Behind the Bima

In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and Rabbi Philip Moskowitz sit down with Rabbi Daniel Glatstein to explore what it actually demands to teach seriously over time. Having taught nearly 13,000 classes across years of public responsibility, Rabbi Glatstein reflects on the discipline, preparation, and restraint required to sustain meaningful teaching without dilution.This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestein & Darryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton & Malvina Charlestein, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.Rather than discussing techniques or shortcuts, they turn to deeper questions: how standards are maintained, why boundaries protect depth, and what happens when teaching is treated as a lifelong obligation rather than a moment of inspiration. The episode offers a rare look at the inner weight carried by those who take Torah — and leadership — seriously.Topics discussed include:What teaching at scale truly demandsDiscipline versus inspiration in sustaining impactWhy boundaries are essential, not limitingHumility, consistency, and long-term responsibilityPreserving seriousness in an age of speed and reachThis is a thoughtful and grounded conversation about Torah, leadership, and what it takes to build something that lasts.

In this episode of Behind the Bima, the Rabbis speak with Eli Beer, founder of United Hatzalah, about leadership under pressure and responsibility in moments when lives are at stake.This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestein & Darryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton & Malvina Charlestein, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.As Israel continues to confront war, trauma, and exhaustion, this conversation examines what it means to lead an organization built for crisis, and what sustains those who never step off the front lines.The discussion explores emergency response during national trauma, the emotional toll on volunteers, the challenge of leading with integrity, and the role of faith and discipline in sustaining responsibility over time.This is a serious, grounded conversation about leadership when urgency is real and consequences are immediate.

In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg speaks with Michele Weiss, Mayor-Elect of University Heights, Ohio, about leadership, Jewish responsibility, and what it means to step forward at a moment when many feel pressure to step back.This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestein & Darryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton & Malvina Charlestein, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.Michele shares her personal journey into public service, the challenges of running for office as a visibly Jewish candidate, and the realities of leading a community during a time of rising antisemitism and civic tension. The conversation explores how Jewish values shape leadership, the responsibility of local government, and why courage at the municipal level matters more than most people realize.Together, they discuss:What motivated her to run — and what almost stopped herLeading with integrity in a polarized environmentThe role of Jewish identity in public serviceAntisemitism at the local level — and how leaders respondWhy local leadership often carries the greatest moral weightBuilding trust across communitiesWhat this moment demands from Jewish leadersThis is a grounded, human conversation about responsibility, courage, and leadership where it matters most... close to home.

In this compelling episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg sits down with Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, for an unfiltered look behind the scenes of the United Nations—and the global fight against antisemitism, disinformation, and moral inversion.Hillel lives and works on the front lines of international diplomacy, confronting some of the world’s most powerful regimes inside the UN system itself. From exposing systemic bias against Israel to challenging human rights abusers who cloak themselves in moral authority, he shares what it really means to “delegitimize the delegitimizers.”The conversation explores:Why success at the UN often means exposure, not victoryHow dictatorships weaponize the UN’s moral legitimacyThe strategy behind exposing antisemitism on a global stageWhat changed dramatically after October 7Why lies travel faster than truth in international institutionsHow UN Watch achieved a historic first: U.S. sanctions against a UN officialWhat keeps him going in a system that feels stacked against truthThe personal journey that led him from Montreal to Geneva, and why he stayedThis is a rare behind-the-scenes conversation with one of the Jewish world’s most effective, articulate defenders, offering clarity, context, and moral courage at a moment when all three are desperately needed.

In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg sits down with Congressman Randy Fine, one of the most outspoken defenders of the Jewish people and the State of Israel in American politics today.This episode is sponsored by Eli & Eva Genauer in observance of the Yahrzeit of his grandfather, Moshe Yehuda ben Binyomin HaLevi Genauer, on the 8th of Kislev.Congressman Fine shares the powerful story behind his decision to wear a kippah every day on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first member of Congress in history to do so. What began as a conversation with his teenage son became a defining public statement of Jewish pride at a time when many feel pressure to hide.The conversation explores:Standing visibly Jewish in an era of rising antisemitismThe personal cost—and responsibility—of moral clarityGrowing up Jewish in Kentucky and confronting hate early in lifeFlorida’s role as one of the safest states in America for JewsSchool choice, Jewish day school security, and public policyIsrael after October 7 and the changing political landscapeLeadership, courage, and the price of speaking plainlyThis is a candid, unscripted discussion about identity, responsibility, and what it means to lead as a Jew in historic times... exactly the kind of conversation Behind the Bima was created to host.