18 Questions, 40 Mystics

In order to study Kabbala, argues Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, one must approach it with humility, holding one’s hands out in the form of a cup as though they are ready to receive.  Rabbi Moshe Weinberger has served as mashpia at Yeshiva University since 2013, and he is the founding rabbi of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY. Today, he joins us to answer eighteen questions with Rabbi Dr. Benji L...

As a Chabad Hassid, Zevi Slavin’s formative years were spent immersed in the rich traditions of Chassidus and Kabbalah. This upbringing provided him with a unique lens through which he continues to learn, study and connect with others.  Drawing on his background, Slavin created “ Seekers of Unity ,” a Youtube channel dedicated to exploring the philosophy and history of mysticism across diverse tra...

Rabbanit Sarah Yehudit Schneider believes meditation is the entryway to understanding mysticism. She highlights that traditional Kabbala often focuses on mystical realms associated with the masculine, and in her current work she is actively exploring and articulating the Kabbala of the feminine.  Sarah Yehudit Schneider is the founding director of A Still Small Voice, a correspondence school that...

Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld’s entryway into mystical thought began with the writings of Franz Kafka and Albert Camus. Discussing Jewish mysticism with Rabbi Joey is not just a conversation about ancient texts and ideas, but it is a journey into the soul, wherein he describes how mystical principles can transform relationships, heal trauma, and guide us in a modern world.  Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld is a practi...

Join Rabbi Benji Levy as he asks 18 existential questions to 40 mystics from around the world. Series launches Monday, Dec. 8. Visit 40mystics.com to learn more. A partnership between Share and 18Forty.

Do you have more hope or fear for Israel and the Jewish People? We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question. Here are our top 5 answers from: 5. Gadi Taub 4. Shani Taragin 3. Rachelle Fraenkel 2. Yossi Klein Halevi 1.  Anshel Pfeffer 18Forty launched its new webs...

Do you think peace between Israelis and Palestinians will happen within your lifetime? We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question. Here are our top 5 answers from: 6. Yakov Nagen 5. Netta Barak Corren 4. Mikhael Manekin 3. Nechumi Yaffe 2. Rula Daood 1. Yoav Hel...

What is the most legitimate criticism leveled against Israel today? We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question. Here are our top 5 answers from: 5. Benny Morris 4. Uri Zaki 3. Einat Wilf 2. Yishai Fleisher 1. Michael Oren 18Forty launched its new website! This i...

What has been Israel's greatest success, and greatest mistake, in its war against Hamas? We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question. Here are our top 6 answers from: 6. Fleur Hasan-Nahoum 5. Haviv Rettig-Gur 4. Yaakov Katz 3. Michael Melchior 2. Micah Goodman 1....

As an Israeli, and as a Jew, how are you feeling at this moment in Israeli history? We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question. Here are our top 5 answers from: 5. Natan Sharansky 4. Netta Barrak Corren 3. Yossi Klein Halevi 2. Rachelle Fraenkel 1. Khitam Abu Ba...

Israel is a heroic country, Michael Oren believes—but he concedes that it is a flawed heroic country. Michael Oren—our 40th Israeli thinker—served as Israeli ambassador to the U.S. from 2009-2013 under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while former U.S. President Barack Obama was in office. A diplomat, writer, historian, veteran, and political thinker, Michael worked extensively in all fields of...

Micah Goodman doesn't think Palestinian-Israeli peace will happen within his lifetime. But he's still a hopeful person. Named by the  Jerusalem Post  as one of the 50 most influential Jews, Micah is a public intellectual, writer, and author whose voice is central to the moral, political, and religious debates raging within Israel. He is the author of several best-selling books — including  The Won...

Talking about the "Haredi community" is a misnomer, Jonathan Rosenblum says, and simplifies its diversity of thought and perspectives. A Yale-trained lawyer turned journalist, Jonathan has been a prolific Haredi columnist for the last few decades. He helped found the English-language Haredi publication Yated Ne’eman,  wrote extensively for The Jewish Observer , and writes weekly for  Mispacha  mag...

Two weeks ago, Israel struck Iran's nuclear facilities, military sites, and leaders. Iran launched a barrage of missiles into Israel. Now, the war has only intensified. Today's episode features eight Israeli thinkers discussing the Iranian threat from weeks and months ago. We hear from: Efraim Inbar Lahav Harkov Yossi Klein Halevi Gadi Taub Uri Zaki Einat Wilf Haviv Rettig-Gur Moshe Koppel Who got...

Zionism asked the Jewish People if they could wield power properly, Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger says. The answer, according to him, is now clear: They cannot. Before co-founding the Palestinian-Israeli dialogue center Roots/Shorashim/Judur, Hanan had never met a Palestinian before. 2013 changed that. Inspired by his interfaith experience decades prior, Hanan threw himself into peace work and is now Ro...

Hamas has isolated Israel diplomatically. Fleur Hassan-Nahoum is scared that, in 20 years, it might be completely isolated. Fleur is a British-born Israeli politician who served as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem from 2018 until 2024, and she recently joined the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy as a senior fellow and sits on the international advisory council.  A seasoned poli...

While we await next week's new episode, we invite you to revisit our (third) 18Forty Podcast conversation with Malka Simkovich, originally aired on November 19, 2024.  18Forty is celebrating its fifth year LIVE in NYC on June 9. Reserve your seats today! In this episode of the  18Forty Podcast , we talk to Malka Simkovich—a scholar of Jewish history, the editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication S...

The Torah wants Israel to be a religious state, Rabbi Elli Fischer says. Just, maybe, not right now.  A historian, writer, translator, and educator, Elli Fischer extensively explores the relationship between Jewish law and the Jewish state, in the past, present, and future. Elli was a previous guest on 18Forty's Zionism series and a 3-Month Book Journey Leader.  A founding editor of  The Lehrhaus...

Twice in its history, Jewish sovereignty collapsed in the last quarter of its first century. Yoav Heller believes Israel must heed this warning. Chairman of the Wingate Institute and a Holocaust historian, Yoav Heller is also chairman of the Fourth Quarter movement—a grassroots movement seeking to repair Israel's civil divides and secure the Jewish state's future. Yoav has been immersed in Israeli...

Wishing Arabs would disappear from Israel, Mikhael Manekin says, is a dangerous fantasy. One of the leaders of Israel's Hasmol Haemuni (Faithful Left) movement, Mikhael is a vocal religious activist for equality and peace. He is the director of the Alliance Fellowship program, an Arab-Jewish political network in Israel, and has authored two books, End of Days Ethics, Tradition, and Power in Israel...

We return next week with a new episode of 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers . In the meantime, enjoy this earlier interview with Einat Wilf, recorded Nov. 25, 2024.  The true enemy in Israel's current war, Einat Wilf says, is what she calls "Palestinianism." Once part of the Israeli left, Einat Wilf is a popular political thinker on Israel, Zionism, and foreign policy. Her 2020 co-authored book, "...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not surprise Anshel Pfeffer over the last 17 months of war—and that's the most disappointing part. A British-born Israeli journalist, Anshel Pfeffer is the Israel correspondent for  The Economist and was a longtime senior correspondent and columnist for Haaretz.   Pfeffer's 2018 book, Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu , earned widespread...

Judaism does not value power and might, Rav Mosheh Lichtenstein says—in fact, it abhors it. Co-rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion, Rav Mosheh is a venerated leader in Israel's Religious Zionist world who is unafraid to call out his community's shortfalls. His statements on Israel's religious-political affairs draw ire and praise—a fact-of-life that does not discourage him. Rav Mosheh has been a r...

Sgt. Itay Chen was taken captive by Hamas on October 7. The IDF believes he is dead—but his family is still holding out hope. Ever since Itay was declared Missing in Action, Ruby and Chagit Chen—and the Chen family—have tirelessly fought to bring him home. Ruby and Itay are American citizens, so they hoped that would play to their advantage. In March of 2024, the IDF declared that Itay was killed...

Sagui Dekel-Chen was held hostage in Gaza for 498 days—or 43 million seconds. He came home on Feb. 15. An American-Israeli citizen who was living in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Sagui left behind a pregnant wife and two daughters when Hamas took him captive in Gaza. Sagui had no idea of their fate—until two days before his release. Jonathan Dekel-Chen, Sagui's father, joins Sruli Fruchter to speak about his ti...