Speaking Torah

Torah is one of the most profound sources of wisdom available to us. In this podcast, Jewish leaders from around the world read essays from Hebrew College faculty and rabbinical alumni about how Torah can help us navigate the most pressing issues of our time. Together, we explore the ways Torah can help us approach the world with creativity, healing, and hope. Find out more at hebrewcollege.edu/podcast.

Ep #24: In Miriam’s Footsteps: Jewish Women's Leadership and the Pursuit of Justice 06/09/2025

Ep #24: In Miriam’s Footsteps: Jewish Women's Leadership and the Pursuit of Justice Dr. Judith Rosenbaum, CEO of the Jewish Women's Archive, explores the rich legacy of Jewish women's leadership through the lens of biblical and modern examples. Through a careful examination of historical documents and personal letters, she reveals how Jewish women have creatively and courageously shaped their communities while pursuing justice. Drawing connections between biblical Miriam and contemporary leaders, Rosenbaum and her students unpack key moments when Jewish women challenged existing power structures and reimagined religious practices. From Henrietta Szold's eloquent 1916 letter asserting her right to say Kaddish to the guerrilla activism of Jewish Women Watching in the 1990s, we see how different generations employed varied strategies to effect change. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/36898425

Ep #25: Jewish Creativity 06/09/2025

Ep #25: Jewish Creativity Rabbi Lavitt shares insights from Jewish Studio Project's innovative approach, which combines Torah study with creative practice. Drawing from both ancient Jewish wisdom and modern neuroscience, he explains how creativity allows us to access deeper ways of knowing and understanding. This integration of traditional texts with artistic exploration opens new pathways for problem-solving and personal growth. Tune in to examine foundational Jewish teachings about creativity. Through practical examples and a structured creative process, Rabbi Lavitt demonstrates how engaging in creative practice helps regulate our nervous systems, process challenging experiences, and discover new perspectives on persistent problems. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/36898685

Ep #23: “Shiva” – Poems of October 7 06/09/2025

Ep #23: “Shiva” – Poems of October 7 In the months following October 7th, Israeli poets responded to the tragedy through powerful verses that gave voice to the nation's grief, rage, and despair. This episode explores selections from Shiva: Poems of October 7th, an anthology containing 59 Hebrew poems alongside English translations, examining how poetry serves as a distinctly Jewish response to catastrophe. Hebrew College faculty member Rav Rachel Adelman joins rabbinical students Deborah Anstandig, and Matthew Schultz, both of whom were in Israel during the October 7th attack, along with translator Michael Bohnen for an intimate discussion of these poems. Through close readings of works by Rabbi Osnat Eldar, they explore themes of faith, doubt, and the complex relationship between God and the Jewish people in times of crisis. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/36898140

Ep #22: Understanding Israel: The Power of Jewish-Christian Conversation 12/03/2024

Ep #22: Understanding Israel: The Power of Jewish-Christian Conversation How can Jewish and Christian leaders engage in meaningful dialogue about the most pressing issues of our time? In this episode of Speaking Torah, we explore the power of interreligious learning and leadership through the eyes of two remarkable faith leaders. Discover how Rabbi Or Rose, director of Hebrew College's Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership, and his colleague Reverend Rob Schenck, a dissenting evangelical voice, are modeling the kind of courageous conversations we need to build bridges of understanding across faiths. Learn about the importance of confronting difficult issues head-on, the demographic shifts happening within religious communities, and the urgent need for honest and informed dialogue. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/34212745

Ep #21: Navigating the Israel Conversation with the Next Generation 12/03/2024

Ep #21: Navigating the Israel Conversation with the Next Generation Over the past year, discussing the subject of Israel has been incredibly difficult for families everywhere. Does it feel like you're speaking different languages when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Many Jewish parents are grappling with a growing generational divide on this complex and emotionally-charged issue. Join us as we discuss with Rabbi Dan Judson, the Hebrew College Provost, the historical context of Zionism, the impact of recent events on the younger generation's views, and practical strategies for fostering open and honest dialogue within families. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or simply someone who cares deeply about the future of Israel and the Jewish people, this episode offers valuable insights into the changing landscape of the Israel conversation. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/34212365

Ep #20: Jewish Travel Learning with Tamid of Hebrew College 12/03/2024

Ep #20: Jewish Travel Learning with Tamid of Hebrew College Have you ever wondered how traveling to the places where Jewish history unfolded can deepen your understanding and connection to Judaism? In this episode of Speaking Torah, we explore the educational power of travel and learning with Rabbi Leonard Gordon, instructor for Tamid of Hebrew College, and Kim Bodemer, Tamid's director. Tune in to discover how Tamid of Hebrew College is creating unique travel learning experiences that engage the head, heart, soul, and body. From meeting with civil rights leaders in the American South to imagining Jewish life in medieval Spain, these trips offer a chance to build community, challenge assumptions, and find renewed inspiration for building a more just world. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/34212265

Ep #19: Azara: A Scottish Yeshiva 11/29/2023

Ep #19: Azara: A Scottish Yeshiva This week, Hebrew College rabbinical student Jessica Spencer is here to talk about how she helped found a yeshiva in her hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland. Modeled after projects like Pardes and Hadar, Azara brings together Jews from across the denominational spectrum to study sacred texts and stories. Tune in this week to discover how Azara is guiding Edinburgh’s Jewish community through their first encounters with Talmudic texts. Among other things, Jessica is showing us how they make meaning out of difficult or problematic texts in the modern day while guiding people in making connections between the texts and their own lives, and sharing Azara’s unique approach to cross-denominational teffilah. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/28793593

Ep #18: Food Coop 11/29/2023

Ep #18: Food Coop This week, we’re pleased to bring you a discussion with three Hebrew College rabbinical students, Becca Heisler, David Mahfouda, and Chaim Spaulding, who have started a food coop for the Hebrew College community. Using local sources, students work together in preparing the meals, taking turns, and sharing responsibilities. Spending all day filling up your brain can only sustain you for so long, but the Food Coop brings minds and bodies together, nourishing the stomach as well as the heart. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/28793103

Ep #17: Writing as Spiritual Practice 12/14/2022

Ep #17: Writing as Spiritual Practice On this episode of Speaking Torah, we’re introducing you to a tefillah with a difference. In this particular tefillah group, Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld leads the students not only in writing reflections on the prayers, but writing as an act of prayer. It is both the writing and the reading of poetry that allows for a deeply creative connection to The Divine. The poems are based on liturgy, combining ancient voices with their own, resulting in a truly timeless prayer. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/25328262

Ep #16: Poetry as Midrash 12/14/2022

Ep #16: Poetry as Midrash In this episode, we’re sharing a discussion between Hebrew College faculty member Rabbi Rachel Adelman and her Rabbinical Student Risa Dunbar, about the power of poetry as midrash: the stories that open our text to even more questioning, along with understanding. Both writers bring their individual voices and experiences into the conversation with the text, allowing the ancient words a new place in the modern era. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/25324770

Bonus: Rabbi Jane Kanarek Shares a Story 12/14/2022

Bonus: Rabbi Jane Kanarek Shares a Story Rabbi Jane Kanarek shares a story about humility. /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/25328475

Ep #15: The Women Are Waiting for Us To Speak 12/14/2022

Ep #15: The Women Are Waiting for Us To Speak Tune in this week as Rabbi Genevieve Greinetz weaves together the words of the Bavli, Ancient Greek Philosophers, contemporary literature, and her own thoughts on finding women’s voices in our ancient texts, and Rabbi Jane Kanarek discusses the importance of observing Talmud with an assumption of women’s presence, rather than an assuming their absence. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/25302489

Ep #14: Educating for Hope Across Difference 07/19/2022

Ep #14: Educating for Hope Across Difference Tune in for this episode to discover Hebrew College’s and our wider community’s work in creating community and hope across difference. Our panelists are discussing what hope means to them, the practices they have discovered help find common ground and acknowledge differences and their insights into building a world where all voices are heard. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/23736587

Ep #13: You Shall Teach Your Children 07/19/2022

Ep #13: You Shall Teach Your Children Tune in for a dynamic talk between Rabbi Dan Judson and Dr. Jonathan Sarna, giving us a deep insight into Hebrew College’s commitments to Jewish culture, Jewish leadership, and passing wisdom from generation to generation, even giving you a glimpse into the cultural curriculum at the college 100 years ago. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/23736455

Ep #12: Hiddushim: Letters From the Front 12/09/2021

Ep #12: Hiddushim: Letters From the Front Tune in for a unique insight into the experience of Jewish soldiers fighting in World War II. These letters contain heartwarming details of Hebrew College alum eating challahs on an unknown island in the Pacific, catching up with old friends in London, and reciting excerpts from the Haggadah in Fiji. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/21409775

Ep #10: Sounds of Klezmer 12/09/2021

Ep #10: Sounds of Klezmer Tune in to discover two unique takes on contemporary Eastern European and Klezmer music. Hankus Netsky is sharing his inspiration and wealth of experience on the revival of Klezmer music, and how it has been evolving over the past 45 years. And Cantor Rebecca Khitrik is discussing her influences and the musical melting pot that has brought Eastern European Yiddish music to where it is today. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/21396470

Ep #9: When the Walls of Metaphor Can’t Hold 07/26/2021

Ep #9: When the Walls of Metaphor Can’t Hold Rabbi Jordan Braunig's essay, read by Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, brings us into an unsettling and deeply personal story of love and fragility, giving us an account of a time when it’s so difficult to express the complexity of emotion, that even the walls of metaphor cannot hold. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/19898912

Ep #8: Thank You Dean Thurman: Remembering an American Spiritual Master 07/26/2021

Ep #8: Thank You Dean Thurman: Remembering an American Spiritual Master Dr. Shively Smith reads us through and reflects on Rabbi Or Rose’s gratitude of Howard Thurman and the impact he had on the landscape of what is possible for interreligious harmony and cooperation -- as well as how we can all carry on this work in our own religious practices. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/19898396

Ep #7: Challenging Destruction: We Speak Up Despite the Odds 07/26/2021

Ep #7: Challenging Destruction: We Speak Up Despite the Odds Join us in this episode to discover the lessons from the ancient stories of Noah and the flood, and Abraham’s intervention in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. And in the post-sermon discussion, both reader Bill McKibben and Rabbi Shoshana Friedman share their thoughts about our role and responsibility to take action and speak up to encourage the collective consciousness needed to save our planet. Get full show notes and more information here: /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/19898006

Ep #6: Stop Making Sense 02/03/2021

Ep #6: Stop Making Sense Listen in this episode as Anne Germanacos reads Mónica’s d’var Torah, written in 2019, highlighting this piece’s ever-increasing relevance in a world of post-truths and “alternative facts”. Mónica shares with us how leaning into that which doesn’t make narrative sense highlights the greater truths that can fly under our rational mind. /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/17759834

Ep #5: Squash with Egg and Cheese 02/03/2021

Ep #5: Squash with Egg and Cheese Listen in on this journey through Lydia Kukoff’s sensory memories and discover the product of combining her Italian heritage with her chosen Jewish faith, melding her experiences, creating new traditions for her family, expanding the definition of Judaism while also connecting deeply with its traditions. /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/17759183

Ep #3: Extending the Horizons of Our Hearts 09/14/2020

Ep #3: Extending the Horizons of Our Hearts Join us this week as Alicia Ostriker takes us through Sharon’s work and what it means to her. Sharon takes us on a journey of conflicting emotion, and shows us what’s possible when we extend our hearts and consider all sides - our friends and our enemies - of what Torah has to teach us about compassion and our role in repairing the world. /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/15916091

Ep #2: Vertical Ladders of Sky, Horizontal Ladders of Earth 09/14/2020

Ep #2: Vertical Ladders of Sky, Horizontal Ladders of Earth Can a single person actually confront and repair really difficult relationships without having a support system? Yes. However, help makes for lighter work. And in this essay, Jordan reflects on Keats’s desire to escape the world up the ladder, versus Jacob’s desire to use the ladder to foster unity in the human world, and Jordan’s own desire for our communities and institutions to play a role in this work. /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/15915605

Ep #1: Two Ways to Tell a Story 09/05/2020

Ep #1: Two Ways to Tell a Story This week, Joy Ladin guides us through Gray Myrseth's work, Two Ways to Tell a Story, taking us on a powerful journey built equally upon continuity and disruption, from Moses shattering the 10 Commandments, to their own journey to find a self that they could inhabit fully, without fear. /episode/index/show/hebrewcollege/id/15898580

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