On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Lance Sussman discusses his latest book, the third in a memoir trilogy, titled Portrait of a Rabbi-Historian: How Did We Get Here? The conversation explores the evolution of American Judaism, the role of a Rabbi Historian, and the historical context of Jewish rights in America. Rabbi Sussman discusses key figures like Isaac Leeser and the impact of social justice on Reform Judaism, as well as the significance of Albert Einstein’s 1934 speech at Knesset Israel.

What does it mean to be both a rabbi and a historian in modern America?

In Portrait of a Rabbi-Historian: How Did We Get Here?, Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, Ph.D., presents a compelling anthology of essays exploring the evolution of American Jewish history, Reform Judaism, and religious leadership through the eyes of a scholar deeply rooted in both pulpit and academia.

Spanning over forty years of research and reflection, this collection brings together 36 essays that examine topics such as American Jewish history before and after the Civil War, the role of figures like Isaac Leeser, the impact of the 1883 Trefa Banquet, and the transformation of synagogue architecture. Readers will discover fresh insights into the development of Jewish communities, the intersection of Jewish and American identities, and the challenges faced by Reform Jewish leadership.

Sussman’s work is deeply informed by Jewish historiography, original source analysis, and personal experience. His dual career as both rabbi and professor offers a rare perspective that blends academic rigor with lived spiritual engagement.

Perfect for readers interested in Jewish community studies, synagogue life, interfaith relations, and American religious history, this book offers not just historical facts, but a meaningful narrative of cultural continuity, faith, and change.

Whether you are a student of Jewish history, a member of the clergy, or a curious lay reader, this anthology invites you to explore how the American Jewish story has unfolded—and where it might go next.

Start your journey into American Jewish history today.

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Since beginning his service as the eighth Senior Rabbi of KI in July 2001, Rabbi Sussman has had a transformative impact on the congregation and the greater Philadelphia region, as well as nationally, through his scholarship, leadership, and diverse community and educational activities. Rabbi Sussman is Chair of the Board of Governors  and Professor of Jewish History. of Gratz College in Melrose Park, PA.  Gratz College is the oldest non-denominational Jewish institute of higher learning in the world and is the home of the first online Ph.D. program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Sussman serves as Senior Scholar of Roots of Reform Judaism and was a past national Chair of the CCAR Press, the publishing arm of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. He formerly served as a  Trustee of the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania  and the American Jewish Historical Society; and is an active member of the Academic Advisory and Editorial Board of the American Jewish Archives (Cincinnati). He is the founding  president of the Cheltenham Area Multifaith Council and a former Chair of the Delaware Valley Association of Reform Rabbis.

Sussman has been involved nationally in promoting Jewish-Muslim dialogue.   In recent years,  KI has intensified its Social Action programs and now offers monthly home cooked meals to the food insecure and runs a tutorial program at the Lowell School in Olney.   Sussman has also helped developed an outreach program to residents of Federation Housing including an annual Hanukkah dinner.

Previously, Rabbi Sussman served as Chair of the Jewish Studies Department at Binghamton University-SUNY. He has taught courses in Jewish History at Princeton University, Hebrew Union College in New York City, Rutgers University, Temple University and Hunter College.   Rabbi Sussman has appeared in several PBS specials on Religion in America and is currently working on a documentary on the Philadelphia Jewish experience with with film producer Sam Katz.

Rabbi Sussman has published numerous books and articles, including Isaac Lesser and the Making of American Judaism, and Sharing Sacred Moments (a collection of his sermons); he also served as an editor of Reform Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook. Most recently, he published a memorial study of the 24 members of KI who fell in service to the United States from the Civil War to the present. His dynamic, illustrated lectures on a wide array of topics range from Biblical to American, military and world history to Jews in arts, sports, film and more.

As KI’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Sussman nurtures a diverse and accepting congregation that represents a broad constituency in its nearly 1,000-member families. KI welcomes interfaith and LGBQT+ families and demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusiveness and social action in its many programs. Among Rabbi Sussman’s many initiatives at KI was the development of the synagogue’s seven Core Values, which are proudly displayed on colorful banners for all to see at KI’s main entrance. Rabbi Sussman also created the KI Puppets, and enjoys teaching young children through his role as “Torah Turtle”—one of the puppets that appears regularly in KI’s preschool and at Tot Shabbat services.  A pioneer in Visual Prayer,  Sussman led the initiative to create  PowerPoint art-liturgy at KI and install the complex technology to support the process.   Nationally,  Rabbi Sussman was Chair of the Press of the Central Conference of American Rabbis when it launched its new Mishkhan prayer book series and oversaw the production of the ground breaking project.  For over fifteen years, Sussman has led monthly Shabbat services at the Rydal retirement community in Jenkintown.

A prolific historian, Rabbi Sussman  writes on a wide range of topics from the history of  Art in Judaism to Jews and the American Civil War.    He enjoys researching the history of KI, which was the fourth congregation to be established by the expanding Jewish community of Philadelphia when it was founded in March 1847. In 1855 the previously Orthodox congregation adopted Reform Judaism, becoming the first progressive congregation in Philadelphia and only the fifth in the country to embrace the movement of radical experimentation. Sussman is now leading an effort to create a digital, online KI Archives, the first of its kind,  called kipah.org with plans to post 100,000 historic documents online.   He has also led numerous international trips focusing on Jewish heritage in Israel, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Holland and Cuba.

Under Rabbi Sussman’s leadership, KI has been at the cutting of the Reform movement while maintaining the core and essence of Jewish practice and values. In July of 2022, Rabbi Sussman begins a new chapter at KI as Rabbi Emeritus.

Rabbi Sussman and his wife, Liz, Director of the KI Preschool and founder of KI’s Shir Joy Choir, share the joy of raising their children Benjamin & Kelly, Joshua & Sheri, Micah, Judah and Chana. The Sussmans have two grandchildren, Sophie and Charlotte.

The post Exploring American Jewish History with Rabbi Lance Sussman – SOM 7/25/2025 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Michael Marmur discusses his book, Living the Letters: An Alphabet of Emerging Jewish Thought, which explores contemporary Jewish thought through the lens of the Hebrew alphabet. He delves into themes of anxiety as a catalyst for creativity, the tension between autonomy and covenant in modern Judaism, and the challenges of maintaining Jewish identity in a rapidly changing world. Marmur emphasizes the importance of hope amidst uncertainty and the need for a renewed commitment to Jewish practices that resonate with today’s realities.

In this work, Michael Marmur employs the structure of the Hebrew alphabet to set out elements of an emerging Jewish theology, presenting a case for the urgent relevance of Jewish life at a time of deepening rupture and accelerating change. He presents core components of a theory and practice of contemporary Judaism.

The Hebrew alphabet has long beguiled and preoccupied Biblical authors and liturgical poets, rationalists and mystics, conservatives and radicals. It has served as a locus of theological speculation, an engine of creativity and a recurrent motif throughout the cycle of life, from childhood instruction to graveside recitation. For each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Marmur proposes a concept, gleaned from theology, philosophy, ritual, politics, community and other fields. Readers are invited to combine and deploy them in imagining a Judaism of tomorrow.

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Michael Marmur is Associate Professor of Jewish Theology at Hebrew Union College/Jerusalem. Until July 2018 he served as the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Provost at Hebrew Union College, having previously been Dean of the Jerusalem campus. After some 20 years in administrative capacities, he now concentrates his energies on teaching and writing. 

Born and raised in England, Rabbi Marmur completed a B.A. Degree in Modern History at the University of Oxford before moving to Israel in 1984. While studying for an M.A. in Ancient Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he completed his studies in the Israel Rabbinic Program of Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, and was ordained in 1992. For six years following his ordination, he worked as rabbi and teacher at the Leo Baeck Education Center in Haifa. He has been an employee of HUC-JIR since 1997. 

Michael Marmur served for three years as Chair of the Board of Rabbis for Human Rights and is still a member of its Board. He has lectured and taught courses in several countries around the world.  

The post SOM 7/18/2025: Exploring Contemporary Jewish Thought through the Hebrew Alphabet appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbis Bennett Miller and Gary Glickstein discuss the activities of the National Association of Retired Reform Rabbis (NAORRR) and their collaboration with Maram, the professional organization for Reform rabbis in Israel. The discussion highlights the significance of these partnerships, the challenges faced by Reform rabbis, and the ongoing efforts to build connections between American and Israeli congregations.

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Rabbi Gary A. Glickstein was the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Sholom between1985-2018. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1971. He continued his education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, and received his rabbinical ordination in 1974.
Rabbi Glickstein served as Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Bene Israel/Rockdale in Cincinnati, Ohio from 1974-1977 and then became Rabbi of Temple Sinai in Worcester, Massachusetts from 1977-1985.

In 1985, Rabbi Glickstein came to Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach as a vibrant, young scholar to serve as Senior Rabbi. His vitality and youthful approach have attracted many new members over the years as he has encouraged a greater involvement of the congregation in synagogue and Jewish life.

Rabbi Glickstein has distinguished himself as one of the leaders of the Miami community. He is the founding Executive Director of the Woldenberg Center for Jewish Life and serves on the advisory boards of the Lehrman Community Day School and the Greater Miami Coalition for a Drug Free Community. He is a board member and finance committee member of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. He serves as a board member for the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies, is a board member and advisory board member for the Golden Care Foundation and is Past President of the Greater Miami Chapter Board of American Friends of the Hebrew University. Rabbi Glickstein is also Past President of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami.

Nationally, Rabbi Glickstein has distinguished himself as Past Chairman, Executive Committee of the UJA National Rabbinic Cabinet, Past Chairman and President of the National Rabbinic Cabinet of Israel Bonds and the Treasurer of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. He is also a board member of the American Friends of ALYN Hospital.

Rabbi Glickstein’s commitment to the cross-cultural community in Miami is evidenced by his position as Past Chairman of the Religious Leaders Coalition and membership on the Executive Committee and Past Chair of the Education Committee for the Miami Coalition for a Drug Free Community. He is also a Past Board Member for the Miami Human Rights Commission and the Past Chairman of the Judaic Studies Advisory Committee to the president of Barry University.

Rabbi Bennett F. Miller, a native of Rochester, N.Y., is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati.  He earned a Master of Arts and Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati where he was ordained a Rabbi in 1974.  He also earned his doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1988.  In March 1999, he was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity Degree from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.  In 2008, Rabbi Miller completed a Certificate in Fund Raising at the George Heyman Center for Non-Profit Management and Fund Raising at New York University.

Rabbi Miller is rabbi emeritus of Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  He has been associated with Anshe Emeth since 1974.  Founded in 1859, Anshe Emeth is the third oldest congregation in New Jersey.  Before coming to Anshe Emeth, he was the spiritual leader of Congregation Havurah in Buffalo, N.Y. and the New Jersey State Advisory Council on the Holocaust.

Since October 2012, Rabbi Miller was elected to serve as the national Chair of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA).  ARZA is the Zionist arm of the Reform Movement of North America.  In his capacity as Chair, Rabbi Miller represents a membership of nearly 25,000 Zionists in Reform Congregations throughout the United States.  Rabbi Miller also serves on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

His varied activities include being the Chair of the National Rabbinic Cabinet of the United Jewish Communities.  He has also served as a contributor to the Judaica Series of the Young Leadership Cabinet of United Jewish Appeal and to its rabbinic publication, The Orchard.

He currently serves as a member on the Board of Trustees of the Union for Reform Judaism.   Rabbi Miller has served as Co-Chairman of the Union for Reform Judaism Commission on Synagogue Management and as founding Co-Chairman of the Union for Reform Judaism Commission on Synagogue Music (formerly, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations).

In the New Brunswick community, Rabbi Miller is the founding Chairman of the Clinical Pastoral Education Committee at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and continues to serve as its Chairman.  He is the Jewish Chaplain to the New Brunswick Police Force.  He has served on the Board of Elijah’s Promise, a non-profit interfaith organization dedicated to providing meals to the homeless and needy in New Brunswick.  He served also on the New Brunswick Tercentennial Executive Committee.

At the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Miller serves as Instructor in Pastoral Theology in the Doctor of Ministry Program.  He is also a member of the Clinical Faculty of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and he served as Instructor in Liturgy at the Jerusalem campus of the College-Institute.

Rabbi Miller is the author of Reform Jewish Identity:  Developing A Program of Ministry to Guide the New Member of A Reform Synagogue to Mature Jewish Living.  He is also the author of Siduree:   A Prayerbook for Young Children, The Songs of Anshe Emeth for Shabbat, and numerous creative worship services.  Rabbi Miller has also written the teacher’s guide to Why Pray? published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.  He has had articles published in Compass Magazine and other periodicals and served for ten years as consultant to The Jewish Star, the newspaper of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County.

Rabbi Miller and his wife Joan are residents of Monroe Township, New Jersey. They are the parents of two daughters, Rabbi Ellie Miller of West Orange, New Jersey and Carrie Miller Nussbaum of Short Hills, New Jersey and proud grandparents of Sam Miller Lynn, Max Miller Nussbaum, Meg and Jack Miller Lynn, Gabriel Miller Nussbaum, and Benjamin Miller Nussbaum.

The post Building Bridges: Retired Reform Rabbis in America and Israel – Seekers of Meaning 7/11/2025 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s encore episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address explores the multifaceted nature of caregiving with Barry Jacobs and Julia Meyer, co-authors of the AARP Caregiver Answer Book. Jacobs and Meyer discuss the emotional, financial, and spiritual challenges faced by caregivers, emphasizing the importance of planning, support systems, and self-compassion.

Barry and Julia also provide insights into the complexities of caregiving, including long-distance care, end-of-life decisions, and the psycho-spiritual transformations that occur during this journey.

If you’re among the millions of people annually who take on the role of providing unpaid care to family, friends, or neighbors, you are sure to face tough questions. How do I coordinate the care my loved one needs? How can I get other relatives to pitch in? Who pays for all this? Husband-and-wife psychologists Barry J. Jacobs and Julia L. Mayer — who have counseled family caregivers for over 30 years and cared for their own aging parents for a decade — have answers. Written in a Q&A format, this easy-to-navigate guide is packed with information, problem-solving and coping ideas, resources, stories, and communication tips. Drs. Jacobs and Mayer compassionately address everything you need to know to help your parent, spouse, or other care receiver. From managing family conflicts to hiring aides to optimizing end-of-life care, this is a book to return to at every step of the journey.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

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Barry J. Jacobs, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist and family therapist who works with caregivers and care receivers in private practice in Media, Pennsylvania. He has written extensively about caregiving, including a long-running self-help column for caregivers on AARP.org, and is a sought-after speaker and workshop presenter. Dr. Jacobs is also a Principal at a national health care consulting firm.

Julia L. Mayer, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist in Media, Pennsylvania, who specializes in working with women and has a growing focus on supporting caregivers. She is coauthor of articles and books on caregiving and relationships with her husband, Barry J. Jacobs, and is also a published novelist. Dr. Mayer is cohost of a podcast on psychology and social justice and a former president of the Philadelphia Psychology Network.

The post ENCORE: Seekers of Meaning 6/6/2025: Navigating the Complexities of Caregiving appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address speaks with Wendy Green, a life transition coach and host of the Boomer Banter Podcast, about the various aspects of aging, including the importance of purpose, the challenges of ageism, and the significance of community connections. They explore the fears associated with aging, the concept of successful aging, and the impact of belief systems on one’s experience of growing older. Wendy shares her personal journey and insights on how to embrace authenticity and find meaning in life as we age.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

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Wendy Green is the host of the popular and inspirational Boomer Banter podcast, where each episode is dedicated to “Real Talk” about aging well. With a background in training and development, life coaching, and change leadership, Wendy brings a powerful blend of curiosity, compassion, and research-driven insight to every conversation — alongside some of the most dynamic and thought-provoking guests around.

A lifelong learner and dedicated coach, Wendy is passionate about living fully and helping others realize that it’s never too late to set a new goal or dream a new dream. Her mission with Boomer Banter is to create a safe and vibrant space where listeners come to grow, be inspired, and make the world a better place—for themselves and for future generations.

Outside the studio, Wendy takes immense pride in her two adult children and four wonderful grandchildren. Her home is also lovingly ruled by Pepper the cat, who is firmly convinced she’s in charge—and she just might be right.

The post Embracing Aging: Insights ‘from Boomer Banter Podcast’ Host Wendy Green – Seekers of Meaning 6/27/2025 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Richard Address speaks with Carol Orsborn, author of Spiritual Aging: Weekly Reflections for Embracing Life. They explore the spiritual dimensions of aging, discussing how the later stages of life can be a time for personal growth, humility, and deeper understanding. Carol emphasizes the importance of faith, the acceptance of reality, and the value of solitude, while also addressing societal perceptions of loneliness and the myth of control. The conversation highlights the significance of finding joy in the present moment and the role of community in navigating the aging process.

Presents years of weekly inspiration and practices pointing the way forward through every conceivable mood, opportunity, and stumbling block on the spiritual journey through the second half of life

• Includes quotes and stories by and about mystics, sages, and old souls from ancient through contemporary times who have walked this path before us

• Shares insightful guidance on transforming loneliness to solitude, loss of identity to freedom, anger to self-protection, fear to faith, and envy to love

Many of us navigating the years beyond midlife report high levels of self-acceptance, freedom, and joy, but there can also be bouts of second-guessing and regret as well as the occasional longing to be reminded that you’re not in this alone.

Designed to be read weekly in two-year cycles, the 120 timeless readings in this book focus on the issues and concerns that arise among those who view aging as a path to spiritual culmination. Transforming loneliness to solitude, loss of identity to freedom, anger to self-protection, fear to faith, and envy to love, Orsborn’s wise and compassionate insights are seasoned by quotes and stories by and about mystics, sages, and old souls from ancient through contemporary times who illuminate the path to living a full life while embracing old age. The connecting thread is the reminder that you have what it takes to shift from reacting with fear to the challenges of aging, instead accepting these challenges in a spirit of gratitude as they help you grow not just old, but whole.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

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Dr. Carol Orsborn is the best-selling author of over 35 books including her forthcoming Spiritual Aging: Weekly Reflections for Embracing Life (Inner Traditions, December, ’24.) Her body of work includes The Making of an Old Soul: Aging as the Fulfillment of Life’s Promise.  Older, Wiser, Fiercer: The Wisdom Collection  and 2015 Gold Nautilus Book Award winner in the category of Consciously Aging: The Spirituality of Age: A Seeker’s Guide to Growing Older (with Robert L. Weber, Ph.D.) She has recently launched the Spiritual Aging Study and Support Group (SASS) at Spiritual Aging@ Substack.com.  She founded the Conscious Aging Book Club in conjunction with Parnassus Books and now housed at CarolOrsborn.com, and the Sage-ing Book Club run in conjunction with the leading organization in the field Sage-ing International

Carol is curator of Fierce with Age:  The Archives of Boomer Wisdom, Inspiration, and Spirituality, housed at CarolOrsborn.com and a leading voice of the conscious aging and spirituality and aging movements.  For the past decade, she has also blogged about the Boomer Generation for Huffington Post, BeliefNet.com and PBS’s Next Avenue, among others.

Dr. Orsborn received her Masters of Theological Studies and Doctorate in History and Critical Theory of Religion from Vanderbilt University with post-graduate work in Spiritual Counseling at the New Seminary in Manhattan. She is an internationally-recognized thought leader on the fulfillment of the human potential through all life stages.

The post Finding Joy in Aging: Insights from Carol Orsborn – Seekers of Meaning 6/20/2025 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Rabbi Roy Furman about his book, Torah Wrestling.

They explore the moral challenges presented in the Torah, the significance of marginalized voices, and the reinterpretation of traditional narratives, including Eve’s role in the Garden of Eden and the sailors in the Book of Jonah. The discussion emphasizes the importance of wrestling with sacred texts to uncover deeper moral wisdom relevant to contemporary life.

In Torah Wrestling, Rabbi Roy Furman invites readers into an engaging and transformative exploration of the most challenging and inspiring stories in the Bible’s first five books. With intellectual rigor, deep ethical sensitivity, and a storyteller’s grace, Rabbi Furman breathes new life into stories both familiar and unfamiliar. This book is an ideal book for Jews, Christians and Muslims who wrestle with the moral dilemmas of our time while drawing wisdom from the Torah’s timeless teachings.

In a “Foreword from a Christian Perspective,” Reformed Journal Editor Jeffrey Munroe writes: “I wished I had been a member of one of Rabbi Furman’s congregations. He explores the Bible, in particular difficult passages of the Bible, with life-giving, refreshing freedom.” Then, in an Afterword from a Muslim Perspective, Wayne State University scholar Saeed Khan reminds readers that these timeless texts are “some of the greatest stories in the human experience.”

Rabbi Furman’s interpretations often challenge traditional understandings while remaining deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and a profound love for Torah, and his Jewish colleagues agree. Torah Wrestling can bring people together across religious and cultural lines to talk about how these Bible stories can be “a mirror for our world today,” writes Rabbi Allan Kensky in his Preface to the book.

Even if you “are coming to Torah for the first time, Rabbi Furman’s innovative insights will intrigue and empower you,” writes Rabbi Laura Geller.

That’s because Rabbi Furman confronts the complexities of sacred scripture with honesty and courage, grappling with issues of patriarchy, intolerance, divine justice, and human suffering. He encourages readers to embrace the struggle, offering fresh insights that empower readers to find relevance and inspiration in ancient texts.

Perfect for individual reflection or group study. Rabbi Furman offers readers a free, downloadable discussion guide to help spark spirited conversations.

Torah Wrestling bridges ancient wisdom and contemporary challenges, inviting all readers to discover the vibrant, transformative power of Torah.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

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Rabbi Roy Furman is a native of New York, educated at Queens College, and ordained by Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion in 1971. His writing and thinking as a rabbi and as a Jew have been influenced by his work with havurot (Jewish fellowship groups), minyanim (prayer groups), and Jewish congregations in Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, and Evanston, Illinois; by his Hillel work at the University of Southern California and DePaul University; by his graduate work in the history of religions, ancient Judaism, and courses at DePaul; by his training and practice as a clinical social worker; and by his numerous stays in Israel: traveling, working, studying, and doing archaeological work over the entire course of his adult life. He now lives in Chicago with his wife, Dr. Frida Kerner Furman, a retired DePaul professor of social ethics and religious studies. His daughter Daniella is a neuroscientist living in Berkeley, California, with her wife, Yula, and their absolutely adorable child, Ilani.

The post Rabbi Roy Furman’s “Torah Wrestling”: A Deep Dive into Moral Challenges on 5/30/2025 Seekers of Meaning appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address welcomes Matt Field, co-founder, and Audrey Friedland, RN, nurse advocate, from Right at Home Home Health Care North Suburban Chicago.

The conversation delves into the complexities of home healthcare, exploring the challenges families face when caring for aging loved ones. It highlights the importance of understanding home healthcare services, the personal journeys of caregivers, and the evolving dynamics of family caregiving. The discussion also addresses key considerations for making informed decisions about home care, the financial implications, and the impact of political changes on caregiving. Finally, it emphasizes the significance of training and support for caregivers to ensure quality care for clients.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

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Matt and Rachel Field are the proud founders and leaders of Right at Home of North Suburban Chicago. Matt grew up on the North Shore, and Rachel grew up in Baltimore; they met at Union College in Schenectady, NY. Both have professional backgrounds in non-profit work, where they supported individuals and families in their communities.

Since opening Right at Home in 2012, Matt, Managing Partner, and Rachel, Principal Partner, have built a dedicated team of professionals driven by core values including compassion, respect, advocacy, accountability, and innovation. Together, they ensure the organization consistently delivers exceptional care and serves the community with integrity and dignity.

Outside of work, Matt and Rachel cherish spending time with their family and beloved dogs, Mabel and Louie. Matt enjoys lifelong fitness pursuits, while Rachel loves reading, is an avid walker, and enjoys playing mahjong with friends.

Audrey Friedland R.N. is the nurse manager for Right at Home, North Suburban Chicago. She graduated from Michael Reese Nursing School and has been a nurse for 47 years with a wide range of experiences. She has worked general medical/surgical floors in a hospital, out patient clinics for Northwestern, Psychiatrics, Pediatrics and Geriatrics. She was a director of nursing for 15 years in a skilled nursing facility. 

At Right at Home Northwest Suburban Chicago, Audrey oversees client care, assesses new clients and clients with change of condition, updates care plans. Her role is flexible and spends most of her time visiting with clients. 

Audrey lives with her husband and has 4 children and 7 grandchildren. Her hobbies are reading, crocheting and needlepoint. However, most free time is spent with her grandchildren. 

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On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Connie Zweig delves into the concept of shadow work, exploring its significance in understanding our hidden selves and the implications of shadow projection in society. She and Rabbi Address discuss the resurgence of interest in shadow work, the psychological mechanisms behind projection, and the impact of mortality awareness on personal growth. Connie shares insights from her clinical practice and the importance of integrating body-mind connections in shadow work, emphasizing the need for self-reflection and understanding in navigating our inner darkness.

Cheating… lying … jealousy … blaming … greed … shame… These forbidden feelings and behaviors erupt from the dark, denied part of ourselves-the personal shadow. But they erupt with a purpose: They are trying to tell us their secrets.

Meeting the Shadow is a landmark collection of 65 wide-ranging essays by thought leaders – including Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Ken Wilber, James Hillman, Susan Griffin, Harville Hendrix—on the dark side of human nature as it appears in families, intimate relationships, sexuality, work, spirituality, politics, therapy, and creativity. It presents tools for Shadow Work that enable us to make a conscious relationship with the shadow, defuse negative emotions, release guilt and shame, achieve a genuine self-acceptance, and heal our relationships.

Although we think of the shadow as containing only darkness, as Jung stated, its essence is “pure gold.”

AN UPDATED EDITION OF THE BREAKTHROUGH BOOK THAT LAUNCHED SHADOW-WORK INTO THE WORLD―WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY KEILA SHAHEEN AND A NEW PREFACE

The classic, provocative bestselling guide on shadow-work that “enables you to peel away the layers of your soul and get in touch with the purity of Being that lies within you” (Deepak Chopra, M.D.).

“My guiding light . . . The wisdom within its pages served as both an anchor and a compass, guiding me toward a deeper understanding of the greater human experience.”—Keila Shaheen, author of the bestselling The Shadow-Work Journal

Beneath the social mask we wear every day, we have a hidden shadow side: an impulsive, wounded, sad, or isolated part that we generally try to ignore. But as therapists Connie Zweig and Steve Wolf show in this landmark book, the shadow can actually be a source of emotional richness and vitality, and acknowledging it can be a pathway to healing and living an authentic life. “Romancing the shadow”—meeting your dark side, accepting it for what it is, and learning to use its powerful energies in productive ways—is the challenging and exciting work that Zweig and Wolf offer in this practical, rewarding guide.

Drawing on the timeless teachings of Carl Jung and compelling stories of men and women whom they have helped in their clinical practices, Zweig and Wolf reveal how the shadow guides your choices in love, sex, marriage, friendship, work, and family life. With their innovative methods on shadow work, you can:
• uncover the unique patters and purpose of your shadow
• learn to defuse negative emotions
• reclaim forbidden or lost feelings
• achieve greater self-acceptance
• heal betrayal
• reimagine and re-create relationships
• cultivate compassion for others
• renew creative expression
• find purpose in your suffering

The shadow knows why good people sometimes do bad things. Romancing the shadow and learning to read the messages it encodes in daily life can deepen your consciousness, imagination, and soul.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Connie Zweig, Ph.D. is a retired Jungian therapist and author of Meeting the Shadow (A New Edition is now available) and Romancing the Shadow (A New Edition is now available). Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends Shadow-work into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. Her book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening, extends shadow-work into religion and spirituality. Her new PODCAST, Dr. Neil’s Spiritual Awakening to Non-Duality, posts on all podcast platforms. See her new SUBSTACK for livestreams and new writing: https://www.shadowworkawareness.com/about.

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On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Yiscah Smith discusses her forthcoming (June 1) book, Planting Seeds of the Divine: Torah Commentaries to Cultivate Your Spiritual Practice, a book that helps readers understand how Judaism’s sacred texts can provide the foundation for the “end destination” of experiencing intimate encounters with the Divine Presence within.

Experiencing deep personal fulfillment, happiness, and sustenance comes from feeling connected to our authentic selves, which involves building an ongoing relationship with the Divine Presence within us, says author Yiscah Smith. Quite organically, then, we may begin sensing the Divine in our interactions with other people. This is because, for each of us, “our essence, as a creation by God, is God.”

Planting Seeds of the Divine elucidates how Judaism’s sacred texts can provide the foundation for the “end destination” of experiencing intimate encounters with the Divine Presence within — the God-consciousness that so many of us find elusive. Imagining ourselves as spiritual gardeners, we can cultivate our unique gardens with seeds centered on middot (emotional dispositions, character traits, spiritual sensitivities). Each seed corresponds to an aspirational Torah commentary, consisting of a selected Torah verse linked to one of the middot, a summary of the biblical text preceding the verse, classical commentaries, teachings of Hasidic and Neo-Hasidic masters and the author, and step-by-step experiential practices to help us internalize the middot and encounter the Divine.

Each seed contributes to the garden’s beauty — the beauty of the self in God-consciousness — which hopefully blossoms into a magnificent garden of the soul.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Yiscah Smith is a thought leader, spiritual activist and agent of change who addresses the spiritual practice of encountering the Divine spark within and beyond.

She relies on Jewish spiritual teachings to inspire her students, acting as a compass, gently guiding them to their unique inner selves. She encourages, empowers and ennobles others to remain faithful to their individual spiritual paths.

Yiscah teaches at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Applied Jewish Spirituality (AJS) and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS). She founded Conscious Community Nachlaot, an organization in Jerusalem that hosts Shabbat spiritual gatherings. Her forthcoming book Planting Seeds of the Divine: Torah Commentaries to Cultivate Your Spiritual Practice, jointly published by the University of Nebraska Press (UNP) and the Jewish Publication Society (JPS), will be released this coming 01 June. To pre-order please click here.

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