Just For This

Welcome back, Just For This listeners! Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Our guest today is Jean Meltzer, bestselling author of books like The Matzah Ball, Kissing Kosher, Magical Meet Cute, and more. Jean's commitment to uplifting Jewish stories and voices had made her a leading figure in Jewish literary advocacy.

Jean is the founder and CEO of Jewish Joy LLC, the umbrella organization to Jewish Women Talk About Romance Books, The Jewish Joy Book Club, and The Jewish Joy Box. Her work is informed by personal experience—most notably her decades-long journey with chronic illness and her background in Jewish learning and media.

We discuss how all of her stories about Jewish life also involve Jewish holidays, what it means to hold on to faith when it feels impossible, and the importance of Jewish stories with happy endings, especially after the last few years in the Jewish world.

Jean's books are available for purchase from major book distributors and on her website. Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back, Just For This listeners! Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest today is Maggie Siddiqi, Senior Advisor of the Interfaith Alliance. Maggie is an expert in faith-based advocacy for social change, coalition-building across lines of difference, and public policy on religious freedom and standing up against hate. She recently concluded her appointment to the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Education under the Biden-Harris administration, where she served as Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. We discuss the importance of coming together, even and especially when it's hard, how a love of religion led to a career in interfaith organizing, and what has changed about the coalitions between the Muslim and Jewish communities in the wake of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Gaza war. Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back, Just For This listeners! Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Our guest today is Shira Berkovits, President and CEO of Sacred Spaces. She has worked with Jewish communities across five continents to prevent, handle, and heal from institutional abuse. Bringing a uniquely Jewish lens, Shira partners with leaders to build healthy and accountable institutions, whose culture and daily operations foster sacredness and reduce the risk of harassment, abuse, and other forms of interpersonal harm.

We talk about curiosity, the importance of community and self-care in this heavy profession, and the ways that we shift our work as professionals to meet the moment.

Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back, Just For This listeners! Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Our guest today is Shelley Niceley Groff, chair of the North American Board of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). Reform Judaism is the largest, most diverse Movement in North American Jewish life.

We talk about different paths into Jewish leadership and involvement, oftentimes outside of a congregational setting, and ways to broaden our tent.

Some terms that may be unique to URJ insiders include:

• Scheidt Seminar - convenes congregational presidents and president-elects to learn, network, build relationships, and enhance leadership skills
• Youth Summer Immersives – URJ operates 14 summer camps, multiple Israel programs, and NFTY: The Reform Youth Movement, engaging more than 50,000 young adults this summer.
• Every Voice, Every Vote – the Religious Action Center's 2026 campaign that organizes participation in phone and text bank opportunities to join in community with others while ensuring that all eligible voters can exercise their right to vote.

We also discuss the upcoming WRJ Fried Women's Summit and URJ Biennial this December in Philadelphia. Make sure to sign up by September 30 for an early bird discount! You can register for either or both conferences at: https://events.urj.org/event/2026Biennial

Just For This will be off next week for observance of Yom Kippur.

Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back, Just For This listeners! Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Our guest today is Sara Loffman, co-founder and CEO of Challah Back Girls, an organization that braids together a love of challah baking with social activism. Sara started Challah Back Girls with her three siblings during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic first to support frontline workers, and then to act as a fundraiser and social media amplifier for various social justice organizations dedicated to equity and justice.

We discuss thinking globally and acting locally, the experience of sharing a challah with loved ones, and intergenerational connections that appear when baking together.

Make sure to place your last-minute Rosh Hashanah orders or learn how to plan a challah baking program within your community at: https://challahbackgirls.org

Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back, Just For This listeners! Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Season 6 kicks off with Jewish singer-songwriter Michelle Citrin. Michelle will soon serve as the musician-in-residence at Women of Reform Judaism's Fried Women's Summit, December 9-10 in Philadelphia.

All those who identify as women, nonbinary, or genderfluid are welcome to attend this special gathering grounded in sisterhood, spirituality, and social justice. Make sure to register before September 30 to secure an early bird rate! Special young adult rates and scholarships are also available.

Fried Women's Summit will immediately precede Union for Reform Judaism's Biennial, the Reform Movement's largest gathering of Jews in North America, where Michelle will also help led the group in music.

In today's episode, we talk about celebrating Jewish identity through joy and humor, how to model authenticity coupled with vulnerability, and the differences between vertical and horizontal connections.

Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Our final season 5 guest is Shira Kline, storyteller and co-founder of Storahtelling and Lab/Shul NYC, where she serves as the spiritual leader.

We talk about the season's theme of spiritual resistance, the art of song leading, and the power of the "smush."

Many thanks to Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains, NY that hosted this conversation in person.

Stay tuned for more Just For This moments next season.

Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Our guest this week is Shira Zemel, Director of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW)'s abortion access campaign.

We discuss the ongoing fight for reproductive freedom, the current battle for medication abortion access, and what it means to be in community with intergenerational activists.

Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Our guest this week is Alicia Jo Rabins, writer, musician, and composer who specializes in exploring spirituality, Biblical women, and creative expression within her work.

We talk about the concept of beginner's mind, the practice of devotion, and the feminist approach to Jewish text.

Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast

Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.

Our guest this week is Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Co-Lead of the Movement for Progressive Judaism in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Our conversation explores the emotional weight so many Jews in the UK are carrying right now. We discuss the large task of finding consensus in a group, adapting to change, and the importance of holding onto compassion in this moment.

Just For This will be off next week for observance of Memorial Day. Tune in after the break as we wrap season 5!

Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast