Chutzpod!

For our 2nd Sukkot themed episode, we examine the harvest side of the holiday as Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome on Gerardo Reyes Chavez, a key leader for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida. Gerardo has been working in the fields since he was eleven years old and shares the difficult perspective of being a worker of the land and their continuing struggle for basic human rights. Episode T...

As Sukkot approaches, we bring on a botanist to dig into the agricultural side of this underrated Jewish holiday.  Chutzpod! is joined by Holly Poole-Kavana from Little Red Bird Botanicals to talk about how plants are used for sacred traditions. What is the significance of the willow, myrtle, date palm, and of course the Etrog!  Plus, get a “peek” at Rabbi Shira’s backyard sukkah, featuring botani...

Our first episode of 5783 is jam-packed. Rabbi Shira and Joshua open with author Nathan Englander, playwright Josh's new play, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank . We then welcome Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World to help us figure out how to make things right with other human beings. Why are we so bad at saying sorry?...

For our final episode of 5782, we bring you a longtime staple of Rosh Hashanah, the Rabbi's sermon. Rabbi Shira shares with Josh and all of us a touching testimony about life and difficult family experiences, which will help put you in the right frame of mind as we bring in the New Year.  "L' Shana Tova!" Episode Timecodes: (07:01) Rabbi Shira's sermon Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org...

Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome Lutheran Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber as we dive into the concept of "Bein Adam L'Atzmo", which means between humans and ourselves. Forewarning to Chutzsquad!....There is a lot of cursing in this episode and we bleeped none of it! Episode Timecodes: (04:05) Nadia Bolz-Weber interview (38:30) Rabbi Shira closing blessing to Nadia Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.o...

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are approaching and Rabbi Shira and Joshua want to help you prepare (and need to prepare ourselves).  We welcome Rabbi Toba Spitzer, author of "God is Here: Reimagining the Divine ", to help figure out how to begin. Episode Timecodes: (07:35) Rabbi Toba Spitzer segment (43:01) Rabba Tamar Elad-Appelbaum meditation Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choice...

Rabbi Shira and Joshua are joined by award winning filmmaker Ken Burns to discuss his upcoming documentary called "The U.S. and the Holocaust" that will premiere on PBS on September 18th. Episode Timecode: (05:02) Ken Burns Interview (32:30) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This past week saw the 5th Anniversary of the frightening and tragic "Unite the Right" Rally in Charlottesville, VA. Rabbi Shira and Joshua are joined by Amy Spitalnick. Amy is the Integrity First for America’s Executive Director, the organization that successfully spearheaded the lawsuit and the broader fight against white supremacy and extremism at this crucial moment for democracy. Episode Time...

St. Paul's Temple of Aaron hosts the first-ever live taping of the show. The Minnesota Chutzsquad welcomes Rabbi Shira and Joshua for a lively conversation about the holiday of Tisha B'Av. Episode Timecode: (36:30) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

With the help of this week's double Torah portion (Mattot-Massei), and Hulu's new show "The Bear", Rabbi Shira explores with Joshua alternatives to violence when conflict arises. Episode Timecode: (33:40) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

What’s to be done when the Torah text we revere appears problematic? Dig deeper! Rabbi Shira guides Joshua through the challenges of this week’s portion, Pinchas, and what it has to say about interfaith marriages. Episode Timecode: (36:15) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Mediation Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On our 2nd Mailbag Edition, Rabbi Shira and Joshua answer listener questions. Is chicken parm kosher? And how do we make circumcision cool again? These are just two examples of what you'll hear in this episode. Episode Timecodes: (04:48) Q1 on circumcision (15:01) Q2 on chicken parmesan (21:56) Q3 on Jewish events & mask protocols (27:06) Q4 on Philosemitism (35:00) Rabbi Shira's Guided Medita...

Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome Sarah Hurwitz. A senior speechwriter for President Obama, and head speechwriter for the First Lady, Sarah critiques Moses as a communicator in this week’s Torah portion, Chukat. Episode Timecodes: (10:20) Interview with Sarah Hurwitz (46:20) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

After the Supreme Court's ruling, Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome three esteemed rabbis to take a look at some Jewish text in an effort to contemplate the court's decision, and frame a Jewish response. Episode Timecodes: (06:05) Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt and Rabba Sara Hurwitz join the show (31:30) George Newbern defines the Hebrew/Yiddish terms used in our episode (36:15) Rabbi Annie Lewis’ Guest Me...

This week the Rabbi and Joshua speak to an unforgettably unique guest, author Michael Twitty as this weekend is "NYC Pride".  Michael is an African-American Jew, who identifies with the LGBTQ community, and has an upcoming book titled: "Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew". Episode Timecodes: (08:30) Michael Twitty Interview (37:35) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation Lea...

As World Refugee Day is on Monday June 20th, Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome on a pair of important voices from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), which is the oldest refugee organization in the world.  Mark Hetfield is the CEO & President of HIAS and Melanie Nezer is its Senior VP, Global Public Affairs. Episode Timecodes: (05:10) Interview w/ Mark & Melanie (39:10) Rabbi Shira's Gui...

The rabbi and Joshua get back to basics, taking a look at this week’s Torah portion, Nasso, and exploring Judaism’s perspectives on asceticism, charity, and humility. Episode Timecode: (34:08) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Rabbi Shira and Joshua shine a spotlight on the surprisingly esoteric Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which is coming up in early June. A tradition of the holiday is to stay up all night studying Torah and in that spirit, we welcome on Rabba Yaffa Epstein and Rabbi David Schuck. Episode Timecodes: (00:00) Rabbi Shira’s thoughts after the shooting in Texas (13:44) Rabba Yaffa Epstein and Rabbis David Sc...

SUMMARY: Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome the CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, Sheila Katz. Together, they discuss Jewish thought on reproductive rights, when life begins, and what can be done in response to the Supreme Court's intention to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Episode Timecodes: (04:45) Sheila Katz Interview (35:04) Quick interviews with those attending the Abortion Justice Rally in D...

In this episode, Rabbi Shira and Joshua discuss the ins and outs of Judaism's tattoo taboo. Is it verboten? Where on the sliding scale of sin does it fall?  And the biggie: will a tattoo get you barred from a Jewish cemetery? Episode Timecodes: (25:18) Janel Moloney defines the Hebrew & Yiddish terms used in our episode (28:51) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation as we count the Omer Learn about y...

The Rabbi and Joshua welcome editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to discuss his fascinating sit-down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his compound in Kyiv. Goldberg explains the similarities that Zelensky shares with many American Jews and why it is so noteworthy that Ukraine's President is Jewish at this particular time. (09:02) Jeffrey Goldberg Interview (33:47) Rabb...

Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome Israeli and Palestinian guests to the podcast to engage in an inclusive and nuanced conversation around Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut. Episode Timecodes: (6:15) Leah Solomon Interview (38:18) Layla Alsheikh Interview (60:45) Reading the names of those who recently were killed in the region Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Joshua and Rabbi Shira reconvene after spending Passover seder with friends and family. As Yom HaShoah (Holocause Remembrance Day) approaches, we take this opportunity to hear an unforgettable family story from Esther Safran Foer and her son Franklin Foer about their ancestry that was affected by the Holocaust. Esther has written a book titled, “I Want You to Know We’re Still Here: A Post Holocaus...

As Passover has arrived, we welcome to the Chutzpod! Seder Table a very different Jewish background and perspective from Shira & Joshua. Rabbi Sandra Lawson is one of the world’s first African American, queer, female rabbis. She works with Reconstructing Judaism to help it realize its deeply held aspiration of becoming an anti-racist organization and movement. Episode Timecodes: (03:51) Rabbi...

Our hosts discuss the upcoming festival of Passover, and the symbols and goals of a meaningful seder. Plus, Rabbi Shira chats with The Sporkful's Dan Pashman about Passovers past, and a spiritual connection to eating. Episode Timecodes: (20:32) Dan Pashman Interview (39:27) John Ross Bowie defines Hebrew & Yiddish terms used in our episode (44:35) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation Learn about yo...