Intimate Judaism

This episode was originally released as part of our new miniseries, Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults, Powered by Intimate Judaism. Although that series is designed for young adults between 18-25, we think that all Intimate Judaism listeners will enjoy it and learn from it - none more than this episode, which deals with a topic not yet addressed on Intimate Judaism.

Listen to Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults, Powered by Intimate Judaism on Spotify, Apple. or wherever you get your podcasts.

Many young adults enter marriage without knowing basic anatomy, or believing myths about virginity and gender differences. This episode provides real, accurate information on bodies, arousal, and consent, replacing shame and confusion with the confidence to communicate.

Many Jewish young adults reach their wedding night with almost no real guidance on intimacy and sexuality. Rabbi Scott Kahn and sex and relationship therapist Talli Rosenbaum open the series by explaining why these conversations need to start years before the chuppah, and what's ahead in the next nine episodes.

The remaining nine episodes of Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults will drop this Saturday night, August 8th. Subscribe today on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.

As we observe the days of mourning before Tisha B'Av, we reflect on another profound experience of grief: the ending of a marriage. Divorce has its own mourning process, yet even when a marriage must end, it can end with dignity, compassion, and integrity. Talli Rosenbaum and Rabbi Scott Kahn speak with mediator and to'enet rabbanit Shoshie Goldstein about healthy co-parenting, navigating divorce in the Orthodox community, and finding a path toward healing.

October 7 changed countless lives. But for many Jewish people across the world, the deeper challenge has been what came afterward: months and years of ongoing stress, uncertainty, grief, and vigilance. In this episode, Talli Rosenbaum and Rabbi Scott Kahn explore how chronic stress affects relationships, intimacy, and sexuality, and why connection remains one of our most important sources of resilience and healing.

To access resources including articles, subsidized therapy, and workshops, go to the Intimate Judaism website.

How should Orthodox educators address masturbation with teenage boys—and what happens when the message is only about prohibition?

Dr. Dan Jacobson offers a thoughtful, experience-based approach that balances halacha, mental health, and the lived reality of adolescents, focusing on reducing shame, fostering responsibility, and speaking about sexuality in a healthier, more honest way.

To download a free copy of Dr. Jacobson's booklet, Light in the Darkness: Torani Psychological Perspectives on Shmirat HaBrit, go to drdanjacobson.com.

When observing the laws pertaining to niddah, women are often taught not to look at their bodily discharges, to avoid becoming niddah. With our guests Lisa Septimus and Malka Chana Amichai, we explore the halachic logic behind "don't look," the tension it creates with body awareness, and whether halacha undermines or advances body literacy.

In this Q&A episode of Intimate Judaism, we respond to honest questions about desire, restraint, identity, mental health, and intimacy within Jewish life. We touch on topics including bisexuality, workplace boundaries, what is permitted within marital intimacy, postpartum depression and low desire, shmirat einayim, and even whether leaving the lights on matters. Throughout, we focus on integrating emotional well-being with halachic integrity, rather than shame or self-erasure.

In this episode, we explore the many reasons men may avoid sexual intimacy. Challenging the myth of the "always-ready" husband, this episode explores the physical, psychological, relational, and religious factors that shape male sexuality. We discuss she impact of sexual guilt, shame, performance anxiety and trauma on sexual motivation and function, and offer guidelines for reconnection with compassion and understanding.

How can Jewish educators guide teens through questions about bodies, desire, and values without shame or fear? Talli and Scott sit down with Shuli Taubes to discuss why high school education about sex and sexual ethics matters, what healthy frameworks look like, and how schools can partner with parents to raise confident, thoughtful, and compassionate young adults.

In this premiere episode of the eighth season of Intimate Judaism, we collaborated with Together in Happiness, an organization dedicated to helping couples navigate marriage. Together, we are releasing a recording of a lecture delivered by cohost Talli Rosenbaum. In this talk, Talli discusses how Jewish marriage mirrors the relationship of the Jewish people with God, and draws upon the concepts of teshuva to provide a template for relational repair in marriage.

To learn more about Together in Happiness, visit their website here.