Jenna shares personal stories of Divine Providence. In doing so, she shows how stories can strengthen our roots of emunah (faith) and bring light into this dark world. 

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Sources:

Shiviti

Rebbe Nachman's Stories, Preface by Rabbi Chaim Kramer

Inspired by the "covenant of peace," awarded to Pinchas in this week's parashah, Jenna discusses why we cannot experience true peace and serenity, personally or collectively, at this point in history. Drawing on the Jewish calendar and the wisdom of our Sages, she delves deeper into what we can do to bring about a time of true peace.

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Sources:

Orchard of Delights by Rabbi Avraham Arieh Trugman

Root Connections in the Torah by Rabbi Tzvi Matisyahu Abrahams 

Hold On! Surviving the Days Before Moshiach by Roy S. Neuberger 

Notes:

The episode is dedicated to the victims of the Surfside tragedy. 

Jenna discusses two wives in the Torah: Korach's wife and the wife of "On ben Pelet." The former caused her husband's death, while the latter saved her husband's life. What can we learn from these two very different women? Jenna explores this question, sharing her own insights from her participation in the Kesher Wife Club with Sara Yoheved Rigler.

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Sources:

Two Women

Shira Smiles

Kesher Wife Club 

Hashem tells the Jewish people they can enter the land of Israel....and then everything goes haywire. What happened? Jenna explains how the sin of the spies is a paradigm for our own lives, namely, a choice between fear and faith. She discusses her own fears in coming to Israel.

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Sources:

Judaism's Life-Changing Ideas by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt"l

In response to the increased anti-semitism around the world, Jenna shares a piece of Torah that was written in the early 1900's, but speaks exactly to what is going on today. In doing so, she explains the spiritual reality behind anti-semitism and something positive we can do about it right now.

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Sources:

Seed of Redemption: An Adaptation of Nachalas Yosef on Megillas Rus by Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky

Living Emunah on The Parashah with Rabbi David Ashear

In light of the upcoming holiday of Shavuos,  Jenna shares a bit about the story of Ruth, which we read on Shavuos, as well as the way in which the Jews accepted the Torah upon themselves at Mt. Sinai. Through these two experiences, as well as her own, she discusses what we can learn about our own emunah (faith), especially in times of uncertainty.

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Sources:

The Story of Ruth

We Will Do & We Will Hear

Yael Dworkin

Jenna discusses how we can respond to the tragedy that took place in Meron on Lag B'Omer. She shares her connection to the widespread mourning in Israel, and what we can learn going forward.

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Sources:

Charlie Harary Video








 

On Lag B'Omer, over half a million people travel to Meron in northern Israel to celebrate by the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the "father of Kabbalah." What are they celebrating? And how does it relate to us? Jenna explores these questions and more,  touching on topics of Jewish history, unity, and resilience.

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Sources:

Lag B'Omer and Striving for Spiritual Perfection

Akiva by Marcus Lehmann

What does it mean to be holy, from a Jewish point of view? And how does it apply to us? Jenna explores the idea of kedusha, or holiness, why it is important, and what it means for us.

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Sources:

Yehudis Golshevsky, Shiviti 

Jenna discusses the period of the Omer, when we count each day between Pesach and Shavuos. She gives a brief explanation of the Sefirot, a Kabbalistic concept that goes in tandem with this time period. Then she focuses on the two sefirot Chessed and Gevruah, loosely translated as giving and restraint, respectively. She explores these two opposing forces and how we can balance them in our lives and our relationships.

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Sources:

The Omer and Sefirot

What Is Kabbalah