Best Judaism Unbound Podcasts (2025)

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Bonus Episode: Aderaba -- Jewish Studies on the Contrary ("What's Bad about Being in the Image of God?") 45:33

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2d ago45:33

45:33

We’re thrilled to offer a bonus episode here on our feed, where we shout out an awesome new podcast created by friends of Judaism Unbound. It's called Aderaba: Jewish Studies on the Contrary and it’s co-hosted by Rafe Neis – a past teacher in Judaism Unbound’s UnYeshiva – and Gilah Kletenik. We’re featuring their second episode, entitled What’s Bad…

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246. Xai Judaism, How Unbound Are You? -- Mishnah Nazir 58:00

2d ago58:00

58:00

Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman of Judaism Unbound join us for a big crossover episode about Nazirite philosophy, Rabbinic agendas, Kol Nidre and the metaphysical importance of vows! The Judaism Unbound podcast is a show released every Friday, pushing the boundaries of how we might understand the Jewish past, present, and future. You can subscr…

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Episode 504: The Torah of Music - Joey Weisenberg 1:00:20

7d ago1:00:20

1:00:20

Is Jewish music a form of Torah (spiritual wisdom)? Joey Weisenberg, a musician, composer, and founder of Hadar’s Rising Song Institute, thinks so. He joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about contemporary singing communities, the history of wordless melodies (nigunim) and unbound approaches to prayer. This episode is the second …

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Yaakov Katz 1:02:34

8d ago1:02:34

1:02:34

It's been two years since the Oct. 7 attacks, and — in the absence of an official state commission of inquiry — the best understanding we have of how Hamas was able to surprise the Middle East’s most powerful military comes from former Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz and his new book… Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/in-th…

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245. Holy Cow 22:08

12d ago22:08

22:08

If I was a Nazirite cow refusing to get up, would the Rabbi's still love me? This week, we find out! We also talk about Nazirite doors, the Shekhina as a bovine, and more. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou.…

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Episode 503: Jewish Music - Elana Arian 1:03:58

14d ago1:03:58

1:03:58

Elana Arian, a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and prayer leader, is one of the most important voices in contemporary Jewish music. So when she emailed Judaism Unbound with an entire vision for a mini-series of episodes exploring Jewish music, we of course paid attention! She joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about what the ph…

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Episode 502: Yom Kippur 2025 - Angela Buchdahl 1:01:54

21d ago1:01:54

1:01:54

Yom Kippur is here! For the past few years, Yom Kippur has been the single most popular day — all year — for folks to listen to Judaism Unbound. To those of you incorporating our podcast into your observance of this holiday, wishing you a beautiful and unbound Yom Kippur. In this episode, Angela Buchdahl -- senior rabbi at Central Synagogue in New …

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Cochav Elkayam-Levy 47:51

22d ago47:51

47:51

The founder of Israel's Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes Against Women and Children, Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy coined the novel term "kinocide" to describe Hamas's uniquely evil and systematic abuse of Israeli families. The winner of the 2024 Israel Prize, Dr. Elkayam-Levy helps us understand the extent of our enemy's calculated brutality — and…

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Episode 501: Elul 2025 IV - E(cho)lul - Lex and Wendie 24:31

28d ago24:31

24:31

Elul is the 12th and final month of the Jewish calendar year. Elul Unbound is a Judaism Unbound initiative all about making Elul meaningful, through creative digital modalities. In this final Elul episode of 2025 (and 5785), Lex Rofeberg and Wendie Bernstein Lash explore the month (and the upcoming holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) through …

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244. Let Them Not Eat (Fig) Cake 22:20

29d ago22:20

22:20

Chapter two of mishnah Nazir begins! And it's about what if you make a completely nonsensical vow. And also, seemingly, how much credit do we give vow makers for their intentions, the interpretive power of the court, and all or nothing reasoning. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at…

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Episode 500: 500 Weeks of Unbound Judaism - Dan, Lex, Miriam 1:08:36

1M ago1:08:36

1:08:36

500!!!! We made it. Somehow, someway, a wild idea that was once a figment of our imagination...has now been around for 500 weeks. In this episode, Dan, Lex, and Miriam celebrate that incredible number -- and take this as an opportunity to look back on the founding and evolution of Judaism Unbound, first as a podcast and then as an organization with…

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243. Nazirites All the Way Down 27:17

1M ago27:17

27:17

It's Mishnah 7, the conclusion of the first chapter! We talk about life expectancy, self-similarity, our thoughts on the chapter as a whole and speculation on the future of the masechet. Also, check out Aderaba, a dope new podcast right here: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ly49AOTSTpWyLmwr91jDQTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at t…

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Bonus Episode: Elul 2025 III - Chiasm - Lex and Wendie 23:32

1M ago23:32

23:32

Elul is the 12th and final month of the Jewish calendar year. Elul Unbound is a Judaism Unbound initiative all about making Elul meaningful, through creative digital modalities. In this episode, Lex Rofeberg and Wendie Bernstein Lash explore the notion of chiasm (for "what is a 'chiasm' -- which is a great question -- click here), along with what i…

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Episode 499: Elul 2025 II - The 13 Attributes of Mercy - Lex and Wendie 23:07

1M ago23:07

23:07

Elul is the 12th and final month of the Jewish calendar year. Elul Unbound is a Judaism Unbound initiative all about making Elul meaningful, through creative digital modalities. In this episode, Lex Rofeberg and Wendie Bernstein Lash explore the 13 attributes of mercy, traditionally associated with Elul and the High Holidays. This Elul podcast is t…

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242. There and Back Again, A Nazir's Tale 17:30

1M ago17:30

17:30

Would you be a nazir in a box? Would be a nazir with a fox? Find out this week! And also, why the end of the world is different than the number of hairs on our head or the walking distance to the nearest city. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us o…

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Episode 498: Elul 2025 - Lex and Wendie 22:27

2M ago22:27

22:27

Elul is the 12th and final month of the Jewish calendar year. Elul Unbound is a Judaism Unbound initiative all about making Elul meaningful, through creative digital modalities. In this conversation, Lex Rofeberg and Wendie Bernstein Lash kick off this year's Elul Unbound experience. This Elul bonus episode is the first in a series of four that wil…

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Episode 497: Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness V - with Gemara/Commentary from Lex and Rena Yehuda 1:02:10

2M ago1:02:10

1:02:10

Miriam’s well sustained her people step by step in the wilderness. In this episode of Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness (featuring Judaism Unbound Gemara/commentary from Lex and Rena Yehuda), to tap into this wellspring of belonging. In addition, connect to the Tao de Ching, what it means to be a “Miriam person,” twilight creations, the mys…

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Episode 5: What We Choose to Build 30:34

2M ago30:34

30:34

Part of belonging to a lineage is the act of finding ourselves within the story, claiming a particular link in the chain of inheritance, as testimony to our merit for inclusion. And then he’d say, "Jews are responsible for each other." We all heard that phrase from him. It was the partner to his positivity. Forgive in your heart, and take your inhe…

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241. A Tisket, A Tasket, An Unspecified Basket 25:01

2M ago25:01

25:01

Mishnah five! Discussing becoming a Nazir equivalent to the capacity of a basket gets us a little more philosophical, and makes us wonder what the hell we or the Rabbis get out of any of this. Sign up for Deny, Defend, D'Rabbanan here: http://bit.ly/denydefendTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 o…

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Episode 496: Smashing the Tablets - Sara Lippmann, Seth Rogoff 56:05

2M ago56:05

56:05

Sara Lippman and Seth Rogoff believe that "foundational texts must be read anew or they become tools of conservatism and reaction." But it's not just a belief they hold -- together, they actualized it into a new book, entitled Smashing the Tablets: Radical Retellings of the Hebrew Bible. This book offers a wide variety of new texts, radically revis…

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240. Hair Today, Nazirite Tomorrow 20:15

2M ago20:15

20:15

Mishnah four is here! What if you vow to be a Nazirite like the hairs on your head? What if you're a Nazirite forever but not like, a Nazirite Forever? Sign up for Deny, Defend, D'Rabbanan here: http://bit.ly/denydefendTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Sup…

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Episode 4: Forever Unfolding 37:37

2M ago37:37

37:37

“ I feel like I hold and carry a lot of the stories from my grandfather. I don't always know how to share those stories. I'm sometimes afraid of telling them wrong or making mistakes.” - Neal Strauss "It’s a surreal experience to watch strangers tell your story. For others to decide they are ready for you to reclaim your stolen lives." - Miriam Ter…

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Episode 495: Israel-Palestine - Conversations Across Generations - Amy Eilberg, Penina Eilberg-Schwartz 52:20

2M ago52:20

52:20

Even the most intimate relationships can experience strain around the topic of Israel-Palestine. Dan and Lex are joined by Amy Eilberg and Penina Eilberg-Schwartz, who share their experience discussing and processing their conversations about Israel-Palestine across generational divides. -------------------------- Judaism Unbound's offerings for 3-…

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Episode 3: He Sang So Loudly 38:30

2M ago38:30

38:30

“Years later, I’ll know this feeling as a mother, hearing my baby wail from the other room, wondering, praying, hoping that she is ok. But tonight, I’m 25 in a loft apartment in Berlin, 5,000 miles from home, and it’s not a baby crying: It’s my 89-year-old grandfather, Simon, screaming.” - Miriam Terlinchamp “To choose, to actively to forgive. To f…

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Episode 494: Tisha B'Av (The 9th of Av) 2025 - Dan and Lex 1:00:17

3M ago1:00:17

1:00:17

Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg discuss the inherent potential, along with the limitations, of the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’av (the 9th of Av) — understood by many to be the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. What does it mean to mourn a past pain in the present? In this week’s episode, Dan and Lex consider the meanings of grief and reflection as t…

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Episode 2: In the Footsteps of Survival 35:49

3M ago35:49

35:49

I got out of the Frankfurt train station. I took a bus to Wachenbuchen. At this time, remember, there’s no cellphone, no Google maps, none of that. I had an address and I got there early in the day and there it was. It was like seeing something, you know, like seeing a picture you've seen forever, right? - Mark Vane References in this episode: [1] …

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Episode 493: Tarot and Teshuva - Mandie McGlynn 56:31

3M ago56:31

56:31

For Mandie McGlynn, founder of Selah Spiritual Care, tarot can serve as a deeply meaningful modality for Jewish experience. McGlynn joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg on this week’s episode to discuss her use of tarot as part of the preparatory work of the month of Elul (the on-ramp month before the High Holidays), through an initiative she create…

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Episode 1: A House for a Life 25:53

3M ago25:53

25:53

We don’t know the story for a long time. And, even after we learn it, the story continues to unfold. Each generation adding new information, unlocking new mysteries, and trying it’s best to weave something whole out of a family history shredded by trauma. - Miriam Terlinchamp References in this episode: [1] Wow! That’s a lot of voices! Here is a fa…

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239. Nazir: From Here to Forever 29:46

3M ago29:46

29:46

Mishnah gimel is here! What is the default length of being a Nazirite and can it be eternal? Also, halakha created by magical math and is it possible the Rabbis are just silly goofs?To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xai…

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Episode 492: The Torah in the Tarot - Stav Appel 52:07

3M ago52:07

52:07

Tarot is known to be a practice of reading, of uncovering important meaning behind the symbols each card evokes. But what if there’s an even deeper, secret connection to not just our lives as a whole, but our lives as Jews? For data scientist and author Stav Appel, happening upon a 17th century forgotten tarot deck took him on a journey through Tor…

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238. Samson, Sams-off 31:04

3M ago31:04

31:04

Time for mishnah bet of our Nazir journey and this time it's all about the archetypical Nazirites, Samson and Absalom. Also featured: misogyny, angels, tired wives, names of the unknowable and fatal haircuts. Catch Shel Maala in England here: http://bit.ly/sadehsleeplessTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401…

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Trailer 6:22

3M ago6:22

6:22

Thanks for journeying with us through Season 1 of Tales of the Unbound. We’re thrilled to return with Season 2: Door to Door—a five-episode, multi-generational exploration of memory, trauma, and identity, launching July 23, 2025. For accessibility, our podcast feed will temporarily change its name to Door to Door, but you’ll still find the same hea…

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Announcement 1:17

3M ago1:17

1:17

Hey everyone, it's Miriam Terlinchamp. Thank you so much for listening to Season One of Tales of the Unbound! When we first created this podcast feed we knew that we wanted to tell transformational stories around awakened becoming stories that focused on the struggle to define identity, search for meaning, and connect ourselves to the greater who…

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Episode 491: Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness IV - Shiru L'Adonai - Sing Right -The F*ck] Now 1:04:31

3M ago1:04:31

1:04:31

We are proud to introduce the 3rd podcast in the Judaism Unbound family of podcasts: Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness, hosted by Jericho Vincent. "We are the ancestors of the future." This new podcast offers a spiritual home for listeners seeking to connect Jewish ancestral, feminist wisdom with their own svara: moral intuition. Each episo…