The JCast Network Total Feed

In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss season 2 of the AppleTV+ hit, ‘Shrinking‘! After our first deep dive into the series, we couldn’t help but return to explore even more of the lessons it has to offer about therapy, grief, and the messiness of human connection. As we revisit the characters and their journeys, we ask: what’s changed? What’s still resonating? And how does this show continue to capture the complexity of life in a way that feels both funny and painfully real? Once more, with feeling — join us as we try Shrinking on for size... again!

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture.

How do you listen to PopTorah? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!

Welcome to the Daily Daf Differently. In this episode, Avi Strausberg looks at Masechet Taanit Daf 20.

In today’s episode, we’ll learn the classic aggadic story of Rabbi Elazar’s encounter with a strange fellow on his way home from a great day of Torah learning. Through that story, we’ll explore what it means to be “hard like a cedar and soft like a reed” and reflect on how to integrate this principle into our own lives and relationships.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Welcome to the Daily Daf Differently. In this episode, Avi Strausberg looks at Masechet Taanit Daf 19.

In today’s episode, we learn the famous aggada of Honi the Circle-Maker who stands before God and boldly demands rain for a community in drought. We’ll think about what we can and cannot ask God for, focusing on when requests in prayer cross into inappropriate demands of God. We’ll reflect on the centrality of water as the stuff of our lives and think about the relationship between prayer and action as a means to address communal distress.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Welcome to the Daily Daf Differently. In this episode, Avi Strausberg looks at Masechet Taanit Daf 18.

In today’s episode, we’ll learn about Megillat Taanit, the scroll that details 35 celebratory, historical events that the rabbis declared should be observed as holidays for all generations. We’ll unpack what it means to observe these days as days of celebration and reflect on what the role is for seriousness and sorrow on days of joy.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Welcome to the Daily Daf Differently. In this episode, Avi Strausberg looks at Masechet Taanit Daf 17.

In today’s episode, we explore why Cohanim were forbidden to drink in the days of the Temple and whether this prohibition would apply to Cohanim in our times. We’ll think about how our lives are different today in a post-Temple world and through the sugya, we’ll reflect on what we mean when we pray for the Temple to be rebuild speedily in our times.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.