The Light Lab Podcast

Rabbi Sid Schwarz has started impactful organizations, written insightful books, and led many groups of Jews to greater meaning and personal engagement with Judaism. We are so grateful to share this interview full of gems, from Rabbi Sid’s social justice work, to his “davenning out of the box” experience, to what he sees for the Jewish future, all connected to t’fillah . How can you internalize yo...

We return to our Amidah series for what seems like a mini High Holidays: talk (or not) of g?d as father and king, longing for return, repentance, and forgiveness. Ellen, Eliana, and Josh dive deep into the text and talk g?d names, meditation, rowboats, and more. Plus a prayer-song exploder for Eliana’s song “Lead Me Back.” What are you returning to? Support us on ko-fi! Membership tiers are now li...

This week, we are grateful to share this conversation with Daphna Rosenberg, one of the founders, composers, and leaders of the Nava Tehila prayer community in Jerusalem. Daphna’s journey takes us around the world and home again, with so much wisdom along the way, including a master class in creating and holding safe space for vulnerability through prayer. Daphna and Nava Tehila have transformed h...

This week we’re live from Songleader Boot Camp! It was such a treat to interact with folks and feel the energy in the (zoom) room. We’re back in our Amidah series, exploring the challenges and opportunities of petitionary prayer as a whole before jumping into the first of the 13 middle Amidah blessings, on knowledge/understanding/discernment/wisdom. What’s the difference between all these things?...

It's an honor to share our interview with Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, president and CEO of the Hadar Institute . Rabbi Kaunfer is an incredible teacher, author, and liturgist. In fact, we’ve quoted him on the podcast many times- if you’ve ever heard us say “intertext,” we learned that from him! Rabbi Kaunfer shows us how so much of the siddur is made up of quotes from our sacred texts. Looking at those li...

As the sign says, we’ve got some announcements! 1. We gush about our show notes 2. We give an update about episode timing 3. We drop some names for upcoming interviews (it’s good y’all) 4. We announce our survey ! Let us know your thoughts at bit.ly/llpodsurvey. All survey-takers will be entered into a raffle to win some  art or chocolate :) And then of course, we thank YOU for listening, lea...

How to define the Hebrew word Kedushah ? Holiness, distinct, set apart and yet connected, the opposite of sand… Ellen, Eliana, and Josh don’t have all the answers, but they do raise many great questions. In this week's episode we’re on to the third blessing in the amidah, the kedushah-ifying of g?d’s name. There’s numerology, there’s Torah, there’s angels, there’s wheels within wheels, there’s hol...

What a joy to interview (spi)ritualist, writer, educator, and friend Rishe Groner of the Gene-Sis . A channel of ecstatic & embodied Jewish practice, Rishe lives and breathes prayer- so much so that she has an incredible prayer podcast of her own, Just Pray. We talk about this new project, plus her childhood in a Chabad family in Melbourne Australia, walking in prayer, the keva-kavanah (fixed...

It’s the second blessing of the Amidah, the fourth installment of our Amidah series, and an all-around enlivening episode! By diving deep into G’vurot, Josh, Ellen, and Eliana explore many questions including: What does it mean to be brought back to life? How is g?d the “owner of the powers,” and can they be rented? And how many movie and musical theater references can we make in an hour without r...

Grateful to share another meaningful conversation with Rabbi Steve Sager. If you haven’t gotten a chance, listen back to episode 12 for our first interview. In this continuation, Rabbi Sager reflects on t’fillah through his own life, including his upbringing, his encounter with Mordecai Kaplan, and his path to Rabbinical school. Plus we continue to explore blessings, play and imagination, praying...

Now that we’ve taken three steps back and three steps forward, and delved into the first three words of each bracha , it’s time to explore the first blessing of the Amidah- Avot V’Imahot, patriarchs, and as we discuss, also matriarchs. There is so much to uncover in just this one paragraph, including: Our feelings about adding to prayer, Poetic language that goes up to the heavens and back down to...

This week’s episode was a difficult one to title- throughout my interview with the wise and compassionate Rabbi Steve Sager, he brought to light so many beautiful facets of t’fillah: what t’fillah means, is, and can be; what it takes to lead t’fillah; the “joyful reunion” of prayer and liturgy; what ritual requires; and g?d as the impulse to live. Rabbi Sager is a scholar of prayer, poetry, Rabbin...

When we said we were going to dig deep into the Amidah, we meant it! In this week’s episode, Josh, Ellen, and Eliana explore/geek out over just three words- Baruch, Atah, and a four-letter name we can’t even pronounce. These three words begin the Amidah, appear at the end of every section of the Amidah, and begin every traditional blessing, and there is so much to explore, including (but not limit...

We’re so blessed to welcome the amazing Cantor Rosalie Will to the Light Lab! In this episode, Eliana and Rosalie explore what worship is, why it matters, and how better questions can elevate prayer communities. Plus we sing the praises of the songleading and music conference Hava Nashira, and Rosalie introduces her brand new nonprofit Sing Unto God. Be sure to check out this week’s Transcript And...

We are embarking on our most ambitious deep dive yet- the Amidah. But before we get too far in, we need to take a step back. Well, three. This week, Josh, Ellen, and Eliana explore “Adonai S’fatai Tiftach,” the preamble to the Amidah, what the Amidah even is, and what it means to prepare for prayer. Transcript Show Notes

Shalom dear listeners! We're taking a break through the end of '21. In the meantime, make sure you're caught up on all our episodes! For more learning, check out the in depth show notes at elianalight.com/podcast and follow us @thelight.lab . 

In the shema , we say g?d is one. Yet in the aleinu, we say on that day, g?d will be one. Which is true? Hear some thoughts from Eliana, breathe along with a short practice, and stay until the end for a gorgeous shema from the magical, mindful musician Chava Mirel. Transcript Show Notes Follow us on instagram @thelight.lab

In this first full-length interview episode, Eliana connects with Yoshi Silverstein, founder of Mitsui Collective. We dig into embodied Jewish practice and what it has to do with racial justice, prayer, and the concept of time. It goes some pretty wonderful and wild places, just like a canoe in the river (a reference you’ll understand once you hear our conversation!) Be sure to check out this week...

Happy Hanukkah! In this very special holiday episode, Eliana, Josh, and Ellen explore the ritual of Hanukkah candles: from the opening blessings, to the difference between a menorah and a chanukiah, to the many verses of Maoz Tzur. Plus, Josh shares his brand new melody for Hanerot Hallalu! We hope this adds some sparkle to your festival of lights. Be sure to check out this week’s: Spotify playlis...

It’s time for thanks-giving! Eliana, Ellen, and Josh explore the gratitude prayer of the Amidah, Modim Anachnu Lach. We nerd out on Jewish-people-monikers, intertext, and gematria (numerology,) plus share our favorite melodies and Thanksgiving traditions. What a great excuse for gratitude! Transcript at bit.ly/LLP5transcript  Show notes at https://www.lightlab.co/podcast/ Spotify playlist at...

This week, Eliana, Ellen, and Josh wake up in gratitude by diving deep into Modeh/Modah Ani. We talk morning rituals, translations, g?d names, favorite melodies, and more.  Full show notes (including all texts) at https://www.lightlab.co/podcast/ Transcript at bit.ly/LLP4transcript Spotify Playlist at bit.ly/modahani

Eliana, Ellen, and Josh are joined by poet and educator Alexander Nemser for a deep dive into Ma'ariv Aravim, the first blessing in the evening service. We talk sheep, stars, translations, and time, plus learn about Alexander's prayer journey and hear some beautiful original poetry. It's a conversation as multifaceted and vast as the twilight sky...  Transcript at bit.ly/LLP3transcript Copiou...

To celebrate the launch of the light lab, Eliana, Ellen, and Josh dive deep into the prayer "Or Chadash," a new light. We explore the different kinds of light, light-centered g?d-names, and our favorite melodies for this prayer. Plus Eliana sings and shares her song, "A New Light." We hope this is an en-light-tening episode! Transcript at bit.ly/LLP2SN Show notes at https://www.lightlab.co/podcast...

Welcome to the Light Lab podcast! In this first episode, we start with the foundational questions: What is prayer? What is liturgy? Why does this matter? And why does this matter to us?  Show notes here Transcript here Plus a Spotify playlist at   bit.ly/modahani Stay in touch! Follow us on instagram @thelight.lab

Welcome to the light lab! We (Rabbi Josh Warshawsky, Cantor Ellen Dreskin, Eliana Light, and special guests) believe that there is so much insight to be found in Jewish sacred heritage by holding the gems of our liturgy to the light. We see the immense value of personal, heart-opening, empathy-expanding prayer practice. And we love to talk about both. Join us!