Best Jewish Reconstructionist Communities Podcasts (2025)

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Hope Is a Muscle: The Hatikvah Slate with special guest Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie 50:21

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2M ago50:21

50:21

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 pe…

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Why Voting for the Hatkivah Slate in the World Zionist Congress Matters: A Conversation Across Generations 42:20

2M ago42:20

42:20

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 Cong…

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Reconstructionist Values, Covenantal Community and War in the Middle East 53:08

7M ago53:08

53:08

In preparation for Reconstructing 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 Pales…

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Building Covenantal Community in the New Year and Beyond 44:33

9M ago44:33

44:33

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, mutu…

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Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association 38:45

1y ago38:45

38:45

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 da…

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Cheryl Cook, CEO of Avodah 38:55

1y ago38:55

38:55

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 …

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How to become our fullest, most expressive selves? Practice, practice, practice 59:34

1+ y ago59:34

59:34

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…

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Yom Kippur: A Celebration of Collective Release 38:40

2y ago38:40

38:40

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 att…

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S4 Ep. 9: Season of Reflection and Repentance 38:10

3y ago38:10

38:10

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…

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S4 Ep. 8: Songs of Joy and Mourning 39:52

3y ago39:52

39:52

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 s…

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S4 Ep. 7: The Smooth River 46:06

3y ago46:06

46:06

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 li…

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S4 Ep. 6: Being an Ally with Empathy, Humility and Courage 40:25

3+ y ago40:25

40:25

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 …

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S4 Ep. 5: JewAsian 39:53

3+ y ago39:53

39:53

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 …

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S4 Ep 4: In the Same Place, As the Same Person 33:10

4y ago33:10

33:10

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 i…

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S4 Ep. 3: Creating a Jewish Community Where All Can Thrive 42:58

4y ago42:58

42:58

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…

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S4 Ep 2: Paradox, Complexity and Liberation: A Conversation with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 41:38

4y ago41:38

41:38

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…

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S4 Ep. 1: Judaism, Resilience, and Racial Justice - Beginning the Conversation 38:03

4+ y ago38:03

38:03

We begin a new season focusing on Judaism, resilience, and racial justice, and welcome a new co-host: Rabbi Sandra Lawson, director of racial diversity, equity, and inclusion for Reconstructing Judaism. We dig deeply into the complexities of engaging in racial justice work within the Jewish community, the necessity for deep listening and empathy to…

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S3 Ep. 12: Writing Ourselves into the Book of Life — The High Holidays and Choosing Life 35:06

5y ago35:06

35:06

At this extraordinary High Holiday season, so many people are experiencing losses of many kinds. We speak with Rabbi Margot Stein about the lessons she learned about resilience while navigating profound loss -- the death of her eldest son, Aryeh. We discuss the practices that sustain her, and explore how Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur invite us to ch…

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S3 Ep. 11: Creativity and Counterculture 40:09

5y ago40:09

40:09

Rabbi Michael Strassfeld has made a life and career at the core of Jewish counterculture, combining a deep connection with Jewish text and tradition with a passion for creative experimentation with new, accessible and relevant forms of Jewish community and practice. In our conversation, we discuss his experiences as a founder of the havurah movemen…

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S3 Ep. 10: Moments of Wholeness 37:37

5y ago37:37

37:37

When our world falls apart, what sustains us? We recorded this conversation with Rabbi Shira Stutman, senior rabbi at 6th and I Historic Synagogue in Washington, D.C, in early April 2020 — shortly after coronavirus response had brought face-to-face communal gatherings, and indeed most people's social lives, to a screeching halt. Speaking at a time …

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S3 Ep. 9: The Power of Ritual 42:38

5y ago42:38

42:38

Is Harry Potter a sacred text? According to our guest, Casper ter Kuile, Ministry Innovation Fellow at Harvard Divinity School and the co-founder of the Sacred Design Lab, it is if you bring that approach to the series. His study of the ways in which people find meaning through text, community, and tradition has opened up vibrant conversations that…

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S3 Ep. 8: Whole-Body Judaism 31:24

5y ago31:24

31:24

Yoshi Silverstein’s passions — which include Jewish outdoor and environmental education, as well as fitness and movement — each strive toward creative embodied Jewish practice. We explore how these approaches can contribute to a resilient Jewish community, and conclude by applying them to the upcoming holiday of Shavuot: how might they help us expe…

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S3 Ep. 7: Including Everyone 37:54

5y ago37:54

37:54

It's a fundamental Jewish belief that all human beings are created in the divine image. But society all too often treats those with disabilities as second-class citizens. In our conversation with Jay Ruderman, we discuss his family foundation's work to advocate for and advance the inclusion of people with disabilities, both within the Jewish commun…

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S3 Ep. 6: Spiritual Leadership in Times of Crisis 37:20

5y ago37:20

37:20

As the coronavirus pandemic took hold, Rabbi Joshua Lesser created a Facebook group to support and connect clergy of all faiths struggling to respond to the crisis. Over five thousand people joined within the first two weeks. We discuss the exponential growth of the multifaith community he created and reflect on both the practical challenges and in…

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S3 Ep. 5: Catching Our Breath 20:46

5+ y ago20:46

20:46

As the current pandemic disrupts our lives and everyday connections, we each face the dual challenge of saving lives and caring for our souls. Rabbi Deborah Waxman reflects on the Jewish spiritual imagery that unites these concerns and shares a practice of breath work that can sustain us in stressful times. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produc…

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S3 Ep. 4: Despair to Awakening 36:46

5+ y ago36:46

36:46

As our lives are disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, we speak with Dr. Ameet Ravital, a clinical psychologist who specializes in treating trauma. We reflect on personal experiences of anxiety and grief, and discuss strategies he uses to support an orientation toward joy even in the hardest times. Our conversation draws on [his beautiful essay, "Des…

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S3 Ep. 3: The Song of Community 28:57

5+ y ago28:57

28:57

We speak with Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann, Rabbi of the SAJ: Judaism That Stands For All. Our conversation explores the importance of placing joy and connection at the center of vibrant Jewish community, even (or especially) one deeply committed to social justice and activism. We also discuss the lessons learned from building a start-up congrega…

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S3 Ep. 2: Living in Beloved Community 29:59

5+ y ago29:59

29:59

We speak with Rabbi Sara Luria, co-founder of Beloved, a home-based spiritual community in Brooklyn. Our conversation explores the power of putting love, nurturing and acceptance at the center of community life. We also explore what Beloved Brooklyn can teach the broader Jewish communal world, and reflect on new models of leadership opened up by fo…

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S3 Ep. 1: Finding Sustenance in Covenantal Community 29:58

5+ y ago29:58

29:58

Rabbi Sid Schwarz has devoted his career to the practice and study of building rich and engaging Jewish communities. In our conversation, we talk about the groundbreaking congregation he built, Adat Shalom, which continues to serve as a laboratory for innovation to this day. And we ask the question: as new platforms for Jewish life and community em…

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Season 3 Intro: Resilience Through Community 6:46

5+ y ago6:46

6:46

In this upcoming season of Hashivenu, we’re going to talk to a lot of people who are thinking about and practicing how to create community. Many of them will be talking about synagogues, since that is a primary location of Jewish community, but this isn’t a pitch for synagogues. It’s a pitch for binding relationships, for mutual obligation, for con…

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S2 Ep. 8: Halleluyah: Fueling Our Social Activism through Gratitude and Praise 24:29

5+ y ago24:29

24:29

What drives us toward justice? Often, we're driven by a sense of the world's brokenness that keeps us up at night. In our conversation with Rabbi Alex Weissman, we explore an alternative motivation: what gets us up in the morning? In a conversation based on his essay for Evolve, Halleluyah, and his other work around spirituality and activism, we di…

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S2 Ep. 7: Discernment and Renewal at the High Holidays 24:52

6y ago24:52

24:52

The holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur call us to deeply individual reflection while embedded and connected with community, and to a humility that nevertheless acknowledges that our choices matter. We speak with Rabbi Barbara Penzner about the spiritual dynamics of the High Holiday days, and their power to help us find discernment, connection…

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S2 Ep. 6: Portraits of Resilience 29:53

6y ago29:53

29:53

Daniel Jackson is an MIT professor and award-winning photographer who edited an extraordinary collection: Portraits of Resilience pairs images and first-person accounts of MIT community members who have struggled with mental health issues. We dig deeply into Judaism's powerful psychological and spiritual resources for resilience, particularly for t…

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S2 Ep. 5: Raising Our Voices 29:57

6y ago29:57

29:57

Dr. Koach Frazier is an audiologist, an activist, a rabbinical student and a powerful musician. We speak about singing and drumming, and explore how music can support us, uplift us, and lead us to transformation personally and collectively. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.…

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S2 Ep. 4: The Spiritual Activist 30:53

6y ago30:53

30:53

Claudia Horwitz's life's work has focused on integrating spiritual practice with the work of social change. In this conversation, she shares the strains that social justice work can inflict on activists, and articulates the importance of deep inner work in anchoring and sustaining individuals and groups in their work of tikkun olam. Subscribe by Em…

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S2 Ep. 3: Changing the World from the Inside Out 32:18

6y ago32:18

32:18

This compelling conversation with Rabbi David Jaffe explores the essential relationship between the pursuit of justice and the spiritual growth that comes from self-knowledge. We discuss his personal experiences of moral and spiritual awakening, as well as the tension between experiencing the brokenness of the world and opening ourselves to the uni…

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S2 Ep. 2: Love Received, Love Extended 29:22

6y ago29:22

29:22

This wide-ranging conversation with noted teacher of spirituality Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg begins by recounting the influences that led her toward integrating meditation and yoga into Jewish spirituality. She then digs deeply into the essential interplay between spiritual experience (love received) and spiritually-rooted justice (love extended n…

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S2 Ep. 1: Trauma, Healing and Resilience 30:54

6+ y ago30:54

30:54

In this interview, Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg delves into her deep interest and growing expertise in the varieties of trauma and how trauma has informed Jewish experience on both the individual and the collective level. Equipped with this awareness, we then discuss ways to move beyond trauma and cultivate resilience, and how these approaches inform he…

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Episode 21: Tikkun Middot 38:03

6+ y ago38:03

38:03

This conversation with Rabbi Marc Margolius explores the spiritual practice of Tikkun Middot, a mindfulness-based approach to cultivation of character traits. We explore how this practice can help us better live out our values in challenging times, navigating and learning from our inevitable shortcomings in a sustainable and compassionate way. Prod…

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Episode 20: Choosing Life 1:03:25

6+ y ago1:03:25

1:03:25

This special episode was recorded before a live audience at the Reconstructing Judaism convention in November 2018. I interviewed Susan Levine, an extraordinary person and a member of the Board of Governors of Reconstructing Judaism. Trigger Warning: Susan and I discussed resilience in the aftermath of a suicide attempt. Susan is wise and grounded …

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Episode 19: Gratitude 15:03

6+ y ago15:03

15:03

The recent shooting attack on a synagogue in Pittsburgh has been deeply traumatic. In its aftermath, Rabbi Deborah Waxman shares a personal Jewish practice that sustains her in difficult times, in the hopes that it might help cultivate resilience among our listeners. Also, in this episode you'll learn how to tune in for a special episode of Hashive…

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Episode 18: Fitness 24:32

6+ y ago24:32

24:32

What's the connection between marathon training and prayer? Can CrossFit shed light on building meaningful communities? We speak with Rabbi Jason Bonder about the intersection between fitness and spirituality. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org. Special Guest: Rabbi Jason Bon…

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Episode 17: The High Holiday Season 30:16

7y ago30:16

30:16

The holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur drive us to make sense of what's truly important, and sustain us as we strive to recapture those ideals. In this conversation recorded days before Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi David Teutsch and Rabbi Deborah Waxman share the meaning they find in deep themes of the High Holiday season, and reflect on their own ev…

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Episode 16: Multifaith Encounters 28:35

7y ago28:35

28:35

Multifaith dialogue has the power not just to build bridges of understanding, but to foster personal spiritual growth and transformation. We speak with Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer and Professor Sa'ed Atshan, a Palestinian Quaker Christian, about their experiences in multifaith work. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judais…

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Episode 15: Singing Together 22:31

7y ago22:31

22:31

Singing together can be a profound and powerful experience. We speak with Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, an ethnomusicologist and a research professor at the music department at Tufts, about the role that music plays both in animating Jewish life and in helping us to cultivate resilience. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism…

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Episode 14: Midrash 22:18

7y ago22:18

22:18

The holiday of Shavuot is approaching. This year (2018) on the secular calendar it begins on Saturday evening, May 19. On Shavuot, we celebrate receiving the Torah, the foundational text of the Jewish people. "Torah" has multiple meanings in Jewish tradition. Most folks know it as the Five Books of Moses. But “Torah” in a broader sense is much more…

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Episode 13: Hebrew Poetry 29:10

7y ago29:10

29:10

The holiday of Shavuot is approaching. This year on the secular calendar it begins on Saturday evening, May 19. On Shavuot, we celebrate receiving the Torah, the foundational text of the Jewish people. "Torah" has multiple meanings in Jewish tradition. Most folks know it as the Five Books of Moses. But “Torah” in a broader sense is much more. It’s …

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Episode 12: Embodied Prayer 26:26

7y ago26:26

26:26

For Rabbi Jonathan Kligler, prayer is a whole-body experience, helping us reboot our awareness of how good it is to be alive, even -- or especially -- in a troubled world. Join us for his deep conversation with Rabbi Deborah Waxman on this episode of Hashivenu. Subscribe by Email This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at Recon…

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Episode 11: Yom HaShoah 44:44

7y ago44:44

44:44

In this special extended episode for Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), we hear from Rabbi Phillip Lazowski, who survived the Holocaust as a child. He shares experiences that shaped his vision and sense of purpose: amidst horror and loss, episodes of hope and humanity. A note from Rabbi Deborah Waxman: Thanks so much for listening to Hashiven…

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Episode 10: "You Were Strangers in Egypt": Passover and Sanctuary 22:30

7+ y ago22:30

22:30

On Passover, we retell our history as strangers and slaves in Egypt. What obligations flow from this memory? We speak with Rabbi Elliott Tepperman, whose congregation recently made a decision to serve as a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. Join us as we discuss the Jewish values that moved his community to action. Subscribe by Email Special Gu…