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This episode features music of the late Joseph and Nathan Segal, brothers and rabbis who were early pioneers of 1960s Jewish spiritual music. Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Support inspi...

When Isaac met Rebekah, and she fell off a camel, a meetcute right out of a rom-drom — a romantic dromedary. On November 7th, Rabbi Julie delivered a sermon on their touching relationship. When Isaac loses his mother, Rebecca's very presence eases his pain. How can we be present in the suffering of others, even those we have been taught to hate? If you’re sick of listening to us asking for re...

Rabbi Lizzi interviewed Jakir Manela about his work as CEO of Adamah, the largest Jewish environmental organization in North America. To get on the Adamah email list go to their website and let them know you're in Chicago, and you can help shape the Chicago Hub as it (hopefully!) comes together adamah.org Support inspired, down-to-earth Judaism by donating to our 5787 Tzedakah campaign. https...

On Erev Halloween, Rabbi Steven delivered a spooky drash on the Talmudic rabbis’ teachings on ghosts and demons. How do we keep the dreaded bathroom demon away? And what keeps us up at night today? *** For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar , and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Support inspired, down-to-earth Judaism by donating to our 5787 Tzedakah campaign. https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mishkan-chicago/mishkan-high-holida...

Today's episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service from October 24th when Rabbi Lizzi delivered a sermon on the original iconoclast, Avram the idol smasher. When we follow the example of Abraham of bucking convention to do what is right, life won't be easy, but that authenticity allows us to partner with God in creating a new world. If you haven't already, please smash that subscrib...

Today's episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service from October 16th when Rabbi Julie delivered a drash on the story of Noah. Scholars allege that the biblical flood may have taken inspiration from the Epic of Gilgamesh, but its intended message appears to be quite distinct from other ancient deluge tales. What does the unfolding saga of Genesis teach us about humanity's relationship wit...

Rabbi Lizzi is joined by Alex Sinclair, noted Israeli academic and celebrated author who was detained for wearing a kippah with both Israeli and Palestinian flags. Do you appreciate this dose of Jewish inspiration? Support Mishkan's 5787 Tzedakah Campaign! https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mishkan-chicago/mishkan-high-holidays-2026-5787-tzedakah-campaign *** For upcoming Shabbat services a...

Today's episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on October 10th, when Rabbi Steven delivered a drash reflecting on the polarized reception to an October 7th vigil attended by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.  Did the mayor's statements downplay the suffering of Israelis or did they dismiss the oppression Palestinians? Both? Neither? The answer may lie in the very first chapter of Genesi...

On the anniversary of October 7th, we gathered to reflect on poetry and prayers written about the evil endured on this day, the cruelties inflicted afterward, and our undying hope for peace. Donate to Hersch's Fridge, the first kosher community fridge in the country: https://www.solu.us/fridgedonate "If I Must Die, Let It Be a Tale" by Refaat Alareer: https://poets.org/poem/if-i-mus...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Support inspired, down-to-earth Judaism by donating to our 5787 Tzedakah campaign. https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mishkan-chicago/mishkan-high-holida...

You can watch our Yizkor service and slideshow from Yom Kippur 5787 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlcUpDVahWE Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Support inspired, down-to-earth Judai...

The year is new but the problems are ancient! At Yom Kippur 5787, Rabbi Lizzi looked to Torah and tradition for precedent and prescriptions for our modern woes. Do you appreciate this dose of Jewish inspiration? Support Mishkan's 5787 Tzedakah Campaign! https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mishkan-chicago/mishkan-high-holidays-2026-5787-tzedakah-campaign *** For upcoming Shabbat services and...

At our Kol Nidre service, Rabbi Steven examined the growing divisions tearing the Jewish people apart and drew from history to offer a path forward. Do you appreciate this dose of Jewish inspiration? Support Mishkan's 5787 Tzedakah Campaign! https://secure.givelively.org/donate/mishkan-chicago/mishkan-high-holidays-2026-5787-tzedakah-campaign *** For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, ch...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Today's episode features "Ki Anu Amecha" by RAZA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=linLj6DW8LM Registration is open for High Holidays at Mish...

At our Rosh Hashanah 5787 service, Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann delivered a sermon on the lessons our ancestors provide us in this fraught political moment. Join us for the High Holy Days! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishkan’s High Holiday services to strengthen and inspire you as we face a new year of challenges and opportunities. Tic...

In her inaugural High Holiday sermon at Mishkan, Rabbi Julie Fishbach delivered a surprising drash on the history of prayer. Join us for the High Holy Days! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishkan’s High Holiday services to strengthen and inspire you as we face a new year of challenges and opportunities. Tickets go fast, so save you...

In this special episode recovered from The Mishkan Vault, Rabbi Lizzi speaks with renowned tech entrepreneur Harry Gottlieb about the spiritual technology of teshuvah and the power of the High Holidays in our modern world.  **** Rosh Hashanah is this Saturday, September 12th! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishkan’s High Holiday se...

Rabbi Lizzi read a passage on Selichot from Rabbi Alan Lew's classic This is Real And You Are Completely Unprepared, prompting a vulnerable discussion on how hard it feels to enter the High Holidays this year. Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. http...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Registration is open for High Holidays at Mishkan! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishka...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen This episode features Achat Sha'alti (A Setting of Psalm 27) by Chava Mirel. youtube.com/watch?v=olqBdmrwkhQ If you value this down-to-earth Jewish wi...

Like the mighty Leviathan, Adira rises from the depths to sow adorable chaos. Plus, reflections on the Psalms, media consumption, and Parshat Shoftim. Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen If y...

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on August 7th, when we celebrated our graduating BluePrint students who explored Judaism this past year, many of them going on to choose conversion. We heard a drash from BluePrint graduate Manuel Gauto the allure of Judaism and how Mishkan has become a spiritual home. If Mishkan is your home, we encourage you to help us secure its future by joini...

When did ancient Paleo-Hebrew script start to look like modern Hebrew letters? When did Judaism as we know it begin to take shape? Rabbi Simcha (Steven) Bob joins Rabbi Lizzi to explore these and so many more questions found in his new book When Judaism Began: Exploring the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The music that opens and ends this episode is Micah Shapiro's "Mah Gadlu/Mikolot Mayim...

Hello and welcome to Contact Chai. Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on Saturday, August 1st. We heard a guest drash from Irwin Lowenstein on the challenge of abundance. Sometimes, getting what we want is hard to accept, and harder still to accept that we didn’t really earn our blessings. If you’ve been blessed by this community, we ask you to consider giving out of a sense of abu...