The Vibe of the Tribe

Did you know that much of Judaism’s calendar cycle, rituals and practices grew from ancient Israel’s agricultural rhythms? As Jews in New England, we can sometimes feel disconnected from those seasonal patterns (lookin’ at you, Tu BiShvat in January!). Luckily, Leora Mallach, co-founder and executive director of Beantown Jewish Gardens, is here to give us all the dirt on Judaism’s ecological backstory.

Beantown Jewish Gardens builds Jewish community through experiential education rooted in Jewish text, tradition and culture, breathing new life into Jewish practices by connecting Jews to the agricultural and food traditions of our people. Mallach joins Miriam and special guest co-host Jesse Ulrich of Pod4Good to discuss the work of this unique organization. Learn how Beantown Jewish Gardens launched its Jewish Volunteer Gardening Brigade during the pandemic, how Shabbat and sacred rest underpins Jewish environmentalism, the importance of sustainable farming and food justice, and how you can get involved right here in the Greater Boston Jewish community.

Jake Cohen loves food. We love food. And we love Jake Cohen. Hailed as “the creative, youthful future of Jewish food” by icon Joan Nathan, Cohen is known for, among many other things, his zesty Instagram presence and blending his Ashkenazi food heritage with his husband’s Persian Iraqi Jewish traditions.

The nice Jewish boy, culinary creative genius and New York Times bestselling author behind the new “Jew-ish: A Cookbook: Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch” joins us to discuss the power of intergenerational cooking, discovering and reuniting the Jewish diaspora through food and how he and his husband are creating their own authentic Jewish experience.

Feeling hungry? Get an exclusive recipe for Cohen’s everything bagel galette at https://www.jewishboston.com/read/everything-bagel-galette.

Learn more about Cohen at https://www.wakeandjake.com.

Produced by Miriam Anzovin and edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.

It has taken the Jewish communal world a long time to reckon with intermarriage. And the evolution of attitude—from gloom and doom to gradual, partial acceptance—has been decades in the making and is ongoing.

For generations, the health of the Jewish population in America was measured largely by one statistic—the percentage of Jews intermarrying. And it’s a number that has steadily increased since 1970. Yet one historian noted, “Statistical data inform us of structure, not content.” The “interfaith panic” led to a history of stigmatization and marginalization for interfaith couples based on fear of Jews disappearing, their offspring lost to intermarriage and spouses’ faiths and traditions.

Many people in interfaith relationships have stories to tell, including The Vibe of the Tribe co-host Dan, who has been in such a relationship for more than half his life and which, in recent years, has resulted in two Jewish children. From off-hand comments from other Jews at work or home to declarations from rabbis about how they would “never officiate” an interfaith marriage ceremony to relatives who have threatened to “never speak to” or “disown” children or grandchildren who intermarry, the bias is as real as it is hurtful. There are several problems with this mindset, in addition to the obvious. Interfaith Jews aren’t lost, but anecdotally speaking, they don’t respond well to being stigmatized.

Dr. Keren McGinity, the first interfaith specialist at the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, is here to change the long-held perceptions of intermarriage as a “threat” to Judaism. She is an educator-activist specializing in Jewish intermarriage and gender roles, teaches at Brandeis University and is the author of “Still Jewish: A History of Women and Intermarriage in America” and “Marrying Out: Jewish Men, Intermarriage, and Fatherhood.” Her website, https://loveandtradition.org, is dedicated to opening hearts and broadening minds about intermarriage to build a fully inclusive Jewish community.

In this episode, Dr. McGinity provides the historical and gender context of the intermarriage panic, offers tips on how to be an ally, discusses implications in Jewish law and completely flips the script on everything we’ve been led to believe about what “doing Jewish” really means.

Produced by Miriam Anzovin and edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.

If you have yet to pick your jaw up from the floor after watching “Shtisel” Season 3, you’re not alone. Join a completely verklempt Miriam and Dan for a spoiler-filled recap with special guest Dr. Shayna Weiss, associate director of the Shusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University, and an expert in Israeli culture and entertainment (and definitive “Shtisel” authority!).

We deconstruct the entire season, from the shocking premiere plot twist a la “The Sixth Sense” to the emotional finale, examining the magical realism, romance, Yiddish, longing, loss, multiple Shiras, familial mishegas and the “fourth wall”-breaking in between. Don’t just “lie there like a dolphin!” Mix up a mocktail of soda with a little bit of Shabbat grape juice and tune in to this episode of The Vibe of the Tribe to learn everything about “Shtisel” Season 3.

Want to learn more about “Shtisel” from Dr. Weiss? Read “Shtisel’s Ghosts: The Politics of Yiddish in Israeli Popular Culture” (https://ingeveb.org/blog/shtisel-s-ghosts-the-politics-of-yiddish-in-israeli-popular-culture) and listen to “Jewish History Matters: Ultra-Orthodox Jews on Israeli TV with Shayna Weiss” (https://www.jewishhistory.fm/ultra-orthodox-jews-on-israeli-tv-with-shayna-weiss).

Further reading mentioned in the podcast:

“Conceiving Agency: Reproductive Authority among Haredi Women” by Michal S. Raucher: https://iupress.org/9780253050021/conceiving-agency

“Holocaust Memory in Ultraorthodox Society in Israel” by Michal Shaul: https://iupress.org/9780253050816/holocaust-memory-in-ultraorthodox-society-in-israel

Missed our recap of Seasons 1 and 2? Catch up here: https://www.jewishboston.com/read/the-vibe-of-the-tribe-podcast-episode-76-frum-here-to-eternity-watching-shtisel

Produced by Miriam Anzovin and edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.

The list of great Jewish-themed horror films is woefully short. But there’s a new front-runner in this niche category—a legit horror film that is religiously accurate, sprinkled with Yiddish and leave-the-lights-on-don’t-watch-alone scary.

Meet “The Vigil.” Steeped in ancient Jewish lore and demonology, writer and director Keith Thomas’s debut feature film tells the story of a young man named Yakov (Dave Davis of “The Walking Dead” and “Logan”) who is persuaded to watch over the body of a deceased member of his former Orthodox community. As his night unfolds, Yakov finds himself trapped with a malevolent entity.

Thomas, Davis and co-star and associate producer Malky Goldman (“Unorthodox”) join an extremely hyped Miriam and Dan to discuss cinematic inspiration, the deeply authentic representation of ultra-Orthodox life and characters, how trauma and pain are reflected in the film and how “The Vigil” is charting new, very scary territory in Jewish cinema.

Please note: This episode contains adult language.

Find out how to watch “The Vigil” here: https://www.thevigil.movie/watch-at-home

Edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.

Special thanks to IFC Films and Tamar Simon from Mean Streets Management.

The JewishBoston crew observes a sacred Jewish tradition as old as, well, as old as 1998. To get in the Passover spirit, Miriam, Dan and Ashley, joined by former colleague and The Vibe of the Tribe founder Jesse Ulrich, rewatched the animated musical film “The Prince of Egypt.”

We discuss some very notable differences between the Torah text and the cinematic story, ask if everything really needs to be a musical montage and admit that the golden calf we worship is, in fact, Jeff Goldblum.

Edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.

If there was ever a time when comfort food was important, it’s right now, in the interminable miserable pandemic year. Luckily, chef Paula Shoyer, also known as “The Kosher Baker,” joins Ashley and Miriam on this episode to teach us how to “eat our feelings” in a nourishing way that connects us to each other and our culinary traditions—despite the distance.

Shoyer also shares what people have been craving most during the pandemic (hello, babka!), practical advice for both new and seasoned home cooks and how her latest release, “The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook,” will save your sanity and revolutionize your kitchen.

Shoyer is the author of “The Healthy Jewish Kitchen,” “The Holiday Kosher Baker,” “The Kosher Baker,” “The New Passover Menu” and “The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook.” She has a French pastry degree from Paris and does cooking events all around the world. A freelance writer, cookbook editor and influencer, she competed on Food Network's “Sweet Genius” and has appeared on TV over 45 times.

Find more information on Shoyer’s cookbooks, exclusive recipes and upcoming classes at https://thekosherbaker.com, and see what she’s whipping up on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kosherbaker.

Edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.

February is Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month, a unified effort among Jewish organizations worldwide to raise awareness and foster acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities and mental health conditions and those who love them. To mark the month, The Vibe of the Tribe spoke with one of the most prominent leaders of the disability rights movement—Judy Heumann. If you’ve benefited from building ramps, extended time on tests or even standing desks, Heumann and her friends are the reason.

Heumann, who contracted polio at 18 months old, was denied her teaching license just because she was paralyzed. After suing the New York Board of Education, she, along with other advocates, launched a prolonged battle against discrimination ignored by institutions and government on every level, all of which saw access like building ramps as an expensive annoyance serving a few long-marginalized people. Exclusion was a de facto national policy.

Through protests, sit-ins and other non-violent actions, this team of young adults, along with their families, allies and partners, forced the federal government to hear their demands and to grant long-denied civil rights to people with disabilities. Their action led to the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Heumann co-founded and worked at several nonprofits and advocacy groups, was appointed to positions in the Clinton and Obama administrations and served as the World Bank Group's first advisor on disability and development. Her book, “Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist,” was published last year, and her story is highlighted in the award-winning documentary “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” produced by former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

We were honored and humbled to welcome Heumann to The Vibe of the Tribe to discuss the power of community, her pivotal role in American history, her indelible mark on civil rights around the world and the work that’s left to do.

Edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.

In our recent episode “Heaven and Hell in Judaism” (jewishboston.com/the-vibe-of-the-tribe-podcast-heaven-and-hell-in-judaism), co-hosts Miriam and Dan dove into Jewish teachings about the afterlife with guest Rabbi Baruch HaLevi. That conversation led us to another question: If the soul endures, can we make contact with departed loved ones? And how might that fit into Jewish ideas about the journey of our souls through this world and “the world to come”?

So, we are happy to welcome Rabbi HaLevi back to the podcast, this time with his sister, Rebecca Rosen, a professional spiritual medium. Rosen views herself as an ambassador between “the spirit world and our day-to-day world.” For two decades, she’s been relaying messages from the dead to loved ones and others seeking to communicate with them and receive wisdom and healing. Rosen is the author of several best-selling books, including “Spirited: Unlock Your Psychic Self and Change Your Life,” “Awaken the Spirit Within: Ten Steps to Ignite Your Life & Fulfill Your Divine Purpose” and “What the Dead Have Taught Me About Living Well.” She recently launched her own podcast, Small Medium at Large, with the goal of empowering people to live with intention by reminding them that they are never alone, that they are divinely guided throughout their life journey.

Rabbi HaLevi is the former rabbi of Congregation Shirat Hayam in Swampscott. He’s the author of “Spark Seekers: Mourning With Meaning; Living With Light” and co-author of “Revolution of Jewish Spirit: How to Revive Ruakh in Your Spiritual Life, Transform Your Synagogue & Inspire Your Jewish Community.” He is also the co-founder and executive director of Soul Centered, a spiritual center for individuals seeking meaning, purpose and healing in midlife and beyond.

Join us for this wide-ranging discussion that touches on grief, doubt, faith, validation, hope and tikkun hanefesh (repairing the soul). We sweep back the veil on the paranormal, reincarnation and the soul’s journey.

Please note that this episode includes a brief mention of suicide that some may find upsetting. If you are struggling or need support, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.

On Jan. 5, 2020, Miriam and Dan embarked on a seven-and-a-half-year journey simultaneously with tens of thousands of people across the world. Their collective quest? To participate in Daf Yomi (literally “daily page”), the ongoing daily sequential study of the Babylonian Talmud.

Does studying one page of Talmud each day seem easy to you? Pardon Miriam and Dan while they laugh and cry hysterically. The Talmud is a multi-generational codification of Judaism’s oral Torah, with crammed analysis, deep thought and frequent whiplash-inducing non-sequiturs from an enormous cast of rabbis discussing everything—and we do mean everything—of significance to Jews of the post-Temple era. It’s a window into the daily lives of our ancient ancestors in Judea, the Galilee and Babylonia.

With one year of Daf Yomi behind them, Miriam and Dan talk to two dynamic Talmud experts, Rabbi Avi Killip and Rabbi Avi Strausberg, both of Hadar. Tune in for a lively discussion that is—just like the Talmud—inspiring, fascinating, entertaining (just wait until you hear Rabbi Strausberg’s brilliant haikus!), deeply weird and even profoundly NSFW. (Really. Some passages of this episode are R-rated.)

If you’ve always wondered what the Talmud says, or perhaps are a Daf Yomi participant yourself, this is the episode for you!

Rabbi Avi Killip is Hadar’s vice president of strategy and programs. A graduate of Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Rabbi Killip also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brandeis University. She was a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a Schusterman Fellow. Rabbi Killip teaches as part of Hadar’s faculty and is the host of Responsa Radio (https://www.hadar.org/torah-collection/responsa-radio).

Rabbi Avi Strausberg is director of national learning initiatives at Hadar. She received her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew College Rabbinical School, is a Wexner Graduate Fellow and holds a master’s degree in Jewish education. Rabbi Strausberg served as a rabbinic intern at Congregation Kehillath Israel and Temple Sinai in Brookline and also worked as a chaplain intern at Hebrew SeniorLife. Energized by engaging creatively with Jewish text, she has written several theater pieces inspired by the Torah and maintains a Daf Yomi haiku blog (https://inhaiku.wordpress.com), in which she writes daily Talmudic haikus.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Project Zug’s class on “Talmudic Personalities: Get to Know the Rabbis”: https://www.projectzug.org/course/3343/talmudic-personalities-get-know-rabbis

Hadar’s Virtual Beit Midrash winter programming: https://www.hadar.org/virtual-beit-midrash

Rabbi Killip’s “Siyyum on Massekhet Eruvin” (“Expanding the Boundaries of Home”): https://www.hadar.org/torah-resource/expanding-boundaries-home

Edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.