The Light Lab Podcast

Welcome back to our three part pray-along series, live from Songleader Boot Camp. We’re closing it out in the evening with some ma’ariv magic. Join a glorious group of musicians, prayer-leaders, and participants to sing, feel, and perhaps open to something unexpected. And remember to register for our s*ngs ab-ut g?d curriculum & educator training in August! 

How can t’fillah-as-encounter help us encounter the world anew? 

Show notes, including melodies used and follow-along siddur slides, can be found here. 

Learn more about (and register for) our upcoming 

Follow us on ⁠facebook⁠ and ⁠instagram⁠ @thelight.lab.

And please share- spread the light! :) 

Jewish educators in supplementary schools- please fill out our short community survey by May 1st! 

Shalom my friends! So grateful to bring you part two in our special pray-along series, live from Songleader Boot Camp. We’ve arrived at shacharit, the morning service. You’ll hear (and are invited to sing/feel/pray along with) an amazing band of artists, plus new melodies co-created by the incomparable Hannah Zale. What a blessing to start the day together! 

How might t’fillah help us hold both the pain and beauty of the world at once?

Shownotes, including melodies used and a follow-along prayerbook page, can be found here. 

Follow us on ⁠facebook⁠ and ⁠instagram⁠ @thelight.lab.

And please share! :)  

Shalom my friends! We’re back with a special three part pray-along series, live from Songleader Boot Camp. This episode is the afternoon service, mincha, with the incomparable Chava Mirel. Join us for a heart check-in, song, and silence. And keep listening for a behind-the-curtain conversation/class on what it takes to lead t’fillah that softens the heart. So glad to be back in the Light Lab with you! 

What would it take to make t’fillah an exercise in softening the heart?

Show notes, including melodies used and a follow-along prayerbook page, can be found here. 

Follow us on ⁠facebook⁠ and ⁠instagram⁠ @thelight.lab.

This week, in our Shabbat at Home series, Eliana and Ellen consider the Midrashic possibilities of Hamotzi - the blessing over the challah. Topics include how challah holy-tizes all of our time, to tear or to cut, and which gardens grow bread trees. Plus, we listen to our favorite 90s Jewish hip hop classics! 

Join our facebook group to comment.

Check out this week’s show notes and transcript @

Follow us on facebook and instagram @thelight.lab.

Support our show! Sponsor an episode or donate here, and please rate, subscribe, and share around. Thank you!

This week, we are elated to bring you our interview with Eliana and Casper ter Kuile. Casper is the author of The Power of Ritual, and the co-founder of Sacred Design Lab, Nearness and the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. We explore finding the sacred in the secular, where folks find spiritual community these days, and snuggling your dog as prayer. 

Check out this week’s show notes and transcript @

What secular practice can you cultivate into prayer?Comment below or join our facebook group to connect around each episode. 

This week, in our Shabbat at Home series, Eliana and Josh explore the hand washing. Topics include taking ownership over rituals, the act of giving and receiving to and of ourselves, and hand washing as a mikvah moment. Plus, we listen to our favorite hand washing nigunim! 

Check out this week’s show notes and transcript @ lightlab.co/episode-64-hand-washing

Follow us on facebook and instagram @thelight.lab.

Support our show! Sponsor an episode or donate here, and please rate, subscribe, and share around. Thank you!

This week, we are elated to bring your our interview with Eliana and Rabbi Adina Allen. Rabbi Adina is co-founder and creative director of the Jewish Studio Project. We explore expressing the divine spark within us, how to sit with discomfort, and how to teach our 3rd grade selves that art is their birthright. 

Check out this week’s show notes and transcript @ lightlab.co/podcast/episode-63-adina-allen 

And pre-order Rabbi Allen's new book, The Place of All Possibility, here!

Follow us on facebook and instagram @thelight.lab. Join our facebook group to connect around each episode. 
Support our show! Sponsor an episode or donate here, and please rate, subscribe, and share around. Thank you!

Welcome to our spring SPARK! A more free-wheeling, connective conversation between our hosts that we hope sparks something new in you. In this SPARK, Eliana and Ellen explore our journey on the way to enoughness,   binding our wounds, & the furry shapes prophets sometimes inhabit. Plus, we listen to some of our favorite songs for the season!

Check out this week’s show notes and transcript @ 

lightlab.co/podcast/episode-62-spark-pesach 

And check out the light lab podcast pesach spotify playlist!

Follow us on facebook and instagram @thelight.lab. 

This week, we are honored to bring your our interview with Eliana and Rabbi Ilan Glazer. Rabbi Ilan is the founder of Our Jewish Recovery, author of the award-winning And God Created Recovery: Jewish Wisdom to Help You Break Free From Your Addiction, Heal Your Wounds, and Unleash Your Inner Freedom, and a Shatterproof Ambassador and Family Program Instructor. We explore the medicine of incorporating new and ancient melodies into t’fillah, how Jewish wisdom addresses addiction and recovery, and grounding grief in song. Plus, we listen to a few tracks on Rabbi Ilan’s new album, Gam Ki Elech: Turning Our Sorrows Into Songs. 

Check out this week’s show notes and transcript @ lightlab.co/podcast/episode-61-ilan-glazer 

Follow us on facebook and instagram @thelight.lab. 

Sponsor an episode! Contact [email protected] to to learn more. Donate here, and please rate, subscribe, and share around. Thank you!

This week, we are delighted to bring you our interview with Eliana and Aharon Varady. Aharon  is the founding director and primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project. We explore the alchemy of a minyan, taking responsibility for your prayer, and how to make a container to cross-pollinate our own liturgical wisdom with other people. 

Check out this week’s show notes and transcript @ lightlab.co/episode-60-aharon-varady  

Follow us on facebook and instagram @thelight.lab. Join our facebook group to connect around each episode. 

Support our show! Contact Rachel at [email protected] to sponsor an episode!

Donate here, and please rate, subscribe, and share around. Thank you!