Podcasts about uja federation

After October 7, educators were asked to guide students while still making sense of their own evolving relationship to Israel and to Jewish peoplehood. What does it mean to teach when the ground beneath the curriculum is still shifting? What has changed in Israel education? What do educators need to hear? As season of six of Adapting comes to a close, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath interviews David Bryfman on what's changed in Israel education after October 7, drawing on ideas from his new book, Heroism & Hope: Recharging Israel Education in a Post-October 7 World. Together they reflect on how educators and communal leaders have had to navigate the emotional and ideological terrain since October 7, and how history and memory are being shaped in real time. Sharing personal anecdotes and powerful insights, Bryfman articulates a vision of Jewish learning rooted in pride, inquiry, and student agency, offering language for education that makes space for reflection before it demands answers. Purchase the book at https://www.amazon.com/Heroism-Hope-Recharging-Education-Post-October/dp/B0GZBH6QLL/Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

This week on Adapting, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath sits down with Ariela Ronay-Jinich, founder and executive director of Olamim, to explore how education helps people navigate the richness of their identities. Drawing on her experiences as a Mexican Jew, educator, and parent, Ariela reflects on how her identities shaped her understanding of learning as a powerful tool for development, belonging, and community-building. Ariela shares how Olamim empowers parents, children, and grandparents to create Jewish meaning together through stories, practices, culture, and shared experiences. From Latin-Jewish families to the broader Jewish community, she argues that Jewish learning is not simply about transmitting knowledge but about helping people become more fully themselves while seeing their family's unique story as an essential part of the larger Jewish story. Their conversation examines what happens when we reimagine Jewish education with families—not institutions—at the center. Learn more about Olamim at olamim.org.Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

As he prepares to close an extraordinary chapter as CEO of UJA-Federation of New York, Eric Goldstein joins Exit Strategy for a deeply personal and reflective conversation about leadership, legacy, and what it means to step away after guiding one of the most influential Jewish organizations in the world through moments of challenge, heartbreak, renewal, […] The post Eric Goldstein on Legacy, Leadership, and Letting Go appeared first on Plaza Jewish Community Chapel.

Every few years, Jewish education declares the Hebrew school model overdue for reinvention, yet the same structures persist. That tension sits at the center of this conversation.  In this episode, David Bryfman speaks with Jonathan Krasner, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Chair of Jewish Education Research at Brandeis University, about the history and possible innovation in Jewish education. Together they examine the role of B-Mitzvah, and why many families remain satisfied with a model educators often criticize. For educators, funders, and communal leaders wrestling with institutional change and the future of Jewish learning, this conversation offers both historical perspective and a more honest framework for thinking about what comes next. Read Jonathan Krasner's piece: https://www.sourcesjournal.org/articles/when-jewish-educational-innovation-reinforces-the-status-quo Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

Being a man is not about how tall you are or how much money you make, despite what some voices in the manosphere may claim. It's about overcoming impulses, taking responsibility, and learning how to show up for others with dignity and care. But in a culture where many boys encounter masculinity first through algorithms, educators and parents are left asking a difficult question: How do we teach young men what healthy manhood actually looks like? In this episode, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath speaks with Adam Teitelbaum about the growing crises facing boys and men, from loneliness and lack of belonging to the absence of visible male role models in Jewish communal life. Together, they explore how Jewish ritual, obligation, and community can offer an alternative framework for raising confident, emotionally healthy Jewish young men without diminishing anyone else's humanity in the process. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

When Israel was created on this exact day 78 years ago, she didn't come with an instruction manual called “How to Build a Jewish State.” If she had, Jewish educators wouldn't be grappling today with the tensions between Israel's Jewish and democratic values, or needing conversations like this week's episode.This relevant conversation between David Bryfman and Rabbi Josh Weinberg confronts one of the most pressing questions facing Jewish educators today: How do we teach Israel at a moment when love, values, politics, and identity often feel out of sync? As students wrestle with headlines, moral complexity, and their own sense of belonging, the two discuss what it means to cultivate an informed, morally serious relationship with Israel. At a time when many educators feel uncertain about how to lead these conversations, this discussion offers a vision for what meaningful Israel education can look like now. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

Deb wonders where we go from here. The impact of social media on youth mental health, including how it shapes self-image and emotional wellbeing. GUESTS: Sara Lefton - Chief Development Officer at UJA Federation of Greater Toronto Richard Warnica - Senior Opinion Writer at the Toronto Star Dr. Michele Foster - psychologist and co-founder of the Toronto Psychology and Wellness Group

In this exclusive, uncensored conversation, David Bryfman interviews Alex Sinclair, the Israel educator at the center of a recent controversy. His kippah, embroidered with both Israeli and Palestinian flags, sparked outrage, led to his arrest, and was ultimately returned to him with the Palestinian flag removed. David and Alex go beyond the incident to explore the deeper, harder questions: How can you be a proud, public Zionist while openly criticizing Israel? Can you hold complexity without losing connection?  Alex pushes the boundaries of what it means to love a country authentically, reminding us that there's no such thing as apolitical Israel education, and that the work is personal. A raw and honest must-listen for anyone having these conversations with their students or children. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Tony Davidow sits down with Wendy Li, founder of Ivy Invest, who brings nearly two decades of experience investing for major endowments and foundations to her mission of democratizing institutional investment strategies. Wendy shares invaluable lessons learned and explains why the illiquidity premium shouldn't be reserved for institutional investors alone and how evergreen fund structures are changing the game for individual access to private markets. The conversation explores current opportunities in GP-led secondaries and distressed credit, while providing practical guidance on how advisors can help clients overcome their conditioning around daily liquidity. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand how endowment-style portfolio construction can work for everyday investors. Wendy Li is the co-founder and Chief Investment Officer at Ivy Invest, a fintech investment platform bringing an endowment-style portfolio to everyday investors. Before Ivy Invest, Wendy was Managing Director of Investments at the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, where she built the Investment Office from the ground up and managed a $4 billion portfolio, specializing in a diverse range of asset classes. Prior to Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Wendy was Director of Investments at UJA-Federation, where she oversaw a $1 billion endowment and a $400 million pension plan. Wendy began her career in the Investment Office at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and is a CFA charterholder.   Resources: Wendy Li | LinkedInAsk a CIO, from Ivy Invest NewsletterFranklin Templeton Private MarketsTony Davidow, CIMA® | LinkedIn   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

The B-Mitzvah is a defining milestone in American Jewish life, and offers a powerful lens into how Jewish communal spaces can foster inclusion and belonging.In light of their new book, A Different Spirit: Creating Meaningful B'nai Mitzvah for Children With Disabilities, Howard Blas and Ilana Trachtman join Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath in conversation about what it means to build truly inclusive Jewish experiences. Together, they explore how clergy and families can create meaningful B-Mitzvah celebrations for children with disabilities, and more broadly, what it takes to ensure that every individual feels a sense of belonging in Jewish spaces, from synagogue life to summer camp to Israel experiences with peers. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

EPISODE 144: Charlie Feldman joined BMI's New York creative team in October of 1988 after having overseen EMI Music Publishing's Nashville office as Vice President and General Manager. He spent fourteen years in Nashville with EMI and thirty one years in New York with BMI, retiring at the end of 2019. As Vice President of BMI's New York creative department Feldman and his team signed Taylor Swift, Norah Jones, Gavin DeGraw, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Chris Brown, R Kelly and John Legend, to name a few. Feldman has worked closely with such songwriters as Chip Taylor, Sandy Linzer, Carole King, Gregg Allman, Nile Rodgers, Tony Joe White, Holland/Dozier/Holland, Hall & Oates, Rihanna, Full Force and Cage the Elephant. He is a past Trustee of The Recording Academy and a two-time New York Chapter past president. He also serves as a Vice Chairman of the Entertainment Media division of UJA-Federation and is a board member of the T.J. Martell Foundation and The Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Country Music Association, AIMP and The Academy of Country Music. Feldman received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama. He and his wife live in Scarsdale, New York. charliefeldmanart.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

This episode features Omri Rose, author of Echoes of October, a graphic novel exploring events leading up to October 7th through four young people from different backgrounds. In conversation with Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath around the themes of memory and Yom HaZikaron, Israel's Memorial Day, Omri reflects on how the events of October 7th reshaped his understanding of the world, and how we remember loss. Designed with education in mind, the novel serves as a meaningful tool for educators and families to spark thoughtful conversation around grief, empathy, and human stories beyond headlines. Their dialogue invites us to reflect on both absence and presence, asking whose stories we tell and how we carry the legacy of those we've lost.  Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

Yom HaShoah begins this evening. As we remember and honor the legacy of the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath sits down with Dave Reckess, a third-generation survivor and executive director of 3GNY. 3GNY empowers grandchildren of survivors to share their family's Holocaust stories with students to educate and inspire future generations. Samantha and Dave discuss Holocaust education as an effective tool to address antisemitism, and how it shouldn't be the only antidote to hate, but as an entry point into the richness and nuance of Jewish culture and the obligations we have in building a more just world. They also reflect on how the Holocaust isn't just history and serves as a reminder for how hate manifests today.  We owe this education not only to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, but also to the generations who will carry these lessons forward.  Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

What does it actually look like to live Judaism in today's world?  And what does it mean to be part of a collective when we have so many different worldviews, orientations, and perspectives? In this episode, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath and Cantor Laura Stein explore this question through the lens of practical theology, or looking at how religion is lived, especially when paired with modern reality. As a Ph.D. candidate in practical theology at Boston University, Cantor Stein and Samantha discuss her research in the psychology of religion, burnout for educators and clergy, turning struggle into growth, and moving through the world with our Jewish values.This episode is perfect for anyone who has ever felt both deeply connected to their Jewish community and at odds with it, and is searching for a more authentic way to belong. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail

In an urgent episode following the recent attack at Temple Israel in Michigan, David Bryfman sits down with Daniel Held, Chief Program Officer of United Jewish Appeal of Greater Toronto, whose community has also faced recent antisemitic threats and attacks.  Daniel offers perspective and hope during this challenging time, sharing how educators and parents can help raise Jewish children who are proud, knowledgeable, and empowered, even in the face of hate. The pair explore how difficult this important work is, the surge in participation in Jewish life during this moment, and how to address heavy questions from children like, “Why does everyone hate us?” Finally, they address what educators need right now, from thinking about security to developing the resilience required to support students and build a better Jewish future. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send a text

Mister Rogers famously said that in scary times, look for the helpers. But what happens when the helpers themselves are exhausted? This week, host Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath sits down with certified coach, facilitator, and speaker Shoshana Bloom for what she calls a “love letter to Jewish educators.” Together, they explore some of the immense pressures educators are facing today: burnout, overwhelm, imposter syndrome, and chronic stress. In a moment of polarization, new technology, and when Jewish educators are being asked to do more than ever, this episode asks an essential question: If educators are the helpers, how can the community better support them? Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send a textSend a text

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and Reverend A.R. Bernard discuss the pressing need for legislative protection of religious institutions amid a modern decline in public reverence. Featuring guest Hindi Pukpko from the UJA-Federation, the conversation centers on a proposed New York City bill designed to establish buffer zones around houses of worship and schools to prevent the intimidation of congregants by aggressive protesters. The participants argue that while the right to protest is a sacred American value, it should not supersede the fundamental right to feel safe within one's spiritual sanctuary or educational environment. Beyond policy, the hosts reflect on the interfaith solidarity required to combat rising social vitriol and the vital role of family and moral education in restoring a lost sense of communal respect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and Reverend A.R. Bernard discuss the pressing need for legislative protection of religious institutions amid a modern decline in public reverence. Featuring guest Hindi Pukpko from the UJA-Federation, the conversation centers on a proposed New York City bill designed to establish buffer zones around houses of worship and schools to prevent the intimidation of congregants by aggressive protesters. The participants argue that while the right to protest is a sacred American value, it should not supersede the fundamental right to feel safe within one's spiritual sanctuary or educational environment. Beyond policy, the hosts reflect on the interfaith solidarity required to combat rising social vitriol and the vital role of family and moral education in restoring a lost sense of communal respect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world feels overwhelming right now. Amid war and uncertainty, Jewish educators are overworked, and parents and students are pummeled with headlines and some with siren alerts. So how do we return to what makes us human: creativity, play, connection, and belonging?  Stephanie Malia Krauss joins Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath to discuss simple but powerful shifts we can make in the classroom and in our own lives, like incorporating movement, prioritizing creative projects, embracing Shabbat, and thinking about our own sense of purpose. Even in the most difficult moments, our humanity is worth protecting. Learn more about Stephanie Krauss and her books at stephaniemaliakrauss.comLearn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send a text

How does something like this even happen? Plus – Discovering the root causes of problem gambling GUESTS: Boris Bytensky - Newstalk 1010 Legal expert Constable Nicholas Gluckstein - Durham Regional Police Dr. Nina Mafrici - Clinical Psychologist and Co-Director of the Toronto Psychology & Wellness Group Sarah Lefton - Chief Development Officer, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

The goal of a healthy argument in educational settings is to help one grow, learn, strengthen relationships, and gain new perspectives. On this week's Adapting, Abi Dauber Sterne and Robbie Gringras share their research of anti-Zionist Jews across the U.S. in conversation with David Bryfman, with the goal to reduce alienation, deepen understanding, and support healthier argument within the Jewish community. Their discussion leads the three of them to wrestle with questions such as: Should institutions display an Israeli flag even if it risks alienating some Jews? Are all welcome in every Jewish organization, even if their views offend or denigrate others? This episode will challenge you, and that's exactly why it's worth a listen. Learn more about For the Sake of Argument at forthesakeofargument.orgLearn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send a text

Before the Iranian Revolution, nearly 100,000 Jews lived rich, deeply rooted lives in Iran. Activist Tabby Refael, whose family fled in the 1980s, tells Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath in great detail how she holds complex identities of being Iranian, American, and Jewish. With the recent rise in protests against the Islamic Republic, Tabby's conversation – taking us from Tehran to LA – feels more relevant than ever, and offers a window into a personal and oftentimes emotional world full of memory and meaning.Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.   

What does Jewish belonging look like in an age of scrolling, searching, and self-guided learning? In this episode, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath sits down with independent Jewish educator Netta Asner-Minster, who is inspiring and guiding people on their Jewish journey both in one-to-one classes and on social media to her tens of thousands of followers. Their conversation enthusiastically dives into what it means to coach people through their exploration while meeting them where they are: from curiosity to fluency, from questioning to pride, and sometimes from struggle to belonging. Learn more about Netta's work at nettajewished.com.Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Roy Danis '78 never took Cornell's famous wine tasting class — and yet he went on to build a 40-year career at the top of the wine and spirits world.Roy takes us from Oceanside, Long Island to Cornell, where he captained the men's gymnastics team, and into an extraordinary professional journey including Seagram, Campari, start-ups, and his newest venture, Revival Spirits — alongside business partner Edgar Bronfman Jr.Roy shares what actually makes a brand succeed, why great leadership is about humility and credibility, and the “all in” mindset that's guided him through every chapter.We also explore Roy's deep commitment to giving back through his work with the Viscardi Center and the UJA-Federation's Wines & Spirits Division.And of course, we end with our speed round — including the one cocktail even Roy had never heard of until today. Can you guess it?Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University 

The first Jewish aid mission from Canada since 2019 arrived in Havana, Cuba on Feb. 3, loaded with seven extra suitcases full of batteries, pills, and hundreds of pieces of donated baseball equipment. The delegation from Toronto's Beth Sholom synagogue spent the past week delivering pharmacy supplies and other necessities–which they donated to Jewish seniors, Cuban synagogues, and even to a pharmacy housed inside the Jewish community centre in Havana, which supplies Jewish Cubans and also nearby hospitals. Local Jewish leaders say this group is the first Canadian Jewish mission to come to Cuba in nearly seven years, since before the pandemic in 2019. And officials worry there might be fewer going forward. The Canadian government raised its travel warnings for Cuba on Feb. 4, citing widespread economic problems impacting tourists, including more frequent power outages, lack of food and fresh water, and fuel shortages. The island, a popular destination for Canadians, was hit in October 2025 by a damaging monster hurricane. But the country's difficulties worsened noticeably in the last month, after the U.S. president ordered all shipments of Venezuelan oil to Cuba be halted, as part of the capture of Venezuela's former dictator Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3. On today's episode of The CJN's flagship podcast “North Star”, host Ellin Bessner speaks with Beth Sholom's Cantor Eric Moses, who organized the trip, and with William Miller, a Jewish community leader in Havana; plus we hear from Benji Tock of Toronto. The teenager didn't make the trip, but his bar mitzvah project–collecting eight duffle bags full of donated baseball bats, cleats, gloves and other gear–arrived safely in Cuba, too, destined for local Jewish players bound for this coming summer's Maccabiah Games in Israel. Related stories To donate to the Cuban Jewish community, contact Toronto-based Cantor Eric Moses cantor@bethsholom.net Donate to the Global Seder initiative of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. https://www.jewishtoronto.com/donate Learn more about Canadian efforts over the decades to help the small Jewish community of Cuba with kosher food and basic daily supplies, in The CJN archives. In 2014, four Toronto bar mitzvah boys raised thousands to help Cuba's Jewish community purchase medical supplies, in The CJN. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) 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 ) Watch our podcasts on YouTube.

In this episode, we sit down with Rabbi Dr. Yosie Levine to explore the life, world, and enduring significance of Hakham Tsevi Ashkenazi, the towering early modern rabbinic figure at the center of his book Hakham Tsevi Ashkenazi and the Battlegrounds of the Early Modern Rabbinate. We begin at the very beginning: what draws a historian to write a full-scale study of Hakham Tsevi, and why his career offers such a powerful window into early modern rabbinic life and the development of halakha. Moving beyond biography, Rabbi Dr. Levine explains how Teshuvot function not only as halakhic documents but as rich historical sources that illuminate communal pressures, lived religion, and the texture of Jewish decision-making in a rapidly changing world. The conversation then turns to the political and cultural dynamics shaping Jewish communities of the period, and how these forces complicated the relationship between rabbis and their congregations. We examine Hakham Tsevi's nuanced engagement with Sefaradim and his defense of certain Sepharadi approaches to Jewish law and minhagim, challenging simplistic Ashkenazi–Sepharadi divides. Rabbi Dr. Levine also unpacks Hakham Tsevi's attitude toward Kabbala and how it manifests within his Teshuvot, revealing a careful, principled posture rather than a reactionary one. Finally, we delve into the dramatic Ḥayon Affair, tracing its significance not only as a personal crisis for Hakham Tsevi but as a defining moment in the broader battlegrounds of the early modern rabbinate.___*This episode is dedicated to the refua shelema of Sarah Miriam bat Tamar, Binyamin ben Zilpa, and our dear friend Yaakov ben Haya Sarah Malakh, and l'ilui nishmat Zehara Yehudit bat Yaakov Ezra v'Ilana Shira___• Bio: A scholar of early modern Jewish history, Rabbi Yosie Levine became the seventh rabbi of The Jewish Center in 2008, after serving there for four years as Rabbinic Intern, Assistant Rabbi, and Associate Rabbi under the mentorship of Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, z”l; Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter; and Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman. Prior to joining The Jewish Center, he served as educational director of the Lauder Foundation's Beit Midrash in Berlin. Rabbi Levine has played a leadership role on the issue of day school affordability, pioneering a communal model for sustaining excellent Jewish education, and he is co-chair of the Manhattan Eruv. He is active in numerous communal organizations, including AIPAC, NORPAC, and the UJA-Federation of New York, where he previously served as a board member, and his advocacy for Israel has helped make The Jewish Center a model for Israel activism within and beyond the Religious Zionist community. Rabbi Levine earned a BA in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia College, received rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary as a Wexner Graduate Fellow, and holds a PhD in Early Modern Jewish History from Yeshiva University's Bernard Revel Graduate School, where he serves as an adjunct professor and sits on the Dean's Council. His work has appeared in both scholarly and popular publications, and his book, Hakham Tsevi Ashkenazi and the Battlegrounds of the Early Modern Rabbinate (Littman Library, 2024), is the recipient of the Association for Jewish Studies' Jordan Schnitzer First Book Award.___• Get his book here: https://www.amazon.com/Ashkenazi-Battlegrounds-Rabbinate-Littman-Civilization/dp/1835536417___• Welcome to JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED: A PODCAST FOR THE PERPLEXED | Co-hosted by Benjy & Benzi | Thank you to...Super Patron: Jordan Karmily, Platinum Patron: Craig Gordon, Rod Ilian, Gold Patrons: Dovidchai Abramchayev, Lazer Cohen, Travis Krueger, Vasili Volkoff, Vasya, Silver Patrons: Ellen Fleischer, Daniel M., Rabbi Pinny Rosenthal, Fred & Antonio, Jeffrey Wasserman, Jacob Winston, and Ariel Klainerman! Please SUBSCRIBE to this YouTube Channel and hit the BELL to can get alerted whenever new clips get posted, thank you for your support!

Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of Central Synagogue reflects on her journey, from growing up in Tacoma, Washington with a strong sense of communal purpose, to finding belonging and identity, and feeling like a stranger along the way. In a reflective conversation with David Bryfman, Rabbi Buchdahl provides lessons applicable to any Jewish educator: how pluralism has helped shift her views, the power of music, and more. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Even with all of the challenges in the world today Jewish education must strive to emphasize the joy and celebration of what it means to be Jewish in today's world. The Bible Players are experts at bringing laughter and joy to Jewish education, from using improvisation to teach mitzvot, to playing their own version of Rock, Paper, Scissors (“Candle, Cup, Challah, Bless”) to teach the order of Shabbat.  This week, enjoy a conversation between David Bryfman and Andrew Davies, co-founder of The Bible Players, and recipient of The Jewish Education Project's Young Pioneers Award and The Covenant Foundation's Pomegranate Prize. Hear from Andrew on why holding both the “joy” and the “oy” is essential in Jewish education, and how he brings that balance to their learners. To learn more about The Bible Players, visit thebibleplayers.com.Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Unexpected events can expose gaps in even the most carefully prepared estate plans. When family conflict, legal standards and timing collide, the outcome can reshape how assets move and who ultimately benefits. In this episode of Celebrity Estates, Senior Editor David Lenok examines the estate of Rob Reiner alongside Sean Weissbart, partner and co-chair of the Tax Benefits and Private Client Practice Group at Blank Rome. The conversation focuses on how slayer statutes function, why probate courts rely on civil standards rather than criminal convictions, and how intent and mental state influence inheritance outcomes. Sean explains how being treated as predeceased can redirect assets, how insanity defenses may affect eligibility and why simultaneous death rules and community property laws matter when spouses die close in time.  Join David Lenok and Sean Weissbart as they break down the estate planning lessons behind rare legal scenarios and the importance of thoughtful planning when the unexpected occurs. Key takeaways: How slayer statutes prevent financial benefit after intentional and felonious killing Why civil standards of proof differ from criminal convictions in estate matters How predeceased treatment redirects inheritances to alternate beneficiaries The role of insanity defenses, trusts and fiduciaries in inheritance outcomes Why simultaneous death provisions and planning details can reshape asset flow Resources: Listen to Celebrity Estates on Wealth Management Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Spotify Trust and Estates Magazine Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com  Wealth Management LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: Wealth Management Connect With Sean Weissbart: LinkedIn: Sean Weissbart LinkedIn: Blank Rome Website: Blank Rome About Our Guest: As one of the most regarded millennial estate planners in the country, Sean plays an integral role in the lives of his clients, working together to create legacies that are tax efficient and responsive to the unique needs of each family. On Sean's practice and style, Chambers USA quotes a client saying that “Sean Weissbart is a very creative estate tax lawyer, and he's always looking to provide a fuller package than just documents. He cares quite a bit about his bedside manner, and it shows.” Another states, “There are three things that stand out about Sean. First is his ability to accommodate clients, second is his passion for the work he does and third is his empathy.” Clients turn to Sean to handle all aspects of estate planning, the administration of trusts and estates, and the representation of beneficiaries and fiduciaries in contested matters in Surrogate's Court. Sean's extensive experience includes advising international families on the impact of U.S. tax laws on their wealth. In international estate matters, Sean assists non-citizens with domestic assets navigate the complicated rules surrounding the tax-efficient transfer of their wealth and counsels U.S. citizens facing income tax issues related to their beneficial interest in foreign trusts.   Sean also represents clients on matrimonial matters, including the negotiation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and trust modifications following divorce. In addition to his law practice, Sean serves as an adjunct professor of law at New York University School of Law, where he teaches Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates, International Estate Planning, and Tax Aspects of Charitable Giving. He is an author of the law school textbook The Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates, a fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and a regular speaker at the nation's most prestigious tax conferences. He gives back to the community through many philanthropic endeavors including his service on the board of the Ment'or BKB Foundation and as event chair of the Trusts and Estates Committee of the UJA Federation of New York, having raised millions of dollars to assist those in need.

Lianna Levine Reisner, MSOD, is building a multicultural movement for health as President and Network Director of Plant Powered Metro New York, an organization she co-founded in 2019 to empower local communities to prevent and reverse chronic disease through evidence-based, plant-based nutrition. To address her family's health challenges, Lianna had been searching for clear, evidence-based nutritional guidelines that made sense for her family. The writings of T. Colin Campbell, PhD, and his colleagues made a compelling case for whole food, plant-based nutrition, helping her to lose 20% of her body weight, reverse endometriosis and hormonal imbalances, and heavily reduce her allergies and skin issues, among many other benefits. Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center honored Lianna as a 40 Under 40 Rising Star in Food Policy in 2022. Lianna holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell, and she is a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator through Main Street Vegan Academy. She is also a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. With a Master's from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management, Lianna previously worked as an independent coach and consultant serving UJA-Federation of New York, providing organizational change support to Jewish nonprofit organizations in the New York metropolitan area. She lives in the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband and three children.

October 7th was the largest attempt at genocide against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. What does this moment reveal about modern antisemitism and the importance of Holocaust studies today? Joining Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath this week is Alyssa Weinstein-Sears, a longtime educator and Holocaust and genocide scholar. Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Alyssa emphasizes the goals of Holocaust education at a time when most students have a narrow view of what it was, unpacking how inflammatory language to talk about Israel can obscure historical truth, and what gives her hope. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

How can we turn collective responsibility and shared values into meaningful action for the future of the Jewish people? Josh Schalk, Executive Director of Jewish Future Promise, believes the answer begins with how, and why, we give. The Jewish Future Promise invites individuals to commit 50% of legacy giving to Jewish causes, to help ensure that Jewish life, learning, and values endure for the next generation. This episode goes beyond the Jewish Future Promise. Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath talks with Josh about what matters most to those invested in the Jewish future: how to give based on our values, how we model those values for our children, and how to show up Jewishly through our own giving.  Learn about the Jewish Future Promise at jewishfuturepromise.orgLearn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

To kick off the new year, David Bryfman sits down with TAMID Group's CEO, Yoni Heilman. In a conversation that humanizes one of our own heroes, Yoni shares stories as a soldier in reserve duty after October 7th, giving an honest account about his experiences in the war, about what Zionism means to him, on what Israelis need to know about Jews living outside of Israel, and why he remains an optimist.  Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

In an unscheduled and urgent episode of Adapting, Australian-born CEO of The Jewish Education Project, David Bryfman, sheds light on his own Australian Jewish community, some of whom lost loved ones in this week's tragic attack at Bondi Beach, and others who are holding hope and praying for the recovery of the wounded.David reflects on the responsibility of educators and parents to care for our children's safety and wellbeing, calling on them to acknowledge their children's fear and recognize that there's both evil and good in the world. Most of all, he urges listeners to take care of themselves and to maintain hope, especially during this season of Chanukah. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath is joined by another history professor, Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, who is the lead scholar of Hidden Voices, an initiative to address how overlooked minority groups are taught in New York City Public Schools, including Jewish history and stories. As educators, we are invited to ask: What does meaningful Jewish inclusion in education really look like? What core knowledge should non-Jewish students have about Jews? And how do we teach the full scope of Jewish involvement in American history, even when that history is controversial? This essential conversation aligns with the Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning (CJIL), our initiative to support public and independent school educators with resources about the Jewish people and creating safe and inclusive spaces for Jewish students and faculty. To learn more about CJIL, visit cjilearning.org To learn more about Hidden Voices, visit https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/subjects/social-studies/hidden-voices Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

In the wake of Sunday's terrorist attack on Australia's Jewish community, Canadian Jews are feeling angry, scared, mournful and defiant, with some seriously considering moving to Israel. As of Sunday night EST, the death toll in New South Whales had risen to 15 victims, including the host of the Bondi Beach candle-lighting event, Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who has deep ties to Toronto and Ottawa. Meanwhile, officials believe up to 60 other festival-goers were wounded, including the rabbi's wife, a mother of five. One of the two shooters was also killed. In Canada, rabbis and Jewish leaders urged their community to push back against terror, show extra pride and make an effort to attend public candle-lighting ceremonies this Hanukkah. But some fear Canada is equally ripe for an attack like Australia's, due to the failure of public officials to stop hate speech and protests on our streets featuring chants like “Globalize the Intifada”. On today's episode of The CJN's North Star podcast with Ellin Bessner, you'll hear what Jewish Canada sounded like while mourning Jews on the other side of the planet. We're joined by Richard Marceau, a senior official with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, who just returned from an antisemitism conference in Australia six days prior to the attack; award-winning Canadian author Sidura Ludwig, who lined up early to buy special sufganiyot at a Thornhill bakery; Sara Lefton of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto; Rabbi Levi Gansburg of Chabad on Bayview, who knew the murdered rabbi; and political leaders, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, Toronto mayor Olivia Chow and cabinet minister Evan Solomon. Related links Read more about how Canadian Jewish leaders and politicians have reacted to the mass terrorist shooting in Australia, in The CJN . Why Australia's prime minister accused Iran of trying to destabilize their country, including by masterminding the arson at the Melbourne synagogue in 2024 and firebombing of a kosher deli, in The CJN.   This Australian Jewish leader said his country and community are ignoring online hate, at their peril, during a visit to Winnipeg in February 2025, in The CJN . Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior 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 )

This week on Adapting, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath speaks with Zev Eleff, president of Gratz College and professor of American Jewish history, to address a pressing challenge facing Jewish education today: educators are not feeling supported enough. In a conversation encompassing civic education, history, and text study, Zev urges educational institutions to help strengthen their Jewish literacy, with recommendations like leveraging technology to digitize archives, from Judeo-Aramaic texts to Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel's documented work with Martin Luther King Jr. Another recommendation is using American Jewish history as a model for teaching inclusivity. Efforts like these, championed by both Gratz College and The Jewish Education Project, aim to give educators the tools and support they need.  Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

David Bryfman engages with Dr. Mijal Bitton, one of today's leading Jewish scholars and leaders, in an illuminating, nuanced conversation about defining Jewish peoplehood in a time of polarity. Is it better to be inclusive of all beliefs in a community, or to establish clear boundaries and principals? What if it's possible to have both? Mijal's unique perspective, shaped by her personal background, serves as a model for how much introspection we need to become the best possible educators we can be.  Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at https://www.jewishedproject.org/This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

For writer and podcaster Zibby Owens (On Being Jewish Now, Blank: A Novel), it was never her plan to center her work around Jewish identity. But as the critical need for Jewish representation and storytelling grew, she started to share more Jewish voices and Israel advocacy on her literary platform. Zibby's work serves as a model of what happens when you follow your convictions. In honor of the 100th anniversary of Jewish Book Month, this episode will inspire educators to lean into Jewish joy through the power of storytelling. Plus, Zibby shares her favorite books with listeners that have shaped her own sense of Jewish pride! Explore how The Jewish Education Project is reimagining Jewish education in our Strategic Plan. Register for Jewish Futures 2025.Learn more about The Jewish Education Project here.This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

What does it mean to belong to the Jewish people, especially during a time of deep division? This week, Dr. Elana Stein Hain and David Bryfman explore the complex and often misunderstood idea of Jewish peoplehood, and how to navigate responsibility and nurture empathy. Whether you're an educator, community leader, or simply grappling with questions of Jewish identity and connection, this episode will leave you reflecting on what Jewish peoplehood means to you. Explore how The Jewish Education Project is reimagining Jewish education in our Strategic Plan. Register for Jewish Futures 2025.Learn more about The Jewish Education Project here.This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

This week on Adapting, David sits down with Rabbi Mark Wildes, the founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience. Together, the pair explore what it really means to inspire Jewish connection in young adults today.  Drawing on insights and Torah from his new book, The Jewish Experience: Discovering the Soul of Jewish Thought and Practice, Rabbi Wildes shares that Jewish education isn't about molding students into something completely new. Rather, it's about how educators can spark the innate pilot light of Judaism, the pintele Yid, that we have inside us. Discover how nurturing that inner spark can transform not only the Jewish learner, but the future of Jewish life itself. Explore how The Jewish Education Project is reimagining Jewish education in our Strategic Plan. Register for Jewish Futures 2025.Learn more about The Jewish Education Project here.This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

In the first episode with Dr. Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath as our new alternating co-host, Samantha shares the true purpose of Jewish education: to help foster pride, joy, and connection, rather than building identity around fear or hate. Learn more from Samantha and hear about her journey of becoming a Jewish educator and how she has helped teens connect to the richness of Jewish peoplehood! This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

This morning, we received joyous news that all 20 living hostages are back home. At the same time, we're awaiting the return of the bodies of the remaining hostages. So, as a community, how are we supposed to feel? As Jewish educators, how do we create the memory of what October 7th meant for the Jewish people?Joining David Bryfman to discuss this complex moment in history are Rabbi Menachem Creditor and Rabba Yaffa Epstein, who reflect on post-war rituals and where we're moving as a people. This is an episode of Adapting we've been wanting to release for two years, and it offers guidance for anyone seeking meaning, direction, and hope in the aftermath of war. This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Please follow this link to support our sponsor, UJA Federation of New York: www.ujafedny.org/donateMaking Sense with Sam Harris: samharris.org/podcastsSubscribe to Inside Call me Back: https://inside.arkmedia.orgGift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: http://inside.arkmedia.org/giftsWatch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcastCheck out Ark Media's other podcasts: For Heaven's Sake: https://lnk.to/rfGlrA‘What's Your Number?': https://lnk.to/rfGlrASubscribe to Amit Segal's newsletter ‘It's Noon in Israel': https://arkmedia.org/amitsegal/For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: callmeback@arkmedia.orgTo contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: https://arkmedia.org/Ark Media on Instagram: https://instagram.com/arkmediaorgDan on X: https://x.com/dansenorDan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansenorTo order Dan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of Israel: https://tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdnToday's Episode: This Tuesday will mark the two-year anniversary of the October 7 massacre, in which thousands of Hamas terrorists infiltrated Southern Israel, slaughtering over 1,400 Israelis and taking more than 250 hostage. It was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Since then, we've witnessed several fronts of war against Israel, a terrifying rise in global antisemitism, and an effort to isolate Israel diplomatically, culturally, and economically, and much more. To reflect on some of the major events and the cultural currents that have swept the world since October 7, 2023, Dan sat down with Sam Harris for a conversation being released as a simulcast both on Call me Back as well as Sam's podcast, Making Sense. Sam is a philosopher, neuroscientist, author, and public intellectual. He focuses on topics of rationality, religion, politics, and ethics, and has been a fierce critic of the rise in radical, fundamentalist islam. CREDITS:ILAN BENATAR - Producer & EditorADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive ProducerMARTIN HUERGO - Sound EditorMARIANGELES BURGOS - Additional EditingMAYA RACKOFF - Operations DirectorGABE SILVERSTEIN - ResearchYUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Two years after October 7th, CEO David Bryfman delivers an unscripted, deeply personal message to Jewish educators who have carried impossible burdens through unimaginable circumstances. This isn't a typical Adapting episode. It's a raw, honest monologue about what it means to educate when the world feels broken. Speaking directly to all stakeholders of Jewish education—defined by anyone who cares deeply about the field and its future—David balances mourning and hope at a time when that future feels both fragile and urgent. Hope for the return of all hostages, for the end of suffering, and for the day we can return to instilling joy and pride instead of defending against hatred. This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

What does it mean to bring your whole self into Jewish education? Activist, educator, and previously named one of the 50 most influential rabbis in the U.S. by Newsweek, Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, joins Adapting this week for a conversation about authenticity in Jewish education.   Rabbi Dr. Yanklowitz and David Bryfman explore how Jewish education becomes most impactful when educators are “radically inspired” by their work, drawing from their own journeys, struggles, and commitments. They discuss how the very best Jewish educators, and supporters of Jewish education, embrace plurality and curiosity, and can seamlessly integrate both their personal and professional interests altogether into one integrated life purpose. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum, Miranda Lapides, and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

In this week's episode, transformative Jewish thinker Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg joins us for a rich conversation about morality and justice, and how we as educators can empower our students to imagine a brighter future. Rabbi Danya sheds light on how the Torah's earliest stories, values, and the practice of teshuvah can become teaching tools for possibility, integrity, and ethical living. Just in time for the High Holidays, Rabbi Danya explores how we can nurture a generation capable of imagining a more just and compassionate world. I'm Sorry You Got Mad by Kyle Lukoff, Illustrated by Julie KwonResource Guide: On Repentance and Repair by Rabbi Danya RuttenbergThis episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum, Miranda Lapides, and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

How can educators help Jews reclaim their identity from shame, assimilation, and antisemitism, and instead embrace the richness of Jewish tradition in all its complexity? In the Season 6 premiere ofAdapting: The Future of Jewish Education, David Bryfman speaks with Sarah Hurwitz, former White House speechwriter and author of Here All Along and the forthcoming As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us. From her first adult Shabbat dinner to the ways internalized stereotypes still shape Jewish life, Hurwitz shares deeply personal insights that invite educators and parents to consider how they can guide learners toward Jewish pride, authenticity, and resilience. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum, Miranda Lapides, and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Our guest for today's podcast is Wendy Li, Chief Investment Officer of Ivy Invest.  Before founding Ivy Invest, Wendy spent her career as an institutional investor managing billions of dollars for some of New York's largest endowments and foundations. Most recently, Wendy was Managing Director of Investments at the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (MCHF). At MCHF, she was responsible for developing the foundation's investment strategy, sourcing and executing investments across asset classes, and exercising day-to-day management over MCHF's $4B portfolio. Prior to MCHF, Wendy held similar responsibilities at UJA-Federation of New York. She began her career in the Investment Office of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Wendy is a graduate of Columbia University and a CFA charterholder.   Without further ado, here is our conversation with Wendy Li.

For the Season 5 finale of Adapting, David sits down with a very special guest— himself! Before leaving for his sabbatical, David answers some of the most common questions he gets asked about Jewish education. From the need for a cohesive vision of Jewish education, to why we need more Jewish educators, to the importance of maintaining optimism, listen to hear the vision for the future of Jewish education. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Miranda Lapides. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.