Podcasts about jewish

It's been a remarkable eighteen months for Dutch-Israeli author Yael van der Wouden. Her debut novel, The Safekeep, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and this year it won the Women's Prize for Fiction.  Set in the Netherlands 15 years after the end of World War II, The Safekeep is the story of a reclusive young woman living in her family's isolated country home, whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of an unpredictable house guest. In this episode, Yael sat down with host Mythili Rao to talk about her approach to writing historical fiction, the enduring legacy of the 20th century's greatest tragedy and the ways in which her novel challenges the Dutch national narrative about World War II and its treatment of Jewish people during and after the war.    Yael van der Wouden Yael lives and works in the Netherlands, where she lectures in creative writing and comparative literature. The Safekeep is available now in paperback.   If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Revelation 20 teaches about the binding of Satan. Today, there are some who believe and teach that Satan is currently bound. What does the Bible teach?

What does it take to step into leadership during a time of profound cultural, social, and institutional change? Rabbi Joanna Samuels joins Nonprofit Nation to share how she's navigating this challenge as the CEO of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan—one of the largest and most influential Jewish community centers in the U.S.A longtime advocate for gender equity and social justice, Rabbi Samuels brings a unique lens to leadership, storytelling, and community-building. She discusses how nonprofit leaders can rethink engagement, lift up historically excluded voices, and lead with courage in post-pandemic times. Drawing from her recent viral essay in eJewish Philanthropy, she also unpacks “the vibe shift” in Jewish communal life and what it means for fundraisers, marketers, and mission-driven professionals everywhere.Key Topics:What it means to lead a legacy nonprofit in a post-pandemic worldWhy “the vibe shift” matters—and how to respond as a sectorBuilding inclusive narratives and championing diverse leadershipHow to fundraise and communicate during cultural changeReal-world leadership advice for managing complexity and transitionAbout Joanna Samuels:Rabbi Joanna Samuels became CEO of the MMJCCM in 2022. Previously, she served as founding ED of the Manny Cantor Center and has held numerous roles at the intersection of advocacy, faith, and equity. Her writing has appeared in major publications and she's recognized nationally as a leading voice on gender justice in the Jewish nonprofit sector.Take my free masterclass: 3 Must-Have Elements of Social Media Content that Converts

Have you ever noticed how much we love ritual and form as part of religion? We become so good at it, so obsessed with it, that we lose sight of the essence of what it means to be a Christian.To know God.That is the primary purpose of our journey, and it will be the end of our journey. It is so foundational to who we are as humans that even the great Moses basically begged God to let him see Him. So close were they that according to Jewish tradition, when Moses died, God drew his spirit from him with a kiss.Isaiah 5:19 says, “Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come to pass, that we may know it!”The Bible is clear that we can know God. As individuals, we can have a personal relationship with Him, the very One who created all there is.The splendor of that reality should drive us to read His Word and pray to Him every day. It should be the longing of our hearts. He knows, and He welcomes us into His presence.Let's pray.Lord, your mercy in making yourself available to us is something we can't even fully understand in this life. But we thank you for it, and love you. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

The Triumph of Life is Rabbi Irving Greenberg's magnum opus—a narrative of the relationship between God and humanity as expressed in the Jewish journey through modernity, the Holocaust, the creation of Israel, and the birth of Judaism's next era.Greenberg describes Judaism's utopian vision of a world created by a God who loves life, who invites humans to live on the side of life, and who enables the forces of life to triumph over death. The Bible proclaims our mission of tikkun olam, repairing the world, such that every human image of God is sustained in the fullness of our dignity. To achieve this ideal, Judaism offers the method of covenant—a realistic, personal, incremental partnership between God and humanity across generations in which human beings grow ever more responsible for world repair.Greenberg calls on us to redirect humanity's unprecedented power in modernity to overcome poverty, oppression, inequality, sickness, and war. The work of covenant requires an ethic of power—one that advances life collaboratively and at a human pace—so that the Jewish people and all humanity can bring the world toward the triumph of life. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award's Lifetime Achievement AwardWinner of the Natan Fund's 2024 Natan Prize. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Thank you for joining me today and following us throughout Project 23. If you would like to learn more about this project, click the link to discover more and partner with us. Our text today is Mark 12:28-34: And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. — Mark 12:28-34 In a moment filled with debates and trick questions, one man dares to ask something sincere: "What's the most important commandment?" That's the right question. And Jesus doesn't hesitate. He quotes the Shema from Deuteronomy 6—words every Jewish boy and girl had memorized: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. That's it. That's the whole law in two lines. Love vertically. Love horizontally. The man nods. He gets it. He says it back to Jesus, and Jesus replies: "You are not far from the kingdom." We complicate faith. Jesus simplifies it. It's not about rules or rituals. Not about knowledge or appearances. It's about love—real love. Do you love God with your whole being? Do you love people as you love yourself? That's the measuring stick—not how much you know, but how well you love. And it's convicting, because most of us are pretty good at loving ourselves. We think about ourselves. Protect ourselves. Excuse ourselves. But Jesus says: That same energy you give yourself? Give it to others. And more than that—give all of yourself to God. The love God wants is total. Not partial. Not occasional. Not reserved. All of it. This command doesn't leave room for compartmentalized faith. It pulls everything into the light: affections, thoughts, decisions, actions. So live all in for him who lived all in for you. #GreatestCommandment, #Mark12, #LoveGodLovePeople ASK THIS: Why does Jesus say these two commands summarize the whole law? Which area of love is hardest for you—heart, soul, mind, or strength? Who is someone God may be calling you to love more intentionally? What does “not far from the kingdom” mean in your life? DO THIS: Ask God to show you where your love for Him has grown thin, and who around you needs the love you've been withholding. PRAY THIS: God, help me love you with all that I am—and love others the way you love me. Let my faith be full of real love, not empty religion. Amen. PLAY THIS: “The Heart of Worship”

Daily Dose of Hope July 23, 2025   Scripture – Matthew 27:57-66   Prayer:  Holy God, You are a God of order and a God of purpose.  The world may seem chaotic, but you are not.  You have ordered your world with perfection.  Help us trust you.  Lord, fill us with your perfect peace.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today is Wednesday so that means Recharge night.  I hope to see you at 6:30pm in the Garage for a time of worship, fellowship, prayer, and small groups.   In our reading today, we finish up Matthew 27, which includes putting Jesus' body in the tomb and the Romans securing and sealing the tomb.  There isn't a lot here to cover, so I would encourage you to take your extra time from today and just spend some time with Jesus in prayer.  I think the Passion narrative is difficult to take in.  I know it's a story we have heard a lot, but when we really focus on the details, it's both distressing and extraordinary at the same time.  What do all these different elements mean to you?    Let's finish up today's chapter.  A wealthy man and member of the Jewish ruling council, Joseph of Arimathea, requests Jesus' body from Pilate, who orders it to be given over to him.  Joseph wraps the body in burial cloth and places it in a new tomb, one he had just purchased.  At this point, everything feels very heavy.  And the women are there watching it all.    I don't want us to miss the significance of this.  Joseph has gone to great risk and expense to make sure Jesus' body is cared for with respect.  Now, everyone will know he is believer of Jesus.  There is no keeping anything secret at this point.  Joseph is also making himself ceremonially unclean by touching a dead body right before the Sabbath.  Finally, Joseph is fulfilling prophecy from Isaiah, spoken 700 years before Jesus.  “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death” (Isaiah 53:9).   The chapter ends with Pilate making sure the tomb is very secure.  It's interesting that they recall Jesus' words about rising again.  The disciples seem to have forgotten this but the Romans remember it clearly.  They post a guard in front of the tomb and seal it.  They want to ensure that no one can steal the body.    I love how God basically took care of every detail here.  More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

The Triumph of Life is Rabbi Irving Greenberg's magnum opus—a narrative of the relationship between God and humanity as expressed in the Jewish journey through modernity, the Holocaust, the creation of Israel, and the birth of Judaism's next era.Greenberg describes Judaism's utopian vision of a world created by a God who loves life, who invites humans to live on the side of life, and who enables the forces of life to triumph over death. The Bible proclaims our mission of tikkun olam, repairing the world, such that every human image of God is sustained in the fullness of our dignity. To achieve this ideal, Judaism offers the method of covenant—a realistic, personal, incremental partnership between God and humanity across generations in which human beings grow ever more responsible for world repair.Greenberg calls on us to redirect humanity's unprecedented power in modernity to overcome poverty, oppression, inequality, sickness, and war. The work of covenant requires an ethic of power—one that advances life collaboratively and at a human pace—so that the Jewish people and all humanity can bring the world toward the triumph of life. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award's Lifetime Achievement AwardWinner of the Natan Fund's 2024 Natan Prize. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Many in Australia's Jewish community say political polarisation is fuelling a new wave of antisemitism. How are Jews responding in the face of high-profile incidents of hate? - অস্ট্রেলিয়ার ইহুদি সম্প্রদায়ের অনেকেই মনে করেন যে রাজনৈতিক মেরুকরণ একটি নতুন ধরণের ইহুদি-বিরোধিতাকে উসকে দিচ্ছে। ঘৃণার বড় বড় ঘটনাগুলোর মুখে ইহুদিরা কীভাবে প্রতিক্রিয়া জানাচ্ছেন?

In her first media interview since stepping down early as Canada's Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, Deborah Lyons spoke to The CJN frankly about why she left. There were no medical or mental health issues that prompted her decision, she says. It was, in part, exhaustion after spending nearly two years “waking up every day to a fight”. It was hard to get people to speak up for the community. Some wouldn't even agree to speak with her personally. Over time, she grew “despondent and despairing” over how few Canadians have stood up against the anti-Jewish hatred that has flared up in this country since she took the job, soon after Oct. 7, 2023. Despite serving a term as Canada's ambassador to Israel from 2016 to 2020, her appointment raised eyebrows in some quarters—including in the Jewish community—because she herself is not Jewish. Nonetheless, she maintained to The CJN how important it was for her to accept the job to show what allyship can look like and to fight for a better Canada. Now, however, she is leaving the post highly critical of various Canadian sectors. Canadian business leaders, religious leaders and politicians have failed to support the Jewish community. Governments, she believes, found it easier to hold summits to fight carjackings and tariffs—yet could not cooperate when it came to combatting hate. On today's episode of The CJN's flagship news podcast North Star, Deborah Lyons sits down with host Ellin Bessner for an in-depth interview to explain her resignation and why Canadians need to stop being bystanders in what she calls a fight for the future of our country's children. Related links Read reaction from the Jewish community as Ambassador Deborah Lyons announces she is stepping down on July 17, in The CJN. Hear Deborah Lyons' first interview after being appointed Special Envoy to replace Irwin Cotler, in The CJN, and her later one after releasing the new IHRA handbook in the fall of 2024. Her last initiative before resigning was a study of antisemitism in Ontario public schools, in The CJN. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here)

Richie is joined once again by Dr. Rehiana Ali. Rehiana is a consultant neurologist. She has worked in the NHS for 20 years. The General Medical Council suspended her last December after Israeli lobby groups reported comments she posted on social media. Her comments were entirely lawful. Her suspension was lifted last week after a hearing in Manchester. On today's show, Dr. Ali discusses her case, the situation in Gaza today, Jewish power in the UK, the war on free speech and much more. Follow Dr. Rehiana Ali here:https://x.com/Rehiana1980

Sitting on a Suitcase: Psychoanalytic Stories (Karnac Books, 2025) contains eighteen moving tales of disparate Jewish lives from Eliat Aram, Leslie B. Brissett, Louisa Diana Brunner, Halina Brunning, Leila Djemal, Shmuel Erlich, Mira Erlich-Ginor, Franca Fubini, Stan Gold, Larry Hirschhorn, Susan Kahn, Alicia E. Kaufmann, Olya Khaleelee, James Krantz, Vega Zagier Roberts, Edward R. Shapiro, Mannie Sher, and Marlene Spero. The book begins with a thought-provoking preface from former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and ends with a sensitive epilogue from Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, both providing societal containment for what comes between them. The contents also include two non-Jewish German writers, Claudia Nagel and Dorothee von Tippelskirch-Eissing, who between them provide a bravely honest introduction and conclusions to the stories contained within. Also contained within the book are black and white photographs of the contributors' young selves that provide an additional evocative layer to the words contained within. Plus four black and white line drawings to illustrate each of the four parts of the book: Orthodox beginnings, Sitting on the boundary: Marginality and belonging, Emigration and identity, and Will history repeat itself? This was not an easy book for its authors to write, revisiting the past unlocked painful memories and re-awoke fears of persecution. The manuscript was nearing completion when Hamas attacked a kibbutzim on October 7, 2023 and the war in Gaza followed. Incidents of anti-Semitism increased worldwide and questions were raised whether the book should be held back. However, its themes became more relevant than ever and these stories need to be read. Themes such as issues around having a voice, or finding a voice during formative years; finding a family through friends; a sense of not belonging because of constant relocation, or finding a sense of belonging through family and friends. Aspects of life that resonate with us all alongside the deeper theme of the impact of Jewish identity on every facet of life. This is a book full of emotion and meaning that needs to be read by all with an interest in humanity and fostering connection and understanding across nations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

When I sat down with Dr. Ory Amitay, his passion for myth, history, and ancient cultures was infectious. Our conversation about his new book, Alexander the Great in Jerusalem: Myth and History, Oxford University Press, 2025, quickly revealed that for Ory, the real intrigue isn't whether Alexander literally visited Jerusalem, but how and why this story was created and retold for centuries. Ory traced his fascination with this intersection of myth and reality back to his Israeli upbringing and Berkeley days, where he mastered ancient languages and ventured beyond traditional Jewish sources. He described how, over time, different versions of Alexander's visit to Jerusalem reflected shifting political climates—from the Seleucid takeover to Roman conquest. Myths, he explained, were tools to help communities navigate upheaval, envisioning themselves in relation to powerful foreign rulers.  Pressed for the historical “truth,” Ory smiled and emphasized that the stories' meaning—how they address the anxieties and hopes of their tellers—outweighs whether Alexander's visit “really” happened. As he pursues new projects, translating ancient versions of these tales and writing a book on Western civilization, I left inspired by his view that exploring old myths is also about understanding how we shape, and are shaped by, our stories about ourselves. Alexander the Great in Jerusalem: Myth and History discusses four different stories told in antiquity about the meeting between Alexander the Great and the Judeans of Jerusalem. In history, this meeting, if it happened, passed without noticeable events. Into the historical void stepped various Judean storytellers, who wrote not what was, but what could (or even should) have been.The tradition as a whole deals with an issue that resurfaced time and again in ancient Judean history: conquest and regime installment by new foreign rulers. It does so by using Alexander as a cipher for a current Hellenistic and Roman foreign rule. The earliest version can be traced to the context of the Seleukid monarch Antiochos III "the Great", and postulates a Judean text from that time that has been hitherto unknown, and which survived in a Byzantine recension (epsilon) of the Alexander Romance. The second and third chapters turn to rabbinic sources, and deal with the Judean approaches and attitudes towards Roman occupation and rule, first at the advent of Pompey and then at the institution of Provincia ludaea at the expense of the Herodian dynasty. The final story is the most famous, previously considered the earliest, rather than the latest; that of Josephus.Alexander the Great in Jerusalem demonstrates how the historical tradition consistently maintained the moral and sacral superiority of the Jerusalem temple and of Judaism, making Alexander either embrace monotheism or prostrate himself before the Judean high priest. This not only bolstered Judean self-confidence under conditions of military and political inferiority, but also brought the changing foreign rulers into the fold of Judean sacred history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

When I sat down with Dr. Ory Amitay, his passion for myth, history, and ancient cultures was infectious. Our conversation about his new book, Alexander the Great in Jerusalem: Myth and History, Oxford University Press, 2025, quickly revealed that for Ory, the real intrigue isn't whether Alexander literally visited Jerusalem, but how and why this story was created and retold for centuries. Ory traced his fascination with this intersection of myth and reality back to his Israeli upbringing and Berkeley days, where he mastered ancient languages and ventured beyond traditional Jewish sources. He described how, over time, different versions of Alexander's visit to Jerusalem reflected shifting political climates—from the Seleucid takeover to Roman conquest. Myths, he explained, were tools to help communities navigate upheaval, envisioning themselves in relation to powerful foreign rulers.  Pressed for the historical “truth,” Ory smiled and emphasized that the stories' meaning—how they address the anxieties and hopes of their tellers—outweighs whether Alexander's visit “really” happened. As he pursues new projects, translating ancient versions of these tales and writing a book on Western civilization, I left inspired by his view that exploring old myths is also about understanding how we shape, and are shaped by, our stories about ourselves. Alexander the Great in Jerusalem: Myth and History discusses four different stories told in antiquity about the meeting between Alexander the Great and the Judeans of Jerusalem. In history, this meeting, if it happened, passed without noticeable events. Into the historical void stepped various Judean storytellers, who wrote not what was, but what could (or even should) have been.The tradition as a whole deals with an issue that resurfaced time and again in ancient Judean history: conquest and regime installment by new foreign rulers. It does so by using Alexander as a cipher for a current Hellenistic and Roman foreign rule. The earliest version can be traced to the context of the Seleukid monarch Antiochos III "the Great", and postulates a Judean text from that time that has been hitherto unknown, and which survived in a Byzantine recension (epsilon) of the Alexander Romance. The second and third chapters turn to rabbinic sources, and deal with the Judean approaches and attitudes towards Roman occupation and rule, first at the advent of Pompey and then at the institution of Provincia ludaea at the expense of the Herodian dynasty. The final story is the most famous, previously considered the earliest, rather than the latest; that of Josephus.Alexander the Great in Jerusalem demonstrates how the historical tradition consistently maintained the moral and sacral superiority of the Jerusalem temple and of Judaism, making Alexander either embrace monotheism or prostrate himself before the Judean high priest. This not only bolstered Judean self-confidence under conditions of military and political inferiority, but also brought the changing foreign rulers into the fold of Judean sacred history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Sitting on a Suitcase: Psychoanalytic Stories (Karnac Books, 2025) contains eighteen moving tales of disparate Jewish lives from Eliat Aram, Leslie B. Brissett, Louisa Diana Brunner, Halina Brunning, Leila Djemal, Shmuel Erlich, Mira Erlich-Ginor, Franca Fubini, Stan Gold, Larry Hirschhorn, Susan Kahn, Alicia E. Kaufmann, Olya Khaleelee, James Krantz, Vega Zagier Roberts, Edward R. Shapiro, Mannie Sher, and Marlene Spero. The book begins with a thought-provoking preface from former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and ends with a sensitive epilogue from Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, both providing societal containment for what comes between them. The contents also include two non-Jewish German writers, Claudia Nagel and Dorothee von Tippelskirch-Eissing, who between them provide a bravely honest introduction and conclusions to the stories contained within. Also contained within the book are black and white photographs of the contributors' young selves that provide an additional evocative layer to the words contained within. Plus four black and white line drawings to illustrate each of the four parts of the book: Orthodox beginnings, Sitting on the boundary: Marginality and belonging, Emigration and identity, and Will history repeat itself? This was not an easy book for its authors to write, revisiting the past unlocked painful memories and re-awoke fears of persecution. The manuscript was nearing completion when Hamas attacked a kibbutzim on October 7, 2023 and the war in Gaza followed. Incidents of anti-Semitism increased worldwide and questions were raised whether the book should be held back. However, its themes became more relevant than ever and these stories need to be read. Themes such as issues around having a voice, or finding a voice during formative years; finding a family through friends; a sense of not belonging because of constant relocation, or finding a sense of belonging through family and friends. Aspects of life that resonate with us all alongside the deeper theme of the impact of Jewish identity on every facet of life. This is a book full of emotion and meaning that needs to be read by all with an interest in humanity and fostering connection and understanding across nations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Ralph Blumenthal joins us today from his office in NYC. Ralph is a Distinguished Lecturer, an Award-Winning Reporter and Journalist for The New York Times from 1964 to 2009, and a writer on organized crime and cultural history. He also is known for co-authoring the now famous NY Times article in 2017 along with Leslie Kean and Helene Cooper that broke the door open on the secret AATIP program. He and Kean followed that up in 2023 with their breaking story on David Grusch and the details of a secret retrieval program and existence of non-human intelligence. Moreover, he is also the distinguished biographer of the late Harvard psychiatrist and author Dr. John Mack with his book “The Believer: Alien Encounters, Hard Science, and the Passion of John Mack.”   Ralph has both writing and NYC at his core. Ralph straight-talks us through everything important to him: his curiosities, his artistic background, his Jewish heritage, mysteries that fascinate us, his wife's sensibilities-  and the life, research and curiosities of John Mack. We talk unmovable beliefs, inquisitions and the big questions. What is the bottom line?   People mentioned in this episode can be found here: Rudy Schild (re John Mack) – ep 179 Leslie Kean – ep 112 Guy Consolmagno – ep 133 Danny Sheehan – ep 169 Ralph, Books: https://ralphblumenthal.com/books/ Website: https://ralphblumenthal.com/bio/ X: @ralphblu To give to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors

Daily Dose of Hope July 22, 2025   Scripture - Matthew 27:32-56   Prayer:  Holy and Perfect God, Thank you for your divine plan.  Thank you for not giving up on your people and sending Jesus.  Your love and care for us is hard to comprehend.  Help us be a better reflection of your love in all we do.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are diving into part two of Matthew 27, which includes the crucifixion and the death of Jesus.   Let's start with the crucifixion.  Matthew has a lot of detail.  We meet Simon of Cyrene who was forced to carry Jesus' cross.  While Simon certainly had no choice in the matter, I'm guessing his life was never the same after that.  He had carried the cross for the Savior of the world.  Jesus is offered wine with gall (which was very bitter and possibly offered to dull pain) but he tastes it and then refuses it.  His clothes are divided among the soldiers.  A sign is placed above him that says, “King of the Jews.”  And then there are all the insults hurled at him, from passers-by but also from those crucified next to him.  So much humiliation.   However, for those who witness Jesus' actual death, it is life-changing.  The sky gets dark and Jesus cries out the first line of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At the time, people would reference a psalm by stating the first line and the rest of the psalm would be assumed.  Psalm 22 was written by David, and it's a psalm that expresses abandonment and despair in the face of sorrow.    But this leads to some questions.  Did Jesus really feel abandoned by God at that moment on the cross?  I mentioned this in when we discussed Mark 15 and I think it's important to emphasize again. By quoting Psalm 22, Jesus is actually expressing confidence in the face of suffering.  He is trusting that God will ultimately deliver him. We gain confidence in this interpretation because it is faithful to our understanding of the Trinity as inseparable - one part of the Godhead can't abandon another part of the Godhead.  There is also a distinct union of Jesus' divine and human natures.  All of this comes together on the cross.  Let's read Psalm 22, verses 1-8...   My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?    Why are you so far from saving me,    so far from my cries of anguish? 2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,    by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;    you are the one Israel praises. 4 In you our ancestors put their trust;    they trusted and you delivered them.5 To you they cried out and were saved;    in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man,    scorned by everyone, despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me;    they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,    “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him,    since he delights in him.” And as the psalm continues (it is a bit long to real in full here), we see how the psalmist begins to express trust in the Lord and praise his name.  He knows that God will deliver him.  The bottom line seems to be that on the cross, Jesus bore the weight of our sin as the Son of God, but the Father did not literally abandon him, as that would divide the Trinity and undermine Christ's saving work.  Jesus knew that God would deliver him but also provide a way to deliver the whole world.  Right before Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross, the curtain in the Temple was torn down the middle. This is the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holiest of Holies) where the ark of the covenant was kept and the presence of God remained. When the curtain tore, it was a sign that the New Covenant was instituted. Because of Jesus' sacrifice (the final sacrifice for sin), those who believe in him can now go directly to the throne of God's grace. When holy God looks at us, he doesn't see our sinfulness but the blood of Christ. Thus, there are no more barriers that can separate us from God.  Hebrews 10 refers to this incredible phenomena...   Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22   Matthew also adds that when Jesus died, the earth also shook and that some who were already dead were brought back to life. The centurion who was guarding the tomb declared that this man, Jesus, must have been the Son of God.   There are two questions that are important to answer when discussing today's topic: Why was Jesus killed? and then, Why did Jesus die? They are both critical questions and the answers are different. I'm going to keep this brief but I want to at least address this.    Why was Jesus killed?  Well, a number of groups colluded to kill him.  First, Jesus was killed because the Jewish leaders felt threatened by him.  They feared him.  He threatened all they thought was right and they were unwilling to open their minds to God doing something differently.  They refused to believe that he was the Messiah, or we could say he wasn't the kind of Messiah that they were expecting.  And they didn't like the way he had the support of the common people.  But let's be clear, Jesus was also killed because his crucifixion was a political act by the Romans.  They didn't want anyone out there claiming to be king of the Jews.  They wanted to ensure that the only one with authority was the Roman government.   Now, why did Jesus die?  That's a whole different question.  Jesus died so that we could be cleansed of sin and walk intimately with a holy God.  Jesus, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy, became the final sacrifice for all sin for all time.  Ever since the fall, God had been on a mission to redeem the world.  The Law was part of that but the people could not keep the Law.  What the Law did was demonstrate how broken, flawed, and sinful us humans really are.  Something much more drastic was needed.  So, God sent Jesus.    Jesus was God with flesh on.  When we say that Jesus is the Son of God, that means that he was the second person of the Trinity, God himself.  He came to earth to live among us and demonstrate to us a new way of doing life, one in which God reigns as King.  Everything Jesus did – his whole life as well as his death and resurrection, was intended to demonstrate the fundamental values of God's Kingdom.  Of course, one of those values was love.  Jesus was and is love.  We see this on the cross.  We've read about all the human actions that led to the cross but this was God's divine plan.  Jesus knew it had to happen.  Jesus knew this was the only way.  So he went voluntarily to the cross.  He was God and he could have called a legion of angels down to save him.  But he didn't.  He went through with all the humiliation and torture.  For us.  For all of us.  He died for us.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Australia joins 20 nations calling for an end to Gaza conflict which the government labels inhumane, Victoria’s Jewish governor condemns protest hate speech. Plus, one in four GP clinics refuse to bulk bill as health costs bite.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many in Australia's Jewish community say political polarisation is fuelling a new wave of antisemitism. How are Jews responding in the face of high-profile incidents of hate? - 很多澳洲猶太社群人士認為，政治極化正在助長新一波反猶主義的浪潮。在一連串備受矚目的仇恨事件下，猶太人又是如何回應呢？

Many in Australia's Jewish community say political polarisation is fuelling a new wave of antisemitism. How are Jews responding in the face of high-profile incidents of hate? - מאבטחים בכניסה לבתי כנסת, תרגיל חירום בבתי ספר יהודיים, ותחושת דריכות מתמדת – כך נראים חיי היום-יום של יהודים רבים באוסטרליה. מאז מתקפת 7 באוקטובר, גוברת התחושה שהקהילה היהודית הפכה למטרה, גם הרחק מהזירה הגיאו-פוליטית של המזרח התיכון. פרק חדש בסדרה "איך להבין שנאה" בפודקאסט SBS Examines, בוחן את הפחדים, התמיכה, הקושי להבחין בין ביקורת פוליטית לאנטישמיות, והתקווה לחיים בטוחים יותר.

Welcome to our Monthly Zodiac Bonus Episode, dropping the third week of every month! This July, we're giving you the ultimate guide to making a Leo man obsessed with YOU.Get ready to discover:

If you're in your twenties then listen to this.Your 20s are all about embracing mistakes, growth, and becoming the person you're meant to be. In today's short episode, I'm sharing 20 things your 20s are too short for—like staying in toxic relationships, letting others define your worth, and holding back from living your best life. Plus, stick around for a powerful manifesting mantra at the end to help you shape the future you desire.

Ben Lorber is a senior research analyst at Political Research Associates. He joined the show for a discussion about the pro-Israel groups cheapening the real antisemitism affecting Jewish people by doing things like pick fights against children's entertainers like Ms. Rachel and Elmo. How do we keep our moral compass steady against those who seek to wield it as a bludgeon to silence critics of the Israeli government?Links for Ben:* Read his book: “Safety through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism”* Check out his work: Political Research Associates* Follow his socials: X and BlueSkyExit Track: “Hunger for Death” by PUPThrow a few bucks in our digital tip jar: https://tiptopjar.com/postingthroughitpodIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with your friends and followers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Episode generously dedicated by Anonymous lrefuah shelaima דנה דניאלה בת סוניה and for the safety of Eretz Yisroel and Jewish People everywhere.

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

Join Group https://chat.whatsapp.com/DYdfRcOLgCl7ccQI0AbvyN?mode=ac_c The Jewish Truth Bomb 21JULY2025 - PODCAST

Mark Wilf is best known as the co-owner and President of the Minnesota Vikings, but his impact extends far beyond the football field. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore how his upbringing as the child of Holocaust survivors shaped his leadership, his deep commitment to Jewish philanthropy, and the lessons he's learned from sports, business, and legacy. If you care about leadership, family, giving back, and the future of Jewish life, this is an episode you won't want to miss.Special thanks to the Danneman family for helping arrange this conversation.-----To sponsor an episode: JewsShmoozeMarketing@gmail.comListen on the phone!! UK: 44-333-366-0589 IL: 972-79-579-5005 USA: 712-432-2903Check out the Jews Shmooze T-shirts and mug: https://rb.gy/qp543

Jewish wine in non-Jewish jugs - there's a dispute over how prohibited the wine is, and under what conditions. But if there's a Jewish intermediary, that might increase the possibilities. With the perpetual concern being a non-Jew pouring a libation that the Jew might not even notice. Also, Rav Zevid's take on non-Jews tossing things into the wine of the Jews - at what cost? But how did people handle the expense of not using the jugs or other vessels. Also, fish stew and cheese -- how they cooked and how they spiced their food, and so on. With a reduced halakhic concern, as long as no wine is entering the soup, for example. Or calves that were dedicated to idolatry, for example, when they are then used to make cheese.

After Revelation: The Rabbinic Past in the Medieval Islamic World offers a dynamic new perspective on medieval Jewish legal thought and its integration in the wider Islamic world. Here, Marc D. Herman demonstrates that Jews were fully conversant in their contemporaries' ideas about revelation, law, and legal interpretation. Bookended by the two luminaries of medieval Judaism--Saadia Gaon and Moses Maimonides--After Revelation analyzes the legal theory that medieval Jews produced in Islamic lands, mostly in Arabic, and reveals previously unrecognized commonalities between Jewish and Islamic constructions of religious law. Herman tackles one of the central doctrines of post-biblical Judaism: that God had supplemented the written Hebrew Bible with an Oral Torah. Tracing this idea from Baghdad to Córdoba to Cairo, he shows that the Oral Torah took many new forms in the medieval Islamic world. After Revelation makes plain that medieval Judaism took the shapes that it did largely because of contact with Islam. You can pre-order this book now, and it will be published on August 5, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The book of James was written by none other than James, the half-brother of Jesus. After Jesus' resurrection, James writes to Jewish believers about topics from perseverance, to true faith, controlling your tongue, submitting to God, patience, and living a wisdom-filled Christian life.   Join Jerry as he dives into this letter to the Church, the book of James, and shares how you can apply the truths it contains to your every day life.   You can also take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  LINKS:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Can I, a Catholic, marry my Jewish girlfriend? Why is missing Mass a mortal sin? What happened to Joseph Barsabbas aka Justus after he was not chosen to replace Judas? and more on today's Open Line with Fr. John Trigilio. (Originally aired on 6/24/24)

After Revelation: The Rabbinic Past in the Medieval Islamic World offers a dynamic new perspective on medieval Jewish legal thought and its integration in the wider Islamic world. Here, Marc D. Herman demonstrates that Jews were fully conversant in their contemporaries' ideas about revelation, law, and legal interpretation. Bookended by the two luminaries of medieval Judaism--Saadia Gaon and Moses Maimonides--After Revelation analyzes the legal theory that medieval Jews produced in Islamic lands, mostly in Arabic, and reveals previously unrecognized commonalities between Jewish and Islamic constructions of religious law. Herman tackles one of the central doctrines of post-biblical Judaism: that God had supplemented the written Hebrew Bible with an Oral Torah. Tracing this idea from Baghdad to Córdoba to Cairo, he shows that the Oral Torah took many new forms in the medieval Islamic world. After Revelation makes plain that medieval Judaism took the shapes that it did largely because of contact with Islam. You can pre-order this book now, and it will be published on August 5, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/islamic-studies

In this episode of Legacy Grandparenting, Wayne Rice and John Coulombe talk with Mark Gerson, an entrepreneur, philanthropist and author of God Was Right: How Modern Social Science Has Proved that the Torah Is True. From his uniquely Jewish perspective, Mark explains why the teachings of Moses emphasize the crucial role that grandparents play in the lives of grandchildren and what social science has proven about the health benefits of intentional grandparenting. You'll enjoy this conversation which takes several interesting turns including Mark's description of “the best people in the world.”For more information: https://www.godwasright.com/

After Revelation: The Rabbinic Past in the Medieval Islamic World offers a dynamic new perspective on medieval Jewish legal thought and its integration in the wider Islamic world. Here, Marc D. Herman demonstrates that Jews were fully conversant in their contemporaries' ideas about revelation, law, and legal interpretation. Bookended by the two luminaries of medieval Judaism--Saadia Gaon and Moses Maimonides--After Revelation analyzes the legal theory that medieval Jews produced in Islamic lands, mostly in Arabic, and reveals previously unrecognized commonalities between Jewish and Islamic constructions of religious law. Herman tackles one of the central doctrines of post-biblical Judaism: that God had supplemented the written Hebrew Bible with an Oral Torah. Tracing this idea from Baghdad to Córdoba to Cairo, he shows that the Oral Torah took many new forms in the medieval Islamic world. After Revelation makes plain that medieval Judaism took the shapes that it did largely because of contact with Islam. You can pre-order this book now, and it will be published on August 5, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Daily Dose of Hope July 21, 2025   Scripture – Matthew 27:1-31   Prayer:  Almighty God, We come before you this morning, rejoicing in your powerful and holy name.  You are everything, Lord – Creator, Sustainer, Provider, the one who sees, the one who is most high, Mighty, Everlasting.  There are times that we are overwhelmed by your love and care.  How could the one who created all, also care about me?  God, we give you glory.  We are so grateful for how you involve yourself in our lives.  Most of all, we thank you for Jesus.  Oh, Lord Jesus, we give you glory, honor, and praise.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Happy Monday. Today, we are starting Matthew 27.  This is another long chapter that is filled with a lot of substance so we will once again take three days to walk through it.   Today's narrative about Judas' suicide is found only in Matthew. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. I'm not sure what Judas thought would happen when he accepted the bribe. Maybe Jewish independence? Maybe some extra favors? Maybe some sense of satisfaction? But when Judas actually sees that Jesus is arrested and condemned, a man he knew was totally innocent, Judas is filled with remorse. He sees the consequences of his decision.   In his anguish, Judas brings the silver back to the religious leaders. Maybe he was looking for some kind of reassurance or guidance but they gave him none. They were, after all, simply using him to get what they wanted. When Judas realizes this, he appears to be consumed by both remorse and anger and hurls the silver into the temple. It's then that he kills himself. It seems that Judas was overcome with remorse.   If you think about it, remorse produces extreme sorrow and grief. The goal is that remorse will lead to repentance and life change. This happened for Peter. He denied Jesus three times, a very significant betrayal. He must have felt incredible sorrow after what he did but he didn't stay there. He allowed God to move him to repentance. But Judas, for whatever reason, could not get past the grief. Maybe he was overcome with fear about what his life would be like when people discovered it was him. Maybe he didn't think he would be forgiven or he thought he would lose social position. Whatever it was, he couldn't get past it.   Friends, I don't know what you are dealing with right now, but there is ALWAYS hope. Things can be really, really bad. Life can feel totally dark. But God is light. With God, there is always hope for a better day. For some reason, Judas didn't think so but he was wrong. Jesus would have forgiven him and loved him, just as he did Peter.   Jesus loves you. Jesus will always forgive you. Your life is valuable. If you ever get to the point where the darkness feels all-consuming, reach out immediately. Reach out to me or to a friend. And don't forget that God is always there, just waiting, ready to listen and comfort. You are never alone.   In the next portion of today's chapter, we have Jesus going before Pilate.  Pilate was a Roman, the governor of Judea who was serving under Emperor Tiberias.  While Pilate has been mentioned outside of the Gospels by several secular writings of the time, he is certainly best known for his role in Jesus' crucifixion.  Let's dive into that.   In Matthew's Gospel, we get the impression that Pilate is reluctantly asking Jesus questions.  He doesn't feel that Jesus is guilty of anything and this is weighing on Pilate.  Then, his wife sends him an urgent message, begging Pilate to ensure that nothing is done “to this innocent man” for she had suffered a great deal in a dream because of Jesus.   Pilate ends up seeking a compromise. Knowing Jesus had been handed over by the religious leaders out of envy and spite, Pilate appealed to the crowds at the Passover, asking which “criminal” should be set free, Jesus or Barabbas? Seeing Jesus as innocent, it appears that Pilate believes that surely the people will choose Jesus over the murderous zealot, Barabbas.  But they don't.  The Jewish leaders convinced the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released rather than Jesus.    Pilate gives in to political pressure.  He knows Jesus is innocent.  Pilate, exasperated, declares that he is “innocent” of Jesus' blood but then he hands Jesus over to be flogged and crucified.  He did what was easy, not what was right.  And Pilate will be forever remembered as a leader who chose the expedient route, rather than the one with integrity.  He is immortalized in the Apostles' Creed and remembered by Christians around the globe when we say that Jesus “suffered under Pontius Pilate.”   The final portion of today's Scripture has the Roman soldiers mocking Jesus.  This was one more form of punishment and humiliation before the ultimate torture instrument of the cross.    More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Everything is Awesome! James 5:10-20; St. Matthew 9:1-8 (Riffing on St. Peter Chrysologus) Over the last few homilies, I have tried to share an approach to living that looks for the good, and the beautiful, and the true in all things so that we might have joy in them and nurture them towards greater glory.  Today, I am going to continue this lesson by applying it to scripture.  Of course, in this case we are not nurturing scripture to greater glory, but we always grow in our appreciation of its goodness, beauty, and truth so that those virtues might grow within us. Let's go through today's Gospel reading. This story starts out so mundanely, with Christ entering the boat, crossing the sea, and coming to his town.  But even in, this there is something to learn, something that should leave us in awe. This is the God who has complete mastery over all the elements, over all of time and space.  Why does he cross the sea in this way – surely the hosts of heaven, at the very least, could have born him to his destination? As St. Peter Chrysologus teaches us the way that he juxtaposes the material with the spiritual and the mundane with the glorious; Christ came to take up our infirmities, and to confer his own power upon us; to experience human things, to bestow divine ones; to accept insults, to return honors; to endure what is irksome, and to restore health, because a doctor who does not bear infirmities does not know how to cure; and the one who has not been a fellow patient is unable to confer health. To summarize St. Gregory of Nazianzus; that part of humanity that God did not accept or assume, cannot be saved.  There were no shortcuts for our salvation.  God became man and lived according to our infirmity (in everything but sin). Therefore, he endured these limitations so that he would be shown to be true man by these human limitations. Do you see how much beauty here? We go on to read that he entered the boat. He entered a boat?  Sure you see where we are going with this!  We know these truths, but do we ever slow down and just bask in their glory? What is the boat but the Church?  Again, let's listen to St. Peter Chrysologus; Christ always enters the boat of his Church to calm the waves of the world, so that he might lead those who believe in him tranquilly across to his heavenly homeland, and make citizens of his own city those whom he made sharers in his humanity. Therefore, Christ does not need the ship, but the ship needs Christ, because without a Pilot from heaven the ship of the Church is unable to pass through the sea of the world amid so many grave perils and reach heaven's harbor. We have talked about the sea and the boat; what about his destination? How can we not be amazed that the Creator and Lord over all the cosmos, for the sake of our salvation; … began to have a human homeland, began to be a citizen of a Jewish town, and he himself the Parent of all parents began to have parents, in order that his love might invite, his charity attract, his affection bind, and his kindness persuade those whom his sovereign might had put to flight, dread had scattered, and the force of his power had made exiles. I cannot tell you how often I passed over these words as if they were filler between the really important things in the narrative.  How often do we do this not just with scripture, but with life?  Every moment, every detail of life is precious, brimming with meaning and potential.  But we skip over this invitation to joy, to glory, because we are looking or waiting for greater things.  My brothers and sisters, in a world that has been infused with the divine, everything is steeped in magnificence. And so, we finally get to the meat of the story; He came to his own town, and they brought him a paralytic lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, it says, he said to the paralytic: “Have confidence, son! Your sins are forgiven you” (vv. 1–2). While the point about God having the power to forgive sins, and Him choosing to exercise that power as man, as the new Adam, thus setting the scene for giving that power to us as the new humanity in Him; while all that may be obvious, or if not obvious, certainly provides the grist for most homilies on this passage…. There are details that we often pass over and that deserve our attention.  Jesus saw their faith… Their faith… not the faith of the paralytic.  St. Peter points out that the faith of the infirm is often unreliable – the mind of the infirm is often delirious – and so “he does not examine all the senseless desires of the infirm, but he comes to help thanks to someone else's faith, so that he may grant through grace alone, and not deny, whatever is of the divine will.” What a beautiful thing is the love of the Lord for all of us in our delirium!  And, when we are thinking straight, and thus concerned more for the ill and infirm among us as ourselves – he brings his mercy and forgiveness to those we bring to him!  Do you see how great this is?  When we pray for others, it does not fall on deaf ears but on ears that are always ready to hear and respond.  And who is more ill among us than the spiritually or even physically injured or dead?  And yet He teaches us, through this example from His life and from the way His Spirit has guided our worship and prayer to pray for all, and most especially for those who cannot pray or act for themselves.  Lord hear our prayer! And, just to make sure you appreciate the goodness evident here, take a moment to appreciate the paralysis and incapacitation of our own minds and thus appreciate why it is that the prayers of the prayers of the righteous avail so much!  They bring our paralyzed souls into the presence of God and plead for our healing before Him. And to all this, the Pharisees responded: He blasphemes: for who can forgive sins except God alone? (v. 3) 6. And when Jesus had seen their thoughts, it says, he said to them: “Why do you think evil in your hearts? What is easier to say: your sins are forgiven you, or to say: stand up and walk? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic: “Stand up, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he stood up and went home (vv. 4–7). Pick up your bed, that is, “Carry what used to carry you, reverse the burden, so that what is a testimony to your infirmity may be a proof that you are healed; so that the bed of your pain may be evidence that I cured you; so that the amount of its weight may attest to the amount of strength you have regained.” Go home, to the place that you belong – our heart's true home.  The place that is where we can grow in glory.  The place that is for the believer – every single place, because every single place, like every single moment, is connected with the divine source of all beautiful, good, and true.   Peter Chrysologus, Selected Sermons of Saint Peter Chrysologus, ed. Thomas P. Halton, trans. William B. Palardy, vol. 2, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2004), 193–197.  

This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, July 21st, 2025. In today's newscast, you will hear Jeff Linkon from Hillel, the Jewish culture center on the IU Bloomington campus. The U.S. Department of Education recently included IU in its callout of sixty universities under investigation for antisemitism. Hear more about efforts to make Bloomington …

What are the distinctions when engaging in business with an idol worshipper, a practicing Jew, or a Jew who has become an idol worshipper while traveling to or returning from the Tarput festival? What are the reasons that Jewish law differentiates between each of these cases? What types of vessels are considered more or less absorbent? This characteristic determines whether they require kashering, how the kashering process should be performed, or if they need it at all. Vessels that previously held wine and are eligible for kashering should be soaked in water for three consecutive days, with the water being replaced every twenty-four hours. Alternatively, the vessels may be placed in a furnace and kashered using the method of libun (intense heat). Another method involves placing fish brine or fish stew in the vessel, as the wine is instantly absorbed by these substances. What is the law regarding glazed vessels?

After Revelation: The Rabbinic Past in the Medieval Islamic World offers a dynamic new perspective on medieval Jewish legal thought and its integration in the wider Islamic world. Here, Marc D. Herman demonstrates that Jews were fully conversant in their contemporaries' ideas about revelation, law, and legal interpretation. Bookended by the two luminaries of medieval Judaism--Saadia Gaon and Moses Maimonides--After Revelation analyzes the legal theory that medieval Jews produced in Islamic lands, mostly in Arabic, and reveals previously unrecognized commonalities between Jewish and Islamic constructions of religious law. Herman tackles one of the central doctrines of post-biblical Judaism: that God had supplemented the written Hebrew Bible with an Oral Torah. Tracing this idea from Baghdad to Córdoba to Cairo, he shows that the Oral Torah took many new forms in the medieval Islamic world. After Revelation makes plain that medieval Judaism took the shapes that it did largely because of contact with Islam. You can pre-order this book now, and it will be published on August 5, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Support the work: patreon.com/thebpdshow; paypal.me/heypastorben; Cash App: $HeyPastorBenThe Fight Starts Here:I'm not the same person I was when you last heard from me on a consistent basis. I've been away, not out of apathy, but because I've been growing, studying, lamenting, rebuilding—and finding my center. I've spent that time preparing, and now, I'm coming back with a plan, a purpose, and a clarity I didn't have before. This episode lays out the foundation for everything that comes next. I'm introducing a new, methodical cycle—a rotation of the most urgent and interconnected issues of our time:Gaza and the global fight against genocideThe rise of fascism in AmericaWhite supremacy and systemic racismFailures and complicity within the Democratic PartyNuances within the Black communityWhy Christianity and capitalism are fundamentally incompatibleEach topic will be revisited regularly. This is not headline-chasing. This is strategic, educational, and mobilizing work—meant to build a body of knowledge that equips us for the fight ahead. I also want to be clear about this shift: I'm leading more publicly with my faith now—not as a means of exclusion, but because it's the source of my clarity and conviction.That said, this space has always been and will always remain rooted in unity—centered around The People of Good Faith. That means you—whether you're Christian, atheist, Muslim, agnostic, Jewish, spiritual, or none of the above. If you yield to truth, if you are committed to justice, if you're willing to confront inconvenient facts for the sake of collective liberation—then you are welcome here. You are needed here.I talk in this episode about why I'm moving to daily audio, how social media algorithms have suppressed this work, and why I'm no longer waiting for perfection to speak truth. I ask you—if you've ever stood with me—to show up again. Share this episode. Commit to listening. Reconnect. Because the best of what's coming won't be possible without you. This isn't just a podcast. It's a strategy. A community. A movement. And it starts now.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Israeli military said this morning that it was set to begin ground operations in Deir al-Balah for the first time since the start of the war, issuing an evacuation order for Palestinians in the southwest of the city in the central Gaza Strip. Deir al-Balah is one of the few places in the Strip where the military has not yet operated with ground troops because it believed Hamas to be holding hostages there, though it has conducted airstrikes in the city. Fabian spells out scenarios why the IDF is now ready to operate there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement late Thursday expressing its regret after IDF tank fire killed three civilians in Gaza’s only Catholic church, heeding a demand from US President Donald Trump, who angrily phoned the Israeli premier over the incident. Following the fatal strike, the Latin patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the highest-ranking Catholic official in Jerusalem, entered the Gaza Strip on Friday alongside Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem. Fabian describes the events that led to the accidental shelling. Dozens of Gazans were reportedly killed near aid distribution sites in the past few days. The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots at suspects who approached its troops after they did not heed calls to stop, about a kilometer away from an aid site that was not active at the time.The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed group that runs the aid site, said there were no incidents or fatalities there on Saturday and that it has repeatedly warned people not to travel to its distribution points in the dark. Fabian discusses the refusals from the IDF and the GHF for reporters to visit the sites and help clear up the tangled narratives. Israel is preparing to send medical equipment and medicine to a hospital in the Druze-majority city of Sweida, in southern Syria, after days of violence left an estimated 900 people dead and the medical facility badly damaged, the Health Ministry announced on Saturday. We hear about the IDF's involvement in the Syrian province over the past week and how hundreds of Israeli Druze have breached the border -- sometimes repeatedly. What does this mean about Israel's security along the border? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF set to begin ground operations in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah for first time More deaths reported near aid sites; Mossad chief, Witkoff said to discuss relocating Gazans Palestinians say at least 26 killed near Gaza aid sites; IDF says troops fired warning shots After angry call from Trump, PM says Israel deeply regrets mistaken shelling of Gaza church Jerusalem’s highest-ranking Christian officials enter Gaza to visit church hit by IDF Israel preparing to send medical gear to Sweida as clashes persist despite ceasefire Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Members of Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, take part in a military parade along a street in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on January 19, 2025. (BASHAR TALEB / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What defines Jewish belonging—land, Torah, or loyalty? In this episode, Parshat Matot-Masei sparks a rich conversation between Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash about the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and Menashe who ask to settle east of the Jordan River. They explore Moshe's sharp challenge to their request, the shifting language from “ahuzah” (holding) to “nachalah” (inheritance), and what it means to belong to the Jewish people. The discussion expands to contemporary dilemmas of collective responsibility—from Israel-Diaspora relations to the burden of reserve duty in today's IDF.

Join The Land of Israel Fellowship: https://thelandofisrael.com/fellowship/   Israel is making bold moves on multiple fronts. The IDF is actively working to protect the embattled Druze community in Syria, as hundreds of Israeli Druze crossed the border amid rising chaos in Sweida. Meanwhile, a seismic shift has occurred in Hebron — for the first time in decades, control of the Cave of the Patriarchs has been transferred from the Waqf to a Jewish religious council. And in the political arena, Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his majority, dropping to a one-seat minority coalition. Plus: Hamas has reportedly agreed to a new ceasefire map, including a withdrawal from the Morag Corridor. France makes a shocking decision to officially accept Gazans as refugees — opening a legal pathway that aligns with past U.S. proposals. And the so-called “settler violence” incident in Taybeh? Turns out, it's all a lie. All that and more as we break down what's really happening across Israel, Gaza, and Syria — in a week full of media fog, political upheaval, and strategic clarity. Follow The Israel Guys on Telegram: https://t.me/theisraelguys  Follow Us On X: https://x.com/theisraelguys  Follow Us On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theisraelguys Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theisraelguys 0:00 Intro 2:12 Who are the Druze People? 5:59 Persecution of the Druze & Israel's Response 12:40 The Media Push 'Settler Violence' Narrative 20:00 The World's Response to Evil 32:36 Lessons we can Learn 40:36 Ancient Heritage Site Reclaimed 48:05 Farming Project in Samaria 57:30 Recap & Outro

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

The dog days of summer are here, and you know what that means...it's time for the GREAT Israeli songs you'll hear all summer at the beach, the pool, the boardwalk, or just sitting in traffic to your next vacation destination during the 'chofesh hagadol' (the big vacation, aka summer break for schoolkids). Looking for some cool new summer songs to help you beat the heat? We've got 'em - and for the most part, they're upbeat and FUN! This week, we catch you up on the latest and greatest NEW songs from Israel, guaranteed to get you smiling or your money back! (Some restrictions apply.) (Original Air Date: July 20, 2025) Full YouTube playlist at https://tinyurl.com/46jcb2yv Love the show? Please help us grow by becoming a member of MyIsraeliMusic.com: https://myisraelimusic.com/membership Join the Israeli Music Community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/IsraelHourRadioFans/

In this conversation with Nir Menussi, I found myself reflecting on how much of my life has been about trying to reconcile two worlds: the depth of Torah and the pull of everything outside it. We spoke about the lived application of Kabbalistic ideas, and it hit a familiar nerve. For a long time, I believed I had to choose one world or the other.Growing up, the message was clear. Everything outside of Judaism was unholy. The books, the music, the teachings. All of it. So when I started finding meaning beyond the boundaries I'd been given, I assumed it meant I had to leave Judaism behind.For me, real healing began when I stopped separating the two.We talked about Carl Jung and how voices outside our tradition can still stir something deeply Jewish. I've experienced that firsthand. Truth showing up in places I never expected. When the conversation turned to psychedelics, it got even more personal. I've seen them used as an escape hatch, a way to dodge pain. But I've also seen what happens when there's real intention and the courage to integrate the experience afterward. The visions aren't the healing. The healing is what comes after, when the lights are off and you're left facing yourself.We covered a lot. The sparks Kabbalah says are hidden in all things. How sometimes the least likely path becomes the most revealing. Nir and I didn't align on everything. Jung felt more mutual than psychedelics. But we found shared ground in the ongoing search for G-d's voice, speaking through all parts of life.I hope you enjoy the conversation. And if Nir's work resonates, check out his books and his podcast. I've been listening regularly, and I'm learning a lot.See you on the other side,Eli

We explore what it's like to grow up Jewish in Melbourne, Australia through the eyes of 10-year-old Chaya, discovering both the differences and surprising similarities in Jewish life across the globe.• Chaya introduces her life in Melbourne, Australia including her Jewish school and community• Discussion about Australia's unique wildlife like kangaroos and koalas that are native only to Australia• Exploration of the 14-hour time difference between America and Australia• Chaya shares the story of her synagogue burning down in an anti-Semitic attack and the Prime Minister's visit afterward• Conversation about Jewish community life in Melbourne with various denominations learning together• Announcement about the Chai-a-thon fundraiser benefiting Chai Lifeline with new features including Chai Bucks and a stand-up kit• Chaya's hope for the future that all Jewish people will be together in Israel with Moshiach• Discussion about showing kindness to bring Moshiach closer, especially during the Three Weeks.........................................................................Join the Chai-a-thon at chaiathon.org to help children fighting serious illness while earning prizes and making a difference through kindness and tzedakah..........................................................................Check out the Customix new Etsy shop and find the coolest custom airbrushed swag from Israel! https://www.etsy.com/shop/CustomixArt?ref=shop_profile&listing_id=1861209251.........................................................................