Hashivenu

In the final episode of Hashivenu, Rabbi Deborah Waxman closes out her run as host, and thirteen years as president of Reconstructing Judaism, with her most frequent guest: incoming president Rabbi Elliott Tepperman. The two dig into what drew Tepperman to the role, tracing his path from a DIY, activist-shaped Jewish upbringing through decades of movement work alongside Waxman. Their conversation ranges from the tension between American individualism and communal life to the hard lessons of Pittsburgh and October 7th, landing on a shared conviction that a vibrant, resilient Judaism is itself the answer to antisemitism.

If you've been listening to Hashivenu from the beginning all the way back in 2017, thank you so much. It's been an honor sharing these conversations with you for so many years. If you're new to the show, welcome! It's not too late to explore our back catalogue of 60+ episodes.

We hope you stay connected with Reconstructing Judaism and follow what's next under Rabbi Tepperman's leadership. If you haven't already, sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Until next time, l'hitraot, and may we all go mihayil lehayil, from strength to strength.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Rabbi Elliott Tepperman.

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Links:

• Learn more about Rabbi Elliott Tepperman

Just weeks before her tenure as President and CEO of Reconstructing Judaism comes to a close, Rabbi Deborah Waxman is joined by Hashivenu's longtime producer and editor Sam Wachs to look back on the podcast's evolution, from its 2017 launch and resilience-focused first season to its later exploration of covenantal community and racial equity. It's a warm, reflective, behind-the-scenes perspective on a project Rabbi Waxman calls one of the great blessings of her presidency.
Episodes Discussed:

@7:00 - Gratitude (11/8/2018)

@18:30 - How to become our fullest, most expressive selves? Practice, practice, practice with Yoshi Silverstein (10/24/2023)

@19:30 - Episode 1: Shabbat with Rabbi Jacob Staub (8/10/2017)

@20:00 - Humor with Rabbi Seth Goldstein (9/29/2017)
Follow @rabbi_360 on [Instagram](rabbi_360) and TikTok

@22:00 - Hineni - Being Present with Rabbi Miriam Klotz (2/13/2018)

@23:40 - Catching Our Breath (3/24/2020)

@27:20 - The Spiritual Activist with Claudia Horwitz (7/1/2019)

@28:00 - Activism with Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum (12/5/2017)

@28:30 - Episode 10: "You Were Strangers in Egypt": Passover and Sanctuary with Rabbi Elliott Tepperman (3/19/2018)

Reconstructionist Values, Covenantal Community and War in the Middle East with Rabbi Rachel Weiss and Rabbi Elliott Tepperman (12/4/2024)

(Rabbi Teppermans' third appearance is coming soon!)

@30:20 - S2 Ep. 1: Trauma, Healing and Resilience with Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg (3/21/2019)

@31:00 - Finding Sustenance in Covenantal Community with Rabbi Sid Schwarz (12/10/2019)

@34:40 - Being an Ally with Empathy, Humility and Courage with Rabbi Sandra Lawson (12/28/2021)
Rabbi Sandra is currently Executive Director of Carolina Jews For Justice Follow her on Instagram and TikTok and subscribe to her newsletter

@40:00 - Why Voting for the Hatkivah Slate in the World Zionist Congress Matters: A Conversation Across Generations (4/21/2025)

Hope Is a Muscle: The Hatikvah Slate with special guest Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie (5/1/2025)

Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie returns to discuss Jewish chosenness, love, and his film Sabbath Queen (12/11/2025)

@41:00 - The Jewish Way to a Good Life: A Conversation with Rabbi Shira Stutman (1/30/2026)

The Joy of Camp With Rabbi James Greene (never aired). Follow Rabbi James' work at Jewish Family Service of Western MA

This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

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What does it really mean to live a good life and how can ancient Jewish practices help us get there? Rabbi Deborah Waxman sits down with her teacher, colleague, and friend Rabbi Shira Stutman, author of The Jewish Way to a Good Life, for a wide-ranging conversation about meaning, resilience, and loving kindness. Together, they explore how Jewish wisdom offers practical tools for universal human challenges: how to love, how to mourn, how to care for our bodies, how to build justice, and how to show up for one another imperfectly but persistently. At the center of their conversation is hesed, loving kindness, which Shira describes as more than emotion: It’s the courage to show up in daunting spaces and do the hard, sustained work of caring.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Rabbi Shira Stutman.

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Links:

• Buy Shira's book, "The Jewish Way to a Good Life"
• Listen to Rabbi Shira's podcast Chutzpod!
• Support Hashivenu with a donation to Reconstructing Judaism
• Learn more and register for Reconstructing Judaism's movement-wide convention "B'Yachad," March 12-15 in Philadelphia
• Reconstructing Judaism
• Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations
• Ritualwell

Rabbi Deborah Waxman continues her conversation with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, founder of Lab/Shul and subject of the documentary The Sabbath Queen. They explore how to hold complexity in polarized times, discussing "both/and" thinking around Israeli and Palestinian identity, the theology of love and connection (symbolized by the Hebrew letter vav), and building strong Jewish peoplehood without chauvinism or supremacy. Their conversation weaves together personal narrative, liturgical innovation, and theological reflection, modeling nuanced dialogue about coexistence, justice, and evolving Jewish tradition to honor the dignity of all people while navigating disagreement with courage and compassion.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.

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Links:

• The Sabbath Queen (Film Site) — Find a screening near you, background information, and related materials.
• Lab/Shul — Lab/Shul is the experimental, artist-driven, God-optional Jewish community co-founded by Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.
• Evolve: Rabbi Toba Spitzer on Chosenness — Rabbi Toba Spitzer argues that “chosenness” implies unjust superiority and needs to be replaced with a sense of shared moral responsibility.
• The World Zionist Congress and Reconstructing Judaism’s Engagement with Israel — Learn about Reconstructing Judaism's efforts to promote a democratic, pluralistic, human-rights-centered vision for Israel and support for a two-state solution.
• Octavia Butler Resources (for contextual reference) — Learn more about Octavia Butler’s writing and themes.
• B'Yachad, Reconstructing Judaism's movement-wide convention — Details about Reconstructing Judaism's 2026 convention, including programming related to peoplehood without chauvinism and community-centered resilience. Registration is open now!

Rabbi Deborah Waxman is joined by Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie for a vital conversation about the complexities of Zionism, Israeli identity and progressive Jewish values. As delegates on the Hatikvah slate in the World Zionist Congress elections, Waxman and Lau-Lavie discuss the intersection of personal history, political activism, queer and feminist perspectives and Jewish theology. Each reflects on the legacy of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the power of hope, and the urgency of building a Judaism that is inclusive, resilient and committed to justice for all.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.

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Links:

• Vote Hatikvah Slate in the World Zionist Congress Elections
• Learn more about Hatikvah Slate
• Explore Reconstructionist Resources about the World Zionist Congress
• Where We Stand: The Reconstructionist Movement, Israel and Progressive Zionism
• Watch: The Progressive Israel Network workshop about the World Zionist Congress Elections and why they matter urgently
• Q&A with Hatikvah Slate nominee Rabbi Elliott Tepperman about Hatikvah's progressive vision for Israel and Jewish communities
• Learn more about Lab/Shul
• Learn more about Storahtelling, Inc.
• In case you missed it: Rabbi Deborah Waxman's conversation with Rabbi Jodie Siff and Aaron Siff-Scherr about progressive Zionism, Jewish identity and the importance of voting in the World Zionist Congress elections

In this special episode of Hashivenu, Rabbi Deborah Waxman welcomes Rabbi Jodie Siff and her son Aaron Siff-Scherr to discuss their deep personal and political commitments to progressive Zionism. Together, they reflect on how Jewish education, family experiences, and time in Israel shaped their values and why participating in the World Zionist Congress elections matters. With honesty and nuance, they explore the complexities of modern Zionism, antisemitism, and pluralism within Jewish life. This heartfelt conversation is a call to action for American Jews to raise their voices by casting their votes for the Hatikvah Slate in order to help shape a more inclusive future for the Jewish people. Vote now at http://azm.org

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guests: Aaron Siff-Scherr and Rabbi Jodie Siff.

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Links:

• Vote Hatikvah Slate in the World Zionist Congress Elections
• Learn more about Hatikvah Slate
• Explore Reconstructionist Resources about the World Zionist Congress
• Where We Stand: The Reconstructionist Movement, Israel and Progressive Zionism
• Watch: The Progressive Israel Network workshop about the World Zionist Congress Elections and why they matter urgently
• Q&A with Hatikvah Slate nominee Rabbi Elliott Tepperman about Hatikvah's progressive vision for Israel and Jewish communities
• Support Reconstructing Judaism

In preparation forReconstructing Judaism’s December 15 movement-wide virtual convening, Rabbi Elliott Tepperman and Rabbi Rachel Weiss join Rabbi Deborah Waxman for a deeply thoughtful and nuanced conversation about the difficult and rewarding work of maintaining unity within Jewish communities that sometimes have diverse views on Israel and Palestine and the War in Gaza. Their reflections on how to cultivate spaces of growth, respect and accountability within the synagogue offer a blueprint for creating Jewish communities that are there for us during moments of joy and celebration as well as times of mourning and crisis.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guests: Rabbi Elliott Tepperman and Rabbi Rachel Weiss.

Support Hashivenu

Links:

• Learn more about and register for Reconstructing Judaism's 12/15 event
• Reconstructing Judaism’s Convention, B’Yachad, is coming to Philadelphia in 2026
• Read JRC's Covenant of Speech
• Clip from 2022 Convention: Rabbi Elliott Tepperman on creating a community of belonging that includes people even when they step out of line
• Watch the full "Creating Inclusive Community" panel from Reconstructing Judaism's 2022 Convention
• How Rabbi Rachel Weiss and the JRC approach talking about Israel and Palestine in their community
• Rabbi Elliott Tepperman: Bringing a Community-Organizing Model to the Pulpit
• Explore Evolve's essays about Israel and Palestine
• From Evolve: A Septet of Diverse Reflections on the Year Since October 7
• New from Ritualwell, "A Jerusalem Afternoon in Wartime" by Haviva Ner-David
• Explore these poems, prayers and resources from Ritualwell that address communal tragedy. — "When one of us hurts, others are there to offer comfort..."

With the High Holiday season underway, Deborah welcomes Justin Rosen Smolen, Reconstructing Judaism's Vice President for Thriving Communities and Partnerships, for a wide-ranging conversation about covenantal community. They explore how the idea of covenant, from biblical narratives to contemporary community-building, emphasizes relationships, mutual responsibility and interdependence. They consider how liberal religion can help address societal issues like loneliness and division, and advocate for conversations that build inclusive, thriving communities. Later, Deborah and Justin explore a Reconstructionist understanding of covenant, emphasizing the importance of shared values and intergenerational dialogue, and recognizing that while diverse perspectives may create tension, they also provide opportunities for growth and deeper understanding within the community.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Justin Rosen Smolen.

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Links:

• Watch Deborah's High Holiday teaching on covenantal community
• High Holiday resources from Reconstructing Judaism
• Explore High Holiday prayers and poems on Ritualwell
• Read Deborah in the Times of Israel: As Reconstructionists, Our Litmus Test is Centering Relationships Over Politics
• Read Deborah's latest Evolve piece, "A Jewish Embrace of Democracy: Early Reconstructionist Judaism and America’s Promise"
• Support Reconstructing Judaism with a donation of $36

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman recently announced that she will step down from her position as CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA) in June after leading the organization for the past nine years. Elyse stops by Deborah’s office to look back on her tenure and look ahead to what’s next. The two longtime colleagues commiserate over the day-to-day realities of leading an organization, including a friendly debate over the pros and cons of “zeroing out” one’s email inbox (4:54). Elyse explains how being willing to let some things go in order to focus on what’s important has helped her decision making as a leader (9:21). Elyse reflects on how the RRA has changed over the last nine years and on the accomplishments she’s most proud of, such as increased collaboration amongst rabbinical associations (15:30). Deborah and Elyse discuss the nature of change and how although it can be scary, it is often a positive (26:22). Finally, Elyse shares her favorite verse from the Talmud and why it’s resonating with her as she approaches this transition (34:00).

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Rabbi Elyse Wechterman.

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Links:

• Stay up on the latest from Reconstructing Judaism by signing up for our weekly Virtual Shabbat Box email
• Watch the panel disccussion, "Democracy and Judaism: Does one need the other to thrive?"
• Listen to Elyse's recent appearance on the Evolve podcast
• Learn more about the RRA
• From the NY Times, "Happy 20th Anniversary, Gmail. I’m Sorry I’m Leaving You"
• PIVOT! PIVOT!

Rabbi Deborah Waxman welcomes Cheryl Cook, CEO of Avodah, for a wide-ranging conversation. The two longtime friends and hevrutah partners recall their early conversations about Israel and Palestine (3:00). They discuss the nature of leadership in general as well as their own perspectives as women in leadership (10:10). They touch on the importance of resilience in how they have been able to navigate the turbulence of the last 10 years (12:10). Cheryl lays out the mission and work of Avodah (16:30). Later, Cheryl asks Deborah to reflect on the role of gender in leadership and Deborah shares how her feminist ideals shape her approach (18:15). Cheryl talks about stepping into the role of CEO in 2015 as a mother of young children and how she is making the effort to model a different kind leadership for other women (23:00). They close by looking ahead to future generations of leaders that they hope will include not only women, but Jews of Color and people from underrepresented groups as well (33:03). At the start of the show, Deborah catches us up on all things Hashivenu and previews her upcoming 10th anniversary celebratory event “When Women Lead" (happening Wednesday, April 3rd at 7pm EDT). You can find ticket information here.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Cheryl Cook.

Support Hashivenu

Links:

• Get tickets to Deborah's 10th anniversary virtual event, "When Women Lead"
• Stay up on the latest from Reconstructing Judaism by signing up for our weekly Virtual Shabbat Box email
• Avodah: Sparking Jewish Leaders, Igniting Social Change
• Learn more about Avodah's Jewish Service Corps
• From The Forge: "Building Resilient Organizations" by Maurice Mitchell

Weeks ago, Rabbi Deborah Waxman and founder Yoshi Silverstein scheduled this discussion about embodied Jewish practice and antiracism. Did it make any sense to have this conversation in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre of Israeli civilians and hostage taking, the subsequent and unfolding war and its tremendous toll on Palestinian civilians? After pausing to consider, they decided that such a conversation is more important than ever, both to themselves and listeners. Silverstein, founder and director of the Mitsui Collective, explains that in difficult times like these, embodiment practices can help us understand and name the extent to which strong emotions are having an impact on us. Awareness and practice are key to being able to respond to stressful stimuli in a healthy way. He outlines several simple practices that can help, including orienting and box breathing, and quotes Viktor Frankl, the psychotherapist and Holocaust survivor whose writing deeply informs how humans understand trauma. "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Yoshi Silverstein.

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Links:

• Deborah teaches box breathing technique
• Learn more about Mitsui Collective
• Ritualwell resources speaking to the current moment
• Explore groundbreaking essays on Evolve
• Reconstructing Judaism on the web

In ancient times on Yom Kippur, the high priest of Israel presided over an elaborate, mystical service atop the Temple Mount. Today, many traditional synagogues recount this ritual with the avodah service. In this episode, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., speaks with Rabbi Vivie Mayer about what the avodah service — which they acknowledge is mainly attended by the “die-hards” — can teach us today. “What Yom Kippur is really enacting and celebrating is collective release,” Mayer says. The two discuss what it means to move from the most intense, holy day of the year to the mundane business of daily life and how to bring insights from the former to the later. They delve into the differences between individual and collective atonement and responsibility; wondering about the collective release and catharsis offered by practices of the Second Temple era. They also lift up a contemporary Israeli song, “Seder Ha'Avodah” by Ishay Ribo.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Rabbi Vivie Mayer.

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Links:

• Listen to "Seder Ha'Avodah" by Ishay Ribo and follow along with the English translation
• Rabbi Deborah Waxman's High Holiday Video Teaching exploring the avodah service
• Explore Reconstructing Judaism's High Holiday Resources
• High Holiday Resources on Ritualwell
• From Evolve: "Breaking Open: A Paradigm for Jewish Prayer" by Rabbi Nathan Kamesar

In this special episode, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D and Rabbi Sandra Lawson discuss their respective processes of preparing for the High Holidays. This isn’t about leading services, but about how, as human beings, they undertake an accounting of the soul, leading to repentance for their own actions and forgiveness toward others. The two friends and colleagues delve into Maimonides as interpreted by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg in her new book On Repentance and Repair. (Among his many contributions, Maimonides, a medieval Torah scholar, philosopher and physician, outlined five steps needed to make true repentance.) Rabbi Sandra describes her difficult relationship with her late mother, and the forgiveness needed to truly care for her mother during illness. The two widen the lens and examine repentance from a societal point of view: how can society account and repent for harms caused to so many groups: Blacks, indigenous Americans, Asian Americans and so on. The two agree that an American reckoning with its troubled legacy is needed. “I think about teshuvah and when it comes to racial justice work, my focus first of all, is primarily within our Jewish spaces,” Lawson says. “I have found that many Jews who benefit from white privilege tend to continue to look outward on racial justice in the larger world, which is fine. But that also needs to be with our own internal work.”

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

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Links:

• On Repentance And Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
• Maimonides and Repentance
• "Rabbi Sandra Lawson: The Souls in My Life" for Interfaith America
• "Modeh Ani as a Means for Cultivating Resilience" by Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D.
• "Opposites Attract" by Paula Abdul
• The newly redesigned ReconstructingJudaism.org
• The newly redesigned Ritualwell.org
• Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations

Reconstructing Judaism board member and Tikkun Olam Commission co-chair Shahanna McKinney-Baldon opens up with Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D. and Rabbi Sandra Lawson about her time singing for the ska and reggae band Highball Holiday. The educator, activist and artist, who comes an African American and Ashkenazi family, talks about rediscovering her singing voice in middle age, and shedding certain inhibitions and self-consciousness. (Co-host Rabbi Sandra Lawson also recounts embracing public singing in her 40s, partly to connect with Jewish liturgy.) McKinney-Baldon frankly discusses the grieving process following the 2021 loss of her father, as well as her wrestling with the Jewish prohibition on listening to music — let alone performing — during the traditional morning period. The trio discusses a Reconstructionist, values-based approach to engaging with, but not necessarily being dictated by, Jewish tradition. She also discusses her work on the Tikkun Olam Commission and describes the ongoing process of gaining support for a movement-wide resolution supporting reparations for slavery.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Shahanna McKinney-Baldon.

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Links:

• Edot Midwest Regional Jewish Diversity Collaborative — Edot Midwest Regional Jewish Diversity Collaborative (“Edot”) is a network of partnerships and activities focused on affirming Jewish racial and ethnic diversity across communities in the Midwest region. Investing in the leadership of Jewish People of Color (JOC’s) is our driver for change.
• "I helped coin the term ‘Jews of color.’ It’s time for a history lesson" by Shahanna McKinney-Baldon
• Listen to Highball Holiday on Bandcamp
• Follow Highball Holiday on Instagram
• Milwaukee ska legends Highball Holiday preached racial unity

On Sept. 3, 2019, Richard Cohen’s wife, Marcia Horowitz, was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. Horowitz lived 160 more days. In his acclaimed 2021 book, The Smooth River: Finding Inspiration and Exquisite Beauty during Terminal Illness, Cohen, a lawyer and Reconstructionist leader, recounts those days and what the couple learned about life as Horowitz's death approached.

In this special episode, Richard Cohen discusses with Rabbi Deborah Waxman how the couple eschewed the common framing of terminal illness as a battle with the disease – something that is either one or lost. “We wanted to regain some sense of normalcy of who we were, and by doing good for other people, we felt good about ourselves. We were getting our heads above the cancer. It was not going to subsume us.”

Rabbi Waxman and Cohen also discuss how the couple’s approach mirrors resilience practices contained in many Jewish teachings. Quoting from the book of Psalms, Waxman says, “Out of a narrow place, I called to God. God responded and got me out into an expansive place. That tension between narrow and expansive, for me it has been such an incredible guiding metaphor."

Rabbi Sandra Lawson will be back as co-host in the next episode.
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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org. Episode transcript is forthcoming.

Special Guest: Richard S. Cohen.

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Links:

• Read the book: The Smooth River
• Ritualwell - death and mourning — While Judaism places great emphasis on our lives in this world, death is an inevitable end for all of us. Often Jews who have been distant from traditional Jewish practice for their whole lives seek the comfort of traditional Judaism in the face of death. For mourners, whose lives are often turned upside down by death, the traditional practices of mourning can provide structure and comfort. Here you will find resources that address each aspect of the process of navigating death and mourning—from the moment of death, to the burial of the body, the tearing of clothes, the weeklong practice of shiva, and the recitation of kaddish.
• A Mussar Practice for Grief
• Kaddish: A Podcast about Death and Dying
• Reconstructing Judaism
• Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations

There’s an increasing focus in popular discourse on allyship, particularly when it comes to people of color and other marginalized groups. What does it mean to be an ally, both to individuals and to groups? How can one begin to do that work in a way that is meaningful and is about helping others and not about assisting one’s ego or placing oneself at the center of the story? In this episode, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D. and Rabbi Sandra Lawson – longtime friends and now colleagues – discuss these questions using examples from their own lives. Noting the importance of relationships and context, they delve into the difficulty of saying and doing the right thing at the right time, citing examples of which they were proud and where they might have done better. In the discussion, Rabbi Sandra stresses that white people who aim to be allies to people of color should, “be humble and be curious, and be open to learning, instead of thinking that [you] can't learn anything.”

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Read these show notes on the web at https://hashivenu.fireside.fm/47

This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Support Hashivenu

Links:

• NY Times: "To White People Who Want to Be ‘One of the Good Ones’" by Maeve Higgins
• Chaver Up!: 49 Rabbis Explore What it Means to be an Ally through a Jewish Lens
• Evolve essay: "Racism in the Jewish Community" by Rabbi Sandra Lawson
• Evolve essay: "A Beat to Which We Can All Move" by Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D.
• Evolve essay: "Noticing Jews of Color in Our Communities" by Carmen Amalia Corrales
• Evolve resource: Jewish Approaches to Justice Work
• The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story
• Ritualwell: "Pride Shabbat Blessing from an Ally" by Sara Stock Mayo
• Ritualwell: "Quick Tips for Transgender Allies" by TransfaithOnline.org
• Ritualwell: "Modah Ani" poem by Martha Hurwitz

Helen K. Kim is Professor of Sociology at Whitman College and in 2019 assumed the position of Associate Dean for Faculty Development. She is also the co-author of JewAsian: Race, Religion, and Identity for America's Newest Jews along with her husband Noah Leavitt. In this interview, Kim discusses macro topics such as racism in the Jewish community and the rancorous debate over communal demography. She also discusses more personal matters, including her experience of her son’s recent bar mitzvah. The episode begins with Kim talking about her search for wisdom in the Jewish tradition and how she found inspiration in the works of Maimonides, the medieval Jewish philosopher and Torah commentator. Later, she expresses her frustration with Jewish organizations that long acknowledged the prevalence of racism behind closed doors but steered clear of addressing racism publicly. “Why are we choosing to run away from [these realities]? Why don't we choose to run towards them and try to do something about them to become anti-racist.”

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Helen K. Kim.

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Links:

• JewAsian: Race, Religion, and Identity for America's Newest Jews — JewAsian is a qualitative examination of the intersection of race, religion, and ethnicity in the increasing number of households that are Jewish American and Asian American.
• "Funny - You Don't Look Jewish" by Helen K. Kim — Episode guest Helen K. Kim writes that, "Raising [my children] Ari and Talia with a strong and nuanced sense of identity is not so simple as having kimchi in our refrigerator and challah on Friday nights."
• What It's Like For Non-White Jews During The High Holidays — Helen K. Kim and Rabbi Sandra Lawson were both featured in this 2015 HuffPost Religion piece asking a few racially and ethnically diverse American Jewish families to offer a reflection on their relationship to Judaism.
• A Jewish-Asian Couple's Union Leads to a Scholarly Interest in Intermarriage — NY Times profile on Helen Kim and Noah S. Leavitt
• The Laws of Teshuvah in the Mishneh Torah — The Laws of Teshuvah By Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides"); translated by Eliyahu Touger
• Rabbi David Basior on Teshuvah as Resilience — Rabbi David Basior speaks about how the Jewish value of teshuvah holds power in interpersonal relationships.
• The Challenges and Unexpected Rewards of ‘Teshuvah’

Amanda Mbuvi, Ph.D., is the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College’s new vice president for academic affairs. Mbuvi, a Hebrew Bible scholar and nonprofit leader, is the first Jew of Color to hold such a leadership position at an American rabbinical seminary. We delve into Mbuvi’s desire to deepen how people and communities think about diversity and identity. Mbuvi shares her enthusiasm for using the Bible in general, and Genesis and Exodus in particular to explore questions related to community and identity. Mbuvi and Lawson talk what it means to be women of color and leaders in the Jewish community, reacting to the findings of the Jews of Color Initiative's latest study, “Beyond the Count: Perspectives and Lived Experiences of Jews of Color.” (Eight in 10 respondents said they have experienced discrimination in a Jewish setting.) “So I think for a lot of people, when they say Jew of Color, they think about it like a child with divorced parents: on the weekends, you're Jewish and then during the week you're Black. It's like, you sort of go from one to the other, but not that you were both at the same time, in the same place as the same person. I think that's just something people have had a lot of difficulty getting their minds around,” Mbuvi says. The episode was recorded the week before Rosh Hashanah and Lawson, Mbuvi and Waxman share their hopes for the High Holidays and the coming year.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Amanda Mbuvi, Ph.D. .

Support Hashivenu

Links:

• Reconstructing Judaism's High Holidays Collection for 2021/5782 — featuring Mahzor resources, original music, video teachings, new liturgy, resources from congregations & rabbis and more.
• "Grief Belongs in Social Movements. Can We Embrace It?" by Malika Devich-Cyril — A Black activist reflects on intergenerational trauma, community, and coming to terms with death in movement building.
• https://forward.com/news/471478/in-a-first-jew-of-color-to-lead-major-us-rabbinical-school/ — From The Forward: Amanda Mbuvi’s appointment marks the first time a Jew of color will lead a major rabbinical school. But that’s not why officials there selected her.
• High Holidays 2021/5782: Feeling Grief and Hope Through the Shofar Blast — Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., explores the sounds of the shofar blasts - the vibrations that give us permission to feel our losses and grief and at the same time point us toward cycles of renewal – in this High Holiday 5782 video message.
• “Beyond The Count” Study by the Jews of Color Initiatve — Beyond the Count: Perspectives and Lived Experiences of Jews of Color is an unprecedented study of the Jews of Color community that will enable the Jewish community to implement more change for racial equity and inclusion.
• Belonging in Genesis: Biblical Israel and the Politics of Identity Formation — In her 2016 book Belonging in Genesis, Amanda Mbuvi highlights the ways narrative and the act of storytelling function to define and create a community. Building on the emphasis on family in Genesis, she focuses on the way family storytelling is a means of holding together the interpretation of the text and the constitution of the reading community.
• Reconstructionist Rabbinical College — Founded in 1968 to serve the Jewish people and the wider world, RRC is dedicated to teaching Judaism as an evolving religious civilization and to engaging with the riches of Jewish tradition to create meaning, connect to the sacred and bring individuals and communities to greater love, justice and peace.

Marcella White Campbell is executive director of Be'chol Lashon -- a pioneering organization that strengthens Jewish identity by affirming the racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the Jewish people. We discuss her multiracial Jewish family's own experiences as a window into the Jewish community's troubled record in welcoming Jews of Color. She reflects on her own growth into leadership, motivated by the rising cohort of young Jews of Color who deserve a Jewish community where they can thrive and contribute. And she reflects on the rich interplay of her Jewish and Black identities in making meaning at a time of personal loss. Join us for a rich and deeply moving conversation.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Marcella White Campbell.

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Links:

• Meet Marcella White Campbell, Be’chol Lashon’s New Executive Director – Be'chol Lashon
• Camp Be’chol Lashon – Be'chol Lashon
• Be'chol Lashon – Celebrating Jewish Diversity
• Or Shalom Jewish Community
• Reconstructing Judaism Commitments to Racial Justice
• Reconstructing Judaism Over the Next Five Years

We're joined by Professor Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, one of fewer than 100 Black American women to earn a doctorate in physics -- and a Reconstructionist! We discuss the insights she draws from her background as a Black and Ashkenazi Jew, and the richness, complexity, and fruitful challenges that diverse voices bring to the Jewish community. She and Rabbi Sandra Lawson discuss their respective experiences as trailblazers within the physics and the rabbinate. Finally, we delve into theoretical physics and Jewish theology as she explains why she included the ma'ariv prayer in her new book, The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred.

Subscribe by Email

This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at https://ReconstructingJudaism.org.

Special Guest: Chanda Prescod-Weinstein.

Support Hashivenu

Links:

• Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, PhD
• The Disordered Cosmos by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein | Hachette Book Group
• Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (@IBJIYONGI) / Twitter
• Spotify Playlist for The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred - playlist by The Disordered Cosmos
• Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein's Jewish Universe - Alma — A conversation with the Black Jewish theoretical physicist on her new book, "Disordered Cosmos," and her fight to make the night sky accessible to all.