Timely thoughts on the weekly Torah Portion and Jewish holidays.

Timely thoughts on the weekly Torah Portion and Jewish holidays.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Erica Brown is the author of twelve books on leadership, the Bible and spirituality, and is the newly named Director of Leadership at the nascent Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Center for Values and Leadership. Hear her fabulous life story on this episode!

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EPISODE TIME STAMPS

2:30 Introduction – Erica's childhood in Pittsburgh

4:15 Family background; Erica speaks about her grandparents time during the Holocaust

8:36 Life at Brandeis, and the beginnings of an examination of a spiritual path

10:53 Erica begins examining her Jewish identity in the context of the Holocaust

13:58 Growing up and making the decision to forfeit a scholarship in favor of studying Judaism

17:24 Erica discussed the importance of connecting with others and sharing one's gifts

23:47 The decision to follow a career path centered on Judaism and Jewish education

27:23 Erica's graduate education and early career

38:59 Erica discusses the intersection of religious traditions and leadership

43:10 Launching a new leadership center, the importance of honoring Rabbi Sack's memory

49:47 Objectives of the new Rabbi Lord Sacks Center for Values and Leadership

CONNECT WITH Erica Brown

More information about Erica Brown, including her many books and articles, can be found at her website: EricaBrown.com. More information on the new Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Center for Values and Leadership can be found here, at Yeshiva University.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Jews You Should Know introduces the broader community to interesting and inspiring Jewish men and women making a difference in our world. Some are already famous, some not yet so. But each is a Jew You Should Know.

The host, Rabbi Ari Koretzky, is Executive Director of MEOR Maryland (www.meormd.org), a premier Jewish outreach and educational organization. MEOR operates nationally on twenty campuses and in Manhattan; visit the national website at www.meor.org.

Please visit www.JewsYouShouldKnow.com follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or on Facebook.

Have feedback for the show, or suggestions for future guests? E-mail us at [email protected].

Want to support this podcast? Visit Patreon.com. A small monthly contribution goes a long way!!

Timely thoughts on the weekly Torah Portion and Jewish holidays

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Sara Yoheved RIgler is a person whose spiritual journey has taken her down an unconventional path. From her studies in India with a guru who was both a mystic and an acclaimed Sanskrit scholar, to her 15 years living in the oldest ashram in America, to becoming an observant Jew and moving to Jerusalem, Sara has absorbed wisdom from the many facets of her life. She is an acclaimed international lecturer, and has published six books, the most recent titled "I've Been Here Before", which examines the evidence that those that walk among us may be reincarnated souls of Jewish children murdered during the Holocaust. Provocative and thought provoking, Sara Yocheved Rigler is a "Jew You Should Know".

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EPISODE TIME STAMPS

4:10 Sara's background, growing up in Philadelphia

4:51 College, then a trip to India, where she meets a mystic

8:36 Life at Brandeis, and the beginnings of an examination of a spiritual path

12:08 Sara returns from India, then joins an ashram in Massachusetts

14:56 Maintaining Jewish traditions within an ashram

19:55 Life and spiritual growth while residing at the ashram

21:11 Jerusalem calls, and with it, a new calling

41:29 Sara discusses her reasons for writing "I've Been Here Before"

45:50 The process of writing about relationships and personal growth

49:50 Discussion of upcoming projects, and the importance of acknowledging the soul and afterlife

CONNECT WITH Sara Yoheved Rigler

Information about Sara's books, the Kesher Wife Webinar, and more can be found at SaraRigler.com. Her latest book, "I've Been Here Before" can be found at menuchapublishers.com

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Jews You Should Know introduces the broader community to interesting and inspiring Jewish men and women making a difference in our world. Some are already famous, some not yet so. But each is a Jew You Should Know.

The host, Rabbi Ari Koretzky, is Executive Director of MEOR Maryland (www.meormd.org), a premier Jewish outreach and educational organization. MEOR operates nationally on twenty campuses and in Manhattan; visit the national website at www.meor.org.

Please visit www.JewsYouShouldKnow.com follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or on Facebook.

Have feedback for the show, or suggestions for future guests? E-mail us at [email protected].

Want to support this podcast? Visit Patreon.com. A small monthly contribution goes a long way!!

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Moshe Gersht has been on a spiritual journey most of his life. As a child in Los Angeles, his upbringing was filled with ancient as well as new age wisdom instilled in him by his parents. Finding success at an early age in a pop punk band, he soon had his first of several spiritual awakenings, and left the band to pursue a deeper spiritual truth. Moshe returned to Jerusalem, and has spent a decade and a half studying the Torah. As his new calling came into focus, he recently appeared in a Tedx talk, and has written a book – It's All The Same To Me – that made the Wall Street Journal's bestseller list. His quest for the deeper spiritual truths in our existence, and his commitment to sharing what he's learned with his fellow man make him a "Jew You Should Know".

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EPISODE TIME STAMPS

2:44 Moshe's childhood and upbringing in LA

4:00 The beginnings of a band at 13, then his family makes Aliyah at 18

6:28 Moshe's family starts investigating their roots after the passing of his grandfather.

9:08 Musical beginnings for Moshe, playing the Whiskey-A-Go-Go

16:54 The band gains momentum, and gets major label interest

29:51 An existential crisis within the band forces a reckoning

34:38 Moshe begins questioning his life outside of the band and starts studying Torah

38:35 The difficult decision to leave the band, and enlightenment through study in Israel

46:29 Turning towards sharing his journey, via the Ted stage and through writing

52:43 The process behind translating the truths of the Torah in a nuanced, universal way

58:04 Connecting and sharing through social media, the TedX talk

CONNECT WITH Moshe Gersht

Moshe's Tedx talk can be found on YouTube. His Wall Street Journal bestselling book, "It's All The Same To Me", can be found on Amazon. For more information, find Moshe on the internet at moshegersht.com.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Jews You Should Know introduces the broader community to interesting and inspiring Jewish men and women making a difference in our world. Some are already famous, some not yet so. But each is a Jew You Should Know.

The host, Rabbi Ari Koretzky, is Executive Director of MEOR Maryland (www.meormd.org), a premier Jewish outreach and educational organization. MEOR operates nationally on twenty campuses and in Manhattan; visit the national website at www.meor.org.

Please visit www.JewsYouShouldKnow.com follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or on Facebook.

Have feedback for the show, or suggestions for future guests? E-mail us at [email protected].

Want to support this podcast? Visit Patreon.com. A small monthly contribution goes a long way!!

Timely thoughts on the weekly Torah Portion and Jewish holidays

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Rabbi Yehoshua Fass is Co-Founder of Nefesh B'Nefesh, an organization that has revolutionized the Aliyah process for over 65,000 Western Olim, assisting them in moving to Israel by acting to remove financial, logistical, and professional obstacles. After receiving his rabbinic ordination, as well as degrees in biology and education, Rabbi Fass felt compelled to put his faith into action after learning of the murder of a relative in a terrorist bombing in 2001.

Nefesh B'Nefesh has contributed greatly to the fabric of Israeli society since its founding in 2002, with Jews of all denominations, ages, and backgrounds seeking their assistance in the Aliyah process. With a 90%+ retention rate, Rabbi Fass has been highly effective in helping Western Olim through the often arduous Aliyah process, and is a "Jew You Should Know".

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EPISODE TIME STAMPS

4:06 Yehoshua's childhood and early beginnings

5:54 The death of a cousin in a suicide bombing brings a calling

14:41 How Rabbi Fass' education in medicine and the rabbinate shaped him

19:44 The realization that Yehoshua had a drive to do something more. Meeting his partner, Tony Gilbert, and the beginnings of Nefesh B'Nefesh

22:37 The Aliyah process at the time, and their efforts to improve it

30:46 The challenges of the immigration process

39:00 The steps one should consider if looking at the Aliyah process

44:52 Lessons learned in the growth of managing a non-profit

48:53 Some of Rabbi Fass' most moving personal stories of those who have made the trek

53:02 The meaning behind the name "Nefesh B'Nefesh"

CONNECT WITH Yehoshua Fass and Nefesh B'Nefesh

For more information about Nefesh B'Nefesh and their mission and programs, visit their website at Nefesh B'Nefesh, and Nefesh B'Nefesh on Wikipedia.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Jews You Should Know introduces the broader community to interesting and inspiring Jewish men and women making a difference in our world. Some are already famous, some not yet so. But each is a Jew You Should Know.

The host, Rabbi Ari Koretzky, is Executive Director of MEOR Maryland (www.meormd.org), a premier Jewish outreach and educational organization. MEOR operates nationally on twenty campuses and in Manhattan; visit the national website at www.meor.org.

Please visit www.JewsYouShouldKnow.com follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or on Facebook.

Have feedback for the show, or suggestions for future guests? E-mail us at [email protected].

Want to support this podcast? Visit Patreon.com. A small monthly contribution goes a long way!!

Timely thoughts on the weekly Torah Portion and Jewish holidays

Timely thoughts on the weekly Torah Portion and Jewish holidays