RIJ Podcast - Really Interesting Jews

RIJ Podcast - Really Interesting Jews


Latest Episodes

Album Review: Jacob Spike Kraus – Cornerstones
May 17, 2017

My review of Jacob Spike Kraus’ new album, Cornerstones. Episode notes Intro music – Flip Hop – Ginger Runner

Season 02, Episode 01: Harmony in Unison- Stacy Beyer and Beth Schafer
May 08, 2017

Season 2 of RIJ Podcast is up!  Had a fantastic conversation with Beth Schafer and Stacy Beyer, co-creators of Harmony in Unison: A Virtual Stage.  Stacy and Beth are both seasoned songwriters and musicians – and they created this unique space for arti...

Season 01, Episode 23: Daniel Libenson & Lex Rofes – On the Road to Judaism Unbound
February 01, 2017

This week I meet up with two fellow Jewish podcasters, Daniel Libenson and Lex Rofes.  Daniel and Lex are the hosts of Judaism Unbound. Judaism Unbound, a project of the Institute for the Next Jewish Future,

Season 01, Episode 22: Marc Katz – Getting to the Heart of Loneliness
January 09, 2017

Rabbi Marc Katz is the Associate Rabbi at Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope, Brooklyn. He is the author of the book “The Heart of Loneliness: How Jewish Wisdom Can Help You Cope and Find Comfort.”  Rabbi Katz was ordained at Hebrew Union College –...

Season 01, Episode 21: Josh Bolton – Art, Music, and the Journey Penn Hillel
December 12, 2016

This week I catch of up with Rabbi Josh Bolton, Senior Jewish Educator at Penn Hillel.  Rabbi Josh is trying to answer this question: How do we live a good and meaningful life in this fast paced, high stress, success oriented world?

Season 01, Episode 20: Yehuda Kurtzer – America, Israel, and Finding our Way
October 31, 2016

Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer is the President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America and a leading thinker and author on the meaning of Israel to American Jews, the value of the Jewish past to the Jewish present,

Season 01, Episode 19: Shmuly Yanklowitz: The Soul of Jewish Social Justice
September 20, 2016

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is currently President and Dean of Valley Beit Midrash. Rav Shmuly studied at the University of Texas as an undergraduate, Harvard University for a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Psychology,

Season 01, Episode 18: Jill Zimmerman – A Network of Jewish Mindfulness
September 06, 2016

This week I chat with Rabbi Jill Berkson Zimmerman.  She is the founder of the Jewish Mindfulness Network. Rabbi Jill is a Community Rabbi, teaching Jewish spirituality and mysticism, meditation and mindfulness around the country.

Season 01, Episode 17: Brett Lockspeiser – Rethinking the Jewish book shelf
August 23, 2016

This week I chat with Brett Lockspeiser, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Sefaria.  Sefaria is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Jewish learning in an open and participatory way.

Season 01, Episode 16: Carly Zimmerman – Eradicating Hunger, One Challah at a Time
August 14, 2016

This week I catch up with Carly Zimmerman, CEO of Challah for Hunger.  Challah for Hunger brings people together to bake and sell challah in an effort to raise money and awareness for social justice causes. Carly is a chapter founder...