Heretics Standing at Sinai

Heretics Standing at Sinai

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Each time Jewish thinkers pushed beyond the bounds of ideas from the past, they were labeled heretics or apostates. But the word, "heretic" comes from the Latin meaning, "to choose," and is "an opinion which disagrees with or conflicts with those who generally accept something as being authoritative, proper, or correct." In other words, a Heretic is a person who has applied their own intellect and experience of the world to emerge with a Truth that explains the Universe. This is a long-winded way of stating that, at Heretics Unite!, we explore that space which may diverge from the teachings of your childhood Sunday School teacher about the God, traditions, myths and purpose of Judaism. Join us each episode and listen with an open mind to see what feels right and what is still not quite there for you. Better yet, reach out to Rabbi Jay TelRav to join him on an upcoming episode to discuss the ideas together. Cover art by Dr. Julie TelRav

Rabbi Jay TelRav


    • Dec 8, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 34m AVG DURATION
    • 23 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Heretics Standing at Sinai

    Episode 23 - My Interview with Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2023 59:21


    Arnie has been a friend and mentor for most of my life. It was wonderful to reconnect with him and to hear his thoughts on spirituality, the nature of God and how to navigate the complexities of this challenging world.You can also watch the video of our conversation by copying and pasting this address: https://youtu.be/hn7gcw0VpAg

    Episode 22 - My Interview with Rabbi Rami Shapiro

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 74:28


    Listen as I invite Rami to provide his own explanation of non-dual Judaism and how it works in a world as challenging as ours is right now. You can also watch the video of this interview by visiting Temple Sinai's youtube page here: https://youtu.be/4NmfG3nFPLw

    judaism rami rabbi rami shapiro temple sinai
    Episode 21 - Elul IV - Kol Nidrei

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2023 21:18


    Our fourth in the mini-series examining the iconic prayers of the High Holidays. This time, we'll reframe the prayer Kol Nidrei to grant non-dualists a way of utilizing it in keeping with how they understand God.

    Episode 20 - Elul III - Ashamnu

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2023 18:04


    This week we tackle the dissonance one may feel as they join in the collective confession of sins when they cannot relate to the transgressions they are claiming to have committed. How can a non-dualist (or anyone else for that matter) make use of this potent moment?

    Episode 19 - Elul II - Unetaneh Tokef

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2023 21:26


    This is one of the hardest prayers for me. Join me as I wrestle with finding a useable truth that help me recover this moment in the Jewish prayer cycle.

    Episode 18 - Elul - Avinu Malkeinu

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2023 20:39


    This is the first of four special episodes during the Hebrew month of Elul in which we'll take a careful look at the prayers of the upcoming High Holidays.

    Episode 17 - Is it Working?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 37:59


    Ronnie Lilien joins me for this conversation as Rabbi Rami Shapiro offers us evidence-based criteria to know if our religion's teachings are having the intended impact upon us.

    rabbi rami shapiro
    Episode 16 - To Listen and to Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 51:12


    I'm joined this week by Mike Markovitz as we discuss a new way to think about the prayer v'ahavta and the Sh'ma.

    Episode 15 - Walking Inward

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2023 22:49


    This week, Rami Shapiro teaches a new understanding for the Torah's command to Abraham: Lech L'cha.

    Episode 14 - Soul

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2023 58:32


    An engaging conversation with a fabulous young adult about what happens when we die and the purpose of life.

    Episode 13 - Conversations with a 9 year old

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2023 37:06


    Kids see things so much more clearly than we do!

    Episode 12 - Israel

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2023 20:05


    Thinking about the nature of Zionism

    Episode 11 - Why Non-Duality?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2023 11:27


    I'm all by my lonesome this week as I take a moment to think aloud about why this material has so touched my soul. Let me know what you think

    Episode 10 - Torah

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2023 46:59


    Lesley Gehr and I have a wonderful conversation about what Torah is and what it isn't.

    Episode 9 - Human Nature

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2023 48:31


    This week, I'm joined by Cantor Micah Morgovsky, also of Temple Sinai. We had such a great conversation about the letter that this episode is a bit longer but worth every minute of listening.

    human nature temple sinai
    Episode 8 - I Am Alive!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2023 11:55


    This week I take a break from the chapters of Open Secrets to share a song and some thoughts with you.

    Episode 7 - Evil

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2023 40:22


    Alan Youngstein and I discuss the nature of evil and how to think of them. Necessary Evil and Unnecessary Evil hold our attention as we consider why humans can be so cruel to each other.

    Episode 6 - Humanity

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2023 42:52


    This week I discuss the purpose of life with Allison Lear. Rabbi Shapiro shocks me with a fabulous new take on the Torah's command to "till and to tend" the soil.

    Episode 5 - Creation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2023 32:47


    This week, I speak with Lee Bowbeer about God's relationship to the physical world. When the author speaks of "Creation" he does not mean the action of "creating" but of the "created" world.

    Episode 4 - God

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2023 41:05


    The imaginary Reb Yerachmiel dives right into the most important question of the book - What/Who/Where/Why is God? Elizabeth Hinds joins me for this conversation and it's a beautiful set of observations. A quick apology from a newcomer to podcasting - I forgot to set the correct microphone so it is difficult to understand Elizabeth's side of the conversation. The transcript will make it easier and it is worth the extra effort to hear her thoughts!

    Episode 3 - Who is a Jew?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2023 30:12


    This week, we explore the idea of what makes for a "good Jew." If you are moved by the idea - Rabbi Jay would like to hear from you for more conversation.

    Episode 2 - Judaism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2023 30:41


    This week, I'm joined by my first guest, Grant Kallen, as we explore the first letter in the book, Open Secrets, by Rami Shapiro. With remarkable creativity and sensitivity, Shapiro turns familiar Jewish concepts on their head in a powerful new presentation for the 21st century.

    Welcome and Introduction

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2023 14:01


    Welcome to the first episode of our exploration of spirituality and theology. This week Rabbi Jay TelRav introduces the format of the podcast and we jump right into the first material.

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