The PodcAAst

This week, we sit down with Rebecca Cypess to discuss her role at Yeshiva University, the opportunities and challenges facing higher education today, and her vision for the future. Join us for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, education, and building meaningful, well rounded Jewish life.

Join us for a riveting edition of Responsa for the Month of May, where we explore fascinating questions that we were asked on topics including Sheimos, Shavuos, Aveilus, and more. Thought-provoking, practical, and deeply relevant, this episode brings contemporary halachic questions to life.

In this episode we discuss one of the most quietly felt tensions in synagogue life: the length of tefillah. Does time in Shul feel inspiring or does it feel like a marathon? Is it about time, pace, or expectations? And how do we balance Kavana with these realities? Through candid conversation and differing perspectives, we unpack this topic.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Joel Paul, a longtime leader in the Jewish world whose decades of impact have spanned organizations such as NCSY and Yeshiva University before launching his own successful consulting firm, The Joel Paul Group. We discuss leadership, career growth, building institutions, and the lessons learned from a lifetime of service and innovation.

We take time to explore many of the Halachos that govern this period of the Jewish calendar, including how to count Sefirah, what to do if a mistake was made in counting, and how to properly observe the customs of mourning during this time.

In this episode we look at the rise of “celebrity rabbis” — rabbis whose voices reach way beyond their own communities through social media podcasts books and public speaking. Does this visibility help spread Torah and inspire Jews around the world, or does it risk turning rabbinic leadership into a brand-driven personality contest?

Karpas and Maror both take center stage at the Seder, but what do they really represent? In this episode, we explore different approaches to these two important elements of the Seder through our own dueling yerakos.

We go through all of the Seder basics, starting with Kadesh and ending with Afikomen, to make sure that everyone is ready and prepared for the many Mitzvos of the Seder.

In this episode, we speak with David Goldberg about the remarkable legacy of his grandparents and the Maos Chitim fund for which they collected to ensure that families in need could celebrate Pesach with dignity. David shares the story behind their life, the values that motivated them, and how a simple act of communal responsibility grew into a lasting source of support for others. David also shares many fascinating and enlightening stories about the early days of Ahavas Achim and RPRY.

Interview with member Chaim Goldstein, Hot Topics of the month, Riveting Responsa and a Purim Yerek