Parshat Chukat opens with the ritual of the red heifer (para aduma) which purifies individuals from impurity caused by contact with a dead body.

Leadership comes in all different shapes and sizes, and in this episode I had the privilege to sit down with a leader of Am Yisrael, one who leads behind the scenes in her life affirming work of caring for the dead.

Sharon Laufer has been a member of the Chevra Kedisha (Jewish burial society) since she was 29 and pregnant with triplets. A hessed experiment that first served as a way to calm her fear of death, ultimately became a life calling that has brought her into rooms facing scenarios she could never have imagined. Sharon's involvement in burial and body identification has made her and others who do similar work an integral part of the army both before and after October 7th.

Listen to her story--until the end--to hear about her dedication to the דtate of Israel and about the holy work she does to escort the departed from this world to the next.

In this conversation with Matan faculty member Simi Peters, we analyze Korach's tactics that made his rebellion an initial success and what ultimately caused it to fail. In her unique way, Simi weaves in midrashic traditions that underscore deeper points present in the narrative's foundation.

These parsha conversations are being recorded in an ever-changing reality here in Israel. This episode opens with some thoughts about the current moment, with full understanding that reality can change in an instant. With prayers for the success of our unbelievable armed forces and for the return of the hostages.

This week's episode has been sponsored by Eve and Jonathan Shiff in honor of Israel's soldiers and the hostages and their families – praying for success and safety, in body and soul.

Our Bamidbar Series explores different forms of leadership in the book and in the Jewish world.

In this conversation with Rabbanit Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel, we explore where the spies went wrong, the possibility that their sin was inevitable, and where this registers in the current Israeli reality.

Rabbanit Rachelle is the director of Matan's Hilkhata program and is also co-founder of The Jerusalem Unity Prize and Unity Day.

Our Bamidbar Series explores different forms of leadership in the book and in the Jewish world.

Over the last year and a half, many have reflected that these times feel 'biblical.' There is a sense that the ongoing war and the surrounding societal shifts feel more significant than ever. Some of this 'biblical' scale has to do with the struggle for land and legitimacy, and some of it seems to be rooted in the heroism and clarity of the soldiers, both those in active service and reservists. They know there is a job to do and that they are the ones destined to do it.

In this sensitive conversation, Dr. Yael Ziegler and Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble probe several battle stories in the book of Samuel for their guidance and wisdom regarding morality in war and the dynamic faces of courage, then and now. Make sure to listen until the episode's end for a conclusion to the miniseries.

Dr, Yael Ziegler is a beloved Matan teacher and head of its Kitvuni program. She is a senior Tanakh lecturer at Herzog college and author of multiple commentaries on Tanakh.

This has been a special podcast miniseries produced by Matan which dropped each week of the Omer counting between the holidays of Pesach and Shavuot. In each episode, a Bible scholar explored an iconic biblical text in light of the changing Israeli, Jewish, and world realities.

In this week's conversation with Rabbanit Dr. Adina Sternberg, we discuss the breakdown of leadership in the parsha as well as the fascinating correlation between Moshe's self-perception as a mother to the people with the laws of the 'rebellious son.'

Our Bamidbar Series is exploring different forms of leadership in the book and in the Jewish world.

In this moving conversation with Rabbanit Shani Taragin, we explore the different forms of religious and lay leadership in the parsha that will continue to guide the people as they travel through the wilderness.

Our Bamidbar Series is exploring different forms of leadership in the book and in the Jewish world.

This week's episode has been sponsored by Chava Mann in honor of her children and their continued success in learning and growing in their Torah lives.

In this meaningful conversation with Dr. Elana Stein Hain, we probe our individual spiritual biographies in search of what drew us into Torah life and a love of learning. We also reflect candidly about our roles as educators at work and in our homes. Chag Sameach!

In this episode with Matan president Rabbanit Malke Bina, we explore the Devorah narrative in Judges 4-5 and take a deeper look at her and Yael's roles in combat and as a religious leader. We then think about the changing role of women in combat and non-combat positions today.

Rabbanit Malke Bina founded Matan in 1988 and served as Chancellor for 33 years. She has now taken on the role of President and she continues to guide Matan's growth and development. Rabbanit Bina is a visionary and is widely recognized for her revolutionary work in advanced Torah learning for women. She has won numerous prestigious awards including being decorated as a Yakir Yerushalayim - Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem - in 2021 as well as receiving two honorary doctorates from Yeshiva University and Bar Ilan University.

In this beautiful conversation with Gila Fine, we explore the textual complexities of the book of Bamidbar and uncover why it may be the most intricately organized book of the Torah. Moments of chaos and breakdown communicate the need for a new order, and this is exactly what the book of Bamidbar underscores.

Our Bamidbar series will be focusing on issues of leadership but this first episode is an overview of the book.

Check out our '7 Readings for a Post Oct. 7th World episode with Rachel Sharansky Danziger for another breathtaking look at the central themes of Bamidbar:

https://www.matan.org.il/en/online/seven-biblical-readings-for-a-post-october-7th-world-episode-4-the-elongated-journey-with-rachel-sharansky-danziger/

This podcast episode is sponsored in honor of the birthday of Doba Isaacs and in memory of Vita Rachel bat Yaacov Bradfield z"l.

Jeremiah 30-31 are chapters often quoted and sung because of their beautiful images of divine closeness, renewal, and the posthumous figure of Rachel crying in prayer for the return of her exiled children.

Dr. Malka Simkovich, who spent more than a decade teaching in Christian settings, always overlooked these prophecies as significant for the Jewish story, having long ago been adopted by the Christian world as the foreshadowing of their ‘new testament’  (Jer. 31:30-32). In this conversation, she highlights the importance of these chapters for the Jewish narrative in this challenging moment, and thinks out loud with us about what it means for the Jewish world to enter a new chapter of history, devoid of divine metaphors and full of embrace for one another.

Dr. Malka Z. Simkovich is the Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish Publication Society and Visiting Professor at Yeshiva University’s Revel Graduate School for Jewish Studies. She has written several award-winning books on Second Temple Judaism and hundreds of articles. Simkovich served as the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies at Catholic Theological Union from 2014–2024, and speaks regularly to audiences across North America and beyond on topics related to the Hebrew Bible, Jewish history, and contemporary Jewish-Christian relations.

This is a special podcast miniseries produced by Matan and hosted by Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble which will drop each week of the Omer counting between the holidays of Pesach and Shavuot. In each episode, a Bible scholar explores an iconic biblical text in light of the changing Israeli, Jewish, and world realities.