Torah Curious

Lena Prytula has a lot of pieces to her identity---German, Russian, Jewish, Jewrovision lover. Moving to Germany from Ukraine as a young child, her religion classes at school and in her local Jewish community sparked questions of identity and practice not only for herself, but for her mother and grandmother, as well. Come and learn how she became the Rabbi of her family, the many definitions of home, and why Tikkun Olam speaks to her as a Jewish concept! 

Lena is the first in a five-part mini-series interviewing the new members of the Vorstand (Executive Committee) of the JSUD (Jewish Student Union of Germany). 

Of the four children at the Passover Seder, Rebecca Rogowski identifies most with the wicked child. Angry, upset, feeling separate----and yet, at the table, a part of the conversation. Come and learn from Rebecca about her grandfather (who was a real yekke), her 'acting out' at school that made her mother proud, and her willingness to search for spirituality in a secular and academic world. 

Dekel Peretz is a ubiquitous presence across Jewish Berlin. Winner of every theoretical Theodor Herzl lookalike contest, Dekel is a bridge between communities---religious and secular, Israeli and German. And Dekel doesn't really belong fully in any camp. Born in Israel, raised in the US, 20 years in Germany, Dekel is accented in every language he speaks. Which means he always has understanding of those at the margins. Come and Learn from Dekel about Bat Yiftach, Biblical intertextualism with Greek Mythology, and when he knew he wasn't going back to Israel. 

For more information about Dekel, the Judisches Zentrum Fraenkelufer (JCC Fraenkelufer) or Fraenkelufer synagogue, check out these links!

https://en.aufbruch-am-ufer.berlin/

https://www.facebook.com/fraenkelufer

It's been 27 episodes, and we've got a lot of Torah to show for it!

Come and join us as we look back at five of our most popular episodes, with powerhouses Andres Bruckner, Dalia Grinfeld, Josh Weiner, Laura Cazes, and Benny Fischer. 

Hear their stories, learn their Torah, and get excited for the many lessons we have ahead of us. 

Deborah Cohen grew up speaking Hebrew and lighting Hanukkah Candles, but didn't know anything about when the month of Kislev heralded the holiday's arrival. She went to Passover celebrations, but it wasn't until she led a Seder in Texas that she began to really own her Judaism. Deborah is thirsty for knowledge, and to be a part of this tradition means an intimate relationship with both text and the Jewish calendar. Come and learn from Deborah about Swiss-German-Jewish identity and that peculiarity of blessings that come in many forms. 

Mischa Groys grew up hearing Yiddish in Eastern Ukraine, but it wasn't until much later that he began to learn about Jewish tradition. Steeped in Torah, Mischa finds holiness in drinking Gin on Passover and in infusing all of his daily actions with meaning---whether or not they are explicitly Jewish. Come and Learn from Mischa's overflowing wealth of knowledge and multiple identities as they weave into a holy whole. 

Sasha Lurje never planned on becoming one of the world's premier Yiddish singers. And her love of Yiddish isn't simply rooted in nostalgia. She likes it; it adds meaning to her everyday life. Come and Learn with Sasha about secular Soviet-Jewish identity, the world of Klezfests, and why the simple joy of jamming together can be the bedrock of community.

Benyamin Reich is looking through the lens of the camera, and sees himself on the other end. Many years ago, growing up in a Haredi family in Zichron Ya'akov, photography was a foreign artform. But along the way, from Baltimore to Paris and finally to Berlin, he learned how to harness the light, and create beautiful images on the other side. Come and learn from Benyamin about Camera Obscura, finding the truth in images, and what being Jewish means for him. 

Eli Zaidman doesn't take the easy way out----it's a lesson she got from her parents. The next challenge, the next obstacle, whatever's next, it's not supposed to be easy. Pushing yourself and understanding sacrifice is a part of what it means to be Jewish, and pride is something you should earn, not be born with. Come and Learn from Eli's belief in having it all and understanding of the real consequences of our choices. 

Rabbi Neal Borovitz vividly remembers Passover growing up---his Grandfather at the head of the table, surrounded by his numerous grandchildren, dozens of family members and neighbors crowding around too few tables. Because while he believes religion and spirituality are important, these rituals---of Seders, of Gefilte Fish, of reading Sholom Aleichem---those are the ones we remember nearly 70 years down the road. Come and learn from Rabbi Borovitz the elder about the Kaifeng Jews, Jacob's ladder, and how we can always remember the roller coaster of life is an ongoing process.