Best Judith berry Podcasts (2025)

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New Land, New Religious Experiences? (part 2) – Judith Pajo, Zeyneb Sayilgan and Meli Solomon 29:15

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6M ago29:15

29:15

Episode 101. This is the second part of my discussion with Judith Pajo and Zeyneb Sayilgan about living our faiths in America and Germany. While we have all lived in both countries, we practice different faiths, representing the three Abrahamic religions––Judaism, Christianity, and Islam respectively. In the first part released on 12 June, we discu…

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New Land, New Religious Experience? (part 1) – Judith Pajo, Zeyneb Sayilgan and Meli Solomon 36:10

7M ago36:10

36:10

Episode 100. For this episode, I’ve invited two women, Judith Pajo and Zeyneb Sayilgan, for a group discussion about living our faiths in America and Germany. We each have unique patterns of immigration in addition to different religious identities and practice. Judith grew up in both countries as a Catholic, Zeyneb likewise grew up in Germany and …

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Bonus. Building Trust Across Faiths (Lindsay Simmonds and Julie Siddiqi) 52:29

7M ago52:29

52:29

Episode 99. Bonus For this Bonus episode, I’ve invited two British women, Lindsay Simmonds and Julie Siddiqi, both PhDs, to talk about their interfaith friendship and the public facing work they’ve done since Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 Oct. 2023. Lindsay is an Orthodox Jew and Julie is Muslim. The fact of their religious identities and deep pract…

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How Faith Can Evolve Through Change – Aaron Solberg 32:52

7M ago32:52

32:52

Episode 98. (replay of Episode 78) Over the last two episodes with Judith Pajo and Zeyneb Sayilgan, we’ve talked quite a bit about faith challenges and dealing with changes in life that impact religious practice. Those changes have included moving country. With that in mind, I wanted to replay an episode from 2024 that addresses these themes among …

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Grief as a Sacred Opening – Zeyneb Sayilgan 44:26

8M ago44:26

44:26

Episode 97. Burying a child is an unimaginable trauma that no parent should have to face. My guest today, Zeyneb Sayilgan, has sadly needed to endure that pain and grief twice. Through it all, her Muslim faith has sustained her and provided a path for healing. She has joined me to talk about her experience of loss and subsequent growth, as well as …

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How Interreligious Dialogue Can Expand and Challenge Your Faith – Judith Pajo 45:47

8M ago45:47

45:47

Episode 96. Have you lived in more than one country? Do you participate in interreligious dialogue or are you interested in it? Have you studied religion or theology? Not very many people can say yes to all of these questions. But my guest, Judith Pajo can. Born in Germany, she has nevertheless lived many years both there and in the U.S., shuttling…

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Embracing Oneness: Jewish Mysticism in Practice – Lex Rofeberg 49:30

9M ago49:30

49:30

Episode 95. What comes to mind when you hear the term mysticism? Perhaps you imagine a yogi sitting cross legged in meditation, or people sitting in a circle chanting. Several religions have mystical practices, Sufism in Islam, and Zen Buddhism, for instance. Whatever the particulars, they generally share a desire to become one with the Divine and …

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Reflection. Exploring the Intersection of Ramadan, Lent, and Passover (Meli Solomon) 12:47

9M ago12:47

12:47

Episode 94. Are you a Jew, Christian, or Muslim? Do you wonder about how your holiday this spring intersects with other holidays occurring at or near the same time? What do you make of that? And what does your holiday mean to you? How do you celebrate it? In this month's reflection, I address how Ramadan, Lent, and Passover connect thematically, an…

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Forging a more Resilient Faith After Doubt – Aubrey Chaves 37:51

9M ago37:51

37:51

Episode 93. Did you grow up in a highly observant home and religious community where surety of belief was the norm? Aubrey Chaves did, and much as she felt embraced by the family’s deep engagement within their Mormon congregation, or ward, when she encountered differing lifestyles that were loving and not harmful to anyone, the rightness she had al…

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Building Peace Through Interfaith Dialogue – Raphael Luzon 39:27

10M ago39:27

39:27

Episode 92. Jews had lived in Libya since the third century BCE, but 1967 marked their final expulsion from the majority Muslim country. Raphael Luzon was a child at the time and fled with his family. Like many, they went to Italy. Overnight, his environment changed. Gone were his Jewish, Muslim and Catholic classmates. Gone was the exchange of hol…

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Reflection. Risks and Rewards of Declaring Your Religion (Meli Solomon) 9:23

10M ago9:23

9:23

Episode 91. In this episode, I delve into the complex intersection of personal faith and public roles. I reflect on my recent conversation with Chris Stevenson, founder of the National Museum of American Religion, who chooses to leave his Mormon faith outside the museum to maintain an inclusive environment. I also explore the balance between person…

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Exploring Religious Freedom in America – Chris Stevenson 39:07

10M ago39:07

39:07

Episode 90. Are you a museum goer? Are you interested in the history of religion in America? Is religious freedom in America important to you? If you answered yes to any of those questions, today’s episode will speak to you. Chris Stevenson has been developing the National Museum of American Religion for 15 years. Currently a digital-first project,…

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Let's Eat Halal: Food By Muslims for Everyone – Shahed Amanullah 37:17

11M ago37:17

37:17

Episode 89. Every culture has its food, and in America, each immigrant group has contributed to the bounty of culinary options––from Italian pizza to Jewish delis and much more. Muslims are no different. What this group has brought, however, is a wide array of foods, since Muslims hail from many countries. My guest today, Shahed Amanullah, a renown…

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Reflection. Want to Increase Curiosity and Understanding? (Meli Solomon) 6:43

11M ago6:43

6:43

Episode 88. This episode is in memory of the passengers and crew of the DC and Philadelphia plane crashes and my friend Karen Hirschfeld. May their memories be for a blessing. This is the first of a new Reflection series. They will be short monthly episodes, opportunities to share my thoughts about recent episodes, things I’ve written or read and w…

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Bonus. The Mormon Church is More Than You Think (Rick Bennett) 42:28

11M ago42:28

42:28

Episode 87. The timing of this Bonus episode is auspicious given the recent debate regarding learning about the history of race in America, the book bans, and the current administration’s aim to eliminate the federal department of education. While each of these issues are complex and engage different issues, they share the matter of understanding o…

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The Long Journey from Believer to Evangelical Critic – Dan Miller 42:51

11M ago42:51

42:51

Episode 86. Several big international changes have occurred since the last episode was released on the 9th of January. America witnessed another peaceful transfer of power, though it was immediately followed by some executive orders that are anything but peaceful, and Israeli hostages were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire.…

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Religious Pluralism v. White Supremacy in America Today – Wajahat Ali 37:42

12M ago37:42

37:42

Episode 85. As the new secular year begins, along with the incoming presidential administration, it’s a good time to hear a shortened version of my conversation with the esteemed journalist and speaker Wajahat Ali. Given the dominance of White Christian Nationalism and the debate about immigration, Wajahat’s Sunni Muslim American identity and his f…

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Mikveh: Reclaiming an Ancient Jewish Ritual – Haviva Ner-David 37:53

1y ago37:53

37:53

Episode 84. This week is the Jewish holiday of Chanukah which celebrates light in the dark days of winter. It is a time of contrasts and turning. Our candles add light in the darkness as we appreciate the slow turning towards longer days. In that spirit, this conversation explores another kind of opposites and turning – immersing in the mikveh as a…

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How to be Visibly Muslim in the US Government – Fatima Pashaei 41:30

1y ago41:30

41:30

Episode 83. Is someone in your family an immigrant? Or are you yourself an immigrant? Are you visibly a member of a race or religion? And how do these markers of identity affect your work life and general sense of belonging? In this conversation we explore the complexities of her life experience – being part of an extended family of mixed cultures …

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Ancient Prayers: Meaningless or Comforting? – Will Berry 23:46

1y ago23:46

23:46

Episode 82. 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name'. These opening words of the Lord’s Prayer from the Christian tradition, provide a salve for Will Berry when times are hard, and he doesn’t have words. As a paramedic for 14 years, these moments are not infrequent. Today’s episode is the second half of our conversation, where we talk a…

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Is a Loving God in the Brokenness and Darkness? – Will Berry 25:16

1y ago25:16

25:16

Episode 81. When you are swamped by tragedy and darkness, when all you are seeing is broken and the worst that society has to offer, what does your faith offer you? For Will Berry, a paramedic for 14 years, his Christian faith provides a loving God, and the presence of light in the situation, perhaps his own God-given skills and ability are the lig…

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Bonus. Tying the Knot in Faith (panel) 41:22

1y ago41:22

41:22

Episode 80. Bonus. Wedding ceremonies are universal and central to many religious and cultural groups. But they vary widely. In this conversation with four guests from different religious traditions – Judaism, Mormonism, Islam and the Baha'i faith – we explore the role of the officiant, who that is, the role of the Divine, contracts and other thing…

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Queering Contemplation and Finding a Home in Christianity – Cassidy Hall 37:35

1y ago37:35

37:35

Episode 79. In this conversation, Cassidy and I talk about her evolving, contemplative spiritual expression and identity as a queer Christian. We also touch on her view of scripture and incorporating various theologies and poetry as she finds comfort in paradoxes. Thanks go to the Elevate Podcasting Summit recently hosted by BYU Radio, where we met…

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Discipline as a Necessary Struggle – Aaron Solberg 32:49

1y ago32:49

32:49

Episode 78. Father Aaron Solberg joined me to talk about his personal experience converting from the Orthodox Judaism of his childhood and his current practice of Christianity in a remote Canadian village. These are experiences few of us have, so it's wonderful to hear his stories. Although Aaron is a priest, he is not speaking here as a representa…

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On Campus: Protest or Conversation? – Aviva Stein 33:21

1+ y ago33:21

33:21

Episode 77. This is the second of a two-part series with my guest is Aviva Stein. In part one, we talked about her Jewish practice at UMass Amherst, where she is now a senior. Part two covers her engagement on campus in support of Israel and the dynamic on campus last year around the Israel/Palestine issue. She describes several conversations where…

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A Jewish Feminist Finds Modern Orthodoxy at College – Aviva Stein 1:07:33

1+ y ago1:07:33

1:07:33

Episode 76. In part one, we talk about her Jewish practice at UMass Amherst, where she is now a senior. Part two will cover her engagement on campus in support of Israel and the need for bridge building. Given the tensions on many campuses last year around the Israel/Palestine situation, talking to some college students is timely. I am eager to als…

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Are Ancient Religions Relevant Today? – Meli Solomon, Sue Howard and Katrina Kincade 25:43

1+ y ago25:43

25:43

Episode 75. In celebration of my 75th podcast episode, I am highlighting three different ways that people live their ancient religion today. I talk about keeping Kosher (Jewish dietary laws), Sue Howard shares her evangelical Christian tenet of the Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit, and Katrina Kincade explains her conversion or reversion to Islam and…

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Jewish Coaching with Text Study – David Levin-Kruss 38:35

1+ y ago38:35

38:35

Episode 74. Rabbi David Levin-Kruss is a Jerusalem-based life coach, educator, and community organizer. David sees himself as a bridge between Jewish wisdom and those who want to utilize this wisdom to live more meaningful lives. In this conversation, we talk about his coaching practice often using a text to explore issues in the client’s life. Dav…

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A Muslim Woman in Corporate America – Prianka Alam (rerelease) 40:26

1+ y ago40:26

40:26

Episode 73. Prianka Alam has retained the dedication to helping her family and Muslim community in Maryland that she learned as a young immigrant child. The financial uncertainty growing up has prompted a craving for stability and security as an adult, in short a boring life. These desires drove Prianka to focus on her education, career path and a …

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Islamic Prophetic Persuasion – Abdur-Rahman Syed (summer rerelease) 48:29

1+ y ago48:29

48:29

Episode 72. After two-and-a-half years of consistent podcast production, I am taking a short break. To ensure you have something to listen to, I am re-releasing episodes. You are also welcome to look through the back catalogue and listen to other episodes you might have missed. Thanks as always for your interest and support. Today’s re-release is e…

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Embracing Interfaith Dialogue from a Catholic Perspective – Kyle Desrosiers 46:34

1+ y ago46:34

46:34

Episode 71. Kyle is a Master of Theological Studies student at The Gloria L. and Charles I. Clough School of Theology and Ministry of Boston College. He also works at the Betty Ann Greenbaum Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership at Hebrew College. Originally from Texas, Kyle has long been involved with interfaith engagement. He h…

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The Enneagram Adds a Different Angle to a Muslim's Beliefs – Najiba Akbar 41:53

1+ y ago41:53

41:53

Episode 70. Najiba is the Muslim chaplain at Tufts University and a life coach. She holds a B.A. in Peace and Justice Studies from Wellesley College and a Masters in Social Work from Boston College. Her passion is to facilitate pathways for people to discover and develop their whole selves - spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, intuitively an…

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Bonus. Race, Christian Faith, and Social Action (Rev. Dr. Terrlyn Curry Avery) 47:14

1+ y ago47:14

47:14

Episode 69. Terrlyn was already my guest on the first episode of the year, number 58, and has returned for this Bonus episode. As such, we will focus on a topic rather than her personal faith path. In this case, we will talk more deeply about her work on dismantling racism, how that relates to DEIB – diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging – as…

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A Contemporary Jewish David and Bathsheba Story – Jeanne Blasberg 50:47

1+ y ago50:47

50:47

Episode 68. Jeanne is an award-winning and bestselling author and essayist. Her most recent novel, Daughter of a Promise, was published recently. The third novel of a trilogy, it follows Eden, published in 2017 and The Nine, published in 2019. While not originally planned as a trilogy, the three novels weave stories of family privilege or struggle,…

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Auschwitz, Berlin, and Catholicism – Luis Ferreiro 45:38

1+ y ago45:38

45:38

Episode 67. Luis Ferreiro is the CEO of the Spanish family museum exhibition company Musealia, which creates and manages traveling exhibits that educate and inspire us about major world events. The exhibit currently in Boston Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away, which he produced in conjunction with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum addresses t…

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Honoring and Challenging Jewish Orthodoxy – Dr. Lindsay Simmonds 45:54

1+ y ago45:54

45:54

Episode 66. Lindsay shares her experiences as an Orthodox Jewish woman, discussing her deep engagement with Orthodox Judaism, the challenges and frustrations she faces within her community, and her efforts in advocating for women's inclusion and agency in religious practices. This is a fitting conversation during the Jewish holiday of Passover, wit…

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Art, Judaism, and Cultural Understanding – Audrey Reich 25:06

1+ y ago25:06

25:06

Episode 65. This is the second part of my conversation with Audrey Reich. In this second part, Audrey talks about how she incorporates her Jewish teachings and values into her art classes, creating a diverse and open environment for her students. Whether teaching in a Jewish school or a secular school in New York City, Audrey's experiences with stu…

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Ramadan is a Capsule of Light for a Muslim – Nayma Tasnim Islam 38:41

2y ago38:41

38:41

Episode 64. Since Muslims are currently celebrating Ramadan, Nayma has graciously returned to the podcast to share her experience of the annual holiday, what she does and why it is important to her. For Nayma, Ramadan is a capsule of light, a pause button releasing her from the hamster wheel of daily life. She takes us on a journey through the trad…

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Drawing on Jewish Family History – Audrey Reich 24:24

2y ago24:24

24:24

Episode 63. Audrey Reich is an artist and art teacher in New York and is also involved in Holocaust education. Audrey is a speaker and board member of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center. Daughter of two Holocaust survivors, she credits her parents with modeling awe and appreciation, openness and curiosity. Despite their trauma, deporta…

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Bonus. Understanding the American Muslim Experience (Dr. Amir Hussain) 45:28

2y ago45:28

45:28

Episode 62. Esteemed scholar Dr. Amir Hussain, Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles), author of five books, and immediate past President of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) joins me for a lively discussion of the contemporary Muslim experience in North America. Despite the presence of Muslims arrived in…

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Three Jews Explore Psalm 105 – R. Sally Shore-Wittenberg, Anastasia Solberg, Meli Solomon 41:01

2y ago41:01

41:01

Episode 61. Rabba Sally Shore-Wittenberg and Anastasia Solberg join me for a compelling discussion about Psalm 105, one of Rabbi Nachman’s ten Psalms for General Remedy. Using different translations, we delve into its connection to the Passover story and the roles of Joseph and Moses. Themes include seeking divine intervention, the power of individ…

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Jewish Torah Scribe and Potter – Rabbi Bec Richman 40:41

2y ago40:41

40:41

Episode 60. Bec’s many strands of deep Jewish beliefs and practice in Reconstructionist Judaism are woven through her creative expressions. Inspired during her rabbinic school years, she has since become a soferet (Torah scribe) and potter. She has also become a mother. Contrary to many people’s complaints about stress and conflicts between differi…

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The Interfaith Green Sabbath Project – Jonathan Schorsch 47:16

2y ago47:16

47:16

Episode 59. The Green Sabbath Project, founded by Jonathan Schorsch in 2019, promotes the concept and ritual of a weekly earth day. Taking a day of rest for yourself and the environment is eminently reflective of the sabbath. Although Jonathan draws from his Jewish heritage, the Green Sabbath Project intentionally avoids promoting any particular re…

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A Christian on Dismantling Racism – Rev. Dr. Terrlyn Curry Avery 44:34

2y ago44:34

44:34

Episode 58. Rev. Dr. Terrlyn Curry Avery, a pastologist (ordained minister and licensed psychologist), TEDx speaker, and author, joins me to talk about her second book Dismantling Racism: Healing Separation from the Inside Out. Packed with stories of anti-racism and ways to increase one’s sacred intelligence, Dismantling Racism proved a rich and en…

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A Lonely Time To Be A Jew – Rabbi Tara Feldman 36:26

2y ago36:26

36:26

Episode 57. As an American Reform Rabbi who made Aliyah (moved to Israel) about a year ago with her family, she has found herself in an all-too-real Israel. Her lifelong liberal leaning into the Ruach (spirit) and not the war of the prayer she grew up with, has been shattered. Discovering that both spirit and war is necessary has been humbling. Tha…

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The Scrolls of Deborah, a Jewish Biblical novel – Esther Goldenberg 41:35

2y ago41:35

41:35

Episode 56. Ever since Esther picked up the Torah in high school, she has been curious about the missing bits of scripture which bridge decades of many men’s lives and most women altogether. Her love for stories led her to imagine possible stories to fill those gaps in Torah. With scripture as inspiration, Esther’s historical fiction writing is a p…

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Bonus. Jewish and Palestinian Peacebuilding in Israel (Rabbi Tara Feldman) 48:01

2y ago48:01

48:01

Episode 55. The Friends of Sia'h Shalom seeks to strengthen ties between Jerusalem-based Sia’h Shalom and the North American Jewish community. Sia’h Shalom Circles in North American cities bring together diverse and highly divided groups of Jews, both lay leaders and rabbis, creating spaces for listening and spiritual growth in the increasingly pol…

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Reinterpreting Jewish Liturgy – Daniel Stein Kokin 41:59

2y ago41:59

41:59

Episode 54. Since his childhood in Los Angeles, Daniel has lived in various parts of the U.S. as well as in Israel, Italy, and Germany. In each place, Daniel has enriched his Jewish practice by familiarizing himself with the local language and traditions, including trope (the melodies used to chant the Torah and other parts of the Bible in synagogu…

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Islamic Prophetic Persuasion – Abdur-Rahman Syed 48:22

2y ago48:22

48:22

Episode 53. Abdur-Rahman, a Muslim raised in Karachi Pakistan, he currently lives in three countries, carrying the richness of his interreligious extended family and early experience of adjusting to various cultural environments. Fortified by these formative years and his years in marketing, Abdur-Rahman is creating a book called Prophetic Persuasi…

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Jewish Adult Ed Reinvented – Rabbi Molly Karp 43:35

2y ago43:35

43:35

Episode 52. Rabbi Molly Karp was raised with both the message she could do anything, and the Orthodox Jewish day school's many restrictions for girls. Added to this was time in nature, on Israeli kibbutzim, and in Judaic Studies courses. Her passion and skills with Jewish education were apparent early on and she has dedicated most of her profession…

Judith Berry Podcasts