization. Rachel talks to Rabbi Hannah about her decision to change course, her own connections to gun violence, and growing up Jewish in Squirrel Hill, PA site of the 2018 synagogue shooting. Rachel's 8-year-old makes a cameo, to test out his best jokes, and Rabbi Hannah offers some thoughts on the roots of Tikkun Olam. Edited and produced by Jessica Smith. Artwork by Sarah Burford, @sarahmburford on Instagram

In episode #7, Rabbi Hannah talks to Havurah member David Drucker, dad to two young boys and Senior Political Correspondent for the Washington Examiner. David talks to Rabbi Hannah about growing up Jewish in Malibu, CA, the influence of 1980s and 1990s talk radio on his career, and offers his thoughts on how the pandemic will affect the November election. Edited and produced by Jessica Smith. Artwork by Sarah Burford, @sarahmburford on Instagram

In this episode of the Havurahdcast, Rabbi Hannah speaks with Havurah member Joanna Cohen about her work as an pediatric emergency medicine physician in the ER at Children's National Hospital: how the pandemic has changed her work, and some of the upsides of new pandemic-related policies at the hospital. Joanna has three kids and also talks about the complications, as a hospital physician, of keeping her family safe from infection. Her 5th grader Simone also reveals a new talent she's developed with her guinea pig Haribo. In every Havurahdcast episode, Rabbi Hannah connects with a member of the Hill Havurah to talk about life, work and spirituality. Edited and produced by Jessica Smith. Artwork by Sarah Burford, @sarahmburford on Instagram

In Episode #5 of the Hill Havurahdcast, Rabbi Hannah speaks to Gary Mintz. Gary is a prominent cardiologist who has spent decades travelling around the world, including nearly 100 trips to China. He has forged close relationships with Chinese medical professionals and tells Rabbi Hannah about what he has been hearing from them, and how they are responding to the pandemic. He also has fascinating insights into China's Jewish history! After speaking with Gary, Rabbi Hannah also zoomed her dear friend, Miri Fenton, who lives Israel, to ask how Israelis, also locked down at home, are celebrating the holidays of Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut. In every Havurahdcast episode, Rabbi Hannah connects with a member of the Hill Havurah to talk about life, work and spirituality. Edited and produced by Jessica Smith. Artwork by Sarah Burford, @sarahmburford on Instagram.

In Episode #4, Rabbi Hannah Spiro interviews Alina Baciu. Alina works for the National Academy of Sciences, and specializes in population health. Alina talks about immigrating from Romania as a teenager, how she entered the field of public health, and also talks about planning a bat mitzvah during a pandemic. Alina's daughter has been preparing to become a bat mitzvah, and the lockdown has prompted changes in plans. Alina's son also makes a cameo. In every Havurahdcast episode, Rabbi Hannah Zooms with a member of the Hill Havurah to talk about life, work and spirituality during the pandemic. Edited and produced by Jessica Smith. Artwork by Sarah Burford, @sarahmburford on Instagram.

In Episode #3 of the Hill Havurahdcast, Rabbi Hannah Spiro interviews Stephanie Iceland-Leitzel. Stephanie works for US AID and has lived all over the world, from Jordan to Madagascar. A mom of two boys, one three and one seven, Stephanie talks about sheltering in place with a special needs child, Madagascar's Jewish community, and living in Nigeria during an Ebola outbreak. In every Havurahdcast episode, Rabbi Hannah connects with a member of the Hill Havurah to talk about life, work and spirituality. Edited and produced by Jessica Smith. Artwork by Sarah Burford, @sarahmburford on Instagram. Original music by Hannah Spiro.