Podcasts about American Jewish World Service

GRADY MILLER is Chief Marketing Officer of NRG, National Research Group, after serving as head of consumer insights for Apple TV+ where he established and built the group responsible for leveraging consumer insights across the streaming subscription service. Previously, he was VP of strategy at NRG after working in production at Sony Pictures Entertainment and at research agency Penn Schoen Berland. Also, he has served on the board of Los Angeles World Affairs Council and the American Jewish World Service. Host Jason E. Squire is Editor of The Movie Business Book and Professor Emeritus, USC School of Cinematic Arts.Music: “The Day it All Began and it All Ended” by Pawel Feszczuk (License: CC by 4.0). 

Human rights are born out of the belief that every individual is equal and deserving of life, dignity, respect, and freedom. States must then deliver on those obligations. But through nominations, harmful policy, and mass confusion, the returning administration has a broad ability to dissolve human rights. Rori Kramer, Director of U.S. Advocacy at the American Jewish World Service, sits down to talk with us about the foundations of human rights and what we can expect from the coming administration.Human rights were codified via the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with the U.S. as an early champion. When these rights were established, they were indivisible and applied to all humans equally. At present, in some countries, authoritarian governments seek to criminalize democracy and the exercise of human rights. Some of these states are feeling empowered by the U.S. and its direction-- especially as the U.S. plays in outsized role in international human rights standards. In the first Trump administration, the Geneva Consensus Declaration and Commission on Unalienable Rights were used to shift and mold the framework of what human rights really are; those may return.Support the showFollow Us on Social: Twitter: @rePROsFightBack Instagram: @reprosfbFacebook: rePROs Fight Back Bluesky: @reprosfightback.bsky.social Email us: jennie@reprosfightback.comRate and Review on Apple PodcastThanks for listening & keep fighting back!

Good People Fund (un)conference keynote speaker Ruth Messinger is a prominent social change advocate, and former President and current Global Ambassador of the American Jewish World Service. In this special pre-(un)conference episode, Ruth speaks about the Jewish and moral imperative to repair the world … the challenges facing visionary leaders … and what she's planning … Continue reading (un)conference Preview! Repairing a Challenged World, with Ruth Messinger →

The International Declaration of Human Rights is a blueprint for compassionate, egalitarian, democratic societies, says the president and CEO of American Jewish World Service, including this: “Article 24 is the right to a vacation. There are some amazing things in here.” Sure, but where's its Second Amendment? Produced with the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. Music: Kevin Nathaniel Hylton, Salieu Suso

TODAY'S GUEST Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie is an Israeli-born, Jewish educator, writer, and performance artist. He's the creator of Storahtelling, Inc. and the founding spiritual leader of Lab/Shul in NYC, an artist-driven, everybody friendly, God-optional, pop-up experimental community for sacred Jewish gatherings. Amichai is a member of the Global Justice Fellowship of the American Jewish World Service, a founding member of the Jewish Emergent Network, serves on the Leadership Council of the New York Jewish Agenda, the Advisory Council of the International School for Peace - a Refugee Support Project in Greece, a member of the Advisory Council for the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and is a faculty member of the Reboot Network. Through all his endeavors, he brings a creative, inclusive, and vital energy to Jewish practice and Jewish life.     EPISODE SUMMARY In this conversation we talk about: How the Jewish concept of the set table served both as a happy early memory, and as an organizing principle for his later work. How Covid 19 made rituals and online communities more important than ever. His orthodox roots as the scion of an ancient and respected rabbinical dynasty, and his journey of self discovery through theater, drag, and art. His creation of storytelling, a way to bring to life the ancient ritual of the reading of the Torah, and the Maven Method he developed to spread the practice further. The emergence of Lab/Shul and the community around it. The power of spiritual design and a well-designed practice in transforming our lives and our communities for the better. We also discuss: How is religion used as a tool in the service of humanity? What happens if you bring scripture to the 21st century as a performance? Why is the tribal wisdom of small circles within a bigger circle so important? I've long believed that one of the most promising avenues to apply design skills and creativity to is in designing communities, social rituals, and spiritual practice that suits the modern world. And, as such, there's no one I can think of that exemplifies this better than Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie. I think this conversation, which is full of wisdom and fun, is a great introduction to exactly the type of spiritual design we need to see more of. So let's jump right in with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.   TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS [3:52] Life During Covid [10:17] The Wisdom of the Set Table [22:31] The Birth of Storahtelling [29:55] A Paradigm Shift from Patriarchy [38:25] Rebirth of the Translator [54:34] The Design of Lab/Shul [1:00:19] Design Thinking and Virtual Practice [1:11:54] Individualism vs Collectivism [1:19:36] The Significance of the Tree   EPISODE LINKS Amichai's Links

As Senior Core Faculty at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS), Rabbi Sam Feinsmith directs the Clergy Leadership Program and serves on the faculty of Yesod: Foundations for Deepening Jewish Mindfulness Meditation. He is passionate about practicing and teaching Jewishly-grounded mindfulness meditation and teaching Hasidic text through a mindfulness lens, making these texts accessible to spiritual seekers who don't have the knowledge or skill to access them on their own. Before joining the faculty of IJS in 2016, he taught Judaic Studies at Chicagoland Jewish High School, Illinois, and the Heschel School in New York, where he spearheaded initiatives to foster teen spirituality and mindfulness as foundations for lifelong thriving and love of Jewish learning.He is a co-founder of Orot: Center for New Jewish Learning, a hub for contemplative Jewish learning and living. Committed to wedding inner work with the work of tikkun olam, he served as a Kol Tzedek Fellow for American Jewish World Service, volunteering in Cambodia with their Volunteer Corps. In Part Two of this powerful interview, Rabbi Sam talks about the differences between Mindfulness and Meditation ( and where they overlap, he outlines a framework for a powerful blessing practice, and he shares more of the work that the Institute for Jewish Spirituality is doing.In this final part of the Interview, we explore the differences between mindfulness and meditation, a beautiful blessing practice, and learn more about the IJS and the work they are doing. Definitely check them out if you are wanting to deepen your spiritual practice.For more information on the work Rabbi Sam is doing at the IJS go to https://www.jewishspirituality.org/For more info and other episodes of The Holy Sparks Podcast go tohttp://holysparks.tv/To Become a Patron or sponsor an episode of the show go to www.patreon.com/saulkayeplease subscribe to the channel and drop a reviewThank you for Listeningand a huge thank you to our sponsorJLTV go towww.jltv.tvfor stories that inspire

Link to Shavuot prompt.  If you've created something during this time you'd like to share with us we'd love to see it! You can send an email to Joey at joey@commongood.cc. The Common Good podcast is a conversation about the significance of place, eliminating economic isolation and the structure of belonging.  Your host is Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp. In this episode, Joey Taylor and Miriam speak with Rabbi Adina Allen.Rabbi Adina Allen is a spiritual leader, writer and educator who believes in the power of our inherent creativity. Adina is co-founder and Creative Director of Jewish Studio Project (JSP), a national organization that cultivates creativity as a practice for spiritual connection and social transformation. JSP builds resilience and empathy, activates prophetic imagination, and inspires new approaches to society's most pressing problems through the synergy of Jewish learning and creative practice. Adina developed JSP's core methodology — the Jewish Studio Process — which is used by clergy, educators, activists, artists and lay leaders in hundreds of Jewish communal institutions across the country. Her writing is widely published and can be found at www.adina-allen.com.Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp serves as the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom in Cincinnati, Ohio. Temple Sholom sets itself apart through dynamic, mission-driven initiatives. Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp, a native of Seattle and previous to joining Temple Sholom, she served as chaplain and at the Los Angeles County Men's jail, the Los Angeles Home for the Aging, as a rabbinic fellow at Temple De Hirch Sinai in Seattle and a national Kol Tzedek fellow for American Jewish World Service. Rabbi Terlinchamp serves as the Immediate Past President of The Amos Project, the largest faith-based organizing body in Ohio with 55 Cincinnati-area congregations. She serves on the national clergy organizing board and the Large Grant Commission of Faith in Action. She is a Rabbis Without Borders Fellow and part of the CLAL Spiritual Entrepreneur 2017 cohort incubator, a collaborative partnership between CLAL and the Columbia Business School. Rabbi Terlinchamp received her Masters degree in Hebrew Letters in 2008, was ordained as a rabbi in 2010 at HUC-JIR, Los Angeles, received BA in Philosophy of Religion and Studio Art from Scripps College in Claremont, CA and received additional studio art training at the London Slade School of Art. Rabbi Terlinchamp is a poet, an artist and a mother to two fabulous daughters, Sienna and Magnolia.This episode was produced by Joey Taylor and the music is from Jeff Gorman. You can find more information about the Common Good Collective here. Common Good Podcast is a production of Bespoken Live & Common Change - Eliminating Personal Economic Isolation. 

The Common Good podcast is a conversation about the significance of place, eliminating economic isolation and the structure of belonging.  Your host is Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp. In this episode, Joey Taylor and I speak with Reverend Ben McBride. Ben is a native of San Francisco, spiritual leader and longtime activist for peace and justice in the Bay Area. In 2008, he relocated his family to a difficult neighborhood in Oakland called the “Kill Zone” to understand and respond to the epidemic of gun violence, firsthand. During this tenure, he was an instrumental leader of relaunching Oakland's first successful iteration of Operation Ceasefire, a data-driven, violence reduction strategy, contributing heavily to a 50% reduction in homicides over five years. In 2014 Ben launched Empower Initiative to support bridging and belonging work across the country. Ben is an expert at fostering belonging and serves as a national leader around reconstructing public safety systems and gun violence prevention work, including a background of training over 100 law enforcement departments and executives. Ben joined PICO California, the largest grassroots community organization in the state, representing 450,000 people across 73 cities, in 2015 and serves as the Co-Director. Ben founded the Bring the HEAT campaign, a peacemaking initiative to address police violence, and serves as the Co-Chair of California's Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board focusing on ending racial profiling in California. Ben was featured in the Sundance Film Festival Award winning film, THE FORCE, focusing on his peacemaking work. Ben is also an experienced trainer around equity, diversity and inclusion; working with companies and values based organizations across the country. Ben and his wife Gynelle have been married for 20 years and have 3 amazing daughters. They reside in Oakland, CA.Ben's new book (coming out in October) is Troubling the Water: The Urgent Work of Radical Belonging.Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp serves as the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom in Cincinnati, Ohio. Temple Sholom sets itself apart through dynamic, mission-driven initiatives. Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp, a native of Seattle and previous to joining Temple Sholom, she served as chaplain and at the Los Angeles County Men's jail, the Los Angeles Home for the Aging, as a rabbinic fellow at Temple De Hirch Sinai in Seattle and a national Kol Tzedek fellow for American Jewish World Service. Rabbi Terlinchamp serves as the Immediate Past President of The Amos Project, the largest faith-based organizing body in Ohio with 55 Cincinnati-area congregations. She serves on the national clergy organizing board and the Large Grant Commission of Faith in Action. She is a Rabbis Without Borders Fellow and part of the CLAL Spiritual Entrepreneur 2017 cohort incubator, a collaborative partnership between CLAL and the Columbia Business School. Rabbi Terlinchamp received her Masters degree in Hebrew Letters in 2008, was ordained as a rabbi in 2010 at HUC-JIR, Los Angeles, received BA in Philosophy of Religion and Studio Art from Scripps College in Claremont, CA and received additional studio art training at the London Slade School of Art. Rabbi Terlinchamp is a poet, an artist and a mother to two fabulous daughters, Sienna and Magnolia.This episode was produced by Joey Taylor and the music is from Jeff Gorman. You can find more information about the Common Good Collective here. Common Good Podcast is a production of Bespoken Live & Common Change - Eliminating Personal Economic Isolation. 

From the pandemic to racial tensions, and from political dysfunction to war — the term “global grief” has emerged. What is it, and how can we as individuals and communities process the world around us … and find practical and spiritual grounding? Ruth Messinger, former president and CEO of the American Jewish World Service, and […] The post Global Grief: Rabbi Menachem Creditor and Ruth Messinger appeared first on Plaza Jewish Community Chapel.

On this week's 51%, we speak with Gayatri Patel of the Women's Refugee Commission about how the U.S. can better promote gender equality in its response to humanitarian crises. Also, Dr. Sharon Ufberg speaks with Karyn Gerson of Project Kesher about the organization's efforts to support women impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Guests: Gayatri Patel, vice president of external relations at the Women's Refugee Commission; Karyn Gerson, CEO of Project Kesher; Michelle Rosales, NYS Office of General Services 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. Follow Along You're listening to 51%, a WAMC production dedicated to women's issues and experiences. Thanks for tuning in, I'm Jesse King. Last week, we highlighted the joy and empowerment that can come through traveling, and it's a wonderful thing – but I think it's important to remember that there's a certain privilege inherent in traveling for pleasure, rather than by necessity. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 82.4 million people worldwide were displaced from their homes at the end of 2020 as a result of persecution, conflict, and violence, resulting in nearly 26.4 million refugees. The struggles faced by refugees have lately been highlighted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which according to the U.N., has forced more than 2 million people – most of them women and children -- to flee their homes and seek shelter in neighboring countries. That's the estimate so far – as of this taping, Russian forces continue to push toward the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Our main guest today is part of a nongovernmental organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and children refugees. Gayatri Patel is the vice president of external relations for the Women's Refugee Commission, which also works to promote gender equality across the ways we respond to humanitarian crises. Patel notes the issue in eastern Europe right now, unfortunately, is nothing new – the Commission has been particularly monitoring the fallout in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal last year.  "A lot of what we do is bring the messages of what is happening on the ground to U.S. government policymakers or to other policymakers. So when the U.S. started moving out of Afghanistan, around, unfortunately, the same time that the Taliban started taking over, and when Kabul fell, there was a real strong concern about the safety and wellbeing of women in Afghanistan – particularly those who had been active in the government, active human rights defenders," she explains. "So part of what I was doing, along with a network of women who were similarly concerned, was really trying to make sure that particularly targeted women were brought to the attention of U.S. policymakers in Congress, with the administration, so that they could be prioritized for evacuation. There were a number of people who were helping women get out, but there are, of course, a number of women who were not able to get out. So our ongoing efforts through WRC and through some of our coalitions and networks was really to continue pushing on the U.S. government to make sure that those women who remained in Afghanistan, that their needs were met, that they were kept safe to the extent possible, and that they were prioritized for pathways out of Afghanistan if they chose to leave – or, you know, if they chose to stay in Afghanistan, that they were protected, and that their rights were protected." What issues do women and children refugees particularly face, compared to men? That's a really good question, and one that unfortunately doesn't get asked enough. I mean, women and girls often have really unique considerations in crises like what's happening in Ukraine and Afghanistan and in Ethiopia, Burma, etc. The biggest concerns are really related to their health and safety. So for instance, there's an increased risk of gender-based violence, such as rape, or intimate partner violence, or child marriage. For instance, one fact that really strikes me is that, according to the UN, an estimated 70 percent of women experience some form of gender-based violence during an emergency, which is huge, huge if you think about it. Women and girls also have unique health-related concerns during an emergency: they need access to contraception, they need maternal health care, and other sexual and reproductive health care. They have nutritional needs that are unique and different. You know, that's something that we're right now, for instance, in Ukraine, really grappling with. According, again, to the UN Population Fund, 265,000 women were pregnant in Ukraine at the beginning of this current conflict, and they're estimating another 80,000, will give birth in the coming three months. And I think with the enormity of the situation, it's very easy to lose sight of the fact that these women still need health care – they're going to give birth. And so, you know, we need to make sure that there are services there that are available for them. Nutrition right now in Afghanistan – over half of Afghan children under five years old are acutely malnourished, and they're expecting 10 maternal deaths a day. These are all issues that are unique to women and girls and children in these crises. And I think one thing that's also very easy to lose sight of is that women and girls in humanitarian settings are diverse, and they experience crises differently. So, for example, women with disabilities face higher rates of gender-based violence. But because of negative or hostile attitudes, or inaccessible buildings or lack of information, they often don't get the critical care that they need. So making sure that not only are their humanitarian responses tailored to the unique needs of women and girls, but that those responses also include age, gender, other diversity factors, such as disability or being in part of an ethnic minority – those are also really critical to keep in mind. There's so many things that are involved here, at stake here. And it's really important to note that despite all of this, women and girls are largely excluded from decision making and leadership when it comes to defining their needs and the responses that will help them. And of course, this really creates gaps in responding effectively, but also really discounts that women are often on the frontlines of humanitarian response. They're often the ones who are providing the medical care, or supporting their community members, are building shelters, or are cooking the food and feeding people. And so it's so important to have them be part of the humanitarian response and part of that decision making – but they're often left out. And so that's a bigger picture thing that we really need to address as a humanitarian community. That actually does go into one of my next questions. How can we better amplify the needs of women refugees, who are the ones facing these issues, and ensure that women are in the room for major decision making and planning? Yeah, it's so simple and basic, but just recognizing [that] they want to be heard. You know, in Afghanistan, a lot of what we have done – we meaning the United States has done – in the past 20 years is build institutions and build these structures [where] African women and girls are able to go to school, are able to be part of the political structures, are able to be business leaders. They had a voice. And now we are in a stage where, you know, they need humanitarian assistance, and we're not listening to them. So we have to make it a priority to ourselves, listen to them, and make sure that they have opportunities to be heard. So, for instance, whenever there's a peace building negotiation, women should absolutely be at the table. And it's the responsibility of the U.S. government, other governments, other donors and actors who are in the room, to bring them in and make sure that they're there, and that they're heard. I think we also need to make sure that resources are available. I don't know if you heard recently about this announcement of the U.S. government requesting $2.6 billion for gender equality, and I just want to say, this is fantastic. This is the kind of commitment of resources that we need. It's historic, and certainly reflects why advocacy is so important, because we've been pushing for years for that kind of strong commitment to gender equality. That's the kind of commitment and show of political will that we need when it comes to really helping make a difference on the ground. I was gonna ask, how do you feel the U.S. ranks in its response to humanitarian crises? I think you've touched on a couple ways already in which we can improve. But are there ways that you think we get it right? Or are there ways that you think we've still got a long way to go? I think there are a lot of great things that the U.S. government does in humanitarian crises. I mean, the U.S. is the most generous humanitarian donor that's out there. I think that humanitarian assistance, and that leadership role that the U.S. plays, really needs to reflect some of these gender concerns – and in some ways they do. I mean, there's specific programming to address gender-based violence and emergencies, there's support for organizations that provide sexual and reproductive health care and emergencies from the U.S., there's support for building the capacity of humanitarian responders to see gender concerns as they're designing humanitarian responses. And so I think all of those things are good, and need to be built on – because it's a practical function, but it's also a leadership function. The U.S. plays a really critical role in bringing others on board with this idea that humanitarian response needs to have a strong gender lens to it. Lastly, is there anything that the commission is particularly looking at right now, when it comes to the war in Ukraine? Yes, we're really concerned about some of the protection concerns, in particular. Women and girls are, largely, they're the ones who are coming across the borders into neighboring countries. A lot of unaccompanied children are in that mix as well. And so really, we're looking hard to make sure that as they get to safety in those neighboring countries, [that] they have the resources, that they have the protection that they need from gender-based violence, human trafficking, etc, that the unaccompanied children have the child protection services that they need, so that they're not abused, exploited, etc. And a lot of what we've seen is that organizations who are on the ground responding to the humanitarian crisis are really looking at things like cash assistance, which is something that the WRC has really kind of built an evidence base around. Not just cash for meeting immediate needs, but cash as a means of protecting against gender-based violence, or a means of being able to leave abusive relationships, or being able to meet one's own needs rather than being dependent on others to do so in a way that could be exploited. So those are some of the things that we're looking at. We're also really keenly concerned about the maternal health, and the sexual and reproductive health in general of women and girls who are leaving Ukraine. Like I mentioned before, there's the need for maternal health care, but also the need for contraception, and dignity kits, and hygiene, including menstrual hygiene management and commodities like that. So these are all pieces that we're trying to bring together and work with advocates on the hill and with the administration and with partners who are on the ground, to make sure are really part of the mix. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. That was all the questions that I had for you, but is there anything that I'm missing that you'd like me to know, or that you'd like our listeners to know? I think just one last point that I'd leave you with. There's so much needed emphasis on Ukraine, and so much needed emphasis on Afghanistan – but let's please not forget the women and girls and other vulnerable and marginalized groups that are in humanitarian crises around the world. I believe we've largely lost sight of what's happening in Ethiopia or in Myanmar, or the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Burkina Faso. There's so many places where there is a humanitarian situation still going on. And the women and girls in those situations deserve our attention and our support. That was Gayatri Patel, vice president of external relations for the Women's Refugee Commission. You can learn more about the Commission and its work at womensrefugeecommission.org.  Now, the war in Ukraine has prompted many in the U.S. to look into how they can personally aid Ukrainians from afar. If you're among them, it's important to know the best ways to go about it, and our next guest can certainly speak to that. Karyn Gerson is the CEO of Project Kesher, a network of Jewish women leaders and roughly 200 nonprofits working to empower women and promote tolerance in countries including Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, and Russia. From the project's offices in New York, Gerson has been trying to connect with her contacts across Europe in order to provide direct aid to women on the ground in Ukraine. It's an ongoing situation that is constantly changing, but she recently provided an update to Dr. Sharon Ufberg, co-founder of the California-based personal development and wellness company, Borrowed Wisdom, for her 51% segment “Force of Nature.”  "On a daily basis, I talk to women in the region. And frankly, every conversation starts in tears. I don't think that anyone really could have imagined how quickly and how aggressively this war would progress. And as a result, I think most people are really just in shock," says Gerson. Ufberg: What are the women telling you? Are most of them wanting to flee? Are most of them wanting to stay? How are they responding? Gerson: I think if you had asked me a few years ago, because my specialty is the Jewish community, I think that I would have expected many people just to leave the country. But now there's a much higher sense of patriotism than I've heard in the past. I think the last few revolutions in the country have really given Ukrainians a sense of ownership of their country, and a sense that the possibility of becoming more free and more European was really not too far out of their grasp. So increasingly, I'm hearing from women that they would really like to stay in their country. But everything depends on what's going on. One of my top leaders had said that she would not be leaving her town or her house until the tank rolled up to the door. Well, this week it did. And so now she's on the road, and she's moving west. And so I think this is a constant shifting situation. Ufberg: And how is Project Kesher responding to this ever-changing situation? What do you see? What are you doing? Gerson: So Project Kesher is in every oblast, every state across Ukraine. And so normally, we would really be very active and volunteer in each of these areas – but right now, everybody is in motion, and everybody is shifting. And so as I was laying out, we talk to each woman, and we try to find out their plan of action. Are they saying, are they moving? Are they leaving the country? Or are they potentially going to Israel? And after that, we are trying to get small grants into their hands. This is a very poor country. Women are unlikely to have a bank account, a credit card. If they have a debit card right now, it's not that easy to get money on the debit card. And so we're trying very hard to teach women how to download apps onto their phone, and to get money for them through things like Pay Pal. The goal is to basically give them enough peace of mind to make the journey wherever they need to go to have some shelter, to get some food, and then to really make sure we pass them off safely to the next organization that will either help them in western Ukraine or help them as they begin their journey to be a refugee. Our plans are to stay primarily focused on the women in Ukraine, where we have the most ability to have an impact. We're going to leave the refugee work to organizations like HIAS and the GDC and several others. And then because, again, we do work in the Jewish community, we will be working with a group in Israel to help on the intake of the new refugees there. Ufberg: Are you finding that these 200 women's groups are rallying around helping one another? Are people feeling isolated, or is the Project Kesher community responding there and helping one another? Gerson: Well, you really can't talk about groups at this time at all. Everybody is really trying to make the best decision for their family. I'm really working right now mostly with individual women, many of whom I've known for more than 20 years. And I can picture each one of them. And some of the things that we're doing, for instance, is we had one bank account in Ukraine – the city where that was located is getting increasingly under a military assault. So on one given day, we opened eight new bank accounts, you know, seated each one with $10, to see if the wire transfers would go through. And then the next day had women go into the bank to see if they could get the money out. And so now we have bank accounts across the country that today are working. Whether they will work tomorrow or the week after, we don't know. But we're trying to stay incredibly flexible, so that as we see things unfold and the needs start to present themselves, we are in a position to use the money that has been entrusted to us to be as flexible and responsible to the women as possible. In the first few days, I thought, “Well, what can we send?” And what I've learned from the wonderful Ruth Messenger, who was the head of American Jewish World Service, one of the leading relief organizations in the world, is don't send anything. And the reason is that the roads in that region are congested, the ability to unpack and distribute materials is very, very complicated, and really almost impossible to achieve. And also these economies in like Moldova, and Romania – to the extent we send resources, we send money to the expert organizations on the ground, they will be able to make purchases that will also stimulate those economies, because these are countries that are taking in refugees. And by saying to them that we will make these purchases through their countries, we're saying that we really appreciate that you've taken all these refugees in. One of the other things Ruth has taught me in the last few days is that if we send too much product into a country, the country will start to put taxes tariffs in place, and start to make it expensive for the nonprofits to accept these overseas packages. So I would encourage everybody who is trying to be really caring and compassionate, that if they can send money – do not send things. I would also say [we need] to realize this is going to be a long haul, that we are not going to resolve this issue quickly. These are going to be refugees for quite a long time, and Europe is going to have a heck of a time absorbing this number of people. And then there are going to be people, we hope, that when Ukraine is secured and peaceful, will choose to return home, and then the rebuilding will be a very major expense as well. So if this is a region of the world and a people you care about, be prepared to be involved in this process for many years to come. Ufberg: Thank you. Karyn, can you give us some information how listeners could find you to learn more? Gerson: So Project Kesher can be found on the Internet at www.projectkesher.org. I'm reticent to talk about too many organizations – there's quite a few great ones, but I'll just mention one, and that would be Afya. They are doing medical supply transports to the region. And if you are interested in helping to get medical supplies over, they have expert experience doing so. Again, if you just start packaging up things, it's not going to get where it needs to be. But if you work with an expert in global relief and crisis situations, then you know your monies are going to be well spent. We're going to change gears somewhat now to recognize Women's History Month. Cities, businesses, and museums across the country are celebrating women in a myriad of ways, and throughout the month of March, I'd like to take some time to learn about the prominent women in our past and present. We'll start with the annual Women's History Month exhibit on view at the New York State Capitol. You can find it in the governor's reception room, or “war room,” on the second floor. The war room has this intricate ceiling mural depicting some of the state's heroes amid a slew of battle scenes, both real and mythical, but for the rest of this month, it's women's faces and stories that take front and center. This year's “First and Foremost” exhibit features 20 New York women who either made history by being the “first” to break down certain barriers for women, or who rose to prominence as the foremost expert in their chosen field. "It's really hard to pare it down, honestly," says Michelle Rosales, a spokesperson for the state Office of General Services, which assembled the exhibit. "We have so many great historic women, and doing the research, we always end up having some for next year or the following year, you know?" As you check out the various panels you'll catch some familiar faces – Governor Kathy Hochul, State Attorney General Letitia James, the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sojourner Truth – but you'll likely notice some new names as well.  "Here we have Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias," Rosales motions. "She lived and worked in both New York and Puerto Rico. She worked a pediatrician, and while she was doing that, she became aware of ways social and economic equality affected one's access to healthcare. So she spent the rest of her career educating and advocating for healthcare accessibility and women's reproductive rights." Rosales says one of her favorite women featured is Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress, who represented New York's 12th District in Brooklyn from 1969 to 1983. Chisholm was born to immigrant parents on November 30, 1924, and she initially sought a career as a nursery teacher, getting her masters in early childhood education from Columbia University. But she was also a vocal activist, and became the second Black representative in the New York Legislature – behind Edward A. Johnson – before ultimately running for Congress. As a Congresswoman, Chisholm helped expand the food stamp program, advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment, and spoke out against the Vietnam War. In 1972, she took things a step further by running for president, becoming the first woman and African American to seek the Democratic Party nomination for the role.  "And she has a quote that I like, personally: 'If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring in a folding chair,'" adds Rosales. "I just love that, because it's powerful, and it's taking charge and making changes." At the exhibit, you'll find some campaign buttons from Chisholm's presidential run, as well as some White House invitations from Eleanor Roosevelt and a record by Native American musician Joanne Shenandoah, who died last fall at the age of 64. "She's a Grammy Award-winning artist born in Syracuse, New York, and a member of the Wolf Clan Oneida Nation. She used her heritage for her activism, so it went beyond music — she was on the task force on American and Alaskan Native Children Exposed to Violence for the U.S. Department of Justice during President Obama's administration," Rosales notes. "I want people to walk away from this exhibit feeling empowered, inspired. I have three daughters of my own, and not just for the women looking at this exhibit, but also for anyone coming here — I want them to feel like you can make change. You can look at the history and what these people have done in their various fields of study, and know that it's OK to ask questions. It's OK to push boundaries and call for equality and just make it fair." The First & Foremost exhibit is open to the public through March, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the governor's reception room in the New York State Capitol. If that's too much of a trek for you, no worries, you can also catch it online. 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

On this week's 51%, we speak with Gayatri Patel of the Women's Refugee Commission about how the U.S. can better promote gender equality in its response to humanitarian crises. Also, Dr. Sharon Ufberg speaks with Karyn Gerson of Project Kesher about the organization's efforts to support women impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Guests: Gayatri Patel, vice president of external relations at the Women's Refugee Commission; Karyn Gerson, CEO of Project Kesher; Michelle Rosales, NYS Office of General Services 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. Follow Along You're listening to 51%, a WAMC production dedicated to women's issues and experiences. Thanks for tuning in, I'm Jesse King. Last week, we highlighted the joy and empowerment that can come through traveling, and it's a wonderful thing – but I think it's important to remember that there's a certain privilege inherent in traveling for pleasure, rather than by necessity. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 82.4 million people worldwide were displaced from their homes at the end of 2020 as a result of persecution, conflict, and violence, resulting in nearly 26.4 million refugees. The struggles faced by refugees have lately been highlighted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which according to the U.N., has forced more than 2 million people – most of them women and children -- to flee their homes and seek shelter in neighboring countries. That's the estimate so far – as of this taping, Russian forces continue to push toward the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Our main guest today is part of a nongovernmental organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and children refugees. Gayatri Patel is the vice president of external relations for the Women's Refugee Commission, which also works to promote gender equality across the ways we respond to humanitarian crises. Patel notes the issue in eastern Europe right now, unfortunately, is nothing new – the Commission has been particularly monitoring the fallout in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal last year.  "A lot of what we do is bring the messages of what is happening on the ground to U.S. government policymakers or to other policymakers. So when the U.S. started moving out of Afghanistan, around, unfortunately, the same time that the Taliban started taking over, and when Kabul fell, there was a real strong concern about the safety and wellbeing of women in Afghanistan – particularly those who had been active in the government, active human rights defenders," she explains. "So part of what I was doing, along with a network of women who were similarly concerned, was really trying to make sure that particularly targeted women were brought to the attention of U.S. policymakers in Congress, with the administration, so that they could be prioritized for evacuation. There were a number of people who were helping women get out, but there are, of course, a number of women who were not able to get out. So our ongoing efforts through WRC and through some of our coalitions and networks was really to continue pushing on the U.S. government to make sure that those women who remained in Afghanistan, that their needs were met, that they were kept safe to the extent possible, and that they were prioritized for pathways out of Afghanistan if they chose to leave – or, you know, if they chose to stay in Afghanistan, that they were protected, and that their rights were protected." What issues do women and children refugees particularly face, compared to men? That's a really good question, and one that unfortunately doesn't get asked enough. I mean, women and girls often have really unique considerations in crises like what's happening in Ukraine and Afghanistan and in Ethiopia, Burma, etc. The biggest concerns are really related to their health and safety. So for instance, there's an increased risk of gender-based violence, such as rape, or intimate partner violence, or child marriage. For instance, one fact that really strikes me is that, according to the UN, an estimated 70 percent of women experience some form of gender-based violence during an emergency, which is huge, huge if you think about it. Women and girls also have unique health-related concerns during an emergency: they need access to contraception, they need maternal health care, and other sexual and reproductive health care. They have nutritional needs that are unique and different. You know, that's something that we're right now, for instance, in Ukraine, really grappling with. According, again, to the UN Population Fund, 265,000 women were pregnant in Ukraine at the beginning of this current conflict, and they're estimating another 80,000, will give birth in the coming three months. And I think with the enormity of the situation, it's very easy to lose sight of the fact that these women still need health care – they're going to give birth. And so, you know, we need to make sure that there are services there that are available for them. Nutrition right now in Afghanistan – over half of Afghan children under five years old are acutely malnourished, and they're expecting 10 maternal deaths a day. These are all issues that are unique to women and girls and children in these crises. And I think one thing that's also very easy to lose sight of is that women and girls in humanitarian settings are diverse, and they experience crises differently. So, for example, women with disabilities face higher rates of gender-based violence. But because of negative or hostile attitudes, or inaccessible buildings or lack of information, they often don't get the critical care that they need. So making sure that not only are their humanitarian responses tailored to the unique needs of women and girls, but that those responses also include age, gender, other diversity factors, such as disability or being in part of an ethnic minority – those are also really critical to keep in mind. There's so many things that are involved here, at stake here. And it's really important to note that despite all of this, women and girls are largely excluded from decision making and leadership when it comes to defining their needs and the responses that will help them. And of course, this really creates gaps in responding effectively, but also really discounts that women are often on the frontlines of humanitarian response. They're often the ones who are providing the medical care, or supporting their community members, are building shelters, or are cooking the food and feeding people. And so it's so important to have them be part of the humanitarian response and part of that decision making – but they're often left out. And so that's a bigger picture thing that we really need to address as a humanitarian community. That actually does go into one of my next questions. How can we better amplify the needs of women refugees, who are the ones facing these issues, and ensure that women are in the room for major decision making and planning? Yeah, it's so simple and basic, but just recognizing [that] they want to be heard. You know, in Afghanistan, a lot of what we have done – we meaning the United States has done – in the past 20 years is build institutions and build these structures [where] African women and girls are able to go to school, are able to be part of the political structures, are able to be business leaders. They had a voice. And now we are in a stage where, you know, they need humanitarian assistance, and we're not listening to them. So we have to make it a priority to ourselves, listen to them, and make sure that they have opportunities to be heard. So, for instance, whenever there's a peace building negotiation, women should absolutely be at the table. And it's the responsibility of the U.S. government, other governments, other donors and actors who are in the room, to bring them in and make sure that they're there, and that they're heard. I think we also need to make sure that resources are available. I don't know if you heard recently about this announcement of the U.S. government requesting $2.6 billion for gender equality, and I just want to say, this is fantastic. This is the kind of commitment of resources that we need. It's historic, and certainly reflects why advocacy is so important, because we've been pushing for years for that kind of strong commitment to gender equality. That's the kind of commitment and show of political will that we need when it comes to really helping make a difference on the ground. I was gonna ask, how do you feel the U.S. ranks in its response to humanitarian crises? I think you've touched on a couple ways already in which we can improve. But are there ways that you think we get it right? Or are there ways that you think we've still got a long way to go? I think there are a lot of great things that the U.S. government does in humanitarian crises. I mean, the U.S. is the most generous humanitarian donor that's out there. I think that humanitarian assistance, and that leadership role that the U.S. plays, really needs to reflect some of these gender concerns – and in some ways they do. I mean, there's specific programming to address gender-based violence and emergencies, there's support for organizations that provide sexual and reproductive health care and emergencies from the U.S., there's support for building the capacity of humanitarian responders to see gender concerns as they're designing humanitarian responses. And so I think all of those things are good, and need to be built on – because it's a practical function, but it's also a leadership function. The U.S. plays a really critical role in bringing others on board with this idea that humanitarian response needs to have a strong gender lens to it. Lastly, is there anything that the commission is particularly looking at right now, when it comes to the war in Ukraine? Yes, we're really concerned about some of the protection concerns, in particular. Women and girls are, largely, they're the ones who are coming across the borders into neighboring countries. A lot of unaccompanied children are in that mix as well. And so really, we're looking hard to make sure that as they get to safety in those neighboring countries, [that] they have the resources, that they have the protection that they need from gender-based violence, human trafficking, etc, that the unaccompanied children have the child protection services that they need, so that they're not abused, exploited, etc. And a lot of what we've seen is that organizations who are on the ground responding to the humanitarian crisis are really looking at things like cash assistance, which is something that the WRC has really kind of built an evidence base around. Not just cash for meeting immediate needs, but cash as a means of protecting against gender-based violence, or a means of being able to leave abusive relationships, or being able to meet one's own needs rather than being dependent on others to do so in a way that could be exploited. So those are some of the things that we're looking at. We're also really keenly concerned about the maternal health, and the sexual and reproductive health in general of women and girls who are leaving Ukraine. Like I mentioned before, there's the need for maternal health care, but also the need for contraception, and dignity kits, and hygiene, including menstrual hygiene management and commodities like that. So these are all pieces that we're trying to bring together and work with advocates on the hill and with the administration and with partners who are on the ground, to make sure are really part of the mix. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. That was all the questions that I had for you, but is there anything that I'm missing that you'd like me to know, or that you'd like our listeners to know? I think just one last point that I'd leave you with. There's so much needed emphasis on Ukraine, and so much needed emphasis on Afghanistan – but let's please not forget the women and girls and other vulnerable and marginalized groups that are in humanitarian crises around the world. I believe we've largely lost sight of what's happening in Ethiopia or in Myanmar, or the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Burkina Faso. There's so many places where there is a humanitarian situation still going on. And the women and girls in those situations deserve our attention and our support. That was Gayatri Patel, vice president of external relations for the Women's Refugee Commission. You can learn more about the Commission and its work at womensrefugeecommission.org.  Now, the war in Ukraine has prompted many in the U.S. to look into how they can personally aid Ukrainians from afar. If you're among them, it's important to know the best ways to go about it, and our next guest can certainly speak to that. Karyn Gerson is the CEO of Project Kesher, a network of Jewish women leaders and roughly 200 nonprofits working to empower women and promote tolerance in countries including Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, and Russia. From the project's offices in New York, Gerson has been trying to connect with her contacts across Europe in order to provide direct aid to women on the ground in Ukraine. It's an ongoing situation that is constantly changing, but she recently provided an update to Dr. Sharon Ufberg, co-founder of the California-based personal development and wellness company, Borrowed Wisdom, for her 51% segment “Force of Nature.”  "On a daily basis, I talk to women in the region. And frankly, every conversation starts in tears. I don't think that anyone really could have imagined how quickly and how aggressively this war would progress. And as a result, I think most people are really just in shock," says Gerson. Ufberg: What are the women telling you? Are most of them wanting to flee? Are most of them wanting to stay? How are they responding? Gerson: I think if you had asked me a few years ago, because my specialty is the Jewish community, I think that I would have expected many people just to leave the country. But now there's a much higher sense of patriotism than I've heard in the past. I think the last few revolutions in the country have really given Ukrainians a sense of ownership of their country, and a sense that the possibility of becoming more free and more European was really not too far out of their grasp. So increasingly, I'm hearing from women that they would really like to stay in their country. But everything depends on what's going on. One of my top leaders had said that she would not be leaving her town or her house until the tank rolled up to the door. Well, this week it did. And so now she's on the road, and she's moving west. And so I think this is a constant shifting situation. Ufberg: And how is Project Kesher responding to this ever-changing situation? What do you see? What are you doing? Gerson: So Project Kesher is in every oblast, every state across Ukraine. And so normally, we would really be very active and volunteer in each of these areas – but right now, everybody is in motion, and everybody is shifting. And so as I was laying out, we talk to each woman, and we try to find out their plan of action. Are they saying, are they moving? Are they leaving the country? Or are they potentially going to Israel? And after that, we are trying to get small grants into their hands. This is a very poor country. Women are unlikely to have a bank account, a credit card. If they have a debit card right now, it's not that easy to get money on the debit card. And so we're trying very hard to teach women how to download apps onto their phone, and to get money for them through things like Pay Pal. The goal is to basically give them enough peace of mind to make the journey wherever they need to go to have some shelter, to get some food, and then to really make sure we pass them off safely to the next organization that will either help them in western Ukraine or help them as they begin their journey to be a refugee. Our plans are to stay primarily focused on the women in Ukraine, where we have the most ability to have an impact. We're going to leave the refugee work to organizations like HIAS and the GDC and several others. And then because, again, we do work in the Jewish community, we will be working with a group in Israel to help on the intake of the new refugees there. Ufberg: Are you finding that these 200 women's groups are rallying around helping one another? Are people feeling isolated, or is the Project Kesher community responding there and helping one another? Gerson: Well, you really can't talk about groups at this time at all. Everybody is really trying to make the best decision for their family. I'm really working right now mostly with individual women, many of whom I've known for more than 20 years. And I can picture each one of them. And some of the things that we're doing, for instance, is we had one bank account in Ukraine – the city where that was located is getting increasingly under a military assault. So on one given day, we opened eight new bank accounts, you know, seated each one with $10, to see if the wire transfers would go through. And then the next day had women go into the bank to see if they could get the money out. And so now we have bank accounts across the country that today are working. Whether they will work tomorrow or the week after, we don't know. But we're trying to stay incredibly flexible, so that as we see things unfold and the needs start to present themselves, we are in a position to use the money that has been entrusted to us to be as flexible and responsible to the women as possible. In the first few days, I thought, “Well, what can we send?” And what I've learned from the wonderful Ruth Messenger, who was the head of American Jewish World Service, one of the leading relief organizations in the world, is don't send anything. And the reason is that the roads in that region are congested, the ability to unpack and distribute materials is very, very complicated, and really almost impossible to achieve. And also these economies in like Moldova, and Romania – to the extent we send resources, we send money to the expert organizations on the ground, they will be able to make purchases that will also stimulate those economies, because these are countries that are taking in refugees. And by saying to them that we will make these purchases through their countries, we're saying that we really appreciate that you've taken all these refugees in. One of the other things Ruth has taught me in the last few days is that if we send too much product into a country, the country will start to put taxes tariffs in place, and start to make it expensive for the nonprofits to accept these overseas packages. So I would encourage everybody who is trying to be really caring and compassionate, that if they can send money – do not send things. I would also say [we need] to realize this is going to be a long haul, that we are not going to resolve this issue quickly. These are going to be refugees for quite a long time, and Europe is going to have a heck of a time absorbing this number of people. And then there are going to be people, we hope, that when Ukraine is secured and peaceful, will choose to return home, and then the rebuilding will be a very major expense as well. So if this is a region of the world and a people you care about, be prepared to be involved in this process for many years to come. Ufberg: Thank you. Karyn, can you give us some information how listeners could find you to learn more? Gerson: So Project Kesher can be found on the Internet at www.projectkesher.org. I'm reticent to talk about too many organizations – there's quite a few great ones, but I'll just mention one, and that would be Afya. They are doing medical supply transports to the region. And if you are interested in helping to get medical supplies over, they have expert experience doing so. Again, if you just start packaging up things, it's not going to get where it needs to be. But if you work with an expert in global relief and crisis situations, then you know your monies are going to be well spent. We're going to change gears somewhat now to recognize Women's History Month. Cities, businesses, and museums across the country are celebrating women in a myriad of ways, and throughout the month of March, I'd like to take some time to learn about the prominent women in our past and present. We'll start with the annual Women's History Month exhibit on view at the New York State Capitol. You can find it in the governor's reception room, or “war room,” on the second floor. The war room has this intricate ceiling mural depicting some of the state's heroes amid a slew of battle scenes, both real and mythical, but for the rest of this month, it's women's faces and stories that take front and center. This year's “First and Foremost” exhibit features 20 New York women who either made history by being the “first” to break down certain barriers for women, or who rose to prominence as the foremost expert in their chosen field. "It's really hard to pare it down, honestly," says Michelle Rosales, a spokesperson for the state Office of General Services, which assembled the exhibit. "We have so many great historic women, and doing the research, we always end up having some for next year or the following year, you know?" As you check out the various panels you'll catch some familiar faces – Governor Kathy Hochul, State Attorney General Letitia James, the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sojourner Truth – but you'll likely notice some new names as well.  "Here we have Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias," Rosales motions. "She lived and worked in both New York and Puerto Rico. She worked a pediatrician, and while she was doing that, she became aware of ways social and economic equality affected one's access to healthcare. So she spent the rest of her career educating and advocating for healthcare accessibility and women's reproductive rights." Rosales says one of her favorite women featured is Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress, who represented New York's 12th District in Brooklyn from 1969 to 1983. Chisholm was born to immigrant parents on November 30, 1924, and she initially sought a career as a nursery teacher, getting her masters in early childhood education from Columbia University. But she was also a vocal activist, and became the second Black representative in the New York Legislature – behind Edward A. Johnson – before ultimately running for Congress. As a Congresswoman, Chisholm helped expand the food stamp program, advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment, and spoke out against the Vietnam War. In 1972, she took things a step further by running for president, becoming the first woman and African American to seek the Democratic Party nomination for the role.  "And she has a quote that I like, personally: 'If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring in a folding chair,'" adds Rosales. "I just love that, because it's powerful, and it's taking charge and making changes." At the exhibit, you'll find some campaign buttons from Chisholm's presidential run, as well as some White House invitations from Eleanor Roosevelt and a record by Native American musician Joanne Shenandoah, who died last fall at the age of 64. "She's a Grammy Award-winning artist born in Syracuse, New York, and a member of the Wolf Clan Oneida Nation. She used her heritage for her activism, so it went beyond music — she was on the task force on American and Alaskan Native Children Exposed to Violence for the U.S. Department of Justice during President Obama's administration," Rosales notes. "I want people to walk away from this exhibit feeling empowered, inspired. I have three daughters of my own, and not just for the women looking at this exhibit, but also for anyone coming here — I want them to feel like you can make change. You can look at the history and what these people have done in their various fields of study, and know that it's OK to ask questions. It's OK to push boundaries and call for equality and just make it fair." The First & Foremost exhibit is open to the public through March, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the governor's reception room in the New York State Capitol. If that's too much of a trek for you, no worries, you can also catch it online. 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.

On April 28, 2006, a rally in Washington, DC urged the Bush administration to take action against genocidal atrocities in the country of Darfur. Leading the charge were Ruth Messinger and American Jewish World Service. Rabbi Joy Levitt, then chief program officer, and one of Ruth Messinger's closest friends, had decided the JCC would take the lead in organizing participants from New York, and enlisted the help of Sarah-Kay Lacks to organize buses to travel to DC. In today's episode of 76West, you'll hear the story of how a single utterance in temple led to one the JCC's largest, and most successful advocacy efforts to date. To learn more about the Joseph Stern Center for Social Responsibility at the JCC, visit https://mmjccm.org/adults/social-responsibility-volunteering.

TODAY'S GUEST Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie is an Israeli-born, Jewish educator, writer, and performance artist. He's the creator of Storahtelling, Inc. and the founding spiritual leader of Lab/Shul in NYC, an artist-driven, everybody friendly, God-optional, pop-up experimental community for sacred Jewish gatherings. Amichai is a member of the Global Justice Fellowship of the American Jewish World Service, a founding member of the Jewish Emergent Network, serves on the Leadership Council of the New York Jewish Agenda, the Advisory Council of the International School for Peace - a Refugee Support Project in Greece, a member of the Advisory Council for the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and is a faculty member of the Reboot Network. Through all his endeavors, he brings a creative, inclusive, and vital energy to Jewish practice and Jewish life.     EPISODE SUMMARY In this conversation we talk about: How the Jewish concept of the set table served both as a happy early memory, and as an organizing principle for his later work. How Covid 19 made rituals and online communities more important than ever. His orthodox roots as the scion of an ancient and respected rabbinical dynasty, and his journey of self discovery through theater, drag, and art. His creation of storytelling, a way to bring to life the ancient ritual of the reading of the Torah, and the Maven Method he developed to spread the practice further. The emergence of Lab/Shul and the community around it. The power of spiritual design and a well-designed practice in transforming our lives and our communities for the better. We also discuss: How is religion used as a tool in the service of humanity? What happens if you bring scripture to the 21st century as a performance? Why is the tribal wisdom of small circles within a bigger circle so important? I've long believed that one of the most promising avenues to apply design skills and creativity to is in designing communities, social rituals, and spiritual practice that suits the modern world. And, as such, there's no one I can think of that exemplifies this better than Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie. I think this conversation, which is full of wisdom and fun, is a great introduction to exactly the type of spiritual design we need to see more of. So let's jump right in with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.   TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS [3:52] Life During Covid [10:17] The Wisdom of the Set Table [22:31] The Birth of Storahtelling [29:55] A Paradigm Shift from Patriarchy [38:25] Rebirth of the Translator [54:34] The Design of Lab/Shul [1:00:19] Design Thinking and Virtual Practice [1:11:54] Individualism vs Collectivism [1:19:36] The Significance of the Tree   EPISODE LINKS Amichai's Links

Rabbi Michael Harvey served Reform congregations from 2015 until 2020, in both West Lafayette, Indiana and The Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He currently studies at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, within the Doctor of Science in Jewish Studies program and he hopes to earn his PhD in Jewish Studies.Ordained by the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in 2015, Rabbi Harvey earned a Master's degree in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion and a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Boston University. Throughout his tenure at HUC-JIR, Rabbi Harvey served congregations, small and large, in Arkansas, Missouri, Ohio, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas.Rabbi Harvey is a certified Prepare & Enrich marital and pre-marital counselor and has served as a chaplain at both Norton Hospital and Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. He is committed to interfaith education and social justice, locally and nationally. His dedication to both these areas can be seen in the work he has done with world-renowned organizations such as the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education, the American Jewish World Service, the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, and the Chautauqua Institution. Additionally, Rabbi Harvey was invited by Dr. Rabbi Gary Zola to become a member of the rabbinic advisory council for the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, called “The B'nai Ya'akov Council.”Wherever Rabbi Harvey has served, he has always sought ways to marry his passion for social justice with the needs of his immediate community. In the absence of an interfaith council in his previous posting in St. Thomas, Rabbi Harvey created and directed the Interfaith Council of the Caribbean, which represented over 15 faith communities in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Additionally, he sat on the boards of the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, The Family Resource Center, and The United Way.In West Lafayette, he brought his attention to the needs of the community, and served as the director for the Interfaith Leaders of Greater Lafayette, which was integral in bringing interfaith panel discussions to the community on topics as important as nativism, mental health, and addiction. Rabbi Harvey also sat on the executive board for the Indiana Board of Rabbis which provides educational and pastoral needs to the entire state. Additionally, he sat on the boards of the Lafayette Jewish Community Religious School, the Jewish Federation of Greater Lafayette, Family Promise of Greater Lafayette and the local United Way Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. Rabbi Harvey was also a member of the Downtown Ministers, the Lafayette Transitional Housing Caring Committee, the Tippecanoe County Opioid Task Force, and the Medical Ethics Committee for IU Health Arnett Hospital. Rabbi Harvey regularly works with Legal Aid, Lafayette Urban Ministry, Greater Lafayette Indivisible, Mom's Demand Action, and the YWCA to better the Greater Lafayette community.Rabbi Harvey is the author of many articles featured in both local and international sources, such as The Jewish Daily Forward and ReformJudaism.org. He is the recipient of several awards, including the HUC-JIR Robert L. Adler Prize, awarded for contributions to the community, and the “Faith, Family, Friends, Bridging our Community Award” given by US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress, Stacey Plaskett.Additionally, Rabbi Harvey created and participated (before COVID-19) in a bi-monthly podcast with a local Episcopal Priest, entitled: “A Priest and a Rabbi Walk into a Bar” which discusses religious issues and interfaith subjects. 

This episode concludes a three-part series diving into the High Holidays. In this episode, Rabbi Deena Cowans is in conversation with her friend and mentor, Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay.  Rabbi Ruskay has made her career in the Jewish social justice sector, serving in leadership positions at the American Jewish World Service, Auburn Theological Seminary, and AVODAH Jewish Service Corps, just to name a few. She is an alumna of the Jewish Theological Seminary's and Columbia University's Joint Program, The Davidson School of Education and JTS The Rabbinical School. She currently serves as the Associate Dean of The Rabbinical School of JTS and the Executive Director of the Hendel Center for Ethics and Justice, where she directs field education and entrepreneurial endeavors that raise the scope, skills and profile of justice work and community organizing for contemporary rabbis. Join Mishkan Chicago for the High Holidays in-person or via livestream! You can find a smorgasbord of a la carte options at this link: https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-fest/As always, you can find out more about Mishkan at MishkanChicago.org or by following us on social media @mishkanchicago. 

This week, we’re kicking off our Passover celebrations, live from the Oppenheimer home. Mark is joined by four of his children as they sit around the Seder table and wonder where, exactly, all these Passover traditions came from. Helping them along the way are co-hosts Stephanie and Liel, and a near minyan of all-star guests. First, historian and Tablet columnist Jenna Weissman Joselit expounds on the material culture associated with the home-based holiday—Seder plates, matzo covers, and afikoman bags—and wonders why Jewish ritual objects don’t always rise to the level of beauty of our other cherished home items. (Stephanie offers some beautiful holiday favorites: Seder plates from Isabel Halley Ceramics, Judaica Standard Time, Via Maris, and Apeloig Collection.) Then we talk to family therapist (and Mark’s sister-in-law!) Dr. Jessica Grogan, who tells us how the rigid archetypes of the Four Children can serve as a useful counter-example for how we see our own children. Adam Teeter of Vinepair shares the secrets of how wine can unlock memories through your olfactory system. Rabbi Gabi Weinberg from The Bnai Zion Foundation shares a story about the significance of buying matzo—and keeping the receipts—in his family. Dovid Bashevkin explains why Passover is such a big deal in the of Jewish holidays. The hosts interview Ben Freeman about his new book, Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People, and makes the case that Passover is a holiday all about Jewish pride. And finally, our favorite cantorial student, Jacob Sandler, returns to the show to teach the hosts that there is more fun to be had after the Seder meal, specifically in the singing of “Hallel.” Check out last year’s Passover episode, “Our Socially Distanced Seder Guide,” for more on hosting a Seder on your own or for the first time. Need a Haggadah? Check out Tablet’s The Passover Haggadah: An Ancient Story for Modern Times. Upcoming virtual events: Thursday, March 25 — Stephanie will be prepping for Passover with Jake Cohen, author of the new cookbook Jew-ish. Join them for cooking and conversation, presented by the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, at 5 p.m. EDT. Register here. Later that evening, Stephanie will be interviewing Menachem Kaiser about his new book, Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our.Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Kol Foods has everything you need to create a kosher, ethical, sustainably-sourced Passover Seder spread, from delicious briskets to 100% grass-fed lamb shank bones. Use promo code UNORTHODOXPESACH for 10% off your entire Passover order at KOLFoods.com. “The Telling: How Judaism's Essential Book Reveals the Meaning of Life” is a new book by Mark Gerson all about the Passover Haggadah. This book enables readers to make the Seder what it should be: the most interesting, inspiring, and memorable night of the Jewish year. Find out more and get your copy at thetellingpassover.com. American Jewish World Service grantees are leading the effort to promote human rights, empower women and girls to fight for equal rights, and advance environmental justice in the face of climate change. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating the very 2020 calendar crossover of Christmas and the 10th of Tevet, a minor Jewish fast day. Our Jewish guest is writer and comedian Merrill Markoe, whose new graphic memoir is “We Saw Scenery: The Early Diaries of Merrill Markoe.” Our Gentile of the Week is Phillipe Etienne, the French ambassador to the United States, who gave us a lesson in the French notion of secularism and discussed rising anti-Semitism in France. Join us Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m EST. for a virtual Unorthodox live show with special married guests Jamie and Brian Stelter at Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA. Jamie is NY1’s traffic anchor and co-hosts Mornings on 1, and Brian hosts CNN’s Reliable Sources. Register here. On Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. EST, we’ll be at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center discussing our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. Register here. See our full schedule of virtual events here. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: The William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education is offering a special one-day online program for young professionals and college students called “Jewish Ed U: Creating Joyful Learning.” Learn more about the Jan. 10 event at www.jtsa.edu/jewishedu. American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox: Hallmark Hanukkah movies, puppies for Hanukkah, and so much more. First we talk with linguist Sarah Bunin Benor, who made her first Unorthodox appearance all the way back on Ep. 102. She returns to the show to explain why some people say “lat-key” instead of “latke,” and settle other holiday pronunciation debates. Then it’s time for some music to get us in the holiday spirit! Jazz guitarist Peter Curtis tells us about being so inspired by the fact that Jewish songwriters created some of the most famous Christmas songs that he recorded his own album of covers, called “Christmas With Your Jewish Boyfriend.” Shira Kobren is the band leader of Shira & Friends, a New York City-based “kindie” rock band, whose new album, “B’yachad,” features a special Hanukkah song for kids. Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz shares his new Hanukkah song, Schmoozin’, on which he raps about “farbrengen the party,” much to Liel’s delight. He also gives us Jewish rap names and helps kickstart our freestyle careers. We’ve got virtual events! See our full schedule at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Thursday, Dec. 10: Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and G.L.O.W. star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Register here. Saturday, Dec. 12: All three hosts will be speaking at the JCC Ann Arbor Jewish Book Festival. 8 p.m. EST; Register here. Monday, Dec. 14: Stephanie joins Liberation75, 3GNY, and Shai DeLuca for a Hanukkah fireside chat. 12 p.m. EST; Register here. Tuesday, Dec. 15: Liel and Stephanie will be speaking at Sarasota, FL’s ‘People of the Book’ author series. 7 p.m. EST; Register here. Wednesday, Dec. 16: All three hosts will be at Richmond VA’s Weinstein JCC Front Row at the J: Sip and Learn Series. 7:30 p.m. EST; Register here. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: Soom Foods’ tahini, chocolate sweet tahini, and silan date syrup are the perfect gift to give this holiday season. Head to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order. American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Institute for Jewish Spirituality offers Jewish tools to help respond to the anxiety and stress of our times. Join them for ‘Rededication, Resilience and Renewal,’ a half-day online retreat Sunday, December 13. Learn more and register at  jewishspirituality.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shoukei Matsumoto will take us into his essential teachings on Buddhism and how he uses "cleaning" to address dissatisfaction. He will engage with Rabbi Amichai on these ideas and the concept of post-religiosity. SPEAKERSShoukei Matsumoto is a Buddhist Monk in Komyoji Temple. Born in 1979 in Japan, he graduated with a B.A. degree in Literature from the University of Tokyo. After graduation, he joined the Komyoji temple and initiated new projects such as the Temple Café Project. In 2008, the association was awarded the "Shoriki Matsutaro Prize" by a foundation for education. He completed an MBA from the Indian School of Business as an Ambassadorial Scholar of Rotary Foundation in 2011. After his MBA, he started a "Mirai no Jushoku-Juku" project or temple management school for Buddhist priests and monks. In 2013, he was nominated as a member of Young Global Leaders from the World Economic Forum. In 2019, he was also appointed as a member of the Global Future Councils from the World Economic Forum. He has published five titles, and "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind" was translated into more than fifteen languages. Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie is the Founding Spiritual Leader of Lab/Shul NYC and the creator of Storahtelling, Inc. An Israeli-born Jewish educator, writer, and performance artist; he received his rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 2016. Rabbi Amichai is a member of the Global Justice Fellowship of the American Jewish World Service, a founding member of the Jewish Emergent Network, and serves on the Reboot Network faculty. Since 2018 he serves on the Advisory Council of the International School for Peace – a Refugee Support Project in Greece. Rabbi Amichai has been hailed as "an iconoclastic mystic" by Time Out New York, a "rock star" by the New York Times, a "Judaic Pied Piper" by the Denver Westword, a "maverick spiritual leader" by The Times of Israel and "one of the most interesting thinkers in the Jewish world" by the Jewish Week. In 2016 The Forward named him one of the thirty-two "Most Inspiring Rabbis" in America, and in 2017 he was top five on "The Forward 50," their annual list of the most influential and accomplished Jews in America. In June 2017, Rabbi Amichai published the JOY Proposal, offering a new response to the reality of Intermarriage and taking on a personal position on this issue, including his resignation from the Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Movement. Amichai is Abba to Alice, Ezra, and Charlotte.

This week on Unorthodox, one Mark Oppenheimer is not enough. Our first guest is Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who is the state’s first Jewish governor and the first openly gay governor in the U.S. He tells us about his Jewish upbringing, extolls the many virtues of the State of Colorado, and explains why he’s got his eyes on 2022, not 2024. Next we talk to the other Mark Oppenhemer: the South African advocate, podcaster (our own Mark Oppenheimer was a guest on his show, Brain in a Vat), and general Oppenheimer-about-town. He recalls the moment he first discovered that he wasn’t the only Mark Oppenheimer, explains his legal work surrounding free speech, and tells us about the South African Jewish community. Our third guest is Brian Hersch, the inventor of party games like Taboo, Jewish Taboo, and Super Scattergories. His latest game is Boom Again, a trivia game designed for Baby Boomers. He quizzes us on I Love Lucy and The Jetsons, and we find out that Liel might secretly be a Boomer. Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and G.L.O.W. star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Register at nuroots.org/firstnight. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: The Other Israel Film Festival provides an in-depth look into Israeli and Palestinian societies through films and conversations. Films stream December 3 through 10, with daily Q&As and other live events; find the full schedule at otherisrael.org. Soom Foods’ tahini, chocolate sweet tahini, and silan date syrup are the perfect gift to give this holiday season. Head to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order. American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Institute for Jewish Spirituality offers Jewish tools to help respond to the anxiety and stress of our times. Join them for ‘Rededication, Resilience and Renewal,’ a half-day online retreat Sunday, December 13. Learn more and register at  jewishspirituality.org. Harry’s Holiday Shave Sets make the perfect gift this season. Get 5$ off a holiday shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a new COVID-19 world Nigel Savage, CEO of Hazon speaks with Jewish leaders from around the world on what this changing landscape means for Jewish communities near and far. Originally recorded on April 19th, in this episode tune in to hear Ruth Messinger in conversation with Nigel Savage. Ruth has led a life dedicated to political and humanitarian activism. Ruth served as Manhattan Borough president from 1990-1998 and ran for mayor of New York City in 1997. Ruth also served as the President and CEO of the American Jewish World Service from 1998-2016. Additionally Ruth serves as a board member here at Hazon as well as trustee emerita of the Jewish Foundation for Education of Women.

This week on Unorthodox, we're shaking that lulav and etrog for Sukkot. To help us understand the various Jewish holidays that arrive in quick succession after the High Holidays—Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Shemini Atzeret—we talk to Roberta Kwall, author of Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World. She tells us about the traditional “smashing of the willows” and other lesser known Jewish practices that can add meaning to our modern Jewish identity. Then we're joined by Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me. He tells what he's learned from hosting the very entertaining news quiz show for more than 20 years, and why it's important to find humor even when the headlines are bad. Finally Mark chats with David French, senior editor at the Dispatch and author of Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. He explains the rift between Conservatives who, like him, don't support Trump and those who do, and warns against the danger of today's hyperpartisan era. Help us get to 1,000 donors in our fundraising drive! Everyone who gives will be entered into a raffle to spend some virtual time with the hosts. Donate at bit.ly/unorthodox2020fundraiser. Let us know what you think of the show, and share your 5781 resolutions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: PJ Library sends free storybooks to children (newborn to 12 years old), making it easy to start sharing Jewish traditions. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox. American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. AJWS is currently triple-matching all donations; go to AJWS.org/unorthodox to find out more about the organization and to make your matched donation. Harry's is a great shave at a great price. Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth Messinger is Global Ambassador of American Jewish World Service, having served nearly two decades as its president. Prior to her tenure at AJWS, she had a career in New York City politics.  She served on the New York City Council, was Manhattan Borough President and was the Democratic nominee for Mayor in 1997.Ruth cites many teachers throughout her extensive career including her mother, Marjorie Wyler, who had her own distinguished career in broadcasting production and public presentation for the Jewish Theological Seminary, including the Emmy Award-winning program, The Eternal Light .For a thorough history of The Eternal Light, see: Jeffrey Shander and Elihu Katz, “Broadcasting American Judaism: The Radio and Television Department of the Jewish Theological Seminary,” Jack Wertheimer, Ed., Tradition Renewed: A History of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Volume 2: Beyond the Academy (New York: Jewish Theological Seminary, 1997), pp. 365-401.In The Eternal Light's run of more than 40 years on radio and television, one of the most memorable programs featured the 1972 interview of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel filmed shortly before Rabbi Heschel's death. Ruth discusses Rabbi Heschel as another one of her most influential teachers.For questions and comments, email Rabbi Ed Bernstein at myteacherpodcast@gmail.com.Follow the My Teacher Podcast on social media:Twitter: @PodcastTeachFacebookInstagram

There is so much happening in the world right now. In today's episode I touch briefly upon some of the current events, and then we shift into an episode that was originally recorded in early May. How can we move forward together, and how can we build bridges of peace? Today's interview is a respite from the noise, and an opportunity to reflect and connect more deeply with what is timeless. Today's episode is about the eternal soul. My guest is Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz, author of "Does the Soul Survive: A Jewish Journey to Belief in Afterlife, Past Lives & Living with Purpose," as well as "Healing from Despair: Choosing Wholeness in a Broken World," and "Increasing Wholeness: Jewish Wisdom & Guided Meditations to Strengthen & Calm Body, Heart, Mind & Spirit." He served as a member of the Rabbinical Assembly Committee of Law and Standards (1994-2004; 2008-2016) and as a Global Justice Fellow for the American Jewish World Service (2016-2017). A graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and Boston University School of Law, Rabbi Spitz is the author of three books and many articles dealing with spirituality and Jewish law. He has taught the philosophy of Jewish law at the American Jewish University and taught at the Wilkinson College, Religious Studies Department at Chapman University. (from www.Cbi18.org) To learn more about Rabbi Elie or to purchase his books, please visit: https://www.cbi18.org/people/rabbi-spitz/ Thank you to Lumen for sponsoring this episode- Hack your metabolism and use the code withinus25 to get $25 off at lumen.me For more information about the show, to connect with your host, or to attend an upcoming event, please visit https://drazi.co/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/withinus/message

On the season finale of 76West, we're listening to two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead in conversation with Ruth Messinger, former Manhattan borough president, global ambassador for American Jewish World Service, and current activist in residence at the JCC’s Joseph Stern Center for Social Responsibility. In this podcast, Whitehead discusses his New York Times best seller, The Nickel Boys, in which a strand of American history is dramatized through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. Recorded live on February 5, 2020, this event was presented in partnership with The Stern Center for Social Responsibility.

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Brad Sugar from American Jewish World Service (AJWS). Brad is a Skevanston resident, longtime friend, Northwestern University Kellogg MBA graduate and works in AJWS’ local Chicago office. American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. Through philanthropy and advocacy, they respond to the most pressing issues of our time—from disasters, genocide and hunger, to the persecution of women and minorities worldwide. With Jewish values and a global reach, AJWS is making a difference in millions of lives and building a more just and equitable world.More information on AJWS can be found here: https://ajws.org/Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Make sure to sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. 

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash interviews Ruth Messinger, Global Ambassador for American Jewish World Service, on the topic of "The Jewish Movement to Eradicate Global Poverty!" DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmidrash https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz

Are you doing enough to make the world a better place? Dr. Erica Brown speaks with Ruth Messinger, an iconic social justice activist and former president of the American Jewish World Service, and Sarah Hurwitz, the former chief speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama, about the intersection between Judaism, spirituality, and social justice. This program was in partnership with the Mayberg Center for Jewish Education and Leadership at The George Washington University on March 26, 2019. 

In his Shabbat message for Parashat Mishpatim (February 2, 2019), Rabbi Knopf reflects on his recent trip to Guatemala with American Jewish World Service, where he came away with the message that all lives must be considered equal, and that we are called to build a society, and ultimately a world, that enshrines and ensures […]

A Face Onto the World: Robert Bank, President and CEO, discusses his work in promoting Jewish values around the world in an attempt to positively influence public policy, thoughts, and the way the American Jewish community interacts with the world around us. Read Robert's full bio, get links to AJWS, find other episodes, explore podcast partners, learn how to start your own podcast, or send us your guest suggestions at www.itswhoyouknowthepodcast.comHave a great week!

In Parashat Vayeira, Abraham defines Jewish leadership by challenging the powers that be. To discuss this important Parashah, and what it means to be a Jewish leader in the fight for justice, Rabbi Jacobs is joined by Ruth Messinger, the global ambassador for the American Jewish World Service and social justice advocate with JTS and the Marlene Meyerson JCC in Manhattan. 

Ruth W. Messinger is the former President of the American Jewish World Service (AJWS) and their current Global Ambassador. A lifelong activist, Ruth works to provide the aide that is needed all over the world, to the poorest countries globally. They promote human rights, launch campaigns against genocide, reform international food aid, stop violence against women and LGBT people, and much more. Ruth was named one of the 10 most inspiring women religious leaders of 2012 by The Huffington Post; the 6th most influential Jew in the world by The Jerusalem Post; and was listed annually on The Forward's “Forward 50” for nearly a decade. You can find the American Jewish World Service at www.ajws.org

Rabbi Sharon Brous is the founder and Senior Rabbi at IKAR, which she calls “a laboratory for bold, imaginative Jewish practice.” Based in Los Angeles, it became one of the fastest growing Jewish communities in the country, and Rabbi Brous has been recognized as one of the nation’s most influential American Jews. She has been credited with “reanimating Jewish community and re-energizing prayer at a time of growing disaffection and declining affiliation.” In 2013 she blessed President Obama and Vice President Biden at the Inaugural National Prayer Service. Among other positions, she is a Senior Fellow at Auburn Theological Seminary and serves on the rabbinic advisory council to American Jewish World Service. We spoke about her innovative approach to Jewish spirituality and her unique congregation. Learn more about Rabbi Sharon Brous here: http://www.ikar-la.org/about/leadership/ikar-team/

Shari Turitz of the American Jewish World Service joins us to talk about international development and the human rights work they are doing in 19 countries. The AJWS partners with strong, effective locally-based organizations in the developing world and provides them with resources to make them stronger and even more effective. Their large donor base is driven by the desire for social justice, empowering them to work directly with grassroots organizations on the ground that know and understand local conditions.  Shari Turitz is the Vice President for Programs at American Jewish World Service, leading the Programs Division and overseeing AJWS’s grantmaking, domestic and international strategy. She brings with her more than 20 years of experience in human rights grantmaking, capacity building and advocacy, and 15 years of senior management and program development experience. Inspired by the Jewish commitment to justice, American Jewish World Service (AJWS) works to realize human rights and end poverty in the developing world. Learn more at www.ajws.org.

The film Girl Rising journeys around the globe to witness the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world. After a viewing of the film we hosted a discussion panel with Ruth Messinger, President of the American Jewish World Service, Nahid Angha, Ph.D., a Sufi scholar, women's rights activist, and accomplished author, and Manisha Gupte co-founder of MASUM, an Indian women’s organization working to promote the rights of women and girls.

Ruth Messinger cut her teeth in New York City politics. She was a long serving member of the city council and one-time candidate for Mayor. She made the move from municipal politics to global affairs when she became the head of the American Jewish World Service, an international development and advocacy organization. Ruth tells Mark about growing up in New York, running for office, and making the switch to international issues. They kick off with a discussion about the work of the AJWS around the world.

Stanford University held its 2009 Baccalaureate Celebration. This multi-faith celebration featured Ruth W. Messinger, president of the American Jewish World Service, as the keynote speaker. (June 13, 2009)

Stanford University held its 2009 Baccalaureate Celebration. This multi-faith celebration featured Ruth W. Messinger, president of the American Jewish World Service, as the keynote speaker. (June 13, 2009)