The Bridging Connections Podcast

Jewish Farmers Network (JFN)

Featuring: Shani Minsk, Co-Founder and Executive Director 
Jewish Farmer Network mobilizes Jewish agricultural wisdom to build a more just and regenerative food system for all. We connect Jewish farmers to each other and to the surprisingly relevant technologies, rhythms, and ethics of Jewish agriculture. We believe that a vibrant future for people, plants, and planet will be shaped by farmers, gardeners, and growers of all kinds. We are the AND that connects your story to the story of the Jewish people. 

 Their Mission : 

Jewish Farmer Network supports the economic, social, and cultural vibrancy of Jewish agriculture by connecting Jewish farmers to resources and community around the world. We mobilize Jewish wisdom to build a more just and regenerative food system for all.

 Their vision

We are building a world in which Jewish farmers are not regarded as an oxymoron or a curiosity, but rather, as valued community members with a unique connection to Judaism's ancient technologies for building a more just and regenerative food system for all. We envision a world in which all Jewish individuals and communities have access to farms and gardens that connect them to both the agricultural roots of Judaism and the timeless food justice principles contained therein. We envision a world in which any Jewish individual with the desire to both live a land-based life and be a part of Jewish community life has the technical, economic, social, and cultural resources to do so. We envision a world of social and ecological justice, where life in all forms is honored. We envision a world in which Jewish Farmers are a collaborative force for the collective liberation of all land and all peoples.

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Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

JIFA: Jewish Initiative for Animals
Featuring: Rabbi Jonathan Bernhard, Executive Director and Melissa Hoffman, Director of Programs

The Jewish Initiative for Animals supports innovative programs to turn the Jewish value of compassion for animals into action while building ethical and sustainable Jewish American communities in the process.

Jewish tradition urges us to keep a healthy skepticism about the sourcing of our goods and strive for ethical consumption. JIFA is ready to work with your community to help you establish your own values-based food practices.

We support Jewish community education for all ages through curriculum development, direct teaching, and partnerships with organizations that disseminate materials and promote learning about Jewish values and our food system.

JIFA’s Values:

Promoting compassion and preventing suffering to animals — in Jewish tradition, a core value called tza’ar ba’alei chayim (literally: the suffering of living creatures) — is central to our work to build a better food system

• Climate and the environment - Bal tashchit and sh’mirat ha’adamah — the prohibition against destruction/waste and the imperative to protect our Earth — are cornerstones of JIFA’s work to end factory farming.
• Food justice- We find our most ancient model for food justice in the laws of shmita, which Jewish communities have revived with renewed significance in recent years
• Racial justice - We know that the structures that perpetuate factory farming are inextricably linked with those that perpetuate racist oppression and violence. To create meaningful change in our food system we must also help to build an anti-racist animal protection movement.
• Inclusivity- Reflecting broadly held values — and serving food that everyone can eat — promotes inclusivity in gatherings and strengthens our Jewish community
• Kosher- Kosher is a quintessentially Jewish concept to describe what is “fit,” including the food we eat

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

What is Jewish Farming?

Featuring: Dr. Adrienne Krone

Adrienne Krone is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and past Director of Jewish Life at Allegheny College.Her research focuses on communal Jewish farms and the sustainable Jewish farming movement in the United States. Her expertise ranges from the history of religion in the U.S., to modern Judaism, to religion and food. Krone holds a Ph.D. in American Religion from Duke University, and her extensive experience in Jewish communal service includes working with youth and young adult groups, teaching and directing a religious school program for Jewish teens, liturgical leadership, and staffing a Birthright trip.

Adrienne researches religious food justice movements and teaches courses in Jewish studies, food studies, environmental studies, and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Her current project is an ethnographic and historical study of the Jewish Community Farming movement in North America.

In this episode Adrienne and I define categories of Jewish farming. We touch on a bit of the history of Jewish Farming in North America. And we discuss Jewish biblical laws about farming, the three pilgrimage festivals (Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot). Finally Adrienne shares how varies Jewish farms around the country are creating and innovating food for long term sustainability.

Read more about Adrienne’s work and research here. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

Kavod v’Nichum

Featuring: Sarit Wishnevski, Executive Director

Their Mission: Kavod v’Nichum provides the Jewish community resources, education, and training about the end of life, from serious illness through dying, death, bereavement, and mourning.

Their Vision is to  transform the final life transition for every Jewish person so that it is understood, cared for, and respected.

About:  Kavod v’Nichum, כבוד וניחום, is Hebrew for “honor and comfort”. Founded in 2000, Kavod v’Nichum is a Jewish nonprofit dedicated to providing end-of-life education, support and training in the Jewish tradition. They embrace the mitzvot of kavod hamet, honoring the body which held the neshama, soul, of a person who died; and nichum aveilim, comforting the mourners and the community of the living after a death.

Kavod v’Nichum values: 

1. KAVOD: HONOR: They lead with honor and respect for people, tradition, and infuse kavod in every aspect of our work
2. NECHAMAH: COMFORT & SUPPORT: The end-of-life space is difficult for many; They welcome community with care and support.
3. B’TZELEM ELOHIM: IN GOD’S IMAGE: We are holy people created in the image of the divine; all are welcome and wanted. 
4. HIDDUR MITZVAH: BEAUTIFICATION OF THE MITZVAH: They elevate the beauty of Jewish end-of-life traditions through learning, adaptation to our modern world, and making accessible what is often hidden.
5. KEHILLAH: COMMUNITY: Community support is foundational in Jewish end-of-life rituals and practices; they are expansive in our understanding of community and encourage all to consider themselves a part of ours.

Kavod V’Nichum serves any individual or organization seeking to learn and engage around Jewish end-of-life rituals and practices.

Contact Kavod V’Nichum for more information.

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

Haggadot.com

Featuring: Eileen Levinson, Founder and Executive Director
Haggadot.com is part of Custom & Craft, a nonprofit design lab using technology, art and new media to imagine new formats for engaging with ancient traditions. Founded in 2011, our online platforms Haggadot.com and Custom and Craft make home-based Jewish ritual accessible, meaningful, and diverse – giving individuals of all faith backgrounds the tools to create for themselves and to discover the other creators in their community. 

Judaism can be beautiful and welcoming. Haggadot.com believes Judaism can look and feel that way too. They envision a world in which every Jew, and the Jew-curious, regardless of background, can find a place for themselves in Jewish life through thoughtfully-designed products and media.

They believe that Passover is primarily an exercise in empathy. At the seder, we tell the story of Exodus as though we personally exited Mitzrayim, or “the narrow place.” Haggadot.com’s core values emphasize how a deep personal connection with the Passover story drives empathy. Read more here: https://www.haggadot.com/values

Haggadot.com is a design lab for the Jewish community, experimenting with technology, media and user experience to imagine new formats for engaging in ancient traditions. Their platforms, Haggadot.com and Custom and Craft enable over 500,000 users annually to make their own haggadahs and other DIY materials for Jewish ritual. They facilitate new product development through collaborations with leading Jewish organizations and thinkers across a diverse spectrum of perspectives.

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

Secular Synagogue 

Featuring: Rabbi Denise Handlarski, Founder 

What is Secular Synagogue?

Secular Synagogue is a digital Judaism, online community, engaged and meaningful learning and practice. Their goal is two-directional: explore how Judaism can be an enriching force in your life and, in turn, make you a more kind, just, and effective force for good in the world. 

Who is Secular Synagogue for?

Jewish, Jew-ish, Intermarried, In-married, Unmarried, Secular, Cultural, Atheist, Agnostic, Seeker, Spiritual... YOU

If you are a cultural/secular Jew, someone who is becoming a Jew, partnered with a Jew, or otherwise Jewishly engaged,  and want to connect to Jewish wisdom, ideas and community, this is the place for you! Every day you will join people just like you in Jewish-inspired challenges and learning. This is an accessible, affordable, engaged, inclusive, meaningful, and contemporary approach to Jewish learning, practice, and community. Create and foster a deep and rich Jewish life — in 5 - 10 minutes a day. They are committed to meaningful inclusivity for Queer/Trans folks, BIPOC and other racialized members, and anyone who has felt excluded in Jewish spaces. Secular Synagogue is intersectional, intergenerational, and international. 

Mission

Secular Synagogue  aspires to  create meaningful, valuable, beautiful Jewish learning, experiences, and  community for secular/cultural Jews.  A Judaism that fosters  two-directional goodness: making your life richer/better and, in  turn, it will making you better so that more goodness can be created in the  world.

Vision Statement

Secular Synagogue’s vision is a Connected Community across distance, enabled virtually, that  provides those looking for meaningful cultural Jewish learning,  experiences, and community a space where they feel true belonging. 

Values

Secular Synagogue serve anyone who wishes to be part of their group including: 

• Jews who are secular/cultural/humanist/atheist/agnostic/questioning/skeptical
• Those connected to Jews via family, relationship, or ancestry
• Those exploring becoming Jewish, Jews-by-choice, new Jews, those on their own path/journey to Judaism

They do not believe in "bad Jews" or "bad Jew guilt"

They are pro-intermarriage/intercultural partnerships. There will never be  any questioning or guilt about "authenticity" for anyone at any time.

Social justice is part of our Jewish practice and expression.

They are kind, and foster goodness. Secular Synagogue turns the internet into a place of communal support and mutual love and respect. 

They are fun and funny. Sure, they tackle serious issues. But try not to take themselves too seriously.

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

Fat Torah 

Featuring: Rabbi Minna Bromberg, Founder and President

Fat Torah’s Goals

Smashing the idolatry of fatphobia and leading ourselves from Narrowness to Freedom

1. ending weight stigma in Jewish communal life and training Jewish professionals, lay leaders, and community members to confront fatphobia wherever they encounter it (including in themselves).
2. equipping people who already work in fat activism, Health at Every Size, eating disorders recovery, and related weight neutral and body positive fields to recognize and attend to spiritual and religious needs in themselves and those they serve.
3. propagating a methodology of connecting with sacred text, tradition, and spirituality that fosters body liberation for people of all sizes.

Fat Torah offers:

Teaching, consulting and mentoring.

Fat Torah's Blog

Contact Fat Torah for more information.

Follow Fat Torah on  Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram.

— Rabbi Minna Bromberg

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

The Yeladim Project

Featuring: Sagit Sol Epstein and David Epstein

Including a special interview with Yarden, Eli and Lilah

Sagit Sol Epstein, an Israeli living in in the United States saw an opportunity to help bridge the culture gap between American Jew and Israelis. She with the help of her husband, David created The Yeladim Project. It’s a complete family collaboration. Sagit translates and produces, the children sing and dance and David promotes the songs and videos of popular Israeli songs. The upbeat songs are primarily holiday related. Be sure to listen to the entire podcast to hear my short interview with Yarden and Eli’s and one of their Hanukkah songs. You don’t want to miss this moment of extreme cuteness. 

From Yeladem Project’s website:

There is a rich and varied collection of songs and stories for Shabbat and holidays in Israel, many part of school and kindergarten curricula. We wanted to bring these songs and stories to a wider audience worldwide to be a cultural bridge between the Jews in Israel and those in English speaking countries. We believe this can help unite our people and strengthen the connection with Israel.

About:

Having grown up in Israel, was surprised that children here do not sing the same holiday and Shabbat songs. Translating them to English makes them more accessible here, and easier to learn.

In Israel, Sagit had a children’s theatre where she wrote, produced, and performed shows for children throughout Israel. Many were adaptations of well known stories, (Jungle Book, Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Puss in Boots) as well as original and Israeli folk tales.

Contact The Yeladim Project at [email protected]

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

Project Zug, founded by Benjamin Ross and Hagit Bartuv. Benjamin and Hagit connected in 2012 in Jerusalem, and developed a shared goal of using Jewish learning to connect Jews in Israel and America. Their vision became a reality, leading to more than 2,000 participants in Project Zug!

Project Zug’s mission is to empower Jews to take ownership over their learning through one-on-one havruta learning. They believe that havruta can change your life. When two Jews connect through our shared tradition, the relationship has the power to cultivate meaning, joy, and belonging. We envision a world in which havruta learning is accessible and available to every Jew in every community. 

 Why Learn with Zug?

 Project Zug is powered by Hadar, and gives direct access to curated high quality Torah resources, and a guided learning framework that enables Jews to build deep connections to each other and to our tradition.Their unique combination of facilitation and flexibility allows Jews to learn on their own schedule with an accessible structure and guidance.

Project Zug seeks to foster meaning, joy, and belonging...

Torah + Community ⇨ Meaning. We are each on a never-ending search for deeper meaning in our daily lives. Project Zug offers inspiring Jewish learning while simultaneously connecting people to each other and a broader communities of learners. Putting a text between two people is the fastest way to get them to a deeper, more meaningful conversation. Asking the other person ‘what does this text mean to you?’ begins a journey toward understanding their values and life experience. We connect those searching for meaning with one another so together they can explore Jewish texts and connect them to their full selves. 

Setting Aside Time for Meaning + Friendship ⇨ Joy. In today’s fast-paced world, we are pulled in so many directions. Project Zug’s structured facilitation helps people set aside time for deep meaningful Jewish engagement on a weekly basis. When people make space in their busy schedule to bring meaning into their lives in connection with someone else, their Jewish life is infused with joy, which is at the core of our vision.

Connection to Tradition + Connection to a Partner ⇨ Connection to the Jewish people (Belonging). Jewish texts have the power to connect us to those who came before us, and to Jewish people throughout the world today. When we take ownership of our tradition in relationship with another Jew, we experience deep belonging with the broader Jewish people.

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.

Strength to Strength

Featuring: Sarri Singer, Founder

The Bridging Connections Podcast deals in a variety of topics. There are light-hearted topics, educational topics and very serious topics. This podcast is the most serious and possibly triggering topic explored so far. This conversation caused both crying and laughter in under an hour. In a perfect world, there would be no sadness or acts of terrorism. Unfortunately, the world and the people in it are not perfect. Gratefully organizations like Strength to Strength exists to heal the deep wounds caused by terrorism. During this podcast Sarri Singer, founder of Strength to Strength, shares her horrific story. Sarri recalls her experience on September 11, 2001 to set the stage for the day she would become a victim of terror. Sarri’s personal story allows for understanding that beauty can arise out of something tragic. The passion Sarri shows in recounting her story and that of other terrorist victims is a reminder that there is light and love after horror. 

Strength to Strength’s mission is to support victims of terrorism around the world with long-term psychological needs through peer to peer support, regular meetings, provision of information and advice, and raising awareness of the unmet needs of victims and their families. Strength to Strength enables victims of terrorism to share experiences and empowers them to live life to their best potential. We remain committed to each victim through our global network.

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in to The Bridging Connections podcast. Please partner with us to promote this important work. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or visit our website at www.bridges613.org for exciting news about innovation in Jewish life. This work depends on your feedback and donations. Please consider leaving feedback and or making on donation. We are grateful for all your support.