Podcasts about Chumash

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rabbi Yehuda Adelist was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia in the Yeshiva College school. He studied in the Rabbinical College of Australia & New Zealand and the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim of Crown Heights. He received a Rabbinic Degree from Rav Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi in 2004 and graduated with a Master's degree in Education & Special Education in 2009. He has been in the field of education for over 20 years and is the founder of Torah For Children www.torah4children.com, publishers of Applied Kodesh Curriculum in core textual subjects including the Children's Chumash, Children's Gemara and Seder Kriah. He can be contacted at admin@torah4children.com or at 3477436132.Gems: Take the time to help students master the skills, and don't take for granted that they're going to get it as they go along.Students need to become independent learners by a certain age.It's rare to have a child who is an independent learner as it requires multiple skill sets.First a child needs to be able to read in a language, then make the connection and understand what they're reading, and then they need to learn how to apply it.We need to be intentional about how we're teaching and help our students develop all three skill sets.Teach in a way that every child will pick up what we're teaching.When we teach so that we're thorough in multiple skills we're able to reach all of the students in the class and picks up the speed.The time to reach students is in the prevention, not the cure, meaning from day one in the learning process.The teacher is not supposed to be the architect. They're the ones who know how to build up the child properly.Teachers must give over a love of learning.Every school ought to have a handbook with goals clearly mapped out and what the outlook is.Chinuch is like having a little sapling and when you make a mark on it, that mark grows bigger and bigger as the plant grows bigger.The education we give children makes a difference to them and also has a ripple effect on future generations.The Torah is a lesson for how we ought to live life.Make sure we're reaching the children where they're holding.We don't need to teach everything all at once.Be flexible. Listeners of the podcast will receive 20% off your first purchase of Hebrew worksheets by using the code JEE20. Visit HebrewWorksheets.com. Book: Wisdom of Jewish EducatorsFeaturing 100 of the most notable tips from educators who were featured on the podcast.Parenting On PurposeThis course will help you better understand your child and build a deeper connection.TikvahTikvah focuses on Classical Jewish Education.Wellnesse Natural Personal Care ProductsWellnesse was founded by a mom who wanted healthier options for families. Check out my unique link!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

The Haftarah read on Shabbat Shuba – the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – is among the most famous Haftarot read throughout the year. Taken from the Book of Hoshea, it begins with the prophet Hoshea's timeless cry, "Shuba Yisrael Ad Hashem Elokecha" – "Return, O Israel, unto Hashem your G-d" (Hoshea 14:2). The Midrash (Bereshit Rabba 84:19) traces the origins of this prophecy all the way back to the Book of Bereshit, to the story of the sale of Yosef. After the brothers lifted Yosef from the pit and sold him to merchants, the Torah writes, "Va'yashab Reuben El Ha'bor" – the oldest brother, Reuben, "returned to the pit" (Bereshit 37:29). The Midrash raises the question of where Reuben had gone that he is now described as "returning." The answer, the Midrash explains, is that Reuben had left to resume his prayers and repentance for his sin involving his stepmother, Bilha. After Rachel – Yaakob Abinu's primary wife – passed away, Yaakob moved his bed into the tent of Bilha, Rachel's maidservant whom Yaakob had married. Reuben saw this as an affront to his mother, Leah, and so he moved Yaakob's bed out of Bilha's tent into Leah's tent. This meddling in his father's private affairs was considered a grave affront to his father, for which Reuben repented. The Midrash continues that G-d declared to Reuben: "No person had ever sinned before Me and repented, and you were the first to initiate repentance." In reward, G-d proclaimed, Reuben's descendant – the prophet Hoshea – would be the one to call upon the people to repent. Many writers addressed the question of how the Midrash could make such a claim – that nobody sinned and then repented before Reuben. Numerous sources speak of Adam repenting for his sin in Gan Eden, and of Kayin repenting for murdering his brother. In what way was Reuben the first person in world history to repent? One answer given to this question lies in an important distinction between repentance inspired by external influences, and self-motivated repentance, which is driven by one's own desire for growth and for a close connection with Hashem. An illustration of this distinction is the Gemara's discussion of the contrast between Beneh Yisrael's acceptance of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and the Jews' reaffirmation of this acceptance in the time of the Purim story. In Masechet Shabbat (88a), the Gemara relates that when Beneh Yisrael stood at Sinai, G-d uprooted the mountain and suspended it over their heads, threatening to destroy them if they did not accept the Torah. The Gemara adds that whereas the Torah was initially accepted under coercion, many centuries later – after the Jews were saved from Haman's threat – they accepted the Torah willingly, of their own volition. This has been explained to mean that at Sinai, the people beheld an unprecedented revelation of G-d, such that their free will was suspended. They were not actually "coerced"; rather, they beheld G-d so clearly that they could not even countenance the possibility of refusing the Torah. The revelation was so vivid that there was no other reasonable option. In direct contrast, in Persia, there was no revelation or overt miracles. Events transpired in a manner that appeared entirely random, with G-d's hand concealed behind the veil of the world's natural order. And at that time, the Jews reaffirmed their commitment to Torah through their own initiative, without any external influence or inspiration. Both Adam and Kayin repented after G-d confronted them and reprimanded them for their wrongdoing. Their repentance was initiated by G-d, not by themselves. Reuben was the first one who initiated his process of repentance. No one came to him to criticize him for what he did. He recognized on his own that he had acted improperly, and performed Teshuba – thus becoming the first person to repent through his own motivation, without G-d or somebody else urging him to do so. Of course there is great value in receiving inspiration, in accepting criticism, in exposing oneself to people who will open his eyes to what he needs to improve and how can can grow. However, the most enduring Teshuba is self-motivated Teshuba, a person's own initiative to change. Indeed, soon after G-d's revelation at Sinai, the people worshipped the golden calf. When repentance is driven by external factors, the process might not last once those factors are no longer present. The best chance we have for enduring change is to make the decision without inspiration from anybody or anything else, to understand on our own, without being told, that we need to improve. This is Hoshea's call to us – "Shuba Yisrael." He is asking us to make the decision ourselves, not to wait to be told to correct our behavior, not to wait for a speaker to inspire us, or for some dramatic event to shake us up. If we really want to change, we need to jumpstart the process ourselves, without waiting for someone or something to start it for us.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

It is clear that "Malchut" – G-d's Kingship over the world – is the dominant theme of Rosh Hashanah. If we quickly review the text of the Rosh Hashanah prayers, this becomes very evident. We repeat numerous times that Hashem is King over the universe. And Rav Saadia Gaon (882-942) writes that one of the reasons we blow the Shofar is because Rosh Hashanah is the day of G-d's coronation, and so we blow the Shofar just as trumpets are sounded at a king's coronation. But what exactly does it mean to crown Hashem as King? What does this require? Does it suffice to hear the Shofar and shout "Hashem Melech…" during the Rosh Hashanah prayer service? A powerful insight into the deeper meaning of Rosh Hashanah, and what this occasion demands of us, was offered by Rav Yitzchak Hutner (1906-1980). He explained that in order for there to be a king, there must be subjects who have some resemblance to the king. Thus, for example, the lion is king of the jungle, but the eagle is the king over the birds. The lion cannot reign over birds, because it does not fly, and the eagle cannot reign over the land animals, which don't fly. A king can attain the title of monarch only if he has subjects with whom there is some connection, and this requires a degree of resemblance. In order for us to crown Hashem as King, then, we need to resemble Him. How? The answer lies in the most fundamental difference between man and animal – the capacity to choose, to chart our course, to make decisions about who we want to be. Animals cannot choose between right or wrong. They live according to the instincts with which they were created. They react to their surroundings and their innate drives without thinking, impulsively. Only we human beings have the power to exercise restraint, to control and subdue our natural instincts. The verse states in Kohelet (3:19), "U'motar Ha'adam Min Ha'behema Ayin." This means that the only difference between man and beast is "Ayin" – the ability to decline, to say "No" to our impulses. The word "Ayin" may also be read as an acrostic representing the words "Adam Yesh Neshama" – "the human being has a soul." We have a soul, a G-d-like characteristic whereby we can choose between right or wrong, and exert control over our behavior. Hashem is all-powerful, entirely dependent and fully in control of everything. We resemble G-d in our ability to control our behavior. The Gemara famously teaches, "Ha'kol Bi'ydeh Shamayim Hutz Mi'yir'at Shamayim" – everything depends on G-d except for our fear of Heaven. Meaning, Hashem controls everything about our lives except our decisions of how to act, our choices between good and bad. And it is in this area of life – our free will to act properly or improperly – that we in a sense resemble our Creator, as this is the area over which we have control and dominion. And this, Rav Hutner explained, is our obligation on Rosh Hashanah. This is the day when G-d first created man, in His "image," with the ability to choose between right and wrong. Each year, on this day, we crown G-d anew – and for this to happen, we must recommit ourselves to resembling Him. In order to be His subjects, we must be creatures with the power of restraint and control. Our job on Rosh Hashanah is to reinforce our power of self-discipline and restraint. We must realize that when we say, "I couldn't help it," this is not true – we can help it. We can restrain ourselves, we can tell ourselves "No," we can stop bad behaviors and kick bad habits. Of course, this is hard, and change will not happen overnight – but it is not impossible. Our behavior is entirely under our power and authority. To crown Hashem as King on this day, we must become His subjects – by reaffirming our G-d-like quality of self-control. We live in a society which presents us with so many lures, pressures and temptations. Every day, we must struggle against ourselves to act the right way and to avoid wrongdoing. On Rosh Hashanah, we declare that we are fully capable of meeting this challenge, that we are not animals, that we determine our spiritual destiny, that we have the power of choice, that we are not controlled by our instincts – that we control them. By making this declaration, we become G-d's loyal servants who are deserving of His special protection and blessings.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

The Torah in Parashat Nisavim foresees the time when Beneh Yisrael would be banished into exile on account of their breach of their covenant with G-d, describing, "Va'yashlichem Be'eretz Aheret" – Hashem's casting the nation into a different land (29:27). Those who look carefully at the Torah scroll will notice that the letter Lamed in the word "Va'yashlichem" is written larger than the other letters of the Torah. Enlarged letters in the Torah function like bolded text, or capitalized letters, in modern-day writing, denoting emphasis. What might the Torah have sought to emphasize with the enlarged Lamed in this word? Perhaps we can answer this question by understanding the unique significance of this letter. Several great Rabbis taught that as the word "Lamed" means "learn," this letter is associated with Torah study. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) explains on this basis the unique shape of the letter Lamed, which is drawn with a vertical line on top, followed by a horizontal line, and then another vertical line dropping down. This shape, the Ben Ish Hai writes, represents the process of Torah tradition. The top vertical line represents the transmission of Torah wisdom as it "descends" from the scholar to his disciple. The horizontal line represents the learning that takes place among peers, how the students – who are generally on the same level, like points on a horizontal line – learn and gain from another. The line descending from that horizonal line symbolizes the students' then transmitting their knowledge and wisdom down to their offspring and students. If, indeed, the letter Lamed represents Torah learning, then we can perhaps explain the significance of the enlarged letter Lamed in the word "Va'yachlichem." As mentioned, this word speaks of the Jews leaving into exile, where they would live amidst, and under the authority of, foreign nations. The Torah is alluding to us that when this happens, when we are driven to exile, the Lamed – Torah learning – must be our central point of focus. Living among foreign cultures, we face two potential challenges: persecution, and assimilation. In some exiles, the primary hardship involved the foreign governments' attempts to ban Jewish learning and practice, to pull us away from our faith and our traditions by force. But in other eras, such as in our current exile here in the United States, the challenge is assimilation. We are, thank G-d, free to practice our religion without any restrictions, but with all the freedoms we enjoy come the lures and pressures of our society. Its beliefs are not our beliefs, its values are not our values, and its lifestyle is not our lifestyle. As a small minority, we face the constant pressure to accept the beliefs, values and lifestyle of our surroundings. This is why the Lamed is enlarged. The most effective and most important weapon we have in our arsenal with which to defend ourselves against the unrelenting cultural pressure to which we are subject in exile is Torah learning. When we learn Torah, we submerge ourselves in our faith, in our values, in our traditions, in our laws and customs. Torah learning of course is and always was a vitally important part of Jewish life, for several reasons, but in exile – and especially in our current reality – it serves the function of anchoring us to our spiritual core, and fortifying us against the hostile spiritual influences of general society. Let us, then, redouble our commitment to Torah learning, so we will survive this exile both physically and spiritually, and be worthy of our final redemption, speedily and in our time, Amen.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Sponsored by ComputerRabbis.com and 613.deals, lzecher nishmas Brocha bas Reb Leib. 

Rashi's commentary is an indispensable part of a person's daily studies. His explanation of Chumash, the first five books of the Torah, clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it. At the same time, it is the crucial foundation of some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it.

Born in 1950, raised on the west side of LA, Craig R. Stecyk III is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans film, fine art, commercial design, writing, and photography.  He's widely known for the "Dogtown Chronicles," which featured in Skateboarder magazine in the 1970s. In fact, Stecyk co-founded Zephyr, which spawned the hugely influential Z-Boys. During that time, in addition to documenting the scene through his writing and photography, he applied his singular graphic design sensibility to create the Rat Bones and the Dogtown Cross. Later, he co-wrote the award-winning 2001 documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys with Stacy Peralta, which further chronicled the Dog Town scene and its characters. Since the 1970s Stecyk's written many pieces about surfing, most notably "The Curse of the Chumash," which appeared in Surfer in 1976. Focused on Malibu, it blended local history, surf-skate mythology, and a heap of counterculture irony. His art installations include Road Rash, in which he scraped up roadkill, bronzed it, and returned it to the exact spot where he'd found it. In 1989 he made Papa Moana, featuring Hawaiian objects and artifacts. He helped curate Surf Culture: The Art History of Surfing, a 2002 exhibition at the Laguna Art Museum. He's written essays for several surf-related books, among them 1936-1942: San Onofre to Point Dume. A surfboard shaped and painted by Stecyk resides in the permanent archive of the Smithsonian. As filmmaker and artist Thomas Campbell puts it, "Craig's our patron saint of outsiderness, of being creative without bounds. His influence is so omnipresent you don't even see it." In this episode of Soundings, Stecyk sits down with host Jamie Brisick to talk about growing up in coastal Los Angeles, the Dogtown era, the strange artifacts that find their way into an artist's life, the challenge of making something that withstands time, and getting checked out of school by Miki Dora to go surf.  Presented by Rainbow® Sandals Produced by Jonathan Shifflett Music by PazKa (Aska Matsumiya & Paz Lenchantin) Become a TSJ member at surfersjournal.com