Orthodox Conundrum

In the last Orthodox Conundrum (episode 66), Scott talked with Amanda Bradley about the crazy case of Michael Elkohen, a Christian missionary who was masquerading as a Chareidi rabbi, sofer, mohel, Kabbalist, and even kohen. In fact, he wasn't even Jewish at all, and neither was his wife; his actual last name was Elk, not Elkohen. The question still remains about what damage Michael Elk actually d...

Towards the end of April, the Jewish world was rocked by the revelation that a supposed chareidi rabbi, mohel, and sofer living in Jerusalem, Michael Elkohen, was actually not Jewish at all, and was an undercover Christian missionary named Michael Elk. He had long claimed that he was a baal teshuva from the United States, but it became clear that he had no Jewish ancestry, that he was a believing...

Shira Lankin Sheps, the creator and publisher of The Layers Project Magazine, has been conveying the challenges and triumphs of Jewish women for years, and is passionate about creating spaces for stories that need to be told and changing the dialogue around stigmatized topics. Her new book, Layers, accomplishes this in new and exciting ways. Join Scott Kahn as he interviews Shira about the book's...

Members of the large evangelical Christian population in the United States have very often been vocal supporters of the Jewish State. But is that true for the younger generation? Can Israel count upon the support of millennial evangelicals? In the face of rising antisemitism, this question is extremely important. Join Scott as he speaks with Pastor Doug Reed and Rabbi Pesach Wolicki about whether...

Hamas rockets fired into Israel are instruments of terror, and have forced millions of innocent civilians into bomb shelters; seven people have been killed in these attacks, and scores injured. But for many people who love Israel, the Arab-Jewish riots taking place in mixed Arab-Jewish cities have even longer term consequences, with serious implications about the future of Israeli society. Join Sc...

In several recent episodes of this podcast, we've discussed issues related to what might be called ehrlichkeit as opposed to frumkeit: that is, the fact that ethics and honesty are often ignored at the expense of increased stringency in ritual. To continue that discussion, Scott was honored to speak with Rabbi Joseph Dweck, the Senior Rabbi of the S&P Sephardi Community of the United Kingdom. In t...

The tragic events on Lag BaOmer have cut all of us deeply, and for those who lost family members the pain is indescribable. We cannot let this moment pass and assimilate it into our memories without making sure that we learn the lessons that are staring us in the face, and point fingers at those who should be held accountable. Join Scott and Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll for a difficult but necessary di...

Over the past couple of months, the issue of freeing "chained women" - that is, women whose husbands refuse to give them a get as Jewish law requires - has gained new momentum, thanks to a major campaign that began on Instagram. Yet the problem of get refusal remains one of the most pressing issues in the Orthodox world today. What motivates some men to withhold the get, and why do certain batei d...

David Schimmel z'l passed away last week. You probably never heard of David Schimmel; but that's about to change. The lessons we can learn from his life and death are lessons that need to inform our lives as religious Jews. לעילוי נשמת דוד בן שלמה ז"ל Uri Pransky may be reached in Israel at 972-52-763-8269. Please listen to and share the podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conu...

Orthodox Judaism is demanding. We often need to balance competing values - including the fact that our religious inclinations sometimes lead us into questionable moral territory. Too often, we seem make the wrong decisions. Whether with regard to ignoring Netanyahu's corruption trial, celebrating the merger of Israel's Religious Zionist party with racist and misogynistic factions, supporting obvio...

The Orthodox Conundrum normally deals with weighty issues in Orthodox society; but in preparation for Pesach, I really enjoyed this interview with Meir Simcha Panzer and Nachliel Selavan about the history and themes of the Haggadah. Together we discussed some of the surprising ideas that underlie the Pesach Seder, as well as the importance of surprising ourselves and our families every time we rea...

Jewish law requires that both the husband and wife consent to marriage or the marriage is not valid. In practice, however, certain Chassidic communities effectively force a couple to get married - a process which, while conforming to the technical details of halacha, does not truly give either spouse much choice in the matter. To discuss this difficult topic and the issues of consent that arise fr...

The recent news reports about Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, the founder of ZAKA, have been extremely jarring: Meshi-Zahav, a hero to many throughout Israel, stands accused of many counts of sexual abuse. How can we use this as a teachable moment for our children? How should we deal with the prospect of another presumptive role model being revealed as something very different? And how do we balance teaching...

Rav Judah Mischel is one of those rare people who are permeated with insight, who possess a unique way of looking at the world, which provides those who meet them with encouragement and, frankly, joy. As we approach Pesach, Scott asked him to share his insights into faith, trusting in G-d, educating our kids, inculcating passionate Judaism, asking and addressing questions, the importance of storie...

(In anticipation of Purim, the Orthodox Conundrum is rereleasing this classic episode from last year. The issues raised, unfortunately, apply just as much this year as last.) Purim is, if not the most joyous holiday on the Jewish calendar, then certainly the most "fun." And therein lies the problem: are we teaching our children and students that having fun requires alcohol? Is teenage alcohol abus...

The response to coronavirus protocols in Israeli ultra-Orthodox society has been disheartening. Of course, blaming the entire ultra-Orthodox world for the actions of a subset is absurd and unfair. And claiming that the Chareidi world somehow bears unique blame when the Tel Aviv beaches are often full, and protests against the government continue often without any concern for protocols, seems equal...

In a world in which civil discourse is eroding, and where political or religious opponents are cast as enemies, the Orthodox community must step up and set an example... and we are failing miserably. Orly Wahba, the founder of Life Vest Inside, is actually doing something about it. Her film "Kindness Boomerang" was viewed by 100 million people, and she also created and launched Dance for Kindness,...

Mister Rogers has become a symbol of kindness, empathy, and understanding. Tim Madigan, who wrote I'm Proud of You: Life Lessons from My Friend Fred Rogers, says that the person on the TV screen was indeed the real Mister Rogers; and when he spoke to adults, Fred's spirituality, depth, intellect, and almost superhuman ability to be attentive and honest was readily apparent. In a world where polite...

The Orthodox world prides itself on its family values; nowhere is this more apparent than in the Orthodox emphasis on marriage and children. Getting there, however, can sometimes be fraught with all sorts of problems - what has come to be called the shidduch crisis. According to Anna Sherman, a Registered Psychotherapist, Maternal Mental Health Practitioner, and Clinical Supervisor, it's not just...

When protestors attacked the United States Capitol based on the president's words, both Jewish law and Jewish values were torn to shreds. Many Orthodox Jews, while not supporting violence, refuse to recognize what has happened as a result of the Trump presidency. With two weeks left before Trump leaves office, Scott Kahn looks at what too many Orthodox Jews have lost as a direct consequence of Tru...

As 2020 comes to a close, Scott takes a brief look back at the past year for Jewish Coffee House, and looks forward to even more in 2021 - and explains how you can help. Listen to the podcast, then go to https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse (and do it fast to get a cup of coffee on us!).

How do we teach faith and belief to our students and children, when so much of society is dismissive of faith and belief? Should intellectual acquiescence or intimate experience be our primary goal? What are the questions that bother kids the most, and what should parents and teachers do when they don't have satisfactory answers to these questions? To address these and other issues, Scott spoke to...

It seems that a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 will be available as soon as next month. Yet many people are nervous about the vaccine, and suggested that they might not be interested in having it administered to them - at least not right away. There are concerns about the speed at which it was developed, the possibility of short and long term side effects that might not yet have been discovered, and...

It's difficult to deny that the Trump administration was far more pro-Israel than its predecessor; for that reason, many Israelis and others who support Israel are very nervous about what to expect from a Biden administration. Will the gains of the past four years be reversed? Will Biden reenter the Iran deal? Will Israel receive a warm embrace from Washington, or the cold shoulder? To answer thes...

Should rabbis express their opinion regarding the candidate they think is better? Should they articulate "the Torah's viewpoint" when it comes to elections? What dangers could potentially result from doing so? Join Scott Kahn for a special editorial episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, where he tells you whom he voted for (surprise, not Trump), and why he respects those who voted differently... with...