Podcasts about hevria

Join Z3 Podcast host Rabbi Amitai Fraiman and writer-activist Elad Nehorai as they dive into the nature of authoritarian power structures in our world today as they present in our social structures from communities to governments. They also discuss how Americans are especially vulnerable to extremist rhetoric in our current culture of disconnection and fear, leading people to extremism to feel empowered and find community. Listen in as they discuss how social divisions are feeding into a loss of faith in democracy and creating a vacuum that further draws people towards extremist views. Elad also explores the conditional nature of support of Jewish safety from figures in power and how authoritarians use Jewish causes to their political advantage. This conversation promises to be thought-provoking, shedding light on the complexities of the need for community and security. Listen now. About our guest: Elad Nehorai Progressive Thinker, Writer and Activist Elad Nehorai is a well-known writer specializing in extremism, antisemitism, marketing, and how all three intersect. He is an ex-Hasidic Jew who, before leaving Orthodoxy, led a creative Jewish community in Brooklyn called Hevria as well as the largest politically progressive Orthodox Jewish advocacy group, Torah Trumps Hate. Learning from his time in the Hasidic community and studying extremism, he has become an outspoken pro-democracy voice. Since October 7th, he has drawn on his Israeli background to inform his work building coalitions among those who share a vision of solidarity for the future. Today, he runs a marketing agency for good called Justice Marketing. You can find Elad's writing on MSNBC.com, the Daily Beast, Huffpost, the Forward, Haaretz, and beyond. Follow Z3 here: Instagram - instagram.com/z3project/ TikTok - tiktok.com/@z3project LinkedIn- linkedin.com/company/z3-project Facebook - facebook.com/Z3Project/ Twitter - twitter.com/Z3_Project Website - z3project.org/

In this very not topical episode (like always) of Not Your Typical Podcast, Charlene sits down with two people who have been such a positive force for good in the world. They have an honest conversation about motherhood, connecting to Hashem, being in the spotlight and the challenges they go through.   Alexandra Fleksher is an educator, a published writer on Jewish contemporary issues, and an active member of her community in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to being an op-ed columnist for Mishpacha Magazine, she has written essays published in Klal Perspectives, The Five Towns Jewish Times, The Forward, Times of Israel, Cross-Currents, Hevria and OU.org. She is a co-host on Deep Meaningful Conversations. You can find her writings at www.alexandrafleksher.com. Follow her here: https://www.instagram.com/alexfleksher/   Shimrit Adar was born in Israel and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Though she currently resides there with her husband and four children, she thoroughly enjoys spreading her joy all over the world. Shimi is a motivational speaker, an MC, and an entertainer. Shimi taught Zumba classes for a decade, even spearheading several Zumbathons for charity, with a cover story in the Wall Street Journal. Follow her here: https://www.instagram.com/shimiadar/   HELP Continue His Mission!   Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein ZL helped thousands and his legacy continues at Ohr Naava!   Join here to watch the incredible program on Sunday May 21st and Monday May 22nd & donate: https://zoshatorah.org/   In memory of: Miriam Sarah bas R' Yaakov Moshe   More shows here: https://www.livinglchaim.com/   Follow us on social media for more content: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@livinglchaim Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/livinglchaim/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/livinglchaim LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-lchaim   Submit your questions to hi@LivingLchaim.com   WhatsApp us feedback and get first access to episodes: 914-222-5513   Our new and free call-in-to listen feature is here:

Thank you for being here with me again this week for an awesome episode with Rikki Herbst. People always ask me how I find my guests, and truly, each guest has a different story. This one really did fall into my lap and I am so glad about it. Rikki is good friends with my sister in law, Miriam, who told me about her and connected us. The rest is history as they say. When I heard about Rikki's idea to make peace with her body, I knew she'd be a perfect guest for this podcast. I try very hard to have a high level of modesty on the podcast, but modesty should not be confused with body shame. Those 2 are NOT the same. I thought about it for a while if I felt comfortable putting out this episode, and although some may find this extreme, I did not. A bit about Rikki: Rikki Herbst is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Rockland County, NY, specializing in somatic-based treatment for children, adolescents and adults. With over a decade of experience working with children, Rikki has developed keen insight into how to engage more compassionately with children, as well as with the child within each of us. Rikki credits yoga and horseback riding as the somatic experiences that brought her back into her body. Her own body-based healing practices led her to her current profession. Rikki's next writing project is her doctoral dissertation, in which she is researching religious trauma and its impact on women. When she isn't working, you can find Rikki riding her horse, Snow, or drowning under a pile of unread books! To learn more about Rikki's work: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/rikki-herbst-nyack-ny/875488 Or @rikkiherbst_lcsw on Instagram To learn more about her Compassionate Parenting course, email rikkiherbstlcsw@gmail.com For the Hevria article: https://hevria.com/rikki-herbst/self-acceptance-photoshoot/ If you are looking to make peace with food through the intuitive eating process, you can reach out to work with me one on one or you can sign up for my group counseling beginning this January! If you'd like to sign up for 1-1 counseling, you can fill out my application here https://gilaglassberg.com/video-application/ I will be accepting 1 or 2 more people for a group coaching starting in January so you can just email me if you are interested! This will include weekly zoom calls, a private WhatsApp/Facebook community with like minded women, and more support from me! I'd love to have you on so reach out! Please let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns- email me at gilaglassberg18@gmail.com. If you have any specific topic requests or people you'd like to see on the podcast, let me know as well. Thank you for being here and for listening! If you have gained from this episode or any of my content, please leave a rating and review and share it with those who can benefit. This is how the podcast moves up on Apple Podcast and more people can hear this information. Check out my Intuitive Eating self paced course here: https://gila-glassberg-intuitive-nutrition.teachable.com/p/intuitive-eating/ Have a great day and thank you for being here! If you are ready to make peace with food, check out my website www.gilaglassberg.com and apply for a free 20 minute clarity call. I look forward to hearing from you! https://gilaglassberg.com/scheduling/ If you'd like to learn more about what I do, follow me on Instagram @gila.glassberg.intuitiveRD. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gila-glassberg/support

This Week's Guests: Writer - Elad Nehorai Comedian - Mendy Pellin The World's Famous comedy Cellar presents "Live From America Podcast" with Noam Dworman and Hatem Gabr. The top experts and thinkers of the world and the best comics in the Nation get together weekly with our hosts to discuss different topics each week, News, Culture, Politics, comedy & and more with an equal parts of knowledge and comedy! About Elad: Elad Nehorai is an American writer, activist, and social and political commentator. A left-wing, formerly Orthodox Jew, his writing and activism typically revolves around social justice, mental health, religion, opposition to antisemitism, and advocacy for arts education, particularly within the Jewish community. Nehorai came to prominence through his blog Pop Chassid, where he looked at pop culture through a Jewish lens. In 2014, he co-founded Hevria, a Jewish arts and culture website and in-person community, where he was an editor-in-chief and head event organizer until January 2020. Following the 2016 United States presidential election and the ascendancy of Donald Trump, Nehorai became involved with the organization Torah Trumps Hate, a Jewish-run social justice advocacy group. He has written for The Guardian, HuffPost, The Forward (where he was a columnist), The Times of Israel, Haaretz, Chabad.org, The Daily Beast, and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and has appeared on HLN, i24 News, and BBC Radio. Nehorai was included in The Jewish Week's annual "36 Under 36" list in 2016,and in 2018 the Jewish Telegraphic Agency listed him among its "50 Jews Everyone Should Follow on Twitter". Follow Live From America YouTube www.youtube.com/channel/UCS2fqgw61yK1J6iKNxV0LmA Twitter twitter.com/AmericasPodcast www.LiveFromAmericaPodcast.com LiveFromAmerica@ComedyCellar.com Follow Hatem Twitter twitter.com/HatemNYC Instagram www.instagram.com/hatemnyc/ Follow Noam Twitter twitter.com/noamdworman?lang # ChappelleSNL #Antisemitism #Elad Nehorai

This week we sit down with Elad Nehorai. Elad has spent most of his adult life creating and nurturing communities. From the time he started a small online arts magazine (before such a thing was common) in college, to his efforts as an online marketer for startups, to his viral campaign "I Have A Therapist," to his work with Hevria, a community for creative Jews, and Torah Trumps Hate, a community for progressive orthodox Jews, he cares about nothing more than connecting people who are desperately looking for a community that doesn't exist in the physical world. After spending over a decade in Hasidic Judaism Elad is reimagining his faith. We invite you to listen in, as we explore his journey as a creative finding a new path in his life thereafter. Visit Elad's Website: http://eladnehorai.com/ Read his writing on Hevria: https://hevria.com/elad/ Read his latest work on Substack: https://eladnehorai.substack.com/ If you would like to connect with Elad please feel free to email us at Hosts@ThereafterPod.com and we would love to connect you with him via email! In the interview Elad mentioned a book called Leaving the Fold by Marlene Winell which I accidentally confuse with Empty the Pews by Chrissy Stroop. Here are links to both of those books for those that are interested. Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving Their Religion - https://www.amazon.com/Leaving-Fold-Former-Fundamentalists-Religion/dp/1933993235 Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the Church - https://www.amazon.com/Empty-Pews-Stories-Leaving-Church/dp/1946093076

Merri Ukraincik is the Close to Home columnist at the New Jersey Jewish News, a regular contributor to The New York Jewish Week, and a writer for Hevria. The author of I Live. Send Help: 100 Years of Jewish History in Images from the JDC Archives, her work has appeared on Tablet, The Forward, and Lilith, among others, as well as on her personal website www.merriukraincik.com. Merri seeks adventure with her husband on Tuesdays (#TuesdayswithMiro), is the founder of the #Iwontdisappear movement to combat the erasure of women's images from many frum publications, and crochets as often as she can.   https://merriukraincik.com  https://www.facebook.com/merri.ukraincik https://www.instagram.com/merriukraincik/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/merriukraincik/   WELCOME TO OUR NEW SPONSOR: WWW.MOD-MOUTH.COM, INSTAGRAM, Facebook Make sure to mention Franciska - for you to receive your FREE whitening kit and SUPPORT me and this show.    

Elad Nehorai has spent most of his adult life creating and nurturing communities. From the time he started a small online arts magazine (before such a thing was common) in college, to his efforts as an online marketer for startups, to his work with Hevria, a community for creative Jews, and Torah Trumps Hate, a community for progressive orthodox Jews, Elad cares about nothing more than connecting people who are desperately looking for a community that doesn't exist in the physical world.  Elad is also a prolific writer. He is a columnist for the Forward, a blogger, and has been published in places like the Guardian and Haaretz. You can support our podcast by donating to the gofundme. Here's the link Our music is composed by Basim Usmani, one of the lead vocalists of the punk band "The Kominas."

Lenore Mizrachi Cohen is a Syrian-American Jewish conceptual artist whose latest exhibition, Culture Shock, discusses the ways in which people weave together their past and traditional values with their present and contemporary culture. Rivka and Lenore also discuss the dynamics of the Brooklyn Syrian-Jewish community, negative and positive reactions to Lenore's work, and how to embrace doing conceptual, out-of-the-ordinary artwork. Find out more about Lenore and her work: https://www.lenorecohen.com/

Elad talks to Jeremy Borovitz, leader of Base Berlin, about the difficulties of making real friends later in life and how to form relationships with people of different political and ideological viewpoints. For more on Jeremy and Base Berlin: https://baseberlin.wordpress.com/about/

Singer/Songwriter Taali talks about how music brought her back to Judaism, making songs that touch the soul, and the secret to her longevity. Follow Taali online: Website: https://www.taalimusic.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5SkhihNXZNPmooUcbSVZho Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musictaali Instagram: http://instagram.com/taalimusic

Elad Nehorai aka @PopChassid, founder of the creative community Hevria and leader in the politically progressive Orthodox movement Torah Trumps Hate, shares with us what it's like to be religious without surrendering your identity and values.

Director Paula Eiselt talks about the experience of making 93 Queen, how she used the "hurdles" of being an observant woman as her strengths, and how creating the movie helped her realize the importance of making changes from within the Hasidic world. To learn more about 93 Queen: https://www.93queen.com/ Watch the movie here: http://www.pbs.org/pov/93queen/video-93queen/ To support Ezras Nashim: https://www.ezras-nashim.org/ Follow Paula Eiselt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulaeiselt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pizelt/?hl=en And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=832716 Photo Credit: https://thelayersprojectmagazine.com/

Rivka and Annita discuss the swerving journey of an artist unexpectedly finding her creative path, and duke it out over how to educate people in the arts and the strengths and limitations of being in a creative community. Learn more about Annita's work on the upcoming animated film, Milkweed: http://www.milkweedthemovie.com/ Find out more about all the amazing things that Annita does here: http://www.annitasoble.com/new/

Rivka teams up with writer Merri Ukraincik on a deep roller coaster of thought, discussing everything from being gilgulim, the everlasting power of physical objects, Jewish life in turbulent times, and why the Orthodox world needs to show women's faces. Find Merri's writing on her personal website: https://merriukraincik.com/ Photo credit to Shira Lankin Sheps and The Layers Project.

Rachel Kann is a poet, performer, ceremonialist and initiated Tzovah through Kohenet Priestess Training Program. Her poetry has been featured on Morning Becomes Eclectic on NPR and as The Weather on the podcast phenomenon, Welcome to Night Vale. She was awarded as the 2017 Outstanding Instructor of the Year at UCLA Extension Writers' Program. Rachel Kann has performed her poetry with artists and leaders such as daKAH Hip Hop Orchestra, Marianne Williamson, Sage Francis, Saul Williams, and Rahzel. Ms. Kann is an award-winning poet whose work has appeared in numerous books and has performed her poetry at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Royce Hall, Agape and the San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts. Accolades include the James Kirkwood Fiction Awards, Writer’s Digest Short-Short Story Awards, 4 The Camera Film Festival and Landlocked Film Festival, LA Weekly Awards, Backstage West Garland Awards Critic’s Picks, and both the audio and video award for the International Slam Idol. RachelKann.comThis show is sponsored by:*** The show is sponsored by Dr Dain Heer and Access Consciousness: DrDainHeer.com and AccessConsciousness.com HAVE YOU ALWAYS KNOWN THERE SHOULD BE MORE IN LIFE? Get some really different tools where everything can shift. Thinkific is a popular software platform that allows entrepreneurs to create, market, sell, and deliver their own online courses. Thinkific helps you turn your expertise into a sustainable business.- thnk.cc/deb Discounted prices through the Dare to Dream podcast for the all-in-one platform to easily create, market, and sell online courses. Lewis Howes, The School of Greatness SAYS – “You need to get on Thinkific. The team is creative, reliable, and offers unbeatable support. They always make sure all my bases are covered and, as a business owner, that’s invaluable.”Your Discount Here: thnk.cc/deb+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Chanan and Elisheva Maister are a former married couple who remain close friends. In this episode, they speak with Elad about the roles that both Orthodoxy and creativity played in their marriage and eventual divorce.

For almost a decade, Chani Lisbon has been delighting audiences with her quirky brand of stand up comedy. In this episode, she talks to Elad about what it means to be a queer, Jewish woman, her constant battle with loneliness, and how telling jokes on stage is one of her favorite forms of therapy. Follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/chani_lisbon/ Check out her monthly comedy show at: http://donyc.com/events/2018/11/19/chani-and-cher-show-stand-up-comedy

Emily Zimmer has been making music for as long as she can remember. In this episode of HevriaCast, she talks to guest host, Rivka Nehorai about the release of her first EP, the extraordinary power of music, and how her struggle with Kol Isha almost ended her singing career. Listen to the complete EP: https://open.spotify.com/album/70nvrNm62A9LbW4bvxAdLx?fbclid=IwAR1AttUdD8ulzOsbc-9IUfoeru5CkZ5IaOuI4O4h3KdaWaHEkWzuN7liamA Find more of Emily's music on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyCreatesMusic/ Read Emily's Hevria pieces: http://hevria.com/author/emilyzimmer/

Bram Presser, the mind behind the Jewish band Yidcore, is now exploring a new avenue of his creativity: his writing. His debut novel, "The Book of Dirt" has reached critical acclaim in Australia, and is now coming to the US. Hear all about his life as a punk rocker where Hasidim, secular Jews, and skinheads would come together to watch his shows. And hear about the unique process he went through to create his novel. Enjoy!

Frum Instagram star Adina Miles (aka Flatbush Girl) made a splash when she spoke out against women being erased from orthodox publications. Since then, she has continued to raise controversy in the orthodox world in her own funny, unique way. In this episode of HevriaCast, Elad speaks with her about the reasons she approaches her social media presence in this way, and how her creative approach has made an impact that others haven't. You can follow Flatbush Girl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flatbushgirl/ And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flatbushgirl/

We're back for season 2! And in honor of our return, we're so honored to bring Leah Gottfried of "Soon By You" fame back to the show. In this episode Leah and Elad discuss how art can model healthy communication. And, of course, how it can save the world. Enjoy!

HevriaCast is back! And this time, we're featuring two very special people. First is Henny Stern, a dancer leading the AccepDance movement. And second is our wonderful guest host, Rivka Nehorai! In this episode, they discuss the history behind somatic therapy and holistic dance, Henny's experiences of personal revelation in unexpected places, the Jewish relationship with the sensual world, and so much more. Enjoy!

Imagine a form of art that actually incorporates the audience, and that combines it all with the sacred texts of the world. This is exactly the kind of theater that Jon Adam Ross, founder of The In[heir]itance Project, has created. Hear about his vision, the power of diversity in creativity, and what sacred text even is in the latest HevriaCast episode.

How can artistic baalei teshuva find their way in the religious world? Is silencing ever the right option? How can they affect the world beyond? These questions and much more are the focus of a freewheeling conversation between Elad and Sruli Broocker and Gedaliah Aronson, both members of the band Chillent based in Pittsburgh. Find out more about Chillent on their website: http://www.chillentband.com/ Listen to and buy their albums on Bandcamp: https://chillentfunk.bandcamp.com/ And read David Karpel's review of their work on Hevria: http://hevria.com/davidkarpel/cookin-with-chillent/

Meet Rabbi Sam Reinstein, the rabbi at Congregation Kol Israel in Brooklyn. In recent years, Sam has helped CKI grow from an aging shul to a revitalized, modern, and creative one known for its art galleries, "Jewish Comic Con," and interfaith storytelling nights. In this episode, Sam and Elad discuss how he helped innovate these transformations, which then evolves into a discussion about the nature of creativity and why it even applies to the work of being a rabbi. Find out about CKI here: http://ckibrooklyn.org/ Follow CKI's art events here: https://www.facebook.com/brooklynjewishartgallery/ Read Sam's writing here: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/sam-reinstein/

Ever since her "Illustrated Pirkei Avot" took the Jewish world by storm, Jessica Deutsch has become one of the most well-known and groundbreaking artists in the Jewish world. It is no surprise, then, that she has a lot to share about creativity, and especially creativity in the Jewish world. From how illustrations can help us better navigate our ability to live as Jews to the power of process over product to why artists should do "secret projects," this discussion between Elad and Tamar is rich with discussions about all forms of spiritual creativity. Visit Jessica's website here: http://www.jessicatdeutsch.com/ Follow Jessica on Instagram here:https://www.instagram.com/jessica_tamar_deutsch/

Can a businessman be creative? Can a business itself be creative? If so, what does all that reveal about creativity itself? In the latest episode of HevriaCast, Elad is joined by Naftali Hanau, founder and CEO of Grow and Behold, an organic kosher meat provider that has been making waves in the Jewish community. Enjoy! You can find Grow and Behold at the website: https://www.growandbehold.com/

Emilia Cataldo, also known by her stage name of Nehedar, talks about how acid led her to religion, the power of being an outsider as an artist, what artists and activists have in common, and so much more. Find Nehedar on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nehedarmusic/ And SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/nehedar

Eden Pearlstein of Darshan fame joins Elad to discuss what it means to be a fringe artist and Jew in a world where the fringe is often considered dangerous. Check out Eden's new album "Raza" with Darshan (the band featured in our intro!) here: https://darshan.bandcamp.com/album/raza Learn more about Darshan here: http://www.darshanproject.com/ See Darshan perform in New York on March 21st: https://www.facebook.com/events/1952951351588930/

What the heck is music exactly? Why does it touch some part of us that feels beyond earthly? Why is it so connected to prayer? In this episode, the legendary Basya Schechter joins Elad to discuss all this and so much more. Check out Basya's new album "Raza" with Darshan (the band featured in our intro!) here: https://darshan.bandcamp.com/album/raza Learn more about Darshan here: http://www.darshanproject.com/ See Darshan perform in New York on March 21st: https://www.facebook.com/events/1952951351588930/

"When you fall in love with an ex hassid You need to know that their kisses are unadulterated by the media world That all they know is to feel in the moment and not for what they see on tv That their romantic words are spoken from a past of never speaking to a woman, to never falling in love with anyone except their mothers" Read the full piece here: http://neshamas.com/fall-love-ex-hassid/ Voice acting by Elie Benhiyoun

How does one live creatively? How do we make our life a piece of art? And why is it so hard? These are the questions that form the basis for this discussion with Irwin Kula in this week's HevriaCast. Irwin Kula is a rabbi and the co-president of Clal (Hevria is fiscally sponsored by Clal). In 2008, Irwin was named the 7th most influential rabbi in America by Newsweek. It is this deep, creative wisdom he brings both to this discussion and to his work in Jewish innovation. Find out about Clal here: http://clal.org Find out about Irwin's latest project, the Glean incubator, here: http://clal.org/project/glean/

"I’m your neighbor, your friend’s sister, your daughter-in-law, your daughter, your mother, your wife. Maybe I’m you. I’m willing to bet there’s a lot of us out there. You can’t tell by looking at us. Oh yes, we know how to play the game. We know how to dress, how to speak, where to shop, where to be seen. We are part of the chorus – we blend into a sea of other faces and wigs on stage – nothing noteworthy or conspicuous about us." Read the full post here: http://neshamas.com/off-derech-low/ Voice acting by Robyn Black

What happens when we start actually giving voice to those who don't fit with the prevailing mainstream narrative of a culture? What happens when it's a culture with a distinct narrative pushed by the mainstream... like the Jewish community? This is one of the biggest questions discussed in this episode, featuring Isaiah Rothstein, a young rabbi who grew up in a multiracial Chabad family in Monsey, ahd who now advocates for so many different voices through his work. Hear this, as well as Isaiah's beautiful rap, in this thoughtful new episode of HevriaCast. Find out more about Isaiah by following him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isaiah.y.rothstein Find out more about his organization "Union Street Sanctuary" here: https://www.facebook.com/UnionStreetSanctuary/ And find out about Be'chol Lashon, where Isaiah is a Rabbi-in-Residence here: https://www.facebook.com/bechollashon/

"I woke up in the middle of the night, naked. I did not remember going to sleep like this. And then I found telltale signs: the scrunched sheets, the clothes, the wet sticky puddle. But my mind could not recall what happened. However, instantly it knew just what transpired. It was not good. My insides repulsed, screaming: this is a rape! I did not consent! I did not remember it! I’m sharing a bed with a rapist, peacefully snoring in post-coital coma." Read the full post here: http://neshamas.com/my-husband-raped-me/ Voice acting by Aliza Polansky.

Asher Lovy, abuse advocate and writer, sits down with Elad to talk about how activism and creativity are connected, his road to choosing take on activism, whether you need negativity to inspire art, and how we as a Jewish community need to approach Carlebach. Find Asher's activist group for abuse victims in the orthodox world here: https://www.facebook.com/zaakah/ Read his blog here: https://hareiani.com/ And read his guest posts on Hevria here: http://hevria.com/author/asherlovy/

"To my abuser, What can I say to you, who has taken so much from me? Where do I start when it has taken me thirty years to finally acknowledge what you did to me? My heart has started to pound as I write these words. That is how much of a hold the abuse has over me." Read the rest of the post here: http://neshamas.com/letter-to-my-abuser/ Voice acting by Mindy Schaper

A few months ago, the documentary "One of Us" came out on Netflix, and shook the orthodox world along with its release. The movie detailed the stories of three young Jews who had made the decision to leave their Hasidic communities, and the aftermath of their choices. One of those subjects was Ari Hershkowitz. In the movie, we see young Ari not just struggling with his own beliefs and place in the world, but also addiction and the trauma of sexual assault. In this episode, Ari discusses what his life has been like since the movie followed his life, the effect it had on his life, why he thinks many choose to leave their Hasidic lives, and much more. You can follow Ari on... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arih.me/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arihershkowitz/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/arihershkowitz

What started off as a friendly chat between two mutual admirers of each other's creativity quickly turned into something far more intense. As Jon Madof (lead guitarist of the band Zion80) started discussing how much of his music was inspired by Shlomo Carlebach, the talk turned into a discussion about the abuse allegations that have plagued Carlebach since his death. And, in turn, the responsibility of artists in the age of #MeToo. Find out more about Jon's band Zion80 here: https://zion80.com/ And find out about Jon's new record label, Chant Records, here: https://chantrecords.com/

"I started coming out when I was about 15. I wasn’t even sure what I was coming out as. I knew I liked men, but I also knew I liked girls. Or I kinda wanted to be a girl. Or at least I wanted to wear girls clothing. I didn’t know what I was, but I was figuring it out over long, late-night phone calls with a couple of close friends in similar situations." Read the full post here: http://neshamas.com/back-in-the-closet/ Voice acting by Josh Rubin

Jeremy Borovitz, leader of Base Berlin and Brooklyn Beit Midrash, drops in to speak with Elad about how he became orthodox, how the Talmud and creativity have so much in common, and how to balance being alone with the need to connect with others in order to truly be both spiritual and creative.

"“Oh no, she can’t go anywhere else. We can’t transfer her anywhere else. State mental hospitals are the end of the line for adolescents. She’ll stay here until she can she can go home or to a long term residence,” announced Chaya’s therapist in the hospital. This was after a trial visit at home for Shabbos, where she flipped out and became aggressive, biting me, throwing things at my husband, and trying to swallow a battery, which prompted my husband to call Hatzoloh on Shabbos and a trip to the ER and back to the state hospital. They would not send her anywhere else. This is the end of the line." Read the rest of the post here: http://neshamas.com/my-girl/ Voice acting by Robyn Black

Elad meets his match! In this episode of HevriaCast, Elad interviews and speaks with his wife, Rivka. Rivka is an artist, writer, and much more. In this episode, they discuss everything from how Chassidus is similar to creativity, why so many people have trouble producing art, and learning how to absorb critical comments without letting them destroy your creativity. Find Rivka's art here: http://www.rivka.gallery/ Read Rivka's writing here: http://hevria.com/author/rivka/ Learn more about ArtWarming here: https://www.artwarmingcards.com/

What does it mean to be masculine? And to live that masculinity out in a Jewish way? These are the questions that led Eitan Press to found Aleph Male, a new beard balm company that's been making waves in the Jewish press. We explore these questions and much more, including how starting a business is an act of creative bravery, how to inspire people, and the power of living in Israel as a creative Jew, in the latest episode of HevriaCast.

Voice acted by Elie Benhiyoun. Written by an anonymous writer. "Most of you know my father. You know him as that happy, warm and welcoming Shaliach. Always ready to lend a hand no matter what, from helping shlep boxes to having a deep meaningful conversation with a congregant at 3:00 in the morning. Our home was perpetually open, literally filled with every walk of life no matter what time of day. Songs were sung, L’chaims poured, a revolving door of of uplifted characters. This is the the man you all know and love, this is the man I never knew." Read the rest of the post here: http://neshamas.com/my-father-the-shaliach/

"I never thought being overweight would be the biggest blessing in my life. I never thought I’d be able to pull this off. I never thought I’d be telling my story. But all I can hope is that my baby darling will read this someday." Read the whole piece here: http://neshamas.com/my-daughter-my-secret/ Voice acting by Aliza Polansky

Is creativity just therapy? What does creativity offer to the world... and to creatives? Is there a way for creativity to truly be Jewish? In this episode, Yocheved Sidof, founder of Lamplighters Yeshivah and writer for Hevria, delves into these questions and more with Elad. Come listen. Find out more about Lamplighters: https://www.lamplightersyeshivah.org/ Read Yocheved's writing: http://hevria.com/yocheved/

Rachel Kann, one of Hevria's original writers, finally joins Elad in the studio for this episode of HevriaCast. Rachel brings her sparkling, powerful energy to this episode, discussing everything from how the feminine is spreading, what spirituality really is, and what makes art transcendent. Rachel Kann is a poet, dancer, Zumba teacher, writing teacher, priestess-in-training, podcaster, and much more. Find Rachel on her website: http://rachelkann.com/ On Hevria: http://hevria.com/author/rachel/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msrachelkann/ And on her podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/out-with-rachel/id1246306399

After taking a break for Tishrei, HevriaCast returns with its first second-time guest: Dalia Shusterman. In her first visit to HevriaCast, Dalia told us how she became a musician.  In this episode, she tells us how a rock star going on world tours started to explore Judaism, and take the road towards quitting her rock star life to get married, move to LA, and live the married observant life. Dalia Shusterman was one of the forces behind Bulletproof Stockings, a revolutionary Hasidic all-female band, who has recently started a new project called the New Moon All Stars Party Band, another Hasidic all-female band. Listen to Dalia's first visit to HevriaCast here: http://hevria.com/hevria/dalia-shusterman/ And find out about the New Moon All Stars Party Band here: https://www.facebook.com/NewMoonAllStars/

What can Chassidus teach us about music? What can music teach us about Chassidus? And how does one make sure to tap into a holy part of themselves when they create any form of art? In this episode, Yisroel Arye Gootblatt of the Brooklyn Jazz Warriors joins Elad for a discussion about these issues and so much more. Go to the Brooklyn Jazz Warriors record release this Sunday! https://www.facebook.com/events/1485333948201814/ Find the Brooklyn Jazz Warriors on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/brooklynjazzwarriors/ And check out Yisroel Arye's project, Sound Heights Records here: https://soundheightsrecords.com/

Can politics and creativity coexist? And if they can, where do they meet in an authentic way? In this episode of HevriaCast, Chloé Valdary, an outspoken voice in the world of Zionism and someone known for her activism, discusses why she has "given up" politics and now sees her work as art. And it is in this change that she shares her answers to the questions above and much more. Find Chloe: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chloesimonevaldary/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cvaldary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cvaldary/

Dalia Shusterman, one of the two members of the revolutionary Bulletproof Stockings, a Hasidic band made up only of women that made a big splash when they started playing big venues with one requirement: only women could come. In this episode, Dalia tells the first part of her story: how it seemed that no matter what she did, she was drawn towards a life of music. Join us as we explore her fascinating quest, from leaving home at sixteen to devote herself to music to her constant feeling that her creative side and her spiritual side were in conflict.

This week, Hevria's own Stephanie Wellen Levine joins Elad in the studio. And, if you know anything about Stephanie and Elad, you'll know exactly what the topic of this week was: death. From why no one else seems to be obsessed with it to contemplating the extinction of humanity, Elad and Stephanie go dark and yet somehow manage to be super joyful about the discussion itself. Enjoy! Or don't. We won't take it personally. You can buy Stephanie's first memoir about her time living in Crown Heights here: https://www.amazon.com/Mystics-Mavericks-Merrymakers-Intimate-Journey/dp/0814751970 And you can read her work on Hevria here: http://hevria.com/author/stephanielevine/

Join Dr. Angela and Dr. Stephanie for this fascinating conversation with Dr. Stephanie Wellen Levine as they discuss her upcoming book which details her "lifelong quest for insight into what might happen to our amazing selves and consciousnesses after we die." Dr. Levine chronicles her early exposure to the reality of death, and the ways in which her obsession with this fact has shaped much of her life. She has spent much of her waking (and dreaming) hours contemplating the possibility of life after death. Her fear has driven her to explore various spiritual paths in search of evidence that her individual self might continue to exist in some way after the end of her corporeal existence. Dr. Levine's journey leads to some unique places; studying with a Christian Evangelical college group, visiting a town populated with mediums and psychics, and giving a convent a test-run. Dr. Levine has sought to communicate with the deceased; she has tried astral projection; she has left no spiritual fringe stone unturned--all in her attempts to gather sufficient evidence to quell her terror. While Dr. Levine's existential fear is palpable at times, she also presents her quest with a dry wit, and self-deprecating humor. She evaluates her experiences with a keen, critical mind.  Thank you Dr. Levine for sharing your personal journey with us today. You can read more of Dr. Levine's work at The Wisdom Daily and Hevria. She has also written a popular book Mystics, Mavericks, and Merrymakers: An Intimate Journey among Hasidic Girls, which won Moment Magazine’s Emerging Writer Award for Nonfiction and was chosen for the national Hadassah Book Club.   If you are interested in being notified of the release of Dr. Levine's new book, which was discussed today, please subscribe to the Chasing the Mind blog. We will update listeners when her book is available.  Thank you for listening to Chasing the Mind. You can subscribe on Itunes and Stitcher. Please take a moment to leave a comment or rate and review this episode wherever you listen. And if you have an idea for a show, let us know at info@chasingthemind.com.   By Stephanie Wellen Levine - Mystics, Mavericks, and Merrymakers: An Intimate Journey Among Hasidic Girls (New edition) (7.7.2004) By Stephanie Wellen Levine

The Jewish Woodstock. That's what the Times of Israel calls Ian Leifer's fabulously ambitious Jewish music festival, The Camping Trip, taking place this weekend. And with a lineup including Matisyahu, Levi Robin, Zusha, and more, it would seem absolutely accurate. So, what inspired this project? How did Ian, someone who considers himself only having begun to take his Judaism "seriously" in the last 6 months, decide to commit to a project he's been building over the last few years? Find out in this latest episode of HevriaCast. Find out more about The Camping Trip and buy tickets on their website: http://thecampingtrip.net/

What's the difference between being an artist making Jewish art and a Jew who does art? In this latest HevriaCast episode, Saul Sudin (co-producer of "Punk Jews" and co-founder of Jewish Art Now) explores his own journey exploring this question. You can find out more about Saul Sudin on his website: http://saulsudin.com Watch the complete "Punk Jews" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c29lJ3U_A0 Saul's latest photography project, Body Narratives, can now be viewed at Think Coffee on 73 8th Ave in Manhattan.

While many of HevriaCast's recent guests have been discussing how to make Judaism more creative, Erika Dreifus's mission has been to make the creative world more Jewish. Erika has been blogging back before it was cool, both about writing and Jewish writing. And her thoughts expressed in this episode are an invaluable look into dealing with the tension between the desire to "succeed" in a secular setting while also embracing our personal identities. You can find Erika on her personal website: http://www.erikadreifus.com/ And on her two writing blogs: "Practicing Writing": http://www.erikadreifus.com/blogs/practicing-writing/ "My Machberet": http://www.erikadreifus.com/blogs/my-machberet/ Here are the links to some of the articles mentioned in this podcast: "After the MFA: Fantasy, Reality, and Lessons Learned": https://www.pw.org/content/after_the_mfa_fantasy_reality_and_lessons_learned Junot Diaz on "MFA vs. POC": http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/mfa-vs-poc Erika's poem about meeting deadlines early: http://www.sundaysalon.com/punktlichkeit.htm

"I find people to be the most beautiful things in the world." This quote from this week's HevriaCast is perhaps the best way to sum up our guest: Rochel Spangenthal. Rochel, the first regular Hevria writer to guest on Hevria's podcast, goes very deep into her way of looking at the world and how we can all improve our own. In this epic episode, Rochel discusses her world travels, how we can all become more present in our lives, and the power of holding on to the freshness of childhood.

Connecting revelation and creativity. Seeing how context affects the creative work we put out into the world. Exploring the spiritual power of bubblegum pop. All of this and more in this episode of HevriaCast featuring Miriam Brosseau. Miriam, whose LinkedIn bio calls out "Communication is an act of creation," is the Director of Engagement at See3. She also happens to be the lead singer of Stereo Sinai, a band she formed with her husband to explore the Torah through pop music. And she is a master of online communication. All this and more is what she brought to this episode. Enjoy!

In this special episode of HevriaCast, Elad interviews Brad Hirschfield, the president of Clal. Clal is a pluralist Jewish organization that oversees projects like "Rabbis Without Borders". In addition, it happens to be where Elad works, and is the fiscal sponsor of Hevria. But that's not what this episode is about. Rather, it's an exploration into the deeper creative ideas behind Brad's work. Things like the idea of "service vs. sales" and how to create a Jewish world that becomes more focused on love than on fear. Brad has two podcasts you can follow: 1. "6 Minutes With Brad Hirschfield": https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1224330760 2."Cracking The Echo Chamber": https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cracking-the-echo-chamber/id1229222081?mt=2

If you've ever read a piece on the hit Jewish parenting site Kveller, it probably passed through the careful and caring hands of Molly Tolsky, who until recently was its editor. She will soon be launching a new site in partnership with Kveller called Alma. The first half of this episode is devoted to discussing the challenges and joys of creating work for a less religiously engaged Jewish audience. And in the second half Elad and Molly discuss the power of fear in the creative process. Get a sneak peak of Alma on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/heyalmacom/ Read Kveller here: http://kveller.com

Season 1, Episode 22: Rivki Silver Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Rivki Silver. Rivki has spent most of her life immersed in the study and instruction of music, but for the past nine years has been learning about marriage and motherhood. She writes about relationships, parenthood, music and religion, as seen through the lens of an Orthodox Jewish woman. Her writing can be found on Hevria.com, where she is a regular contributor, as well as her blog, LifeintheMarriedLane.com, plus various other online sites. She was a fellow in the 2016 Cleveland Jewish Arts and Culture Lab, where she created both the visual and soundtrack to a stop-motion video starring a chickpea. You can see that, and other work, on her Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/rivkisilver). She is currently the principal clarinet of the Cleveland Women's Orchestra (http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.org). She lives in Cleveland with her husband and four children. You can also find her on her various social media accounts: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/rivkisilver), her blog's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/therivkisilver/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/rivkisilver/). Note: There is a great video that goes along with the "Hummus Song" heard in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZM2nwqLq8g The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund. Please join our Facebook Group, The Curiosity Hour Podcast, to continue the discussion about this episode online: www.facebook.com/groups/thecuriosityhourpodcast/ If you have any guest suggestions, comments, or feedback, please email us at guestsuggestions@thecuriosityhourpodcast.com. Disclaimers: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language. Notes: The brief music at the beginning and end of the podcast is the track, "Trail" on the album "Trail EP" by Nobara Hayakawa. We are using under creative commons license. The artist/publisher does not endorse or approve any of the content of this podcast. freemusicarchive.org/music/Nobara_Hayakawa/

Leah Gottfried, creator of "Soon By You", joins us this week to talk about balancing an orthodox life in the secular creative world and a creative life in the orthodox world. Drawing on her experience acting on television as well as being determined to be an actress in a community that often discouraged her dreams, the conversation revolves around the importance of creative communities, how to grow as an artist even when faced with challenges, and more. Episode 4 of "Soon By You" premieres this Thursday! Catch up with the episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxDfmL4kiek&list=PLCGQM1zwcGG2x7qh_Hn2jSvSR6f7dNCjY And if you're in New York City, you can go to the premiere party this Wednesday! Find out more info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1817309771629527/

Meet Amy Guterson, the founder and director of Tzohar, a Hasidic seminary for the arts. Hear how her program was started, how she found out that spirituality and the arts work together to make us better people, and how the Hasidic world is starting to embrace the arts, all in this powerful episode.

Eli Schwebel, a musician who has made a huge mark on the orthodox Jewish world, joins us this week. In this HevriaCast, we discuss the difference between creativity and expression, how Jewish identity fits into creativity, and whether everyone can actually be creative or not.

Hannah Roodman used to produce films and campaigns for people like Alicia Keys and organizations like the UN. Today, she has radically redeveloped her approach to creativity by focusing on creating intimate in-person communities, most notably with her organization BeingWith_. Discover why Hannah has chosen to go from "big" to personal, why she feels the categories the world has put on us are far too limiting, and why she sees empowering others to be creative as a deeply spiritual act in this latest podcast.

Hasidic comedian Mendy Pellin gets serious (but not too serious) about his craft, dealing with criticism, and how to impact the world with your art.

Rishe Groner, a writer who stirred things up quite a bit last year on the Hevria blog when she wrote about being harassed on the streets of Crown Heights, opens up about the piece some more, the difficulties that come with speaking up about the orthodox community, and being true to your beliefs.

MaNishtana joins HevriaCast for its third episode, in which he and Elad discuss how to balance politics and art, comic books, and when to listen to your audience (and when not to). And, of course, what IS this thing called Jewish creativity?

Painter, musician, awesome creative Jew. AKA: Noah Lubin. In episode 2 of HevriaCast, Elad and Noah talk about everything from what the essence of creativity is to the Little Prince to how to motivate ourselves as creatives.

It's episode 1 of Hevria's first podcast! In this episode, Elad chats with the fabulous artist Yitzchok Moully about everything from his work to what it really means to be a creative Jew to how to stand out as a creative. We can't wait for you to enjoy! Portrait by the great Marko Dashev. Music in the intro and outro by Darshan.

On this episode of Jew in the City speaks, Allison Josephs talks to a rabbi who goes to ComicCon - Rabbi Jack Abramowitz, and Pop Chasid's and Hevria founder Elad Nehorai on being out of the box Orthodox Jews.