Hevruta: A Podcast from the San Diego Jewish Academy

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Ali Viterbi and Philip Graubart interview great teachers, scholars, artists and writers, who share with us their favorite Jewish text.

Philip Graubart and Ali Viterbi


    • Jun 25, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 46m AVG DURATION
    • 30 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Hevruta: A Podcast from the San Diego Jewish Academy

    Heidi Gantwerk: Leadership in the Wilderness

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024 57:59


    This month, Ali and Phil interview returning guest Heidi Gantwerk, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego. We discuss Numbers 11:11-15, Moses' leadership style, and how Heidi's role at Federation has changed since October 7 and since our last interview with her in 2021.

    Sara Brown: For Such a Time As This

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2024 52:21


    This month, Ali and Phil interview Sara Brown, the Regional Director of American Jewish Committee San Diego. We discuss a text from the Purim story, the war in Israel, and the current protests on college campuses.

    Emily Kaiman: For the Sake of Heaven

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 45:24


    This month, Ali and Phil interview Emily Kaiman, the Deputy Director of Jewish Communal Engagement at JStreet and the Deputy Director of J Street Georgia. We discuss Mishnah Avot 5:17, the war in Israel, and the difference between high conflict and healthy conflict.

    Ann Goldstein: The Art of Translation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2024 55:05


    This month, Ali and Phil interview Ann Goldstein, a former editor at The New Yorker and the translator of works by, among others, Elena Ferrante and Primo Levi. We discuss Primo Levi's novel "The Truce" and the unique challenges of translating Holocaust narratives.

    Back to Asher Lev

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2024 57:16


    This month, Ali and Phil teach each other their (current) favorite Jewish texts. Ali teaches the opening paragraph of Chaim Potok's "My Name is Asher Lev," and Rabbi Graubart discusses Esau's embrace with his brother (Genesis 33:4). You can find the Jesse Green article Ali mentions here.

    jewish esau jesse green chaim potok asher lev
    Rabbi Yael Vurgan: I Believe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2024 67:03


    This month, Ali and Phil interview Rabbi Yael Vurgan, the Rabbi of Kehillat Sha'ar HaNegev, the regional community of the Israel Reform Movement in San Diego's sister city. In this emotional conversation, we discuss Israeli poet Shaul Tchernichovsky's poem "I Believe" and what spiritual counseling looks like in Israel since October 7.

    Ray and Rhona Fink: So You Do Not Forget

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2023 56:10


    This month, Ali and Phil interview Doctors Rhona and Ray Fink, prominent lay leaders in the San Diego Jewish community, who were in Israel on October 7. In this emotional conversation, we discuss Deuteronomy 4:9, Genesis 28:10-21, and what it's been like in Israel since the terrorist attack on October 7.

    Maia Ifrah: Where is God's Mercy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2023 47:08


    This month, Ali and Phil interview Maia Ifrah, the director of international relations for Sha'ar HaNegev, San Diego's sister city in Israel. In this emotional conversation, we discuss Yehuda Amichai's poem "God has mercy on kindergarten children" and the terrorist attack on October 7. You can listen to our other conversations about Israel, including our episode with David Horovitz, the founding editor of the Times of Israel, and our most recent episode with Rabbi Yael Ridberg. All previous episodes can be found on our website and wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also follow this link to donate to the Jewish Federation of San Diego's Israel Emergency Fund to support our community in Sha'ar HaNegev.

    Rabbi Yael Ridberg: What Sustains Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2023 47:18


    This month, Ali and Phil interview Rabbi Yael Ridberg. We discuss the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, and the "dapim" we must find to sustain us. Follow this link to donate to the Jewish Federation of San Diego's Israel Emergency Fund to support our community in Sha'ar HaNegev.

    Beth Sirull: With All Your Possessions

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2023 53:49


    Shanah Tovah! This month, Ali and Phil interview Beth Sirull, the CEO of the San Diego Jewish Community Foundation. We discuss how to conduct ourselves ethically in business according to Jewish tradition and text. How do we “love the Lord our G-d" with all our heart, all our soul, and all our wealth? You can read Beth's article in the Forward here: https://forward.com/life/428133/i-should-not-have-to-check-my-jewish-values-at-the-synagogue-door/

    Michael Hopkins: Open Your Hand

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2023 50:25


    This month, Ali and Phil interview Michael Hopkins, the CEO of Jewish Family Service of San Diego. We discuss Deuteronomy 15: 11 and our responsibility to open our hands to "the poor and needy kin in our land."

    David Horovitz: The Rest is Interpretation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2023 53:41


    This month, Ali and Phil interview David Horovitz, the founding editor of The Times of Israel. David teaches us about Hillel, journalism, and the current state of Israeli politics. You can check out our new website at the Jewish Federation of San Diego: https://www.jewishinsandiego.org/our-community/hevruta

    Karen Parry: Imposter Syndrome

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2023 39:36


    Welcome back to the third season of Hevruta: Jewish texts and their influence on our lives, now a podcast by the Jewish Federation of San Diego. This month, we learn from Karen Parry, the executive director of Hillel of San Diego. Karen teaches us about Moses, humility, and struggling with impostor syndrome. You can check out our new website at the Jewish Federation of San Diego: https://www.jewishinsandiego.org/our-community/hevruta

    Special announcement!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2023 1:33


    ...We're back for season 3 of Hevruta! Talk to you next week!

    Rabbi Wayne Dosick: Inside of the Insides

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2022 43:14


    In our final episode of Season two of Hevruta, Ali and Rabbi Graubart discuss Exodus 33: 17-23 with Rabbi Wayne Dosick.

    exodus insides rabbi wayne dosick
    Live Show in Commemoration of Yom HaShoah

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2022 26:59


    In this episode we partner with the Jewish Federation of San Diego for our first live podcast! As part of our community's Yom Hashoah commemoration, we interview Dr. J. Luke Wood, Vice President of San Diego State University and chief diversity officer, and high school activist (and rising SDSU student) Anna Maya. Our theme is "Never Again. . . But How?"

    In Every Generation and the Problem of Evil

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2022 48:52


    In this month's episode, Ali and Phil teach each other their (current) favorite Jewish texts. Ali discusses a line from the Pesach Haggadah, and her play of the same name. Phil discusses the dual nature of God, and the problem of evil.

    Tammy Gillies: Scary Times

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2022 40:56


    In this month's episode we learn from Tammy Gillies, head of San Diego's ADL. She shares with us texts that bring inspiration during genuinely frightening times. We dedicate this episode to the memory of Morris Casuto, Tammy's predecessor at the ADL, who passed away the day after we recorded this. Morris was a giant, and Tammy is a worthy successor.

    Rabbi Richard Agler: The Tragedy Test

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2022 40:00


    In this episode, Rabbi Richard Agler discusses his book "The Tragedy Test" - a theology he developed after the tragic loss of his young adult daughter.

    Zalmen Mlotek, Brothers in Pain

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2021 48:52


    This month, Ali and I learn from Zalmen Mlotek. Zalmen is an internationally recognized authority on Yiddish folk and theater music as well as a leading figure in the Jewish theatre and concert worlds. He is the Artistic Director of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. His vision brought the critically acclaimed award-winning Fidler Afn Dakh (Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish ) directed by Joel Grey, for which he served as music director, to Broadway. The link to Chana Gonshor's beautiful rendition of Zalmen's text can be found here.

    Betzy Lynch: The Two Pockets

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2021 40:50


    In this month's episode we learn from Betzy Lunch, CEO of the San Diego Jewish Community Center. Betzy teaches us a Hasidic story about humility and pride, and we discuss the challenges of building community - in general, and in our COVID era.

    Heidi Gantwerk: Wisdom, Happiness, and Wealth

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2021 47:36


    Welcome back to the second season of Hevruta: Jewish texts and their influence on our lives. This month we learn from Heidi Gantwerk, Interim President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, and board President of the San Diego Jewish Academy. Heidi takes us through a text from Pirkei Avot offering radical understandings of wisdom, happiness, and wealth.

    Rabbi David Frank: Everything Has Its Place

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2021 43:05


    In this episode, Ali and I learn with Rabbi David Frank, former Senior Rabbi at Temple Solel in Cardiff, and Chief Jewish Officer at the San Diego Jewish Academy.

    Smashing Barriers with Todd Salovey

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2021 51:00


    This month we learn with theatre director Todd Salovey, associate artistic director of the San Diego Repertory Theatre, and founding director of the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival. Todd teaches us S. Anksy's masterpiece "The Dybbuk," as well as some Talmud.

    Notes from the Narrow Place

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2021 47:02


    In this episode, Ali and Phil interview each other about our (current) favorite Jewish texts. We discuss Tony Kushner, Bob Dylan, Psalms, and the Narrow Place.

    Charlene Seidle: Don't Make Yourself Afraid

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2021 41:57


    Ali and Phil interview Charlene Seidle, Executive Vice President of the Leichtag Foundation, and one of the most interesting, influential, and innovative Jewish leaders in America. Charlene teaches us a famous phrase from Rebbe Nahman of Bratzlav.

    SDJA Head of School Zvi Weiss

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2021 44:08


    New SDJA Head of School Zvi Weiss joins Ali and Phil, and teaches a text about transmitting the tradition. Special treat: original music by Yale Strom!

    head of school yale strom
    Yale Strom and Elizabeth Schwartz: Justice, Justice

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2020 58:27


    Ali and Phil interview klezmer superstars Yale Strom and Elizabeth Schwartz from Hot Pstromi. They teach us their favorite texts and discuss their brilliant music, concerts, films and books.

    schwartz yale strom
    Hevruta Pilot: Ray Fink

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2020 41:33


    Hevruta: Jewish Texts and their Influence on our Lives. A podcast by the San Diego Jewish Academy. Our pilot episode.

    Amelia Glaser, Dark Times

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2020 49:07


    Ali and Phil interview Dr. Amelia Glaser, Head of Jewish Studies at the University of California in San Diego.

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