The Living Jewishly Podcast

“Since I've acknowledged PTSD and what's going on, and accepted the facts, and stopped seeing it as a sign of weakness, I've made some progress.”— Wilson TaguinodFacing our challenges is the first step to healing, according to guest Wilson Taguinod. On this episode of What's In Your Toolbox: An Honest Discussion on Mental Health, host Bobby Koven has a deep conversation with Wilson about his challenges with PTSD and depression, as a veteran of the Vietnam war and a person who lives with cancer. Wilson has developed several coping tools to manage his mental health struggles, including fly fishing, reading, woodworking and puzzles. But he also relies on his family, specifically his wife, who helps him to reframe and put into perspective, the thought processes that lead him towards depression. Wilson has developed intuitive strategies to notice negative thoughts, and reset, and has begun learning how to manage anger based on cause and effect.Tune in to learn what Wilson's advice is for anyone who is struggling with mental health, and learn how he developed his coping strategies so that you can apply his learnings to your own experience.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌✔ PTSD as a war veteran✔ Strategies to reframe negative thoughts✔ The power of acknowledging the thing that is challenging you, to work towards recovery ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01 Intro02:34 Meet Wilson Taguinod04:28 Wilson's experience with PTSD10:40 Fly fishing as a tool to manage mental health16:22 How Wilson managed his anger18:11 Obtaining a university degree despite mental health challenges  22:02 How Wilson's tools have helped him 25:45 Wilson's Amazing Support Team  27:58 Wilson's advice 29:13 Wrap upLinks:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

Tu B'Shvat is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the renewal of trees in a yearly cycle. Elliott notes, the timing of the holiday on the Jewish calendar is weird, falling out in the middle of winter. If we really wanted to get into the spirit of the day, we'd send everyone out into the middle of nature, "into the wild," to experience the trees. Rabbi Yossi points out that the winter is also a cool time to think about trees, because it is when the sap starts to run. The trees are starting to come alive, on the inside, where the sap is starting to build. Really, this is symbolic of the inner growth that takes place inside of us as human beings. Yossi adds that maple syrup is an ancient food but you have to get rid of the excess foam, which is a great metaphor for what people have to do - to keep the sweet parts of ourselves and get rid of the excess. As Yossi says, "whatever your winter looks like" you have to learn to go through the dark nights and come out on the other side.Elliott also notes that educationally, Tu B'shvat should teach us to "throw out the playbook." Jewish schools could plan a trip, throw away the books for a day, and take students out into nature to experience renewal and the miracle of creation. The holiday of the trees shows us that religious education can be found as much in nature as in textbooks. Yossi says there should be "Outward Bound" program for Tu B'shvat. This holiday represents the environmental ethic of the ancient rabbis and their view of the ecosystem, exemplified in the discussion of rain in the second paragraph of the Shema prayer. God gives human stewardship over the earth and it is up to us to make sure we treat that as a sacred trust. In an age of climate change, this is a powerful message.Shout out to the late great Neil Peart of Rush and his wonderful song "The Trees!"This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌ The importance of Tu B'Shvat How to use this time of year to cultivate renewal in oneselfThe history of Tu B'ShvatEmail us at hello@livingjewishly.org, we would love to hear from you!Be sure to follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/living.jewishly/ and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/livingjewishly/ If you like the show, please leave a review, it helps us to reach more people just like you.Links:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“We age with success when we are in connection with others, it's relational.”— Sue Lantz On today's episode of What's In Your Toolbox: An Honest Discussion On Mental Health, host Bobby Koven has a conversation with Sue Lantz, a boomer who is hoping to live a long and healthy life, and founder of Collaborative Aging. Sue is passionate about sharing her healthcare, housing, and caregiving expertise in a way that helps her peers – along with the people who will be supporting them – to envision and fulfill their best possible aging transitions and experiences.Sue discovered early in her career that designing systems and tools for various populations requires an immense amount of collaboration - not just from individuals but from organizations as well. She took this wide breadth of experience with collaborations to develop Collaborative Aging, a platform that offers educational and consulting services to help individuals, families, and communities, to prepare the way for healthy, empowered aging and balanced caregiving.Tune in to hear how Sue's journey with elder care crossed over with various mental health experiences, and for some inspiration to plan your future as you age, collaboratively.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   Forming teams of care providers to age on your own terms✔   The effects of aging on our mental health✔   The importance of planning for care and support as we age ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Welcome02:29 Meet Sue Lantz05:10 Collaborative Aging  09:17 How Sue's path led her here14:02 Sue's career journey 23:01 What's in Sue's toolbox 26:01 Sue's journey with mindfulness 27:40 Aging and mindfulness29:01 Sue's Amazing Support Team 31:10 Sue's advice for collaborating with aging parents 34:40 Next episode teaser Links:‌ ‌ www.collaborativeaging.com https://optionsopen.org https://instagram.com/optionsopenguide To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains content around self-harm and suicide and brief mention of sexual violence against children.“They tried to ‘fix' my stigmas to make me like everyone else, rather than leveraging my gifts. I said, ‘screw that, I'm gonna manage my gifts.' And I started developing my gifts and ignoring the stigma.”— Tim NelsonIn this episode of What's In Your Toolbox: An Honest Discussion on Mental Health, Bobby Koven interviews Tim Nelson about his mental health journey. This conversation is raw and authentic, and at times may be triggering to some listeners. We have noted the timestamps for the triggering content.Tim Nelson is an expert problem solver, but he wasn't always able to use his dyslexia and dyscalculia to his advantage. Tim was diagnosed in his early twenties, but through the lens of stigma. And his late diagnosis prevented him from integrating into the mainstream school system.But as a creative problem solver, Tim chose to see his diagnoses as little annoyances rather than burdens, and followed the path of his dyslexia as a gift. In his youth, Tim developed seven skills that helped him navigate his childhood through learning disabilities and other mental health challenges. The skills are creativity, coaching projects, running programs, improving people, knowing oneself, understanding interactions and defining standard work. Developing these consistent skills was key in overcoming the challenges of dyslexia and dyscalculia, and the consistency has paid off, putting Tim in charge of some of the largest projects in the world. Tim has also put his RECOVER system into practice to recuperate from life events that had a massive impact on him.  RECOVER is an acronym; R is receive help, E is exhibit compliance, C is care, O is outline a schedule, V is venture out, E is establish purpose, and R is reach for the stars.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔ How dyslexia and dyscalculia impact learning and education and self-esteem✔ The seven skills Tim developed to overcome dyslexia and dyscalculia challenges✔ Tim's RECOVER acronymHighlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro02:53 Meet Tim Nelson09:10 Tim's Gifts11:33 Growing up12:48 Tim's seven skills15:08 Diagnosing dyslexia and dyscalculia20:55 Leveraging gifts22:57 Bipolar diagnosis and mania23:52 TRIGGER WARNING: Self-harm and suicide26:42 Tim's RECOVER acronym28:30 TRIGGER WARNING: Sexual violence towards children30:59 Tim's Amazing Support Team33:28 TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide35:18 Tim's advice to othersAbout Guest:Tim Nelson is an expert problem solving coach, change agent, global diversity and inclusion ambassador and author and inventor.Links:‌Connect with Tim:LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-nelson-0270526Website https://onefivefifty.com/To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.  Shalom!

“Anger can be illogical and it can cause a lot of harm. But it also can be righteous and it can be rectifying something that's wrong.”— Ganga DeviWhat is the role of anger in our lives? And what can we learn from our sense of it?This episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of Scared Time, a podcast devoted to the healing art of the Hebrew calendar.As we bid goodbye to Chanukah, we enter Tevet, the tenth month of the calendar. This is a time of cold and darkness, but one that evokes a fiery emotion. Its 10th day commemorates the onset of the siege of Jerusalem — no wonder that Tevet is associated with the sense of anger. Tevet is also connected to the story of Purim, as it is in the month of Tevet that Esther was taken to the King Achashverosh's palace to be chosen as Queen. Most of us are only aware of anger when we feel it or when others feel it toward us, but in these heightened states we are unable to reflect on and understand the wisdom and potential carried within it.Tevet offers us the rare opportunity to examine anger from a place of peace. Through drawing on Kabbalistic themes and psychological tools, we may work intentionally with anger and see it with new eyes. This episode explores anger's purpose — how it can point us to unmet needs and fuel us to make necessary changes in our lives, relationships, and social systems.“That is what Tevet gives us to work with. It's understanding: what is anger? What does it mean to play with the fire of anger?”— BluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌How anger can be used as a tool to create positive and necessary changeComparisons between ecological fire and the fire of anger, and how each plays a role in stripping away what no longer servesHow to differentiate between the needs and the strategies connected with our angerHighlights:‌01:30  Welcome to Tevet02:58  Purim & The Book of Esther03:53  Chanukah & Purim06:39  Tevet & anger08:04  Comparison between anger & fire10:46  Emotions as data points 12:10  Regenerative anger & trauma15:13  Empathic communication & reframing19:58  Our needs v. our strategies24:45  The Language of Emotions26:51   Ganga Devi's story 31:41  The Work That Reconnects33:10  Tools within & without us37:31  Cultivating integrityLinks:‌Marshall Rosenberghttps://www.nonviolentcommunication.comAlexandra Paretta, Tantra practitionerhttps://www.wovenyin.comKarla McLaren, The Language of Emotionshttps://karlamclaren.com/product/the-language-of-emotions-bookhttps://karlamclaren.com/understanding-and-befriending-angerJoanna Macy, The Work That Reconnectshttps://www.joannamacy.net/mainTo get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.orgVisit our learning community: https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.comFollow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   Send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.orgShalom!

“That's where I really rely on our traditional teachings because it speaks to humility, and understanding that your gifts are valuable. And everybody has gifts.”— Jillian MorrisTrigger Warning: This episode makes brief mention of self harm and addiction.On this episode of What's In Your Toolbox: An Honest Discussion on Mental Health, host Bobby Koven shares a deep and open conversation with his guest Jillian Morris which started at a chance meeting in New Brunswick. In this conversation, Jillian shares some of the tools that her community uses to heal the indigenous communities in Ontario, and further expanding into Canada. A member of the Feather Carriers, Jillian is committed to community mobilization that enhances mental health and addictions and suicide prevention through a culturally appropriate training. One thing is for sure, Jillian will absolutely inspire you to take up a practice of gratitude for every element of life, which is an excellent tool to manage mental health.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔ The power and importance of storytelling✔ Connecting to your own spirituality through healing✔ Sharing your gifts as a way to contribute to a larger communityAbout Jillian:Jillian is Kanien'kehaka, a member of Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, and Poet Laureate for Collingwood. Jillian is a former federal public servant and in addition to writing, she is a researcher, creator, public engager, mother, wife, and bridge builder. Jillian is also a member of the Unity Collective where she finds endless reward in volunteering and working to build relationships, capacity, and understanding.Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro02:54  Meet Jillian Morris  08:35  The call to nature  10:02  Spirituality  11:21  Tools for healing 13:01 Jillian's path of healing  15:15 Traditional teachings24:45 The Feather Carriers26:07 Jillian's Amazing Support Team (JAST)26:51 The power of listening  30:17 Next episode Links:‌ ‌ Connect with Jillian: https://www.jillianmorris.ca/instagram: @jk_morris_lessCollingwood Today: https://www.collingwoodtoday.ca/columns/kanikonhriio/columnWise Practices: https://wisepractices.ca/practices/feather-carriers/To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Dreaming is a necessary complement to our waking life that allows us to rest and integrate and regenerate.”— Ganga DeviAs home to the holiday of Chanukah, Kislev is a time for celebration, light, and togetherness. But it is also a time for sleeping, for dreaming, and for integrating the teachings of our dreams into our waking lives.The beauty of the cyclical nature of our Hebrew calendar is that it creates space for us to explore its universal and resonant themes each year as different people, bringing with us new experiences and perspectives that shift and re-shape the ways in which we engage and reflect. This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is a replay of the Kislev episode of Sacred Time, a podcast about the healing art of the Hebrew calendar. Looking toward Channukah as a time of light, dedication, and grace within a time of darkness, this conversation deeply examines Kislev's overarching themes of sleep, death, dreams, and light, and moves thoughtfully through the cyclical nature of the rhythms of creation.“There's something about this time of sleep and slumber and darkness — we are actually deeply held.”— BluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How dreams inspire, enrich, and borrow from our waking lives — and their connection to prophecyHow our relationship with sleep can inform and soften our relationship to deathThe symbolic meaning behind Channukah falling across both Kislev and Tevet ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Intro01:51  Kislev & Samec05:00  The circle of our daily rhythms07:46  Dreams, prophecy & waking life09:58  Death & sleep12:14  Midrash: Adam & the Garden of Eden16:09  Living Jewishly Channukah Guide19:01  Channukah & Kislev22:01  Darkness & light24:03  Ganga Devi's dream work29:29  Mourning rituals & Waking LifeLinks:‌ ‌ Living Jewishly Channukah Guidehttps://livingjewishly.org/channukah Waking Life (2001)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waking_Life To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Even when it doesn't feel like there is excitement, there are our rhythms and there are our cycles.”— Bluth After the social and structured rituals of the High Holidays, the month of Cheshvan is a period of personal contemplation during which we turn to the quieter rhythms of our daily commitments. The absence of Holy Days during this month challenges us to source our connection with the sacred from within. In doing so, we are able to look both back and forward to address our priorities — what is meaningful and important at this moment.This instalment of the Living Jewishly Podcasts revisits the Cheshvan episode of Sacred Time, a podcast devoted to the healing art of the Hebrew calendar.  Bluth and Ganga Devi discuss the month of Cheshvan, and the many ways that we can develop structures and systems to reconnect us with our true priorities in life.Though it is a more introspective month, it is still one of action. The process of self-inquiry identifies what is precious and tender to us, so we are then able to step fully into those relationships — with the divine, with our loved ones, and with ourselves.“The structures and systems of religions should exist to support each of our own personal and direct relationships with what is sacred.”— Ganga DeviThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌Being mindful of how we relate to systems of authority and power outside of ourselves in our relationship with what is sacredThe importance of motivating ourselves to find empowerment in responsibility by creating our own structures in the absence of external onesWhy Cheshvan is the perfect time to focus on restorative and nurturing self-care  ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:51  Intro01:51  The month of Cheshvan04:42  What is sacred to us?08:03  Self-inquiry & creating our own structures10:38  External structures12:22  The sacred in the mundane13:37  Taking action & finding support16:50  Rhythms & cycles18:20  Modeh Ani & daily commitments25:06  The School of Living JewishlyLinks:‌ ‌ Living Jewishly Yoga for Cheshvan with Jenna Zadaka: https://livingjewishly.org/rosh-chodesh-cheshvan-with-guest-yoga-teacher-jenna-zadaka The School of Living Jewishlyhttps://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Life is for the living. You have to go on, and make the best you can out of your present situation and utilize your tools”— Nate LeipcigerMental health is a different story across generations, and on today's episode of What's In Your Toolbox: An Honest Discussion on Mental Health, host Bobby K. has a conversation with Holocaust survivor Nate Leipciger about the tools he cultivated to survive. One of Nate's survival skills, awareness, helped him during his time in Auschwitz, and then in his early years in Canada. Learning new rules every day, helped to keep him from standing out, and ultimately being freed at the end of WWII. You'll definitely want to tune into this episode to hear Nate's story of survival, and the lessons Nate learned that can be used as mental health tools for many generations to come.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   How Nate survived the concentration camp✔   How Nate navigated immigrating to Canada and how the survivor skills he learned helped him ✔   Nate's mission to educate future generations about the Holocaust ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Introduction04:31  Meet Nate Leipciger07:32  Nate's story18:50  Coming to Canada22:19  Nate's survival toolbox25:32  The King of Kensington27:33  Cole's Notes29:47  Starting a business34:20  Educating youth about the Holocaust40:07  Problem solving43:43  Self-hypnosis46:21  Nate's Amazing Support Team49:53  Wrapping upAbout Guest:Nathan (Nate) Leipciger, who has a B.A. in Science, lived through the horrors of the Holocaust, where he was forced to live and work in Nazi concentration camps, losing his mother and sister, and enduring several closed brushes with death before the end of the Second World War.Having suffered and witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of hatred and war, Leipciger went on to dedicate his life to educating Canadians and global citizens about the dangers of racism and the importance of tolerance, inclusivity, and dialogue. Through thoughtful stewardship of various institutions involved in Holocaust education, Nate's efforts are credited with educating young generations of Canadians about the Holocaust, and teaching them the virtues of respect and acceptance.Links:‌ ‌ Learn about Nate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_LeipcigerLink to Nate's Book The Weight of Freedom: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=nate+leipciger&hvadid=254863918482&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9104712&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10619440215456575975&hvtargid=kwd-473138502367&hydadcr=10108_10274008&tag=googcana-20&ref=pd_sl_5aiccf9sx7_eTo get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“At what point in our history did our houses become ‘not nature'?”— Julia PlevinThe earth is our home, our classroom, and our legacy — how can we create a nurturing relationship with the earth that allows all living creatures to thrive?Sukkot, the ancient Jewish Harvest festival, is an invitation for people of the Jewish faith to experience, celebrate, and revere the gift of our natural world. But in the face of the looming climate change crisis and global food insecurities, what can Sukkot teach us about how to live in harmony with nature — and what spiritual and secular practices can help us ensure our ongoing survival?This episode of Living Jewishly is the third and final of a series of special episodes exploring the Jewish holidays.Dr. Elliot Malamet is joined by guests Julia Plevin and Rabbi Rachel Rosenbluth, who have actively engaged nature as a powerful focal point in their personal, professional, and spiritual lives. This episode dives into our evolving relationship with the natural world, how to incorporate our holiday messages into the rest of our year, and the importance of embracing our identities as beings of nature.     “We've disconnected ourselves from nature in our capitalist and extractive culture… we are nature. We are a part of nature.”— BluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How to experience Sukkot as a powerful invitation into a more sustainable, in-tune, and natural way of living How to involve nature in your daily spiritual practice — and the healing benefits you can enjoyWhy now is the time to seriously care about the state of our world — and why it is so urgent ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Introduction02:23  The sukkah as metaphor 05:01  The sukkah as liminal space06:21  Technology conquering nature08:03  The sukkah as a home09:49  Nature as daily spiritual practice16:33  The six directions 17:24  Segmentation of holiday messages & shmita19:47  Importance of identity & reconnection25:57  Thinking beyond the abstract26:45  Environmentalism & diaspora30:58  Turning to, not away33:50  Nature-integrated spiritual practices41:09  Judaism as a nature-based religionLinks:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Do Jewish prayer services nurture us… or narrow us?”— Dr Elliot MalametThis is the first episode in a series of special Living Jewishly podcast episodes that will take a deeper look at the Jewish holidays. As we approach Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, many of us will celebrate the high holidays by attending synagogue or shul.However, particularly for young Jews not religiously oriented in the traditional sense, there is an increasing disconnect to synagogue life, institutional ritual, and liturgy.With shul attendance also affected by Covid-19, communities have been further distanced by digital spaces.  This episode explores our emotional, spiritual, and social relationship with — and connection to — synagogue structures and prayer services during the high holidays. In a series of illuminating interviews with members of the Jewish community, traditional and modern approaches to the language and practice of prayer are discussed in relation to virtual engagement, the campfire community, and how we connect in a changing world.“The act of prayer is an act of commission and omission. It has to be both, and you have to engage and disengage at the same time.”— Rabbi Yossi SabermanThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌What millennial Jews think about synagogue life — and what they would change about prayer services and texts Working with sacred texts — the tension between humanism and the sacred in prayer language How the practice of non-traditional prayer, such as social justice activism as a form of holy work and divine communication, can be secular or complement institutional ritual  ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:51  Introduction02:02  Ruth Chitiz & changes to prayer06:11  Noah Tile & identity07:49  Jenny Young & inclusion10:04  Divine connection in Judaism v. Christianity12:24  Sam Venis & interpreting tradition   15:18  Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz & maintaining mission 17:19  Synagogue infrastructure: Connection & relationships  19:30  Social justice activism as prayer  20:54  Rituals as reflection23:40  Yom Kippur: Navigating affirmation & judgement27:19  Dr Zindel Segal & prayer meditation30:08  Prayer mindfulness34:09  Lisa Morrison & prayer in the pandemic36:24  Rabbi Yossi Saberman & listening to yourself38:30  Prayer language46:11  Covid-19 & structural changes47:07  Menachem Feuer & virtual communities48:40  Rabbi Yossi Saberman & post-pandemic shul52:21  Social connection55:08  Dynamic synagogue59:17  Recap & community challengesLinks:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Repentance, in essence, embodies a return to our best selves, the me that each of us really wants to be.”— Dr. Elliott MalametIs it time to change the course of your life? Perhaps this episode of The Living Jewishly Podcast is exactly what you need in order to instigate that change. In this episode, Dr. Elliott Malamet breaks down the four components outlined in the Talmud for changing one's circumstances. Giving to charity, crying out, changing names, and changing actions. As a bonus, he explains how changing one's physical place can have equally beneficial effects on redirecting the course of one's life.As we approach the High Holidays this episode may provide you with the opportunity to explore deeply within yourself, whether you wish to make a change, big or small, and how you might go about doing it.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   The Jewish teaching for changing direction✔   How you can implement change in your own life✔   When to know that it's the right time to make a change ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro  00:54  How to change one's course in life  02:12  Giving to charity  03:08  Cry out04:48  Change of name  06:21  Change your actions  07:36  Changing your place 11:09  Recap  Links:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else, is the greatest accomplishment.”— Dr. Elliott MalametIn this special SOLJ (School of Living Jewishly) episode, Dr. Elliott Malamet brings us a conversation about the most important prayer Jewish people revisit each year at Rosh Hashanah, Unetanah Tokef. Rosh Hashanah is a time to reflect on the year that has just passed, and meditate on the one that is about to come. Each year we have a certain set of expectations that things will not change - but in anticipation of change, how can we prepare ourselves for the year ahead? How can we accept that death may come, or that loved ones may change life direction and move away?At the end of this episode, stay tuned for Elliott's practical questions and exercises that will help you to prepare for the High Holidays, and set intentions for how you would like to spend your time in the year to come.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   Preparing our thoughts and revisiting our routines in anticipation of Rosh Hashanah✔   What to do when life's plans get off track✔   How to be more mindful of the time we have available to us ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro01:20  High Holidays  02:11  The most important prayer  04:25  Routine expectations  06:50  Denial of death11:05  Dying vs. time passing  14:32  Expectations vs. reality17:00  Connection to the High Holidays 19:46  Restarting and changing course  23:19  Motivation to change  25:37  Questions for change27:31  Practical exercises Links:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“I'm getting better and better at just saying, okay, that's just today.”— Judy SingerWhen major health challenges face us, it is crucial to gather friends and family around for support. That is what today's episode of What's In Your Toolbox: An Honest Discussion on Mental Health is all about.In this episode, Bobby talks with Judy Singer about her cancer diagnosis and treatment, and how she coped with the changing abilities of her physical body. Judy is an artist and teacher by trade, and when she was faced with beginning treatments for cancer she had to make the difficult decision to not work on her art in order to retain her strength for chemotherapy sessions. Her friends and family were essential to her physical recovery, and her mental health throughout the entire process.This episode is especially helpful for anyone who is currently undergoing treatments for cancer, who may need some new ideas and strategies to navigate the incredibly challenging mental health factor of treatment and recovery.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   Art as a tool for mental health✔   Navigating fitness challenges after recovering from cancer treatment✔  The importance of family and friendship during cancer treatment and recovery ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro 02:07  The Artist00:00  Meet Judy Singer03:53  How Bob and Judy met  06:11  Art classes and curation  09:45  Judy's passion and career in art  10:47  Judy's physical and mental health  12:09  Cancer treatments 16:26  Creativity during cancer treatments17:43  Physical fitness after chemotherapy  21:02  Friends as a mental health tool24:12  Judy's Amazing Support Team27:36  Healing30:34  Wrap upLinks:‌ ‌ Judy's Website: https://judysinger.ca To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“When you live in an environment that's out of control, you latch onto something that will make you feel like you're stabilized.”— Brian RobinsonWorking in a world that values and reveres constant work has led society to increased numbers of burnout and workaholism. But is workaholism really “a thing”? Rest is an essential part of life, and when we don't give ourselves the opportunity to rest, we face avoidable obstacles.In this episode, Dr. Elliott Malamet interviews guest Brian Robinson about work addiction, how people become workaholics, how society supports workaholism, and what to do if you or someone you love is showing signs of work addiction. Tune in to learn what signs and signals may be a key indicator of workaholism, why it's important to support friends and family that may be addicted to work, and how to recognize that work has become a substitute for life. This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   Where work addiction and hustle culture come from, and how it permeates our society✔   Overcoming the need for control, plus actionable steps you can take to speak to your workaholic friend or family member✔   The challenges of adjusting to retired life after decades of endless working hours ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:54  Elliott's introduction  02:06  Defining hustle culture and work addiction06:33  The need for control 08:19  The hustle “badge of honor” 10:00  Cultural norms of workaholism13:57  Internal Family Systems Therapy  18:11  Behavioral clues of work addiction 21:52  Where the term “Hustle Culture” comes from  24:29  Adjusting to retired life  27:34  Society's part in supporting workaholism  31:30  The right to not be addressed37:11  How to talk to a workaholic in your lifeLinks:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“These holidays are such an opportunity for us to be looking at our lives, to be stepping in fully with humility and with honesty, and with care for each other and for the Earth — to find the capacity to forgive so that we can renew.”— BluthThis episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of Sacred Time, a podcast devoted to the healing art of the Hebrew calendar. In this episode exploring the significance of the month of Elul, Bluth and Ganga Devi unpack major themes related to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The month of Elul is a time of intimacy, love and relationships. It reminds us that the sacred is in the mundane — we are beloved because we feel G-d every day, in every human and messy moment. Ani L'dodi V'dodi Li is the acronym for Elul and it means “I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me."Elul's reflective energy guides us into the New Year, preparing us for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is our shared story of the birth of the world and humanity, celebrating creation by honouring the Earth and looking forward to our collective future.Yom Kippur tells the story of the sin of the Golden Calf and the second chance given to humanity. This is a day to practice atonement and forgiveness — so we can enter the New Year with integrity.By reflecting on the past year, we hold ourselves responsible and accountable so that we are able to cleanse and renew. In doing so, we return to Elul's beloved meditation on loving and forgiving ourselves as well as others.Listen as Bluth and Ganga Devi discuss the importance and benefits of shadow work, humility, and alignment of values as we introspectively and collectively work toward renewal and integrity during the high holidays.“If we can recognize ‘this is where I've been missing the mark, this is where I've been out of integrity, this is where I've been out of alignment,' [we can] actually recognize what are some of the possible benefits and blessings and lessons.”— Ganga DeviThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌Commentary on original sin as a lack of responsibility and accountability — not human natureHow Jungian perspectives on the human shadow relate to human nature — shame, blame, and perfection as the enemy of integrity — and how shadow work can allow us to love ourselves and others, and step into our lives with empowermentThe importance of humility in taking our place within the world, and its relationship to our field of action ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:50Introduction  01:17Month of Elul  02:57Preparing for Rosh Hashanah  03:38Rosh Hashanah: Responsibility & accountability  08:40Humility & our field of action  12:50Missing the mark  14:08Yom Kippur: Forgiveness & second chances17:07Jungian perspectives: Human shadow23:20Sukkot: Earthly love and care26:00Elul: Beloved reflection29:04Transformative power of the high holidays30:11Living Jewishly resources31:59Cleansing & renewalLinks:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.orgShalom!

“Sometimes life's better understood backwards rather than forwards.”— Jane EnrightLife changes constantly – but what happens when three incredibly sudden rapid changes occur in just 12 months? And more importantly, what are the best tools to use to cope with life's unexpected twists and turns?This episode of No Magic Bullet's is an instalment of What's In Your Toolbox, a podcast about mental health and the tools that we use to cope, heal, and thrive. In this episode, host Bobby K sits down with Jane Enright, a brain injury survivor, an author, and blogger behind “My Super Awesome Life”. During this conversation, Bobby and Jane talk about Jane's three massive life changes (two traumatic brain injuries and the death of a friend), practicing mindfulness through writing in order to process the fallout of the changes, and what recovery looks like afterwards.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌ ✔   How life can change instantaneously, and the steps Jane took to navigate her sudden life changes✔   What focusing on what we have, rather than what we don't have, can do to change our perspective✔  Different ways to engage your amazing support team when you need it ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01 - Intro02:42  Meet Jane03:25  Beaver Valley Shangri-la   05:04  Jane's story 11:27  Laughter is the best medicine  13:11  Jane's books 16:52  Yoga and mindfulness 20:27  Cooking and movement as a tool26:47  Strategies for coping with challenges  29:36  Jane's Amazing Support Team 33:20  Goodbyes  Links:‌ ‌ Janeenrightauthor.comMysuperawesomelife.comListen to the first No Magic Bullet podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1763485/9899438 To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Judaism advises not just sexual passion and a partnership, but constant physical encouragement with the one you love.”—  Dr. Elliott MalametWhat is Tu b'av and why do we celebrate it? In this Special School of Living Jewishly podcast for Tu b'av, Dr. Elliott Malamet shares the history and symbolism of this romantic holiday. This holiday dedicated to love has long been seen as a day for matchmaking and romance.It may come as a surprise to some people that Judaism believes in romance, and the constant renewal of a relationship from the initial attraction, which Jewish law mandates must be present in some rudimentary form to the ongoing quest to keep the relationship fresh and vital.There are five different love languages, words of affirmation, acts of service, gift giving, quality time, and touch. Each of these has an underlying theme, which is commitment. Dr. Elliott Malamet discusses each love language in detail, and how they related to Jewish practice.Tune into this episode to learn about different and exciting ways to celebrate Tu b'av with your loved ones, and the joy of incorporating love and romance into your daily life. This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   Jewish perspectives on our relationships ✔   The five love languages and their relation to Judaism✔   Commitment to romantic relationships ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro  00:54  About Tu b'av01:25  The history of Tu b'av  03:07  Romance in Judaism 04:08  Words of affirmation05:57  Acts of service06:34  Gift giving  08:01  Quality time 09:51  Touch and physical contact  12:06  Commitment  12:30  Conclusion  Links:‌ ‌ Learn about The School of Living Jewishly: https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com/ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.  

“With all the evil and all the suffering that is in the world and that Jews have undergone throughout history, as a people, we've always been focused on being a moral and creative force in the world. And if Jews are about anything, we're about the faith in what could be faith in the future.”— Dr. Elliott MalametIn this Special School of Living Jewishly podcast for Tisha b'av, Dr. Elliott Malamet explores various explanations for why there is suffering, and God's silent role in each. Through various texts and philosophies, this episode hopes to bring clarity to why there is human suffering and why humans (specifically Jews) blame or do not blame God. Referencing a text by psychoanalyst Dr. R.W. Fairburn, Elliott explores why “it's better to be a sinner in a world ruled by God, than a saint in a world ruled by the devil.” Elliott also explores the idea of the covenant between Jews and God, that if you do good, you get good. If you receive or experience bad things, you must have done something wrong – but is that truly the case?Tune in to dive deeply into this fascinating topic with Dr. Elliott Malamet.This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   What are we willing to overlook in order to protect God's reputation?✔    If not God, whom or what are we willing to blame for the presence of suffering?✔    What's the mindset that underlies an approach to suffering in which you blame yourself? ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Introduction00:52  The silence of God02:04  Ancient and modern explanations03:05  Why does God allow suffering?  06:45  Blaming oneself for suffering  12:00  The issue of covenant15:34  If we do good, we get good  20:09  The free will defense 22:51  “Stuff happens”  25:40  What does it all mean to us as Jews? 30:11  In closing  Links:‌ ‌ Find the source sheet at https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com/ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    

“Trauma is undigested experience”— Ganga DeviThis instalment of Living Jewishly is an episode of Sacred Time, a podcast devoted to exploring the healing art of the Hebrew calendar. Tammuz is the fourth month of the year in the religious Jewish calendar. It is one of the heated months of the calendar, and it holds and commemorates the memory of a lot of the pain, trauma, and destruction that we have experienced as a people.  The 17th of this month of the Hebrew calendar marks the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem, which we recognize through fasting. Three weeks later, we observe the Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction of two holy temples.  In Tammuz, we descend into the heat. In the following month, Av, we emerge from it. This is a sacred time of reflection and mourning — a time when we give space to anger and despair while also contemplating our own boundaries and violations.  This episode discusses the nature of trauma, the different ways we may approach it, and steps that we can take to heal.  “It's not just something that lives in the past. It's something that lives in the present, in our bodies, until we do the work of healing.”— Ganga Devi.  This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   How the Hebrew calendar helps us process and integrate through allowing sacred space for pain and reflection✔   How to create a level of separation from trauma to help enhance your healing — and how to find refuge in your present moment✔  The role that the act of bearing witness plays in the healing process ‌ Highlights:‌ ‌00:51  Intro01:19  Tammuz02:15  Water & the fire of anger03:14  The trauma of violation04:45  Making space for pain06:16  “Looking” at trauma & lenses10:42  We can be what we need11:56  Regeneration & decomposition16:08  Transformation & resilience18:19  What does it mean to process?24:36  What helps us process?26:20  Bearing witness & befriending anger28:38  The Interior Castle30:49  “The temple is rebuilt continuously”32:52  Everything is sacred35:10   Practices for this month  Links:‌ ‌The Interior Castlehttps://wedaretosay.com/what-are-the-mansions-of-the-interior-castle To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzwor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. Shalom!

“When you live in an environment that's out of control, you latch onto something that will make you feel like you're stabilized.”— Brian RobinsonWorking in a world that values and reveres constant work has led society to increased numbers of burnout and workaholism. But is workaholism really “a thing”? Rest is an essential part of life, and when we don't give ourselves the opportunity to rest, we face avoidable obstacles.In this episode, Dr. Elliott Malamet interviews guest Brian Robinson about work addiction, how people become workaholics, how society supports workaholism, and what to do if you or someone you love is showing signs of work addiction. Tune in to learn what signs and signals may be a key indicator of workaholism, why it's important to support friends and family that may be addicted to work, and how to recognize that work has become a substitute for life. This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔   Where work addiction and hustle culture come from, and how it permeates our society✔   Overcoming the need for control, plus actionable steps you can take to speak to your workaholic friend or family member✔   The challenges of adjusting to retired life after decades of endless working hours ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:54  Elliott's introduction  02:06  Defining hustle culture and work addiction06:33  The need for control 08:19  The hustle “badge of honor” 10:00  Cultural norms of workaholism13:57  Internal Family Systems Therapy  18:11  Behavioral clues of work addiction  21:52  Where the term “Hustle Culture” comes from  24:29  Adjusting to retired life  27:34  Society's part in supporting workaholism  31:30  The right to not be addressed37:11  How to talk to a workaholic in your lifeLinks:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“When you're having fun, when you're laughing, and you have something that makes your heart sing, your life is so much better.”— Julie StarrWhat does it mean to be an empath (or “super-feeler”)? And how does having a higher-than-average level of empathy affect the way that you move through the world and react to its challenges?This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What's In Your Toolbox, a podcast about mental health and the tools that we use to cope, heal, and thrive. In this episode, host Bobby K sits down with Julie Starr, an author and life coach who offers private and group coaching for empathic and highly-sensitive women who are ready to overcome the overwhelm and discover how to embrace a better life.During this conversation, Bobby and Julie talk about the importance of infusing fun into your life, how she transitioned from dance therapy to life coaching, and why she specifically chooses to work with empaths.“My credo in life is about being of service.”— Julie StarrThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌What inspired her to write her self-help book, Your Husband Left. Now What?!: How to Be Your Own Hero and Live Your Better LifeWhy having a high level of empathy is a gift — and the tools that will help you protect that giftHow Julie serves her life coaching clients, and the tools that she uses and recommends ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Intro03:14  Come on over to Hawaii04:31  University & dance therapy06:00  Your Husband Left. Now What?07:13  All about empaths08:51  Protecting the gift of empathy10:45  Car accident story & 18 13:34  Life coaching & movement16:47  Body, mind, soul18:39  Health challenges & lived experience21:51  Covid & anxiety21:14  Hours into minutes26:53  J.A.S.T29:53  Takeaways & conclusionLinks:‌ ‌ Julie Starrhttps://possibilitycoaching.net Your Husband Left. Now What?!: How to Be Your Own Hero and Live Your Better Life by Julie Starrhttps://www.amazon.ca/Your-Husband-Left-Now-What/dp/177753500X Dr. Judith Orloffhttps://drjudithorloff.com To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Consumptive culture cultivates covetousness.”— Dr. Elliot MalametThe holiday of Shavuot marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer after Passover, and celebrates the revelation of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. As we come up on Shavuot, a permanent question remains: how might a contemporary Jewish person hear and interpret the voice on Sinai today?As human beings, it's in our nature to crave meaning, and the Torah offers a rich source. However, many people wonder how they're meant to deeply and effectively connect to a message that was given long ago, and feels very removed from their present-day experience in a modern world that pulls them toward covetousness.This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is a special episode devoted to discussion around the holiday of Shavuot and what we should keep in mind during this time, with a focus on the modern inclination toward covetousness. Dr. Elliot Malamet explores the nature of covetousness, how we may shift our understanding of the Ten Commandments, and what we can learn from the Jewish perspective when it comes to coveting.“From a Jewish point of view, what you need to do is appreciate what you already have, and definitely focus less on the self and more on making the world a better place.”— Dr. Elliot MalametThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How to differentiate between your true needs and the false needs that are imposed from the outside The existential question that arises when we succumb to extreme covetousness, and the emotional toll that we payHow social media use can make us feel sadder, lonelier, and more envious than ever  ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:53  Intro02:02  From ‘needs culture' to ‘desires culture'03:53  True v. false needs06:32  Covetousness & “fairness”08:06  Social media use10:32  The Ten Commandments14:07  Manufactured reality & doctrine of the Buddha16:49  Shavuot & exercisesLinks:‌ ‌ The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction by Matthew B. Crawfordhttps://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-world-beyond-your-head/9780143182344-item.html The Doctrine of the Buddha: The Religion of Reason and Meditation by M. Keller-Grimmhttps://www.amazon.ca/Doctrine-Buddha-Religion-Reason-Meditation/dp/8120811941 The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble To Get Inside Our Heads by Tim Wuhttps://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/9780804170048-item.html To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“How do we move forward in a way that both integrates and sustains whatever it is that we want to carry with us?”— Rabbi BluthThis episode of the Living Jewishly podcast is an instalment of Scared Time, a podcast dedicated to exploring the healing art of the Jewish calendar as it relates to our lives today. This episode focuses on the month of Sivan, the third month in the religious calendar.Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, is an important holiday early on in the month of Sivan. The holiday commemorates the day that the Jewish people first received the Torah at Mount Sinai in 1312 BCE. Shavuot also marks the end of the Counting of Omer, which was discussed in last month's episode of Sacred Time.Sivan is a time of ripening, as we move more deeply into spring. It is a beautiful time for follow-through on things that we have initiated... or dreamed of doing. And it is a month of movement — once we receive the gift of the Torah, we must decide how and where we move forward.In a time when many are sensitive to their privilege, it can be difficult to know how to receive gifts, both material and spiritual. Abundance can come with a feeling of shame or guilt — how can we appreciate what we have in a world with such an unequal distribution of resources? And what steps can we take toward creating a better outcome for our communities? “Power is something that is beautiful. Power is something that is sacred. And the only thing that's shameful about power is when it is stripped from people or when it is denied.”— Ganga DeviThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How do we move forward sustainably and intentionally with the material and spiritual gifts that we receive? What real, sacred power looks like — and how to share your power and gifts with the world The importance of contributing to the collective healing of the world, rather than its fragmentation ‌Highlights:‌ ‌01:22  The month of movement04:50  How do we proceed with what we received?07:18  What is power? What is abundance?09:50  Relationality11:45  The walking of the spirit12:40  How do we contribute to healing?14:27  Perfectionism & integrity16:16  Shavuot18:56  Different types of power22:01  Lekh Lekha26:47  Daily blessings30:00  Inhabiting the fullness of time39:15  Practice for connecting to ancestorsLinks:‌ ‌Joanna Macy - To Live in the Fullness of Timehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jliSPJxTHak To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzwor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. Shalom!

“I'm still exploring ADHD as an adult.”— Nancie McLeodWhile neurodivergence has historically been seen as something linked to males, it has started to be recognized more frequently in women over the last decade, finally giving them the answers and tools that they need to make sense of their differences.This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What's In Your Toolbox?, a podcast about mental health and the tools that we use to cope and thrive. In this episode, host Bobby K sits down with Nancie McLeod, a Toronto-based designer and realtor who offers experienced, empathetic, and hands-on real estate services for people dealing with one of the four Ds: downsizing, divorce, disability, or death. In this conversation, Bobby K and Nancie dig into her ADHD diagnosis and medication journey, how she builds social interactions into her schedule (even when working from home), and the joy of being creative and turning ‘nothing' into something beautiful.“I think the most important thing — and one of the tools that I use — is talking to people.”— Nancie McLeodThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How she discovered that she had ADHD — and how this condition has defined her pathHow creative endeavours help Nancie deal with her ADHD challenges Her self care habits and how she uses technology to ensure a better night's sleep  ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Intro02:21  Beaver Valley birthday04:13  Skiing & doctors07:04   High school & post-secondary08:18  Mental health & defining your path10:15  Creativity12:01  The meds journey 13:50  Lucky 13 & communication16:03  Discovering her niche18:05  Exercise 19:32  Social interactions20:31  Diet, self care & sleep22:42  Women's mental health & neurodiversity24:29  Life is hard, be kind to yourself26:53  Decluttering & downsizing27:59  N.A.S.T.Links:‌ ‌ Nancie McLeodhttp://nancie.ca To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“If the Torah is to bear a message for all generations… its revelation has to be a dynamic process, a gradual unfolding that reveals its ultimate significance incrementally, only through time.”— Tamar RossThe giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai reads something like a fairy tale, and to take the story at face value requires a high level of credulity. How is it possible for an invisible, unknowable, and divine force to communicate with human beings? How are we to accept not only this narrative, but the sacred laws and teachings that derive from it?When it comes to the Torah, how do we find the core of “truth” beneath and behind the layers of subjective human interpretation — and is this “truth” still relevant in our contemporary world?This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What Would You Do?, a podcast about ethics in the modern world. Dr. Elliot Malamet speaks with Tamar Ross, Professor Emerita of Jewish Philosophy at Jerusalem's Bar-Ilan University and a leading specialist of religious feminist philosophy, about the implications of the Mount Sinai story and how we may approach it in our modern context.This rich and fascinating conversation explores the tension between Orthodox beliefs and critical theories, the malleability of meaning behind words, and the concept of non-realism.“Humans haven't begun to scratch the surface of possible modes of existence and consciousness.”— Tamar RossThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌Three assumptions that make up Professor Ross's understanding of the Mount Sinai narrative and other traditional messagesThe primary job of religious statements of “truth” — and how they shape our worldview and day-to-day practicesThree strands of thought that have helped Professor Ross build a subjectivist approach to metaphysics ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:51  Intro05:06  Tamar Ross & youthful faith12:49  3 assumptions of cumulativism17:32  Words & meaning20:30  Non-realism & cultural perspectives25:43  Metaphysics, subjectivism & Kant28:56  Kabbalah & G-d's view of human life32:00  Ludwig Wittgenstein35:27  Orthodoxy & religious fictionalism41:44  Obligation, meaning & prayer49:17  Overcoming disadvantages52:30  ConclusionLinks:‌ ‌ Expanding the Palace of Torah: Orthodoxy and Feminism by Tamar Rosshttps://www.amazon.ca/Expanding-Palace-Torah-Orthodoxy-Feminism/dp/168458051X To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“The beauty of the cyclical nature of our Hebrew calendar is that as we move through the seasons and holy days and months, we revisit universal themes each year as new people.” — BluthThis episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an episode of Sacred Time, a podcast that explores the healing art of the Hebrew calendar as it relates to our lives today. This is a replay of our Iyar episode, exploring its rituals, its agricultural origins, and the meaning we may find in it.The month of Iyar is a time of healing, development, and growth, one marked by the 49-day ritual of counting the Omer. As we record and reflect upon our journey from Passover (celebrating our freedom from slavery) to Shavuot (when we celebrate receiving the Torah), our attention is drawn to a variety of divine characteristics, including loving-kindness, beauty, acknowledgment, and foundation.The rich themes of the Hebrew calendar allow for fertile space in which to uncover new insights. We invite you to re-join us for our Iyar discussion with fresh eyes (and ears) and consider how the last 12 months may have changed your perspective… and how this new perspective may guide your actions throughout the next 12.“If you actually study earth systems, it doesn't take long to realize that we are living and breathing and speaking and talking and moving and thinking aspects of the earth… just as all living things are.”— Ganga DeviThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌The deep meaning behind Shavuot and our relationship to and with the TorahHow should we as individuals receive Torah during this sacred moment — and what should we do to prepare?The importance of achieving the mindset shift from “freedom from” to “freedom through” or “freedom to”  ‌Highlights:‌ ‌00:50  Scared Time01:20  Iyar & counting the Omer02:37  Healing & growth03:41  Agricultural rituals & offerings04:36  Acknowledging the nourishment available to us06:15  Spiritual energy07:10  What are we moving toward?09:05  What is Torah?11:16  How can we receive Torah now?15:07  The Aleph of the Ten Commandments18:53  Components of the Torah20:44  Ramadan 202123:13  Interdevotionalism24:10  “Speak to the Earth and it will guide you”30:45  Final takeaway & how to get involvedLinks:‌ ‌To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzwor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. Shalom!

“Amongst my generation and especially Gen Z, I think that there is a huge awareness around mental health.”— Kyle BeecheyThis episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What's in Your Toolbox, a podcast about mental health and the tools that we use to cope, heal, and thrive.In this episode, host Bobby K speaks with Kyle Beechey, a New York-based creative and accomplished vegan baker with an expertise in writing and in living. During this candid conversation, Kyle shares how her perfectionism complex has impacted her ability to slow down and self-nurture, how she nurtures and cherishes her amazing support team, and how she has implemented her own unique and delicious twist when it comes to vegan baking.“I am incredibly driven, to the point where I will burn myself out — actually managing my drive is something that I've had to work on.”— Kyle BeecheyThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌The new generational shift in awareness of mental health and openness in talking about it  The tools that Kyle uses to recharge after a long day in front of her laptop — and how she infuses play into her baking experienceHow the setting of New York City helps Kyle to deal with her challenges and find inspiration ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:54  Intro02:26  Meet Girl Kyle04:20  Kyle's World 05:35  Six degrees of separation06:12  The call07:39  Generational differences around mental health09:03  Perfectionism & drive10:26  Getting away from the laptop11:34  Vegan baking 12:53  Creativity, play & interaction14:30  Hours into minutes15:21  New York life17:41  K.A.S.T.20:03  How to be supportive21:44  Nurturing friendships25:18  Hobbies & passions into tools28:05  Grit & work ethics29:43  Coping with maniaLinks:‌ ‌ Kyle Beecheyhttp://www.kylebeechey.com How to Turn Nearly Any Baking Recipe Into a Vegan Baking Recipehttps://www.bonappetit.com/story/veganizing-baking-recipe-tips To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“I'm not going to say that ‘greed is good.' Greed can be made to DO good, but we've got to get the institutional designs right.”— Jason KuznickiWhen people think of freedom, they usually associate it with the idea of being able to do whatever they want… as long as their actions don't harm others. The political ideology of Libertarianism is particularly concerned with institutional restrictions on freedom, and pushes for the idea of less governmental control.But what if freedom alone isn't enough? What if some people in our society NEED government support or regulations in order to thrive?This week's episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of What Would You Do?, a podcast about ethics in the modern world.In this episode, Dr. Elliot Malamet's guest is Jason Kuznicki, a senior fellow at The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. Jason is also the editor of Cato Unbound, its online journal of debate and A Free Society, their quarterly journal of opinion.In this conversation, Elliot and Jason explore the idea of using public v. private provisions for assisting those living in poverty, the role of government in medicine and the market, and whether Libertarian psychology can be considered a little too optimistic.“I am skeptical that everybody has that sense of social responsibility… I always saw external monitoring as the necessary evil.”— Dr. Elliot MalametThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌Whether liberating some people from government interference involves abandoning others Areas where government intervention has been more harmful or problematic than the issues it sought to alleviate The risks of exploitation in a capitalist system without government oversight and regulations ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:51  Intro03:30  Jason Kuznicki & private provisions05:13  Role of government in medicine07:50  Opioid market example08:58  Libertarian psychology11:08  Exploitation & capitalism15:05  American checks of power17:33  Helping those left behind20:21  Pandethics & Covid-1924:34  Necessary evil & airline example32:00  Freedom of expression36:51  OutroLinks:‌ ‌ Technology and the End of Authority: What Is Government For? by Jason Kuznickihttps://www.amazon.ca/Technology-End-Authority-What-Government/dp/3319839950 Leave Me Alone and I'll Make You Rich: How the Bourgeois Deal Enriched the World by Deirdre Nansen McCloskey & Art Cardenhttps://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/9780226739663-item.htmlThe Future and Its Enemies: The Growing Conflict Over Creativity, Enterprise, and Progress by Virginia Postrelhttps://vpostrel.com/future-and-its-enemies To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“We are, in many ways, slaves to the grind — grind culture and being defined by our productivity.”— BluthIs the idea of “freedom” clear-cut and universal? How closely do we examine the chains that bind us — and how can the Sedar help us to gain new perspective? Slavery is not a grim chapter in our history that we can consider closed. It's an ongoing problem that still occurs today, in many parts of the world and in many industries. But even for those of us fortunate enough not to be subject to it, debates about exploitation and work-life balance are both urgent and applicable to our modern lives.Referred to as the zman cheruteinu, “the time of our freedom,” Pesach is the perfect time to reflect upon the constraints we deal with in our daily lives, whether physical, mental, or emotional — where are we “stuck,” and how can we get “unstuck”? In this special episode is dedicated to Pesach, Dr. Elliot Malamet speaks with Living Jewishly's Rabbi Rachel Rosenbluth and Rabbi Ami Silver, a teacher and psychotherapist living in Jerusalem, to explore our current understanding of freedom and where true freedom may be found in our modern lives.“Rituals ought to be transformative experiences. If we look to the Sedar as a ritual, then we can look to it as something we're designing, with a beginning and a middle and an end: we're trying to get somewhere.”— BluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How to deal with situations and mindsets that leave you feeling “stuck”The symbolism of cleaning out chametz — and the thin boundary that exists between matzo and chametzHow to approach the Haggadah in our contemporary age and what it can tell us about storytelling ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Intro02:26  Being “stuck” or “unstuck”07:26  The Sedar, pain & late-stage capitalism11:52  Chametz & absolutism14:30  Matzo & chametz symbolism16:52  The Sedar as purposeful ritual22:30  The Haggadah & storytelling26:04  When do stories start?28:07  Labelling children32:54  Asking Sedar questions38:18  Universal suffering & the inexplicable42:50  ConclusionLinks:‌ ‌ The Social Contracthttps://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/rousseau/section2/ The School of Living Jewishlyhttps://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

This passover podcast series will stir your minds and souls as we explore liberation. Enjoy this series of interviews by Bluth along with Beth Tzedec Congregation, to explore a variety of stories and expressions of Liberation in today's society. From Toronto to Harlem, Jerusalem to Pakistan  - we hear from a Jewish thinker, queer jewish musician, racial justice educator, and a Pakistani women's rights activist - to hear their liberation work, their stories and their wisdom. We gain insights into the pain and joys, the grief and celebration, the exile and bliss of existence, emergence and becoming. Soul Brew Liberation Sessions are replays from 2022.  In this session, Rabbi Bluth has a vibrant conversation with Leah Tubbs, dancer, founder of MADC, Harlem Based Modern Dance Company.  Leah is a black choreographer that grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, the birthplace of the Civil Rights movement. She shares her journey with unfreedom and freedom, her work to connect people of colour with the ancestral roots of dance, and to create spaces for black and brown bodies to be seen and heard - through dance. 

A conversation on the perversion of Honour, and its reclamation - in PakistanThis passover podcast series will stir your minds and souls as we explore liberation. Enjoy this series of interviews by Bluth along with Beth Tzedec Congregation, to explore a variety of stories and expressions of Liberation in today's society. From Toronto to Harlem, Jerusalem to Pakistan  - we hear from a Jewish thinker, queer jewish musician, racial justice educator, and a Pakistani women's rights activist - to hear their liberation work, their stories and their wisdom. We gain insights into the pain and joys, the grief and celebration, the exile and bliss of existence, emergence and becoming. Soul Brew Liberation Sessions are replays from 2022.  In this session, Rabbi Bluth interviews award winning Balochistani activist, Sufi Muslim, founder of Sughar Foundation and author, Khalida Brohi who has been fighting for nearly two decades against honour killings in tribal communities of Pakistan.

“There is such a kindness in this calendar. There is so much opportunity to truly heal, to truly shift how we relate to ourselves and our world.”— Ganga DeviAs we enter the month of Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew calendar, we enter a time of freshness, new beginnings… and bold possibility. With Nisan comes springtime, with its beautiful themes of renewal and life.As we look forward with anticipation to the possibilities ahead, we also look back on the past year and all that we have learned.This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of Sacred Time, a podcast exploring the healing art of the Hebrew calendar.In this episode, Bluth and Ganga Devi reflect on the past 12 months that have been explored on the Sacred Time podcast, honour and organise what has been, and create a container of reflection and fertile ground for what may come next.“Each moon cycle brings us through new energy, new time, and a new chapter.”— BluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌The four different moments for new beginnings in the Jewish calendar, and what sets each New Year apart The meaning and essence behind the word Seder and how we use our freedom in a way that honours that orderThe cyclical nature of our sacred time, from moons to months to life cycles — and how to remain present and conscious ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Intro01:30  Nisan03:06  New Years in Judaism  06:26  Zodiac New Year08:14  Passover Seder11:18  Sacred Time reflection13:17  Kindness in the calendar & The World to Come16:58  Sacred Time cycles19:37  Designing lives for presence21:01  Freedom & structure21:47  Year in review32:40  Time to reflect & counting the OmerLinks:‌ ‌ The World to Come by Dara Horn https://www.darahorn.com/book/the-world-to-comeDaily Omer count through art, with Ariella Powers on the LJ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/living.jewishly The Holistic Haggadah: How Will You Be Different This Seder Night by Michael Kaganhttps://ktav.com/products/the-holistic-haggadah For an excerpt, see Bluth's facebook post. School of Living Jewishlyhttps://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“There are some things that are off-limits to a legitimate religion that is supposed to have divine authority to it.”— Rabbi Eugene KornThe atmosphere during Passover is usually a blend of fun and family, but the story narrated at the Seder table contains dark overtones, as the trials and tribulations of a group in exodus are prolonged and exacerbated by their powerful G-d.  Do these plagues and plights raise questions about the morality of G-d and divine justice? To put it another way: is G-d immoral? Which aspects of G-d's behaviour should we be trying to emulate?Through reinterpreting the story of Exodus, we can uncover new relevance for our modern lives. This episode of the Living Jewishly podcasts is an instalment of What Would You Do?, a podcast about ethics in the modern world.In this episode, Dr. Elliot Malamet speaks with guest Rabbi Eugene Korn, a former Academic Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation in Israel, senior research fellow at Bet Morasha of Jerusalem's Institute for Religion and Society, and author of To Be a Holy People: Jewish Tradition and Ethical Values. This conversation explores the aspects of G-d that we should and should not strive to imitate, how the status of commandments is affected by the passage of time and cultural shifts, and the hidden lessons that the Bible may hold.“The Bible wanted us to think about the problematics of religion being in the service of immorality. It wanted us to struggle with this idea that there could be a G-d that could demand that people kill others that were innocent.”— Rabbi Eugene KornThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How the modern reader may understand, interpret, and relate to the plague on the firstborn sons of EgyptThe spiritual value that texts still hold when they require reinterpretation in order to remain palatable or relevant for modern readers How we may balance individual feelings about the morality of a religious text with the desire for a communal religious morality ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Intro02:28  Rabbi Eugene Korn, Exodus & Genesis08:00  How we divide the divine10:20  Reinterpretations for a modern world12:44  Meaning of immoral commandments17:12  Ground rules for conducting war18:39  “Comes from G-d”25:10  Pushback against religious morality35:35  OutroLinks:‌ ‌ To Be a Holy People: Jewish Tradition and Ethical Values by Rabbi Eugene Kornhttp://www.urimpublications.com/to-be-a-holy-people-jewish-tradition-and-ethical-values.html To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

This passover podcast series will stir your minds and souls as we explore liberation. Enjoy this series of interviews by Bluth along with Beth Tzedec Congregation, to explore a variety of stories and expressions of Liberation in today's society. From Toronto to Harlem, Jerusalem to Pakistan  - we hear from a Jewish thinker, queer jewish musician, racial justice educator, and a Pakistani women's rights activist - to hear their liberation work, their stories and their wisdom. We gain insights into the pain and joys, the grief and celebration, the exile and bliss of existence, emergence and becoming. Soul Brew Liberation Sessions are replays from 2022. In this session, Rabbi Bluth interviews queer Jewish/Yiddish/Ladino Singer and songwriter Aviva Chernick, teacher of voice as a tool of healing -  about emergence, voice, and passover. Min HaMeitzar Karati Yah - “From the narrows, I Call to you” - what is this calling out and what is the role of voice and vocals in liberation? 

This passover podcast series will stir your minds and souls as we explore liberation, in preparation for Passover!  Enjoy this series of interviews by Bluth along with Beth Tzedec Congregation, to explore a variety of stories and expressions of Liberation in today's society. From Toronto to Harlem, Jerusalem to Pakistan  - we hear from a Jewish thinker, queer jewish musician, racial justice educator, and a Pakistani women's rights activist - to hear their liberation work, their stories and their wisdom. We gain insights into the pain and joys, the grief and celebration, the exile and bliss of existence, emergence and becoming. Soul Brew Liberation Sessions are replays from 2022. This first conversation with Rabbi Bluth and Dr. Elliott Malamet about how Miztrayim, or Egypt manifests in our personal lives today; distraction, suffering, agency, and meaning; creating the  conditions for freedom. They explore how this relates to us stepping up against real overt and covert slavery in the global community today; how the Seder rituals are a tool for us; and how to liberate the Seder itself - making sure it is indeed different from all other nights, and all passover before it.  

“Music is beyond talking. It's a universal language that we all understand and we all feel… it can touch our souls, it can trigger a memory, it can make somebody want to move.”— Steve KovenNever underestimate the power of music.This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What's In Your Toolbox?, a podcast about mental health and the tools that we use to cope and heal. In this episode, host Bobby K sits down with his brother, Steve Koven, to talk about his journey from being diagnosed with a learning disability in childhood to earning his Master's in Composition and Music from York University.In this episode, you'll discover why Steve, a talented musician and music educator, counts music as a powerful tool in his toolbox, and how he also uses it to help heal and support those around him.“I graduated, and it was probably the best thing I've ever done in my life for developing self confidence, and understanding starting something and finishing it to the best of your ability.”— Steve KovenThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌The links between music and brain health, and Steve's artist-in-residence gig with the University Health Network How Steve became an educator even though it was the last thing he ever expected to beWhy having a trusted mentor can help you in multiple facets of your life  ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:53  Intro02:38  Meet Steve Koven03:14  Learning disability to Master's04:59  Piano & lineage06:12  Becoming an educator08:29  Music & brain health10:54  The universal healing power of music12:54  Turning hours into minutes & teaching15:06  Student challenges & the Bahamas17:37  Women's Brain Health challenge19:32  Hobbies & passions25:52  S.A.S.T.27:21  Turning passions into toolsLinks:‌ ‌ Steve Kovenhttp://www.stevekoven.com http://stevekoven.bandcamp.com https://www.facebook.com/SteveKovenTrio To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.  Shalom!

“How do we integrate in the way that we are constantly living in relationship to these sweet, high moments that we have?”— BluthHow do we integrate the experiences of Purim into our every day? And what lessons can we learn from the month of Adar II?This year, we celebrate two months of Adar, the last month of the Hebrew calendar. It is a month of laughter and joyful chaos, one that holds the infinitude of G-d in its very name. After a month of such intensity and abundance, we need effective ways to integrate our experiences — and work through our “Purim hangovers!”This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of Sacred Time, a podcast exploring the healing art of the Hebrew calendar.In this episode, Bluth and Ganga Devi explore how to better integrate delight into soft daily experiences, how to open our hearts to the immense pain and joy in the world, and the deep connections between those emotions. Bonus: this episode also contains a beautiful, healing, immersive sound journey, created with intention for this month. “In the absence of G-d being explicitly present in any particular way… the body of what is unfolding is the body of G-d, is the presence of G-d.”— Ganga DeviThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌The hidden relationship between G-d and the story of Purim How to understand and integrate intense life experiences — and how to communicate these lessons The different types of joy that are present throughout the human experience ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:51  Intro01:41  About Adar04:37  Gematria & meaning07:01  Purim & G-d09:53  Kuf11:28  Integrating intense experiences15:20  Menu of integration options17:22  Feasting & abundance19:05  Bold joys & gentle joys20:50  Witnessing grief & suffering22:51  Forrest Landry24:10  EnlivenedLab25:54  “On Joy and Sorrow”26:52  A Sound Healing Journey for AdarLinks:‌ ‌ Sefer Yetzirahhttps://www.sefaria.org/Sefer_YetzirahForrest Landryhttp://www.magic-flight.com/pub/uvsm_1/idm_foundations_01.pdf EnlivenedLab and Presence Foundationshttps://enlivenedlab.com/presence Kahlil Gibran, the Prophethttps://poets.org/poem/joy-and-sorrow A Sound Healing Journey for Adarhttps://livingjewishly.org/rosh-chodesh-adar-in-art To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“‘The good guys and the bad guys': it's a day where there's a lot of clarity and a lot of energy focused on that… We really are going to fight evil on this day and yet, at the same time, we're undoing part of our rigid perspectives.”— Ami SilverDuring Purim, we're encouraged to drink to the point of intoxication — in fact, up until we perhaps have trouble distinguishing between good and evil. What is the meaning behind this teaching, and how can we take a fresh look at it in our modern context, in which many people and clinical researchers are exploring new types of intoxicants… including psychedelics?This episode of the Living Jewishly podcasts is a special episode dedicated to exploring the holiday of Purim, its emphasis on intoxication, and whether it's time for Purim to open up to the world of psychedelics.Dr. Elliot Malamet's guests are Rabbi Rachel Rosenbluth and Rabbi Ami Silver, a psychotherapist, clinical social worker, and Director of Emergent Education for Shefa, an organization that provides integration support and opportunities for the Jewish psychedelic community to ground their experiences within Jewish tradition.This episode discusses the spiritual potential of psychedelic substances, the spiritual value of transcending rigid frames of mind and judgments, and how to integrate the lessons of Purim in the days that follow.“What happens if we had a small moment in our year where we actually released ourselves from knowing, from being caught in our heads, and analyzing the world through knowledge?”— BluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌The value of occasionally breaking free from the shackles of the mind and exploring the knowledge of the bodyThe events of Purim being the truest reception of the Torah and foundational to the way that people receive itHow different shifts in consciousness affect the ways that we approach and integrate spiritual lessons — and how to create safer experiences ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Intro03:10  Ami Silver & spiritual virtue of not-knowing07:01  Bluth & release from knowing08:42  Perspective & morality12:20  Purim as true reception of Torah14:15  Fear of bypassing15:18  Seriousness, play & transformativeness17:01  Effects of drinking v. psychedelics19:16  Set, setting & dosage22:46  Enhancing religious practice27:56  Do we play at religion?33:53  Simple ways to shift perspective37:29  Does Judaism require external infusions?42:30  PurimLinks:‌ ‌ Shefahttps://www.shefaflow.org Awakening with Rabbi Ami Silver podcasthttps://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/ss2ak-8a1ab/Awakening-with-Rabbi-Ami-Silver-Podcast To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

Love Me Two Times, BabyElliott begins by recalling how his daughter would dress up like Esther on Purim, all made up as though entering a “beauty contest.” But when you read the Megillah, the facts are far scarier. The key verb in relation to the story's central figure, Esther is that “she was taken.” And in fact, just like the Liam Neeson movie, she is taken, kidnapped, to be a sex slave. The Megillah relates that all women in Persia at that time are taken to be used sexually by the king, and then discarded, their bodies and their autonomy utterly stripped.Yossi points out that a close reading reveals that a major focus of the text is not the Jews, but rather the women. One example is Vashti, the king's wife, who is an independent woman, but is suddenly summoned by the king, who demands her presence. When she refuses, she is deposed of her crown (and executed). What ensues is what Yossi calls an “institutionalized massacre of women's rights.” And yet, Yossi continues, even though she too was taken like an object, Esther somehow makes an impression on the king. Her key moment comes after the king has not sent for her for thirty days. Mordechai urges her to approach the king, to speak up about the plight of the Jews, though ordinarily one cannot approach the king without being summoned. So Esther internalizes the fact that, as Yossi says “if I die, I am going to die speaking, not silent.”But how can she get through to a king who views her and all women as sex objects? So she invites him to not just one, but two parties. Why, asks Yossi, would she not have used the very first opportunity to beg for salvation for the Jews? Why delay matters by inviting the king to a second party? It is an attempt to get the king to see her as human, as someone outside of the bedroom.Elliott likes this reading but asks us to speculate about the end of the story and beyond, and asks: “What is the position of women in Persia after the story? Answer: Unchanged.” What Elliott calls the “nasty residue” of the story is that in the kingdom you have a systematic transfer and trafficking of women. State mechanisms are used to transport women to the palace and prepare them for sex. And nothing that happens with Esther and Mordechai will change that fact.Yossi envisions a less harsh possibility, in that Esther's advocating for her own humanity will affect the king to recognize, perhaps, the humanity of others. Yossi asserts that “one woman's voice is very powerful”, and that Esther was willing to risk everything in order to make a point about her humanness. Thus, the Megillah really is the book of Esther, where she is the centre and the heroine. Esther is a woman for our time, demanding to be seen as fully human. That would take two nights, not just one.Email us at hello@livingjewishly.org, we would love to hear from you!Be sure to follow us on Instagram  Facebook  If you like the show, please leave a review, it helps us to reach more people just like you.

“Happiness is connected to how we are with what we have in front of us.”— Rabbi Rachel RosenbluthFalling midway through Adar, Purim celebrates the saving of the Jewish people in the Persian Empire, after a genocidal plot concocted by a rogue court official is thwarted by a brave young Jewish woman named Esther. During Adar, and particularly around Purim, we are meant to “increase in joy” — but in the absence of an “instant happiness” switch, how are we to obey this call, particularly during a period marked by increased stress, worry, and grief?This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of Sacred Time, a podcast about the healing art of the Hebrew calendar. Dr. Elliot Malamet sits down with therapist Idan Lumi and Rabbi Rachel Rosenbluth to explore the Jewish perspective regarding happiness, the importance of community, why material goods won't lead to true and lasting happiness, and the power of forgiveness.“Joy is cultivated. It's not just a feeling state.”— Rabbi Rachel RosenbluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How we may cultivate joy in the face of so much grief, pain, and tragedy around the world How we create community and connection through the celebration of PurimHow to turn a painful past experience into a transformative narrative, or a “good past”Guest:Idan Lumi is an international therapist, certified in “Beyond The Mind” Israeli therapy, and trained in trauma-informed therapy, imago, Hawaiian healing modalities, and myofascial bodywork. With 15 years of experience, his facilitation weaves eastern and western modalities with contemporary psychological needs to be both profound and practical. ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro00:50  Elements of joy & cultivating joy04:58  Happiness & meaningfulness10:43  Materialism & happiness17:03  Four Questions & “having a good past”21:01  Seeing the world with fresh eyes25:45  Creating community through Purim29:07  Drinking, substances & escapism32:46  Relationship between happiness & trauma37:08  Being present in the moment of grace39:58  Collective trauma & building safer systems41:32  Gender & trauma46:45  Purim & opportunitiesLinks:‌Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. FranklThe Art of Loving by Erich FrommFour Liberating Questions HERERewriting the Self: Psychotherapy and Midrash by Mordechai RotenbergBowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. PutnamThe Wisdom of Trauma HEREThe Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya ParkerSchool of Living JewishlyTo get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌websiteFollow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTubeor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.  Shalom!

“Trying to support a child who's suffering and is going through some real difficult stuff around hospitalization and medication… that was something that was kind of outside of my toolbox.”— Craig WilsonHow do we cope when the people closest to us are struggling? Especially when we ourselves struggle to understand their challenges?This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What's In Your Toolbox?, a podcast about mental health and the tools that we use to cope and to heal. In this episode, host Bobby K speaks with Craig Wilson, a free-spirited Torontonian, avid snowboarder, and father of four daughters, about how he developed new mental health skills when one of his children was diagnosed with Bipolar I while in her late teens.Tune in to learn how Craig and his family dealt with his daughter's diagnosis, the challenges that they worked through together, and the shortcomings of the healthcare system.“My toolbox has just been learning that my daughter is everything to me, and that I'll walk over hot coals to support her.”— Craig WilsonThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌The mental health tools that Craig developed in the wake of his daughter's diagnosisThe tools that Craig's daughter uses to stay healthy and balanced What can happen when the wrong medication is prescribed — and why patience can be required  ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:52  Introduction02:32  California Kid or Canadian Craig04:03  Beaver Valley06:03  Dealing with Bipolar I08:02  Facing things outside his toolbox10:25  Tools that Craig developed13:55  His daughter's tool box16:58  Managing Tourette's 17:59  Bad days & medication20:34  Craig's toolbox22:11  Mental health systems & stigma24:29  C.A.S.T.27:54  How is she doing now?Links:‌ ‌ To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“The art of loving is hard to learn… and even harder to master.”— Dr. Elliot MalametWhen you are part of a religious community, the acts of loving and being loved can be surprisingly complex, requiring a delicate balancing act between personal freedom and external expectations, and between sexual pleasure and religious duty.  Singlehood is seen in the community as a problem to be solved — particularly for Jewish women.   From accessing the ritual of the mikvah to negotiating healthy sexuality to coping with the pain of breaking up, single Jewish women regularly navigate complicated terrain, and often without rules or rituals that are compatible with dating in modernity.  This episode is an instalment of Across the Sea, a podcast about mental health and Judaism. In this episode, Dr. Elliot Malamet invites guests Rabbi Rachel Rosenbluth and Micki Lavin-Pell to discuss dating and building healthy relationships while Jewish.  “Singleness is definitely supposed to be a temporary stage — as temporary as possible.”— Bluth  This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌✔  The possibility of “holy intimacy,” a sacred sexuality that may be experienced before marriage✔  The lessons that we can learn from break-ups & how to benefit from them going forward✔  Whether we need to develop a new Jewish sexual ethos — and what it may include   ‌Highlights:‌ ‌ 00:50  Introduction01:51  Rabbi Bluth, stereotypes & expectations04:50  Jewish law out of step with modern dating?07:52  New Jewish sexual ethos09:50  The mikvah & singlehood12:11  Intimate couples & purity laws15:36  Lessons gained from break-ups19:55  Healthy v. unhealthy relationships22:25  Is it harder to get & stay married now?25:42  Micki Lavin-Pell & internal barriers28:34  Singlehood & cultural messaging30:23  Single male stereotypes32:06  Singlehood & fear34:32  Gender discrepancies 36:19  Too fast v. too slow37:50  Healthy sexuality40:00  Setting boundaries43:05  Damaging beliefs & best advice  Links:‌ ‌The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm  https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-art-of-loving/9780061129735-item.html   We Do: Saying Yes to a Relationship of Depth, True Connection and Enduring Love by Stan Tatkin  https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/we-do-saying-yes-to/9781622038930-item.html   To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw  or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

Tu B'Shvat is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the renewal of trees in a yearly cycle. Elliott notes, the timing of the holiday on the Jewish calendar is weird, falling out in the middle of winter. If we really wanted to get into the spirit of the day, we'd send everyone out into the middle of mature, "into the wild," to experience the trees. Rabbi Yossi points out that the winter is also a cool time to think about trees, because it is when the sap starts to run. The trees are starting to come alive, on the inside, where the sap is starting to build. Really, this is symbolic of the inner growth that takes place inside of us as human beings. Yossi adds that maple syrup is an ancient food but you have to get rid of the excess foam, which is a great metaphor for what people have to do - to keep the sweet parts of ourselves and get rid of the excess. As Yossi says, "whatever your winter looks like" you have to learn to go through the dark nights and come out on the other side.Elliott also notes that educationally, Tu B'shvat should teach us to "throw out the playbook." Jewish schools could plan a trip, throw away the books for a day, and take students out into nature to experience renewal and the miracle of creation. The holiday of the trees shows us that religious education can be found as much in nature as in textbooks. Yossi says there should be "Outward Bound" program for Tu B'shvat. This holiday represents the environmental ethic of the ancient rabbis and their view of the ecosystem, exemplified in the discussion of rain in the second paragraph of the Shema prayer. God gives human stewardship over the earth and it is up to us to make sure we treat that a sacred trust. In an age of climate change, this is a powerful message.Shout out to the late great Neil Peart of Rush and his wonderful song "The Trees!"Email us at hello@livingjewishly.org, we would love to hear from you!Be sure to follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/living.jewishly/ and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/livingjewishly/If you like the show, please leave a review, it helps us to reach more people just like you.

“Real rest is the act of rejuvenating the inner person… the soul.”— Dr. Elliot MalametWhile we stay indoors during the cold, dark months, we must remember that the time of winter rest is crucial for the blossoming and ripening of spring.The month of Shvat is a period of subtle renewal, and Tu B'shvat (often referred to as the Israeli Arbor Day) celebrates our beautiful and lifegiving friends, the trees. Falling on the 15th day of Shvat, the “New Year of the Trees” may be celebrated as an agricultural holiday or a day of ecological activism — or both!During Shvat, we focus on self-nurturing. As the sap rises in the trees in preparation of bearing fruit, we take a moment to ready ourselves to embark on our own pursuits — this is part of the journey of renewal taught to us by the trees.This week's episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of Sacred Time, a podcast exploring the healing art of the Hebrew calendar. In honour of the restful nature of Shvat, we offer a taste of our new learning and community platform, the School of Living Jewishly. This episode shares an excerpt of a lesson called “Welcoming Shabbat,” from the Rest module of the Foundations course. Through this lesson, you'll learn about the importance of rest to creation, the symbolism of different customs for candle-lighting, and the meaning behind the phrase “bringing in Shabbat.” “Candle-lighting is the marker of transition — a liminal space between there and here, between the workweek and the realm of Shabbat.”— BluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How to create your own intimate and personal vessel to shape your experience of Shabbat The feminine energy and quality that underlies Shabbat — and how we forge connections with the divineThe benefits of religious rituals and what to consider when preparing for a ritual ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:51  Intro03:00  Wisdom & rest 04:16  Your vessel05:58  Beginning with fire08:03  Counting candles12:19  The Sabbath Queen15:34  “Bringing in Shabbat”19:43  Preparing for ritual23:30  OutroLinks:‌ ‌ Tu B'Shvat Manualhttps://livingjewishly.org/tu-bshvat-manual-2022 School of Living Jewishly https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Your mental health is part of your brain health.”— Jade CrystalYour brain may not be a muscle, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't work it! This week's episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What's In Your Toolbox?, a podcast about mental health and the tools that help us to cope and heal. In this episode, host Bobby K sits down with Jade Crystal, the Program Director at Brainable for the Women's Brain Health Initiative. Through the Brainable program, students in grades 5-8 are taught how to keep their brains healthy and lower their risk of developing degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.Listen now to learn more about the importance of protecting your brain as you age, and the six pillars of brain health that will help you to stay alert, healthy, and happy. You'll discover powerful tools that will benefit both your brain health and your mental health, from game nights to belly breathing to bedtime routines! This is the first episode of Season 2 of What's in Your Toolbox?. This podcast feed features a rich roster of podcasts produced by Living Jewishly — subscribe now to never miss an episode.“Being around people increases our dopamine — and dopamine is what keeps us happy.”— Jade CrystalThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌Why it's important to engage in a wide variety of physical exercises, rather than just one typeHow to set goals for achieving a healthy, brain-friendly lifestyle with the free BrainFit appHow social activity helps to develop your brain — and how to improve your mental and brain health through socializing (even if you're shy or introverted) ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:53  Intro02:35  “Work daughter” & glamping04:27  Brainable.ca05:49  Six pillars of brain health07:49  Physical activity09:45  BrainFit app11:58  Social activity13:51  Stress management16:13  Bedtime routines & afternoon naps18:04  Jade's toolbox19:19  Training older audiences20:51  Students, stigma & mental health23:27  J.A.S.T.25:36  Support Brainable27:23  Turning hobbies & passions into toolsLinks:‌ ‌ Brainablehttps://www.brainable.caMind Over Matterhttps://womensbrainhealth.org/mind-over-matter-magazine Memory Morsels recipeshttps://memorymorsels.org BrainFit apphttps://womensbrainhealth.org/brainfit No Magic Bullethttp://nomagicbullet.org To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.  Shalom!

“The way people behave from birth, the way that people grow up, is what's normal to them.”— Dr. David GreenbergCan Judaism make you sick?There are many studies that highlight the positive effects of religious life — greater contentment, a feeling of community, and a strong sense of purpose.But what about the negative effects of religion?How should we think about and deal with the guilt, shame, fear, and disordered behaviours that religion can bring up in some people?This episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of Crossing The Sea, a podcast about Judaism and mental health.This episode looks at the line between healthy piety and unhealthy pathology and features interviews with mental health experts Dr. Michelle Friedman, Dr. David Greenberg, and Dr. David H. Rosmarin.“Thinking of Judaism or frankly any type of religion or tradition as a monolithic entity that has a one-way street would be a big mistake,” says Dr. Friedman. “I've definitely seen situations where a practice of Judaism has been incredibly helpful for people, and I've certainly seen the opposite… where a family's expression of Judaism, a doctrinaire attitude or approach, can really be quite difficult.”In this episode, you'll explore the positive and negative effects of religion, how our upbringing influences our experience of mental distress, and how religion can be a healthy resource for LGBTQ+ people.“The basis of religious practice should be a source of confidence — should be a source of a positive feeling, not a negative feeling.”— Dr. David GreenbergThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌Whether religion can cause disordered thinking or only exacerbate conditions that already existHow we can separate healthy belief from pathological or delusional thinking  How spirituality can be effectively integrated into psychotherapy in clinical settings ‌Highlights:‌ ‌00:51  Can Judaism make you sick?  02:00  About Dr. Michelle Friedman02:35  Why Judaism can affect people differently05:23  OCD & religious ritual06:51  The chicken & the egg #108:59  Cultural contexts & mental disorder12:10  About Dr. David Greenberg13:19  Healthy belief v. delusional thinking 15:52  Distress & how to assess18:31  Differences of opinion on change 22:59  The chicken & the egg #229:09  About Dr. David Rosmarin31:59  Positive & negative effects 33:29  Spiritual struggles36:57  X factor & case example39:00  G-d's providence40:42  Integrating spirituality into psychotherapy44:31  LGBTQ+ community & religion49:01  RecapLinks:‌ ‌Sanity and Sanctity: Mental Health Work Among the Ultra-Orthodox in Jerusalem by David Greenberg and Eliezer Witztumhttps://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300071917/sanity-and-sanctity To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzwor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. Shalom!

“Anger can be illogical and it can cause a lot of harm. But it also can be righteous and it can be rectifying something that's wrong.”— Ganga DeviWhat is the role of anger in our lives? And what can we learn from our sense of it?This episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of Scared Time, a podcast devoted to the healing art of the Hebrew calendar.As we bid goodbye to Chanukah, we enter Tevet, the tenth month of the calendar. This is a time of cold and darkness, but one that evokes a fiery emotion. Its 10th day commemorates the onset of the siege of Jerusalem — no wonder that Tevet is associated with the sense of anger. Tevet is also connected to the story of Purim, as it is in the month of Tevet that Esther was taken to the King Achashverosh's palace to be chosen as Queen. Most of us are only aware of anger when we feel it or when others feel it toward us, but in these heightened states we are unable to reflect on and understand the wisdom and potential carried within it.Tevet offers us the rare opportunity to examine anger from a place of peace.Through drawing on Kabbalistic themes and psychological tools, we may work intentionally with anger and see it with new eyes. This episode explores anger's purpose — how it can point us to unmet needs and fuel us to make necessary changes in our lives, relationships, and social systems.“That is what Tevet gives us to work with. It's understanding: what is anger? What does it mean to play with the fire of anger?”— BluthThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌How anger can be used as a tool to create positive and necessary changeComparisons between ecological fire and the fire of anger, and how each plays a role in stripping away what no longer serves How to differentiate between the needs and the strategies connected with our angerHighlights:‌01:30  Welcome to Tevet02:58  Purim & The Book of Esther03:53  Chanukah & Purim06:39  Tevet & anger08:04  Comparison between anger & fire10:46  Emotions as data points12:10  Regenerative anger & trauma15:13  Empathic communication & reframing19:58  Our needs v. our strategies 24:45  The Language of Emotions26:51   Ganga Devi's story31:41  The Work That Reconnects33:10  Tools within & without us37:31  Cultivating integrityLinks:‌Marshall Rosenberghttps://www.nonviolentcommunication.comAlexandra Paretta, Tantra practitionerhttps://www.wovenyin.comKarla McLaren, The Language of Emotionshttps://karlamclaren.com/product/the-language-of-emotions-book https://karlamclaren.com/understanding-and-befriending-angerJoanna Macy, The Work That Reconnectshttps://www.joannamacy.net/mainTo get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.orgVisit our learning community: https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.comFollow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzwor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org

“There are friends for a season, friends for a reason, and friends for life… I had to let a lot of stuff go.”— Paul RichardsonSometimes you need to fake it till you make it — even when it comes to self care. Often, practice is required in order to receive the full benefits of your mental health tools.This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What's in Your Toolbox?, a podcast about mental health and the tools that help us to heal and cope. In this episode, host Bobby K sits down with wealth manager Paul Richardson to talk about his mental health journey, including his time at the Homewood Health Centre and what it taught him. Tune in for a conversation about identifying mental health struggles, putting the work into meditation and mindfulness, the benefits of vision boards, and the difference between freestyle skiing and racing.This episode marks the end of the first year of What's in Your Toolbox?, and we thank you for listening! Subscribe now to never miss an episode of Living Jewishly's rich roster of podcasts.“Before I went to the Homewood, I would get really, really uptight and angry. I wasn't fully aware of the degree of anger and tension I was suffering, because I didn't know any different.”— Paul RichardsonThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌How identifying his primary triggers helped Paul to gain control over his anger and tension  How Paul rebuilt his self-identity after leaving the Homewood Health Centre — and the mindset skills that help him copeHow Paul engages with his support network in order to create balance in his life ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:53  Intro02:38  Meet Paul Richardson04:41  Skiing05:41  Entering Homewood08:20  Triggers10:45  Rebuilding after Homewood13:22  Becoming friends with meditation & mindfulness14:47  Paul's toolbox17:34  Sports car19:40  Diving20:43  P.A.S.T.23:35  Vision boards25:21  Peter27:57  Final thoughtsLinks:‌ ‌ No Magic Bullethttp://www.nomagicbullet.org Homewoodhttps://homewoodhealth.com/health-centre To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Happy journeying and happy Chanukah!”— Bluth, Jessie and the whole Living Jewishly TeamThis episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is a special Chanukah meditation brought to you by the School of Living Jewishly. Join us this Chanukah for eight candle meditations dedicated to supporting the kindling of light and honouring the flame, while celebrating home, hope, and ordinary heroes.Meditation by: Jessie DukeKalimba music by: Jessie Duke This‌ ‌week's ‘Zot Chanukah - Celebration' candle focuses on acknowledging and celebrating the beautiful gifts that Chanukah has given you this year — the magical light and energy that you've cultivated and harnessed over the past eight days. To find the Living Jewishly Chanukah Guide along with accompanying journal questions and teachings, check out: https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com/chanukah-guideFor more Living Jewishly information and resources, visit the School of Living Jewishly. And remember to subscribe to find more candle meditations through the Living Jewishly Podcasts feed — and remember to subscribe. We wish you a joyful Chanukah! ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro00:32  CandleLinks:‌ ‌ The School of Living Jewishly:https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!

“Happy journeying and happy Chanukah!”— Bluth, Jessie and the whole Living Jewishly TeamThis episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is a special Chanukah meditation brought to you by the School of Living Jewishly. Join us this Chanukah for eight candle meditations dedicated to supporting the kindling of light and honouring the flame, while celebrating home, hope, and ordinary heroes.Meditation by: Jessie DukeKalimba music by: Jessie Duke This‌ ‌week's ‘Chag Habanot & Ordinary Heroes Meditation' candle focuses on recognizing and honouring ‌the idea of ordinary heroes — those who inspire us in our everyday lives. To find the Living Jewishly Chanukah Guide along with accompanying journal questions and teachings, check out: https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com/chanukah-guideFor more Living Jewishly information and resources, visit the School of Living Jewishly. And remember to subscribe to find more candle meditations through the Living Jewishly Podcasts feed — and remember to subscribe. We wish you a joyful Chanukah! ‌  Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro00:32  CandleLinks:‌ ‌ The School of Living Jewishly:https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.com To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.    Shalom!