Rabbi Gabe Kretzmer Seed serves as a Jewish chaplain in the New York City Department of Correction where he provides religious services and spiritual support primarily for Jewish inmates. He also teaches and tutors for children and adults in the community, and provides research support for a number of Jewish Studies scholars, including as a research assistant to Rabbi Irving Greenberg for his acclaimed book "The Triumph of Life: A Narrative Theology of Judaism." Rabbi Kretzmer Seed has Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and also received BA and MA degrees from The Jewish Theological Seminary – JTS—where he focused on Talmud and Midrash. Following ordination, Rabbi Kretzmer Seed completed a CPE residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan, where he worked in the hospital’s palliative care, oncology and psychiatric units.
Rabbi Mia Simring was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary, in her native New York City. She also holds a certificate in Pastoral Care and Counseling and has focused her rabbinic work on chaplaincy in hospitals, long term care facilities, and now, correctional facilities. She is currently serving as a Jewish Chaplain for the New York City Department of Correction, working with both pre- and post-trial detainees. Prior to her rabbinical studies, she received an undergraduate degree in East Asian Studies from Brown University, worked in Japan, and then in the Japanese Art Department at Christie’s NY. Read more about her here.
In the discussion, Rabbi Gabe mentions "To Walk in God's Ways," by Rabbi Joe Ozarowski, who appears on NeshamaCast, Episode 1. Rabbi Gabe also mentions his mentor, Rabbi Jo Hirschmann, BCC, who is the co-author, with Rabbi Nancy Wiener, of "Maps and Meaning: Levitical Models for Contemporary Care." This book was discussed with Rabbi Nancy Wiener on NeshamaCast, Episode 8.
The story Rabbi Gabe shares in this interview of being physically assaulted appears in the book "Rikers: An Oral History," by Graham Rayman and Reuven Blau.
Talmudic text discussed in interview: Ein havush matir atzmo mibeit ha'asurim--"A person in prison cannot free himself," From Tractate Berakhot 5b.
Hebrew and Technical Terms:
Ashrei, literally, "Happy are those," from Psalms 84:5; this verse recurs frequently in Jewish liturgy as a prelude to Psalm 145.
Eliyahu HaNavi—Elijah the Prophet, regarded in Jewish tradition as the one who will herald the coming of the Messiah
Get--Jewish writ of divorce, traditionally given from the husband to the wife to end the marriage. An ongoing struggle in traditional Jewish communities is the plight of Agunot (literally, "chained"), women whose marriages have ended for all practical reasons but have not received a Get from the husband to formally end the marriage, the receipt of which is necessary in order to marry someone else. Reference is made in the interview to: ORA--Organization for the Resolution of Agunot.
Ha Lachma Anya--From the Passover Haggadah: "This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in Egypt..."
Had Gadya—literally, “One Little Goat,” the final hymn in the traditional Seder.
Halakhah--Jewish law, as derived from Rabbinic Jewish tradition in the Talmud and later Jewish codes.
Halakhically--a Hebrew-English adverb referring to actions done according to Halakhah, or Jewish law.
Hashgacha-Kosher supervision
HIPAA--the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act protects patient privacy in the American heath care system. It generally does not apply to the prison and jail systems.
Humash--A volume comprising the five books of the Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy
Kehillah--Community, usually referring to a synagogue community.
Midrash (plural: Midrashim)--a homiletical interpretation of Biblical scripture, usually referring to the Rabbinic body of literature known as THE Midrash, compiled by Rabbis over the first millennium of the common era, often reflecting ancient oral interpretations of Biblical text.
Moshiach-the Messiah
Motzi—The blessing over bread, traditionally said whenever eating bread but most commonly said over full loaf of bread or matzah at a Sabbath or holiday meal.
Parashah--The weekly portion of the Torah/Pentateuch that is read aloud in synagogue.
Sh'ma--The Jewish declaration of faith from Deuteronomy 6:4, recited morning and evening in daily liturgy.
Shul--A common term for synagogue
Siddur--Jewish prayer book
Teshuvah--Repentance.
Tfillot--plural for T'fillah, Jewish prayer
Jewish Chaplains: Register for the NAJC 2025 Conference in Skokie, IL, May 11-14, 2025. Watch this video to learn more.
About our host:
Rabbi Edward Bernstein, BCC, is the executive producer and host of NeshamaCast. He serves as Chaplain at Boca Raton Regional Hospital of Baptist Health South Florida. He is a member of the Board of Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains. Prior to his chaplain career, he served as a pulpit rabbi in congregations in New Rochelle, NY; Beachwood, OH; and Boynton Beach, FL. He is also the host and producer of My Teacher Podcast: A Celebration of the People Who Shape Our Lives.
NeshamaCast contributor Chaplain David Balto is a volunteer chaplain at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. and Western Correctional Insitution, Maryland’s maximum security prison. He coordinated the annual National Bikur Cholim Conference.
Support NeshamaCast and NAJC with a tax deductible donation to NAJC. For sponsorship opportunities as either an individual or institution, please write to Rabbi Ed Bernstein at [email protected]
Thank you to Steve Lubetkin and Lubetkin Media Companies for producing this episode.
Transcripts for this episode and other episodes of NeshamaCast are available at NeshamaCast.simplecast.com and are typically posted one week after an episode first airs.
Theme Music is “A Niggun For Ki Anu Amecha,” written and performed by Reb-Cantor Lisa Levine.
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