Evolve
Reconstructing Judaism
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Top 10 Evolve Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Evolve episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Evolve for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Evolve episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
02/19/18 • 48 min
Taking a page from the Judaism Unbound podcast, Rachael and Bryan ask the questions: What does Judaism do and what it is for? What does it do for those who don’t feel compelled by God to live life according to Jewish law? Rabbi Maurice Harris fields these questions, and also explains why he avoids “outing” himself as a rabbi while he’s a passenger on a commercial flight.
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Maurice Harris.
Links:
- Moses: A Stranger Among Us (Amazon link)
- Leviticus: You Have No Idea (Amazon link)
- The Accidental Rabbi — Where my thoughts on progressive religion, adoptive parenting, politics, and baseball collide
- Pew Research Center: A Portrait of Jewish Americans (2013 study)
- Sefaria: a Living Library of Jewish Texts Online
- The Open Siddur Project — The Open Siddur is a libre open access volunteer-driven digital humanities project developing an open-source web-to-print publishing tool for crafting print-ready prayer books from a growing archive of liturgy and ritual praxis, historic and contemporary, familiar and obscure, in every language that Jews pray or have ever prayed
09/14/22 • 54 min
From the time she was a young girl, Rev. Wil Gafney knew something was wrong. Every major biblical figure, in both art and popular culture, was represented as white. Now a scholar and Episcopal priest, Gafney paints a more accurate picture of our Afro-Asiatic forebearers, making a case that engaging with the racist history of biblical criticism and western art is key to forging a more just future. Gafney also briefly discusses her love of sci-fi and Star Wars and tries to dissect the animus aimed at black actors that ventured into the Star Wars universe. She also discusses her love of Hebrew, praying in synagogues and connection with Jewish community, and some of the fraught nature of inter-religious interactions. Though the discussion isn’t High Holiday-themed per se, the content seems apt for the days of awe as it challenges all of us to question our assumption and, perhaps, to atone for harm caused intentionally or unintentionally.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rev. Wil Gafney, Ph.D..
Links:
- Read Rev. Gafney's Evolve essay, "Whitewashing Biblical Characters"
- Read Rev. Gafney's Evolve essay, "Reading the Scriptures While Womanist"
- Rev. Gafney's latest book, "A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church: Year A"
- From Vanity Fair, "John Boyega Gets Real About Star Wars and Racism"
- From Indie Wire, "Lucasfilm Warned ‘Obi-Wan’ Star Moses Ingram About Racist ‘Star Wars’ Hate"
- Jephthah in the Book of Judges
- Also on Evolve, "Transforming Our Unjust World and Personal Teshuvah: Considering Reparations for Slavery"
10/12/21 • 64 min
Rabbi Michael Perice made a startling revelation to his congregation: For four years, he’d been addicted to opioids. Now, celebrating 10 years of liberation, Perice decided it was time to share his story with his community and the wider world. His goal: to lift the stigma surrounding addiction and bring further attention to the epidemic within the Jewish community and beyond. In this interview, the 2020 Reconstructionist Rabbinical College graduate shares the circumstances that found him dependent upon a highly addictive substance, how he finally recognized his life had spiraled out of control and how he has approached his recovery. He also discusses his youthful disillusionment with Judaism when his childhood rabbi, Fred Neulander, was arrested and ultimately convicted for the murder of his wife. And we talk about how he re-engaged with Judaism in the early years of recovery while working for his family-run funeral home. Rabbi Perice also highlights several Jewish leaders and organizations concentrating on addictions and argues more needs to be done.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/24
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Michael Perice .
Links:
- Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach — This volume by Rabbi Rebecca T. Alpert, Ph.D. and Rabbi Jacob J. Staub, Ph.D. is ideal for the anyone who wants to know more about Reconstructionism, whether they are long-time members of a Reconstructionist congregation, newcomers or others who have struggled to find a spiritual home.
- Drug Overdoses Killed A Record Number Of Americans In 2020, Jumping By Nearly 30%
- This rabbi was addicted to opioids. Now he’s using his experience to help his congregants.
- A young New Jersey rabbi reveals to his flock that he has been in recovery from opioid addiction for a decade
- Recovery, the 12 steps and Jewish Spirituality by Paul Steinberg
- Jewish Addiction Awareness Network — Jewish Addiction Awareness Network (JAAN) is committed to bringing the disease of addiction into the light, while showing the power of Jewish practices and wisdom in addressing the issue.
- We asked 22 rabbis: What can the Jewish community do to fight the opioid epidemic?
- Temple Sinai welcomes Cherry Hill native as new rabbi
Tareq Abu Hamed, Ph.D., and Rabbi Michael Cohen talk about the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel’s Negev region. The nearly 30-year-old academic and research institution brings together students and faculty from Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan and elsewhere to build relationships and solve pressing environmental challenges. Arava is partnering with a Palestinian organization on a new plan to meet needs for water, sanitation, hygiene and energy in a devastated Gaza Strip that’s years away from being rebuilt. Abu Hamed and Cohen each share how they hold on to hope in a seemingly hopeless time for those dedicated to regional peace.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guests: Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, Rabbi Maurice Harris, and Rabbi Michael Cohen.
Links:
- Read the Evolve essay, "Jumpstarting Hope in Gaza: The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies"
- Also on Evolve, "The Year Since October 7" essay collection
- Sign up for Evolve's free newsletter to stay up to date on the latest essays, videos and podcasts
- Support Evolve with a donation of $36
- Learn more about the Arava Institute
- Register for "Holding Each Other," Ritualwell's weekly Monday afternoon minyan
- Remembering October 7: Resources from Reconstructing Judaism
- From The Times of Israel, "Israelis, Palestinians to launch joint bid to bring humanitarian aid to post-war Gaza"
- Explore Sukkot resources from Reconstructing Judaism
It’s a supersized Passover edition of Evolve! First, Rabbi Nathan Kamesar drops by to discuss his recent essay, "The Legitimacy of the State of Israel: Surviving in a Hostile Region." Bryan and Nathan reflect on their respective relationships with Israel and Israeli politics. Nathan opens up about what it’s like being a pulpit rabbi and spiritual leader during wartime and how he’s been approaching his job the last few months (5:00). Nathan and Bryan offer some of their personal opinions about the Israel-Hamas war and war in general. Nathan shares which of the many unknowns he would most like to know in order to make sense of things. Bryan asks Nathan about his response to the recent Atlantic Magazine cover story “The Golden Age of American Jews is Ending” (31:05). Nathan reflects on how he’s thinking about Passover this year, how he’s trying to center empathy and why it’s impossible to avoid politics at the seder table (42:30). Then, for a special bonus interview, Reconstructing Judaism’s own Rabbi Maurice Harris stops by for a conversation with Sam Wachs about all things Moses, including his starring role in the new Netflix Docudrama Testament: The Story of Moses (54:30).
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guests: Rabbi Maurice Harris and Rabbi Nathan Kamesar.
Links:
- Sign up for Evolve's free newsletter to stay up to date on the latest essays, videos and podcasts
- Read Rabbi Nathan Kamesar's Evolve Essay, "The Legitimacy of the State of Israel: Surviving in a Hostile Region"
- Also from Rabbi Nathan, "Building Community is Most Essential"
- From The Atlantic, "The Golden Age of American Jews is Ending"
- Buy Rabbi Maurice Harris' book, "Moses: A Stranger Among Us"
- Read Rabbi Maurice Harris' Evolve essays
- Read Bryan's behind-the-scenes story about how Rabbi Maurice Harris was cast in a hit Netflix show
- Watch "Testament: The Story of Moses" on Netflix
Rabbi Katie Mizrahi is a Zionist who was beyond devastated by Hamas’ mass killings, rape and kidnapping on October 7th. She reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself. And she explains why she is opposed to how Israel has conducted its war and why she joined calls for a bilateral ceasefire. She expands on this line from her essay, “But here is the heart of the matter. I am not ready to become monstrous to defend my people from monsters.” We talk about the difficulty of interpreting events and the deluge of information and making informed decisions about where one stands. She shares how B’nai Havurah Denver Reconstructionist Congregation has responded these last seven months and how Zionists and anti-Zionist still inhabit the same community. Bryan and Rabbi Katie reminisce about what it was like to be in Israel in the 90s a time of hope and optimism. She shares her experience working against Israeli demolitions of Palestinian home and the trauma of witnessing the shooting of a Palestinian man. This episode is dedicated to Bryan’s late father, Robert.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Katie Mizrahi.
Links:
- Read Rabbi Mizrahi's Evolve essay, "Zionist Rabbi For Ceasefire"
- Sign up for Evolve's free newsletter to stay up to date on the latest essays, videos and podcasts
- Explore Evolve's essays about the Israel-Hamas war
- Published in the Forward: "I run the Reconstructionist movement. We believe in Israel’s right to exist but reject litmus tests on Zionism"
- Read Reconstructing Judaism's public statements about the Israel-Hamas war
- Resources for Shavuot from Reconstructing Judaism
- The Art of Rebuke (a Sefaria source sheet)
- Sign up for Ritualwell's free Omer writing workshops
- Sign up for Ritualwell's in-person immersion, "Count On Telling Your Story"
10/24/17 • 40 min
Rabbi Jon Cutler had an incredible career as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy. After celebrating his recent retirement, Jon tells Bryan and Rachael about his challenges being a gay man in rabbinical school and the U.S. military while also being a voice for minority soldiers. Jon also unveils his secret plans for Bryan’s fitness routine!
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Jon Cutler.
Links:
- How a high-ranking gay Navy chaplain retired with pride | The Times of Israel — In 2008, under the energetic US Navy chaplain serving with the Marines in Anbar Province, Iraq, a plywood synagogue rose from the grounds of the American air base at Al-Asad once used by Saddam Hussein. It was the first synagogue built in Iraq in 100 years. During the Iraq War, it was a refuge for American Jewish service members who read from its kosher Torah — a rarity in Iraq — and attended High Holiday and Hanukkah services. These were among the many achievements of Rabbi Jon Cutler’s deployment in Iraq from 2008 to 2009. Yet all of those achievements could have been dashed had the military ever learned Cutler’s secret: He is gay. For nearly two decades, fear stalked Cutler and fellow gay, lesbian and bisexual members of the US military under the policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), which was passed by the Clinton Administration in 1993 and became law in 1994. Six years ago on September 20, 2011, the policy was repealed. And on April 30 of this year, when Cutler retired as a Captain, the highest-ranking Jewish chaplain in the Marines, he walked down the aisle at his retirement ceremony with his husband, Thierry Steenberghs.
03/28/24 • 54 min
Rabbi Haviva Ner-David, an activist and author, shares what it is like to live in Israel – and be a parent - right now, with all the heartbreak, confusion and glimmers of hope. In this conversation, the author and spiritual director discusses the personal losses she suffered on October 7 and after (9:18) She also shares anxiety about living in Israel’s north and how and why she’s recommitted herself to interfaith peace activism (22:10) and her work with the Standing Together, the grassroots movement mobilizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel in pursuit of peace . With views on the conflict becoming ever more entrenched, Ner-David’s perspective is refreshingly iconoclastic. Whatever your perspective, left, right or center, she says something to challenge you.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Haviva Ner-David.
Links:
- Reconstructing Judaism joins call for ceasefire, release of all hostages and increase in humanitarian aide to Gaza
- Sign up for Evolve's newsletter to receive exclusive content
- Celebrate 10 years of Rabbi Deborah Waxman's leadership
- Support Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations
- Rabbi Haviva's website
- Rabbi Haviva's memoirs, novels, and more
- Read Rabbi Haviva's February 2024 Evolve Essay, "The Other Side of the Rain: At a Cemetery in the Galilee"
- Read Rabbi Haviva's October 2023 Evolve essay, "Let Not Our Anger Blind Us: Jews and Palestinians in Israel"
- Read Rabbi Haviva's August 2023 Evolve essay, "Standing Together: A Redemptive Vision for Palestinian-Jewish Partnership"
- From JTA: "I’m an Israeli advocate for Israeli-Palestinian coexistence. We’re still in this together."
- From Rabbi Haviva's Times Of Israel blog: "Minding Our Own Business, and that of the Country"
- From Rabbi Haviva's Times of Israel Blog: "This is a Story to Open Your Hearts. Are you Willing?"
For a certain generation of Jewish Americans, Israel and the memory of the Holocaust represented twin pillars of civil religion, argues Louis Newman, a scholar of Jewish ethics and religion. While these pillars may have shown cracks for decades, Newman says they came crashing down on Oct. 7,2023. Israel had failed its most basic function: keeping Jews and all its inhabitants safe. What does a people do when its faith is shattered? What can we learn from our history? Where do we go from here? Newman discusses all this and more in a thought-provoking interview. The author of a new book on how to succeed in college also gives his take on campus antisemitism, anti-Israel protests and what colleges might do to restore both safety and the free exchange of ideas and expression.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Louis Newman.
Links:
- Read Louis Newman's Evolve essay, "Living in a Time of Shattered Faith"
- Where We Stand: The Reconstructionist Movement, Israel and Zionism
- Sign up for Evolve's free newsletter to stay up to date on the latest essays, videos and podcasts
- Support Evolve with a donation
- Explore Evolve's essays about the Israel-Hamas war
- Register for Evolve's upcoming web conversation, "The Right-Wing Extremists Are In Charge In Israel" — Rabbi Jonathan Kligler will discuss why he no longer supports a continuation of the war in Gaza despite his passionate commitment to a liberal, democratic Israeli state.
- Purchase Louis Newman's new book, "Thinking Critically in College"
- Read Louis Newman in Newsweek: "Look to the Liberal Arts to Lower the Temperature of Campus Culture Wars"
- Also by Louis Newman for Evolve, "The Other Jewish View of Forgiveness"
- Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001
- 1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War
- 1949: The First Israelis
- Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle...
12/21/23 • 67 min
Can individual acts of loving-kindness really make a difference with Israel and Hamas at war? Rabbi Amy Eilberg, a longtime peace activist, says yes. Eilberg, the first woman ordained by the Conservative movement, believes that nearly everyone with a connection to Israel and Gaza — and maybe even those without such a direct connection — are experiencing pain and trauma. In this podcast, Eilberg explains that so many of us are consuming every op-ed and podcast about the conflict as a means to avoid deep pain. She shares her decades-long journey into metta meditation and how she turned to it after October 7. We also discuss how even though many Jews have felt isolated in recent months, she doesn’t buy into the narrative that the whole world is against Jews. Nor has she given up on coalition-building or the importance of anti-racism efforts. This is a pastoral conversation in which she addresses the feelings of pain, anger and hopelessness that host Bryan Schwartzman, and many others, have experienced during wartime. It’s about how individuals might seek healing and, maybe, how Jewish communities can address trauma to become healthier.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guest: Rabbi Amy Eilberg.
Links:
- Sign up for Evolve's newsletter to receive exclusive content
- Read Rabbi Eilberg's Evolve Essay, "Lovingkindness in a Time of War"
- Support Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations
- Rabbi Eilberg's book, "From Enemy to Friend"
- Watch the Evolve web conversation with Rabbi Amy Eilberg in which she discusses her views on the conflict:
- Jewish wisdom on reparations:
- Read Rabbi Eilberg's previous Evolve essay, "Holding the Pain and the Love"
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FAQ
How many episodes does Evolve have?
Evolve currently has 86 episodes available.
What topics does Evolve cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality, Podcasts and Judaism.
What is the most popular episode on Evolve?
The episode title 'Episode 46: Chat GPT, Artificial Intelligence and Jewish Ethical Wisdom' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Evolve?
The average episode length on Evolve is 51 minutes.
How often are episodes of Evolve released?
Episodes of Evolve are typically released every 28 days, 21 hours.
When was the first episode of Evolve?
The first episode of Evolve was released on Oct 10, 2017.
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