18Forty Podcast

This podcast is in partnership with Rabbi Benji Levy and Share. Learn more at 40mystics.com.

As a Chabad Hasid, Rabbi Zevi Slavin’s formative years were spent immersed in the rich traditions of Chassidut and Kabbala. This upbringing provided him with a unique lens through which he continues to learn, study, and connect with others. 

Drawing on his background, Slavin created “Seekers of Unity,” a Youtube channel dedicated to exploring the philosophy and history of mysticism across diverse traditions. He founded this channel with the goal of forming a community focused on creating a more intimate world together. 

Now, he joins us to answer eighteen questions with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy on Jewish mysticism including people’s inherent divinity, tapping into the potential of modernity, and the perpetual experience of mount Sinai.

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin answers questions from Diana Fersko, senior rabbi of the Village Temple Reform synagogue, about denominations and Jewish Peoplehood.

In this episode we discuss:
How did David become an Orthodox rabbi with an interest in the broader Jewish world?
Where does David get his sense of commandedness and obligation from? 
How should Israel factor into our thinking about Jewish unity?
Tune in to hear a conversation about what it would mean for us to speak Judaism as a “first language.”

Interview begins at 29:05. 

Diana Fersko is the Senior Rabbi of The Village Temple, a Reform synagogue at the heart of downtown Jewish life in New York City.  An internationally recognized author, speaker, and thought leader, she is a defining voice in the contemporary Jewish world, known for her clarity, compassion, and ability to bring Jewish tradition into meaningful dialogue with modern life.

For more 18Forty:
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CALL: (212) 582-1840
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WEBSITE: 18forty.org
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References:

“Judaism as a First Language” by Moshe Koppel

Judaism Straight Up by Moshe Koppel

Tzidkat HaTzadik 41

Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David Bashevkin

B'Rogez Rachem Tizkor by David Bashevkin

Taanit 20a

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Diana Fersko, senior rabbi of the Village Temple Reform synagogue, about denominations and Jewish Peoplehood. 

In this episode we discuss:
How do we re-determine how to be Jews in America?
Is there really an “education gap” between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews? 
How should we handle the question of “who is a Jew” across denominations?
Tune in to hear a conversation about how we might see beyond our proverbial “three blocks."

Interview begins at 22:11. 

Diana Fersko is the Senior Rabbi of The Village Temple, a Reform synagogue at the heart of downtown Jewish life in New York City.  An internationally recognized author, speaker, and thought leader, she is a defining voice in the contemporary Jewish world, known for her clarity, compassion, and ability to bring Jewish tradition into meaningful dialogue with modern life. 

References:

View of the World from 9th Avenue

Tzidkat HaTzadik 54

No Country for Old Men

The Tapestry of Jewish Time: A Spiritual Guide to Holidays and Life-Cycle Events by Nina Beth Cardin

A Letter in the Scroll by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

For more 18Forty:
NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join
CALL: (212) 582-1840
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEBSITE: 18forty.org
IG: @18forty
X: @18_forty
WhatsApp: join here

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Check out our new series in partnership with SHARE, 18 Questions, 40 Jewish Mystics. 

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, originally released in 2021, we talk to Rabbi Pini Dunner and Rav Moshe Weinberger about the Yabloner Rebbe and his astounding story of teshuva.

The Yabloner Rebbe was a chassidishe rebbe who helped found Kfar Chassidim. He disappeared and went to Los Angeles, where he went off the derech, but he later returned to Judaism and Kfar Chassidim in a remarkable example of teshuva.
Who was the Yabloner Rebbe?
Why did he leave his faith?
What inspired him to return?
Tune in to hear a conversation about the astounding story of the Yabloner Rebbe.

References:

The God of Loneliness by Philip Schultz

The Amazing Return of the Yabloner Rebbe by Rabbi Pini Dunner

The Astonishing Story of the Yabloner Rebbe by Rabbi Pini Dunner

Mavericks, Mystics & False Messiahs by Rabbi Pini Dunner

Rabbi Pini Dunner Website

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Check out our new series in partnership with SHARE, 18 Questions, 40 Jewish Mystics. 

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast—created in collaboration with Amudim—we speak with Shais Taub, the rabbi behind the organization SoulWords, about shame, selfhood, and authenticity. 

In this episode we discuss:
How are we to deal with the pain of embodiment and individuation?
How does one uncover their mission in the world and align their life with the transcendent?
How can we work to reorient our desires toward the right things? 
Tune in to hear a conversation about the interior experience of fragmentation from Ultimate Being. 

Interview begins at 10:28.

Rabbi Shais Taub is a well-known figure in Jewish teachings and personal development and delivers Torah lectures and classes worldwide. He is renowned for his ability to make complex ideas accessible. He heads SoulWords.org and serves as scholar-in-residence at Chabad of the Five Towns in Long Island, New York.

References:

God of Our Understanding by Shais Taub

Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David Bashevkin

Top 5 by David Bashevkin

Seinfeld: “The Soul Mate”

"Eric Adams on Dyslexia, Trauma, and Fixing What's Broken in Politics”

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

For more 18Forty:
NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join
CALL: (212) 582-1840
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEBSITE: 18forty.org
IG: @18fortyX: @18_forty
WhatsApp: join here

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.