Good Faith Effort

Russ Roberts is one of the greatest educators alive. He hosts one of the most legendary, popular educational podcasts of all time—EconTalk, on economics, culture, politics—he’s a well-known academic, and even produces viral hip hop videos viewed millions of times about great economic debates. And at the apex of this remarkable career...he picked himself up and moved to a foreign country, Israel, where he took over as President of a college dedicated to studying great texts and asking big questions. Why?

On this episode, Ari spoke with Russ about his journey. They talked about pronatalism in Israel; the narrative thrust of the Book of Genesis; a political economy perspective on Deuteronomy; where Adam Smith, Friedrich Hayek and the Bible converge; why Jewish tradition would be helpful in the era of crypto; the role of oral tradition in Russ’s creative work and society at large; and so much more.

How do we ensure that our society is educating well? How can we transmit to the next generation the wisdom they need to be thinkers and the practical knowledge they need to be builders? And crucially, how do we avoid siloing these two essential components of a healthy civilization? To unpack this, Rabbi Lamm spoke to one of America’s preeminent thinkers and builders -- the Founder and CEO of Signature Bank and bestselling public thinker about everything from religion, to education, to culture: Scott Shay!

Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

On today's installment: Jacob, Rachel, and love that runs deeper than mere attraction and romance.

This week people all over America and the world will start planning for St. Valentine's Day. You might not expect a Rabbi to care. Instead, we decided to drop four special episodes each covering a different angle on love, the Bible, and, of course, the Beatles. Sign up for more events here: https://thejoshuaproject.com/love

John Selden. A name most people today have never heard. But at one of the most crucial political turning points in the history of the West —17th century England — he was widely known as the most brilliant man in Europe, England’s most accomplished lawyer, and a leading Member of Parliament so respected that both sides of the English Civil War desperately sought to recruit him to their side. His ideas were deeply influential on the future of Western liberty, and to this day remain the best alternative to the secular materialism of thinkers like Thomas Hobbes.

He was also the most rabbinically learned non-Jew in world history, and a vocal proponent of ancient rabbinic tradition as the best basis for a virtuous political system.

Who was this fascinating thinker? What was his story? And why are his ideas so critical today? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Ari brought on historian Ofir Haivry, author of John Selden and the Western Political Tradition. Haivry is also Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Herzl Institute, and Director of its National Strategy Initiative.

They talked all things Selden — the most important Western thinker you’ve never heard of!

Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Who’s the most influential figure in American political history? Washington? Lincoln? Martin Luther King? The answer, for any student of American history, should be clear: it’s Moses.

But how does this influence pan out? And how do Moses, and other Biblical figures, help us tell our own stories...even today?

To unpack all of this, Ari spoke with bestselling author and New York Times columnist Bruce Feiler, author of “America’s Prophet: Moses and the American Story”. They talked about the Age of Exploration; Moses as lawgiver vs. Moses as liberator; Lincoln’s Second Inaugural; the Bible as text vs. the Bible as map; why Abraham’s story comes before Moses’; how to improve July 4th; and much more!

Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.