Ever wondered why some religious Jews choose not to serve in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF)? You might be surprised to learn that many proudly enlist, paralleling their service with the historical narrative of Moses and the war with Amalek. This episode of Unboxing Judaism Podcast delves into the complex intersection of religious practice and military service - illustrating how Torah study and prayer act as a spiritual shield for the Jewish people. Even amidst the contentious stance taken by certain ultra-Orthodox communities, we strive to offer a balanced perspective on this issue.

We also shed light on the remarkable sense of unity that binds the Jewish people in Israel, especially during times of conflict. Hear heartwarming stories of community members banding together to tie Tzitzis for soldiers, regardless of their religious observance level. This unity, we believe, has the power to precipitate the coming of the Messiah. We wrap up the episode with a call for active faith and an emphasis on our collective responsibility - to foster love and unity among all Jews, irrespective of our differences. Tune in for an enlightening discussion and a prayer for the peace and safety of the Jewish people.

This Episode (#19) of the Unboxing Judaism Podcast is dedicated in honor of Rabbi Yaakov & Dr. Sara Nagel

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Unboxing Judaism Podcast is a discussion on fundamental Jewish and modern cultural topics through the lens of our Torah and heritage with Rabbi Yaakov Nagel and Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe from TORCH, in Houston, Texas

To have your questions featured in a future podcast, please submit your questions to [email protected]

Rabbi Yaakov Nagel is the founding member of TORCH and has been active since 1998. Additionally, Rabbi Nagel serves as the Rabbi at The Heimish Shul in Houston, Texas and has been delivering the Daf Yomi (Daily Folio of Talmud) since 2003. Rabbi Nagel is the Head of the Court for Jewish Divorce and actively serves as a member of the Houston Beis Din.

To listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Yaakov Nagel: https://linktr.ee/RabbiNagel

• Daf Yomi Podcast - https://linktr.ee/DafYomiPodcast
• Unboxing Judaism Podcast - https://linktr.ee/unboxingjudaism

Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe serves as the Executive Director of TORCH since 2005.

To listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: https://linktr.ee/ariwol

• Jewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodes
• Parsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodes
• Living Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodes
• Thinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodes
• Unboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodes
• Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodes

Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our Jewish outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area and please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help support our global outreach at https://www.torchweb.org/donate. 
Thank you!

For a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com

Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Studio B  on December 5, 2023, in Houston, Texas.
Released as Podcast on December 6, 2023