Jewish Drinking

IntroductionA recurring topic on The Jewish Drinking Show is that of gentile wine. Having initially discussed it on episode #71 of the show on early rabbis on gentile [libation] wine, episode #135 of the show on how the rabbis of the Talmud perceived gentiles as compulsive libaters, and episode #83 of the show on Medieval rabbis on gentile wine, we also discussed it on episode #84 on Rabbi Moshe Isserles' infamous responsum on the Jews drinking gentile wine. For the 178th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, we read of a duo of responsa on the matter by Rabbi Yair Ḥayim Bacharach, who composed the Ḥavvot Yair, as we are joined by first-time guest, Rabbi Aryeh Klapper.Biography of GuestRabbi Klapper is Dean of the Center for Modern Torah Leadership and Rosh Beit Midrash of the Summer Beit Midrash, entering its 29th year of developing male and female Torah leaders. He cofounded the Boston Agunah Task Force, served on the Boston Beit Din for decades, and is an internationally consulted halakhic authority. Rabbi Klapper is host of Taking Responsibility for Torah and author of Divine Will and Human Experience: Explorations of the Halakhic System and Its Values. To sign-up for his weekly Torah essays, you may do so here. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionA fascinating matter in the world of kashrut, especially regarding the kashrut of beverages, is the inclusion of using isinglass for the refining of beverages, whether mead, beer, wine, or even other beverages. This was not always the case, as Rabbi Yeḥezkel Landau wrote a responsum permitting its use [for the use in clarifying mead] (נודע ביהודה מהדורא קמא, יורה דעה כ"ו). This 177th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features Rabbi Elli Fischer in going through this particular responsum permitting isinglass for the use in clarifying alcoholic beverages.BioRabbi Elli Fischer is an independent writer, translator, and rabbi. Previously, he was the JLIC rabbi and campus educator at Maryland Hillel. He holds BA and MS degrees from Yeshiva University, rabbinical ordination from Israel's Chief Rabbinate, and is working toward a doctorate in Jewish History.He is a founding editor of The Lehrhaus, a web magazine of contemporary Jewish thought. His original writing has appeared in numerous Jewish publications. Among the issues he writes about are the history of halakhah; religion and politics in Israel; the interplay between legal and nonlegal elements of the Talmud; and Central European Jewish History. He edited ten volumes of Rabbi Eliezer Melamed's Peninei Halakha series in English and is a cofounder of HaMapah, a project that applies quantitative analysis to rabbinic literature. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

 IntroductionHaving previously featured Shmaltz Brewing Company founder, Jesse Cowan, to discuss the first quarter-century of the company on episode 117 of The Jewish Drinking Show, on that episode, Cowan introduced Jesse Epstein as the new owner of the company. Returning to The Jewish Drinking Show, Epstein is now an ordained rabbi and lays out his plans for the next stage of the company.Brief Biography of GuestThe owner of Shmaltz Brewing, Rabbi Jesse Epstein is a beer-brewing, text-loving, risk-taking Jewish innovator. With support from fellowships like the URJ's Community Cultivators Cohort (in partnership with Beloved) and Atra: The Center for Rabbinic Innovation, he's turned pints into platforms for everything from Torah study to social justice pop-ups. This summer, he's headed to Seattle to begin his new role as the Assistant Rabbi at Temple Beth Am. Whether he's leading a Havdalah at the local bar or spending time dreaming up a different beer for each Torah portion, Jesse is all about making Judaism accessible, meaningful, and just a little bit hoppy. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

 The newest episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features Eli Freedman speaking on a fascinating kosher wine concierge service in Israel, Cork & Cellar, as well as the newest aspect of this business, the Cork & Cellar Wine Club. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroHaving previously welcomed Professor Michal Shaul to discuss kiddush clubs on the 124th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, Prof. Shaul has since published an article, "Happy Hour: The Communal Kiddush and Its Roles in the Synagogue World", Jewish Culture and History, Vol. 25, Iss. 3 (2024) (published online in October 2023), as well as a Hebrew article on kiddush at shul, "הציבור מוזמן לקידוש לאחר התפילה': הקידוש כמחולל וכמשקף את קהילת בית הכנסת' 'Kiddush to Follow' - The Kiddush as Creator and Reflector of the 'Synagogue Community'", כנישתא, Vol. 5 (2024). Surprisingly, despite multiple episodes of The Jewish Drinking Show, this episode is the first to focus on kiddush in synagogues.Biography of GuestProf. Shaul is a senior lecturer in the Department of History at Herzog College. She won the Shazar prize for research in Jewish History (2016). Her book Holocaust Memory in Ultraorthodox Society in Israel was published in Hebrew (Yad Ben-Zvi and Yad Vashem, 2014) and English (Indiana University Press, 2020). Her work about different aspects of the religious commemoration of the Holocaust has been published in various journals, e.g., Yad Vashem Studies, Jewish Culture and History, Journal of Israeli History, and many more. During 2016-2018, she was a scholar-in-residence at The Melbourne Holocaust Center. While living in Melbourne, Prof. Shaul was exposed to the central role of the communal kiddush in shul and started to study it, yielding the first chapter of her Kiddush study project on kiddush clubs. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

While Purim is a special occasion to celebrate, especially through drinking, unfortunately, teenagers not drink alcohol on Purim, but even to excess. Sometimes, this excess on Purim lands them in the hospital, especially in Israel.To discuss this matter further on the 173rd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show is Dr. Eric Scheier, who is the Director of Point of Care Ultrasound and Director of Pediatric Sedation at Kaplan Medical Center.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionDespite the numerous published episodes of The Jewish Drinking Show regarding Purim, one topic we haven't discussed is that of women drinking on Purim. To discuss this topic on the 172nd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show is Rabbanit Debbie Zimmerman.Biographical Statement of GuestRabbanit Zimmerman is a meshivat halakha, a graduate of Matan's Hilkhata program. She is the director of Shayla, an online responsa project by graduates of the Hilkhata program. After completing a B.A. in social work, Debbie combined teaching in midrashot with her own advanced Torah studies in Matan's program for the study of Bible and Hermeneutics, and Talmud in Beit Morasha. Debbie continues to teach Tanakh, Gemara, and Jewish thought to a wide range of students worldwide. Debbie is currently a fellow in the third cohort of the Matan Kitvuni Program to promote the publication of high-level Torah scholarship by women. She also authored "Purim – Women and Alcohol" in 2019 a responsum regarding women drinking on Purim, along with a Sefaria sheet on the topic. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionThe biblical book of Daniel has a couple of fascinating drinking stories in it, so much so that the 171st episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features a discussion on it. The featured guest on this episode to discuss this topic is returning guest to the show, Prof. Caryn Tamber-Rosenau.Biography of GuestProf. Tamber-Rosenau is an assistant professor of Jewish Studies and Religious Studies at the University of Houston, as well as the director of Jewish Studies there. She is the author of the book Women in Drag: Gender and Performance in the Hebrew Bible and Early Jewish Literature, and is working on a book about time and history in the books of Esther, Daniel, Judith, and Tobit for Oxford University Press. She previously was featured as a guest on the show to discuss Wine in the Book of Judith.Time Stamps0:00 Welcome0:24 Introduction to Prof. Caryn Tamber-Rosenau0:59 Introduction to the Book of Daniel5:53 Introducing wine in the book of Daniel6:10 Wine and drinking in the first chapter of Daniel18:19 Wine and drinking in the fifth chapter of Daniel33:27 Summarizing wine and drinking in the book of Daniel35:22 Prof. Tamber-Rosenau shares a little about her forthcoming book36:15 Thank you & l'chaimSupport the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWith a variety of different alcoholic beverages in the Bible, what are they, besides wine? To discuss this topic for the 170th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show is Professor John Anthony Dunne, who has a forthcoming book out on drinking in the Bible.Biography of the GuestProfessor John Anthony Dunne completed a PhD in New Testament at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where he studied under Professor N. T. Wright. Presently, he serves as Associate Professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the co-host and editor of The Two Cities podcast, and is the author of a handful of journal articles dedicated to wine in the Bible, with a forthcoming book addressing the full range of alcoholic beverages in biblical literature to be published in 2025 by Zondervan Academic called Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine: A Biblical Theology of Alcohol. He also hosts an annual craft beer reception at the Society of Biblical Literature and American Academy of Religion conferences called the Society for Beer Lovers and Assorted Academic Research.  If he wasn't a Bible professor, he'd be a bartender at a craft cocktail bar.Time Stamps0:00 Welcome0:25 Introduction to Professor John Anthony Dunne1:28 Discussing יין (yayin)15:32 Discussing תירוש (tirosh)22:48 Infrequently used terms25:14 Discussing חמר (ḥemer)28:40 Discussing שכר (shekhar)43:27 Wrapping-up44:55 L'chaim!Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWhile George Dickel is currently the second-largest distillery in Tennessee, at one time, the George Dickel brand was the largest Tennessee Whisky when it was owned by Victor Emmanuel “Manny” Shwab, who was born and raised as a Jew. To shed some light on this history, the 169th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features one of his great-grandsons, Clay Shwab.Biography of GuestClay Shwab taught business management, senior thesis, and management in literature at Maryville College for 10 years after a business career at Whittle Communications, Snyder Communications, and Edison Schools. The great-grandson of V.E. "Manny" Shwab, Clay is the author of Manny Shwab and the George Dickel Company: Whisky, Power and Politics During Nashville's Gilded Age. He lives in Maryville, Tennessee.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWhile exploring drunkenness in the Talmud Yerushalmi in episode #163 of The Jewish Drinking Show, it was fascinating to read that saying the Shema might be problematic. As such, the 168th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show explores an historical overview of halakhic writings on the topic of saying Shema while drunk.Source SheetThe source sheet for this episode is available here.Time Stamps0:00 Welcome0:11 Introduction to the Topic0:56 Talmudic Text2:51 Medieval Rabbinic Authorities (Rishonim)8:59 16th Century Rabbis20:58 17th-18th Century Rabbis21:12 19th-20th Century Rabbis32:30 Q&A38:15 Thank you37:46 L'ḥayyim“Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesThis episode is the 14th "Drinks and Discussion"-style episode of The Jewish Drinking Show on various topics led by Rabbi Drew:Drunken Shema - Episode #168 (This episode)Drunken Birkat HaMazon - Episode #167Drunkenness in the Babylonian Talmud, Part 2 - Episode #166Drunkenness in the Babylonian Talmud, Part 1 - Episode #165Drunkenness in the Talmud Yerushalmi - Episode #164Drunkenness in Early Rabbinic Literature - Episode #163Dukhening Under the Influence - Episode #161Drinking Between Glasses of Wine at the Passover Seder - Episode #154The Purim Katan Episode – Episode #151Drinking During Mourning – Episode #150Drinking In/Out of Sukkot – Episode #142A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 – Episode #47Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction – Episode #44Drinking During the Nine Days – Episode #40Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWhile exploring drunkenness in the Talmud Yerushalmi in episode #163 of The Jewish Drinking Show, it was fascinating to read that blessing the birkat hamazon might be problematic. As such, the 167th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show explores an historical overview of halakhic writings on the topic of blessing birkat hamazon while drunk.Source SheetThe source sheet for this episode is available here.Time Stamps0:00 Welcome0:17 Talmudic Text2:20 Medieval Rabbinic Authorities (Rishonim)6:35 16th Century Rabbis13:47 17th-18th Century Rabbis28:46 Late 19th Century Rabbis37:07 Wrapping-up37:46 L'ḥayyim“Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesThis episode is the 13th "Drinks and Discussion"-style episode of The Jewish Drinking Show on various topics led by Rabbi Drew:Drunken Birkat HaMazon - Episode #167 (This episode)Drunkenness in the Babylonian Talmud, Part 2 - Episode #166 (This episode)Drunkenness in the Babylonian Talmud, Part 1 - Episode #165Drunkenness in the Talmud Yerushalmi - Episode #164Drunkenness in Early Rabbinic Literature - Episode #163Dukhening Under the Influence - Episode #161Drinking Between Glasses of Wine at the Passover Seder - Episode #154The Purim Katan Episode – Episode #151Drinking During Mourning – Episode #150Drinking In/Out of Sukkot – Episode #142A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 – Episode #47Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction – Episode #44Drinking During the Nine Days – Episode #40Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionEver wondered how our Talmudic rabbis discussed or otherwise considered drunkenness? The 165th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show considers drunkenness in earlier sources in the Babylonian Talmud.Source SheetThe source sheet for this episode is available here.Time Stamps0:00 Welcome0:12 Introduction0:50 Tannaitic Texts on Drunkenness (1st-2nd centuries)9:40 Early Amoraic Texts on Drunkenness (3rd century)39:37 Conclusion42:12 Thank you & l'chaim“Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesThis episode is the eleventh "Drinks and Discussion"-style episode of The Jewish Drinking Show on various topics led by Rabbi Drew:Drunkenness in the Babylonian Talmud, Part 1 - Episode #165 (This episode)Drunkenness in the Talmud Yerushalmi - Episode #164Drunkenness in Early Rabbinic Literature - Episode #163Dukhening Under the Influence - Episode #161Drinking Between Glasses of Wine at the Passover Seder - Episode #154The Purim Katan Episode – Episode #151Drinking During Mourning – Episode #150Drinking In/Out of Sukkot – Episode #142A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 – Episode #47Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction – Episode #44Drinking During the Nine Days – Episode #40Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionEver wondered how our Talmudic rabbis discussed or otherwise considered drunkenness? The 164th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show considers drunkenness in the Talmud Yerushalmi.Source SheetThe source sheet for this episode is available here. “Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesThis episode is the tenth "Drinks and Discussion"-style episode of The Jewish Drinking Show on various topics led by Rabbi Drew:Drunkenness in the Talmud Yerushalmi - Episode #164 (This episode)Drunkenness in Early Rabbinic Literature - Episode #163Dukhening Under the Influence - Episode #161Drinking Between Glasses of Wine at the Passover Seder - Episode #154The Purim Katan Episode – Episode #151Drinking During Mourning – Episode #150Drinking In/Out of Sukkot – Episode #142A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 – Episode #47Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction – Episode #44Drinking During the Nine Days – Episode #40Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionEver wondered how our early rabbis discussed or otherwise considered drunkenness? The 163rd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show considers drunkenness in the Mishnah, the Tosefta, and Midreshei Halakhah.Source SheetsSource sheets for this episode are available:Drunkenness in the MishnahDrunkenness in the ToseftaDrunkenness in Midreshei HalakhahTime Stamps0:00 Welcome0:12 Introduction0:48 Drunkenness in the Mishnah13:00 Drunkenness in the Tosefta26:37 Drunkenness in Midreshei Halakhah37:08 Conclusion38:44 l'chaim“Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesThis episode is the ninth "Drinks and Discussion"-style episode of The Jewish Drinking Show on various topics led by Rabbi Drew:Drunkenness in Early Rabbinic Literature - Episode #163 (This episode)Dukhening Under the Influence - Episode #161Drinking Between Glasses of Wine at the Passover Seder - Episode #154The Purim Katan Episode – Episode #151Drinking During Mourning – Episode #150Drinking In/Out of Sukkot – Episode #142A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 – Episode #47Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction – Episode #44Drinking During the Nine Days – Episode #40Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionEver wondered about what the Bible has to say about drunkenness? That's exactly what host Rabbi Drew chats about with guest Dr. Rebekah Welton on the 162nd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show.Brief Biography of the GuestDr. Rebekah Welton is a lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the University of Exeter in the UK. Her monograph, He is a Glutton and a Drunkard: Deviant Consumption in the Hebrew Bible (Brill, 2020), focuses on the use of food and drink in ancient Israelite religion and is a revision of her doctoral thesis. She has also published on the wine-making metaphor in Isaiah 49:26a and 63:6 in the Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies. Rebekah teaches a class on God, Food and Alcohol in Israelite Cultures for undergraduate students and continues to enjoy teaching and researching on food and alcohol in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israel. She previously appeared on the 149th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show on the rebellious son.SourcesHere are the sources used for this episode.Time StampsHere are the time stamps for this episode:0:00 Welcome0:15 Introduction to guest & topic5:58 Drunkenness in Genesis 9 & 1917:36 Drunkenness in Genesis 4320:32 Drunkenness in Deuteronomy22:38 Drunkenness in Shmuel27:04 Sneak peak at the next episode of The Jewish Drinking Show27:56 Drunkenness in Jeremiah33:15 Drunkenness in Isaiah39:32 Drunkenness in other prophetic works42:47 Drunkenness in the writings47:47 Concluding48:57 Dr. Welton shares about her recent chapter on "Wine, Beer, and Drunkenness in the Hebrew Bible, Ancient Israel, and Biblical Scholarship" in Holy Waters: An Interdisciplinary Examination of Religion and Alcohol50:09 Thank you & l'chaimSupport the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWith this season featuring the majority of providing of the priestly blessing amongst many diasporic Ashkenazic communities, the 161st episode of The Jewish Drinking Show focusses on providing this blessing under the influence of alcohol - what are the parameters for doing so?SourcesTextual sources for this episode are available online here.“Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesThis episode is the eighth "Drinks and Discussion"-style episode of The Jewish Drinking Show on various topics led by Rabbi Drew:Dukhening Under the Influence - Episode #161 (this episode)Drinking Between Glasses of Wine at the Passover Seder - Episode #154The Purim Katan Episode – Episode #151Drinking During Mourning – Episode #150Drinking In/Out of Sukkot – Episode #142A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 – Episode #47Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction – Episode #44Drinking During the Nine Days – Episode #40Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionHaving previously welcomed Rabbi Dr. Phil Lieberman to The Jewish Drinking Show for the geonic terms for alcoholic beverages, we welcome him back for the 160th episode of the show to discuss wine, drinking, and drunkenness in Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed.Biography of GuestRabbi Dr. Lieberman is a social, economic, and legal historian of the Jews of the medieval Islamic world. He holds a BA (with distinction in economics) from the University of Washington, a MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics, a MA in Talmud and Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, a MA and PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University, and Semikha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.He is Associate Professor of Jewish Studies and Law, Associate Professor and Chair of Classical and Mediterranean Studies, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, and Affiliated Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and History, at Vanderbilt University. Phil is currently on military leave and serves as Associate Professor in the Department of History at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.  Phil also serves the US Navy Reserve as a chaplain and was mobilized to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, where he served as Command Chaplain. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in August 2023 and is the ranking Jewish chaplain in the Department of the Navy.His 2014 book, The Business of Identity: Jews, Muslims, and Economic Life in Medieval Egypt (Stanford University Press) was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. His latest book is The Fate of the Jews in the Early Islamic Middle East (2022).  In the first half of 2024, his translation with Lenn Goodman (also of Vanderbilt) of Maimonides' 12th century philosophical classic The Guide to the Perplexed was published by Stanford University Press.Phil lives with his wife, the amazing Dr. Yedida Eisenstat, his four children, and a wild Portuguese Water Dog named Argos in Nashville.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionOne text that gets mentioned in conversations I have with fellow whiskey-drinkers is the responsum or responsa of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. Commonly referred to as Rav Moshe, he was an important 20th century rabbi with a significant impact on the practices of Orthodox Jews, in general, and American Orthodox Jews, in particular. In a trilogy of three responsa, with questions posed to him by Rabbi Pinchas Teitz, Rav Moshe responds to him regarding the kashrut (kosher-ness) of blended whiskies that might have some wine in them. Primarily responding to his queries in one responsum, he also answers follow-up questions by Rabbi Teitz. In the 159th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, Rabbi Dov Linzer guides us through the salient points of this trilogy (Iggeros Moshe, YD 62-64), primarily focussing on this first responsum (Iggeros Moshe YD 62).Biography of GuestRabbi Linzer is the President and Rosh HaYeshiva of YCT Rabbinical School. Having served as YCT's Rosh HaYeshiva for over 20 years, Rabbi Linzer became its President in 2019 and assumed both the institutional and Torah-based leadership of YCT. In his capacity as a mentor, Rabbi Linzer provides religious guidance to the yeshiva's students and the over 150 YCT-ordained rabbis who are serving in the field. An acclaimed Torah and halakha scholar, Rabbi Linzer has been a leading rabbinic voice in the Modern Orthodox community for over 25 years. He has published over 100 teshuvot (responsa) and scholarly Torah articles, and hosts a number of highly popular Torah podcasts, including Iggros Moshe: A to Z, the 42nd episode of which he discussed our episode's topic - blended whiskey in Rabbi Moshe Feinstein's teshuvot.  He is co-author, together with Abigail Pogrebin, of It Takes Two To Torah: An Orthodox Rabbi and Reform Journalist Discuss and Debate Their Way Through the Five Books of Moses and will soon be coming out with The Rosh Yeshiva Responds, a collection of his scholarly, halakhic teshuvot to the yeshiva's hundreds of rabbis in-the-field.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionThe newest episode of The Jewish Drinking Show explores a common Jewish drinking expression - l'chaim/l'ḥayyim! Based off of his article “L-Ḥayyim”, Ḥakirah 31 (2022): 345-355, Rabbi Dr. Zvi Ron returns to the show (having previously appeared on the show to discuss spilling out drops of wine at the Passover Seder) to discuss saying לחיים! (Sources are available here.)Bio of GuestRabbi Dr. Zvi Ron received semikha from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate and a PhD in Jewish Theology from Spertus University. He served as rabbi of Keneseth Beth Israel Synagogue for ten years in Richmond, Virginia. Along with his wife, Sharon, they moved back to Israel in 2004 with their four children and live in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion. He teaches at a number of yeshivot and seminaries in Jerusalem. He is the author of two books on Tanakh in Hebrew: ספר קטן וגדול (Rossi Publications, 2006) and ספר העיקר חסר (Mossad HaRav Kook, 2017) about the variable spellings of words in Tanakh. Rabbi Ron also has authored dozens of articles in numerous publications. His newest book, Jewish Customs: Exploring Common and Uncommon Minhagim, was just published this year (Koren, 2024).  He is editor of the Jewish Bible Quarterly and was a contestant on The Weakest Link (you can see parts two and three of his appearance (part one was removed for copyright reasons)).Support the Show.Thank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

In the 157th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, we visit Amichai Luria, the winemaker for Shiloh Winery to hear about the winery

The 156th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features Nadav Jesselson, co-founder and general manager of Anava Vineyards, speaks on Israel's first "vineyard as a service". Support the Show.Thank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroHaving heard about Rosh Chodesh Clubs, I was curious to learn more about them, as well as to speak with the creator of this initiative, Yossie Horwitz, who is the guest on the 155th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show.Biography of GuestGrowing up in a tee-totaling household in Jerusalem, Yossie Horwitz didn't have much early exposure to wine. That all changed one Passover night when he tasted his first quality dry red wine. A lifelong passion was stoked and by the time he was 30 and living in New York City, he was penning a weekly email blast to family and friends sharing his varied recommendations. Today, “Yossie's Corkboard” goes out to more than 11,000 subscribers around the world and covers the ever-expanding world of kosher wine. Tasting more than 4,000 different kosher wines each year keeps this deal-making attorney-by day quite busy. In addition to his website, you can also view his wine happenings on Instagram.Support the Show.Thank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

While we know about drinking four cups of wine at the Passover Seder, what about drinking between these four cups of wine? The newest episode of The Jewish Drinking Show focusses on exactly this topic. This episode is also the seventh "Drinks and Discussion"-style episode, featuring a texts-based discussion led by Rabbi Drew.SourcesThe sources for this episode are available here.“Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesDrinking During the Nine Days – Episode #40Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction – Episode #44A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 – Episode #47Drinking In/Out of Sukkot – Episode #142Drinking During Mourning – Episode #150The Purim Katan Episode – Episode #151Drinking Between Glasses of Wine at the Passover Seder - Episode #154 (this episode)Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionHaving previously published an episode on the origin of dropping out wine during the Passover Seder a few years ago, the newest episode of The Jewish Drinking Show explores a relatively recent explanation of this practice which sharply departs from its medieval explanations. Based off of his article "Spilling Wine While Reciting the Plagues to Diminish Our Joy?", TheTorah.com (6 April 2020), which is a briefer version of “Our Own Joy is Lessened and Incomplete: The History of an Interpretation of Sixteen Drops of Wine at the Seder,” Ḥakirah 19 (2015): 237–256, Rabbi Dr. Zvi Ron joins the show to discuss this history of this new explanation.Bio of GuestRabbi Dr. Zvi Ron received semikha from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate and a PhD in Jewish Theology from Spertus University. He served as rabbi of Keneseth Beth Israel Synagogue for ten years in Richmond, Virginia. Along with his wife, Sharon, they moved back to Israel in 2004 with their four children and live in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion. He teaches at a number of yeshivot and seminaries in Jerusalem. He is the author of two books on Tanakh in Hebrew: ספר קטן וגדול (Rossi Publications, 2006) and ספר העיקר חסר (Mossad HaRav Kook, 2017) about the variable spellings of words in Tanakh. Rabbi Ron also has authored dozens of articles in numerous publications. He is editor of the Jewish Bible Quarterly and was a contestant on The Weakest Link.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroHaving discussed rabbis' normative writings previously on The Jewish Drinking Show throughout numerous centuries, I'm excited to welcome back Rabbi David Fried to discuss significant rabbinic normative writings in the 18th-19th centuries on this matter. If you're curious to check out previous episodes featuring Rabbi Fried on Purim-drinking, they are available here:Medieval Jewish Legal Authorities (Rishonim) on Purim-Drunkenness - ep. #6116th-17th Century Rabbis on Purim-Drinking (Early Aharonim) - ep. #9418th-19th Century Rabbis on Purim-Drinking (Later Aharonim) - ep. #127Biography of GuestRabbi Fried teaches Judaic Studies at the Upper School of The Ramaz School. He is also an editor and frequent contributor at The Lehrhaus. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Molly and their two sons, Elchanan and Saadia. He earned his rabbinic ordination from YCT Rabbinical School.Discussion SourcesHere are the sources we used for the material under discussion.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

 With the 14th of the first Adar coming up in just a few days, how is this day to be celebrated? After all, it is still kind of like Purim. Indeed, it has become known as Purim Katan - the little Purim. The newest episode of The Jewish Drinking Show focusses on exactly this topic. This episode is also the sixth "Drinks and Discussion"-style episode, featuring a texts-based discussion led by Rabbi Drew. SourcesThe sources for this episode are available here.“Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesDrinking During the Nine Days – Episode #40Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction – Episode #44A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 – Episode #47Drinking In/Out of Sukkot – Episode #142Drinking During Mourning – Episode #150The Purim Katan Episode – Episode #151Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWhile not typically considered, drinking is something that can happen during mourning in Judaism. There is a prohibition against drinking between death of a loved one and their burial, called aninut, there is an interesting debate concerning drinking during shivah, around which the 150th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show centers.In this fifth “Drinks and Discussion”-style episode, Rabbi Drew Kaplan leads a text-based discussion on the topic. The first three were recorded and published in 2020, while this is the second episode recorded in 2023. Previous “Drinks and Discussion” episodes are listed below. This episode also builds off the How Many Cups of Wine to Drink at a Mourner's House – 10 vs 14? episode from March 2020.SourcesSources for this episode are available here.“Drinks and Discussion”-style EpisodesDrinking During the Nine Days - Episode #40Drinking During the Ten Days of Repentance: An Introduction - Episode #44A Significant Rabbinic Discussion on Wine & Drinking: Eruvin 64-65 - Episode #47Drinking In/Out of Sukkot - Episode #142Drinking During Mourning - Episode #150 (this episode)Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionThe legislation in the Torah concerning a wayward and rebellious son (בן סורר ומורה) is an interesting, enigmatic, and curious passage relating to raising children (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). It also happens to be an interesting Jewish drinking text to explore. Fortunately, the 149th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features a guest who has written on this topic.Brief Biography of the GuestDr. Rebekah Welton is a lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the University of Exeter in the UK. Her monograph, He is a Glutton and a Drunkard: Deviant Consumption in the Hebrew Bible (Brill, 2020), focuses on the use of food and drink in ancient Israelite religion and is a revision of her doctoral thesis. She has also published on the wine-making metaphor in Isaiah 49:26a and 63:6 in the Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies. Rebekah teaches a class on God, Food and Alcohol in Israelite Cultures for undergraduate students and continues to enjoy teaching and researching on food and alcohol in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israel.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionHaving come across some interesting products that were kosher-certified that I would not have expected to be as such, I was fascinated to find out more about Boone County Distilling. The two products that stood out to me were their bourbon creme, as well as their bourbon aged in Dalton Winery casks from Israel. Fortunately, owing to my proximity to Bourbon country, I visited Boone County's co-founder and co-owner, Josh Quinn, about these products and the company.Previous Distillery EpisodesEp. 145 – Jerusalem's First (& Only) Distillery with Bennett KaplanEp. 139 – Israel's First Whiskey Distillery with Gal Kalkshtein & Tal ChotinerEp. 128 – Thornton Distilling & Dead Drop Spirits with Ari KlafterEp. 118 – KOVAL Distillery with Dr. Sonat Birnecker HartEp. 106 – Golden Moon Distillery with Stephen GouldEp. 54 – New Riff Distilling with Mollie LewisSupport the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWhat is it like creating a kosher wine-importing and distributing business? While the 147th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show begins with a discussion of these question, this episode featuring Ami & Larissa Nahari, founders & owners of The River Wine, turns into an exploration of their products that are the first in the market to be kosher-certified.Biographies of GuestsCEO and Founder of The River Wine, Ami Nahari brings 15 years of business consulting expertise, focusing on customer satisfaction, organizational structure and service management. A product of an elite Israeli Army unit and graduate of the management school at Bar-Ilan University, Mr. Nahari is committed to building an organization based on values, ethics, professionalism and modern methods. A resident of New York City since 2000, Mr. Nahari has been hired by Fortune 100 companies in order to improve operations and processes. Mr. Nahari borrows best practices from High-Tech and the financial industries to establish state of the art wine distribution operation.Ms. Nahari imparts creativity, insight and a keen aesthetic eye to all of The River's activities, with 14 years of product and brand marketing experience. Larissa's experience is with fast-paced industries such as fashion and design, where detail is of the utmost importance. Managing websites, catalogue and event production, along with brand messaging, has built her portfolio of skills to offer The River Wine a fresh and sophisticated approach.Here's an article from a decade ago on how these two met (and includes part of their story as starting up as a wine-importer).Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionMan Seders have previously received coverage in such publications as The Forward ("Is the ‘Man Seder' Wrong?") and The Wall Street Journal ("‘Man Seders' Flow With Steak and Scotch"), which feature meat and whiskey. Based off of his essay on The Man's Seder, the 146th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Sinensky to discuss this phenomenon.Biography of GuestRabbi Dr. Sinensky is Director of the Lamm Heritage Archives, an Editor at The Lehrhaus, and Director of Judaics and Upper School Principal at Main Line Classical Academy in suburban Philadelphia. He wrote his dissertation on rabbinic conceptions of masculinity ("Lo Yilbash as a Case Study in Halakhic Conceptions of Masculinity"), and is currently a fellow in the inaugural cohort of Sacks Scholars.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

Throughout Jerusalem's multi-millenial history, there had never been a distillery…until a few years ago. As part of The Jewish Drinking Show‘s Toast to Israel at 75 mini-series, co-founder and co-CEO of Thinkers Distillery, Bennett Kaplan, joins the show to speak about this historic distillery.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

 Continuing on in our Toast to Israel at 75 mini-series, this episode features Shmuel Naky and Ephraim Greenblatt, brewer and owner, respectively, of Hatch Brewing in Jerusalem. In some respects, it follows from the previous episode of the show, focussing on creating a brewery in Jerusalem. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

Continuing on in our Toast to Israel at 75 mini-series, this episode features Ephraim Greenblatt and Shmuel Naky, owner and brewery, respectively, of Hatch Brewing in Jerusalem.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroWith the holiday of Sukkot only days away, a question that arises is which drinking is one allowed to do outside of the sukkah and how much does one need to drink within a sukkah? In this fourth “Drinks and Discussion”-style episode, Rabbi Drew Kaplan leads a text-based discussion on the topic. Previous "Drinks and Discussion" episodes (episodes 40, 44, & 47) were previously recorded over Zoom in 2020, so this is the first live audience "Drinks and Discussion" episode of The Jewish Drinking Show.SourcesThe sources used for this texts-based discussion are available here.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionHaving previously sat down with The Jerusalem Post's wine writer to discuss contemporary trends in wine in Israel, the newest episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features The Jerusalem Post's beer writer. As part of the Toast to Israel at 75 mini-series, Doug Greener and Rabbi Drew Kaplan get together over beers in the Maḥaneh Yehudah Market in Jerusalem to discuss contemporary beer trends in Israel.GuestBorn in New York City, Greener made aliyah (immigrated to Israel) in 1971. Married for 54 years, Greener has three sons and five grandkids. Having worked in journalism, advertising, and public relations, he began writing regularly about beer in Israel a decade ago on his Israel Brews and Views blog in 2013 and has been the beer writer for The Jerusalem Post.TopicsAmongst other topics we discussed, we discussed the Israel Museum's 2023 exhibit on drinking parties, the first commercially-available beer made from 3000-year old yeast (which we drank), and more. You can also check out Greener's article that came out around the time of our recording regarding new spring and summer beers in Israel.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionEver wondered what the contemporary wine scene in Israel is like? I'm very excited to welcome back Adam Montefiore, who previously appeared on the show discussing Modern Israeli Wine History, Part 1: Early History and Modern Israeli Wine History, Part 2: 1970s-Present. As part of the Toast to Israel at 75 mini-series, we get together over Israeli wine at the original location of דרך היין in Tel Aviv discussing the contemporary wine scene in Israel.Biography of GuestMontefiore is a wine industry insider turned wine writer, who has contributed to the advance of Israeli wines for 35 years. He is the wine writer for the Jerusalem Post. Previously, he worked many years for Israeli wineries and became arguably the most visual champion of Israeli wine in the wider world. He has been referred to as ‘the ambassador of Israeli wines' and ‘the English voice of Israeli wines.' He is the author of The Wine Route of Israel and Wines of Israel.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionKicking-off the 2023 Toast to Israel at 75 series of The Jewish Drinking Show, we're featuring Israel's oldest whiskey distillery. Having opened in 2014, M&H Distillery (formerly called Milk & Honey Distillery) released its first whiskey in December 2019 and its whiskies have won many awards, but none as prestigious as best single-malt whisky a few months ago at The World Whiskies Awards.GuestsGal Kalkshtein and Tal Chotiner join this episode to discuss M&H Distillery and its whiskies. Kalkshtein is the CEO & founder of M&H, while Chotiner is the Vice President of Global Sales for M&H.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionEver wondered how the process of production of kosher wines work at European wineries? While we had previously discussed Kedem/Royal Wine on a previous episode, joining us to speak about how Royal/Kedem procures kosher runs of wine at these European wineries is Jay Buchsbaum.Biography of GuestBuchsbaum has worked for over twenty years for Royal Wine Corporation, where he presently serves as both the executive vice president of marketing, as well as the director of wine education. He holds a WSET level 2 certificate and is currently enrolled to level 3. He also worked for the San Francisco Wine Exchange early in his career. Most recently, Jay launched the web series “Swirl” with his co-host, Gabe Geller on Kosher.com that focuses on wine reviews, viewer questions, and general wine talk. Over the years, Jay has worked with viticulturalists and winemakers to advance the level of wine quality from the vineyard to the bottle.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

 When I came across an article on drinking in the world to come, I knew this would be a fascinating topic to discuss for The Jewish Drinking Show. For the 137th episode of the show, we invite Prof. Claudia Bergmann onto the show to discuss her article "Drink and Drinking in Early Jewish Texts: Describing a Meal in the World to Come", Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha 30:3 (2021): 117–132. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionHaving previously published an episode concerning Geonic literature, for the 136th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, we take a step back and consider terms for beverages in literature of the Geonic rabbis. We welcome first-time guest, Rabbi Dr. Phil Lieberman for this episode.Biography of GuestPhil Lieberman is a social, economic, and legal historian of the Jews of the medieval Islamic world. He holds a BA (with distinction in economics) from the University of Washington, a MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics, a MA in Talmud and Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, a MA and PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University, and Semikha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.He is Associate Professor of Jewish Studies and Law, Associate Professor and Chair of Classical and Mediterranean Studies, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, and Affiliated Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and History, at Vanderbilt University. His 2014 book, The Business of Identity: Jews, Muslims, and Economic Life in Medieval Egypt (Stanford University Press) was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Phil also serves the US Navy Reserve as a chaplain.Phil lives with his wife, the amazing Dr. Yedida Eisenstat, his four children, and a wild Portuguese Water Dog named Argos in Nashville.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionHaving discussed gentiles and libations previously on The Jewish Drinking Show, I was fascinated to have come across Professor Sacha Stern's “Compulsive Libationers: Non-Jews and Wine in Early Rabbinic Sources”, Journal of Jewish Studies 64.1 (2013): 19-44. As such, I am very excited to welcome him to the show's 135th episode to share his research.Biography of GuestProf. Stern, FBA, is Professor of Rabbinic Judaism at University College London (UCL), where he was Head of Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies from 2012 to 2022. He holds a BA in Ancient History from Oxford (1986), an MA in Social Anthropology from UCL (1988), and a D.Phil in Jewish Studies from Oxford (1992). He specializes in late antique and early medieval Jewish history, rabbinic literature, and the history of calendars, time reckoning, and astronomy. He has been Principal Investigator of several major research projects funded by the AHRC, the ERC, and several other foundations, and a research group organizer at the IIAS. He is the editor of the Journal of Jewish Studies. He is a Fellow of the British Academy.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

Having discussed kiddush clubs previously on The Jewish Drinking Show, every kiddush club has its own unique aspects. One such kiddush club even got their own Scotch from Bruichladdich years ago (here is the article referenced in The New Yorker regarding this distillery), and it finally arrived. One of the members of this group is Yossi Francus, a leader of his local kiddush club. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroUsed by many Jews in Europe for centuries, Yiddish is quite the colorful language. Unsurprisingly, there are many amusing and clever terms and phrases in Yiddish associated with drinking. Having come across a column on just this topic ("Have a Drink!"), the 133rd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features the author of that column, Dr. Jordan Finkin, to share Yiddish drinking terms.Biography of GuestDr. Finkin is the Rare Book and Manuscript Librarian at the Klau Library of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. A specialist in modern Jewish literatures, Dr. Finkin is the author of several academic books as well as numerous scholarly essays and articles. He also recently won a Yiddush Studies prize from the Modern Language Association. A literary translator from Yiddish, German, and French, he is also the founder and director of Naydus Press, a non-profit publisher of Yiddish literature in English translation.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

 While The Jewish Drinking Show has previously discussed Prohibition, as well as an aspect of Orthodox responses to Prohibition, the newest episode of the show features a discussion of Reform rabbinic responses to Prohibition, with first-time guest, Rabbi Zachary Goodman. Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWhile the Passover Seder is a celebration of the freedom of our Jewish ancestors from Egyptian slavery and becoming a nation, it is hard to picture this in terms of what the experience of being in the Holocaust, as it was very much not an experience of freedom. Moreover, a cornerstone of the Passover Seder experience is drinking a minimum of four cups as part of the expression of our freedom. However, what was possible to do while in the ghettos of the Nazis? Based on his "Jewish Law From out of the Depths: Tragic Choices in the Holocaust", The Jewish Drinking Show's first Holocaust episode welcomes Professor Samuel J. Levine to discuss this matter on the 131st episode of the show.Biography of GuestProfessor Levine joined the Touro Law Center faculty in 2010 as Professor of Law and Director of the Jewish Law Institute. He previously served as Professor of Law at Pepperdine University School of Law, and he has served as the Beznos Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University College of Law. His scholarship has been cited in more than 600 articles and books by scholars in 30 countries. He is the author of Jewish Law and American Law: A Comparative Study (Two Volumes) and Was Yosef on the Spectrum? Understanding Joseph Through Torah, Midrash, and Classical Jewish Sources.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroHaving previously published episode #24 of The Jewish Drinking Show on "Whiskey As the Catalyst for the Selling of Chametz, the 130th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show delves more deeply into this topic, for which we are excited to have Dan Rabinowitz on the show to discuss this topic.Biography of GuestIn addition to having written "Kitniyot and Mechirat Chametz: Paradoxical Approaches to the Chametz Prohibition" on this topic, Dan Rabinowitz is not only the chief executive officer of DEKō Cocktails, he is also the creator and publisher of The Seforim Blog. Rabinowitz is also the CEO/Co-Founder of Pre/Dicta. This is his third appearance on The Jewish Drinking Show, having previously appeared on episodes #105 and #114.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionWith Passover only a couple of weeks away, including the four cups minimum of wine at the Passover Seder, how has the transformative experience of alcohol-consumption been considered in the Jewish tradition? To share a teaching of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810), as written by Rabbi Nathan Sternhartz (1780-1844), on this topic is Rabbi Zac Kamenetz.Biography of GuestRabbi Kamenetz is a rabbi, community leader, and aspiring psychedelic-assisted chaplain based in Berkeley, CA. He holds an MA in Biblical literature and languages from UC-Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union and received rabbinic ordination from the head of the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court in 2012. As the founder and CEO of Shefa, Zac is pioneering a movement to integrate safe and supported psychedelic use into the Jewish spiritual tradition, advocate for individuals and communities to heal individual and inherited trauma, and inspire a Jewish religious and creative renaissance in the 21st century.Sources SheetThe sources sheet under discussion in this episode is available here.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!

IntroductionIn addition to a producer of certified spirits, Thornton Distilling produces certified kosher-for-Passover spirits, including a barrel-aged rum. To discuss these products on The Jewish Drinking Show is Ari Klafter.Biography of GuestAri Klafter is the Head Distiller and co-owner of Thornton Distilling Company, maker of Dead Drop Spirits, where he leads production and develops the recipes for the distillery's portfolio of whiskies, rums, gin, absinthe, and a bottled Old Fashioned cocktail. He is also the sitting President of the Illinois Craft Distillers Association, leading the guild's efforts to advance the interests of small independent distilleries throughout the state. Prior to joining Thornton Distilling Co., he served as the Assistant Distiller at Privateer Rum in Massachusetts and, before that, he earned a master's degree in brewing & distilling from Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he studied traditional whisky production methods with an emphasis on single malt whisky, the primary focus of Thornton Distilling Company.DisclosureSamples of Thornton Distilling products were provided to The Jewish Drinking Show for review purposes.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out at Drew@JewishDrinking.coml'chaim!